Chapter 185: Assault of the Ice Giants

"Of course!"

The stone slabs in the training ground, Sue had seen early on, were definitely made of the hardest granite!

Even her brother, wearing the Black Panther suit, would need to exert full strength to crack them, but now Clark had effortlessly achieved this with his flesh and blood body. Sue's shock was beyond measure.

Suddenly, she felt that if she could really achieve this, she could become Wakanda's strongest warrior even without the Black Panther suit and the power of the Heart-Shaped Herb.

To achieve this grand goal, what was a bit of hardship?

Clark nodded slightly and then said, "However, to reach my level, besides diligent practice, the most important thing is comprehension. I'll now teach you the internal mantra of this technique. Mindy, listen as well, but you can only take it as a reference because this technique is not suitable for you."

In awe of Clark's previous display of power, the two lolis obediently nodded their heads.

Mindy was even more eager, directly asking, "Clark, this technique is called the Nine Yin Divine Claw, so it should have nine moves, right?"

Clark gently shook his head, then turned his gaze to Sue.

The little girl chuckled and said, "In the mystical lands of the East, nine is considered the ultimate number. Nine Yin probably represents the ultimate yin, just like Clark said before, it's a technique suitable only for women."

"Wrong!"

Clark's response left the little girl's proud expression frozen on her face, but he continued, "Nine represents yang in the 'I Ching,' naming it so implies this claw technique contains yang within yin, like the yang within the 'yin fish' eye in the Tai Chi symbol. Now, I'll tell you the Nine Yin Divine Claw's Qi cultivating mantra, listen carefully…"

After Clark finished reciting the mantra, Sue nodded repeatedly, appearing to have understood it thoroughly, while Mindy was utterly confused.

Seeing this, Clark reassured, "Mindy, this martial art is most compatible with Sue, it's okay if you don't understand it. Besides the Nine Yin Divine Claw, I also have the 'Mountain Sea Fist,' 'Boundless Palm,' 'Sword and Saber Ten Kills,' 'Earth-shattering Leg,' 'Molten Gold Finger,' 'Heaven's Will Swordplay,' 'Unmatched Saber,' 'Equaling Heaven Staff'…"

Clark then listed over a dozen martial arts names that sounded straight out of a wuxia novel, leaving the two lolis dazzled.

These techniques, of course, were created by Clark, combining ideas from wuxia novels he had read before crossing over, and based on his superhuman strength, complemented by the 'Stealing Skills' BGM. Each had considerable power.

However, for Clark, these only enhanced his understanding of combat techniques and were hardly ever used against formidable opponents.

Seizing the good mood of the day, Clark demonstrated these martial arts in front of the two lolis, then noticed an interesting phenomenon.

Mindy could mimic the moves of all martial arts after just one viewing, while Sue could deduce the martial principles behind Clark's explanations.

One was practical, and the other theoretical, each with their own merits.

After explaining many newly created martial arts, Clark reluctantly found none were truly suitable for Mindy to practice.

Because she simply couldn't grasp the concept of Qi, let alone how to cultivate it.

Sighing, Clark advised, "Practicing moves alone can be powerful for a while, but it's ultimately insufficient. Maybe you could try integrating your special abilities into martial techniques, forging your own path."

After Clark's teachings, both lolis had their gains, especially Sue, who found her Qi sense in just three days.

With the support of "Qi," her practice no longer felt tedious, and she became more diligent, showing noticeable improvements every day.

Mindy, on the other hand, was most compatible with a technique called "Heavenly General Spear Art" from Clark's martial arts, already practicing the moves proficiently. As Clark suggested, she was trying to integrate her holy light ability into the spear technique.

As for the effectiveness, it was still under experimentation...

Being optimistic, although success might be hard to achieve in the short term, once accomplished, her future achievements would be limitless.

While guiding the two lolis, Clark's own cultivation didn't fall behind, maintaining his training in the gravity room, his strength having increased from the previous 26 tons to nearly 33 tons.

With the 'Stealing Skills' BGM's help, his martial foundation became incredibly solid, making a qualitative leap from the time of the Civil War.

As the superhero representative election approached, the government, along with Clark, Tony, and Captain America, the three most popular superheroes, released a set of standards for defining superheroes.

The standards were divided into experience and ability, each with its assessment criteria and baseline. Anyone not meeting the baseline in either category would be eliminated.

You could call yourself a superhero and fight for justice, but your superhero status wouldn't be recognized by the government.

For experience, there was a strict scoring system, ranging from 0 to 100 points, with everyone starting at 50 points. Every act of heroism earned points, but any record of misconduct led to deductions.

