A dry, burning sensation spread through Ethan Drake's eyes.
He could clearly feel the chaotic flow of energy gathering there. The sensation was strange but familiar. After all, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.
Another ability was awakening.
"And this one… is related to my eyes."
Long ago, on a frozen planet, Ethan had stared too long at the endless ice fields. The extreme cold had damaged his eyes, triggering the birth of his freezing ray ability.
Now the situation was different.
The bright sunlight of the solar system flooded Earth with energy, and that radiation was feeding directly into his Kryptonian biology.
His eyes were evolving again.
"Heat Vision," Ethan murmured.
"Or simply… high-temperature rays."
Hum.
The heat building behind his eyes surged rapidly. Unable to suppress it any longer, Ethan lifted his head toward the sky.
A brilliant crimson beam erupted from his gaze.
The red light pierced straight into the heavens like a burning spear, cutting through the air with terrifying intensity.
The sun of this solar system truly was a perfect source of power for Kryptonians.
No wonder Jor-El had insisted on sending his son here.
Ethan couldn't help laughing.
"Jor-El… you really did find a blessed world."
But his demonstration had terrified everyone around him.
Shocked cries rose from every direction as the Amazons stared at him in disbelief.
The crimson beam had already faded, yet the lingering heat still warped the air above the field.
"This…"
Queen Hippolyta's expression changed.
She had lived since the age of the gods. After thousands of years of life, she had seen more wonders than most mortals could imagine.
But she was certain of one thing.
The man standing before them was not Asgardian.
No such being existed among the Norse gods.
"Are you simply here to show off your power?" Hippolyta asked sternly.
The Amazons surrounding her tightened their formation. Though fear had begun creeping into their hearts, their discipline kept them ready for battle.
Ethan smiled faintly.
"It's nothing like that," he replied calmly. "This ability just awakened. I was testing it."
A newly awakened ability?
The Amazons exchanged confused looks.
Despite their skill in battle, they had lived isolated from the modern world for centuries. Without the layers of deception common in human society, many of them possessed a certain straightforward honesty.
They instinctively believed what Ethan said.
Hum.
Suddenly, the air grew hot again.
A burst of flame escaped Ethan's mouth, scattering sparks across the air like a small explosion.
"Still adjusting," he said casually. "It's fine."
He raised an eyebrow as a faint burning sensation lingered in his throat.
Clearly, another ability had just appeared.
Standing beneath the sunlight and open sky, Ethan could feel his entire body responding. Every cell in him vibrated with excitement, absorbing solar radiation like a starving organism.
Under this sunlit sky, his power was steadily rising.
Fighting here would make him even stronger than he already was.
Seeing new abilities appear one after another was not surprising.
In the original invasion of Earth, General Zod had abandoned his armor and exposed himself directly to the sunlight. Within moments, he awakened powers like flight and heat vision.
If Zod could evolve that quickly…
Then Ethan—whose power far exceeded Zod's—naturally experienced an even greater transformation.
"Your body…"
Queen Hippolyta narrowed her eyes.
Her strength allowed her to sense the energy radiating from Ethan. The pressure coming from him was immense—and it was still growing.
The aura surrounding him was overwhelming.
If one observed it carefully, it was comparable to the presence of Zeus himself… perhaps even greater.
Hippolyta knew this because she had personally met the Olympian gods long ago.
Paradise Island existed for a reason.
Thousands of years earlier, the ancient gods had entrusted Hippolyta with a sacred task: to guard this island and keep it hidden from the outside world.
The protective mist surrounding Themyscira was one of the divine gifts left behind by those gods.
And now—
A being even more terrifying than Zeus seemed to be standing before her.
Of course Hippolyta felt fear.
A faint glow still lingered in Ethan's eyes—the dying remnant of his heat vision.
Under that piercing gaze, the Amazon queen felt an inexplicable sense of exposure, as though every secret in her mind had been laid bare.
"You should understand my strength by now," Ethan said calmly.
"If I truly meant to harm you, Paradise Island would already be gone."
His voice remained quiet, but the confidence in it was undeniable.
Hippolyta fell silent.
The Amazons behind her looked furious at first, but when they saw their queen's reaction, they swallowed their protests.
"My arrival here was accidental," Ethan continued. "If the Queen of the Amazons allows it, I would like to rest here for a while."
His body was still undergoing subtle changes. His bones and muscles were adjusting to the energy flowing through him.
It wasn't dangerous, but it would be better to rest briefly while the transformation stabilized.
And honestly—
Was there a better place on Earth to rest than Paradise Island?
Hippolyta pressed her lips together thoughtfully.
After a moment, she nodded.
"Very well."
Avoiding conflict was the wisest choice. Moreover, establishing friendly relations with someone of Ethan's level might prove beneficial in the future.
But just as the decision seemed settled—
A defiant voice rang out from the Amazon ranks.
"Who says the Amazons are helpless?"
"I don't believe it!"
The crowd parted like waves.
A tall, striking woman stepped forward from among the warriors.
Queen Hippolyta frowned immediately.
"Diana. Don't cause trouble."
Ethan's gaze shifted toward the newcomer.
The woman was breathtakingly beautiful, her tall figure radiating both strength and elegance.
Princess Diana.
Ethan blinked in surprise.
Hadn't Diana already left Paradise Island during World War I?
....
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