In the small town, Kaius vividly remembered the time Clark had been away. The Kent couple would ask him about Clark's situation almost every day.
"Mr. Kent, I can assure you, Clark is completely safe. No one in this world can threaten his life!"
Kaius had lost count of how many times he'd reassured them. If he had known the Kents were so attached to their son, he might have followed Clark to the North Pole just to save himself the trouble.
Martha Kent, Clark's adoptive mother, had been too preoccupied to focus on farm work lately. She had lost weight and often fretted aloud: "Clark is still so young. He's been away for almost two months now. What if someone deceives him, or worse, he picks up bad habits? I don't know what I'll do if that happens!"
It had indeed been two months since Clark had left town for the North Pole.
"Clark is going to be an adult in a year. He can handle things on his own," Kaius said, trying to dissuade Martha from worrying.
He suppressed the urge to tell her everything and reassured himself instead. He knew Clark was safe because, during these two months, Kaius had noticed a steady increase in his own strength and speed.
The only plausible explanation was that Clark—being the original owner of the Superman Card—was growing more powerful at an incredible rate. Even the purple hero card in Kaius's possession seemed to be transitioning into a golden legendary card.
Although Jonathan Kent also worried about Clark, he didn't let it show. Instead, he comforted Martha, saying, "I trust Clark. He'll come back soon."
Kaius nodded in agreement.
Just then, a deep rumbling sound came from the sky. The three of them looked up to see a fiery object streaking through the atmosphere like a meteor. However, unlike a meteor, it suddenly curved mid-air, changing direction toward the Kent farm.
"My goodness, what is that? A meteor?" Martha asked in amazement, covering her mouth.
Jonathan frowned and began running toward the house. "Meteors don't change direction on their own. Martha, take Kaius and get out of here!"
Inside the house, Jonathan grabbed a shotgun and loaded it as quickly as he could.
Kaius, however, had already activated his super vision. What he saw startled him—it was a spacecraft, not a meteor. Inside were two men and a woman, armed with weapons far more advanced than anything on Earth.
"Uncle Kent, Aunt Martha, leave this to me. This isn't something you can handle," Kaius said firmly.
He took off his glasses and coat, revealing a custom-made elastic suit he had ordered from Metropolis a month ago.
Kaius's physique had undergone significant changes since acquiring the Superman Card. Though his frame appeared ordinary beneath a jacket, removing it revealed perfectly defined muscles, the result of months of steady growth.
With a thunderous crash, the "meteor" landed on the Kent farm. The impact's shockwave instantly flattened their crops. Fortunately, Kaius shielded the Kents from the worst of the blast.
Stepping forward, Kaius placed himself protectively in front of Jonathan and Martha, who huddled behind him.
As they approached, it became clear the object was a spacecraft. Moments later, its hatch opened, and two figures in black armor emerged.
The shorter of the two stepped forward. Though her voice spoke in an unfamiliar language, Kaius understood her words as if they had been translated directly into his mind.
"I sense the presence of one of our own. You must be... Kal-El."
Is this some kind of alien black technology?
Kaius had no time to dwell on the intricacies of alien technology. He clasped his hands together and said calmly, "I'd like to admit it, but I'm not the person you're looking for. Who are you, and what are you here on Earth for?"
The woman in black armor stepped forward and sneered, "I am Lieutenant General Faora-Ul of Kandor. We detected the signal from the scout ship belonging to Kal-El, which is nearby. If you are not Kal-El... then die!"
Before the words fully left her mouth, Faora lunged, delivering a powerful punch aimed directly at Kaius. The blow cut through the air with a sharp whistle.
Kaius had been ready for her to attack. As soon as her fist shot forward, he raised his left arm, blocking her blow with precision. Without hesitation, he countered with his right hand, aiming a punch directly at her face.
Bang!
The force of Kaius's punch sent Faora flying hundreds of meters back. The burly man who had been standing silently behind her finally smirked, clearly amused by the exchange.
"Not bad, boy," the man rumbled, "but don't forget, there are two of us."
The man, another Kryptonian named Jor-Lar, had remained stationary not because he was uninterested, but because he was still acclimating to the Earth's yellow sun. The newfound strength and powers he was gaining required some adjustment.
With that, Jor-Lar took a light step forward, and with gravity seemingly irrelevant to him, he leaped dozens of meters into the air. Descending with his fist aimed at Kaius, he unleashed an attack meant to crush his opponent.
"Show-off!" Kaius muttered, leaping skyward to meet him head-on. He threw a punch of his own, and their fists collided mid-air.
Boom!
The impact sent shockwaves through the surrounding area as both fighters were forced back. They landed simultaneously, neither showing any visible advantage.
The brief stalemate didn't bode well for Kaius. He knew that the longer Kryptonians were exposed to the yellow sun, the stronger they became. With only 55% of Superman's strength, Kaius was struggling to hold his own against two Kryptonians who had only just arrived on Earth.
By this time, Faora had recovered from her earlier blow. She flew back into the fray, closing the distance to Kaius in an instant. Her fists came at him like a whirlwind as she growled, "I don't care if you're Kal-El. Hand over the ship, and I'll make your death quick!"
"You're wasting your time," Kaius retorted between blows. "Even if you get the ship, it's useless. What you're looking for isn't there!"
Kaius's words, while true, were brushed off by the Kryptonians as a desperate ploy to mislead them. Faora and Jor-Lar intensified their assault, attacking in tandem. Outnumbered and overpowered, Kaius quickly found himself overwhelmed, taking blow after blow.
From a safe distance, Jonathan Kent held Martha close. He watched Kaius struggle against the Kryptonians and realized this battle was far beyond what ordinary people could handle. Yet, he couldn't stand by as Kaius was pummeled.
"Martha, go call the police! Damn it, what do these people want?" Jonathan growled.
Martha nodded and rushed toward the house. Meanwhile, Jonathan grabbed his shotgun, aimed at Faora, and pulled the trigger.
Boom!
The shot hit Faora directly, sparks flying off her armor. But the bullet ricocheted harmlessly, as though it had struck solid steel.
"Hell!" Jonathan cursed under his breath.
Faora turned slowly toward him, her expression darkening. In the blink of an eye, she dashed forward and appeared directly in front of Jonathan. With one hand, she grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground effortlessly.
"Tell me where the ship is," she demanded coldly. "Or I'll kill everyone here!"