"No need to be so polite."
Lionel Luthor maintained a calm expression as he spoke.
On the surface, he appeared composed, but inside, his mind was in turmoil.
He had always suspected that Peter and his family were anything but ordinary, but he had still underestimated them.
Even something as absurd as a tractor falling from the sky had actually happened!
Could Peter have been the one to throw the tractor down from above?!
"Mr. Podrick."
Unable to contain his curiosity, Lionel hesitated before speaking to Peter. "I… I mean, I just saw a tractor fall from the sky with my own eyes and completely crush my car."
Peter raised an eyebrow. "Really? So, you're saying you didn't see the thief?"
"No, I didn't. It was just too unbelievable. Mr. Podrick, do you really not know anything about it?"
Peter shook his head and replied, "To be honest, Mr. Lionel, I have no idea what happened either."
Lionel hesitated, nodding slightly. He glanced at Peter, then at Clark, who stood anxiously nearby.
He could tell that Peter was hiding something.
"In any case, Mr. Lionel, since the tractor belongs to my farm, I'll compensate you for the damage."
Peter offered to cover the cost of Lionel's car.
"No, that won't be necessary."
Lionel declined. "This isn't your fault, and my car is insured."
Since Lionel refused the compensation, Peter didn't insist.
After exchanging a few more words, Peter watched as the road assistance crew towed the tractor away. Then, he got into the car with his three troublemakers and drove off.
Lionel Luthor watched Peter's car disappear into the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly.
He certainly didn't believe Peter's claim of ignorance.
Looking down at the scattered debris from his ruined car, he exhaled deeply.
Who exactly is Peter Podrick?
Just how many secrets is this man hiding?
Lionel Luthor felt as if he were Icarus, soaring ever closer to the sun.
The nearer he got, the more his waxen wings threatened to melt. The closer he was to Peter, the more dangerous things seemed to become.
Inside the car, Clark sat with his head lowered, his face filled with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Godfather… I… I didn't mean to."
"I know, Clark."
Peter didn't blame him.
That morning, he had seen the news about solar flares and suspected that was the reason for Clark's loss of control.
Even though Peter showed understanding, John wasn't as forgiving.
After all, the tractor was farm property.
Now it was completely wrecked because of Clark, which was a significant loss for the farm.
"Dad told you to control your powers, Clark. But clearly, you can't."
John scolded him. "If you had been unlucky, Lionel Luthor would have been turned into roadkill under that tractor."
Clark winced at the reprimand, his face flushing with embarrassment.
"This isn't Clark's fault."
Peter spoke up while keeping his eyes on the road.
"Yesterday, a meteor impacted the sun, triggering the most intense solar flares ever recorded."
"I saw that on the news, Dad."
Star-Lord chimed in. "They said the solar flares could cause communication failures and power outages."
Clark's eyes widened.
That sounded exactly like what was happening to him.
"Godfather, I think the same thing is happening to me. Sometimes I feel completely drained, like this morning when I was exhausted. But then, at other times, I feel overwhelmingly strong—too strong to control."
He confessed his bodily changes to Peter.
Peter nodded. "Mhm. Clark, this means your power comes from the sun."
Star-Lord added, "So… kinda like a solar battery?"
"My powers come from the sun?"
Clark looked up toward the sky, staring at the glowing orb in space.
"Godfather… does that mean I came from the sun?"
He asked curiously, still gazing at it.
"No, you definitely did not come from the sun."
Peter stepped on the brakes, stopping at a red light.
"You don't need to dwell too much on where you came from, Clark. What's important is how you choose to live here.
Don't forget—you once told me you'd always be a Kansas farm boy, right?"
For now, Peter chose not to reveal the truth about Clark's origins. He didn't want the boy getting too fixated on it.
"Y-Yeah… Godfather."
Clark murmured, as if trying to reassure himself.
"I'm a human of Earth. A Kansas farm boy."
Podrick Farm.
Clark got out of the car and walked toward the living room.
But as he walked, he picked up speed—until, with a "whoosh," he completely vanished from sight.
Johnl and Star-Lord, who had just stepped out of the car, exchanged glances.
Clark's powers had completely lost control!
Peter saw him activate his super speed and instinctively tried to chase after him. But before he could even take a step, the kid was already gone.
Stopping in place, Peter let out a helpless sigh.
Hopefully, the kid would be lucky enough to make it back to the farm before nightfall.
Evening.
