159 Metropolis, Hell on Earth

(~˘▾˘)~~(˘▾˘~)

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Metropolis United Bank.

A man clad in a stylishly cold red and black windbreaker leans on a sofa in the bank, wearing an unusual yellow mask on his face. His fingers casually tap in rhythm, not appearing to be robbing the bank, but rather like someone waiting for a bus.

He had no weapons on him but successfully robbed a bank surrounded by heavily armed security personnel, with not a single shot was fired in resistance.

Security personnel, tellers, and customers trembled on the other side, quivering like quails. Staring at the man as if looking at some kind of monster, fear like a whirlwind invaded their minds and bodies, sweeping away any courage to resist.

"Superman!"

Cheers from outside reach his ears.

"You finally came, Superman."

The man smiled, adjusting his attire effortlessly, stood up gracefully, and his voice echoed through the bank.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

"People in Metropolis say, 'Never commit a bold crime; the moment you cause screams, Superman might come and throw you into prison.' Turns out, that statement is true."

He applauds, appreciating Clark's actions.

"Who are you?"

Clark floats into the bank, first glancing at the hostages to ensure no one is harmed. He then looked at the man.

Creating chaos with the purpose of luring him out, this is not the first time this has happened.

The last time didn't end well.

Clark glanced at the Green Lantern ring on his hand.

'After that incident, people have noticed my weaknesses. But if it's something related to meteorites, I won't be as vulnerable as last time.'

"Let me introduce myself; you can call me Psycho-Pirate."

The man laughed, and Clark frowned, not having any impression of this alias.

He seemed indifferent, waving his hand.

"It doesn't matter if you haven't heard of me.

I'm just a small nobody for now. Of course, I can't compare with you, the world-famous Superman."

"By the way..."

The strange ancient mask emitted an orange-yellow haze. The man, as if observing something, stroked his chin, looked at Clark, and taunted.

"I'm sorry, Clark Kent; that name doesn't sound super at all."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Hearing his own name from a stranger's mouth, Clark's face changed drastically.

He clenches his fists, nervously scanning the people in the bank.

He can't imagine the trouble it would cause if this were to get out. The U.S. military and even the world have been trying to uncover his true identity.

Following the name Clark Kent could lead them to his parents, and their peaceful lives would inevitably be disrupted, and David would surely kill him.

"Don't worry; they didn't hear it."

Psycho-Pirate pointed to his head.

"I'm using this to talk to you."

"You actually grew up on a farm in a small town?"

"That's even less super!"

As if discovering a celebrity wasn't what they seemed up close, Psycho-Pirate showed a disappointed expression.

"Were you a nerd in school? You had a crush on the pretty cheerleader? How cliché."

As if watching scenes from a cliché TV show, Psycho-Pirate shook his head, expressing his opinions.

"It's telepathy!"

Clark takes a step back, realizing what's happening. The other is going through his memories, and the damn thing was he doesn't know how to defend himself against this mental intrusion.

He can punch through mountains, endure the harsh environments of space and the freezing Arctic, and even cut steel with his heat vision. But mentally, he has no special abilities.

'Lantern Ring.'

Thinking of the versatile Lantern Ring, Clark quickly activated it. His entire body was enveloped in a green suit, radiating a protective green glow against any external forces. He swiftly leaped toward Psychic Pirate, wanting to subdue him immediately.

His weakness seems to be the other's strength, making Clark feel uneasy.

However, he missed the opportunity, grabbing nothing but air, directly passing through Psycho-Pirate's illusory figure, and he remarks, "This ring creates a mental shield for you? Interesting."

"Could it be that, like my Medusa mask, it's also an ancient treasure?"

The illusionary figure of Psychic Pirate, whether real or not, reappeared, showing great interest in Clark's green lantern ring.

"Superman, you are powerful and mysterious. People know very little about you. You have many secrets, but for me, Psycho-Pirate, your mind and spirit are havens for me to invade."

He is already one of the most powerful telepaths in the world, deeply fascinated and curious about mythical things after awakening his abilities. In a museum, he found the Medusa mask, which amplifies psychic powers and let him control others' emotions.

Now, his psychic powers have risen to unparalleled levels.

The mental protection of the lantern ring, for him, is like a fragile plastic film easily torn apart. He continued to probe Clark's brain, exploring his life and secrets.

"Found it.

Weapons of the alien legion? Selected by accident?"

Surprise appeared on Psycho-Pirate's face.

"Your life experiences are truly legendary.

