NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2: CH 2
Kandor, the Most Advanced City of Krypton
"With the skill of Reflection in Crystal and Shadows in Light, as long as I have enough energy from the sunstone core, no one can truly harm me."
"This skill is nothing short of divine!"
"Combined with the illusionary and cloaking techniques taught to me by Lara Lor-Van, my Kryptonian mother, even if the system assigns me dangerous missions in the future, I don't need to fear for my survival anymore."
Just imagining a future where my enemies exhaust themselves attacking the illusions I create while I remain hidden in safety—it's exhilarating. I can already see myself as untouchable.
In my previous life, I was just an ordinary otaku. I spent days painstakingly downloading the 4K source of Man of Steel 2 with the highest expectations—only to be left disappointed by the grim direction the creators took.
Just as I was about to rant online about the wasted potential of the movie, a freak event sent me hurtling into this strange new reality—the DC Universe, where I was inexplicably reborn.
And not just reborn anywhere—I opened my eyes as the infant General Zod, recently adopted into the House of El by Jor-El after a ceasefire between Krypton and the rival colonies of the Seven Worlds.
What happened? How did I end up here? And why was I reborn as one of the most notorious villains in DC history? The sudden shift left me stunned.
The Path to Power in a Kryptonian Legacy
Fortunately, being a baby gave me time to process this new reality. Under the careful nurturing of Krypton's most revered scientist, Lara Lor-Van, and my adopted father, Jor-El, I began to think through my life in this world.
By the time I was one year old, I had resolved to forge a different path. If I followed the events of the DC Universe, I knew how poorly Zod's story would end—betrayal, imprisonment in the Phantom Zone, and death at the hands of Superman.
I had no interest in reliving Zod's doomed legacy. Instead, I decided that I would avoid any ambitions of conquering Krypton. I'd live peacefully as a member of the House of El, supporting Kal-El as a true brother and building a happier life for myself.
But just when I resolved to settle down as an unassuming Kryptonian, the Skill System activated in my mind.
The system constantly dangled divine-level powers from its library of skills, coercing me into completing missions to earn them. It wasn't an omnipotent, life-threatening system from the novels I used to read—thankfully, it couldn't harm me. In fact, because it was bound to my soul, it was entirely dependent on my survival.
But I wasn't in a peaceful world. This was the DC Universe!
Even if I chose a quiet life, I couldn't forget about the looming threats—like the Anti-Monitor, the cosmic force of destruction, or Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips. Even Kal-El's journey as Superman would bring world-ending crises every few years.
Who's to say whether Darkseid would spare me when he came for the Anti-Life Equation? Or whether I'd survive the next Crisis on Infinite Earths?
I couldn't leave my fate in the hands of others. If I wanted to live in dignity and freedom, I needed strength.
A New Zod with a Mischievous Reputation
If I followed the traditional growth path, learning Kryptonian combat techniques and science from Jor-El, I'd certainly be formidable. But even the strongest Kryptonian warriors fall before cosmic beings like Doomsday or Brainiac.
I needed to grow stronger—faster.
So when the system issued me my first mission—prank Kal-El 100 times—I reluctantly agreed. On the 100th prank, the system promised a powerful skill reward as a bonus for completing the task.
From the moment I could walk, I started my campaign. For every three days of planning, I'd execute a successful prank on my little "brother." For every five days, I'd come up with something even more elaborate.
Before long, I earned the nickname "The Phantom of Krypton", thanks to my illusions and tricks.
As Kal-El grew older and began his training to become Krypton's savior, pranking him became much harder. I had to prepare meticulously, using the advanced techniques I'd learned from Lara, as well as psychological tricks from my past life.
Years of effort passed, but on my eighth birthday, I finally completed the system's first mission. The reward I received far exceeded my expectations.
If I continued at this pace, completing missions and earning skills over the centuries, I was confident that my power would grow to terrifying heights.
No matter the cosmic threat—whether Darkseid, Brainiac, or even the Anti-Monitor—I would be ready.