The people of Krypton and the people of Earth—only one can survive. They cannot coexist.
It was a simple truth, obvious if you thought it through.
"I..."
Clark Kent understood that truth, but when he thought of General Zod, a wave of sorrow welled up inside him.
In the original story, this very moment had left Clark deeply scarred—back then, it had been his own hand that acted. But this time, it was Lorien who struck.
Lorien felt that stepping in himself was perhaps the best outcome.
Yet Clark still seemed weighed down by it.
Lorien raised an eyebrow, then lightly patted Clark's shoulder. "Don't overthink it. In the end, your choice was the same as mine, wasn't it? Think about that."
Clark couldn't quite grasp it, but he also didn't want to trouble Lorien further. Rising to his feet, he offered a simple farewell and left.
...
Back on Earth, Clark Kent and Lorien continued living their quiet days. But aboard the ruined ship, General Zod was crumbling.
His people couldn't adapt to the sudden change in environment.
One by one, they perished after leaving the ship.
No matter how grief-stricken Zod was, nothing could stop it.
Faora stood in a haze of despair.
She couldn't shake the feeling that she bore part of the blame.
When she looked at General Zod, she couldn't bring herself to utter even a word of comfort.
"That man... I will kill him!"
Zod's eyes burned with hatred, his teeth nearly grinding to dust as he spat the words.
He returned to Earth—back to Gotham City.
His gaze, seething with rage, swept across the crowds.
Every face blurred into the same one: Lorien's.
That was his enemy!
Agony twisted endlessly in his chest.
And with that thought, he lashed out without restraint at random pedestrians.
Faora took a step forward, intending to stop him, but her resolve faltered. At last, she held back, letting Zod vent his rage.
He was in too much pain, and she had no grounds to stop him.
"Where is that man?"
The streets descended into chaos. Police had already arrived in response to the devastation.
But Zod didn't care about ordinary humans.
After venting for a while, he realized all those he struck were just common people.
"It's night. Lorien won't be at work."
Faora hesitated only briefly before leading Zod toward Lorien's home.
When they arrived, Lorien was already waiting outside.
"I knew you'd come."
No matter the circumstances, he remained calm, unshaken.
"I don't believe I've done anything wrong." He smiled faintly as he said it, recalling Zod's earlier words. "It's simply a matter of different stances."
"Different stances?" Zod let out a bitter laugh. "Yes... exactly. And that's why I will kill you—to avenge my people!"
He charged at Lorien, fury blazing.
Lorien stood still, watching. Only when Zod closed in did he shift slightly, sidestepping the attack.
Meanwhile, Faora strode forward—but after only a few steps, she was blocked by Wanda and Gwen.
"Your fight is with us!"
The two declared almost in unison.
Faora's expression tightened at the determination in their faces, but she quickly assumed her stance and launched herself at them.
This was to the death.
Only one side would survive.
It was a battle that shook the city—one no one could interrupt.
From afar, figures stood watching from high above, but made no move to intervene.
"We thought we might help this man called Lorien... but clearly, he doesn't need us at all," a Justice League member remarked, arms crossed. They simply watched, curiosity burning in their eyes.
They too wanted to see what this Lorien was truly capable of.
So they observed, eyes narrowed, and nothing more.
...
General Zod was defeated.
It hadn't taken long—Lorien put him down swiftly. Zod collapsed to the ground, his body drained of all strength.
"Enough."
After killing Zod, Lorien turned toward Wanda and Gwen, who were still locked in combat nearby.
Without hesitation, they ceased their fight and returned to his side.
"Why didn't you kill me?"
Faora knelt on the ground, drenched in sweat, her face pale and eyes filled with fury and confusion.
Not far away, Zod's body lay motionless.
A dreadful premonition struck her.
Terror filled her eyes as she stumbled forward, scrambling toward him.
"General Zod?"
Her voice trembled as she called to him, careful yet desperate.
But there was no response.
General Zod was dead.
Nothing could be clearer.
Her head snapped up, and the look she cast at Lorien was stripped of all hesitation or affection. "You destroyed my people, killed General Zod, and now you leave me alive. Why? You should know that if you let me go today, I'll return to kill you one day!"
"I spared you because alone, you can do nothing. You understand that, don't you, Faora?"
"And I'm not afraid of you coming back for me."
If anything, he would almost welcome it.
Faora clenched her teeth, glaring at Lorien's calm, unshaken face, before finally turning her gaze back to Zod's corpse.