Chapter 2

  Smallville High School was buzzing with excitement as prom night approached, and teenage hormones ran high. It was evident in the increasing number of couples at the school gate and the rows of parked cars.

Clark Kent, the future leader of the Justice League, and the one destined to be known as Superman, walked out of the school gate carrying his backpack with a heavy heart. He couldn't shake off the disappointment of his recent failure at the American football tryouts.

He knew he could have easily excelled with his superhuman abilities, but his dad's constant reminder to be cautious around ordinary folks had made him hold back. Consequently, he lost the tryout and became the laughingstock of the football team.

Clark's mood was far from great, and as he walked, he spotted Lana, the girl he had a crush on, talking and laughing with his friends. His heart sank. He couldn't move, paralyzed by his infatuation.

For a moment, he stood there, watching Lana as she greeted her boyfriend and walked away. Frustration overwhelmed him, and disappointment filled his eyes. But then he glanced at the book he held close to his chest, a collection of Nietzsche's poems, his favorite. A phrase on the book cover caught his eye: "People can control their actions, but not their feelings, because emotions are unpredictable."

Reading those words, Clark found a bit of comfort. Yes, he could control his powers, but he couldn't control the emotions he felt when he saw Lana. Emotions, he realized, were more elusive and uncontrollable than actions.

"Hey, Clark! The school bus is about to leave! Hurry up!" shouted his classmates from the bus windows.

"Sorry, be right there!" Clark signaled an apology to his classmates and made a quick dash towards the school bus. The impatient bus driver was waiting, and he just managed to get on before it pulled away.

But as he stepped onto the bus, his mind wandered, and he stumbled, causing laughter among his fellow students. "Sorry, Mr. Hanks," he apologized to the driver as he picked himself up and headed towards the back of the bus.

Finally, he settled into a seat next to a handsome classmate with short hair and sharp features. "Hey, Mitch, how was your day at school? I heard from my dad that you were up until one in the morning working on your English report," Clark inquired.

Mitch, the blond-haired boy, supported his head with one hand, gazing out the window with a blank expression. "Sorry, Clark, I'm not in the mood. Maybe you can hang out with Pete and the others," Mitch replied in a tone devoid of warmth.

Mitch, also known as Mitch, couldn't hide his boredom when it came to Clark, his supposed older brother. He found Clark's constant presence irritating. In his eyes, Clark, famously labeled a "Loser" at school, seemed oblivious to his own unpopularity.

If Mitch could turn back time to his baby days, he'd do whatever it took to convince the Kents that he was the older brother. Sixteen years had passed since the Kents found and adopted both Mitch and Superman.

Mitch, now named Mitch Kent by the Kents, had gained incredible powers, including all the superpowers of the Patriot except for infinite strength, laser heat vision, clairvoyance, and unmatched speed. The Kents were astounded by his transformation.

In comparison, Clark, who seemed less talented and assertive, paled in comparison. Mitch had shown exceptional strength and intelligence from a young age, making Clark, who had only recently begun to awaken his powers, appear unimpressive.

If they were told that their elder son was the "god on Earth" and their younger son was just a Kryptonian dressed in mundane clothes, they would be utterly flabbergasted. However, one thing brought immense pride to Mitch: he could now defeat Superman, who hadn't fully unlocked his powers yet. Plus, as the younger brother, Superman wouldn't dare to retaliate.

"Okay," Clark replied, understanding his brother's sarcastic tone, and calmly gathered the books that had fallen.

He knew his brother's temperament and wasn't fazed. He guessed that Mitch had probably faced some criticism from his teacher for staying up late the night before.

"Hey, Clark, can I ask you something?" Several mischievous classmates sitting in front of them suddenly turned to Clark.

"What's up?" Clark looked up, surprised.

"Could you maybe change your clothes next time? They're not just dirty; they also reek of cow dung," remarked a short, stocky student with freckles on his face, holding up a paper bag containing a Coke.

He wore a mischievous grin as he spoke mockingly, and the other students around him erupted in laughter.

"Clark's clothes are soiled and smell like cow dung because he grew up on a farm—Kent Farm, to be exact. You know, the place where cow dung is practically the family crest!" one of the troublemakers jeered.

The insults grew louder, and their words turned nastier. A look of anger briefly crossed Clark's face, but then it shifted to concern as he glanced at the seat beside him, where his brother sat. He knew how deeply his brother revered their

  parents, and any insult directed at them would not sit well. 

Mitch, who usually kept his emotions hidden, suddenly had a red light shine in his eyes.

The very next moment, chaos erupted!

A deafening bang echoed through the bus as the paper bag in the stocky high school student's hand violently exploded. The sheer force of the explosion shredded the paper bag, sending cola and bits of paper hurtling in every direction.

The entire bus was thrown into a frenzy, with flying paper fragments and cola foam filling the air.

Startled, the bus driver swerved violently as he navigated the bus onto the bridge. The old, rickety guardrail bore the brunt of the impact, shattering into pieces as the high-speed bus plowed through it.

A thunderous boom rang out as the bus careened off the bridge, crashing into the water below.

Water sprayed into the air as the school bus hit the water's surface with a colossal impact.

*Make Sure to use Power Stones and Follow*