> "Th-this feeling…"
Silver Swan stared down at her trembling hands, unable to believe what she was seeing—what she was feeling.
Power—pure, searing, intoxicating power—poured through her veins like molten metal. Every heartbeat thundered in her ears, every muscle vibrated with strength she'd never imagined possible.
The No. 1 Serum…
Was it really this potent?
Her whole body was on fire, yet it felt good. Her vision sharpened until she could see every ripple in the clouds. Even the air currents brushing against her feathers seemed to move in slow motion.
For the first time in her life, she felt like a true war goddess—untouchable, almighty, divine.
Right now, she genuinely believed she could crush Diana herself.
Of course, she wasn't naïve. Anyone who'd ever handled Poison Doctor's creations knew—if the power came this easily, the price would be monstrous.
But in that moment, drunk on her newfound strength, Silver Swan didn't care.
All that mattered was the thrill of it—the impossible sense of limitless power.
---
Whoosh!
Her figure blurred and vanished, streaking through the sky like a silver comet.
Alex's heat vision carved through the air a split second too late.
The serum had multiplied her speed tenfold; even the sound of her wings cracked like thunder.
She steadied herself mid-air, eyes burning with arrogance.
> "Alex, you think I'm afraid of you just because you're overbearing?"
"You have no idea what kind of power I possess now!"
Her words rang out like a challenge hurled at a god.
Then she dove.
Wings flaring, energy trailing in her wake, she tore through the night sky toward him.
But arrogance and adrenaline couldn't change reality.
BOOM!
A single punch.
It hit like the wrath of the heavens.
The shockwave blew the clouds apart.
Silver Swan's body folded around Alex's fist—then rocketed backward faster than she'd charged forward.
CRACK!
The sound of shattering ribs echoed in the wind. Her armor warped inward; her chest caved grotesquely.
Dozens of bones—gone.
Her organs—reduced to pulp.
Blood sprayed behind her like a red mist.
She never hit the ground. Alex merely extended a hand.
Invisible telekinetic force wrapped around her body, freezing her mid-air.
Silver Swan dangled there like a broken doll, eyes wide with disbelief and terror.
> "Impossible…! That's impossible!"
She could feel the serum's power raging inside her—five times stronger, maybe more.
She should have been unstoppable, able to crush Diana like an insect.
So why—why couldn't she even move against Alex?
What kind of monster was this man?
What was he?
Unfortunately for her, she'd never get an answer.
Alex's right hand tightened slightly.
Her pupils constricted.
> "No—!"
BOOM!
Her scream ended in a burst of red light.
Her body detonated mid-air, torn apart by sheer telekinetic force.
Chunks of flesh, metal, and feathers rained down from the night sky.
---
A sharp sonic boom followed—Alex was gone.
The next instant, he was standing before Selina once more.
> "Told you," he said casually, brushing dust from his coat.
"They were just begging to die."
Catwoman glanced down at Dr. Neuro's corpse, unbothered, her lips curling faintly.
> "They never learn, do they?"
With Alex beside her, there was nothing to fear.
Everyone who'd ever crossed him ended up the same way—obliterated.
No exceptions.
> "Selina," Alex murmured, sliding an arm around her waist,
"let's go home."
Whoosh!
In a blur of wind and light, the two vanished into the sky.
---
Back at the Penthouse
The instant their feet touched the marble floor, Alex's expression darkened.
> "How many times have I told you," he said quietly, voice edged with steel,
"if there's danger—call me. Why didn't you?"
His tone wasn't angry so much as commanding—a warning laced with genuine concern.
Despite Alex having long since crushed Gotham's underworld into submission, this was still Gotham, a city where lunatics bred like rats.
There would always be another fool willing to die just to test him.
And beyond that… Gotham was only temporary.
He wouldn't be here forever.
What would happen to Selina then?
He'd chosen her—
which meant her safety was his responsibility.
> "Why are you so mad?" Selina muttered, shrinking a little under his gaze.
"I'm fine, aren't I?"
Normally she would've teased him, brushed it off with a smirk.
But right now, his sheer presence was overwhelming—like standing too close to a thunderstorm.
> "No excuses," Alex said flatly. "Once is enough. There won't be a next time."
He flicked her forehead, just hard enough to make her yelp.
> "Got it!" she said quickly, rubbing the spot and pouting.
The scolding faded as his eyes softened.
He sighed, reaching out to ruffle her hair.
> "You're lucky I got there in time."
Then, quieter—more to himself:
> "I need to make you stronger."
Selina blinked. "Stronger?"
Alex didn't answer, but the thought had already rooted itself.
Her current skills were enough for Gotham… but not for what lay ahead.
Sooner or later, he'd be facing the heavyweights of this world—gods, monsters, heroes, demons.
When that day came, Selina couldn't be his weakness.
He would make sure of it.
But that could wait.
For now, the DC world was still calm.
Batman had only been active for half a year.
Superman hadn't even appeared yet—Clark Kent was still just a mild-mannered journalist in Smallville.
There was time.
A rare luxury.
> "Selina, I've got some business to take care of," Alex said at last.
She tilted her head. "Business? Or another massacre?"
He smiled faintly. "Depends who's waiting for me."
Then he was gone.
---
Somewhere Far Away
Alex's super-hearing unfolded across the continent, washing over cities, states, and oceans like a silent tide.
Every whisper of his name, every report, every frightened murmur—he caught them all.
Mentions of Silver Swan.
Mentions of Dr. Neuro.
Mentions of Alex.
He traced them effortlessly, pinpointing the Crime Syndicate's movements.
> "Found you," he murmured.
But he didn't move yet. Something else had caught his attention.
Through the noise, a different conversation surfaced—one layered deep in a hidden base.
> "Enough about Alex," said a cold, commanding voice.
"Let's discuss the Themyscira Invasion Plan. I think… the time is finally right."
Alex's eyes narrowed.
Themyscira.
The island of gods and warriors.
A land sealed from the mortal world, brimming with divine relics.
He already knew what it contained:
artifacts blessed by Olympus itself—
and something far more valuable.
The Mother Box.
A relic of cosmic technology, older than humanity, capable of warping space and rewriting reality.
If the Syndicate planned to take it…
then he would beat them to it.
He smiled—slow, predatory.
> "Themyscira, huh? Sounds like fun."
And with that thought, he blurred into the night,
the air cracking in his wake.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For 60 advanced chapters, visit my Patreon:
Patreon - Twilight_scribe1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~