The Sun, the core.
Every inch of space here was filled with terrifying pressure that could crush Homelander into dust.
The plasma flames, burning at hundreds of millions of degrees, were one of the most violent forms of energy in the universe.
But to Ian, this place was nothing more than a comfortable hot spring.
He floated naked in this golden sea of destruction.
His Kryptonian cells absorbed the purest stellar energy with unprecedented greed and joy.
With every passing second, his power underwent an earth-shattering transformation.
At that moment, a message crossed over from another world.
His clone in The Crossed world had sent good news.
By consuming a massive amount of interdimensional energy, the [Plants vs. Zombies] mod had unlocked several brand-new fusion plants.
Among them were a few that a Kryptonian could use.
With a mere thought, Ian chose to redeem them directly.
In the next second, the two lively and adorable Twin Sunflowers on his shoulders quietly dissipated.
Taking their place was a golden cabbage, behind which floated a massive halo radiating divine light.
It hovered quietly behind Ian's head, like the halo of a god or Buddha.
[Ultimate Sun God Cabbage].
The halo vibrated gently.
Highly concentrated, almost tangible miniature suns detached from the halo and slowly merged into Ian's body.
Boom!
If the solar energy he had absorbed previously was a mere stream, then what poured into his body now was an inverted galaxy!
The evolution of his Kryptonian bloodline was put on a hundredfold fast-forward.
...
A week quietly slipped by.
In the core of the Sun, Ian's body was repeatedly refined.
His strength, speed, Heat Vision, and super senses all skyrocketed exponentially.
The energy of the Sun's core, which had once been a gluttonous feast for him, was now gradually losing its effectiveness.
His senses extended infinitely, even allowing him to hear the cries of dying stars at the distant edges of the universe.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, discussions about the mysterious new Supe were growing increasingly fervent.
Homelander's impassioned recruitment declaration had won him countless praises.
"Look, this is the true demeanor of a hero!"
"Homelander is willing to accept new companions; he represents the highest combat power of our Earth!"
The media and the public were in a frenzy.
And Vought International, riding the wave of this perfect PR stunt, saw its stock prices soar.
No one noticed that in an isolated, remote tribe in an African country, an unknown, severe flu was quietly spreading.
The infected suffered from persistent high fevers, and faint, cross-shaped rashes began to surface on their faces.
Although The Crossed virus had not fully descended, it was already affecting this world.
And in The Crossed world, an infected person was chasing a survivor. Mid-pursuit, his speed suddenly multiplied several times over.
...
Another week passed.
In the Sun's core, within that eternally burning golden ocean, Ian slowly opened his eyes.
Two indescribably brilliant beams of golden light flashed and vanished, as if piercing through the endless void.
It was time.
His body shifted slightly, and he vanished directly from the interior of the Sun.
In the next instant, he appeared on the Sun's surface.
At a speed that surpassed light and the physical limits of the current universe, he flew toward that azure planet. In the next second, he reached the atmosphere and began to decelerate.
On Earth, the satellite monitoring networks of every nation only had time to capture a fleeting streak of golden light.
Immediately after, they completely lost all trace of the target.
It was as if the light that had just pierced through interstellar space was nothing but an illusion.
...
Huaxia, Supreme Military Command Center.
Deep within a fortress buried thousands of meters underground, constructed from the sturdiest alloys and special materials, a top-level emergency meeting was underway.
Around the massive oval conference table sat the most influential figures in the entire nation.
Their expressions were solemn, their eyes focused on the central holographic projection.
It was playing a looping video from a week ago—the figure in the green military overcoat bursting from the surface and flying into space.
"Gentlemen, the situation is already very clear," an elderly man with general's stars on his shoulders said in a steady, powerful voice.
"A Supe suspected to be a citizen of our country, possessing power on par with Homelander, has appeared."
"He drilled out from the Earth's core, wore our military's standard overcoat, and launched into the sky from our western Gobi Desert."
"No matter who he is, he definitely has some sort of connection to us."
"My suggestion is to proactively attempt contact and express our goodwill," another bespectacled advisor spoke up.
"Vought International and Homelander have already extended an olive branch; we cannot fall behind."
"If this kind of power could be used by us..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood his meaning.
Over the past few decades, the martial arts created domestically by integrating the strengths of various schools allowed practitioners to rival Supes.
However, these martial arts required not only talent but also a long time to master.
In terms of efficiency, they couldn't compare to superpowers that took effect with a single injection. Ian had shown them the hope for Huaxia's own superpowers.
Right at that moment.
Without any warning whatsoever.
The air in the entire conference room seemed to freeze instantly.
Everyone's thoughts became thick and sluggish.
Under the gaze of everyone present, right beside the holographic projection in the center of the table, a figure appeared out of thin air.
He had bypassed thousands of meters of rock and strata, ignored dozens of the highest-level physical defenses and energy barriers, and bypassed the elite guards and automated weapon systems outside.
He arrived silently, like a phantom walking in the mortal realm.
The newcomer wore that familiar green military overcoat, its wide brim obscuring most of his face.
Behind his head, a holy halo composed of countless motes of light slowly rotated.
It radiated a gentle yet majestic, sacred light that was enough to make all things submit.
You could hear a pin drop in the conference room.
All these high-ranking leaders, who were accustomed to weathering great storms, now felt a suffocating pressure originating from the depths of their souls.
It was the most primal awe and trembling of mortals looking up at a god.
Ian looked around.
His calm gaze swept over everyone present.
That gaze carried no emotion, yet it seemed capable of piercing through the deepest secrets of the human heart.
He didn't waste time with pleasantries and spoke directly.
His voice wasn't loud, but it rang clearly in everyone's minds.
"A plague capable of destroying human civilization is coming."
"Its name is The Crossed."
His golden eyes clearly reflected the shocked and horrified faces of everyone present.
"And I have come here..."
"To form a team truly capable of protecting this world."
"An... Eastern Justice League."