[Third Person's PoV]
"Is Superman going to be alright?" Peke asked anxiously, his voice tinged with guilt. After all, they were the ones who had dragged Superman into this chaotic mess in the first place. The thought that something might happen to him weighed heavily on Peke's conscience.
"Of course he is! He's Superman, after all," Lala replied with bright confidence, puffing out her chest with pride as if her words alone were enough to guarantee his safety.
"But Lala," Peke continued, his eyes on top of her hat blinking with concern, "how well can he really stand up to Maul and Smutts? You have to admit, your Father didn't choose them as your bodyguards without reason. And don't forget, Devilukeans are renowned across the galaxy for their superior strength and combat abilities."
Lala's confidence, however, remained unshaken. Her eyes sparkled with determination. "I wouldn't have come to this planet if I had even the slightest doubt that Superman could handle himself. I trust him."
As if on cue, both Maul and Smutts, clad in their sleek black suits, emerged from the cratered cliff wall where they had been embedded moments earlier. In perfect synchronization, they clenched their fists and drove them hard into Superman's chest.
The twin strikes packed enough power to crush steel, and their combined alien strength sent Superman skidding backwards across the asphalt, his boots carving long grooves in the road. Dust rose in a thick cloud around him. Yet as it cleared, he stood tall, brushing off his shirt with a calm, unbothered expression. Not even a flinch.
From the shattered cliff, more rubble tumbled to the ground as the two Devilukean warriors stepped forward, flexing their bodies with a disturbing ease. Their tails swayed methodically behind them, slicing through the air. Despite the heavy impact of their earlier clash, neither of them looked injured in the slightest.
"I see…" Maul said, the blond Devilukean adjusting his glasses as his eyes narrowed with scrutiny. "You're no Earthling. Your power… it's far beyond what any human could possess."
In an instant, both warriors vanished, the space they had occupied now empty. Smutts reappeared behind Superman in a low crouch, his muscles coiled and ready, fist cocked back like a spring-loaded weapon. High above, Maul spun downward like a violent cyclone, preparing a crushing aerial kick.
But Clark was ready.
He twisted around with lightning reflexes, raising his knee to intercept Smutts' punch while simultaneously lifting his forearm to catch Maul's descending kick. The two attacks landed in perfect harmony, and Superman absorbed them with sheer physical might. A sharp hiss of smoke rose from the points of contact as heat and friction met unyielding resistance.
Clark's eyes narrowed. 'What strength…' he thought, momentarily impressed.
Suddenly, the battlefield descended into chaos.
All three fighters became a blur of high-speed movement. Blows were exchanged in rapid succession, each impact louder than the last, sounding like thunderclaps echoing through the valley. Shockwaves rippled outward with every collision, sending debris and loose asphalt flying in all directions.
Chunks of the road tore free, levitating briefly before being hurled by the force of their movement. Lala raced to keep up, her eyes darting back and forth as she tracked the whirlwind of combat, her once-cheerful expression now etched with focused seriousness.
Clark expertly parried a punch from Maul, then grabbed him by the arm and hurled him over his shoulder toward the side railing. The metal screamed in protest as it bent under the impact, contorting from the sheer force of the throw.
Spinning on his heel, Clark met Smutts' high-speed kick with one of his own. Their legs collided in midair, generating a blast of wind so powerful it ripped up more asphalt from the road beneath them.
Smutts backflipped away from the collision, landing on all fours with the grace of a wild beast. His sharp tail lashed behind him like a serpent, poised and tense, while the air shimmered around him with residual heat.
Meanwhile, Maul rose from the crumpled railing, calmly brushing bits of twisted metal and dust from his sleek suit. There was no pain in his expression—only curiosity.
Smutts launched forward with a thunderous burst, the road beneath his feet fracturing under the explosive force of his takeoff. In an instant, he crashed into Clark with the intent to tackle him—muscles bulging beneath his sleek suit, arms locked tightly around Superman's waist like steel bands.
