"Three... three cities just gone like that..."
Clark felt the terrifying energy blast even through Black Canary's green shield, and his body trembled. Young Jonathan sensed Clark's fear, so he walked over and gently patted his shoulder. "Don't be afraid, everyone will protect you..."
But those words stirred something in Clark. "I... I am scared! But... I also want to help everyone! I don't want to be a burden, I have strength too!"
Everyone heard Clark's words, except for Superman, who was staring blankly at the ruined cities. Even Wonder Woman, flying beside Superman in the sky, heard him.
"I... I always thought I was just an ordinary person, but the truth is, I'm a Kryptonian too, and I have superpowers. I just hate myself. I failed to protect my friends in my own world, and now I've come here and become a burden. What's the point of having this power then?!"
A Different Kind of Hero
A silent sigh went through everyone. Those who knew Clark's background had simply seen him as a young Superman. But at this moment, they realized Clark wasn't Superman; he was Clark Parker, a Kryptonian from a different place.
Damian walked over and put an arm around Clark's shoulders. "It's not your fault you have power. No one chooses where they're born. If you're confused, why not just let go of these responsibilities that aren't yours?"
For an ordinary person, Damian's words would have worked well, but he underestimated Clark, or rather, he underestimated Kal-El. The innate empathy of Kryptonians means they can't easily give up such responsibilities.
Just like Superman, who was sadly looking at the ruined cities at that moment, once they realize the extraordinary power they have, it's impossible for them to let go of the responsibility in their hearts.
Even the Superman from another world, who turned evil and became cruel after his wife and son died, still took on his responsibility to protect humanity, just in a different way.
"I can't do it! I clearly have the power, so how can I just ignore something like this? I want to do something too. I want to help others like you, instead of just living under your protection!" Clark saw the despair of this world, and he couldn't just stand by.
In his own world, his friend Matthew went blind because Clark didn't react in time. In this world, he absolutely couldn't just watch again.
At this moment, the heroes didn't know what to say. Cyborg and Green Arrow weren't good at comforting people, and Black Canary even less so. As for Damian and young Jonathan, they weren't mentally ready to be heroes themselves, so they couldn't offer any deep wisdom.
Wonder Woman's Lesson
But there was one exception. Wonder Woman, who had also noticed Clark, slowly descended from the sky and stood in front of him. "I heard you want to take responsibility like us?"
Feeling the powerful and intense presence from Wonder Woman was completely different from Superman's. While both were superheroes, Wonder Woman felt more like a fierce warrior than Superman, who always brought hope. Especially in such a disaster, Wonder Woman's warrior nature shone through.
"No... that's right..." Clark suppressed his discomfort and nodded. The next moment, Wonder Woman attacked, punching him in the face.
"This!"
Wonder Woman's movements weren't fast—at least that's how it seemed to young Jonathan standing nearby. But for Clark, he could only barely see her fist swinging toward him. Instinctively, Clark tried to block, but he was a step too late.
Wonder Woman's punch hit him hard in the face. His body flew backward, breaking through the green light barrier that Black Canary was slowly lowering, and fell from the rooftop dozens of meters down to the ruins on the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.
"Ah! Ugh..."
Pain. Clark had never felt such pain in his life. With his amazing natural gifts and his family's love, he had never had to endure such hurt. Almost instinctively, Clark was about to cry out, but at that moment, Wonder Woman, who was already in front of him, yelled, "Shut up!"
This loud shout startled Clark and forced him to hold back his tears.
"Diana... this..."
Wonder Woman's sudden action had caught Superman's attention. It wasn't that he hadn't heard Clark's words, but the destruction of the three cities and their survivors had left Superman stunned. Seeing Wonder Woman attack Clark directly, he immediately moved to stop her, but she stopped him with a wave of her hand.
"Superman, I remember you said on the radio that we need to gather all our strength to fight the virus? Is that right?"
Knowing what Wonder Woman meant, Superman nodded with a complicated expression, ready to continue arguing. "That's true, but he's just a child..."
"But he's also a Kryptonian, a future Superman, isn't he? He's you as a child!"
This left Clark completely speechless. What else could he say? To make excuses? After Clark himself had said he wanted to help, he simply couldn't say such a thing.
A Warrior's Path
At this point, Wonder Woman turned her attention back to Clark, who had managed to stand up. Crying was just a child's instinct. Clark's highly developed brain and empathy, far beyond normal people, made him regain his composure, and he looked at Wonder Woman firmly again. In other words, after Wonder Woman's attack, he could now face this powerful hero and the cold aura she gave off.
"It's pretty cool."
Wonder Woman nodded in response. After being hit by her, Clark hadn't continued to be afraid; instead, he had the courage to look her in the eye. This proved that his statement about wanting to take responsibility wasn't just talk.
"If you don't want to live under our protection, then get stronger and become a powerful warrior. If you don't have strength, all your ideas are worthless!" This was Wonder Woman's belief. She herself became a warrior and then a hero after gaining power. "I will train you, and I hope you won't let me down!"