Clark didn't argue with Tony's idea. Instead, he studied it.

"You make a lot of sense. Right now, the only help we can rely on is another Superman."

This middle-aged man, his jaw shadowed by stubble and his eyes heavy with fatigue, nodded. Worry had lined his features ever since their meeting, but Tony's proposal seemed to lift a corner of that burden.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You're serious? I thought you'd be more pessimistic."

Clark smiled faintly. "I'm optimistic because of who your companion is—every Superman I've ever met brings hope."

"Including you?" Tony asked.

Clark paused, weighing his words, then shook his head. "No, I mean—of course you can perform miracles, too."

A calm but strong female voice interrupted their conversation.

"Clark, even in an apocalypse we have peace because the world knows you're here. You are hope. Do what a Superman must do."

Louise and Clark's two children stood in the doorway, watching them. Despite everything, Louise's face was composed. Over years of crises, she had moved from anxiety at Clark's adventures to an unwavering faith in him. She knew better than anyone how many lives he had saved.

Clark turned to his family, then nodded with resolve. When he looked at Tony again, his gaze was steady. "Let's go. The passage to the Anti-World is in a cave. I'll lead the way."

Tony let his head tilt back. A Superman settled into domestic life—yet capable of overwhelming force when needed. He seemed dependable. Earlier, Jarvis's scans had shown that despite the world's devastation, the chaos had not spiraled as far as one would expect in an apocalypse. The faith in Superman remained strong, held in place by this very man's decades of guardianship.

"I have no objections. I'll follow you."

Tony knew it was wise to bring Clark with him. Literature and comics were full of Supermen losing control—what if he faltered? It was better to have him beside them.

Tony's armor's thrusters flared and he launched into the air, heading for the cave. Then he noticed Clark walking toward a pickup truck near the farm warehouse.

"Wait—Superman, are you really going to drive a pickup into a cave?" Tony called down.

Clark paused. "I've lost my powers temporarily. This is all I have. You're flying—Batman, is that you?"

Tony hovered in the air wearing a Batman-style suit. Their eyes met in midair.

"Cough—I'm Batman here, except everyone else calls me Iron Man," Tony said, coughing.

Clark stared. "Iron Man? That's from Marvel. Are you a comic fan—or something else?"

Tony shrugged. "It's a good name. Want me to fly you in a Batwing?"

Clark raised an eyebrow. Tony didn't have one. The Batman suit was a temporary adaptation, part of a hybrid he hoped to sell later.

"I don't have a Batwing, but I can lend you armor." Tony landed, pulled an arc reactor from his suit, and affixed it to Clark's chest. In moments, nanotech alloy encased the powerless Superman in golden-red armor.

"Perfect," Tony said, pleased. The Batman suit on him reverted to its original form. The design was sleek, low-key yet bold.

Clark stared at Tony. "Iron Man… you're Tony Stark?"

Tony's eyes widened. "How do you know that?"

"Maybe you're not Bruce Wayne after all." Clark thought aloud. "Is your Superman companion Hyperion? Sentinel?"

"Hyperion? Sentinel? No. My companion is named Malrick. He's a Superman like you—powered by the Sun."

Clark blinked. "You're into Marvel stuff?"

(Look at them, casually breaking the fourth wall)

Tony waved him off. "Let's focus on finding Malrick. We can talk on the way."

He told Jarvis to help guide them with the armor's flight system. Clark adapted quickly—he was used to flying.

"This armor controls like John's," Clark observed. "Though slower, it's formidable."

Tony said, puzzled, "John?"

"John is a friend from another universe. His suit uses x-k Kryptonite energy. Everyone calls him Steel."

Tony's eyes widened in recognition. "Steel—John Henry Irons? That armor competing with Superman in strength and speed? That's outrageous."

Clark glanced sideways. "Maybe I'm not the strongest. The entrance should be ahead. Slow down."

As they approached the cave's maw, Clark began explaining the situation.

"Time in the Anti-World moves slower. When I went there a month ago, I stayed a single day—but a full month passed here. Although the two worlds are merging now, time is still offset. Malrick disappeared less than twenty minutes ago here—only minutes might have passed there. He's probably still in the cave, so we head straight through the space gate inside."

Tony nodded. "So the cave gate leads deeper into the Anti-World to find Malrick?"

Clark confirmed.

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