Clark, This Punch Is for You

The stands were filled with excited spectators.

Waving flags and colorful cheering props, the crowd loudly cheered on their home team.

"Where's Clark?"

Jonathan, seated in the middle of the stands, scanned the football players warming up but didn't spot Clark.

"Not just Clark—I don't see Coach Watt either."

Martha frowned as she spoke to her husband.

"I'll go find him. You stay here."

Sensing that something was wrong, Jonathan told his wife to wait there and left the stands for the locker room.

"Clark!"

He called Clark's name as he searched around the locker room for him.

"Cough, cough. Dad, I'm in here."

Clark's weak voice came from inside the locker room.

Hearing him, Jonathan immediately rushed to the locker room door.

Looking through the window, he saw Clark lying on the floor.

The room was filled with hazy white steam.

"Clark, hang on!"

Jonathan shouted to his son as he kicked the door with all his strength.

Bang!

The door could not withstand his powerful kicks and finally burst open after several blows.

Jonathan crossed the room in a few strides and helped Clark up from the floor.

"Clark! Can you hear me?"

"Ch-Chloe... Chloe... editor's office..."

Already weak and helpless from the Kryptonite-laced steam, Clark used every last bit of strength to lean close to his father's ear and haltingly tell him that Chloe was in danger.

"Let's get out of here first!"

Jonathan helped Clark out of the locker room.

Suddenly!

Coach Watt appeared behind them, viciously swinging a fire extinguisher at the unguarded Jonathan's back.

Bang!

The fire extinguisher did not hit Jonathan. A hand caught it firmly.

A figure stood between the extinguisher and Jonathan.

Coach Watt, who had tried to ambush them with the extinguisher, stared dumbfoundedly at Eric, who had suddenly appeared before him.

He had only seen a blur, and the other man had appeared right in front of him.

What was this?!

Why was he so fast?!

Gripping the fire extinguisher, Eric swung it forward.

The heavy extinguisher smashed straight toward the man's head.

Bang!

Coach Watt was sent flying backward, his body crashing heavily into the lockers with an earthshaking impact.

The lockers buckled from the blow, and the things stored inside burst out.

Coach Watt collapsed onto the floor and immediately passed out.

"Eric!"

Jonathan was first startled, then delighted to see his younger son suddenly appear behind him.

"What are you doing here, Eric?"

"I thought you were right, Dad. Sometimes we need to make changes, so I changed my mind and came to the game."

Eric shook out his hand and smiled at his father.

Of course, the real reason was not that he was interested in Clark's game. He had used his super vision to see everything happening here, then used super speed to rush over.

"That's good."

Jonathan patted Eric's shoulder and looked toward the school, where thick smoke was rising. "You take care of Clark. I'm going to check the school paper. Chloe may be in trouble."

After giving them his instructions, Jonathan immediately hurried toward the burning school.

"Clark."

After Jonathan left, Eric stared darkly at Clark, who was drenched in sweat and gasping desperately as he tried to recover his strength.

Suddenly, he threw a punch.

His heavy fist slammed into Clark's cheek.

With a bang, Clark staggered backward, his body crashing hard against the wall.

Though the punch had not been particularly powerful, Clark still felt wave after wave of dizziness.

"I told you that if you wanted to be someone who protected and showed mercy to others, you had to learn to be smarter. But clearly, Clark, you haven't become any smarter. You not only put yourself and your friends in danger, you even nearly got Dad hurt because of you."

"I..."

Faced with Eric's accusations, Clark did not strike back. Guilt appeared on his face.

"I'm sorry, Eric. I... I messed everything up."

"I don't need your apology, Clark."

Eric's tone remained ice-cold. "I warned you to pay attention to the people around you, not to let your eyes deceive you. Yet you still observe with your eyes rather than with something deeper. You waste your gifts and even make your family risk themselves for you."

Clark did not argue. He only lowered his head and clenched his fists tightly.

"I'm deeply disappointed in you, Clark. You should have become more mature, but you haven't grown at all."

After glancing at Clark, Eric turned and walked away.

"Dad went to save people. Protect him. Don't let him get hurt."

After Eric's figure vanished down the corridor, his cold voice reached Clark's ears.

Clark raised his head, took a deep breath, and steadied his emotions.

Bang!

His figure vanished down the hallway, speeding toward Jonathan.

"Ugh!"

Coach Watt, who had been struck in the head by Eric, struggled to his feet.

Blood streamed continuously from his forehead. His nose was broken, and the bruising and blood around his eyes showed the severity of the blow he had taken.

Even after absorbing Kryptonite and gaining a powerful body, he had still nearly had his head smashed open by the fire extinguisher.

"Shit!"

He cursed through the pain.

"Coach Watt, you look pathetic."

A voice that terrified him sounded from behind.

Coach Watt slowly turned around and discovered that Eric had returned. He stood behind him, staring expressionlessly.

"Surprised?"

Eric took a step forward, his black eyes transforming into eerie pupils that flickered with orange-red light.

"Coach Watt, I tolerated—even ignored—your actions only because you hadn't provoked me. But it seems you thought that having some insignificant power meant you could act without restraint, even dare to hurt my family?"

Faced with Eric's murderous gaze, Coach Watt did not retreat. Instead, he closed his eyes.

With his rhythmic breathing, flames sprang up around the locker room.

The flames rose to the ceiling panels, carrying searing heat as they rushed toward Eric like a giant snake under control.

Facing the charging "fire dragon," Eric did not dodge and allowed the raging flames to engulf him.

Before Coach Watt could celebrate, Eric walked out of the flames the next second, expressionless.

"You!"

Sizzle!

Two beams of Heat Vision, as wide apart as the distance between his eyes, pierced through Coach Watt's eyes in an instant.

The Heat Vision melted his head like lava.

Then, the out-of-control flames swiftly engulfed the dead coach.