American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 225 Clark: We're brothers, let me show you how it goes.

I was taken aback by Dior's matter-of-fact attitude.

Clark was momentarily speechless, subconsciously pushing up his nose, only to remember that he had already taken off his glasses.

"You didn't come home for dinner again tonight, and now I am..."

He wanted to explain his responsibilities as 'Superman'.
"Roar--!!!"

From the cargo ship's deck in the distance came a roar that tore through the rain, a sound filled with the fury of being mocked, like a wild beast being forcibly dragged from its den.

Clearly, being inexplicably blasted into this unfamiliar environment has enraged the monster to the extreme.

Clark's expression tightened, and he immediately put aside his family matters and the explanation of his identity.

"Dio, let's not talk about this now! We must stop it!"

He turned to fly, his red and blue battle suit drawing a half-arc in the rain.

But as soon as he made a move, he discovered that Dio beside him had disappeared!
They looked in astonishment toward the cargo ship.

Clark then saw a blurry figure blending into the night and rain, leaping and stomping with a series of speeds that defied the laws of physics, using the scattered debris on the sea surface as a tool, and moving like a ghost toward the cargo ship!

That speed cannot be explained by mere physical ability.

"Cheating with time stop again?"

Clark sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. He had grown somewhat accustomed to Dior's elusive nature and his use of time-stopping to travel.

According to Dior...
When time stops, everything is paused.

Even ocean waves can solidify into steps.

If he wanted, he could even step on raindrops to reach the clouds.

"Whoosh!"

Clark bent his knees slightly, his bio-force field fully activated.
A red and blue figure pierced through the rain, like a shooting star flying against the current.
It cut through the night sky in a more direct and faster manner, speeding toward the cargo ship.

This is his first official battle as "Superman," and he absolutely cannot lose to his brother who always seems to have it all figured out.

They were practically neck and neck.
The two brothers arrived at the abandoned cargo ship, which floated like a steel island on the dark surface of Gotham Bay, in their own different ways.

The rain relentlessly pounded against the rusty deck, producing a dense, pattering sound.

The massive ship swayed slightly in the wind and waves, adding to the sense of unease.

The massive, grey figure of Grandi stood out starkly on the empty deck, furiously pounding on the metal structure around it, producing a deafening roar as if venting its transferred rage.

A new battlefield has been set out.

Dio landed lightly on a high crane, hands in his pockets, like an emperor about to watch a gladiatorial contest, looking down at the behemoth on the deck and Clark who had just landed.

A cold light flashed in his scarlet eyes.

Clark took a deep breath of the rusty, seawater-scented air and landed steadily on the other side of the deck.

Without the concerns about civilians and buildings, he was finally able to act a little more freely.

So when Grandi charged in with the whirlwind, the youth no longer dodged.

He bent low and stood up, crossing his arms!

They withstood the impact that was enough to overturn anything!

"Oh!"

The shockwave exploded outwards from the two of them!

The water and rust on the deck were shaken and splashed everywhere!

Clark's feet plowed two shallow marks into the rusted deck, but he came to a steady stop.

He could feel the other person's brute force rising steadily under the influence of the rain, and the muscle fibers trembling slightly under the strain.

In this situation, using thermal vision to attack the target is actually the best approach.
But then he recalled the chaotic and dangerous energy flow he had previously observed within Grandi's body.
After some thought, Clark decided to change his strategy.

He pushed the monster away with a sudden burst of strength and grabbed the heavy anchor chain on the deck with one hand.

"boom!!!"

The iron chain lashed heavily against Grandi's knee, snapping instantly as it broke. The monster roared in pain and fell to its knees.

Clark pressed his advantage, moving with lightning speed to Grandi's side and rear, locking his arms tightly around his thick neck, unleashing his core strength in an attempt to use leverage to lock him in place.

This was a skill he learned while practicing wrestling with Uncle Locke on the farm.

Although Grandi's power was beyond imagination, it was utterly useless against his own strangulation technique; barring any unforeseen circumstances, he could...
"?!"

and many more? !
Just as the scales of victory seemed to be tipping, Clark caught a glimpse of a shadow falling from the sky out of the corner of his eye, causing him to instinctively pull back.
At the same time, in order to create an attack window for the unidentified object, his eyes instantly turned bloodshot!
"laugh--!"

Two beams of intense heat instantly melted Grandi's two knee joints that were supporting his body!
"Hooooo——!"

With a painful howl, Grandi's massive body completely lost its balance.

He fell heavily forward and collapsed onto the deck.

