Luthor and Thragg appeared to have reached an agreement, but in reality, both men had their own ulterior motives and neither took the other seriously.
Thragg needed someone capable of giving him enough influence in this world, while Luthor needed a powerful fighter who could stand against the seemingly invincible Jovian. In that sense, the two of them made a reasonably good match.
Elsewhere, after a week of recovery, Clark was finally back on his feet.
"Jovian, I want to challenge that man named Mark again. I want to become a hero."
The moment Clark recovered, he barged into Jovian's office and made his declaration.
"No, no, no!"
"The most important thing for you right now isn't training. It's school. In fact, during the week you spent recovering, Mom came to see me several times. She insisted at least a hundred times that you had to attend school, and if you refused, she threatened to move back to the country."
"So you understand the situation. Here are your uniform, backpack, class schedule, and textbooks."
Jovian tossed Clark a school uniform and a backpack filled with books.
"Hey!"
"Why do I have to do this?"
"I don't want to go to school..."
Clark frowned at the uniform and backpack in front of him.
"Everyone has to go to school."
"Of course, you could always follow my example. I completed every standard course by the time I was three, then earned more than a hundred degrees by the age of twelve."
Jovian gave Clark a faint smile.
"I can do that too."
Clark grinned. With his superhuman intellect, Earth's academic curriculum was hardly difficult.
"These courses aren't challenging for people like us. What we struggle with is understanding how ordinary people think and interact."
"So, Clark, go make friends with the people of this planet. Start by attending the school I arranged for you and becoming friends with your classmates. Once you've done that, we can discuss everything else. How does that sound?"
Jovian nodded as though he agreed with Clark's confidence. The truth, however, was that he had never intended to send Clark there merely to study.
"Wait, make friends? Why?"
Clark's expression changed. He did not understand Jovian's intentions.
"Clark, you're still immature. Since we live on this planet, we need to become part of its society. Before you become a superhero and start flying around the city, you first need to learn how to communicate with the people who live here."
"Starting today, you must conceal your identity and your powers. You'll live like an ordinary human and learn to interact with the people of this world. Yes, that should do it."
Jovian had already decided what Clark's next trial would be.
"So you want me to dress like an ordinary person, hide my powers, conceal my identity, and lie about everything while trying to make friends?"
"I don't think anyone I befriend under a false identity could truly be my friend. Everything they know about me would be a lie."
Clark could not understand the logic.
"That is part of a hero's responsibility. You must conceal the truth even from the people who matter most to you," Jovian lectured.
"I still don't understand..."
Clark shook his head.
"Heh."
Looking at Clark reminded Jovian of how Mark used to be. He smiled, opened a drawer in his desk, and tossed Clark a watch.
"What's this?"
The watch cut through the air, and Clark caught it with one hand.
"A transformation watch." Jovian leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Every superhero needs a costume of his own, don't you agree?"
"This is my superhero suit?"
Clark stared at the watch in delight.
"It's simple to use. Put it on and press the button in the center. Your superhero suit will deploy instantly."
"The rest of the time, it functions like an ordinary watch, so no one will notice anything unusual. It's fingerprint-locked, which means no one can accidentally activate it just by touching it. It's convenient, practical, and very popular among the new generation of heroes."
As Jovian explained its functions, Clark had already fastened the watch around his left wrist and pressed the red button at its center.
In an instant, the hospital clothes he had been wearing vanished beneath a dark-blue bodysuit. The combat suit fit him perfectly, outlining every contour of his powerful physique.
Combined with Clark's handsome, slicked-back hair, there was no question that the person standing before Jovian now looked every inch a superhero.
"Jovian, I feel like I could beat ten versions of my old self!"
Clark stretched and tested his limbs. Perhaps it was only his imagination, but he felt vastly stronger than before.
"The dark fabric helps you absorb sunlight more efficiently. The S on your chest represented hope in our world. Here, it simply stands for super."
Jovian continued explaining the meaning behind the suit.
"Can I go save the world now?" Clark asked eagerly.
"Of course not. You're going to school."
"I was supposed to give you this suit after you passed your evaluation, but I decided to give it to you early. Don't tell Martha. If she gets angry and confiscates it, I'm not getting involved."
Jovian gave Clark a warning look.
"Understood!"
Clark nodded, pressed the watch again, and returned to his ordinary appearance. He grabbed his school uniform and backpack, then turned to run out of the office.
"Be downstairs at eight tomorrow morning. I'll have someone drive you to school. Don't be late," Jovian reminded him.
"Don't worry, Jovian! Leave it to me."
Clark walked out, leaving Jovian staring after him with helpless resignation.
"I hope you enjoy this week, Clark..."
Jovian smiled as he watched Clark leave his office.
"Boss, should we...?"
At that moment, the phone on Jovian's desk rang, and a clear female voice came through the speaker.
"Proceed according to plan," Jovian replied quietly.
"Understood."
Having received her orders, the woman said nothing more and ended the call.
Elsewhere, Clark reacted to his new suit like a child who had just received an incredible toy. He immediately returned his uniform and textbooks to his room, transformed into his superhero form, and flew into the sky.
