The monster that had been reduced to nothing but a shell still retained immense power.
Its movement patterns remained stable. There were no unnecessary adjustments, nor had it developed any autonomous changes from going so long without new input.
"This guy—"
Smallville Superman's gaze lingered on the figure for a moment before he stepped forward. This time, he did not slow down, instead approaching at nearly a normal walking pace.
The figure activated in sync. Its movements matched Smallville Superman's rhythm, and when the distance between them closed to a certain range, it raised its right arm, opened its palm, and pushed toward his shoulder. Smallville Superman twisted aside to evade, but the instant he moved, the figure's arm had already changed direction, sweeping toward his new position.
"Damn! It's still this strong!"
Smallville Superman raised his left arm to block. A crisp sound rang out where his palm struck the figure's wrist. The figure's force was steady and sustained, pushing him back a step. It did not pursue, instead stopping there as if waiting for him to readjust his stance before beginning another round of contact.
"I need to deal with this problem!" Smallville Superman steadied himself and adjusted his center of gravity again. The figure's movement patterns and strength were clearly superior to those of the previous individuals. Its reactions were faster as well, as though it had optimized its operational parameters through repeated testing and reached a high level.
Smallville Superman stepped forward and charged at the figure at greater speed, adjusting the direction of his strike before making contact. The figure did not attempt to evade. It raised its right hand and met his approaching fist with its palm. The two forces collided at the point of contact, producing a brief shockwave.
"Rumble!"
Smallville Superman's power