---
Mark was in his room, dreaming about the stories his father used to tell him when he was a kid.
(Dream)
"Alright, son, you've probably figured out by now that I'm not exactly a normal dad," Nolan said, his voice calm but serious.
"I've avoided this subject for too long... but now it's time. Your mom and I believe you're finally ready to know where I come from."
"Millions of miles away, in deep space, there's a planet—that's my home. Its solar system is a lot like Earth's," Nolan continued, as Mark played nearby.
"I was born on that planet—Viltrum. It's very similar to Earth in terms of population, but the people there... we're different. We can fly, move at incredible speeds, and we're unbelievably strong by human standards."
Nolan's eyes seemed to glow with pride as he spoke.
"Viltrum is a perfect society. No disease, no war, no hunger."
He went on.
"With no conflict left, the Viltrumite Council debated what to do next. Should we enjoy our perfection, or help other civilizations evolve? In the end, we agreed—we'd help others develop and thrive."
"So we began searching for planets that showed promise. We'd protect their solar systems from outside threats and help guide them forward."
Mark, still a child in the dream, listened wide-eyed.
"Everyone back home talked about the amazing work the Council was doing. Being part of that mission—exploring, discovering new worlds—became the most respected job on Viltrum."
"Of course, I applied. My job was to scout for promising planets. I was in my third year of service when I found Earth."
"I convinced the Council to let me assess the planet. On the journey here, I studied Earth's history, its cultures... and when I finally arrived, I fell in love with this place. With its people. I was amazed by how much humanity had achieved in such a short time."
"I requested that Earth be added to our list of protected worlds. But the Council refused."
"They didn't think Earth was developed enough to benefit from our help."
"But I didn't give up. I proposed a second option—I'd stay behind as Earth's protector. Since Earth is in a remote part of the galaxy, I knew there was a chance I'd never return to Viltrum."
Nolan's voice softened.
"I started my mission with purpose. Humans were fragile, Mark. They needed someone like me. I was here to help."
"All of this was a year before I met your mom—but that's a story for another time."
"I know this is a lot to take in. But one day, you'll understand. You're getting older... soon, you'll hit puberty. Your voice will change, your hair... and there's a chance you'll develop powers, too."
He kept talking—about Viltrum, about his powers, and so much more that Mark couldn't remember.
Nolan paused and asked gently,
"Mark, are you following all this?"
"...Wait—so... I can fly?"
---
Mark suddenly opened his eyes. He was back in his room, staring at the ceiling. Slowly, he got up and walked to the window. It was nighttime.
"Screw it... I can fly," he muttered.
Wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants, Mark climbed out the window and took off into the night sky. He flipped through the air, laughing to himself as he soared higher, drifting further from his home.
As he flew, he spotted something below.
"What the hell is that?" he whispered.
Down on the street, someone was robbing a store. The thief was carrying something heavy over his shoulder. His skin was blue, his frame massive, bald head shining under the streetlights, with a sharp jawline.
Mark didn't hesitate. He dove straight toward the guy, fist cocked back for a punch. But just before he could land it, the blue-skinned brute turned and smacked him mid-air, sending Mark crashing into a wall.
"Isn't it past your bedtime, kid?" the stranger growled.
Mark hit the wall hard enough to crack it. But he pushed himself up, wiped the dust off, and replied:
"Actually... yeah, it is."
He shot back into the air, heading toward the villain, ready to fight.
But before their fists could meet, an explosion burst between them, forcing them both to stop.
High above, a group of people hovered on futuristic flying bikes. One of them was a strange-looking robot. Beside him was a short-haired Chinese girl.
A boy in an orange and yellow costume grinned, tossing small orbs that exploded mid-air.
"Liked that, morons? That was just the warm-up. I'm just getting started!" Rex shouted.
Two more figures weren't on bikes. One was a fair-skinned girl with long red hair. The other was a tall, handsome guy who looked... detached. He didn't seem alarmed at all—just calmly floating near the others.