But Clark didn't budge.
Without shifting his stance, Clark calmly raised an elbow and brought it crashing down onto Smutts' back with bone-rattling force. A dull crack echoed across the battlefield as Smutts let out a strangled groan, his grip loosening. He collapsed forward onto the ground, coughing from the pain as his limbs gave out beneath him.
At that very moment, Maul appeared in front of Clark like a streak of dark light, moving faster than most eyes could follow. He gripped his tail like he was holding a spear blade and slashed toward Clark's side with precision and fury.
There was a sharp tearing sound—Clark's shirt was ripped open—but as the tail met his skin, it sparked violently, skidding across his torso without leaving a mark. Maul's eyes widened in disbelief.
"You owe me a new—" Clark began to say.
Before he could finish, a giant green hand came barreling in from the side. It struck Maul with incredible force, sending him hurtling through the air like a ragdoll. He slammed into the cliffside with an earth-shaking crash, embedded into the rock in the middle of a perfect, massive handprint.
"—shirt," Clark finished with a blink, turning his head toward the source of the surprise intervention.
Standing at the edge of the road was Momo. She wore her school uniform, bag slung casually over one shoulder. Her other hand rested on her hip, her stance defiant, her green earrings glinting in the amber light of the setting sun.
She popped the lollipop from her mouth with a loud pop, giving Clark a smug look.
"So," she said, voice cool and sarcastic, "which one of you geniuses thought it was a good idea to gang up on my brother?"
Clark rolled his eyes and let out a chuckle. Of course.
"What's with the yokai infestation?" Momo asked, raising an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing suspiciously as she glanced toward the recovering aliens.
"They're not yokai. I made the same mistake," Clark grumbled, having realized he was being influenced by Seiko.
"Seriously?" Momo asked, baffled. "Then what are they?"
"Aliens," Clark deadpanned.
Momo groaned and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Aliens aren't real, Clark. Be serious."
Clark pinched the bridge of his nose. He had been arguing with her about this since they were kids—all because Momo believed every wild thing Seiko said without question.
Before the conversation could continue, Momo tilted her head, her expression curious. "Anyway... whatever you're fighting—can I join in?"
Clark was about to answer when movement behind him caught his attention.
Smutts, still conscious, had risen to his feet and launched himself toward Clark, this time with a savage spinning kick aimed directly at the side of his head.
Without even turning around, Clark raised one hand and effortlessly caught Smutts' leg mid-kick. He sighed, then flung the alien warrior over his shoulder toward Momo like a sack of laundry.
"Knock yourself out," Clark said casually.
"Sweet!" Momo grinned, dropping her school bag to the ground. She popped the lollipop back in her mouth, her eyes gleaming.
A glowing green aura erupted around her, wrapping her in energy that radiated power. Her short brown hair lifted with the force as she crouched and then shot forward like a missile.
In mid-air, Momo twisted into a dropkick aimed squarely at Smutts' chest. Her feet collided with his torso like a wrecking ball. His body folded around the impact, spit flying from his mouth as the force of the blow launched him backwards.
He sailed through the air—straight back toward Clark.
Without missing a beat, Clark jumped up, raised both fists above his head, and brought them crashing down as Smutts flew into range. His fists struck Smutts' body like a meteor, driving him straight into the ground with a thunderous boom. The road cracked and splintered beneath the impact, shockwaves rippling outward. A deep crater formed in the asphalt, and the tremor could be felt in the cliff walls themselves.
Smutts lay unconscious, buried in the rubble.
Momo flipped gracefully through the air and landed in a three-point squat, arms outstretched like a gymnast finishing a routine. She stood up with a wide grin and dusted off her skirt with pride.
"Alright! That felt awesome," she declared.
Lala, wide-eyed, could barely believe what she was seeing. "Who is she? She's so strong!"
The eyes of Peke on Lala's hat blinked rapidly, equally amazed. "From what I just heard… she appears to be Superman's sister." He then added, "And she's just as powerful."
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