Only then did Clark realize what the shadow that had fallen from the sky was.
A yellow and black road roller!
Where did that road roller come from on that cargo ship?!
Clark's mind went completely blank; this was utterly illogical!
But he had no time to think about it.

Dio was now standing atop the road roller, his golden hair flying in the damp sea breeze, his scarlet eyes filled with icy madness.

The next second, the road roller, carrying his figure, crashed down on the collapsed Grandi with devastating acceleration!
Even more so, just a split second before that colossal steel object was about to collide with its target—

Behind Dio, a muscular, golden humanoid stand suddenly appeared!

"world"!
"Lola Takizawa!"

Along with the world, Dio unleashed his signature battle cry, his fists pounding out like a storm!
The road roller was relentlessly bombarding Grandi!

“Wood big wood big wood big wood big wood big wood big—!!!”

The sounds of impact, as dense as the beating of drums, blended together!
It looked as if dozens of pile drivers were working at the same time!

The steel deck beneath Grandy groaned in a sickening groan, instantly becoming covered with spiderweb-like cracks!
"Crack... Boom!"

The overburdened deck is about to collapse completely! The tipping point of destruction has finally arrived—

"THE WORLD!"

Everything instantly fell into absolute stillness!
Splattered rust chips, steel plates cracked in half, Grandi's face contorted in pain, even raindrops falling from the sky...

Freeze all!

Only Dior and "the world" remain able to move freely!
During this brief stolen time, the deadly combo did not stop!
“Wood big wood big wood big wood big wood big—!!!”

The fist of "The World" continued to relentlessly bombard the stationary road roller like a golden meteor!

Each punch made the 'reality' of that area even more fragile!
So the pause ended then—

“BOOM——!!!!!”

All the pent-up kinetic energy and destructive power exploded at this moment!
The road roller couldn't withstand the terrifying force transmitted internally and exploded into countless fragments! Then, the entire deck structure completely collapsed!
Centered on Grandi's location, a huge hole instantly formed, with the steel at the edges twisting and tearing upwards like fragile paper!
That massive gray body was further damaged by the double blow of the explosion and the collapse!
As if swallowed by an invisible giant maw, accompanied by countless steel fragments and twisted parts, we plummeted straight down into the dark lower cabin!
The violent explosion caused the entire cargo ship to lurch downwards, and flames and thick smoke shot into the sky from the hole, illuminating the misty, rainy night in Gotham Bay.

She walked lightly out from the flames and smoke.

Dio landed on the relatively intact side of the ship.

He casually brushed off non-existent dust from his coat, his demeanor elegant and composed, as if the devastating attack just moments before had nothing to do with him.

He glanced at Clark, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"It seems that cleaning up trash still requires professional methods."

Looking at the huge hole that was still burning and with debris constantly falling, Clark glanced at his brother, who looked completely calm, and remained speechless for a long time.

At Pier 7, the torrential rain continued.

Even though the gunshots and the monster's roars had disappeared, they were replaced by a tense silence.

The officers, using police cars and cover, focused their attention on the abandoned cargo ship on the distant sea.

Gordon stood at the front, his soaked coat clinging to his body, clutching a pair of binoculars tightly in his hand.

The red and blue figure, as well as the later 'king', boarded that ship.

The focus of the battle seemed to have shifted there, leaving the people on the shore waiting anxiously.

"Can they... handle this, Chief?"

Liam couldn't help but whisper, his voice trembling with relief.

Gordon didn't answer; he just stared intently at the dark sea, as if trying to see through the cargo ship.

Until
Without warning, a burst of intense light suddenly erupted in the middle of the cargo ship!
Like the demon's eye opening in the darkness!
Immediately afterwards——

"boom--!!!!!"

A fireball, mixed with flames and thick smoke, rose into the air from the middle of the cargo ship!

It swelled, rolled, and tore apart the rainy night in Gotham Bay!
Even from such a great distance, the muffled explosion slammed into everyone's eardrums, sending shivers down their spines!

The cargo ship's massive steel hull trembled violently from the explosion, and the scorching flames turned the surrounding sea surface orange-red.

"My God..." Brock's mouth dropped open, his gun hanging limply in his hand. He muttered, "That thing... what the hell exploded? Was there an armory on that cargo ship?"

"It's not an armory..."

Gordon's voice was hoarse. "It's pure...power. Is it that monster? Is it that hero? Or..."

The golden phantom of the iceberg.
"Chief! Look! Someone's coming out!"

Liam, with his sharp eyes, pointed in the direction of the cargo ship and shouted, his tone revealing a tension he himself was unaware of.

