Clark Shaw

Authors Note-

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Ivan didn't approach the spaceship directly but stood roughly two kilometers away. He then snapped his fingers, and a bicycle materialized before him. He hopped on and pedaled toward the spacecraft.

Over the years, Ivan's understanding of space had deepened, allowing him to employ new tricks with the phantom manipulation. By pre-marking specific locations, he could instantly summon various items. Ivan even contemplated creating a grimoire and marking all the mystical creatures on Skull Island, summoning them for battles. However, this idea remained in its infancy.

Accelerating, Ivan sensed another couple heading toward the spaceship from a different direction. Although slightly closer, he calculated that he could outpace them as they walked.

Soon, Ivan reached a large pit with a fantastic spaceship at its center. A subtle light flickered as the spaceship scanned him, assessing potential danger. Ivan realized the spacecraft was checking his physical condition and would use weapons if any threat was detected.

With feigned panic, Ivan approached, withdrawing his strength. The spaceship's light determined he wasn't a threat. Following a strange noise, the spacecraft automatically opened, revealing a newborn baby inside, crying as if awakened.

Ivan approached and gently picked up the baby, using the caregiving skills he'd acquired raising his son. He patted the baby's back and rocked it until the crying ceased.

Holding the child, Ivan felt an overwhelming excitement. This was Superman, the superhero he idolized as a child. They can freeze the sea with a breath, evaporate tsunamis with Laser beams, possess a steel body, and fly freely—almost omnipotent. Now, this once-admired hero was cradled in Ivan's arms.

After a while, Ivan was abruptly awakened by a distant sound, realizing the approaching couple. They would arrive in a few minutes, prompting his excitement to subside. Once again in a daze.

Ivan circled the spaceship twice to assess the situation. He bent over, entered the spacecraft, and noticed a protrusion on the smooth interior. An S-shaped symbol was on top, immediately recognized by Ivan as the key storing the intelligent system created by Jor-El. He pulled it out and tucked it into his arms.

Only now did Ivan fully relax. The spacecraft, devoid of its control system, was completely inert, a lifeless object without any threat. Ivan could maintain the pretense from earlier.

Shortly after Ivan left, a couple named Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent arrived. Unfortunately, their search yielded nothing but a large crater, leading them to depart. The name Clark Kent would never resurface.

Rather than returning to the farm, Ivan arrived at the UK castle and placed the infant Superman in the cradle previously used by Kyle. Ivan summoned a small robot through the Red Queen to care for the child before proceeding to the research room with the spaceship and the key, ready to work.

After fixing the spaceship, Ivan connected a few wires, allowing the Red Queen to control it. He reinserted the key into the groove, and the spacecraft's interior lit up. The intelligent system stored in the key seemed eager to regain control, engaging in an invisible confrontation with the Red Queen, exchanging information and competing for resources.

Krypton, a top-ranked civilization in the universe, possessed a competent, intelligent program created by Jor-El. However, facing the alliance of Ivan and the Red Queen, it needed more resources and geographical advantage and found itself suppressed from the start.

Everything progressed smoothly. Ivan had made ample preparations, and the Red Queen, analyzing the spaceship, profoundly understood the Kryptonian spaceship system. The Red Queen, a fusion of Ivan's cells, had evolved with Ivan's continuous brain development, surpassing the intelligence level of Jor El's creation. Ivan could hardly believe defeat and would attribute it to a conspiracy if defeat were to occur.

It only took an hour for the innovative program to be broken entirely in the key. Ivan directly modified some of the source code and claimed it as his own. The Red Queen also gained much, copying beneficial code for another evolution.

The most significant gain was the numerous scientific and technological materials from Krypton. Initially overwhelmed by the abundance of information, Ivan felt like he had hit the jackpot, contemplating if there was a hidden conspiracy at play.