The suit came with facial-recognition scrambling technology, so he was not worried about anyone recognizing him. Like a bird freed from its cage, he soared freely through the open sky.
"This feels amazing!"
Clark breathed in the crisp air high above the city. He had always dreamed of the day when he could finally use his powers without restraint.
"It does feel good."
Just as Clark was savoring his freedom, a voice came from behind him.
"Uh..."
The sudden voice startled Clark. He shot several yards backward, spun around, and looked behind him.
"Hello, Clark."
A muscular man in a white uniform now hovered where Clark had been moments earlier. He had a thick mustache and held his hands behind his back as he looked down at Clark from above.
"Who are you?" Clark asked suspiciously.
"Who I am isn't important. What matters is how you feel right now."
The man ignored Clark's question and instead asked about his current state of mind.
"I feel incredible!"
Clark answered without hesitation.
"Exactly."
"I know how you feel. You were forced to suppress your powers before, and now you can finally use them freely. It feels wonderful, doesn't it?"
The man had perfectly described what Clark was feeling.
"Yes! Exactly! That's precisely it!"
Clark nodded enthusiastically.
"Hahaha..."
"Clark, we're the same species. Of course I understand you."
"Think about it. Why should people like us restrict our power?"
"Simply because revealing it might frighten these humans?"
"What a joke."
The man began with a quiet laugh, but his expression soon turned angry and his voice rose.
"Uh..."
"But protecting the weak is my responsibility. I'm supposed to hide who I am."
Clark shook his head. Jonathan and Martha, two ordinary humans, had raised him since childhood. He had always regarded protecting the weak as his duty, so a few words from a stranger would not overturn everything he believed.
"Protect the weak?"
"How foolish..."
The man appeared furious.
"Take a good look at this world!"
"Has the existence of people like us truly changed anything?"
"Your brother flies through the sky every day, protecting these fools, but have they stopped hurting one another? No!"
"Humanity is greedy, volatile, and obsessed with fighting among itself. If you want true peace, you must conquer them and thoroughly purge them!"
The man grew increasingly impassioned, waving his arms as he delivered his speech to Clark.
"Uh..."
Clark did not answer. His superhuman mind told him that, troublingly, there was a trace of logic in the man's argument.
"Clark, what are you doing out here?"
Before Clark could respond, another voice suddenly came from the distance.
"Mark!"
Clark turned toward the familiar figure, his eyes lighting up.
"Who were you talking to?"
Mark flew over and stopped in front of him.
"I was talking to this older guy..."
Clark turned to look behind him, but the mustached man who had been hovering there was gone.
"Great..."
Clark frowned in frustration.
"Clark, maybe you should see a psychiatrist. Or hire a private therapist," Mark joked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmm..."
Clark ran a hand through his messy hair but said nothing. At this point, even he could not be certain whether the man he had seen had actually been real.
"Your brother sent me to find you," Mark continued, patting Clark on the shoulder. "He said to stop playing around and go home to study. You're meeting the headmaster tomorrow, and you may have to take a placement exam. Try not to embarrass yourself."
"All right. I understand."
Clark nodded without arguing.
The two of them flew back toward Kent Tower.
Far above them, hidden among the higher clouds, the muscular man who had spoken with Clark hovered silently and watched him leave.
At dinnertime, Jovian, Clark, Jonathan, and Martha gathered in the dining room to share a meal as a family.
"A toast to Clark's recovery!"
"And to Clark successfully passing his admissions interview tomorrow!"
Martha raised a glass of red wine in celebration.
The family rarely drank, but everyone had a little that evening. After all, it was a special occasion.
They all went to bed early afterward. Martha insisted that nothing should interfere with Clark's performance the next day, even though Clark himself was not concerned in the slightest.
Late that night, while everyone else slept, the middle-aged man's face remained in Clark's thoughts. His words echoed through Clark's mind again and again.
Early the next morning, Clark got out of bed, went downstairs, and arrived at the entrance to Kent Tower precisely on time. A black sedan was already waiting for him.
"Mr. Clark, this way, please."
A man in a black suit greeted Clark and guided him into the car. Once they were on their way, he began explaining the school.
"Mr. Clark, you'll be attending one of the country's most prestigious private academies. Its students come from wealthy and influential families, and many are already notable figures in their own right. Once you arrive, remember to conduct yourself properly. Do not tarnish your brother's reputation."
"As for the admissions interview, you only need to hand the headmaster the letter of recommendation your brother wrote for you. He'll arrange your class placement from there."
The man wore a faint smile. His voice carried deep respect for Jovian, blatant contempt for everyone else, and an unmistakable trace of arrogance.
"All right."
His attitude made Clark uncomfortable, but the man was one of Jovian's subordinates, so Clark did not want to create a scene. He simply nodded.
Before long, they arrived at the school.
The luxurious architecture and gleaming new academic buildings made the institution's wealth and influence obvious.
The clearest demonstration of its power, however, was the heavily armed security team stationed at the entrance. They looked more professional than most police officers.
In this city, security was synonymous with power.
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