Chapter 553: Ranked Top Five?
The Universal Threat
Sinestro had escaped, bursting through Oa's proud defenses and vanishing into the depths of space.
What followed was predictable: he would spread fear, devour fear, and continuously strengthen himself until one day he returned to Oa to seek revenge against the Guardians who had imprisoned him.
This was a disaster that would envelop the entire universe.
To prevent the situation from escalating, Green Lantern warriors from all corners of the universe were recalled. The Guardians explained the origins of the event, its progression, and the destructive capabilities of Parallax, demanding that the guardians of every sector intensify their vigilance and immediately notify headquarters if any anomaly was detected.
After the command was issued, the Green Lantern warriors departed, their faces etched with gravity. Sinestro and Parallax had merged, creating the legendary Parallax Demon. His power was unimaginable; encountering him meant death.
Even the Green Lantern Corps, possessing the strongest willpower, could not avoid negative emotions when facing death.
Hal's Humiliation
Hal Jordan did not return to Earth. Instead, he was taken to the Green Lantern Corps headquarters, where he met the Acting Corps Leader, Kilowog.
Kilowog was a burly warrior resembling an Orc in appearance. He had a broad jaw, sharp but small ears, and was known for his rough behavior and fondness for "educating" rookies, though he was genuinely an upright, honest person who cared for his subordinates.
Hal had a good relationship with him. As they walked, Hal complained,
"You know, my dear little Kilowog, the only thing I want right now is to lie in bed and get some decent sleep, not chat with you."
The moment he saw Kilowog's overly serious, ugly face, he forced himself to be more attentive.
"Alright, what do you need me for?"
Kilowog opened the main console and displayed an image—the flight path of the Green Lantern Corps chasing Parallax three years ago. The final destination of the trajectory was clearly Earth.
Hal had heard this story countless times.
"Little Kilowog, I've searched the star systems near Earth ten times—ten times, you understand? Parallax wasn't there. It either ran off or died."
"Parallax is the embodiment of fear. As long as the emotion of fear doesn't vanish, it cannot die."
Kilowog stepped closer. Seeing the helplessness on his friend's face, his tone softened. "Hal, your performance has been exemplary; you are an excellent Green Lantern warrior. We have never doubted you. It's just that the matter is too strange."
"In the beginning, to seal Parallax, the Guardians split it in two. One half was sealed in the Central Power Battery, and the other was sealed in a dead zone at the edge of the universe with no life. Three years ago, the half in the dead zone broke its seal. You know about this."
Hal nodded. "Abin Sur died because of Parallax. His body fell to Earth, and Parallax followed. But..."
Kilowog raised his hand. "I know what you're going for. Earth was not consumed by the power of fear. This is what puzzles the Guardians and me."
"Parallax is the source of calamity. It won't abandon its instincts for any reason. If it appeared on Earth, it would surely spread fear and use the fear of Earthlings to strengthen itself. Yet, it was calm. Nothing happened."
Hal shrugged. "Isn't that a good thing?"
Kilowog was speechless.
Hal walked up to him and bumped him firmly.
"Relax, big guy. If Sinestro dares to come to Earth looking for the other half of his body, I'll make him regret it."
Kilowog curled his lip.
"You're no match for him."
"If I can't do it, there are others." Hal suddenly changed the subject. "Big guy, where do you rank on your planet?"
Kilowog puffed out his chest, stating proudly, "I am the strongest! Even without the ring, I am the mightiest warrior on Gleed."
Hal said mysteriously, "Do you know where I rank on Earth?"
"Where?"
Hal counted on his fingers: Superman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, and Supergirl, also a Kryptonian... His expression grew increasingly awkward. He merely waved his hand casually.
"Just so-so. Probably top five."
"That weak!"
Hal was speechless.
"Top five is weak?"
"Is it not?"
Kilowog answered matter-of-factly. "There are thousands of warriors in the Green Lantern Corps, and most are the strongest on their respective planets. You're only fifth? That's quite weak."
Hal retorted, "I said ranked top five, not fifth."
"Is there a difference?"
Hal was silent, looking at the serious-faced Kilowog. A strong sense of shame welled up inside him. Like a child whose sore spot had been poked, he turned and left without a word.
"Where are you going?"
"To train."
Luke's Yellow Flare
Metropolis, Tesla Headquarters.
The moment Sinestro burst through the eggshell and fled Oa, Luke, who was in a meeting, suddenly froze. A bizarre yellow patch flickered deep in his pupils. The power of Fear boiled inside him, like a wild beast trying to escape its cage.
He forced a smile and told the executives,
"Continue the discussion. I need to step out for a moment."
With that, he left the conference room, took the elevator to the roof, and rocketed into the clouds like a cannonball.
The power of fear trapped deep in his soul could no longer be suppressed and frantically tried to break out. Luke snorted. He spread his five fingers, and a burning, eerie green flame emerged from his palm.
Yellow streaks constantly struggling were visible within the flames. Even through the green fire, one could feel the terrifying energy radiating from them.
When Parallax landed on Earth, it coincidentally ran into Luke. A major battle erupted, and Luke, using his Green Flame, defeated the newly unsealed Parallax and seized the Source of Fear from its body—the yellow streaks he now held.
He had assumed the Green Flame had completely devoured the Source of Fear. He hadn't realized such a massive loophole remained.
"Why the sudden outbreak?"
"Could it be Oa?"
Remembering the entanglement between Oa and Parallax, his expression grew serious.
The emotional spectrum is essentially the rules of the universe. As the physical embodiment of the power of fear, Parallax is the most troublesome of the seven Lantern Entities. Once it grows, it will have virtually no match except the Blue Lantern warriors, who are nearly extinct.
"Regardless of whether this is an issue on their end, I must accelerate my plans."
Luke returned to the headquarters building and continued the meeting. Afterward, he called Clark (Superman) and arranged to have dinner that evening.
At 8 PM, Clark and Lois arrived at a private room in a Chinese restaurant. Seeing the people inside, Clark asked confusedly,
"Where's Kara? Didn't she come?"
Luke replied casually, "She went traveling. She won't be back for a while."
Traveling?
Lois was full of questions. Did a Kryptonian need to go traveling?
Clark didn't suspect anything. He pulled out a chair and sat down.
"You called me here for something, didn't you?"
Luke called the waiter to order food, then spoke.
"It's nothing major. I just wanted to ask what you plan to do about the Elite Guard."
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