Peter sat in his study, finally digging up some information about the mysterious tree in his yard.
He found references to the ash tree in Norse mythology.
According to legend, the World Tree that supported the Nine Realms was an ash tree.
Its name was Yggdrasil, also called the World Tree, the Tree of Time, or the Tree of Life. It connected the core nine realms of Norse mythology.
These realms included Asgard, home of Odin and the Norse gods; Vanaheim, the land of the old gods (where Thor's mother originated); Nidavellir, the realm of masterful dwarven craftsmen; Midgard, the world of humans; Alfheim, home of the Light Elves; and Svartalfheim, territory of the Dark Elves.
There was also Jotunheim, where the Frost Giants resided; Niflheim, ruled by Hela; and Muspelheim, the domain of the fire giant Surtur.
Peter had once entered the inner world of this mysterious tree—a realm of endless blizzards and extreme cold.
Could that icy world actually be Jotunheim, the land of the Frost Giants?
"Hiss—"
Taking a deep breath, Peter's mind raced.
If the tree in his yard was truly the World Tree… wouldn't that mean he had struck gold?
Owning Yggdrasil—didn't that make him the ruler of the Nine Realms?
Would that make him the Odin of the DC Universe?!
The thought sent his mood soaring.
If his farm housed the World Tree, its value had just skyrocketed beyond imagination.
But Peter quickly snapped himself out of these wild speculations.
The ash tree in his yard couldn't possibly be a fully matured World Tree.
If a real World Tree had appeared in this world, the changes it caused wouldn't be this minor.
Was it… a seed of the World Tree?
Peter walked over to the ash tree, examining its unique aura.
He reached out and placed his hand on its trunk.
This time, he was prepared, so he wasn't immediately pulled into that freezing world.
As he caressed the bark, a gentle, cooling energy slowly seeped into his body.
He focused on the sensation, breathing evenly.
A few breaths later, he opened his eyes, feeling… lighter. Stronger. As if the tree was nourishing him. His mental space even seemed to have expanded.
With his enhanced perception, the tree before him seemed to radiate a sacred glow.
Legends said that the World Tree granted wisdom and enlightenment. Odin had once hung himself upside down on it for nine days and nights, eventually comprehending the runes and gaining immense power.
If this really was the World Tree, then…
Would hanging upside down for nine days also grant him the knowledge of the runes?
…No.
That would severely damage his reputation in front of Johnl and the other brats.
Rubbing his chin, Peter fell into deep thought.
A new idea took shape in his mind.
If any of those kids misbehaved in the future, maybe he should hang them upside down on the tree.
Not only would it serve as punishment, but if they had talent, they might even gain enlightenment!
Of course, he'd have to make sure the neighbors didn't see.
Otherwise, he'd absolutely get reported for child abuse.
Raising his head, he looked up at the lush canopy of the World Tree.
And an idea formed about the next arrival.
If this tree was tied to Norse mythology and the World Tree… then there was only one possible "father of sorrow" linked to it.
"Dad."
Just as Peter was about to spend more time under the tree, Star-Lord approached, looking anxious.
"Clark still isn't back. Do you think something happened?"
Peter glanced up. Night had already fallen.
He'd been so focused on the World Tree that he'd almost forgotten about Clark.
Clearing his throat, he turned to Star-Lord and Johnl, who had also walked over.
"We're going to find Clark. If you see anything, report to me immediately."
After leaving the farm, Peter first searched the small town.
Just as he was about to expand his search, his phone rang.
It was Clark—his voice weak and exhausted—asking Peter to pick him up at the bus station.
Thirty minutes later.
Screech!
The car door swung open, and a dust-covered Clark stepped out.
Peter immediately rushed over to support him. "Are you alright, Clark?"
"I'm just tired, Godfather."
Clark sighed in frustration. "When I stopped, I was already at Lake Tahoe."
Peter blinked. "Lake Tahoe? Clark, that's thousands of kilometers away."
Clark nodded wearily. "I know, Godfather. One second, I was fast enough to cross the country, and the next… I couldn't even run. I—"
His voice trailed off, exhaustion and frustration evident in his eyes.
At this moment, he felt not only physically drained—but mentally exhausted, too.
Peter shrugged. "Well… looks like we have a problem."
Clark slumped into the car seat, took a deep breath, and muttered, "Don't worry, Godfather. Until the solar flares are gone, I'll just stay home and not go outside."
Peter shook his head.
"It won't be that easy."
...
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