5 Chapter 5: Sunbathe
Earth.
The stratosphere, also known as the tropopause, is a layer in Earth's atmosphere where temperatures increase with altitude. This layer is divided into different temperature zones, with the higher-temperature zone located at the top and the lower-temperature zone at the bottom.
The reason the stratosphere's temperature increases with altitude is because its upper portion absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, which heats it up.
*Whoosh*
In an instant, H'el appeared at the top of the stratosphere, 48 kilometers above the Earth's surface. While traveling between worlds, H'el had learned that the vortex could transport him to worlds that matched his intentions.
At that moment, H'el's intention was singular: to bask in the sunlight and awaken his Kryptonian genes.
In an instant, he materialized above Earth's stratosphere, with a clear blue sky before him, parallel white clouds within arm's reach, and the glaring sun in the vast expanse.
Sunlight streamed directly into H'el's body. He felt like a bottomless pit, actively absorbing the sunlight, causing the area around him to shimmer as if light itself were collapsing.
"Ah!!!"
Suddenly transitioning from a dark environment to the bright, sunny stratosphere, H'el raised his head, stared directly at the sun, and experienced a surge of joy. However, he also let out a scream.
Sunlight was the key to unlocking Kryptonian genes, and it penetrated deep into H'el's body.
His body contorted into an arched shape in the stratosphere, his hands stiffening like claws, and his eyes, fixed on the sun, began to ache. The sunlight blurred his vision, and the sun appeared as a thousand Suns, creating a hazy, compound-eye-like effect. Alongside intense pain, tears streamed from his eyes, mixed with blood.
The genes deep within his body began to receive the sun's radiation, setting them into motion. Cells awakened, and ribosomes in the nucleus synthesized sunlight proteins. These proteins were transported to the cell membrane, where the phospholipid bilayer, embedded with proteins and carbohydrates, created a cellular biomembrane that seemed to react like an electrifying stimulus, causing rapid cell organelle movements throughout his body, akin to an electrical current.
The cytoplasm bubbled, as if it were boiling, and the electron reactions in the liquid intensified tenfold. This was why Kryptonians could control the biosphere's magnetic field—due to the relentless, supercharged electron movement in the cytoplasm. This feedback loop affected the entire body, forming a controlled biological magnetic field.
Deeper within the cell's nucleus, after passing through the cell membrane, cytoplasm, chlorophyll absorption factors, chlorophyll breakdown solution, reconstitution solution, protoplasm, and another layer outside, the sunlight feedback loop reached the cell nucleus. Within the nucleus, the cell's cytoskeleton network channels initiated chromosome separation, essentially cell division.
As the first cell exposed to the sun successfully divided, it seemed to go berserk, spreading differentiation throughout the body like an infectious disease.
The process of cellular differentiation involved changes in shape, structure, and function of the dividing cells. Differentiated cells became distinct from their undifferentiated counterparts.
Groups of cells with similar shapes, identical structures, and specific functions were referred to as tissues.
Different tissues, organized in a specific manner, formed organs.
Organs coordinated and worked together to create systems.
This was why Kryptonians possessed abilities such as heat vision, freeze breath, super strength, super healing, and enhanced vision.
"Pain... it's so painful... Hahaha... Hahahaha!!!"
H'el knew he was about to undergo a transformation, but the excruciating pain made him grind his teeth until they shattered. It wasn't just a metaphor; he actually ground his teeth into bits, and new teeth rapidly grew in their place.
Amidst his agonized cries, H'el laughed hysterically. In the stratosphere, 48 kilometers above the Earth's surface, he was drawn down by Earth's gravity. His entire body emitted an intense glow as he continuously absorbed sunlight, and he began to fall due to the gravitational pull.
From a distance, even in broad daylight, he appeared as a bright star, trailing a fiery tail as he plummeted towards the Earth's surface.
It was as if the light itself was chasing him.
"Ah... Hahaha... Ahahaha..."
H'el continued to laugh as he plummeted. His teeth shattered and regrew rapidly. His throat felt like it was erupting with molten lava, and his wide-open eyes flowed with blood. His vision constantly shifted between darkness and blinding light. His eyes were being damaged and repaired repeatedly due to the intense sunlight.
The accelerating descent became increasingly frenetic. His skin experienced intense friction with the air, igniting into flames. H'el's skin seemed to burn like paper, revealing crimson, beautiful muscular contours, and snow-white bones beneath.
He twisted his body into a fetal position, the exposed skin on his face stripped away by friction, revealing muscular red lines. His eyes, now naked, stared wide open, teeth bared and gleaming white, his expression both grotesque and maniacal.
In the midst of agony and ecstasy, euphoria overwhelmed the pain of the moment.
The falling speed created friction with the air, causing him to burn like a meteor. The strong muscles on his back began to ignite and tear apart, revealing deep internal organs. Blood evaporated, mingling with the scorching flames generated by the friction, creating a vivid display of blood and flames.
In the next moment, muscles, blood, bones, and skin all fought for survival. H'el's absorption of sunlight and his super-healing abilities were at odds with the burning friction.
Given more time, even with the accelerated descent, Kryptonian super-healing would have ultimately triumphed. But now, he had reached the ground.
H'el resembled a shooting star, appearing in the stratosphere with a trail of sunlight chasing him, carving an arc in the clear blue sky. He crashed down towards the Alaska Anchorage Base of the United Pacific Joint Military Defense Force.
"Attention, Training Ground 01, Attention, Training Ground 01."
"Radar detected the sudden appearance of a small meteorite, predicted impact point is Training Ground 01. All personnel, please evacuate immediately. I repeat, all personnel, please evacuate immediately!"
"Gipsy Danger, cease maintenance tests! Cease maintenance tests! Evacuate the square immediately! Evacuate the square immediately!"
Workers on the square quickly glanced up and saw a streak of fire hurtling towards them. They promptly boarded construction vehicles and left the square as instructed, following an orderly evacuation.
Raleigh, one of the two pilots of the 79-meter-tall Gipsy Danger, switched the mech's visual systems and saw that the base's defense cannons and MGM-134A ballistic missiles were fired directly at the falling meteorite.
Unable to help himself, Raleigh chuckled. "Looks like we can't avoid today's maintenance."
His brother Yancy stared at the meteorite. He then noticed that, just as it was falling, it seemed to be avoiding the trajectory of the locked missiles and heading straight for the square.
Yancy's face paled, and he hurriedly shouted, "Quick, quick! Get out of here! That damn meteorite is coming straight at us!"
The two of them tried to maneuver the Gipsy Danger away from the square, but the meteorite had already fallen, smashing into the mech's knee, snapping the joint, breaking cables, and causing electrical sparks to flicker. The 79-meter-tall behemoth leaned forward but didn't topple.
With the combined efforts of the two pilots, they managed to prevent it from collapsing fully.
Once stable, numerous mechanical engineers rushed to deploy heavy machinery, preparing to lift the Gipsy Danger.
"What the heck is this meteorite?"
Someone waved away the acrid smell of scorched metal and the strange odor caused by the thick black smoke. They peered into the impact crater and were shocked when they realized, "This isn't a meteorite! Why is it a person?"
H'el, with his towering figure, lay in the meteorite crater like a baby. Blood flowed from his back, filling the crater with a strong scent of blood. In the blink of an eye, the fractured bones on his back were squeezed back into place, muscles wriggled and healed like serpents, fibers reconstructed, and his skin, accompanied by sparks, crawled back over the muscles. He remained in a baby-like form, unconscious, but still smiling.
