"Didn't you two say you were going on vacation?" Daniel asked as he looked around at the wreckage covering the street.
"Is this your idea of a vacation?"
Ronnie and Art looked at the destroyed bus, the unconscious robbers, and then at each other — tears almost came to their eyes.
"We know, Boss. It somehow turned into a complete mess."
Daniel let out a helpless sigh. "That's why I told you not to spend your vacation in big cities. You'd be better off finding some quiet village and wasting a few days there."
His eyes suddenly shifted toward Superman — specifically toward the glowing green stone lying among the stolen valuables.
...Oh, fuck. Kryptonite.
He looked back at Ronnie and Art. "Alright, you two go enjoy your vacation. Just stay away from major cities this time. I've got something to take care of."
The two nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Boss!" Neither of them asked another question — they grabbed their bags and hurried away before another disaster found them.
Daniel walked over and picked up the glowing green crystal. Clark frowned. "What the hell is that?"
"Definitely one of the most annoying things I've ever come across." Daniel's gaze swept across the street before stopping on the nearby traffic cameras.
Without another word, he raised his hand. Every camera overlooking the intersection exploded simultaneously, showering the road with broken glass and twisted metal.
Clark looked at him in confusion. "You destroyed the cameras?"
"I can't let the wrong people find out about this. If that bald guy ever discovers you have a weakness, it'll create far more problems than we need." He opened his System Inventory and tossed the Kryptonite inside. The green crystal disappeared instantly.
"If you ever see another one of those again, don't get close to it. Destroy it from as far away as possible."
Clark's expression became even more puzzled. "What exactly is that thing?"
Daniel shook his head. "Explaining it here will take too long." He glanced around at the crowded street as police sirens approached.
"Let's go somewhere we won't be interrupted."
***
Fortress of Solitude
A few minutes later, Daniel and Clark arrived at the Fortress of Solitude.
The green crystal rested inside a containment chamber while the Fortress AI began scanning it. Clark remained several meters away — even from that distance, he could still feel his body weakening.
A blue holographic display appeared before them. "Analysis complete."
"What did you find?" Clark asked.
"The object is confirmed to be a fragment originating from the destroyed planet Krypton."
Clark's expression changed. "...A piece of Krypton?"
"Confirmed. Planetary composition matches Kryptonian geological records with a compatibility of 99.98%." Another screen appeared.
"The fragment was fundamentally altered during Krypton's destruction. Extreme gravitational forces, planetary core collapse, and prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation permanently changed its molecular structure."
"The mineral now emits an unknown radiation that directly interferes with Kryptonian cellular functions, causing rapid degradation of cellular energy absorption and resulting in severe physical weakness."
Clark looked at the glowing green crystal. "So that's why I suddenly lost my strength."
"Current designation unavailable. Recommendation: Assign a unique classification."
Daniel rubbed his chin. "I'll just call it Kryptonite."
Clark looked toward him. "Kryptonite..."
"It's a fragment of Krypton. Might as well keep the name simple."
"Classification updated. Kryptonite." The AI projected one final analysis.
"Warning. Current sample contains only trace amounts of the anomalous radiation."
"Larger fragments or prolonged exposure will proportionally increase the effects on Kryptonian physiology and may become fatal."
The room fell silent.
"Looks like we found your weakness," Daniel said.
Clark gave a slow nod. "And we make sure no one else finds out."
A yawn echoed through the Fortress. Daniel and Clark instinctively turned toward the sound.
Kara walked into the room wearing oversized pajamas, still rubbing her eyes. The moment she saw Daniel, the yawn stopped halfway.
Her eyes slowly moved down to the pajamas she was wearing — her face instantly turned bright red. Without a word, she spun around and ran back inside her room.
Daniel watched the door close before looking at Clark. "Well, not so friendly, I see."
This was definitely not the version of Supergirl he had ever encountered.
Compared to the fierce warrior who had nearly punched a hole through his body, the embarrassed girl who had just fled was an entirely different person.
Daniel's expression grew more serious. "Is she doing fine? I didn't completely remove whatever brainwashing was affecting her — I only destroyed its core, so I'm not sure if it can influence her again."
Clark nodded. "She's fine now. She's still getting used to everything."
Until recently, he had believed he was the last survivor of Krypton. Now, without any warning, he had family again — the only blood relative he had left. He knew he had to be patient and help her adapt.
Meanwhile, far away in Metropolis, a certain bald man watched the recovered surveillance footage with growing excitement.
His eyes remained fixed on the moment Superman slowly backed away from the glowing green stone, clearly weakened by its presence.
A faint smile spread across his face as he replayed the footage again and again.
*****
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