Support me and be 30 chapters ahead of webnovel:
patreon.com/Draco_
For every 5 Patreon memberships I receive, I'll release 15 chapters all at once. Your support means a lot to me.
*****
One week later.
Even though the incident at the White House ruins had happened days ago, public fervor had not cooled in the slightest.
Per their declaration, Mike remained upon the throne above the ruins for three full days.
When the third day ended, he left at once.
During that time, he struck intermittently; and every strike meant someone who was harming mutants had just been punished.
As for those still suspecting some grand conspiracy behind Mike's actions, wondering if this was all a bid to rule the world…
Heh. The man had hauled an entire planet into the sky.
If someone that powerful wanted to rule Earth, what "conspiracy" would he possibly need?
After the Kent family displayed their strength, talk of a "Kent plot" collapsed in an instant, crumbling under its own absurdity.
Many continued to denounce the Kents as arrogant and lawless—but no one dared to loudly proclaim that they were "wrong" and "must pay the price."
Of course, there were also those who mourned the Kents' departure from Earth. With such power guarding the world from the shadows, they had felt safer.
Regardless, one thing was undeniable: in the wake of all this, the Kent family became legend—the living emblem of invincibility on Earth.
Now, anyone need only lift their eyes to see the globe Mike Kent had brought—a world hanging above.
That world now circled just outside Earth's reach, becoming a second satellite, a second moon—what everyone had begun calling Kent Star.
Astronomers and physicists declared its appearance impossible.
They could not accept that a planetoid added to Earth's orbit had caused no measurable disruptions—not even to the Moon.
Their worldview was shattering.
But with the Reality Stone, the impossible was simply… possible.
Within a few more days, curiosity about Kent Star surged. People wanted to know what it looked like up there.
After all, it was the closest habitable world to them now.
Some even started to dream.
Another week passed, and news arrived from Kent Star.
Representatives from the planet had come to Earth to purchase supplies—
Food, clothing, raw materials, livestock, and more…
And by seizing the opportunity, a few people also went up to Kent Star for a look.
"Beautiful as a hidden paradise—like something you only see in dreams."
So said those who returned.
At first, many didn't believe it. But once videos were released, people were stunned.
The air was pristine, untouched by any trace of pollution. The sky was a polished mirror of blue.
Beautiful. Clean. Dreamlike.
A place to yearn for.
At that very moment, on Kent Star—
This was the mutants' new home. Their spirits burned with enthusiasm to build it.
First, though, everyone had to collect an identity chip—a personal ID card bound to each mutant.
The card looked like a thin pane of glass, but it was remarkably durable. It served like a national ID—a formal proof of residency on Kent Star.
In addition to name and basic details, the card also contained a record of each mutant's ability.
That information, however, was private. Only administrative authorities could access it by default; otherwise, it would be shown only if the card's owner chose to disclose it.
In the future, the chip would link into Kent Star's network so that any changes would update in real time.
Mutants who had received their IDs gazed at the cards with delight, joy practically spilling from their eyes—like they had finally been recognized and affirmed.
Then they rushed to the school staff temporarily overseeing construction tasks and signed up to work.
Mutant abilities varied widely, and many were perfect for building a city. Even those with less practical powers were assigned to other essential duties.
Those who hadn't gotten their cards yet waited anxiously with the robots Jor-El had manufactured.
All told, just over seven million mutants had made it to Kent Star.
That was not everyone; some remained on Earth, each with their own reasons—strength enough to protect themselves, family ties, familiar environments, and so on.
But that group was the minority. According to Charles's telepathic survey, roughly two million stayed behind.
In other words, this entire world currently had only a little over seven million people—fewer than many of Earth's great cities.
For now, building a single city would suffice.
Kent Star's land covered half the planet. There was ample room for expansion, but usage would be planned, not reckless—no one was allowed to claim land privately at will.
A new day dawned, and with it, a new beginning.
Mike watched a spacecraft descend and smiled.
The Guardians of the Galaxy.
He had reached out to them two days earlier—there were things he needed their help with.
