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*****
Pushing the Superhero Registration Act away?
As this scene unfolded, everyone watching was struck with utter shock.
What was being pushed away wasn't just a few sheets of paper; it was the Superhero Registration Act—a legal document jointly drafted by over a hundred nations across the globe! Anyone who wasn't a fool understood exactly what that gesture meant.
The superheroes had rejected it!
Yes!
Rejected!
They had turned it down cleanly and decisively, without a single shred of hesitation!
While everyone had previously believed that at least a portion of the heroes—such as War Machine, Falcon, or the Fantastic Four—might sign the accord, every single superhero present had pushed it away. They had all refused.
The few newly minted superheroes standing to the side were momentarily stunned by the actions of the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, but their hearts immediately found a sense of certainty and resolve.
The faces of the various national representatives in attendance turned ugly. General Ross took a deep breath, his voice strained as he asked, "What is the meaning of this?"
It was an obvious question, a redundant one, yet he still felt the need to hear a definitive answer from the superheroes themselves. After all, the implications of this moment were monumental.
Steve Rogers spoke calmly, "We refuse to sign the Superhero Registration Act."
As the words fell, shock rippled through everyone watching the broadcast, and the conference hall itself erupted into an immediate clamor.
This was incredibly bold! To reject them so directly, without giving even a modicum of "face" to the world governments? The audience was stunned.
Ross replied coldly, "Captain, do you realize what you are saying? Furthermore, do you truly think you represent the Avengers? Do you represent *all* superheroes?"
He was attempting to pin a massive, divisive label on Steve.
Steve shook his head. "This is the unanimous decision of the Avengers. As for other hero groups and independent individuals, that is for them to decide for themselves."
Following Steve's statement, the other Avengers nodded in unison, signaling that Steve was indeed speaking on their behalf.
At that moment, Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, also spoke up: "We refuse as well."
Ross's fists clenched involuntarily, a hint of red light flickering in his eyes. "Have you thought this through? Do you understand what this represents? Do you really think you can afford the price?"
*The price!*
Hearing that word, everyone following the meeting grew instinctively tense. The "price" meant that in future operations, because they lacked official recognition, the superheroes would be treated as threats—or even as criminals!
Could it be that the Avengers who protected them, the superheroes who had fended off threat after threat, would end up with such a fate?
"I can't accept this!"
"Exactly! This is unacceptable! They are the heroes who put their lives on the line to save us!"
"That's true, but why can't they just sign the agreement? Wouldn't that allow them to protect us more openly? Wouldn't there be more oversight?"
"The government? They can't be trusted! If they stick their hands in, will superheroes even be superheroes anymore?"
The public engaged in fierce debate, while the atmosphere inside the conference hall grew increasingly stifling.
Right then, one of the "new" superheroes raised a hand and said, "I'll sign."
He was originally a plant arranged by the government. If he didn't speak up now, today's meeting would be a total failure.
Ross nodded to the man, forcing a thin smile. "You have made the correct choice." He then swept his chilling gaze across the rest of the superheroes. "And the rest of you?"
"Before you answer, I hope you consider your positions very carefully!"
Silence fell over the hall. At this moment, the eyes of nearly the entire world were fixed upon the superheroes in the room, as if the whole planet were holding its breath for their reply.
Suddenly, space itself was torn asunder. A rapidly expanding spatial portal appeared in the very center of the hall.
This sudden development sent a jolt of alarm through everyone. However, the faces of Ross and those familiar with such portals turned incredibly pale. They already knew what this gateway represented.
*Planet Kent.*
So, was Planet Kent finally intervening?
The thought had barely formed when the Kent family, led by Mike, stepped out of the portal. With every figure that emerged, the atmosphere grew more somber, the faces of Ross and the delegates grew darker, the reporters grew more excited, and the world grew more frenetic.
Regardless of whether the government officials admitted it or not, the Kent family—in terms of both power and fame—stood at the absolute pinnacle. No, it would be more accurate to say they were beyond comparison.
