LightReader

Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: A New Year

"Rumble!" Amidst the rubble, General Ross stood up in a daze. He felt a sharp pain in his abdomen and, looking down, saw a terrifying bloody hole in his stomach, from which blood was gushing out uncontrollably. At the same time, the flames burning on Ross's body grew fiercer, as if they were deliberately targeting the wound, seemingly trying to help heal it, though with limited success. "So strong..." Ross quickly regained his composure, realizing that the person who had just attacked was far stronger than the Martian Manhunter. One punch had left him in this state; if the fight continued, he would surely die.

"Who is it? Superman? Or a Saiyan?" The thought flashed through Ross's mind as he staggered out of the rubble. He spotted Robert standing not far away, and his pupils contracted as he recognized him. Official records contained several depictions of Robert's appearance, though none were definitively confirmed. However, seeing one of these faces in person was usually enough to identify Robert. On the other hand, Clark's appearance was consistent, always exuding a distinct warmth that helped people quickly recognize him as Superman. In the past, people didn't really need to identify Clark, as few could fly. But since Hancock and Mary joined the Avengers, mastering their abilities and starting their own heroics, people had found ways to distinguish between the new "Supermen."

"Saiyan?" Ross took a deep breath and looked at Robert, asking softly, "What brings a Saiyan here?" Ross was playing dumb, not mentioning Bruce Banner or even the fact that Robert had just injured him, pretending he had only just noticed Robert's presence. "Heh, interesting. Is there a limit to how much energy you can absorb?" Robert smiled at Ross's act and then asked with some curiosity. "Huh?" Ross was taken aback by Robert's question. After a moment's hesitation, seeing Robert's expression, he took a deep breath and replied, "There is a limit. I've tested it. Among all the radiation energies, I absorb gamma rays the fastest. But even with gamma rays, there's a limit to how much I can absorb..."

"And how much stronger can you get beyond your current level?" Robert asked, a bit disappointed. Ross glanced at the flames on his body, which were beginning to subside, and said, "Not much stronger than I am now... This is the first time flames have appeared on my body. Before, my temperature would just rise, but condensing into flames is a first. This state is already close to the limit I reached when absorbing gamma rays." "Is that all?" Robert's disappointment was evident. Truthfully, Ross was indeed powerful. In his transformed state, he was stronger than the Hulk's base form. Even now, in his fiery state, he was more powerful than the Hulk at his angriest. If the Hulk fought Ross, even if the Hulk could withstand Ross's attacks, it was uncertain if he would win, especially since Robert didn't know the full extent of the Hulk's rage.

However, despite Ross's strength, Robert felt no desire to fight him. The gap between their abilities was too wide, and it was clear from Ross's fight with the Martian Manhunter that Ross's combat skills were not among the best on Earth. Learning that Ross had a limit to his power made Robert lose interest. He looked at Ross and said, "You need to stop pursuing Bruce Banner. Continue your research if you want; I won't interfere. But if you hit a bottleneck, consider collaborating with the Avengers. Tony Stark's resources and scientific prowess far surpass yours..." Although Ross's strength didn't pique Robert's interest, it was still significant. He had pushed the Martian Manhunter to his limits, and within the Avengers, Ross could easily become a key member. Furthermore, Robert had heard from Tony Stark and Steve that the recent incident at the conference hall hadn't gone ideally. The Avengers' plans were disrupted due to Ross's sudden outburst. Robert believed that if they could recruit Ross into the Avengers, it would eliminate the existing tension and strengthen the organization, especially given Ross and the Martian Manhunter's military backgrounds, which would be beneficial for the Avengers' future operations.

Of course, Robert knew that Ross wouldn't be easy to recruit, being a high-ranking military official. So he only planted the idea, thinking that if Ross ever found himself in a dire situation with no other options, he might consider joining the Avengers. "Uh... I'll think about it." Ross never expected Robert to try to recruit him after discussing his abilities. This made Ross feel uncomfortable. He was used to recruiting others, not the other way around. But considering Robert's strength, Ross awkwardly nodded and responded softly. "Swish!" As soon as Ross finished speaking, Robert disappeared, leaving Ross to breathe a sigh of relief as he looked at his still-unhealed wound in silence. "Is the gap really that big? It hasn't healed yet..." The wounds the Martian Manhunter had inflicted on Ross had already healed, but the bloody hole Robert left in his abdomen remained, still bleeding as if some force was preventing it from healing.