The ship settled gently. Some mutants looked over—curious, but not afraid in the least.
"Hey, Mike!"
The M-shaped craft touched down and, the moment the hatch opened, Rocket bounded out.
He waved to Mike, then turned and barked at the others filing down the ramp. "Move it, you bunch of slackers!"
At that, Star-Lord and the others shot him identical glares.
Rocket just snorted, utterly unfazed. He lifted the tiny sapling perched on his shoulder into his palm and introduced him. "Groot."
"I am Groot."
Little Groot peered at Mike, then reached out a hand.
Smiling, Mike touched the tiny hand with a single finger. Little Groot's eyes lit up, and a fresh green leaf sprouted on his head.
"I am Groot! I am Groot!"
He chirped with delight, sprang from Rocket's shoulder, and landed in Mike's palm.
The Guardians stared; aside from their little group, this was the first time they'd seen Groot so affectionate with a stranger at first meeting.
"He says you smell like sunlight—and you look like a good person," Rocket translated.
Groot nodded enthusiastically, stretched his hand toward Mike again, and from his palm bloomed a small white flower.
"I am Groot."
"It's for you," Rocket added, a little jealous despite himself.
"Thank you."
Mike tapped Groot's head, plucked the blossom, and tucked it behind Gwen's ear.
Gwen's eyes practically sparkled at the sight of the tiny tree-kid.
Too adorable.
"Long time no see, Gwen," the Guardians said, greeting her in turn.
Gwen returned their smiles.
"These are the 'mutants' you mentioned?" Star-Lord asked, taking in the bustling construction all around them.
Mike nodded. "Yes. They all migrated here from Earth."
"What do you mean by 'mutants'?" Gamora asked.
"Mm… they're essentially the same as humans, but slight genetic differences allow them to awaken a super-ability."
"Super-abilities!" the Guardians cried in unison.
Drax turned to stare at Star-Lord. The others did the same.
"Don't look at me like that," Star-Lord protested. "I'm not a mutant."
"Right," Mantis—who had joined after the Ego incident—nodded. "He's the son of a Celestial."
Star-Lord puffed out his chest.
"Still weak," someone remarked.
"Needs to recharge every so often."
"Without recharging, he's useless."
"I am Groot."
Star-Lord stared at them, speechless.
"Pfft," Gamora chuckled, then said to Mike, "So—what do you need from us? Just say the word."
Mike considered, then said, "You can see the situation. We're building a city and need a great deal of supplies. I want you to take my son, Eric, and help purchase and collect resources."
Some of those supplies would be sourced from Earth; others, from off-world.
"No problem!" Star-Lord agreed immediately—then leaned closer and whispered, "Your son… strong?"
Mike thought for a moment. "All of you together wouldn't be his match."
"Then there won't be any problem at all!" Star-Lord's eyes lit up.
"What about transport?" Rocket muttered. "For city-scale construction, we're talking massive quantities. Moving it will be a pain."
Space wasn't exactly safe, either.
"Don't worry," Mike said with a small smile. He turned his hand over and produced two rings, passing them along. "Jor made these—communication rings. With them we can pinpoint your location, and you can contact Jor to open a spatial gate."
"That good?" Star-Lord yelped, snatching one at once—only for Rocket to swipe the other with equal speed.
"Peter?" Gamora looked at him, expression cool.
Star-Lord immediately offered the ring to Gamora and slid it onto her finger.
Her gaze softened at once.
"Eric," Mike called.
From afar, Eric swooped down and landed at Mike's side, eyeing the Guardians with open curiosity.
"My son, Eric," Mike said, introducing him before adding, "These are the Guardians of the Galaxy—the team I told you about."
Eric shook hands and exchanged greetings all around.
"Come on," Mike said. "Let me show you around. It won't be long before a city stands here."
He set off first, and the Guardians hurried to follow.
Soon, they witnessed something startling.
Wherever Mike and his son passed, the mutants looked upon them with deep respect. Many even bent at the waist in formal bows.
It felt, unmistakably, as if Mike and his family were the sovereigns of this world.
(End of Chapter)