With Mike in the lead, a total of eleven members of the Kent family appeared before the crowd.
Yes, eleven.
Raven stood beside Mike. Behind them were Clark, Eric, and Charles, along with their respective partners: Hope, Hela, and Jean. Additionally, Gwen, Lamb, and Oren appeared in the hall as well. Because Gwen and little Lamb were still young, the two of them wore slight disguises.
Originally, Mike hadn't wanted the two of them to come, but they insisted that as members of the Kent family, they had to be part of this action. Though Mike was helpless against their logic, he eventually agreed to their request.
Eleven people.
Looking at those eleven figures, an overwhelming pressure descended, making it feel as though the very air had become heavy enough to crush those present. Everyone's gaze swept across the members of the Kent family before finally converging on Mike in the center.
Instantly, the entire world seemed to fall silent. It wasn't until a smile appeared on Mike's face that the frozen atmosphere finally began to ease.
Ross, who was presiding over the meeting, quietly let out a sigh of relief and addressed Mike: "Welcome, Mr. Kent."
Even though Mike's family had just barged in uninvited, Ross didn't dare voice even a hint of dissatisfaction. He knew that if Mike Kent wished it, any nation on this planet—or even the planet itself—could be obliterated. This was a fact universally accepted by everyone in power.
Mike nodded, his gaze sweeping over Ross and the various national delegates. With a faint smile, he said, "We have come today to announce something."
*Announce!*
The pupils of Ross and the delegates contracted. It wasn't a "consultation" or a "discussion," but an announcement.
Without waiting for their reaction, Mike continued: "Regarding the management of superheroes, as of today, the Superhero Association will be responsible!"
"In other words... as of today, the Superhero Association is officially established!"
*The Superhero Association? Superheroes managed by a Superhero Association?*
Hearing this news, everyone's mind went blank, as if a flashbang had been tossed into the room, leaving them dizzy and disoriented.
Ross hurriedly asked, "Mr. Kent, what exactly is the Superhero Association?"
*Beautifully asked!* The crowd praised him in their hearts. This was the question on everyone's mind.
Mike beckoned to Tony Stark. "Tell them."
Tony nodded and spoke slowly, "The Superhero Association is an organization for the management of superheroes. It is established with funding provided by Planet Kent. It is an organization where superheroes manage superheroes."
"The Superhero Association will serve all superheroes, including but not limited to training, crisis assistance, and the provision of equipment and facilities."
"But in exchange, those who join the Superhero Association must abide by its regulations."
*So, the Superhero Association is essentially a team made up of even more superheroes? And now this team is backed by Planet Kent and involves the Kent family directly?* Ross felt a chill in his heart.
At that moment, Mike said calmly, "The Superhero Association will receive recognition from all nations; it will become an official organization."
He still spoke with an assertive, undeniable tone. Ross and the delegates felt a pang of bitterness in their hearts. They simply had no way to oppose him.
"The Superhero Association is a neutral organization. It will not take the side of any specific nation!"
"The Superhero Association is only responsible for fighting criminals, dealing with supervillains, or managing larger crises. It will not participate in disputes between nations and will not become a weapon for any country," Steve Rogers added.
Hearing this, the national delegates felt a momentary sense of relief, but it was quickly followed by a lingering sense of loss. It seemed they could forget about ever getting their hands on the management rights of the superheroes. Watching such a powerful force slip through their fingers made it impossible not to feel a bit "sour."
However, they also understood that this was already the best possible outcome. As for whether Planet Kent would covet the power of the Superhero Association... the mutants on Planet Kent basically all had superpowers already, and they had the immense strength of the Kent family itself. They didn't care about the Superhero Association's power at all.
Mike waved his hand dismissively. "If there are any further questions regarding the Superhero Association, you may ask the Avengers in the coming days."
Upon hearing this, the delegates, who still had many questions, could only swallow their words.
Mike's body slowly drifted upward. Under the watchful eyes of the entire world, he announced loudly, "Now, I declare that the Superhero Association is officially established!"
---
One month later.