"But then again, he could destroy the Earth, causing catastrophic earthquakes with a single battle, and I'm still far from that level! With someone like him in the Avengers, does it even matter if he's officially a member or not? Won't the Avengers eventually become a hegemonic organization?" Truthfully, Ross didn't hate hegemonic organizations. As a high-ranking officer in the U.S. military, he was part of one. But he didn't want to be dominated, especially in a situation where he couldn't resist. Unfortunately, while Ross might barely have the strength to oppose the Avengers, he certainly didn't have the power to take on Robert or even Clark.

"My men at the conference hall reported that Nick Fury seems to be making new moves. Should I get involved?" Ross was conflicted. Robert's punch had scared him, but his military background and long-standing authority made him somewhat defiant. Soon, Ross made his decision. "Join them! Why not? I might not have the strength to defeat the Avengers, but I can certainly keep them in check. Besides, I was the one who forced the Avengers to reveal their vulnerabilities. They don't know I was defeated by a Saiyan in one punch. If I join their plan, even if I can't fight the Avengers directly, I can still work to keep some of that power in my hands!" As Ross spoke, his ambition began to outweigh his fear of Robert, causing him to ignore his injuries. As for Robert's earlier attempt to recruit him, Ross had already forgotten about it. Unless Ross was pushed into a corner and lost everything he had now, he wouldn't consider joining the Avengers.

On the other side, unaware of Ross's thoughts, Robert didn't return to the Avengers' base. He simply sent Tony Stark a message, letting him know that he hadn't killed Ross, before heading straight home. It was the annual Christmas holiday, and according to Kent and Danvers family tradition, they would go on a Christmas trip. This year was no exception. Even Clark would temporarily set aside his duties as Superman to spend time with his family. Although Clark was seen as god-like by many, family warmth remained an irreplaceable part of his life. He protected Earth and maintained peace to ensure a better life for the Kent and Danvers families. After all, the island refuge was only a backup plan. Even though it had been transformed into a paradise, living there permanently would still feel lonely for the two families. It was a nice place for a vacation, but not for permanent residence.

"I'm back!" Not long after Robert returned home, Kara finally arrived. She had been feeling pressured due to being unable to contact Captain Marvel Carol Danvers and the Skrulls, so she had started soaking up more sunlight, which had significantly boosted her strength during this time. Of course, neither Robert, Kara, nor Clark, who already knew, mentioned Carol's disappearance to the Danvers family or Alex. After all, Carol could go years without contacting them, so telling them about this might only cause unnecessary worry.

"Alright! Everyone's here. As usual, let's pack up. Men, get the cars ready. Ladies, stick with your husbands. Let's go!" In the Kent family home, seeing everyone gathered, Martha stood up and announced the start of the Christmas trip. Soon, everyone went home to pack, and four cars drove out of the Kent farm: Robert and Kara in one, Clark and Lana in another, the Kent parents in a third, and the Danvers family with Alex in the fourth. 

However, this meant someone was clearly the odd one out, and that someone was Alex, who was quickly teased by her family. "You're almost thirty, and you still don't have a partner?" Mrs. Danvers started nagging from the back seat. "Look at your sister. She's already got Robert locked down, and what about you? You don't even have anyone suitable yet, and now your dad has to drive on this trip..." "Fine, fine, I'll drive, okay?" Alex rolled her eyes and agreed. "Great!" Mr. Danvers responded quickly, exchanged smiles with Mrs. Danvers, and stopped the car. They swiftly moved to the back seat, pushing a bewildered Alex into the driver's seat. "Wait, when Dad drives, you feed him fruit and bread. Now that I'm driving, you both moved to the back?" Alex realized the situation belatedly and complained as she drove. "If you want to sit in the passenger seat, find someone to drive!" Mrs. Danvers retorted sarcastically. "With so many people, you're the only one still single. I'll say it again, you're not even on par with Kara..." "Why do you keep comparing me to Kara?

 She's exceptional. Why not compare me to Carol? She's older than me, and she doesn't have a boyfriend either!" Alex immediately fired back. "Well... honestly, I'd rather she didn't have a boyfriend..." Mrs. Danvers sighed. "She's out in space all the time, who knows what kinds of aliens she's meeting. If she brings back someone who looks like Kara or Robert, or even someone a bit different, that's fine. But if she brings home someone non-humanoid with red, purple, green, or blue skin, do we agree or not?" "But you're different. You meet normal people, at least those who look normal. So that's on you!" 

"..." Alex fell silent, letting out a sigh as she resigned herself to her fate, enduring the nagging throughout the holiday trip as they welcomed the new year.

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] 

[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]

[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]

More Chapters