Mark's eyes locked onto him.
He had the same overwhelming presence his father had. Like a steel mountain. But... there was something different Mark couldn't quite explain.
The blue-skinned thief—Mauler Twin—recognized the group immediately. He wasn't dumb. He could handle the others. But him? The floating one? No way.
Without hesitation, he turned and ran.
Mark didn't chase him. Instead, he stared in shock as the team casually discussed the scene.
"Not again... this always happens," Rex sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Why do they always run when they see you? That's not fair," Rex added, arms crossed.
"That's the third one this week," Dupli-Kate muttered.
Robot spoke up. "The reputation of 'Super-Boy' has reached staggering levels. This response was expected."
"He's running. Who's going after him?" Eve asked.
Everyone turned and looked at the quiet one—Henry.
Henry sighed. This always fell on him. Every time they faced someone powerful, the others would say things like:
"Where's the heavy hitter?"
"I'm not going without him."
"He'll take care of it, right?"
Just as Henry was about to move, Mark—still hovering—saw Mauler Twin sprinting past him.
Mark launched forward, aiming to strike. But Mauler dodged at the last second, and Mark smashed face-first into a wall.
"That had to hurt..." Dupli-Kate muttered.
Mark staggered out of the rubble, shook it off, and tried again. This time, he landed a solid kick to Mauler's back, sending the villain to the ground.
Mauler winced, unable to stand. Mark moved in and pinned him. The blue giant tried to fight back, but Mark punched him in the face, knocking him out cold.
The others approached to secure the villain.
"Nice work, kid," Robot said, his voice emotionless but respectful.
"I'll call in a remote vehicle for transport. Henry, get Mauler off the street before he draws attention," he added.
"Got it," Henry replied.
Henry walked over, grabbed Mauler by the leg, and dragged him toward the transport that Robot had summoned.
The rest of the Teen Team gathered around Mark.
"Nice look," Rex teased, eyeing Mark's pajama pants.
Mark blushed, scratching his head.
"Yeah, uh... thanks."
"Don't mind him—he's an idiot," Eve said, rolling her eyes.
"Hey! I'm only not responding because I don't want your boyfriend to break me in half," Rex shot back.
Mark smiled awkwardly and pointed at Henry.
"Wait, you're Super-Boy? Dude, I'm a huge fan. I've followed all your stuff. That time you stopped the plane from crashing... and the meteor! That was awesome."
Henry nodded, a bit shy. He was used to fans by now, but it still caught him off guard sometimes.
"Thanks," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Mark glanced around.
"And you guys are that superhero team, right? I forget the name..."
Rex muttered under his breath, annoyed.
"See? They never remember us. It's always about him. I told you! He steals all the spotlight. Even this nerd doesn't know who we are."
Henry laughed. "Maybe don't call him a nerd—I'm not sure you can take him."
"Pfft, I totally could," Rex replied, not very convincingly.
Robot cut in.
"We're the Teen Team. I'm Robot. That's Eve. The guy in orange is Rex. And the one with the clones is Dupli-Kate."
Dupli-Kate looked at Mark.
"And who are you?"
Mark stammered.
"I-I'm... Invincible."
Rex chuckled. "Creative name. Not sure it fits just yet."
"I only got my powers a few days ago."
Rex choked on his laughter, suddenly not so sure of himself.
"You're kidding..."
"Great name," Robot said sincerely.
Henry stepped forward and offered his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Invincible."
Mark shook it—and noticed how strong Henry's grip felt.
As the team turned to leave, Mark called out:
"It was great meeting you!"
"See you around," Henry replied over his shoulder.
After they disappeared into the night sky, Mark stared at his hand.
"I can't believe it... he shook my hand."
---
Henry was currently flying through the night sky. The other members of the Teen Team weren't with him—he was alone.
As he flew, he could only think about one thing: the time had come.
He was heading toward the GDA.