Chapter 20: Superman
The wind howled past Luka's ears as he hovered in mid-air, the natural boundary between Metropolis and Gotham City stretching below him.
A wide river, its surface shimmering with sunlight, clearly divided the two cities, each with its distinct character.
His original destination was Gotham; the information Batman gave him about the gray-cloaked figure was currently his only lead.
But, uncontrollably, the image of Tom's face, weathered by the sea breeze, and that bowl of warm, delicious seafood soup surfaced in his mind.
The seven days recuperating in the cabin were the most peaceful time he'd had since arriving on Earth. There was no harsh training, no suspicion about his identity, and none of the weight of touching upon his past.
Tom's gentle warmth was like the seaside sun. Not blinding, but warm enough to seep into the bones.
"Just a chat, relax a bit, then leave," Luka whispered, trying to convince himself.
Diana's coldness loomed like a mountain, and he desperately needed a place to temporarily escape this oppressive atmosphere.
He adjusted his course, preparing to fly toward the coastal outskirts of Metropolis, when the air around him suddenly thickened.
Without a sonic boom or any energy signature, a figure clad in red and blue materialized as if from thin air, hovering silently a few meters away.
Luka's pupils constricted instantly, every muscle in his body tensing.
It was the costume he had seen countless times on television.
The blue, form-fitting suit accentuated his balanced and powerful physique, while the red cape billowed gently in the wind. The "S" emblem on his chest gleamed blindingly in the sunlight.
Unlike the black-suited Superman he had encountered in space that night, this figure's face was younger, his features still carrying a hint of youthful innocence. A warm smile spread across his lips as he stood with his hands on his hips, sizing Luka up and down.
"Hello, Luka, right?" the young Superman began, his voice clear and warm like the afternoon sun. "I saw your file in the Justice League's database a few days ago. You're from Viltrum?"
He leaned closer, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity. "Come to think of it, our origins are quite similar. We're both outsiders from other planets."
Luka's face instantly turned cold, the aura around him turning sharp.
Similar?
He felt no kinship whatsoever with the man Earth worshiped as its protector.
Diana's warmth and kindness were still vivid in his memory, but after learning of his bloody past, that warmth had transformed into a cold barrier.
He never wanted to go through that process again. To be accepted, then rejected. Better to draw the line from the start.
"You and I are nothing alike," Luka said coldly, turning away from Superman and preparing to fly off.
"Wait!" Superman flashed forward, blocking his path. He tapped his ear with a wry smile. "I know this sounds rude, but my hearing has always been… abnormal. I can hear things from very far away. It used to drive me crazy until I learned to filter out most of the noise."
He paused, his tone becoming earnest. "When Diana struck her bracelets earlier, the sound was unbearably sharp to me. I couldn't help paying attention to Salem City for a moment. So… I accidentally overheard your conversation."
Luka paused mid-motion. His eyes turned icy, killing intent nearly spilling out of him.
"I'm sorry. I'm not exactly wired to feel guilt," he said flatly. "I know how strong you are, and I know I can't beat you right now—"
"Oh. I'm not here to fight you."
Superman quickly raised both hands, signaling peace.
"I don't mean you any harm. And I truly am sorry for overhearing your secret."
The smile on his face carried a touch of bitterness and helplessness.
"Funny coincidence, actually," he went on with a sigh. "I just had a fight with my girlfriend. She kicked me out of the apartment, and now I've got nowhere to go."
Luka blinked, genuinely baffled. The sharp edge of his presence faded bit by bit. He could not understand why this man was telling him any of this. They were strangers.
Superman kept talking, apparently oblivious to Luka's strange expression.
"We're both outsiders, aren't we? You're an alien deserter haunted by your past, and I'm an alien visitor who can't even keep a girlfriend. Our backgrounds and current moods are so similar. Why don't we find a place to talk?"
Luka was completely stunned, his mind struggling to process what he was hearing.
He had anticipated Superman questioning him, treating him with hostility like Doctor Fate, or even trying to subdue him outright.
But he never expected this.
This guy was actually comparing the slaughter of billions of lives to getting into an argument with his girlfriend and being kicked out?
As Luka's thoughts spiraled into chaos, Superman stepped forward, extending a broad, warm hand to gently clasp his shoulder.
A familiar warmth radiated from his shoulder, almost identical to the heat he had felt when black-suited Superman embraced him in space that night. But the presence was worlds apart.
This young Superman exuded a clumsy sincerity, warm and utterly lacking any sense of oppression.
"Don't just stand there dazed. I know a great place to talk."
Superman abruptly lifted Luka into the air, his speed so great that Luka had no time to react and could only passively be carried along.
The city below rapidly shrank, soon becoming a blurry silhouette. Then, a vast expanse of azure ocean filled their vision.
They soared over the turbulent waves before finally landing on the cliff of a deserted island.
Waves crashed relentlessly against the jagged rocks, sending up white foam and a dull roar.
The salty sea breeze, heavy with moisture, brushed against their faces, carrying a refreshing coolness.
Superman released his grip, walked to the cliff's edge, and sat down, dangling his legs over the side as he gazed at the distant horizon.
Luka remained silent for a moment, staring at the "Blue Boy Scout" with his back turned.
He walked over and sat down near Superman, his eyes fixed on the churning waves below. Finally, he couldn't help but ask, "Why would you compare what happened to me to something as trivial as a fight with your girlfriend?"
In his eyes, there was no comparison between the two.
One was a sin drenched in blood, while the other was merely a lovers' spat. The former was a weight heavy enough to crush anyone raised in a peaceful environment, while the latter was just a minor hiccup in life.
Superman turned his head, his smile fading somewhat, his eyes becoming serious as he asked in return,
"Then tell me, is your purpose in coming to Earth to bring slaughter?"
Luka stiffened, instinctively shaking his head.
"Then that settles it."
Superman shrugged, turning back to the horizon. His voice remained calm as he continued,
"You ran from a civilization that glorifies slaughter and conquest. That alone means you rejected their values at the most fundamental level."
"You may have taken part in those massacres in the past, but you chose to leave. That choice stopped you from causing even more, even worse bloodshed under Viltrum's orders."
"To me, that's enough to prove you're not the same as those conquerors."
The waves continued their relentless rhythm against the rocks. Luka sat on the cliff, staring at the young Superman beside him, his thoughts tangled into a knot.
This was the first time anyone had judged his past from such an angle. No condemnation. No hostility. Just a blunt, almost naive kind of understanding.
"You..." Luka opened his mouth, somewhat numbly. "You must have been called a freak a lot by your Earthling classmates in the past, right?"
Superman paused, then nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, I awakened my superpowers around puberty. Back then, due to various influences, I always ended up causing trouble."
Luka rubbed his face. "Maybe it had nothing to do with your superpowers."
Superman fell silent for two seconds, then chuckled in exasperation. "You must have gotten beaten up a lot on Viltrum for that mouth of yours, right?"