A month had passed since the founding of the Superhero Association. During this time, the activity of supervillains worldwide had dropped to its lowest point. No supervillain dared to step out and provoke the newly founded Association.
Setting aside the pressure brought by Mike Kent himself, the Association had just been formed and needed to establish its prestige. Going out to cause trouble now was practically a death wish.
The Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four... these representative teams were all members of the Superhero Association. There was even the Kent family, who represented the "Final Boss" in everyone's eyes. Such a powerful lineup made supervillains feel a sense of powerlessness just thinking about it.
Of course, there were still many supervillains committing crimes—that was inevitable. As time passed and everyone became familiar with the Association's operations, the villains discovered that as long as the crises they caused weren't world-ending, they wouldn't attract a massive horde of superheroes.
Though the Superhero Association was troublesome, their numbers were still finite. When spread across the entire world, they were like stones thrown into the ocean—hardly noticeable.
After a while, once the villains realized that Mike Kent and the rest of the Kent family generally wouldn't intervene in what they considered "minor affairs," they relaxed and resumed their activities.
The most obvious change was that the superheroes' actions were now regulated and legitimate, while the supervillains had become more cautious. Superheroes continued to fight supervillains; that was something that would never change.
Everyone was adapting to the changes in the world—ordinary people, superheroes, and supervillains alike. Some things had changed, yet it felt as if nothing had changed significantly at all. This was the strange sensation everyone shared after this period.
But there was no doubt that the emergence of the Superhero Association was a good thing for the world.
As for the Kent family, after the conference, they had returned to their normal lives. Regarding Oren's situation, Mike told him to put it aside for the moment and take a good rest in this world before dealing with it. With the Time-Space Traveler device, returning to the other world would mean arriving only seconds after he had left, so it wouldn't impact anything. Oren had been far too exhausted in that other world.
Aside from that, another major event—or rather, the biggest event for Mike personally—was that his ability had upgraded again. After a long wait, Mike's power had finally, arduously, reached the next level.
---
**Host:** Mike Kent.
**Newbie Gift:** Assassin Time.
**Ability:** Memory Fantasy Materialization.
**Upgrade Rewards:**
* Eternal Cigarette Case.
* Dimensional Pocket.
* Kryptonian Lineage.
* Increased recovery speed of Materialization Power.
* Permanent Character Materialization.
**Current Ability Level:** LV7.
**Current Upgrade Progress:** 12%.
* **LV1:** Can materialize items.
* **LV2:** Can materialize skills.
* **LV3:** Can materialize the abilities of a character.
* **LV4:** Materialization power increases with level.
* **LV5:** Character Materialization.
* **LV6:** Card Strengthening.
* **LV7:** Card Fusion.
**Children:**
* **Son:** Clark Kent (Kryptonian).
* **Son:** Eric Kent (Mutant, Awakened).
* **Son:** Charles Kent (Mutant, Awakened).
* **Daughter:** Gwen Kent (Contractor of the Spirit of Vengeance).
* **Son:** Lamb Kent (Kryptonian, Mutant, Awakened).
---
After reaching the new level, Mike gained a new ability.
First was the LV7 power: **Card Fusion.**
Card Fusion allowed for the merging of different cards. Whether they were Character Cards, Ability Cards, or Item Cards, they could be fused to produce a brand-new card with unknown effects. Naturally, the stronger the cards used for fusion, the stronger the resulting card would be. However, through Mike's experiments, he found that even fusing identical cards could result in different outcomes. In other words, the result of the fusion was completely random. This "scam-like" effect left Mike with a love-hate relationship with the skill.
Additionally, Mike received a new reward with the upgrade.
**Upgrade Reward:** The success rate for Card Strengthening has been increased. When strengthening is not performed for a long period, "Luck Accumulation" occurs, significantly increasing the success rate of the next strengthening attempt.
This reward was extremely useful to Mike. All in all, he was quite satisfied with what he gained from this level-up.
On another front, Gwen's Titan Squad had recently discovered something very interesting.
(End of Chapter)