Upon reflection, Ivan realized that the situation was quite normal. Jor-El's aim was for his son to become a god-like presence on Earth, a vessel for the rebirth of Krypton. Integrating Kryptonian genes into Superman was a crucial part of this plan.

However, more than genetic heritage was needed. True rebirth required technical support. Even with the impending destruction of Krypton, these materials were useless to the dying planet. A copy of the scientific and technological data was created, and Ivan ended up with a windfall.

Despite the value of these materials, Ivan had yet to make any plans to develop them. At most, he considered building a few spaceships for future use. Recognizing the potential risks of advanced technology without a proper background, Ivan decided to seal the data. It would be unsealed when needed in the future.

Having gained complete control over the intelligence, Ivan named it after Superman's father, Jor-El. Since the real Jor-El was dead, Ivan didn't consider it an infringement. He designated Jor-El as the younger brother of the Red Queen, assigning him the task of tending to more minor matters and eventually returning to Superman when he matured.

After arranging everything in the castle, Ivan lifted the sleeping infant Superman and returned to the farm.

Upon Ivan's return, he first encountered Tina's curious gaze, mainly focused on the child in his arms.

At that moment, Ivan realized that his current situation could be easily misunderstood. He had left for a while and returned with an unidentified child, inviting speculation.

"Cough! Don't get me wrong; this is not my child. I just found him outside."

For some reason, facing Tina's scrutiny, Ivan couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. He explained awkwardly, almost wanting to slap himself. Why was he acting so guilty?

"Master Ivan, you don't need to explain it to me." Tina attempted to sound nonchalant, but there was a hint of something peculiar in her eyes that Ivan couldn't ignore.

Ivan was at a loss for words, and the two lapsed into simultaneous silence.

The current dynamics between Ivan and Tina were unclear. Tina had always cared for Kyle, who considered her as his mother, while Ivan was Kyle's father. Their interactions formed a family unit; to many observers, Ivan and Tina seemed like a couple.

A few years ago, Ivan could confidently refute such assumptions, but now he felt a sense of guilt.

Ivan was a healthy, ordinary man who wouldn't turn down romantic advances. A widow for several years, Tina was a beautiful woman with natural needs. Considering their physical desires, it wasn't surprising that they had been intimate multiple times in the past.

While one might expect their relationship to be revealed long ago, Ivan's emotional intelligence was lacking, and he wasn't excellent at handling feelings. He had never made any promises to Tina. Meanwhile, Tina believed she had already sacrificed her soul and body to Ivan for the sake of her daughters. Everything about her seemed to belong to him, and Ivan had never rejected her advances.

Moreover, Ivan later allowed her occasional visits to her children, witnessing their healthy growth. Tina felt highly grateful, holding positive feelings inside but never daring to express them.

So, the two maintained an unusual relationship, habitually seen as husband and wife by others, yet lacking that self-awareness.

"Dad! You're back! Why is there a little brother? Where did he come from?" Just as Ivan and Tina felt awkward, Kyle's voice broke the tension.

Ivan turned around and saw Kyle standing behind him. A sigh of relief escaped him as he held Little Superman in one hand and gently ruffled his son's hair with the other. "I just found him. He's from an alien planet and will be living with us. He's your younger brother, and you must protect him well."

Kyle eagerly nodded and looked curiously at the younger brother in Ivan's arms. He reassured his father, "Dad, don't worry. I'll protect my brother. Can I hold him? I'll be careful and give him my best toy."

"Sure, but be cautious. Although he's an alien, his physical abilities surpass those of Earthlings, but he's still small. If he gets hurt, it could be troublesome," Ivan cautioned as he handed Little Superman to Kyle.

Kyle accepted his younger brother with great care, treating him like he held the most precious treasure. Ivan felt immensely comforted. The eldest son was not concerned about feeling neglected or becoming jealous and mistreating his younger brother.

"Dad, my brother is small and cute. Does he have a name?"

"A name?" Ivan paused, thought for a moment, and replied,

"Let's call him Clark Shaw."