Chapter 143 (edited)

After breakfast, Kara found her old clothes in the room and changed into them. Since her figure hadn't changed at all, they still fit perfectly.

Then Kara began scanning Earth with her super vision, eventually finding Clark in a small seaside town.

In a flash, Kara disappeared, reappearing in front of Clark almost instantaneously.

At the moment, Clark sat in a chair by the shore, gazing at the ocean with a lost expression on his face.

Kara walked over, sat down beside him, and handed him a lunchbox she was holding. "What's on your mind?" she asked.

Clark, noticing her presence, looked surprised. "Kara? When did you get back?"

"Just yesterday," Kara replied casually. She examined Clark closely, realizing how much he had changed since their last encounter.

He no longer looked like the carefree young man she remembered. His eyes carried a certain maturity and weariness, and his scruffy face was covered in an unkempt beard, giving him a disheveled appearance.

Unable to tolerate the sight, Kara raised her hands and used her heat vision to carefully shave off the beard. 

"Honestly, you look like a performance artist," Kara teased, dissatisfied. "If Lois saw you like this, she might really leave you. Speaking of which, how are things between you two?"

Clark sighed and gave a bitter smile. "She already broke up with me."

Kara was taken aback. "What? Why?"

Clark explained, and Kara listened attentively as he detailed how Lois had been frustrated with his constant traveling. She wanted them to settle down, find stable jobs, and plan for their future together. However, Clark couldn't stay in one place. After learning about his Kryptonian heritage, he felt a strong need to explore the world and better understand himself. 

Kara had also given him some "homework": he could only go to the Arctic to find the Kryptonian ship when she deemed him ready.

The ship in question was an ancient vessel from Krypton, used during the height of its exploration and colonization era. Kryptonians had visited Earth over 100,000 years ago and discovered that their powers grew stronger under the yellow sun.

Despite their advanced civilization, Kryptonians eventually sealed their fate through their reliance on science, which led to their planet's destruction. Kara reflected on how Kryptonians could have avoided their extinction by migrating to Earth long ago.

This particular ship, abandoned during a conflict between Krypton and Asgard allied with the Lantern Corps, had ties to Kara and Clark's family, the House of El. The El family was known as the beacon of hope for Krypton, with their ancestors even discovering the sun's effect on their physiology. It was no surprise that Jor-El and Zor-El sent their children to Earth, knowing the planet's sun could empower them.

Clark, however, couldn't explain all this to Lois, leading to a deep misunderstanding that culminated in their breakup.

Clark shrugged. "And that's the story."

As he spoke, he grabbed the sandwich from the lunchbox with his dirty hands and began eating it messily. Kara frowned but let it slide. 

She noticed how ragged Clark's clothes were and how messy his hair looked. He clearly lacked a stable place to stay and possibly a steady source of income.

Kara couldn't help but compare his experience to hers. During her travels, when she found herself without money, she had no problem living off the land. She would hunt wild animals in forests or plains, even snatching prey from lions when necessary.

Recalling those moments, Kara chuckled. Eventually, the lions in one region learned to flee when they saw her coming, even leaving their kills behind.

Looking back at Clark, Kara sighed and ruffled his messy hair. "You're definitely my brother," she teased.

Clark turned to her, confused. "What do you mean?"

Kara spread her hands. "You don't need to be a bystander. Stop watching life happen and start participating in it."

She realized Clark's haphazard approach to travel—wandering aimlessly without a plan—was holding him back. He was too focused on the destination and overlooked the journey.

"My advice? Act like a normal person. Travel, yes, but find work along the way. Immerse yourself in the places you visit. Watching and thinking won't teach you as much as actually being involved."

Clark considered her words, his expression thoughtful. Maybe he had been rushing too much, trying to find answers without appreciating the process. 

"But Kara, you managed to travel the entire world in just three years," Clark pointed out, skeptical.

Kara smirked and patted his head lightly. "I'm your older sister. Don't compare yourself to me."

Clark groaned, rubbing his head. "You really don't play fair."

"And besides," Kara continued with a grin, "our goals were different. You're trying to grow, while I was trying to experience life."

Kara's travels had been about learning, finding teachers to master different combat styles, and honing her skills to become a protector. Clark's journey was about understanding his place in the world and his identity as both a Kryptonian and a human.

"You're right," Clark muttered, feeling a mix of clarity and embarrassment.

Kara gave him another pat on the head, her gaze suddenly drawn to faint, dissipating traces of glowing blue particles in the air.

"Who could that be?" she murmured to herself, narrowing her eyes.