Chapter 24 (edited)

As Kara grew older and soaked in the golden rays of the sun over the years, so did her strength.

But Kara never underestimated Clark's potential. Although he might not yet be able to reach her level, Kara knew that Clark would never remain weak in the future.

Kara understood that many challenges lay ahead. While things seemed calm now, this tranquility was temporary because Superman had not yet made his public debut.

Once Superman appeared before the world, events would inevitably begin to unfold one after another. Powerful enemies existed, but they had yet to reveal themselves. Kara knew this calm would only last for so long.

Thus, she avoided taking any significant action for now. After all, their town had always been peaceful. Even without Superman or a "Superwoman" secretly protecting it, things were fine.

Kara worried that once she made her presence known, her influence might provoke powerful enemies into appearing sooner than expected. For now, her focus remained on quietly accumulating enough strength while Clark matured.

Among her preparations, combat training was a priority.

Kara understood the importance of being prepared for every possible scenario, especially since some of the enemies they would face might also hail from Krypton—such as General Zod and his soldiers.

Although Kara and Clark could handle most threats with ease, fighting other Kryptonians was a different matter. Such foes would possess strength and resilience comparable to their own, perhaps even greater.

Unlike Kara, who had spent her early years on Krypton and had some familiarity with its challenges, Clark had grown up entirely on Earth. Neither of them had experienced Krypton's conditions—constant exposure to Kryptonite and the red sun—which might give their Kryptonian adversaries an edge.

This made Kara determined to become as reliable as possible, knowing that she might have to bear the brunt of these battles.

"Clark, I'm not abandoning you completely. It's just a brief separation. When you're older, you can come to the city where I'll be living," Kara said, extending an invitation to her brother.

Clark nodded resolutely, determined to follow in his sister's footsteps someday.

"Alright," Kara said with a stretch of her arms, breaking the heavy atmosphere. She smiled mischievously and asked, "Want to go to the ocean? I'm craving some king crab."

King crabs typically live hundreds or even thousands of meters below the ocean's surface. But for the siblings, this wasn't a problem. They could withstand the immense pressure of the ocean depths and hold their breath for hours.

In fact, Kara had recently discovered she could go without breathing for an entire day. Once, she even ventured to the edge of Earth's atmosphere, curious about outer space.

That particular adventure had ended when she spotted an approaching satellite and quickly returned to avoid being seen. In hindsight, Kara realized how reckless she had been. The vacuum of space was filled with deadly elements the human body couldn't endure. But since she didn't need to breathe, she was tempted to challenge the limits of her abilities again someday.

After all, her power came from the golden rays of the sun. The closer she got to it, the stronger she felt. Maybe one day, Kara might even try basking on the sun's surface.

But that was a matter for another time.

For now, the siblings spent over an hour at the ocean before heading home.

Their adventure had been simple: with their super vision, they easily navigated the ocean depths, locating the seafood they wanted. Kara, ever the foodie, had her fill of king crab and lobster. She left a pile of discarded shells on the beach before they finally returned.

Jonathan and Martha, who had stayed up waiting for them, immediately noticed the salty scent of the sea lingering on their clothes and guessed where they had been. Seeing Clark in good spirits, they let the matter slide, but Jonathan reminded them to be cautious.

"Be careful not to expose your abilities," Jonathan warned. He had always worried about how people might react if they learned the truth about the siblings' powers.

Kara didn't argue. She understood that Jonathan and Martha treated her and Clark as their own children and only wanted the best for them.

"Alright," Kara said with a smile. "I have some reading to do tomorrow, so I'm heading to bed."

Before heading upstairs, Martha stopped her. "Leave your clothes. I'll wash them later."

Kara grinned cheekily. "Here?" she teased, pretending to unbutton her shirt.

"Upstairs!" Jonathan barked, his tone half-annoyed, half-amused.

Martha shook her head with a small laugh. "This girl…"

Kara darted upstairs, quickly changed into pajamas, and tossed her clothes and shoes down the staircase.

Clark, ever the responsible one, followed suit but carried his clothes downstairs to the washing machine, intending to wash his shoes himself.

"Go to bed, Clark. I'll take care of this," Martha insisted gently.

Reluctantly, Clark obeyed and headed upstairs, his kind and thoughtful nature shining through.

Clark's character had always been gentle and considerate, influenced by Jonathan's careful guidance. Kara admired how their father's upbringing had shaped Clark into the man who would one day become Superman. She, too, had benefited from Jonathan's wisdom over the years.

And as Kara climbed into bed that night, her mind remained focused on the future. The days of peace wouldn't last forever. But for now, she was content to enjoy these moments with her family while they could.