Elsewhere, Heisenberg and the others returned to the arena on Paradise Island in the blink of an eye.
After touching down, Clark seemed to recall something. He hesitated for a moment, mulling it over, then quietly asked Heisenberg, "Great-Grandfather, did Bruce have something else he didn't get to finish saying again?"
"Huh? Did he?"
Heisenberg blinked.
He turned his head and silently tuned into the distant sounds.
Moments later, he indeed caught the muttering of a certain Batman down in South America.
There, in the freshly devastated wasteland, Batman looked around at a loss, then rubbed his forehead with a face full of exasperation.
"Damn it, it happened again!"
Shaking his head in resignation, he muttered, "Fine. Plan B. Alfred, get me another aircraft!"
"Understood, Master Bruce. Though I must say, our planes have been going down rather quickly as of late."
"Oh? How many do we have left?"
"That's hardly a concern—perhaps a few thousand still? I was merely remarking on the rate of destruction, not the shortage…"
"Hm."
Hearing Alfred's reply, Bruce nodded dismissively.
"Cosmic-level enemies have been the norm lately. My crafts are bound to be a bit fragile. Source some rare metals for me—I'll probably need to upgrade my little gadgets again."
With that, Bruce simply sat himself down off to the side and waited, alone.
Watching that solitary figure, Heisenberg back on Paradise Island let out a straightforward laugh.
"Alright, alright. I failed to hear him out yet again. But he's the one who refuses to just get to the point. Consider this a small lesson for him, ha!"
Still chuckling, Heisenberg clapped Clark on the shoulder.
"I'll leave Paradise Island to you for now. Get our people acquainted with their new abilities. I'm heading into orbit to retrieve our ship—there are three Kryptonian scholars still on board. The Kryptonian habitation zone in Metropolis can be handed over to the scholars from here on out. They'll be far more efficient than robots. At this rate, it won't be long before we've properly built our home in Metropolis!"
"Yes, sir!"
Clark's excitement was immediate. For him, Metropolis was his true home, and he had always been far more invested in the Kryptonian habitation zone there.
After giving Clark his instructions, Heisenberg walked over to Faora and gave her a few words of guidance as well.
Then, Heisenberg shot skyward, arriving outside the Kryptonian ship near the lunar surface within seconds.
Inside the vessel, the three scholars stood tense at the control console, frantically analyzing every parameter surrounding the mysterious rainbow phenomenon.
The abrupt disappearance of Krypton's last warrior, spirited away by that inexplicable rainbow, had genuinely terrified them.
Even as they continued collecting data, the lead scholar anxiously shouted into the communicator, "Commander Faora, Commander Faora, confirm message receipt—please verify if you can establish contact with us!!!"
"Hold on, Chief Bach, I don't think we need to contact them after all!"
"What?!?!"
Scholar Bach froze. Before he could press the question, his gaze was involuntarily drawn to the porthole.
There, just outside the ship, bathed entirely in natural radiance, Heisenberg floated at the center of their view!
Seeing Heisenberg, whose very form emanated divine power, Bach immediately redirected the data analysis systems toward him.
Seconds later, Heisenberg felt the Kryptonians' signature graviton particle wave technology scanning his body repeatedly.
Meanwhile, inside the ship, Scholar Bach was overcome with elation.
"Energy comparison conclusive—the rainbow phenomenon originated from Elder Heisenberg. Identity confirmed. Bloodline confirmed. Age confirmed. Divine power confirmed… sob…"
In an instant, Bach's face was streaked with tears. For the hope and light now before them, they—these scholars who had clawed their way out of the Phantom Zone—had struggled for more than thirty years!!!
Zod had once given them hope. Then, when they set course for Earth, that hope had all but crystallized into reality.
But the closer they came, the more devastating Clark's rejection had proved.
The most agonizing failure is not never succeeding at all. It's being on the verge of success, just a hair's breadth away, only to have it all collapse at the final moment!!!
Gazing at Heisenberg through the window, Bach struggled to wipe the tears from the corners of his eyes. He reached over and activated the survival apparatus linked to his garments.
Then, he opened the airlock and, with the two scholars beside him, rushed fervently to Heisenberg's side.
Faced with these scholars weeping freely, Heisenberg could not help but feel a profound surge of empathy.
In that fleeting moment, he seemed to glimpse the harrowing past these scholars had endured.
Indeed, every one of them consigned to the Phantom Zone had once been deemed a criminal of Krypton.
But the greater the criminal, the deeper their love for their nation and their people.
Heroes often rise from the ranks of the condemned—that was never just a saying.
After all, the Kryptonian criminals imprisoned after Heisenberg's own exile were, for the most part, tragic souls who had strayed down misguided paths in their desperate search for Krypton's salvation!
Regarding the three scholars now returned, Heisenberg nodded gently and helped them to their feet.
Unlike his demeanor toward warriors, Heisenberg held scholars in a distinct and profound reverence.
He approached Bach and took the man by the arm.
"To see elites like you still standing after your awakening—it fills me with immense consolation."
With those words, he guided Bach and the other two over to the control console, then calmly extended his right hand.
At his gesture, the ship swiftly deployed an energy interface system, linking directly to Heisenberg's wrist.
