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Gradually, Erik realized the rock ball was no longer under his control. It wasn't because his power was weakening, but because a more powerful force was at work within the ball.
"Die, you bastard! Die!" he screamed, but no matter how hard he tried or how big the ball got, it slowly lifted into the air.
With a roar, the rock ball exploded, shattering into countless pieces of rubble. Clark, standing at the center, simply moved his arms, effortlessly deflecting Erik's attack.
"Hank."
"What?" Hank replied, momentarily confused until he saw the syringe in his hand. "Got it!"
He tossed the syringe to Clark, who caught it with ease.
"You want to turn me into an ordinary person?! I'd rather..." Erik created a new barrier around him with rubble, knowing exactly what Clark intended. But his words died on his lips as the three-layered rock barrier was instantly shattered. Clark was standing in front of him, and Erik hadn't even seen him move.
He realized that Clark had the power to kill him easily, but... he hadn't.
Looking down, Erik saw the needle sticking out of his chest. He could feel the mutant ability that had been with him since the Nazi concentration camps slowly fading away. As the rocks and metal around him fell to the ground, so did he. He was no longer a mutant, just an old man of nearly eighty.
Erik collapsed and tried to look up at Clark's face. "Why... why didn't you kill me? What I've done is enough to make you want to. I know you're not the naive Superman from the comics. Why?" To Erik, losing his power was a far worse fate than death.
Clark's answer was simple. He looked down at Erik and spoke softly. "I said I wouldn't let anyone die. That includes you."
With that, Erik fell into a deep unconsciousness. The battle had already drained his life force, and without his powers, he had nothing left to sustain him.
"Clark!" Katie, who had been hiding with Jimmy, ran toward him.
"Katie, don't come over here!" Clark's warning stopped everyone. "The battle isn't over yet." He looked past them at Jean, who stood on the bridge, watching them coldly. "All of you, evacuate this island. It's very dangerous here."
Just then, a large number of soldiers arrived behind the bridge. They saw Jean and immediately opened fire, launching a volley of needles filled with the cure.
Jean was a mutant, but the Phoenix Force had fused with her to the point where she was no longer affected by a simple human cure. But not being threatened didn't mean she felt no hostility.
The Phoenix, a being of life and emotion, clearly felt the anger of the soldiers. The needles froze in mid-air and turned to ash the next moment. The guns and the soldiers themselves followed.
"Jean! No!" Logan and Scott yelled, but Clark was faster. Before the soldiers could be reduced to particles, he transported them to a distant city.
"Clark, what's wrong with Jean? Do you know something?" Scott asked.
Clark nodded. "The one standing in front of us isn't Jean. It's a chaotic and unpredictable personality called the Phoenix. But don't worry, I'll handle it. You need to leave and protect the people in the city." This time, no one hesitated. Ororo summoned a storm, and they flew away.
A Vicious Debate
At the same time, in a car near the X-Mansion, Nick Fury was on a video call with the World Security Council.
"Director Fury, you want us to believe a being who can destroy the Earth is about to fight in a lab and prepare for the worst? Don't you think that's a bit far-fetched? According to our research, Superman doesn't have the power to destroy a planet.
"The British and French representatives agreed with the American representative speaking. The Russian representative remained silent, his job simply to gather intelligence.
Fury's patience snapped. "Your researchers are full of it!"
"Watch your language, Director Fury," the American representative said angrily. "Seventy percent of your funding comes from the US government."
"What the hell can you see besides money?! Just because Superman doesn't use his full power doesn't mean he doesn't have it! There's never been a limit to Superman's power in the comics.
How can you make a judgment about someone you've never met? Does Superman only fighting bank robbers mean he can't destroy the world?!" Fury's patience was completely gone. "I've told you, Superman just returned from the sun.
You should know what that means. Two enemies that even Superman finds difficult to deal with have appeared. Your job is not to question me, but to get this information to your leaders and start making preparations now!"
As they argued, Fury received news that the military of the Eastern power had already begun to mobilize, ready to respond to any crisis. This was what a government should do: put its people first and verify the facts later.
Fury finally understood. While the Eastern giant had initially been wary of Superman, it was the first to have direct contact with him and gain his trust. He knew this action would be a strong argument for their approach.