After Clark experienced that growth, life seemed to return to its normal course and routine.
That afternoon, after school, at Jennifer and Dani's invitation, the three girls went for a walk together around Smallville.
Kara had been living in this town for more than five years and was well acquainted with it. Smallville wasn't large, but it had everything one might need.
First, they went to see a movie, and afterward, they stopped at a fast food restaurant for snacks and drinks. By the time it started getting dark, they had already enjoyed a fun and entertaining time together.
However, they lost track of time, too absorbed in their fun, and when they finally realized it, it was already late. As they left the restaurant, they quickly called their families to let them know they'd be home soon.
In fact, only Kara lived on a farm outside the town, while Jennifer and Dani lived within the village. Since Jennifer had promised that her father would drive Kara home, they dropped Dani off first.
Now, only Kara and Jennifer remained, standing on the street corner, waiting for Jennifer's father to arrive. They chatted about different things—school, the movie they had just seen—completely unaware that three men, clearly drunk, were approaching them.
"Hey, little girl, come have some fun with us," one of the drunken men slurred as he suddenly grabbed Jennifer by the shoulder.
Startled, Jennifer screamed and struggled to break free. It wasn't clear if her scream came from fear or pain, but the drunken man held her tightly.
Kara quickly spun around, her stunning beauty momentarily dazzling the three men. The drunk holding Jennifer loosened his grip, and they all turned their attention to Kara.
Jennifer's expression was conflicted. She didn't know whether to be grateful to Kara for intervening or jealous of how effortlessly beautiful she was. But this was no time for such thoughts. "Kara, be careful!" Jennifer shouted.
The three men exchanged puzzled looks. It seemed they had heard that name before.
Though Kara was surrounded, she felt no fear—just a strong dislike for the stench of alcohol. Wrinkling her nose, she said, "You should really do something about that smell."
Without hesitation, Kara took action.
She refused to remain surrounded. Kara lunged forward, targeting the man directly in front of her. With a swift kick to his chest, she sent him flying several meters. She hadn't used too much force, conscious of not wanting to kill him, but he still lay motionless on the ground. His life wasn't in danger, though.
The other two men stood frozen, stunned by Kara's speed and strength. One stammered, "Wait… I think I've heard about her. People say there's a girl at the high school, someone they call 'the tyrant.' She acts sweet and all, but she's incredibly strong and takes down anyone who bullies others. A lot of guys in town have gotten on her bad side."
Kara had earned quite a reputation over the years, but...
"Who do you think you're calling 'little tyrant'?" Kara asked sharply, her forehead creasing in frustration, though she maintained an unsettling smile that only made her more intimidating.
Jennifer, unable to contain herself, burst into laughter, though she quickly covered her mouth to stop. She wasn't mocking Kara but found it funny how annoyed Kara was by the nickname.
Kara had no idea who had started calling her that, but now she knew it was going around.
"Run!" The two remaining drunks, now sobered up a bit, remembered the rumors and fled immediately.
But Kara wasn't about to let them off so easily. With a blur of motion, she caught up to them.
Moments ago, the men had formed a triangle around her. Now, only two were left trying to escape.
In a flash, Kara grabbed them both by their necks and knocked their heads together with a resounding "bang," knocking them out cold.
Satisfied with her handiwork, Kara clapped her hands and turned to tell Jennifer to stop laughing. But just then, she noticed the first man, the one she'd kicked earlier, was back on his feet, pulling something from inside his jacket.
Kara's sharp eyes quickly identified it: a gun.
"Damn," she muttered. She should've checked for weapons earlier.
At least he's aiming at me, not Jennifer, she thought. That's better.
Before the man could fire, Kara rushed toward him.
"Bang!"
The gunshot echoed through the street, the bullet flying straight toward Kara's face. She saw it coming in slow motion, but there was no need to dodge.
The bullet hit Kara's face with a soft "pop," bouncing off harmlessly. Her skin was impenetrable.
Before the drunken man could react, Kara was upon him, grabbing his arm with a firm grip.
"Crack!"
The man screamed as the bones in his arm shattered under her strength.
Moving behind him, Kara grabbed him by the hair with her left hand, her right hand raised as if preparing for a final blow.
Would she really kill him?