Vandal Savage revived again.
This time, Jack Kadere saw it clearly. Savage's return wasn't mystical or drawn-out—it was like a body rewinding itself, a grotesque rollback of flesh and bone, restoring him in an instant once the process completed.
From what Jack had observed, the time it took Savage to resurrect after each death seemed consistent. Whether his throat was slit or his entire body blasted into dust, the revival took the same amount of time.
The moment his form solidified once more, Vandal Savage instinctively leapt back, putting several feet between himself and Jack. His eyes narrowed, wariness flickering across his ancient face.
"Shall we talk?" Jack asked casually, a small smile playing on his lips.
Savage's expression shifted several times, his immortal mind working through a thousand calculations. Finally, he chuckled, lowering himself to sit again. "You did that on purpose. All that posturing earlier about refusing to talk, acting as though you didn't care how I revive—those are negotiation tactics. You're just trying to gain the upper hand in this conversation. I believe you are a traveler out of time. If you can help me, I will not hesitate to give you my highest respect."
Jack shook his head slowly. "You're overthinking it. The truth is simpler—I was just too lazy to bother speaking earlier. The fact that I'm stronger than you means I don't have to worry about your thoughts. Surely you can see that."
Whether Savage saw it or not, Valentina certainly did. She had witnessed firsthand how casually Jack treated the immortal warlord. Because Jack was powerful, he simply didn't need to care.
"Besides," Jack continued, twisting the knife with a disarming grin, "if I don't make it clear, you might go around thinking you're the strongest in the world. And we both know that's not true."
Savage's jaw clenched, his pride wounded.
"I've already laid out the terms with him," Jack added, glancing at Valentina. "You don't have to do anything. Don't force a change. Just wait, and events will unfold as they're meant to."
"…Any more questions?"
Savage was silent for a moment before asking, "What is your name?"
"Jack Kadere."
"She's yours then," Savage said at last, nodding toward Valentina. Rising to his feet, he gave Jack a thin smile. "I'll be awaiting your good news."
"No need to see you out," Jack replied casually, waving him off.
Savage departed, but the tension he left behind clung to Valentina.
Had it not been for the earlier… awkward incident between her and Jack, she might have carried on as though nothing had happened. But pride was important, and dignity even more so—especially for a brilliant woman like Valentina. Facing him now felt different, complicated.
Yet Jack seemed unaffected, treating the earlier moment as though it had never happened. He continued chatting with Valentina with his usual charm, alternating between playful politeness—"my dear"—and mock-serious courtesies—"please." The more he leaned into this behavior, the harder it was for her to hold on to her discomfort. Slowly, the embarrassment faded, replaced instead with a growing curiosity about Jack Kadere himself.
After finishing their breakfast, Jack shifted gears. He sat with Valentina and began reviewing physics from the very beginning.
Physics, after all, was the foundation of everything.
Jack didn't intend to master Firestorm's powers for himself—after all, his own abilities allowed him to copy powers with relative ease. What he wanted was understanding. His reasons were twofold: first, to unravel the principles behind Firestorm's nuclear fusion, so he could replicate or counter it whenever necessary; second, to build a foundation for even greater ambitions.
For example—he wanted to create a suit of armor. Not just any armor, but something along the lines of what Tony Stark had built in another universe. The thought of an Iron Man–style suit fascinated him.
If someone in armor attacked him, Jack could instantly copy their abilities. But creating an armored exosuit out of thin air? That was a different matter. Having it versus not having it wasn't just about utility—it was about style. Coolness mattered.
Since he had no pressing battles ahead and no new territories to conquer for the moment, Jack decided it was the perfect time to embrace the role of scholar. Besides, he suspected that while the Protege's ability manifested as Infinite Copying and Infinite Stacking, its true depth might be tied to thought and spirit. Knowledge could only strengthen that foundation.
To put it another way, copying a fascinating ability without having the imagination to use it creatively would be nothing short of lame.
So Jack threw himself into his studies with unusual seriousness.
So, Jack studied seriously and intently. Every day, Valentina taught him the foundations of advanced physics, nuclear theory, and the strange symbiotic principles behind the Firestorm Matrix. His rapid progress left her speechless more than once. She even muttered that he might be a bigger genius than she had ever met.
Thus, Jack's days became filled with study alongside Valentina, while his nights were far less academic—spent battling wits and desires with Kate.
Time slipped by, and before he realized it—three whole months had passed.
"This is incredible," Jack muttered one evening.
He set down the book he was reading on the bed, glancing at Kate, who was leaning over nearby.
"What is?" Kate asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"I didn't think my interest in learning would last this long," Jack said, smiling wryly. "Three months of study, and I'm still at it. With my kind of restless personality, even the most exciting things usually lose their flavor after a few weeks."
Three months of living together had given Kate plenty of insight into Jack's strange nature. She hesitated, then asked softly, "And… what about me?"
"You?" Jack chuckled, eyes glinting. "You've lasted longer than I thought, honestly. Not as fresh as before, sure… but durable. At least now I can read while doing two things at once." He shook the book in his hand with a teasing grin.
Kate's lips tightened slightly, her expression faintly downcast.
"Don't take it too hard," Jack added lazily. "Even the best food gets boring if you eat it every day."
But comfort like that wasn't comforting at all. If anything, it stung more. For Kate, these three months had been the most fulfilling of her existence—shopping in the modern world, serving Jack with complete devotion, and finally, finally feeling a part of this time and place.
Now, she felt a creeping crisis. If she didn't do something, she would lose her place at his side.
So Kate threw herself into finding a purpose. She started spending more time with Valentina. Although she couldn't understand a single equation Valentina scribbled—advanced nuclear formulas and quantum symbols looked like alien writing to her—she listened carefully. She knew one crucial thing: Firestorm wasn't just one person, but two fused together. And since Valentina couldn't complete the fusion on her own, maybe Kate could find another way to make herself indispensable.
At the same time, she secretly began using Valentina's connections to track down news about Dr. Manhattan. Jack had mentioned his interest in him, and although she'd heard whispers that Manhattan no longer walked the Earth, she had to try. She had to do something to stay valuable.
One afternoon, Valentina came back from a meeting, tossing her coat onto the chair. She fixed Kate with a curious look. "There's news about the person you're trying so hard to find."
Kate's eyes flickered. "Then… will you tell me what you know?"
"First tell me why you're looking for him," Valentina pressed, her brows furrowing.
Instead of answering directly, Kate whispered, "Do you want to become Firestorm?"
Valentina froze, her expression stiffening. "…You know about that?"
Kate nodded, her gaze steady. "You help me now, and when the time comes, I'll help you too."
Valentina frowned, caught off guard by the seriousness in Kate's eyes. She didn't understand the full meaning, but the intensity of that look told her this wasn't an idle bargain. Kate wasn't playing games.
For Jack Kadere, things were about to get much more interesting..