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*****
If there was anyone capable of gathering the superheroes at the Kent household for reasons other than a world-ending crisis, it was undoubtedly Mike.
If one were to ask how Mike achieved this feat...
Was it because of his overwhelming personal charisma?
Bullshit!
It was because they were all a bunch of foodies!
Mike looked helplessly at these superheroes, who were waiting to be fed like baby birds, and began the process of roasting the cow.
Three cards quietly materialized at his fingertips. As they dissolved into specks of light, Mike gained the ability to control fire, use telekinesis, and the culinary skills of a Master Chef.
Superpowers and culinary arts fused within Mike.
Telekinesis manipulated the ingredients, while flames bloomed continuously at his will. Various seasonings were sprinkled over the cow under the precise control of his mind.
At this moment, Mike was like the conductor of an orchestra, manipulating the ingredients to compose a symphony of perfect flavor.
"This is amazing! It's simply a divine masterpiece."
"Did you see that? Perfect heat control!"
"Look at that seasoning technique; it's pure art!"
Thor exclaimed repeatedly, circling Mike with his phone to capture every angle.
The others watched intently, their eyes filled with admiration.
Although they weren't as professional as Thor, as time passed, they could smell an aroma that seemed capable of hooking their very souls.
Saliva secreted madly in their mouths, and their eyes saw nothing but the rolling flames and the slowly browning beef.
Suddenly, they hallucinated a robust bull charging towards them.
It roared and bellowed, trampling the flames, displaying its wild nature.
The crowd shivered.
Good heavens, was this just a barbecue?
It felt like a mental attack.
Just then, Mike glanced at the skewers nearby. With a wave of his hand, the meat skewers, steaks, fish balls, and vegetables began to flow around him like a river.
Snap!
With a snap of Mike's fingers, specks of flame fell like shattered stars, landing on the skewers.
Instantly, it looked as if several fire dragons were swirling around Mike.
Simultaneously, the seasonings sprinkled down happily, as if they had a life of their own.
"Is this really cooking? This is practically magic!"
Hope praised loudly, her eyes sparkling as if she were looking at a charming magician.
"Hmph, it does look decent. Slightly better than what I make," Hank Pym grumbled unhappily, though he had to admit Mike's charm in that moment.
With another snap of Mike's fingers, the fire dragons swirling around him vanished, replaced by a rich, wafting aroma.
Mike waved his hand, and the skewers landed neatly onto trays.
"You guys eat these first. The roast beef needs a bit longer," Mike said calmly. Seeing everyone swallowing their saliva, he felt quite satisfied.
Beer and skewers—a perfect match.
The crowd broke into small groups, transforming into street-side diners, chatting while enjoying the food.
A while later, just as everyone was enjoying themselves, Mike withdrew the flames. The roast beef, which had been captivating everyone's attention, landed on a large platter.
"I'll cut it!" Thor shouted excitedly.
He pulled out his divine artifact—a kitchen knife—shoved aside Logan, who was eager to help, and approached the roast beef.
Arcs of lightning danced between his fingers. Accompanied by fading trails of electricity, the roast beef was sliced into pieces, releasing a rich fragrance that seemed to envelop everyone.
Immediately, the sound of collective gulping was heard.
"Have a taste. Kent's Special Roast Beef," Mike said with a smile.
The crowd nodded and moved into action.
For the next few minutes, the lively backyard became strangely quiet.
Aside from the sound of swallowing food, there was no other noise.
But once they finished the first piece, a tidal wave of praise drowned Mike out, and the atmosphere instantly became vibrant.
Fine food, fine wine, and their shared identity as heroes—when these elements came together, they found common ground, and the atmosphere became increasingly warm and joyful.
Laughter, conversation, drunken boasts, loud singing, and bodies swaying to the music...
At this moment, these superheroes, having completely set aside their responsibilities, were no different from ordinary people.
Meanwhile, in a corner of Mike's backyard, a small table was set up. Gwen and the other four sat around it, watching the superheroes while eating delicious food, feeling incredibly satisfied physically and mentally.
