What came next left everyone in shock.
Across every city, every nation, and every home, a voice rang out—not from a screen or a radio, but from within their very minds.
"Everyone, I have connected our minds so that all of you can hear what we are about to say."
This wasn't just a live broadcast. With his immense telepathic abilities, Martian Manhunter linked his and Carol's minds to every person on Earth. There would be no interference, no government spin. Their words would reach humanity unfiltered, unaltered.
"Damn it! What the hell are they trying to do?" The President's face darkened immediately.
This was completely unexpected. If everyone could hear the Martian's words directly, the government would no longer have control over public opinion.
People might accept information from government-controlled media, but they would always trust their own experiences more.
"Martian Manhunter and Captain Marvel? We can actually hear them directly?"
Across the world, those who had witnessed the Kree invasion felt a surge of emotion. They had seen these two stand against alien conquerors, not for personal gain, not for power, but simply because it was right.
To them, these were the real heroes. And now, their voices echoed in every mind.
Next, Martian Manhunter's voice echoed in everyone's minds, including the mutants.
"We never intended to be worshipped. We only wanted to do what was right and help those in need. But humanity has its own path, and we shouldn't interfere."
Before he could continue, Carol cut in.
"You're making this too complicated. Let me do it."
The interruption startled him. For a brief moment, a flicker of frustration crossed his normally impassive features.
And because their minds were linked, the entire world felt it.
A ripple of quiet laughter spread across the consciousness of humanity. For the first time, the people saw the Martian not as a distant, untouchable figure but as someone with emotions; someone just as real as they were.
Carol then picked up where he left off. "There is no immediate danger to Earth, but we don't belong here. Our powers are too great and could be misused by the wrong people. That's why J'onn and I have decided to leave, to explore the universe."
She paused briefly before adding, "One day, when humanity reaches the stars through its own efforts, maybe we'll meet again. That is our hope. And our way of protecting Earth."
Her words were much simpler. The politicians, who had already sensed Martian Manhunter's intent, now fully understood: these two had no intention of meddling in Earth's affairs.
There was a hint of disappointment, but more than that, a wave of relief.
Carol and Martian Manhunter were far too powerful. Controlling them wasn't just beyond their reach, it was nearly impossible. One wrong move could lead to disaster.
Them leaving, and doing so together, was probably the best outcome.
And as Carol spoke, the realization spread among ordinary people as well.
With Martian Manhunter's help, human consciousness had briefly linked. Those who grasped the deeper meaning of their departure unconsciously passed it on, making sure everyone understood.
It wasn't abandonment. It was protection for the present and hope for the future.
"People of the world, don't be discouraged! With LexCorp's efforts, the day humanity reaches the stars is not far off!"
A powerful presence emerged in the mental space.
It was Luthor, seizing the moment to showcase LexCorp to the entire world.
Soon after, another consciousness appeared: Tony. However, compared to Luthor's imposing presence, the young Tony Stark's mind was much smaller in scale.
"Stark Industries is in too!"
"Von Doom Industries will not stop its pursuit of space exploration either!"
"We're with you!"
"So are we!"
From every corner of the world, the elites—the ones who controlled humanity's resources—stepped forward. Their thoughts flared in the mental sky, making public declarations of their commitment to space travel.
For some, it was a genuine pledge to push humanity forward. For others, it was nothing more than a publicity stunt. But regardless of their true motives, their words bolstered the confidence of the people.
They had just defeated an extraterrestrial threat. Surely, reaching the stars wouldn't take too long.
And the one who benefited the most from this event was, without a doubt, Luthor.
After today, everyone would remember his name. Lex Luthor—undisputedly, the foremost figure of the human race.
At the same time, amidst countless ordinary consciousnesses, Reid silently suppressed his own presence.
With the power of the fully merged J'onn, Joker, Alfred and Luthor, combined with his own will, his mental form surpassed even the Martian Manhunter.
But now was not the time to reveal himself. Others could afford to flaunt their ambitions. He could not. Not yet.
Of course, he wasn't the only one restraining his power. Among the gathered mutant minds, Charles stood still, his eyes locked onto Martian Manhunter and Carol above.
He never expected these two to choose to leave, willingly facing the threats of deep space rather than staying on Earth.
With their departure, humanity's reliance on superpowered individuals would decrease once again. Mutants were no longer a necessity. They were back to being a potential threat.
Charles could already foresee the consequences. By showcasing their ability to traverse space, mutants wouldn't gain the recognition of the U.S. government. Instead, they would only make humanity more wary of them.
"Professor, what should we do?"
The mutants who knew of Charles's plans grew uneasy. Just then, Magneto's consciousness slowly approached.
"Charles, is it safe to talk here?"
"There's no problem," Charles replied. "My power may not match that alien's, but keeping our conversation hidden is something I can still manage."
Erik nodded slightly.
"In that case, there's only one way left to make humans rely on mutant power and elevate our status. Some of us… must become real criminals. And then, you will be the ones to defeat them."
...
Reid had no idea that the mutants were beginning to consider using the same method as him: staging events to elevate their status.
The global consciousness link soon came to an end. There were still many unresolved conflicts in human society. Short-term connections were fine, but if the link lasted too long, anything could happen.
For instance, the tensions between some countries weren't something that could be solved with just a shared consciousness. If anything, exposing their true thoughts even once or twice might escalate things instead.
But in the end, after this brief moment of shared minds, Martian Manhunter and Captain Marvel left Earth, heading into space.
Beyond the planet's atmosphere, the Skrulls, aboard a Kree cruiser, had been waiting for a long time.
They needed a new home. This time, they would travel alongside J'onn and Carol, searching not only for a habitable planet but also for scattered Skrulls lost across the galaxy.
With a brilliant flash of light from the ship's jump drive, the fleet vanished from the solar system.
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