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While the others were tidying up, Mike had already returned with the groceries, and Thor had finished freshening up at lightning speed, now waiting in the kitchen.
As for the four little ones, Thor had temporarily kicked them out.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Gwen ran to open the door.
And the result…
Goodness—more guests had arrived.
Maria, Peggy Carter, Pepper, and Happy.
After greeting everyone, Mike opened a portal and brought in the X-Men from Xavier's School. Then, after confirming with Hank Pym that he and his daughter were still in New York, he brought both Hank and Hope over as well.
Next, Mike contacted Nick Fury.
It would be a real shame if Nick Fury, the ultimate "networker" and "master of connections," didn't show up to a gathering like this, where superheroes from every corner had gathered.
And so, there were now around thirty people in Mike's home...
Avengers: Tony, Steve, Bruce, Natasha, Barton.
X-Men: Emma, Remy LeBeau, Logan, Hank McCoy, Scott, Jean, Ororo, Wanda, Pietro.
Mike's Family: Charles, Raven, Clark, Gwen, Mike, Thor, Loki.
Friends and Relatives: Gwen's three classmates (Harry, Peter, Luke), Happy (who brought wine), Pepper, Maria, Peggy Carter, Hank Pym, Hope, and Nick Fury.
If any superhero fan saw this group all in one place, they'd probably faint from happiness.
In fact, Gwen and the other three were practically fainting from joy themselves.
Peter and the boys were already thrilled just from meeting so many heroes—some of whom were their idols—and getting autographs and photos. But Gwen was even more ecstatic. Armed with her Polaroid, she was constantly snapping pictures, getting the heroes to sign them, carefully storing each photo, and grinning like she had struck gold. Her gaze toward the heroes was as if she were looking at walking treasure chests.
Speaking of treasure...
She suddenly remembered her big brother, Clark.
She should've been collecting signed photos of him all this time—those could sell for a fortune!
Smack!
She lightly slapped her forehead.
Why hadn't she thought of that before?
Gwen was filled with regret.
Fortunately, Mike didn't give her more time to wallow in it. He called her and her three friends over to start serving the dishes.
So many people at home? No problem.
Mike simply brought over dining tables from Tony's and Steve's homes, splitting everyone into three tables.
Once all the food was served and everyone was seated, they raised their glasses (or drinks), and suddenly, everyone turned to Mike.
Mike smiled and said, "To our victory!"
With cheerful smiles, everyone echoed loudly, "To our victory!"
They were the ones most qualified to celebrate this victory.
They had risked their lives in that war.
If it weren't for Mike, who knows how many of them would've died.
They had survived a great ordeal. They needed this moment to release all the emotions they had built up during battle. After all, they were still... human.
As time passed, the atmosphere grew more lively.
They feasted, sang songs, drank heartily, and teased each other about their battle expressions and how they looked while getting hit. The vibe was incredibly warm and joyous.
Once everyone was a bit tipsy, the cheerful Thor brought out his hammer and proposed a "Hammer Contest." But before the competition began, he firmly prohibited Clark from participating.
When the others found that they truly couldn't lift the hammer, they finally accepted the truth—this chubby guy really was the God of Thunder.
After some friendly conversation, Thor was formally invited to join the Avengers and became one of them.
Pietro and Wanda, who weren't technically mutants and didn't want to remain students at Xavier's School, also took the opportunity to join the Avengers after discussing it between themselves.
Meanwhile, Peggy Carter apologized to Hank Pym for what happened in the past. The two old friends reconciled.
Nick Fury also took this opportunity to bond with the superheroes, building friendly ties and even receiving two mysterious boxes before leaving.
Eventually, one by one, the superheroes began passing out drunk, and the celebration drew to a close.
Mike sent the intoxicated guests either back to their homes or to Xavier's School.
In no time, the once-lively house became quiet again, leaving just Mike, Clark, and Gwen.
Since Charles and Raven had classes the next day, they also returned to the school.
Thor and Loki, after bidding farewell to Mike, headed to a secluded place and summoned the Bifrost to return to Asgard.
They had been away for quite some time, and both—especially Thor—were beginning to miss their homeland.
Clark started tidying up the mess left from the celebration, while Gwen sat on the couch with Mike, enjoying the post-party calm.
Holding dozens of signed photos, Gwen hugged them like precious treasures, giggling to herself.
These pictures were priceless. No way was she going to sell them to her classmates—that'd be such a waste.
Instead, she planned to auction them online.
There were tons of superhero fans out there, and surely many would want to get their hands on these photos.
The thought made her so happy that she accidentally let a tear of joy slip from the corner of her mouth.
Seeing Gwen like that, Mike couldn't help but chuckle.
Little money grubber.
Tonight had been lively and heartwarming—if only Erik had been here...
Mike sighed.
This incident would surely have an impact on the future of mutantkind, though that impact might take some time to materialize.
The battle in New York would undoubtedly send shockwaves throughout society.
The city was damaged and would need extensive rebuilding—but what was truly shattered was people's worldview. And rebuilding that wouldn't be so easy.
This time, the superheroes had fully demonstrated their power. After today, society's various forces would likely take a whole new approach in dealing with them.
"Dad, what are you thinking about? Why did you sigh?"
Gwen snuggled into Mike's arms and asked sweetly.
Mike gently ruffled her hair, his eyes full of tenderness. "I was thinking… what will I do when I'm too old to protect you, Gwen?"
"Don't worry, I'll protect you!" she said, patting her chest. "I'm Daddy's knight, remember?"
Mike playfully flicked her nose and smiled. "Alright then, I'll count on you to protect me from now on."
Gwen blinked, then smiled. "And don't forget, you have three sons too. We'll all protect you!"
Mike's heart warmed.
At that moment, Clark, who had been cleaning up at super speed, placed a cup of tea in front of Mike and said, "Dad, I need to head out for a bit."
"What's up?"
"I have to catch up on some writing."
Clark looked helpless.
He had just come back from a battle and now had deadlines to meet. Among all the superheroes, he might be the most pitiful one.
Gwen sighed and shook her head, giving him a thumbs-up of encouragement.
Clark ruffled her hair, nodded at Mike, and quickly left under Gwen's exaggerated glare.
(End of Chapter)