But what surprises me the most is that the Beyonder is actually your brother? His name is David Kent?"

"Enough!"

All the secrets he tried so hard to hide are exposed by the person in front of him. Clark angrily threw a punch again, but suddenly, an orange-yellow mental energy python appeared in the void, whipping its tail as if hit by a heavy truck, sending him flying.

"Experience the power of the mind!"

Psycho-Pirate laughs.

"Mental powers can do more than just read thoughts and delve into memories."

Several energy snakes with sharp teeth emerge from his helmet-like mask, opening their mouths wide to bite.

Avoiding the bites of some, Clark grabbed two snakes attacking his face. The twisting force of these colossal serpents made him feel a bit strained, and in the struggle, the ground beneath them shattered.

"You're stronger than I imagined, Superman."

However, Psycho-Pirate is even more astonished. Veins bulged on his forehead, his face darkened, and even with his mental powers pushed to the extreme, he still couldn't overpower Superman.

"When I put on this legendary mask, my power was elevated to unimaginable levels, yet I still can't defeat you head-on."

"But it's okay; the power of the mind shouldn't be used so crudely."

"What is your purpose?"

Clark felt a sense of impending danger. He shouted loudly, and his heat vision cut through the energy entity before him, piercing through Psychic Pirate and the wall behind him.

"You... you!"

With an unbelieving face, Psycho-Pirate covers his heart gushing with blood, and falls, breathless. Clark, wide-eyed with astonishment, wondered why he missed when he deliberately aimed away from vital areas?

"Seeing is not necessarily believing."

Watching Clark's confused expression, Psycho- Pirate reappeared in the air. He hovered mid-air, the terrifying mental snakes emerged from the orange-yellow mask hissing and clawing. It was extremely terrifying, He seemed like a evil god from another dimension, enjoying manipulating human emotions, and mocked Clark.

"Clark, it seems you haven't learned from the lesson just now."

"Don't call me by that name."

Listening to this nasty guy calling him by a name known only to a few, Clark felt deep anger. He utilizes his supervision to the extreme, seeing cells, neurons, brainwaves, and even electromagnetic waves in the air.

He threw a punch and missed again, creating a fierce wind that swept through the entire bank hall, causing the hostages to scream.

After having their mind invaded by Psycho-Pirate, the hostages had no thoughts of escaping at this point.

"Are you dumber than I thought, or has your anger clouded your judgment?"

Psycho-Pirate reappeared, making Clark feel powerless once again.

He clearly saw a person there—heart beating, neural signals transmitting between neurons—and yet, he's deceived again, toyed with once more.

"Oh, where were we earlier? What's my purpose?"

The wind blew open Psycho-Pirate's coat as he stood in mid-air, spreading his arms. After manipulating Superman like playing with a toy, he revealed strong confidence, as if he had control of the situation, and begins to talk about his purpose.

"I have a grand plan.

To liberate all the people in this city, freeing them from the mental prisons society has forced them to build since birth!"

As he spoke, Clark wasn't just listening stupidly. He'd been trying to attack Psychic Pirate all along, but it's futile.

"They will act as they please, driven by pure emotions, freeing themselves from the constraints of their minds!"

"Do you think I'll believe that?"

Allowing citizens to act on their every whim would undoubtedly bring chaos to the city, but Clark doesn't believe Psycho-Pirate's purpose was just that. What benefit could he gain from it? Another punch missed its target.

On the physical level, he was like a god on Earth, but he felt impatient and powerless.

How can one defeat something unseen and intangible?

"Such a grand plan will attract many who seek to destroy it.

Until the plan is complete, I need bodyguards!"

Psycho-Pirate's plan goes beyond this; after the indulgence of mental and emotional abandon, weakness will follow. That's when he plans to imprint his mental stamp on the citizens, turning them into his servants.

"That bodyguard is you.

Oh, and your brother, David Kent."

His face showed a sickly excitement, as if the mere thought of the scene excited him to shivers.

"The two most powerful superheroes on Earth protecting me, completing the baptism of this city.

Then it's on to the next city until my envisioned new world arrives!"

"You're insane!"

Clark gritted his teeth, shouting angrily, he punched again, and flew away.

While he may not have the ability to read minds, he can see in the eyes of the man before him a crazed ambition as if he wants to trample the entire world under is feet!

For the sake of this city, he can no longer show mercy.

"That's enough.

I'm not in the mood to play with you any longer."

Fingers pressed against his temple, Psycho-Pirate had no intention of continuing.

An evil smile played on his lips as a powerful tidal wave of psychic energy invaded.

