A signal response?
Before this moment, the reconnaissance vessel Aquarius had been broadcasting quantum signals continuously into deep space, hoping to locate other Kryptonians who might have survived the destruction of their empire.
The signal that had just been detected instantly electrified the entire crew.
For a civilization on the brink of extinction, even the faintest reply meant hope.
"Is it real?"
Ethan Drake turned toward the communications console as soon as he heard the report.
"Yes, Captain."
Since Edward's death, the crew had unanimously addressed Ethan by that title. With Krypton gone and its ruling council erased from existence, the survivors aboard this lone reconnaissance ship were all that remained of their people.
The empire's glory had collapsed into dust.
The Supreme Council was gone.
Their homeworld was gone.
Now ten Kryptonians drifted through the universe aboard a single vessel.
To anyone else, commanding such a tiny remnant might seem insignificant. But Ethan didn't feel discouraged in the slightest.
He was confident.
With time, he would build something powerful from these ashes.
"The signal has been confirmed," the adjutant reported calmly. "It matches the encryption format used by Kryptonian ships. We're currently establishing a connection and verifying whether the sender is truly Kryptonian."
The woman who spoke stepped forward with composed precision.
Adjutant Lilith.
Like all Kryptonians, she had been genetically engineered for her role. As the ship's adjutant, she possessed extensive knowledge in navigation, engineering, and interstellar science. In many ways, she functioned as the captain's living database.
Her short blond hair framed a delicate yet intelligent face.
There was an unmistakable scholarly aura about her—an air of rationality and calm analysis that perfectly suited her position.
Wisdom and logic defined her character.
Ethan studied her quietly for a moment, once again impressed by the technological mastery Krypton had achieved at the height of its civilization.
Long ago, Kryptonians had abandoned natural reproduction entirely.
Instead, they relied on genetic engineering to design every individual before birth. Each person was grown through artificial incubation, carefully crafted to fulfill a predetermined role within society.
Soldiers.
Scientists.
Engineers.
Administrators.
Every Kryptonian's destiny was written directly into their genetic code.
There had been only one famous exception.
Jor-El, one of Krypton's greatest scientists, had refused to let his child become another product of the genetic assembly line. Instead, he allowed his son to be born naturally.
That child would grow up to become Clark Kent—the future Superman.
Unlike ordinary Kryptonians, Clark's genetic potential had never been restricted. His life was not predetermined by the state.
He could become anything he wanted.
A scientist.
A soldier.
Even something as ordinary as a journalist.
In that sense, Clark Kent possessed a freedom that most Kryptonians had never experienced.
But the survivors aboard the Aquarius had not been so fortunate.
The moment they were created, their destinies had already been decided.
Ethan smiled slightly.
Fortunately, those rules didn't apply to him.
"The shackles of being a soldier can't hold me anymore."
The Oracle System had somehow shattered the genetic limits imposed on his body. The powers he now possessed far exceeded the boundaries originally encoded into his DNA.
Under Krypton's rigid hierarchy, a soldier could never surpass a general.
It didn't matter how hard he trained.
It didn't matter how much experience he gained.
Genetics defined the ceiling.
But Ethan had already broken through that ceiling.
And he intended to keep climbing.
…
Meanwhile, the Aquarius continued drifting through the endless starfield.
Based on their current situation, Lilith soon presented several strategic recommendations.
"First," she said, activating a projection of nearby star systems, "we must establish contact with the source of the quantum signal as soon as possible."
"Second, we should locate any outposts previously established by Krypton throughout this region of space."
"Third, we must identify a habitable planet suitable for long-term settlement and begin rebuilding Kryptonian civilization."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Fourth, we should immediately begin artificial embryo cultivation to ensure the continuation of our species."
All of the proposals were logical.
Ethan accepted every one of them.
The first point required no discussion. If other survivors existed somewhere in the galaxy, abandoning them was not an option.
As for the second point, Lilith explained further.
"At the height of its power, the Kryptonian Empire maintained extensive control across multiple star regions. Numerous outposts were established during that era. Some of them should still exist."
Those outposts could contain valuable resources.
Technology.
Nutrient solutions.
Energy reserves.
All of it could help sustain the surviving Kryptonians.
The third point was even more important.
Drifting through space indefinitely was not a viable future. Eventually, they would need a stable world where they could rebuild their civilization.
But Lilith's expression turned serious.
"This will be extremely difficult," she admitted.
"Krypton's history is filled with wars. Many species across the galaxy harbor deep resentment toward us. The Kree Empire is one of our most persistent enemies."
She continued calmly.
"Additionally, most habitable planets already belong to established civilizations. Finding an unclaimed world will be extremely rare."
Ethan smiled faintly when he heard that.
"An unclaimed planet?"
He shook his head slightly.
"No. We just need to find a suitable one."
His tone was casual.
"If someone else owns it and doesn't want to give it up… we'll just take it."
Lilith blinked in disbelief.
That logic sounded suspiciously like something a space pirate would say.
"Captain!" she protested instinctively.
"According to Article Thirty-Seven of the Kryptonian Code, unauthorized planetary seizure is strictly prohibited—"
Her voice suddenly stopped.
The rest of the sentence faded from her lips.
Lilith sighed quietly.
The Supreme Council that once enforced those laws no longer existed. The legal framework of Krypton had died along with the planet itself.
Who was left to enforce the code now?
The survivors were already wandering through a hostile universe with no allies and no homeland.
Did those old restrictions still matter?
After a moment, she simply shook her head and said nothing more.
"Hope still exists," she said instead.
Her tone softened slightly.
The most encouraging development aboard the ship was the condition of the incubation chambers.
Fortunately, the hatching systems had survived Krypton's destruction intact.
They had already begun reactivating several preserved embryonic cells.
Seven new Kryptonians were currently developing inside the breeding tanks.
"For reconnaissance vessels, this feature was considered essential," Lilith explained. "Since missions could last decades away from the homeworld, every ship was equipped with a small incubation chamber. It allows crews to replenish lost personnel or establish new settlements if necessary."
At their current technological level, artificially cultivated Kryptonians could reach full physical maturity in a surprisingly short time.
New lives would soon join them.
That fact alone gave the crew enormous relief.
Ethan rubbed his chin thoughtfully before breaking into a grin.
"Give me a woman and I can build you a nation," he joked. "Looks like that dream might come true sooner than I expected."
Lilith's face instantly turned red.
"Captain!" she snapped.
"Natural reproduction is prohibited under Kryptonian law."
Ethan laughed.
"The empire is dead," he said casually. "Those laws died with it."
"That still doesn't make it acceptable," Lilith insisted stubbornly. "Genetic mixing through natural birth is unpredictable. Those children might not even develop stable gene patterns."
She paused, then frowned.
"Also… what exactly did you mean by 'the empire is dead' earlier?"
Ethan almost continued teasing her.
But at that moment, something strange happened.
His vision suddenly changed.
Lilith's skin seemed to disappear.
For a split second, Ethan could clearly see the skeletal structure beneath her body—the bones, organs, and internal systems hidden beneath the surface.
"What the…"
He blinked in confusion.
Then the normal image returned.
Ethan frowned.
Something had definitely changed.
"Oracle."
Without hesitation, he activated the system interface inside his mind.
The familiar panel appeared instantly.
But now there was an additional entry listed beneath his abilities.
X-Ray Vision: Not Yet Mastered.
A completely new power had appeared out of nowhere.