The scoring adjustments and criteria were meticulously outlined, crafted by a team led by attorney Matt Murdock.

Scores below sixty points meant automatic elimination.

In other words, even if you were a law-abiding citizen without additional points, you couldn't be considered a superhero.

After all, superheroes are supposed to be above ordinary people.

Hmm... By this standard, even Matt Murdock himself, who designed these criteria, couldn't qualify as a superhero.

The reason was simple: he was currently New York's biggest crime lord.

Simultaneously, superheroes had to pass an ability test, roughly involving scenarios like dealing with armed criminals. The test, created by Skye and Ellis, scored automatically, and those who failed were also eliminated.

After this rigorous selection, less than 20% of the candidates were certified as superheroes, with over 80% of applicants eliminated.

Among them were experts from the military, FBI, CIA, and even S.H.I.E.L.D., who were rejected due to lack of heroic deeds, thwarting politicians' ambitions to control the superhero community.

Moreover, many with heroic deeds were advised to withdraw due to inadequate abilities.

After the dust settled, only truly skilled individuals like Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones remained.

For those eliminated due to lack of strength, Clark and others simply stated, "I don't want to watch you die in vain."

"I feel this test is unfair. Even without superhuman strength, we've fought against evil and won. Why can't we be considered superheroes?"

As one voice cried out, many eliminated "superheroes" echoed in protest against the ability testing system.

Looking in the direction of the voice, Clark's lips curled into a nostalgic smile.

Unexpectedly, he encountered an old acquaintance here.

Muscular, even under a full suit of green spandex, with sharp angles visible. The entire head, like the body, was covered in a green hood, with only a pair of defiant eyes visible.

In Clark's memory, there were only two superheroes who favored green: the Hulk and this man, known as the weakest superhero, Kick-Ass.

Stepping forward, Clark calmly approached Kick-Ass, then scanned the group of equally weak "superheroes" behind him, and spoke, "Kick-Ass. I didn't expect you to be as childish as ever after more than a decade."

Clark's words caused a stir.

Kick-Ass actually knew Clark Lee!

Nepotism!

This kid had hidden his connections well, never mentioning such a powerful friend to us! Of course, many were ready to enjoy the drama, ready to protest if Clark opened doors for Kick-Ass today.

Surprised to be recognized by Clark, even Kick-Ass himself was taken aback. Although they were close enough in school to share magnetic links, he had never appeared before Clark as Kick-Ass.

After a brief pause, Kick-Ass quickly recovered: "Clark, I know you're powerful, but you can't deny our hearts of justice just because of your strength."

"I've never denied your hearts of justice," Clark sincerely replied. "But that's exactly why I can't let you become officially recognized superheroes. Your strength isn't enough to bear the risks that come with that heart of justice."

Kick-Ass wanted to argue, but Clark cut him off, "Before you object, please watch some videos first."

With a snap of his fingers, Clark projected animations into the hall, including Iron Man's creation, using the crude Mark I armor to escape terrorists' cave—a scene based on Iron Man's own account, already sanitized for children's viewing.

"Although it's just an animation, it's based on real events. The reality was ten times more brutal. And this..."

The next clip was a documentary of Clark single-handedly defending against several unmanned combat drones at the Hammer Expo, ending with a divine strike that turned all machines to scrap.

"This video has been trending online recently, so I won't elaborate further. And this..."

The next simulation was Captain America storming a HYDRA base during WWII, fighting the Red Skull.

Even though this scene was computer-generated, no one doubted its authenticity.

"In the face of such enemies, do you really think you can survive?"

Clark's gaze swept around, "I know you want to say not every villain is that strong. Of course, there are weaker ones, like those we arranged in the simulated combat stages. But the result was, all of you were 'killed' in the test!"

Sighing, Clark patted Kick-Ass on the shoulder, "You're all partners in justice. The world would be a better place with more people like you. But it would be a loss to society if you died trying to play hero."

"In fact, as long as the justice in your heart doesn't extinguish, you can still be a hero in your everyday jobs, making the world a better place!"

With Clark's stirring speech, the protesting "superheroes" fell silent.

Returning to the stage for the selection, Clark winked cheekily at Skye beside him.

Skye rolled her eyes, "You really know how to persuade."

"It's not persuasion," Clark's expression turned serious. "I truly don't want these passionate individuals to die at the hands of villains."

Seeing Clark's seriousness, Skye stopped teasing and sighed, "I wish I had superpowers too."

Curious, Clark asked, "What kind of superpower would you want?"

Skye thought for a moment, then seriously said, "I think your rarely used shockwave power is the coolest and most powerful. Of course, if I had that ability, I'd definitely make it look much cooler than you."