Clark blinks, finding himself in the night sky, looking at his own hands in confusion.

"Oh right, where is this?

What was I supposed to do?"

On top of a building in Metropolis, he stood in the wind, his thoughts somewhat scattered, as if he had just had a long dream.

"I remember now. I didn't plan to do anything. Just stand here quietly and enjoy the night breeze."

He seemed to recall something, closing his eyes and savoring the moment. He doesn't want to think about anything, and the cool night breeze gently swept over his skin, as if it could blow away all his troubles.

"Why is Superman not moving?"

"What happened?"

In reality, through the bank's windows, Superman, who appeared to be fighting an invisible enemy, suddenly stands still with closed eyes. The police officers look at each other in shock, not knowing what's happening.

Suddenly, powerful psychic energy spread out, quickly engulfing several city blocks and expanding outward.

"The first step of the new world has begun!"

Inside the bank, Psycho-Pirate hovered in mid-air. His coat rustled without wind, and the mask on his head emitted a strong orange glow, forming a halo behind him. He seemed like a god controlling souls.

As his psychic energy surges through, every person's pent-up emotions and thoughts are ignited and released, causing a frenzy of madness!

"You, Colin, you son of a bitch! I remember when I first joined the police station, you always had me fetching coffee and running errands for you. I want you to only be able to sit in a wheelchair from now on!"

Outside the bank, the nearest police officers had varied expressions. One of them, with a ferocious face, unexpectedly pullet out his gun and shot his partner!

"No, I don't want to be a cop anymore. It's too dangerous. I want to leave."

"I'll kill you, Anderson. I should have been the captain!"

Chaos erupts among the crowd; many officers draw guns and shoot at each other. The accumulated stress and frustrations, intensified by a high-risk and pressure lifestyle, what was just a small dissatisfaction turned into overwhelming murderous intent that overwhelmed reason.

"I've never tried the feeling of killing someone!"

"Kyrie, your legs are really long!"

Some officers, previously known as gentlemen among colleagues, succumbed to lust and pounced on their female coworkers. Of course, there were some female cops who were more skilled and reversed the situation and started assaulting the ones who were assaulting them...

In several blocks, chaos ensues among the citizens. People turn on each other, fighting, looting, and burning, and overall causing destruction. In the face of the unleashed violence, all negative human emotions were unleashed and the city became a player's unknown battleground.

"Jeromy, you wait for me!"

One person, filled with rage, grabbed a shotgun, planning to drive to the company and shoot the boss who always deducts bonuses without doing any real work.

Some people beat up their husbands, wives, and even children. Some used axes, smashing everything in sight, hoping to seek revenge against the cold, oppressive society.

Amid cries, screams, breaking glass, and gunfire, uncontrollable flames spread from several blocks to engulf the entire city!

"Guys, Metropolis is under some kind of attack!"

In the Justice League headquarters, Cyborg, who has been monitoring online information, jumped up from his chair and projected the chaotic scenes in Metropolis through the cameras. Millions of lunatics run rampant in the city, violently venting their emotions.

"What... what's going on?"

Watching the horrifying scene in the city, even The Flash stood up in astonishment.

"Is this some kind of joke? What's wrong with everyone?

If God exists, is it possible... Could it be that demons have descended upon the earth?!"

Batman's expression changed, and his eyes were also in disbelief.

Click!

A piece of wood was effortlessly split in half.

Back in the small town, David had just finished chopping a pile of firewood for the family farm. Holding the axe, he straightened up and looked towards the city.

Several thick columns of black smoke rose from the buildings, iron and steel burning to molten liquid, shooting up into the sky. The flames illuminate half of the sky, as if the city were engulfed in a raging war.

"What is this..."

An abnormal and terrifying scene, he narrowed his eyes, wondering what happened to Metropolis?

David quickly used his gravity senses to remotely assess the situation.

"The people of Metropolis are acting like they've gone mad, killing each other and venting violence?

Not just Metropolis, even the surrounding small towns, the entire area is in chaos."

Who is behind this?

His expression became dark.

Snap!

Suddenly, there was a crisp sound of a bowl or plate falling in the house. David's eyes widened, his body turning into lightning, and he rushed into the house in an instant.

Inside, he saw that his parents were thankfully unharmed. Only his mother, Martha, stood by the sink, seemingly frightened by the sudden turn of events.

"Mom, are you okay?"

David stepped forward, asking with concern.

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(~˘▾˘)~Don't forget to send your power-stones!~(˘▾˘~)