Come to think of it, this was the second time they had seen so many superheroes gathered together.
The last time was after the Battle of New York.
But compared to the post-war celebration then, the atmosphere of this superhero party was much more relaxed.
They also witnessed a side of the superheroes that was surprising, even incredible.
Captain America dancing gracefully with his partner; Wolverine gently holding a baby and making funny faces; Iron Man being pinned down and force-fed alcohol; Thor cooking delicious cuisine...
Seeing the ordinary side of these superheroes didn't disappoint them; instead, it made them feel the heroes were full of humanity and much closer to them.
"Don't look so shocked," Gwen said to the other four while picking up beef with chopsticks. "If you interact with them more, you'll find they are actually quite easy to get along with."
"Superhero" was just a title of honor given by the people after these individuals took on responsibilities that ordinary people could not bear.
When they put those burdens down, they lived just like everyone else.
"Only you would think they're easy to get along with," Harry couldn't help but retort, looking at the calm Gwen.
Many of the superheroes here were his favorites, even his idols; how could he not be excited?
"Yeah, your whole family is that powerful, so of course you don't think they're special. But it's different for us," Mary Jane sighed, looking at Gwen with eyes full of envy.
Gwen shrugged. "If any of you want, I can take you to stay at these superheroes' homes for a few days. Then you'll realize they're just the same."
"Pfft!"
Luke sprayed out the soda in his mouth and exclaimed in surprise, "Can I stay at your house then?"
"Hm?" Gwen's eyes turned slightly dangerous. Peter dropped the meat from his mouth in shock.
"Don't get the wrong idea!" Luke looked at Gwen with disgust. "The one I admire most is Uncle Mike."
"Don't even think about it!" Gwen snapped. "You live right across the street. Do you see superheroes any less often?"
Luke replied, "Well, not as often as you."
Harry suddenly spoke with a serious expression, "I have a very important question."
"What is it?"
"Tell us?"
The four of them looked at Harry curiously.
Harry slowly swallowed the meat in his mouth and said solemnly, "You said we've seen the unknown side of these superheroes. Will they... kchk!"
He made a slashing motion across his neck, his tone grim. "Silence us!"
The group looked at each other. Gwen was speechless.
Just then, a cold voice quietly spoke up.
"They won't just silence you; they'll destroy the bodies. In a moment, none of you will be able to leave. Heh heh!"
Everyone shivered.
How terrifying.
Gwen frowned.
The voice sounded familiar...
She turned around, her eyes instantly lighting up with surprise.
"Loki!"
Hearing Gwen's shout, Peter and the other three turned around to see a child smiling at them—a sincere smile blooming on his face.
Looking at the smiles of Gwen and her friends, Loki sighed internally.
There were still quite a few people who liked him; it was worth using magic to change his appearance just to see these little things.
"Who is this?" Mary Jane, startled by Loki's wicked handsomeness, asked in confusion.
Mary Jane had transferred to their school after Loki had left.
"Loki, our good friend!" Luke loudly announced their relationship.
Loki looked disgusted, but surprisingly felt a bit happy inside.
"Hello, I'm Mary Jane!"
"Loki," he replied indifferently, his expression cold.
Just then, he noticed Gwen looking at him strangely. His brow twitched slightly as he whispered, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing, just a little unexpected."
She hadn't expected Loki to disguise himself specifically to come and say hello to them.
"Quick! Sit down and eat!"
Harry pressed Loki into a seat nearby. Peter brought him a serving of skewers, and Luke brought him a drink.
Seeing this, Loki nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad, you have good instincts."
Being with these little guys was when he felt most happy and relaxed because he didn't need to be on guard against anything.
"Still so arrogant!" Gwen laughed. Seeing Loki about to speak, she picked up a large piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.
Loki: (°Д°)
"Hahaha!"
The group laughed happily.
Mike and Raven sat together, watching the backyard filled with joy, their faces beaming with happy smiles.