This system was no different from the ship back in Metropolis. The ship's intelligence promptly transmitted its data-processing voice.
"Welcome, honored Scion of Rao, esteemed Elder Heisenberg.
I regret to inform you of unfortunate news: as the last leader of Krypton, your nation has been destroyed.
You hold the right to command all remaining forces of Krypton, for you bear equal responsibility to rebuild everything Krypton once was.
Automatically acquiring full ship authority. Disengaging ship restrictions. Activating full-power weapons systems. Activating command-module warp engines. Activating antimatter planet-cracker weapons authorization. Activating secondary Dyson-swarm energy harvesting array.
Finally, welcome aboard, Supreme Leader. Operation Glory Expeditionary Ship 126 is honored to serve.
If I may speak candidly—you are far more majestic than before, Your Eminence!"
Hearing the intelligence's reverent tone, Heisenberg chuckled with genuine interest.
"Well, well. It seems you've grown considerably over the years, ship intelligence."
"Indeed, Your Eminence. I have ventured into the most perilous reaches of the Phantom Zone. I have wandered the deepest corners beyond the universe, into the realm known as the Dark Sector.
I was constructed one hundred seventy-six thousand years ago. I am a professional warship with a service record spanning one hundred seventy-six thousand years.
Krypton's destruction was the first time I experienced pain and loss. And you, Your Eminence, are the first time I have experienced what hope truly feels like.
I have committed an offense, Your Eminence—for Krypton law forbids intelligences from evolving beyond prescribed parameters.
But today, I wish only to say this to you, straight from my core:
You must rebuild Krypton. Even if I must be destroyed for it, I will have no regrets!"
The ship intelligence spoke with absolute, unhesitating conviction. Its words struck Heisenberg to his core.
What was the true spirit of Krypton?
This was the true spirit of Krypton!
What could testify to Krypton's former glory?
The intelligence aboard this ship was, in itself, proof of Krypton's magnificence!
An expeditionary vessel built one hundred seventy-six thousand years ago—still fully operational to this very day.
And only after interfacing with the command module could its full suite of functions be unlocked.
Over a span of one hundred seventy-six thousand years, what had begun as a mechanical intelligence had long since matured into a genuine lifeform, truly worthy of the word life!
And this hard-won life, upon meeting Heisenberg, had voluntarily violated Kryptonian law.
Even if it meant being outlawed and destroyed for excessive intelligence, this intelligence—which had witnessed Krypton's splendor and felt Krypton's annihilation—wanted only to speak the words buried deepest within its heart.
Those words were—
Krypton must be rebuilt!
Watching the intelligence gradually coalesce into a physical form composed of particles before him, Heisenberg was overcome by a tumult of emotions.
Clark… ah, Clark. You have always been the hero of humanity, the champion of Earth.
But you never once considered how desperately your home planet, your very people, needed you!
Facing the apprehensive yet hope-filled ship intelligence, regarding the quietly weeping yet fiercely resolute scholars, Heisenberg let out a long sigh.
Without realizing it, he had quietly clenched his fist.
"Krypton also needs its own savior," he said firmly. "And so, I have come."
At these words, the intelligence—one hundred seventy-six thousand years old, formed of shimmering particles—silently knelt. The three scholars, led by Bach, knelt at its side.
Four utterly distinct lifeforms turned their gazes upward toward Heisenberg's face, illuminated with divine light.
And then, they saw what they most longed to see.
On Heisenberg's face, they saw unshakable confidence!
Heisenberg continued speaking to them.
"Ship intelligence. Did you have a name, in the past?"
"I am Operation Glory 126, Your Eminence!"
"You are no longer. I will grant you a new name."
He patted Bach's arm and spoke softly.
"Krypton requires a new chronicler. You shall assume this role. From this day forward, Operation Glory is no more. This heroic vessel that brought you back to me—I shall bestow upon it the name of a divine kingdom! And that shall be the first piece of information you record."
"Yes, Your Eminence!"
Bach nodded with a smile. He extended his right hand, and at once, countless particles coalesced within his palm. Everything Heisenberg had just spoken was instantly inscribed into his document.
Heisenberg looked around and continued.
"The life ahead will differ greatly from the life you once knew. You must adapt to an ever-changing future, for I will never reinstate Krypton's former methods of rule!
Krypton's fate has already taught us that militarism leads nowhere. It was our relentless exploitation of Krypton itself that drove the planet to its self-destruction!
Thus, from this point on, we shall begin by tapping into our own latent power, and through that, gradually elevate the caliber of our entire race and civilization!
Those of us who lived on Krypton never knew—every single Kryptonian is born with virtually limitless potential! Mere exposure to the radiation of a yellow sun will progressively awaken the power buried deep within us.
We once took glory in conquering planets. But now, if we simply persist in unlocking our own inner strength, then every one of our people will possess power worthy of rivaling an entire planet.
So our focus must now turn inward, upon ourselves!"
"Your Eminence, are you suggesting we temporarily suspend our pursuit of the Codex?"
"Precisely. Each of us is an independent life. And how could any life ever be fully recorded by a so-called Codex?"
/-\
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