SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL

Ben thought his actions were insignificant.

He didn't expect Leo to be paying so much attention to him.

It was kind of funny—Leo was handsome, strong, and admired by many. However, his cold and distant temperament made most people stay away from him.

Growing up, very few people dared to approach Leo or show him affection.

Ben, without hesitation, handed Leo the Flare-Flare Fruit, a rare treasure that made Leo's heart flutter.

Of course, falling in love with Ben just because of this was unrealistic.

However, Ben's position in Leo's heart was now different from anyone else.

Moreover, Leo wasn't an ungrateful person.

Since he had received the super-precious Flare-Flare Fruit, even if only out of gratitude, he wouldn't ignore Ben.

So, when he discovered that Ben was secretly fusing the Kryptonian bloodline card, Leo was shocked.

"Ben! What are you doing?"

Leo exclaimed, and the flames in his palm extinguished on their own.

Hearing this, everyone turned to look at Ben.

By then, Ben had already completed the fusion of the Kryptonian card.

At that moment, a phantom figure of a person wearing a red cape appeared behind him.

This was a normal phenomenon—every hero talent fusion caused a similar phantom to appear.

Everyone was already used to it.

However, Ben's choice this time shocked them far more than Leo's fire ability.

To everyone, Ben had just handed over the Flare-Flare Fruit to Leo—an act that screamed simp behavior.

After all, the Kryptonian bloodline card was widely considered useless.

No sane person would choose to fuse it now.

Yet Ben secretly fused it?

Even though the phantom of the red-caped figure looked imposing, everyone knew it was worthless.

"Damn! Does this guy have something wrong with his brain?"

"Definitely! No normal person would do something this stupid."

"He fused the Kryptonian bloodline? What is he trying to do? Actively go to the Land of Transcendence to die?"

"I get it! He must not want Leo to feel guilty, so he's doing this on purpose—basically throwing his life away."

"Simps are terrifying creatures."

"This is crazy! This dude might just be the greatest simp of all time."

"King of Simps! Well-deserved title!"

Everyone erupted in an uproar.

Hearing the comments, Leo stared at Ben, his sharp eyes widening.

Did this guy really like him that much?

Was he really willing to throw away his life just to make sure Leo didn't feel guilty?

Leo found it hard to believe.

But the facts were right in front of him.

Apart from that explanation, he couldn't think of any other reason why Ben would do something so irrational.

"Ben, you… I—I'm not worth this…"

Leo stammered, completely caught off guard by this overwhelming devotion.

Meanwhile, Ben?

He didn't even look back.

He just ran away.

Ben had no interest in standing on the stage like a clown.

His goal was achieved.

Everything in the school was no longer important to him.

So, he bolted toward the exit of the campus.

Right now, he was eager to test the "Super Bloodline" he had just obtained.

However, in everyone's eyes, his escape looked like a panicked retreat after his intentions were exposed.

"See! I knew it! I was right about him!"

"Damn, bro, you understand him too well! Are you a simp, too?"

"I give up. I was planning to get a good Devil Fruit from the Holy Land to try my luck with Leo, but now… Ben set the bar too high."

"Yeah! No way I'm sacrificing an ultra-rare Devil Fruit for a crush."

"Wait! Look at Leo! Is he actually touched by this?"

On stage, Leo watched Ben's "embarrassed retreat," unable to look away for a long time…

10 Minutes Later

After leaving the campus, Ben immediately hailed a self-driving taxi to the city.

As the taxi moved through the streets, towering skyscrapers filled the skyline.

Occasionally, aircraft soared through the sky.

The world's technology was far more advanced than Earth's.

However, Ben had no interest in sightseeing.

Once inside the taxi, he mentally activated a holographic attribute panel in his left vision.

[Ben's Attribute Panel]

Race: Human

Physique: 10

Spirit: 11

Strength: 10

Agility: 10

Talent: Kryptonian Bloodline

Spiritual Points: 0

Ben was satisfied with his stats.

The attributes of an average adult male ranged from 10 to 12 points across the board.

For someone who had just come of age, his stats were above average—a good sign of excellent health.

However, this attribute panel wasn't his personal cheat ability.

Every human who used the Transcendental Opportunity gained an attribute panel in their left eye.

This panel recorded their stats and helped them focus on specialized training.

For example:

Some people focused on strength, so they prioritized increasing their Strength stat.

Others specialized in spiritual energy, so they needed a high Spirit stat.

Some trained for speed, defense, or unique abilities.

Additionally, attribute panels were private—only the owner could see their own stats.

Looking at the "Kryptonian Bloodline" in his talent section, Ben's eyes burned with excitement.

"I've already bet everything on this… You better not disappoint me!"

He clenched his fists.

10 Minutes Later

The taxi arrived at its destination.

Ben paid the fare, and the car door opened automatically.

Stepping out, he looked up at the futuristic building before him.

The store's name?

"Dream of Sunshine."

A sunbath experience shop.

Why Did Ben Choose Kryptonian Bloodline?

Modern humans were used to a sunless world.

However, high-ranking officials and scientists feared that one day, the stars would completely vanish.

To prepare for this possibility, they had been researching light energy for years.

Occasionally, the Holy Land and the Spiritual Realm would produce high-tech artifacts, aiding in scientific breakthroughs.

Today, human technology had successfully replicated 99.99% of real solar radiation.

Unfortunately, the technology wasn't ready for large-scale use.

Instead, small experimental sunbathing facilities were built—one of them being Dream of Sunshine.

These facilities charged exorbitant prices, generating funds for further solar energy research.

Ben knew all of this.

That's why he dared to trade the Flare-Flare Fruit for the Kryptonian Bloodline.

Because in this world—the sun still existed.