"Clark!"
Mike suddenly remembered something and waved to Clark.
Clark looked back, downed the beer in front of him in one gulp, and said to Charles and Erik, "Wait a sec, I need to see what Dad wants."
The two waved him off, wishing he would leave faster.
Damn it, the two of them were about to be drunk under the table by Clark, yet Clark was completely fine. This was the perfect chance to sober up.
"Dad, what's up?"
Clark sat down in front of Mike, casually pinching a piece of meat from Mike's plate and tossing it into his mouth.
"How is Hank's situation progressing?" Mike asked in a low voice.
"He's preparing. The first experiment is set for three days from now."
Mike nodded. "Keep an eye on him during this time. Contact me immediately if anything happens."
"I know," Clark replied. Seeing that Erik and Charles were trying to sneak away, his figure flashed and vanished from in front of Mike.
"That kid..." Mike muttered, shaking his head with a smile.
This slightly childish behavior of Clark's only appeared when he was with Erik and Charles.
"Hmm?"
Just then, Mike saw Odin's family, and his expression turned strange.
Hela was actually sitting with Odin and his wife.
Although the atmosphere between them was a bit cold, the fact that they hadn't started fighting was already impressive.
As for Thor, he looked like an errand boy, fetching things for Hela one moment and getting food for Odin and his wife the next. He actually looked quite happy.
Truly a sight to behold in a lifetime.
Hela and Odin, a father and daughter who were like enemies, sitting peacefully together.
Rare indeed.
On the other side, the Avengers and the X-Men were... arm wrestling?
Judging by the current situation, unless Bruce transformed, the winner would likely be decided between Vision and Colossus.
"Mike."
"Mm?"
Mike's gaze fell on the Ancient One. A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes as his mouth twitched slightly.
The Ancient One walked toward him, fanning herself with a small fan, while holding two lamb skewers in her other hand.
She gently took a bite of meat and sat down in front of Mike.
Even while eating skewers, the Ancient One's temperament remained indifferent and elegant.
"I have to go. Being out for this long is already a rare occurrence."
The three Sanctuaries and Kamar-Taj could not be left without the Sorcerer Supreme for too long.
"Mm," Mike smiled and replied, "Once you 'die,' you'll have time."
The Ancient One nodded calmly. She opened a portal with a wave of her hand, casually taking a plate of lamb skewers from in front of Mike as she did so.
"Tastes good."
With those words, the Ancient One closed the portal.
"Honey, why did you say she'll die, and she looked happy about it?" Raven asked, puzzled.
"Because she'll only have free time once she's dead. Death is a new beginning for her."
"Is that so?" Raven looked thoughtful.
Following the Ancient One's farewell, Odin and his queen also took their leave. After staying a while longer, Thor and Loki returned to Asgard.
Afterward, it was as if a breach had opened in the happiness contained in the backyard; the laughter drained away quickly until it was completely quiet.
Just as Mike and Raven were about to clean up the backyard, Clark, Hope, Erik, Hela, Charles, Jean, Gwen, and Little Lamb came out of the house to help.
Seeing this, Mike and Raven paused, then a smile spread across their faces.
Today, they were truly happy.
On a crimson planet, thick smoke and flames rose continuously from the surface, resembling a fiery hell.
Suddenly, three figures appeared in the sky above the planet as space tore open.
It was Thanos, Faora, and Mephisto.
"I like the environment here. It looks a bit like Hell, but..." Mephisto shook his head, looking bored. "No wandering souls. Simply terrible."
Faora's gaze flashed, penetrating the earth to land on a massive cavern underground. Looking at the giant who resembled a statue, she asked in confusion, "Is that him?"
"Yes!"
Thanos nodded. "Let's go down."
"Wait a moment," Faora hesitated. "He looks very weak. Can he really provide us with any help?"
"Hahaha!"
Mephisto couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Weak?"
"That is because this fool lost the source of his power many years ago."
(End of Chapter)