“And finally—you, Cindy.” Clark’s gaze landed on Cindy, who was still struggling with strands of webbing stuck to her hands.
Cindy blinked and pointed at herself.
“Me?
Do I… test strength and speed too?”
Clark paused, glanced at the webbing she kept accidentally producing, and shook his head.
“…No.
You focus on your webs—and your passive abilities.”
“Passive?” they all echoed, confused.
Clark sighed, looking at this group of straight-A students who clearly didn’t touch video games.
“Passive means your body reacts automatically—without you thinking.
And seriously, stop going home just to read books all day.
Try playing a game once in a while.”
He bent down, picked up a small metal nut from the ground, and tossed it lightly in his hand.
Then he smiled.
A very bad smile.
“All of you—together.
Stay sharp.
If you get hit… it’s going to hurt.”
Before anyone could fully react—
He flicked his wrist.
“Go.”
The nut shot out like a bullet.
Straight at Peter.
(Yes—this was absolutely payback for that whole Felicia incident.)
The sharp sound of it cutting through the air made everyone freeze—
Then—
Something triggered.
A sudden spike of danger.
Like their instincts were screaming.
Like their souls were being stabbed with a warning.
They didn’t understand it—
But their bodies did.
They moved.
Instinctively.
Automatically.
They dodged.
The nut whistled past where Peter’s head had been just a fraction of a second earlier.
If it had hit?
It would’ve hurt.
Badly.
“BRO—!” Peter yelped in panic, his voice cracking as he jumped back.
Clark burst out laughing.
“Hahaha!
What, already calling me ‘big bro’ just to beg for mercy?”
For a moment, there was something almost terrifying in his eyes—like he might actually go all out.
And judging by that throw?
…He just might.
In reality, it only looked terrifying—Clark had carefully controlled the force.
It was all just to scare them.
After dodging the first attack, the three let out a long breath.
Then they turned—
And saw the metal nut embedded deep into the wall behind them.
“…Okay, that would’ve hurt,” Peter muttered, still shaken.
“But we’re not done yet~” Clark grinned.
This time, he flicked out three nuts at once—one for each of them.
Their bodies moved before their minds could catch up.
They twisted, bent, ducked—dodging in ways that should’ve been impossible.
Clark kept the pressure on, carefully maintaining just enough force to trigger their instincts without actually hurting them.
Then—
Thwip!
Cindy reacted differently.
A strand of web shot out from her fingertips, catching the incoming nut midair.
After a few attempts, she was already starting to gain basic control over her ability.
Clark nodded, satisfied.
For a first training session?
They did better than expected.
More importantly—
They weren’t afraid anymore.
And they were starting to realize something else:
Clark wasn’t normal either.
The three gathered to the side, chattering excitedly—comparing abilities, brainstorming how to improve them.
They trained all the way until sunset.
As the sky turned orange, Peter watched Cindy shoot webs again, a hint of envy in his eyes.
He was the strongest physically—
But still.
Web-shooting?
That was just cool.
“Guess my mutation doesn’t include that,” he said, rubbing his chin as his genius mind kicked into gear.
“But that’s fine.
If biology won’t do it… I’ll compensate with engineering.”
His eyes lit up.
“All I need is a high-tensile polymer with strong adhesion… plus a compact high-pressure delivery system…”
Clark glanced at him.
Yeah.
The classic web-shooters?
About to be invented.
The four of them sat on the steel framework, looking out at the city bathed in the glow of dusk.
It was beautiful.
But beneath that beauty—
Sirens wailed nonstop.
Gwen watched quietly, concern flickering in her eyes.
Her father was out there every day, fighting to keep this city together.
“Clark… now that we have these powers… shouldn’t we do something?” she asked softly.
Clark didn’t answer immediately.
He’d had power far longer than them.
And he had chosen not to act.
Not because of how May and Ben raised him—
But because he understood himself.
He wasn’t Superman.
Not truly.
Deep down—
He knew how easily power could corrupt.
He had seen those stories.
Tyrants who believed they were saving the world.
Versions of himself who ruled instead of protected.
Even if he wasn’t that extreme—
He wasn’t immune either.
And that scared him.
Seeing his silence, Gwen understood.
There was a reason.
Still—
She stood up.
“I can’t just do nothing,” she said.
“My dad risks his life every day.
I want to help.”
She hesitated, then added:
“Shouldn’t we… patrol the streets?
Stop crime?
Like masked vigilantes?”
Peter and Cindy turned too.
They felt it as well.
The urge to do something.
Clark looked at the three of them.
Newly awakened.
Full of fire.
And dangerously unprepared.
“Do you even understand what’s out there?” he said calmly.
“Having power doesn’t mean you should go looking for a fight.”
He gestured toward the city.
“This world is darker than you think.
High-tech gangs.
Professional killers.
And worse—people who control everything from the shadows.”
His voice hardened slightly.
“Politicians who don’t care.
Corporations that feed the chaos.”
He paused.
“I’m not trying to crush your ideals.”
He met their eyes.
“But until you fully control your powers—until you have the experience and judgment to know right from wrong—you’re not going out there playing hero.”
His tone left no room for argument.
“Your first responsibility is yourselves.
And your families.”
“If your identities are exposed because of reckless behavior…”
“…your parents, your friends—they become targets.”
That hit hard.
Like cold water poured over their heads.
The excitement faded.
The three of them nodded quietly.
They understood.
This wasn’t rejection.
This was protection.
“I get it… big bro,” Peter said, finally understanding why Clark had never stepped forward himself.
Clark looked at them and sighed internally.
He knew this wouldn’t stop them forever.
Young blood always burned hot.
All he could do—
Was guide them.
And be there when things went wrong.
“Alright, enough for today,” Clark said, hopping down from the steel frame, back to acting like a normal teenager.
“Go home.
Eat dinner.
Don’t wreck anything on the way.”
Want faster updates?
Send those stones my way—the more, the merrier.