"Master, are you okay?" Alfred's voice carried concern as he watched Batman remain frozen in place after opening the box. Although Alfred could see what was happening on Batman's side, he couldn't see the face beneath the mask. Unbeknownst to him, Batman's face had already morphed into the green visage of a Skrull.
The Skrull's inner turmoil was so intense that he struggled to maintain his transformation. If not for the fact that Batman's costume wasn't part of his shape-shifting ability but rather Bruce Wayne's custom gear, the Skrull's true identity would have been exposed.
"I'm fine!" The Skrull took a deep breath, regaining his Batman persona as he calmed down. "I just saw a glimpse of hope—hope to finally bring Superman down from his pedestal."
Truthfully, if not for the need to continue pretending to be Batman, he would have preferred not to get involved. However, his disguise had already been set in motion, and abandoning it now would inevitably expose everything. Bruce Wayne was Gotham's most important figure by day, and Batman, the city's indispensable protector by night. If either disappeared, it would draw unwanted attention from all of America, potentially exposing more about the Skrull race.
If that were to happen, he would be labeled a traitor to his people. Therefore, even if it meant playing two vastly different personas, he had to continue. Moreover, he needed to act as Batman would: strategize a way to defeat Clark using the kryptonite.
"Hope to bring Superman down?" Alfred's expression wavered. Since Superman's debut, the public had viewed him as a god among men. Even when people learned of his Kryptonian origins, it hadn't diminished his stature. Alfred himself harbored mixed feelings toward Clark; otherwise, he wouldn't have reminded Batman to stop the deletion of the footage showing Superman killing the civilians.
Now, hearing that Batman had found a way to neutralize Clark, Alfred couldn't help but agree. Maybe someone did need to remind Superman that he wasn't above humanity. A little pressure from public opinion wouldn't affect Superman much, but if there was a real way to subdue him, things would be different.
Soon, Batman returned to the Batcave with the box and used mechanical arms to extract the kryptonite, which he then began analyzing. As he inspected the box, he noticed a letter at the bottom:
"You've seen Superman's massacre of innocent civilians. Regardless of his reasons, he had no right to harm ordinary people. He claims to be a god among men, but surely, he had other ways to avoid killing those civilians. Yet he chose to act, revealing his true nature. His so-called heroism was just a façade. The real Superman is now exposed!"
"Unfortunately, the Avengers, who are complicit with Superman, cannot be trusted. Batman, you are humanity's only hope to prevent a god from looming over us, dictating our lives."
"I now entrust you with this kryptonite. Use it to bring Superman down, just as you protect Gotham's nights, and tear away the false light that casts a shadow over Earth."
"Master, who sent this? How did they know kryptonite could weaken Superman?" Alfred asked after reading the letter, his tone laced with concern.
"I don't know," Batman replied slowly, even though he had a good idea it was Lex Luthor. However, as far as Batman's persona was concerned, he wouldn't have that knowledge. The letter made Batman uneasy; Lex's attempts to sow discord were too blatant. Would the real Batman fall for such manipulation?
"How will we test if kryptonite works?" Alfred asked hesitantly. "If it's ineffective, this could be a trap, and you could be in danger, Master..."
"It could even be a plot by one of Gotham's villains, specifically designed for you after seeing Superman's actions," Alfred warned.
"I've considered that," Batman said, shaking his head. "We've analyzed the kryptonite's energy, but to truly know if it can weaken Superman, we'll have to test it. We have plenty of data on Superman but nothing on his genetic structure..."
"And if the kryptonite doesn't work, I can play it off as an inquiry about the civilian deaths and ask if he needs help handling the backlash. After all, he knows my identity."
"That's true. Superman can't read minds. If kryptonite fails, you can avoid conflict, and he'll never know," Alfred nodded, agreeing with Batman's plan.
"Now, it's time to use this kryptonite to craft weapons capable of neutralizing Superman. I'll start with something less lethal to test its effects. If it works, we can move on to more advanced kryptonite-based equipment," Batman said, his mind racing as he devised a plan. This was Batman's strength—given enough information and preparation time, he could turn the odds in his favor, even against a god-like being.
Meanwhile, Lex Luthor and Batman continued plotting against Clark, preparing their moves. As the media storm surrounding Superman's actions intensified, protests broke out in the streets. It was obvious that these protests were orchestrated, aimed at further escalating the controversy and ensuring that even those who hadn't seen the footage online would hear about Superman's alleged massacre of civilians.
Clark, too, was affected by the backlash. Previously, his rescues were met with gratitude and admiration. Now, however, the people he saved weren't so thankful. Some simply fled, treating Clark as if he were a monster. Others were more vocal, accusing him of being a hypocritical alien and demanding that he leave Earth.
Under such intense scrutiny, official institutions took action. Although they couldn't directly contact Clark, they reached out to the Avengers, and soon after, they publicly announced that Clark would attend a live hearing at the Capitol to explain the incident.
This move caught the Avengers off guard, but given the mounting pressure, it was clear that Clark had little choice but to respond.
Upon hearing the news, Clark decided to go. He figured he could explain the situation involving the Supreme Deity and the power of faith during the live broadcast. Whether people believed him or not wasn't in his control, but at least he'd clear his conscience by offering an explanation.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Tony Stark asked, frowning as he warned Clark. "Who knows what kind of traps they've set for you?"
"I'll be fine," Clark replied with a confident smile. "If there's a plot against me, it would be dangerous for all of you too. I'll go alone. Even if there's a trap, it won't escape my notice."
"Alright, just be careful..." Tony nodded, still worried but understanding Clark's reasoning. If the authorities had a scheme to take down Superman, none of them would be able to do anything about it.
Soon, the hearing began. The entire world was watching as news outlets from around the globe gathered outside the Capitol, waiting for Superman's arrival.
Inside the Capitol, the hearing members were visibly nervous. This was no ordinary hearing; they were about to question a god-like being. The atmosphere was tense.
Under the watchful eyes of the world, Clark descended from the sky, landing softly on the ground. Cameras from every angle focused on his every move.
"Go back, you monster!"
"You alien scum! You don't belong on Earth!"
"This is our planet! Not your home, invader!"
"We don't need a god ruling over us! We are free! We have only one God!"
A chorus of protesters greeted him as he arrived. Many of them bore anti-Superman symbols, such as defaced versions of his iconic "S" shield.
"Superman..." In the crowd, Lois Lane, the reporter who had once captured Clark's heart, watched silently, murmuring his name. Lois had never considered herself one of Clark's believers. As a journalist, she sought the truth. Even though footage of Clark killing civilians had spread, she still couldn't believe it was the full story.
"I'm here. Open the door," Clark said to a nearby guard, standing at the entrance to the Capitol.
The guard, who had been frozen in awe at Clark's presence, finally snapped back to his senses and opened the door, allowing Clark inside. As Clark entered, the live broadcast officially began. Inside, staff members felt a palpable pressure as they hurriedly made way for him, avoiding eye contact.
Clark entered the hearing room, where the once-bustling space fell deathly silent. As they watched him take his seat, everyone in the room suddenly realized that this was judgment day.
This was humanity's trial against a god.
"Is there really no trap here?" Clark's gaze sharpened as he scanned the room, searching for any potential dangers.
"Hmm?" He soon noticed something he couldn't see through with his X-ray vision. His expression darkened.
At that moment, he felt a faint tremor beneath his feet. His mind blurred briefly, and an overwhelming sense of weakness engulfed him, rendering his X-ray vision useless. His body began to tremble ever so slightly...
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