Marvel: Father of Superheroes

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******

Time is a bastard. 

It slips away when you're not paying attention, flowing like a relentless current. Before Mike even had time to prepare, his children had already moved on to the next stages of their lives—one after another. 

Elementary school, middle school, university… 

Before he knew it, they had all grown up. 

After graduating from college, Clark stayed home with Mike for a month before embarking on a journey of self-discovery. 

His academic life had ended, but instead of feeling accomplished, he found himself lost. He had no idea what to do next or why he had even come to this planet in the first place. So, he set out to search for himself—to find his purpose and his future. 

Mike knew certain truths about Clark—his origins, Krypton, and even the spaceship in the Arctic. 

But after much deliberation, he decided not to tell Clark everything outright. 

Clark wasn't just looking for answers. What he truly needed was the journey itself—the experiences, the struggles, and the growth that would come from facing his own uncertainties. 

The process mattered far more than the answer. 

Besides, if Mike told him now, Clark would undoubtedly head straight for the Arctic to find the Kryptonian ship. 

And if he activated it, would things unfold just like in the original story? Would Kryptonians be drawn to Earth? 

What would happen then? 

Given Clark's current mindset, he wasn't ready to face those consequences. 

So, Mike chose to keep silent. 

Not long after Clark left, Erik and Charles graduated as well. They even stayed in school a little longer, earning multiple PhDs before finally stepping into the real world. 

In the blink of an eye, it was already early winter, 2007. 

The chill of the season had set in. 

Mike got out of bed, checked the date on his phone, and smiled. 

Tomorrow, Erik and Charles would be coming home. As for Clark, though he had been traveling for the past few years, he kept in touch regularly and had returned twice, each time staying for about a month. His visits, however, were unpredictable. 

After preparing a simple breakfast, Mike read the news for a while, then sat by the window with a cup of coffee. The soft glow of the early winter sun bathed him in warmth, filling him with a rare sense of peace. 

While his children had been growing, achieving one milestone after another, Mike's own abilities had also been evolving. 

It was during Clark's second year of college that Mike's power finally leveled up—to LV4. 

If reaching LV3 had granted him epic-level enhancements, then LV4 had given him something far greater—legendary-level power. 

With a mere thought, Mike opened his system interface. 

--- 

Host: Mike Kent 

Beginner Gift: Assassin's Time 

Ability: Memory Manifestation 

Upgrade Rewards: 

1. Eternal Cigarette Case 

2. Dimensional Pocket 

3. Kryptonian Bloodline 

Current Ability Level: LV4 

Upgrade Progress: 42% 

Sons: 

- Clark Kent (Kryptonian) 

- Erik Kent (Mutant, Awakened) 

- Charles Kent (Mutant, Awakened) 

--- 

When he had first reached LV2, Mike had obtained a permanent item—the Eternal Cigarette Case—along with the ability to manifest skills. 

At LV3, he had received a permanent skill—Dimensional Pocket—and gained the ability to fully manifest an individual's powers. 

Then, at LV4, he obtained a permanent ability—Kryptonian Bloodline. 

That's right. A Kryptonian Bloodline. Not just an ability he could manifest temporarily, but a permanent, inherent trait. 

As long as he basked in sunlight, he would continue to grow stronger—indefinitely. 

Mike had expected to receive the permanent powers of a specific character, but instead, he got an entire bloodline. 

Still, he wasn't complaining. 

In fact, having a Kryptonian bloodline was even better than possessing a single ability—because a bloodline could evolve. 

All he had to do was soak up sunlight, and his strength would increase. It was the ultimate idle power-up—leveling up just by existing. 

However, despite reaching LV4, his ability to manifest things didn't improve directly. Instead, the total amount of manifestation energy within him had skyrocketed. 

What's more, every time his upgrade progress increased by just 1%, his manifestation power grew significantly. 

Looking back at his progression—from manifesting simple objects, to skills, to full-fledged abilities, and now an ever-growing pool of manifestation energy—it all gave Mike a strange feeling.

It felt as if everything he had gained so far was just preparation for something even greater. 

As for what abilities would come next… 

He'd have to wait for his next upgrade to find out. 

But judging by his current progress… 

Heh. 

Mike figured he might as well spend more time basking in the sun. 

Sunbathing was nice. He let out a yawn, his body relaxing as the warmth seeped into his skin. Before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep. 

Ever since obtaining the Kryptonian bloodline, he had been growing stronger every single day. Even his aging seemed to have halted. Aside from a few streaks of gray at his temples, the wrinkles that had quietly crept onto his face over the years had completely vanished. 

Mike was convinced that if he didn't say anything, no one would guess he was anything but a young man. 

"Hm?" 

The sound of the front door opening snapped him awake. 

A burglar? 

No way. Did thieves really target old, single dads like him? 

He didn't bother using his abilities to check. Instead, he simply got up and walked toward the door. 

No one knew about his Kryptonian bloodline, and he had always been careful not to reveal it. In his daily life, he rarely used his powers, keeping them well hidden. 

Thinking back to the pain he had experienced when his abilities first awakened, he realized just how strong young Clark had been—how difficult it must have been for him. 

 "Dad!" 

 "Old man!" 

Standing in the doorway were two tall, handsome young men. 

Mike froze for a moment. Then, a bright smile spread across his face. 

"You're back? I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow!" 

As he spoke, he walked forward. 

Erik hugged him briefly and said with a grin, "We finished our reports today, so we rushed back early." 

 "Hah! Dad, I was craving your cooking!" 

Charles set his luggage down, his face full of anticipation. But as he looked Mike over, he frowned in confusion. 

"Wait a minute… Dad, why do you look even younger?" 

He reached out and pinched Mike's face. "Weird. Where are your wrinkles? You didn't secretly get a facelift, did you?" 

 "Smack!" 

Mike slapped Charles' hand away and sighed. "Still as cheeky as ever." 

Charles chuckled and threw an arm around Mike's shoulders. "Come on, we're father and son—what's a little teasing?" 

 "Hahaha!" 

Mike laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, what do you two want to eat? I'll cook for you." 

 "Dumplings!" 

The two brothers had already decided in advance. 

 "Easy." 

With that, Mike headed into the kitchen. 

After washing up and putting their luggage away, Erik and Charles joined him, helping out while chatting about the funny things they had encountered recently. Every so often, their laughter echoed through the house. 

For the first time in a long while, the once-quiet home was filled with warmth and life again. 

The three worked quickly, and by noon, a steaming plate of dumplings was ready. 

They settled into the living room, each with a plate of dumplings, a small dish of pickled vegetables, and a bottle of Mike's finest liquor. 

With the TV on in the background, the warm meal in front of them, and the comforting presence of family— 

Ah. 

Life was good. 

(End of Chapter.)