Gordon quickly grabbed his binoculars and saw the burning cargo ship's side.
A figure became clearly visible.

The distance was too great to see the face clearly, but the golden hair seemed to be burning in the firelight.
It was undoubtedly the man who came later!
He walked out of that scene of destruction alone, and then…

He stood quietly on the ship's railing, gazing at the rainy night in Gotham, as if the earth-shattering explosion that had just occurred had nothing to do with him.

And that red and blue figure…

It has not appeared yet.

Gordon's heart sank. "Contact the Coast Guard." Putting down his binoculars, Gordon rubbed his throbbing temples. "Block out that area and prevent any ships from approaching."

"so…"

Clark dusted himself off, but couldn't help asking the biggest question that had been lingering in his mind. He pointed to the huge pieces of the road roller on the deck and asked, "Where did this road roller come from?!"

Dior, with his hands in his trench coat pockets, seemed uninterested in the question, only lazily raising his chin to gesture for Clark to look at the night sky.

Clark followed his gaze and looked up to see Blake slowly descending from the rain. The old hero landed steadily on the deck, a hearty smile on his face as he shrugged.
"I went to move it."

"..."

Clark stared at Blake, as if three huge question marks had appeared on his forehead.

“After you moved the battlefield,” Blake chuckled and shrugged, explaining, “I saw that the monster was getting more and more troublesome, so I flew over to ask if there was anything I could do to help.”

"Then."

Blake pointed to Dior, who was standing next to him with a blank expression, "This gentleman then asked me to bring out a steamroller."

As he spoke, he glanced around at the chaotic scene.
"That's why you've 'solved' the problem quite... well... thoroughly."

"I still have a long way to go," Clark said, scratching his head somewhat sheepishly. "This time, it's all thanks to Dio..."

He admitted that if it weren't for Dio's unreasonable combo attacks and time-stop technique...
Based solely on his hesitant and cautious playing style, he'll likely be entangled in this for a long time.

Dio snorted coldly, glancing sideways at Clark:
"Good to know, Clark. Recognizing your own incompetence is the first step to progress."

"You guy."

Clark's face darkened.

"Alright, alright, you two, that's not the issue right now."

Blake interrupted the brothers' argument with a laugh, his gaze shifting between them.

One is too kind and restrained, the other too sharp and self-centered…

He Rongen is right.
The Kent children are all quite remarkable.

However, this complementarity...
Perhaps it will be an unexpected advantage in the future.

With a light laugh, the old hero stopped thinking about it and raised his hand, releasing a gentle yet powerful energy wave from his palm.

"Om-!"

An invisible energy swept across the deck, enveloping the few remaining flames still burning on the cargo ship. The flames extinguished at a visible speed, leaving only wisps of smoke rising gently in the rain.

Seeing that the fire had been extinguished, Clark naturally walked to the edge of the huge hole in the center of the deck and looked down.

Bottomless
Clearly, the green monster was blasted through multiple decks by this force and fell even further down.

This is precisely the terrifying effect caused by the sudden burst of Dio's accumulated "Muda" combo after his time stop.

Without hesitation, Clark jumped down through the hole.

However, just moments later, his figure flew out of the hole and landed lightly on the deck, looking confused.

"Disappeared...or rather..."

Clark chose his words carefully, “Has it melted? There are only some residual traces in the seawater, and a strong… rotten smell.”

"That enormous body is gone."

Upon hearing this, Blake stroked his chin thoughtfully: "Melted?"

“Hmm,” Clark nodded in agreement, recalling the feeling from his fight with the monster: “I could always smell a strong aura of death on him. It was as if he was already dead. Somewhat.”

Frankenstein?

“I’ve fought monsters like this before,” Blake began, but then shook his head. “But it was different. This monster seems to be connected to some ancient, darker force.”

"never mind…"

He waved his hand, as if to dispel the unpleasant speculation, "This is not something we should be investigating now. Leave the follow-up investigation and cleanup to the DEO's professional agents."

Looking at Clark, Blake's tone softened:
"That's enough for tonight's 'heroic activities,' Clark. You did a great job. Now, go home and get some rest."

Clark nodded.

After a high-intensity battle, he did feel mentally exhausted.

So he turned to look at Dio, who was preparing to leave, and asked, "Dio... are you going home?"

Dio turned around, looked at Clark with an expression as if he were an idiot, and sneered:
"Why not go home? Are you going to be like some guy who sneaks out in the middle of the night and becomes a bodysuit pervert for a while, going to the rooftop of the Metropolitan to enjoy the wind and contemplate life?"

Clark's lips twitched; even Dio knew all about his embarrassing past.
But... going home...?

