Chapter 6: To Kansas

"That hurt a lot!" Clark winced as he grasped Dane's hand and pulled himself to his feet.

Dane pondered for a moment. It appeared that Clark wasn't particularly resistant to magical lightning.

Shazam's lightning derived from Zeus' power of thunder, an immensely potent energy rooted in the ancient gods.

Zeus, the king of the gods and creator of mankind in DCEU legend, possessed an exceptionally elevated persona, vastly different from Marvel's portrayal.

While Clark's resistance to magic wasn't weak, it paled in comparison to his resilience against physical forces. Yet, despite this, his body remained impervious to ordinary magical attacks.

But even so, his body is not something that ordinary magical power can hurt, but Zeus's lightning can hurt him, which is equivalent to Shazam having a trump card against Kryptonians in his hand.

However, Zeus's lightning held the power, effectively serving as Shazam's trump card against Kryptonians.

But that wasn't enough. With Zod and his group of Kryptonians as a threat, Dane needed more than just one ace up his sleeve.

"That's enough," Dane declared decisively. "Continuing the battle wouldn't serve our purpose, contrary to our intentions."

As they called a truce, Dane couldn't help but reflect on his current strength level. It seemed comparable to when Clark first encountered the remnants of Krypton, boasting extraordinary basic attributes yet lacking in effective strategies against adversaries.

He and Clark were evenly matched in some respects, but Dane believed he had a slight edge with his magic.

Yet, the weakness of Kryptonians remained a pivotal factor. It was unfortunate that kryptonite was unavailable at the moment.

According to the trajectory of the DCEU, it wouldn't be until Zod initiated his plan to transform Earth with the world engine that kryptonite would become accessible on the planet.

He couldn't obtain it now unless he ventured to the Kryptonian ruins, where Kryptonite was abundant.

But his magical abilities were not yet advanced enough for interstellar travel; such a feat remained a distant possibility.

Returning to the Rock of Eternity, Dane stumbled upon Clark's clothes once more, noting the apparent lack of care for their preservation from a biological standpoint.

Pondering for a moment, Dane turned to Clark and inquired, "Clark, when were you born?"

He knew Superman had arrived on Earth approximately 30 years ago, but given Kryptonian technology, the journey from Krypton to Earth likely took mere months.

Clark replies', "All I know is that Jonathan and Martha found me in October 1980."

With this information, Dane calculated that Clark was roughly 25 years old. No wonder he seemed so inexperienced.

Despite his immense power, Dane felt he could overpower Clark with relative ease.

Reflecting on the events of 2013, when Zod invaded Earth, Dane considered that Superman, in his 30s at the time, was in his physical prime.

Had it not been for his lack of combat experience and his determination to avoid lethal force, opponents would have posed less of a threat.

In the movie depiction, though Superman sustained injuries from the Kryptonian warrior, his composure remained steadfast—not even a hair out of place.

"Do you wish to meet your father? I mean, the biological one," Dane proposed after a moment of thought.

Clark froze for a moment, eyeing Dane suspiciously.

"You should have the key to the ship that brought you to Earth, right?" Dane inquired.

Clark nodded slowly, a sudden realization dawning on him. "How do you know?"

Dane tapped his temple with a grin. "That key will be crucial for dealing with Zod in the future," he explained, knowing Clark already believed in his ability to foresee events.

Dane's continued, "The key also contains a USB-like memory that holds your father's digital consciousness. With the right interface, he can communicate with you."

"As luck would have it, I know the location of a hidden Kryptonian ship on Earth," Dane added.

Clark fell silent for a moment before questioning, "Why are you helping me so much?"

"Because I hope you'll stand Earthside when Zod invades," Dane admitted frankly.

"I'm not sure if I can," Clark confessed, displaying the uncertainty of a young man struggling with a weighty decision. He couldn't readily commit to defending Earth and humanity like the heroes in movies.

Understanding Clark's dilemma, Dane offered a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It's okay to take your time and think things through. There's still plenty of time."

"Would you like to check out the ship? Just remember to bring the key; it's needed to activate the ship," Dane suggested.

"Of course, but I left the keys at home, so I'll need to retrieve them... By the way, why don't you come to my place and sit down?" Clark proposed warmly, indicating a growing friendship.

To be able to invite him like this shows that Clark really regards him as a friend now.

"Is that convenient?" Dane inquired.

"Absolutely. Martha is very hospitable; you'll see when you meet her," Clark assured him.

"Then let's go. By the way, where do you live?" Dane asked.

"Smallville, Kansas"

Dane nodded, and with a flick of his magic, the surroundings shifted instantly. Clark recognized the familiar landscape of Smallville, Kansas.

He sigh. "You know, I suddenly envy your abilities. I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble to get home."

Back when he hadn't mastered flight, he often resorted to running through no man's land to reach his destination, inadvertently becoming the subject of urban legends.

Dane reassured him, "It's alright. You're flying now, so that's not an issue anymore."

Clark smiled in agreement. "True enough."

With a shared laugh, they took off into the sky. With no one around, they flew directly to their destination.