Is this a kind of fate?

Clark smiled, "That can be arranged."

Skye: ??? "After the superhero qualification ends, I'll take you to experience it."

Clark's offer to Skye wasn't about using his shockwave power for unspeakable acts.

After the superhero certification concluded, Clark opened a portal, taking Skye to an uninhabited island in the Pacific.

The salty sea breeze invigorated Skye, who couldn't help but cheer facing the wind, "Wow! This instant travel ability is amazing, way cooler than the world's best transportation!"

After the initial excitement, Skye suddenly became wary, protecting her chest and eyeing Clark suspiciously, "Why bring me to this desolate place? What unspeakable purpose do you have?"

Clark laughed off her misunderstanding, removing the Blood Sky ring from his pinkie, "I said I'd let you experience the power of shockwaves, and I meant it. Give me your hand."

Seeing Clark's disarmingly innocent smile and the ancient, beautiful ring, Skye's heart raced. After hesitating, she finally said, "Kneel."

???

Clark was taken aback by her sudden demand, frowning, "Why are you mimicking a cat?"

Skye huffed, "Then why are you giving me the ring?"

"To let you experience the shockwave ability," Clark explained matter-of-factly. "This alien magic ring allows me to unleash that terrifying power. Wear it, and I'll transfer some of my Qi into you, letting you feel what it's like to use superpowers."

Skye blushed at the explanation, initially reaching for the ring before Clark pulled back.

Puzzled, she then noticed a Kimoyo bead on Clark's wrist flashing wildly. Sue's projection appeared, urgently reporting, "Clark, wherever you are, please come back. New York is in chaos, with many civilians injured."

Clark frowned, "What happened? Calm down and explain."

Sue nervously reported, "About a dozen terrifying creatures descended from the sky, releasing a cold energy. Many superheroes tried to stop them but were no match."

"Tony and Captain America have mobilized, but they're outnumbered. The leader is particularly fierce and mentioned you by name."

"I'll send you the projection. Decide what to do."

The Kimoyo bead displayed seventeen blue giants rampaging through New York, freezing buildings with every punch.

Damn, Ice Giants! How did they get to Earth?

Clark put the Blood Sky ring back on and solemnly told Skye, "A major crisis is unfolding in New York. I must return immediately. This island is safe, with no wild animals. Wait here, and I'll come back for you."

Opening a portal to the projected battlefield, Clark arrived to find the Ice Giants and the superheroes had moved far from their original location. Seeing the frozen streets and civilians, Clark lamented New York's misfortune and opened another portal, confronting the Ice Giants.

"Who dares cause havoc in New York? Aren't you afraid of death?"

Facing the seventeen Ice Giants, Clark's eyes glinted with murderous intent. "Are you Clark Lee?" The leading Ice Giant paused the assault, stepping forward to scrutinize Clark, then declared, "I am Laufey, king of Jotunheim, leader of the Ice Giants. We've come to Midgard to take your life!"

Ice Giant Laufey? Clark frowned, "Are you one of Loki's pawns?"

"Insolence!" Laufey roared, launching a chilling punch at Clark.

Clark met the punch head-on, the collision fracturing reality and scattering cold air, covering nearby buildings in frost.

Both combatants were sent flying hundreds of meters back before reengaging.

"Indeed, you have some skill. No wonder he fears you," Laufey sneered. "But you're no match for Odin of old. Today is your end."

"Don't boast." Clark retorted dismissively. "I may not rival Odin, but are you still as strong as you were? If you maintained your strength from your battle with Odin, that punch would've seriously injured or killed me."

Peak Odin was a contender among the Celestials.

Yet in the movies, Odin sacrificed an eye to win against Laufey, suggesting Laufey's strength was near Celestial level—a notion Clark found implausible.

The only logical explanation was Odin hadn't reached his peak during their battle, with a gap like the Thor of the first Avengers compared to the Thor wielding Stormbreaker in Infinity War.

And Laufey's strength had likely waned over time.

Seeing Laufey ready to attack again, Clark suggested, "Wait, let's find a place without civilians to fight."

"Change location?" Laufey scoffed. "Are you concerned about these weaklings, unable to use your full strength here?"

Laufey was cunning.

But Clark was prepared, rising into the air to address Laufey from above, "In your battle with Odin, you lost not only the war but also your child, right?"

Laufey was taken aback, "How do you know?"

"I'm a seer," Clark continued. "Let's fight somewhere else. If you win, I'll tell you where your son is."

Without waiting for a reply, Clark flew towards the Pacific, leaving Laufey no choice but to follow.

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