Mark soared higher, a laugh escaping his lips as the trees became dots below him. "This… this is amazing!" he shouted to no one, the wind whipping past his face. The sensation was exhilarating—a mix of freedom and power that was beyond anything he had ever imagined.
After a few minutes of flying, Mark landed near a boulder at the edge of the park. His landing wasn't perfect, but it was controlled enough to avoid a crash. He stared at the massive rock in front of him, his fingers twitching as he thought about the strength now coursing through his body.
'Let's see how far this goes', he thought, stepping forward. With one hand, he gripped the edge of the boulder and lifted. It came off the ground effortlessly, as if it weighed no more than a pillow. Mark grinned and threw the rock a few dozen feet away, watching it crash into a tree with a thunderous sound.
Next came speed. Mark crouched low and sprinted across the clearing, the world blurring around him as he moved faster than his eyes could track. The rush of air against his face was exhilarating, and by the time he skidded to a stop, the clearing looked like it had been hit by a tornado, with grass and dirt kicked up in every direction.
But not everything came as easily. Heat vision was a struggle to control. Mark squinted at a pile of rocks, willing the energy from his Kryptonian side to manifest. It took a few attempts, but eventually, twin beams of intense red heat shot from his eyes, reducing the rocks to molten slag.
The burst of energy left him breathless, and for a moment, he felt the strain of using powers he hadn't fully mastered. Okay, heat vision needs work, he thought, wiping sweat from his brow.
The bioelectric field also required concentration. Mark experimented with hovering and gliding, carefully adjusting his movements with subtle shifts of his body. Drawing on memories of comics and shows like Young Justice and the comic book version of Superboy, he decided to test whether he could replicate tactile telekinesis. Stretching his hand toward a nearby rock, he focused, willing his bioelectric aura to extend and envelop the object. After a few tense seconds, he felt his aura shift, wrapping around the rock. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it into the air, watching as it soared out of sight.
"Awesome!" he shouted, grinning as he realized what he had just accomplished.
Encouraged, Mark turned to another experiment—recreating one of Superboy's iconic abilities: telekinetic barriers. He envisioned extending his bioelectric aura into a solid, tangible construct, forming a protective shield or wall. With his hands outstretched, he focused intently, imagining the field expanding outward and hardening into a barrier. The air around him shimmered faintly as the energy began to take shape.
'Hmm', he thought, the possibilities swirling in his mind. 'I assumed the Codex would limit me to the standard abilities of a yellow sun-powered Kryptonian: super strength, speed, senses, heat vision, and x-ray vision. But this… this is something else. If I can replicate non-standard Kryptonian abilities, who knows what I could achieve?'
His mind raced with possibilities, a grin spreading across his face. 'With my knowledge of comics, I could potentially develop powers even Superman never had. I might even be able to project solar energy blasts, like Superman One Million'. The thought filled him with excitement and determination.
After realizing how late it was getting Mark flew off and arrived in the backyard of his home, his legs wobbling slightly as he landed. His head was buzzing with adrenaline, his mind racing with the possibilities of what he could do. But as he stood there, staring at the house he'd grown up in, reality came crashing back.
He had his powers now—powers that were incredible, world-shaking. But that didn't change the harsh reality: his father was Omni-Man. And Mark knew exactly what that meant for the future.
Sliding open the backyard door, he stepped into the house, where his mother and father were sitting at the table, finishing dinner. Debbie looked up, surprised. "Oh, Mark! I didn't see you come in. What were you doing out in the backyard?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
He hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward.
"Mom, Dad," he said, his voice steady. "my powers just kicked in."
Debbie's eyes lit up with pride and excitement. "Oh, Mark, that's wonderful!" she said.
Nolan had a small smile on his face. "I knew it was only a matter of time," he said, his tone calm but carrying a hint of satisfaction. "How do you feel?"
Mark hesitated, glancing at his father. "Strong. Fast. Like… I can do anything."
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Later that night, as Mark lay in bed, he stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. He had revealed his powers to his parents because he knew it was inevitable. Nolan would have found out sooner or later. But now, he had to make a choice.
Mark clenched his fists. He knew the timeline. He knew the Guardians of the Globe would die, and he knew it would be his father's doing. But as much as it pained him, he wasn't ready to stop Nolan. Not yet. His training had prepared him for a lot, but he could feel the gap in power between them.
'I need more time', he thought, his jaw tightening. 'I need to get stronger'.
As the moonlight filtered through his window, Mark closed his eyes, already thinking about how to push his new powers even further.