"Diana?" Kate gasped, caught off guard.
"It's Number 3," Jack Kadere muttered as he leapt off the dock. His eyes narrowed.
"It seems Diana is in trouble," Kate turned to Laura quickly. "Stay on the ship, Valentina. We'll handle this."
"Why? Where even is this? I want to go back to the Soviet Union—back to my time!" Valentina shouted, her voice trembling.
"You don't get a vote!" Kate snapped. Without hesitation, she struck Valentina, forcing their fusion into Firestorm.
Flames erupted instantly, wrapping them both in incandescent fire as Firestorm soared into the sky and landed at Jack's side.
"Kate? You… how did you become like this?" Diana asked, shock flashing across her face at the sight of the flaming nuclear hero. Even she, who had seen countless wonders, could not hide her surprise.
Jack suddenly chuckled. "Pfft…"
The laugh drew every eye on the battlefield.
"Are you all having a family reunion?" Jack gestured toward the group that had gathered around Diana. There were two men and two women, each distinct in appearance. One rugged man held a baby in his arms. Beside him stood a woman in casual jeans, T-shirt, and plaid shirt—plain, yet resolute. The other was striking: a blonde woman with her hair pinned up, wearing a rose-colored strapless dress, regal in every sense.
"Let's see… rugged guy, that'd be Lennox, right? One of Zeus's bastard children. And you—" Jack tilted his head toward the plaid-shirted woman—"you're another one of Zeus's little accidents, aren't you? You had a kid with him—Zeeke, if I'm remembering right."
His gaze shifted to the noblewoman. "Tsk tsk. Now here comes the star of the show. Queen Hera herself. One of the Olympians. You outrank everyone here, don't you? I think I even told Eris once that I wanted to sleep with you. Ring any bells?"
Hera's expression tightened, though she said nothing.
Jack smirked and turned toward another pair across the dock.
The man towered over everyone, easily seven feet tall, shirtless, with a savage build, primitive armor strapped across his body, a scarred cloak trailing behind him. A jagged sword rested in his massive hands, gleaming faintly in the moonlight. His body was a map of old battles and slaughter. The woman beside him was far more understated: a hood pulled over her head, her jacket ordinary—but her throat shone with cold metal.
"Firstborn," Jack said, savoring the name. "The first son of Zeus and Hera. Destined to climb over the corpses of the gods to take the throne of Olympus. And with him—Cassandra. A demigod once blessed with the power of the Word. But her dear brother Lennox ripped her throat out, didn't he? Left her with a mechanical replacement instead."
Jack listed their names and fates like he was reciting from his own private collection, before finally locking eyes with Diana. "So… how did you get mixed up with this circus? Where's Donna?"
"Donna… she—" Diana faltered, glancing instinctively at Hera before answering, her tone heavy. "After I parted ways with you, Donna returned to Themyscira. But Hera cursed the island. Every Amazon, even Donna, was turned into a snake. My mother… she was turned into stone."
"Then why didn't you kill her?" Jack asked flatly, jerking his thumb toward Hera.
"I can't," Diana said, her voice strained. "Apollo sits on Zeus's throne now. He stripped Hera of her godhood, made her mortal. I need her alive if I'm to undo what was done to my sisters and my mother."
Diana hesitated, her eyes flicking toward Jack with sudden hope. "But… you could…"
Jack simply pointed over his shoulder to the Disciple docked at the pier, saying nothing. Diana's expression darkened instantly. She understood his answer.
"Enough!" Cassandra suddenly barked, stepping forward. "Give me my brother back."
"You wish!" Diana's voice rang with steel.
"Then we fight," Firstborn growled, his voice like rolling thunder. "Starting with him. I'll kill each one of you and reclaim my birthright!"
Lennox gently handed the baby to the plaid-shirted woman. He cracked his knuckles and stepped forward, meeting Firstborn's bloodthirsty glare.
"I've been waiting for this moment," Lennox said with a sharp grin.
The two titans collided.
Bang!
Firstborn's punch connected first, smashing into Lennox's face and staggering him back. Lennox recovered quickly, readying another strike—
—but the blade was faster.
A flash of silver tore through the air. Firstborn's massive sword carved across Lennox's throat in one brutal motion.
Thud.
His head hit the ground. The stone-like body collapsed next to it, hardening fully as his demigod essence faded.
"Lennox!" Diana cried out, her eyes burning with fury. She hadn't expected First Born to cut him down so quickly. Lennox might not have wielded vast power like other demigods, but his body was harder than stone—something even gods hesitated to face head-on. Yet now, in an instant… gone.
Her silver bracelets flared with divine energy, and with a burst of light, twin swords formed in her hands. With a shout, Wonder Woman hurled herself at First Born, colliding with him like a cannonball.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as sword met sword, godly might clashing in a furious storm.
Jack Kadere, watching from the sidelines, arched a brow. "Is this Hephaestus's work? Looks like Diana got an upgrade." He smirked, then turned toward Hera, standing not far away. "So, Queen of the Gods turned mortal… how does that feel?"
Hera's lips curled in disdain. "Not good," she admitted through clenched teeth.
"You've only yourself to blame," sneered a woman nearby, her voice sharp with venom.
"You dare—" Hera snapped, glaring daggers. "You wretched creature, what did you just call me?"
"You heard me. You're the wretched one!" The insults flew back and forth, their anger threatening to boil into another fight entirely if not for the looming danger.
Meanwhile, Kate's eyes followed Diana's duel with thinly veiled excitement. "This First Born is incredible… shouldn't we help her?" she asked Jack, eager to test her strength against such an opponent.
Jack chuckled. "Help if you want, but don't expect to survive. First Born isn't just strong—he's the strongest of the Old Gods. Even Zeus himself never surpassed him. Imagine seven thousand years of rage and torment, clawing out from the heart of the earth, inch by inch. That's what forged him."
His tone dropped, heavy with respect and warning. "The Nameless God. The Devourer of Souls. The true God-Slayer."
Kate's expression tightened. Her eagerness faltered, and instead she leaned toward Valentina, quietly sharing what little knowledge she had of First Born.
Hera, however, looked sharply at Jack. "How do you know so much?"
He smiled faintly. "I also know you'll get your power back soon—unless something… interferes."
"What interference?" Hera asked quickly, suspicion and hope in her voice.
"My mood," Jack said dryly.
Hera's eyes widened in outrage. But when she saw he wasn't joking, her fury gave way to nervous silence. With a huff, she changed the subject. "Aren't you going to help Diana? She's practically your ally—more than that, isn't she?"
Jack tilted his head, amused. "Tell me, Kate—if I asked Diana to pose for photos, would she agree?"
Kate hesitated. "With her pride? …I doubt it."
"Exactly," Jack said with a shrug, watching the clash between Amazon and god with a lazy smile. "Then let's wait and see."