At this moment, whether people were shocked, skeptical, or even mocking—
deep down, every single one of them was experiencing powerful emotions toward Lucas.
For many in America, he was a symbol of pride.
Were there superheroes in comics who saved the world?
Yes.
And now, one stood before them in reality.
On screens across the continent, another awe-inspiring scene unfolded.
Lucas was indeed using his immense mental power, channeling his ki as a medium to compress and condense the surrounding atmosphere.
When air is compressed to a sufficient density, it can flatten steel.
As the massive "golden air brick" descended, pressure differentials began forming across the ground below.
It was like throwing a ball at someone's face—
what you feel first isn't the ball itself, but the compressed air pushed forward by its momentum.
Because the construct itself was made of condensed air, there was no violent friction, no blazing heat.
But the force generated by its sheer mass and pressure was real.
Below, the ground reacted instantly.
Soil and shattered debris were blasted upward. Dust clouds erupted in all directions.
If that massive block of compressed atmosphere fully struck the surface unchecked, the entire Los Angeles basin would be flattened.
Then—
Lucas's eyes flickered with faint golden light.
The previously smooth surface of the "air brick" began to shift.
Bulges and depressions formed across it, reshaping into something resembling an enormous mold.
This transformation was based on the terrain and foundational schematics Phastos had previously provided. Using precise ki control, Lucas had shaped the atmospheric construct accordingly.
Originally, this maneuver had not been part of his plan.
But when Governor Gavin questioned his methods, Lucas improvised.
After the super earthquake, Los Angeles had become a landscape of uneven craters, collapsed ridges, and fractured earth.
Restoring and leveling terrain alone would deter even the world's largest construction conglomerates.
Lucas had no doubt that Phastos possessed technological solutions.
But this—
This would be faster.
The "golden mold" was now less than one hundred meters from the ground.
Even raised hills and fractured ridgelines were encompassed within its vast coverage.
Everyone watching held their breath.
Then—
The golden construct struck.
A deafening roar erupted.
It was as though an enormous bronze bell had been struck between sky and earth.
The sound reverberated across the sky.
A visible shockwave exploded outward, carrying vast waves of dust in every direction.
It resembled a Saharan sandstorm—
overwhelming and apocalyptic.
Suddenly—
Lucas opened his palm.
The raging dust storm froze mid-surge, as if seized by an invisible hand.
Then he clenched his fist.
The storm reversed.
Like time flowing backward, the expanding dust clouds recoiled inward at tremendous speed.
Viewers erupted in disbelief:
"Oh my God—did he just manipulate time?!"
"This is divine intervention!"
"It's like watching a Hollywood blockbuster!"
"This violates physics entirely!"
"Air has mass! The kinetic energy from that compression should have been catastrophic!"
"Newton is rolling in his grave!"
But Lucas was not bending time.
He was manipulating air pressure gradients—
converting the expansion center into a vacuum absorption point.
Finally, he tightened his fist.
At the epicenter, gravity-like force intensified.
Dust and debris from thousands of square kilometers were compressed into a single focal point.
When the haze cleared—
A sphere remained.
Over one meter in diameter.
Its surface shimmered faintly with metallic luster under the sunlight.
Everyone knew what they were looking at:
The compressed remnants of a dust storm spanning thousands of square kilometers.
Its weight had to be unimaginable.
Then—
The sphere fell.
With a terrifying whistling tear through the air, it dropped toward the earth.
But with a flick of Lucas's finger, it halted midair.
With another motion, it shot off into the distance, carried away.
Below—
Governor Gavin and the reporters stared in stunned silence.
Where moments ago there had been fractured terrain, collapsed foundations, jagged fissures, and ruin—
Now stood a perfectly leveled, compacted foundational platform spanning thousands of square kilometers.
It wasn't just flattened.
It was structured.
Engineered.
Prepared.
Reactions flooded live broadcasts:
"I don't even know what to say anymore."
"Mom, I'm kneeling in front of the TV because I just saw God."
"This cannot be something a human can do."
Cameras zoomed in on Lucas.
Across America—and beyond—millions of devout viewers fell to their knees before their screens.
Lucas looked down at the newly formed foundation and gave a slight nod of satisfaction.
Using an "atmospheric hammer" to forge a continental-scale base in one strike—
On this planet, only he could accomplish such a feat.
He flew toward Gavin's helicopter.
"Well, Governor," Lucas asked calmly,
"Do I qualify now?"
Gavin answered immediately, reverence evident in his voice:
"If you are not qualified, then no one on this planet is."
To him, this had been nothing short of a miracle.
Lucas smiled faintly.
"My company's teams will take over from here."
"All contractual matters can be discussed with my company's president. He has full authority to represent me."
"My conditions remain unchanged."
Gavin nodded rapidly.
"Of course. We will forward all necessary documents to your office immediately."
"Then there's nothing more for me to do here."
Lucas transmitted the entire scene to Phastos through his personal terminal, informing him that he had already resolved one major obstacle.
Moments later, his aura erupted.
He accelerated beyond escape velocity, soaring into the upper atmosphere.
"Los Angeles no longer requires my attention," he murmured.
"What remains is to wait for the city to rise."
He lifted his gaze toward space.
Darkness stretched endlessly.
Yet scattered across it were brilliant galaxies, blazing stars, and distant quasars—each radiating its own light into the void.
....
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