DC: Rise of the Kryptonian Tyrant

Oa.

Guardian of the Universe, Ganthet.

Short in stature, he bore the signature traits of a Guardian of the Universe. His face showed the passage of countless years, and unlike the others, his eyes held more emotion.

While most other Guardians had long since shed their emotions over eons, Ganthet still retained strong feelings. He was deeply committed to preserving peace and protecting the universe.

Like the other two Guardians present, his thoughts had been forcibly invaded by the sudden emergence of a system, and he couldn't break free. One Guardian believed no harm could come to him and chose to ignore the system's directives. When the time limit was up, he was simply erased—cleanly and completely.

In the Hall of Valor on Oa, the remaining Guardians showed hints of anger on their typically calm faces. It was not the rage of mortals mourning a friend lost over centuries, but a childlike fury—restrained yet sincere. For them, such an expression was the highest display of anger.

"The Monitor race is too arrogant, treating us as tools, ordering us around like siblings to do their bidding."

"The Corps is assembled. The will of this universe will not lose to these self-proclaimed watchers."

"Mandrakk is full of ambition. Is it simply because he wants to be the One?"

"He has always been the Master Monitor's subordinate. He cannot become the One, so now he seeks to claim the One's power instead."

The Guardians' blue faces were tinged with fury, and a deep, cold rage burned in their eyes.

Though they had once relinquished most of their emotions and had defended the peace of the universe for countless ages, some unshakable principles still remained. When touched, they stirred the deepest anger in their hearts.

Ganthet's expression remained calm. His face showed deeper lines than the others, gray at the temples, carrying more emotion. He was one of the few who opposed abandoning emotions altogether.

He was also among those bound to a so-called "Technology System." After completing its beginner tasks and handing over some relatively minor technology, he became the system's host, coexisting with it and beginning to learn its functions.

It was a system capable of integrating and creating various technological devices. It was strange and terrifying. Even Ganthet, after seeing what it could do, was left anxious and uneasy.

Another was Sayd, a female Guardian who was close to him. She had received the Evolution System. After experiencing its effects, her body gained considerable evolutionary advancement, physically far stronger than before.

"Ganthet, I don't think it's that simple," Sayd said.

Her blue face was softened by a feminine gentleness, a trait that emerged after her evolution. The system had helped her evolve her body, making her different from the others.

A deep worry clouded her expression.

"I think someone is manipulating us."

Ganthet folded his hands inside the sleeves of his robe. His aged face was calm, though a quiet anger flickered in his eyes.

The death of a fellow Guardian hadn't made him lose his composure. On the contrary, it had made him analyze the situation even more calmly.

The system's arrival was truly incomprehensible. Even with their mastery of will-based technology, they couldn't locate any trace of where the system resided in their minds. It completely bypassed all their defenses and existed unnoticed.

It was terrifying. The system acted as if it were part of their own consciousness. They couldn't believe it.

Sometimes, it felt like an illusion, but the truth remained undeniable.

"I agree."

Sayd furrowed her brow.

She stood beside Ganthet, eyes locked on him, a worry she couldn't suppress weighing heavily in her gaze.

"Even if that's true, it's a higher existence than we are. We can't even determine the source of the system."

They had conducted multiple tests, but none had detected any trace of a system. Only they could sense its presence.

She looked at Ganthet with intense concern. Her emotion was raw, nearly tangible.

Seeing Ganthet's solemn posture, she was struck with a sense of helplessness.

He didn't know what kind of great existence had created something so overwhelming that it made even him feel uneasy.

He pressed his lips tightly together, raised his chin slightly, gazed down at his chest, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and sank into deep thought. His body trembled slightly, and inside his sleeves, his fingers clenched tightly, knuckles turning pale.

For just a few seconds…

Ganthet took a long, deep breath.

Suddenly.

His trembling body went still. He opened his eyes slightly, like someone who had just completed a long journey and had finally arrived at his destination.

Then, for a moment, an aura surged from him—something that did not belong to him. It felt as if the world itself was revolving around him.

Of course, this was just a fleeting illusion.

"Ganthet…" Sayd had remained beside him the whole time. Seeing the sudden shift in his demeanor, her expression turned to shock and confusion. Alarming thoughts raced through her mind.

A powerful sense of danger—a harbinger of death—erupted in her heart. Her blue skin prickled with goosebumps from the overwhelming dread.

Fear struck like ice.

Almost instantly, she realized—this was not Ganthet!

"You're not…"

Sayd's eyes widened in horror. Her pupils contracted. She screamed.

She had been by Ganthet's side for countless years, deeply familiar with everything about him. She knew him like the back of her hand.

Suddenly.

Ganthet turned toward her. The aged expression on his face twisted into a helpless smile, yet it filled Sayd with pure, chilling fear.

The next moment.

Sayd's eyes widened in terror. Before she could finish her sentence, her thoughts were wiped out by the system. Her entire blue body, starting from the feet, disintegrated into particles and gradually dissipated into the air.

Bardi hadn't expected to be discovered so quickly upon his arrival.

This descent occurred through the information within Ganthet—transmitted via the implanted system, which transferred thought and consciousness into Ganthet's mind, resulting in Bardi's arrival.

From a physical standpoint, Ganthet had not changed. Neither his soul nor his consciousness had been altered. But he was now dominated by Bardi and had become Bardi.

Without notice, the former Ganthet had quietly ceased to exist. He wasn't killed or erased. Instead, the collection of information that formed Ganthet had been reshaped into Bardi. He no longer existed.

Bardi now held all of Ganthet's memories. These memories meant nothing to him. He could choose to continue acting as Ganthet or do as he pleased.

However, in order to fully absorb the portion of data belonging to Bardi within Ganthet, he had to fulfill Ganthet's long-held wishes, obsessions, and regrets. Only then would the fragmented information be free of interference and safe to merge back into Bardi without risk of contamination.

It was a troublesome process.

Because Bardi realized that Ganthet's wishes were immense.

"To guard the universe. Maintain peace. Protect Oa. Uncover the conspirators behind the system…"

Bardi lightly shook his head, helpless. He had no interest in guarding the universe. He wanted to rule it. But guarding it? Maintaining peace and protecting Oa? That would take ages. It was like being a glorified babysitter.

Ironically, the final wish—uncovering the system's conspiracy—had already been fulfilled by Bardi. Yet there wasn't enough valuable data to make it worth retrieving.

Bardi couldn't be bothered to fulfill Ganthet's other desires. The amount of recoverable information was so minimal, it was less than a strand of hair. Not worth the effort.

This had merely been a test run of the One God's method for retrieving his own information. Bardi had no intention of going through such troublesome procedures again.

Now came the fun part.

A smile appeared on Ganthet's face.

(To be continued.)