Seeing his younger brother's arrogant demeanor, Clark couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.

"Dior..."

He walked toward Dio with an eager smile on his face. "I know a quick way home."

"?"

Dio raised an eyebrow, about to question Clark about what his muscular brain was up to this time.
However, before he could utter a single syllable...
Clark stepped forward and grabbed his arm without saying a word!

"Hey! What are you trying to do, you idiot...?!"

Dior's protests came to an abrupt end!

The next moment, Clark exerted force with both legs, fully activated his bio-force field, and propelled Dio into the sky as if breaking free from gravity!

The red cloak fluttered behind him, instantly transforming into a streak of red and blue across the night sky, hurtling towards Kansas, leaving only Dio's furious curse, torn apart by the wind.
And Blake's loud laughter on the cargo ship deck.

By the time the two returned to Kent Farm, it was nearly midnight.

The night sky over the Kansas wilderness was clear, with stars twinkling sparsely, a stark contrast to the rain-shrouded, overcast skies of Gotham.

Dio frowned as he tidied his blond hair, which had been somewhat disheveled by the strong winds at high altitude, while holding his phone and giving instructions on follow-up matters in a cold and concise tone.

Clark followed somewhat awkwardly to the side, listening to his brother's clear and organized instructions. Only then did he belatedly realize that Dio's work in Gotham was no longer a simple 'part-time job,' but rather the true operation of a vast empire.

There were countless matters there that required his decision.

I was too presumptuous to drag him back without saying a word.
He had originally wanted to share the joy of flying with Dio, as well as the brotherhood they had forged after fighting side by side...

These thoughts made Clark unconsciously lower his head, kicking away a small pebble at his feet in frustration. The two walked silently to the farmhouse door.

But what was unexpected was
Before Dior could even reach out, the familiar wooden door was gently opened from the inside.

An enticing aroma immediately wafted towards you!

That is…

The aroma of a taco? Mixed with the rich scent of some kind of grilled meat!
Clark's eyes lit up, and he almost instinctively swallowed.

Dior, who had been making a cold phone call, paused involuntarily, his nostrils twitched almost imperceptibly, and a look of confusion flashed across his face.

As they stepped inside, they saw Locke walking out of the kitchen under the warm lights of the living room, carrying two steaming plates.

One plate was piled high with tacos, and the other was a thick-cut steak still sizzling with oil, accompanied by some grilled vegetables.

"came back?"

Locke placed the plate on the table, speaking casually.

"uncle!"

Clark cheered, his post-battle hunger surging up, and he was eager to rush to the table and feast.

"Cough cough."

However, Locke cleared his throat and pointed at him.

Clark was taken aback, then looked down following his uncle's finger.
Oops!

He was still wearing that red and blue battle suit!

He completely forgot to change back into his casual clothes!

And the clothes from before are still there.
"Cough cough..."

Seeing that Clark hadn't fully reacted yet, Locke coughed again, this time pointing his finger clearly at the sofa in the living room.

Clark turned his head and saw his ordinary jacket and jeans neatly folded in a corner of the sofa, as if they had been prepared there for him.

Clark blushed and could only stammer, "I...I'll go change right away!"

After saying that, they rushed to the bathroom, their hands and feet moving in unison.

Seeing Clark's embarrassed appearance, Dio's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, before he quickly returned to his usual indifference.

He put away his phone, walked to the dining table, glanced at the plate of steak that clearly included his portion, but did not sit down immediately. Instead, he looked at Locke.

Locke was wiping the stove with a clean cloth, not even looking up, and said, "Finished? Then eat something before you go to sleep."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable concern.

Dio paused for a moment, then opened his mouth as if to say something.
But in the end, he pulled out a chair and sat down.

He picked up his knife and fork and began to cut the steak with graceful movements.

It was as if the dangerous figure who had just summoned the steamroller and started the time-stopping machine gun on the Gotham freighter had nothing to do with him.

Clark quickly changed his clothes, sat down opposite Dior with a embarrassed expression, picked up a taco, took a big bite, and showed an expression of great satisfaction.

In this short time...
The only sounds on the table were the clinking of knives and forks and chewing.

Outside the window are quiet fields, inside is the warm aroma of food and the glow of lights.

Gotham's torrential rain, the roar of monsters, the flames of explosions.
They were all isolated in another world.

Looking at the two young people with very different styles at the dining table, a gentle look flashed in Locke's eyes.

It turns out
Regardless of their external identity or the power they possess.
Back here, all a kid needs is a midnight snack.

(End of this chapter)