However, soon Kaius thought of another question. Did this girl even know the way?
She had no idea where the gangster was!
A girl who had lived like a goddess just hours ago had suddenly run into a modern human city. Who knew what extraordinary or chaotic things she might do?
With that, Oliver went after the robbers, while Kaius dashed out to find Diana.
Outside Star City's Fifth Ring Road, it was already late, and traffic had thinned significantly. A white truck roared down the road, the accelerator pushed to its limit. The whistling wind accompanied its reckless sprint.
The most noticeable feature of this truck wasn't its speed but the fact that its cab's side door was missing. Judging by the jagged edges of the opening, something—or someone—had forcibly ripped it off.
This truck was driven by a gangster who had just robbed Queen Enterprises. Felicity had analyzed the vehicle's trajectory and predicted its route, enabling Oliver to intercept it on his motorcycle.
"I've got you!"
Facing the oncoming truck, Oliver didn't hesitate. He fired an arrow equipped with a tethered rope at the vehicle, latching onto it securely. Without a moment's pause, he vaulted onto the truck's roof.
Inside the cab, the driver swerved the steering wheel wildly, trying to throw Oliver off.
But Oliver was no stranger to such tactics. Steadying himself with practiced ease, he maneuvered into the cab, pulling out another arrow and aiming it at the driver.
"It's over! You've lost!"
"Think again!"
The driver didn't even flinch. Without warning, he launched a powerful punch at Oliver.
The punch, though seemingly casual, carried immense force. Oliver crossed his arms to block, but the impact sent him hurtling backward, smashing through the truck's already-missing door.
Luckily, his earlier encounter with Diana—where her kick had fractured two of his ribs—had toughened him. Though the blow was jarring, he managed to endure it without serious injury.
He landed on the road, cushioning his fall with the shattered truck door. After skidding to a stop, he pressed the earpiece in his ear and reported, "Green Arrow to Watchtower. The operation failed… Cough…"
Moments later, Felicity's voice crackled through the headset. "Acknowledged. The Watchtower reports that the Avengers have located Wonder Woman. They're headed your way and will rendezvous with you soon."
Kaius quickly found Diana. That was no surprise—his super-vision and super-hearing made it trivial. Flying high above the city, he scanned the streets until he spotted Diana, who had already changed into her Wonder Woman armor.
For him, finding her was easy.
For Oliver, however, Felicity's earlier message was puzzling. They'll rendezvous with me soon?
Sure, Diana and Kaius were fast. But catching up to a speeding truck? That seemed far-fetched. By the time they arrived, the gangsters would be long gone.
"I repeat," Oliver muttered into his earpiece, "the operation failed. I'm preparing to—"
Before he could finish, a deafening sonic boom tore through the air.
Looking up, Oliver saw a black dot rapidly approaching from the sky.
What on earth is that?
A bird of prey? A jet?
No—it was Kaius, carrying Diana in his arms!
Oliver's face turned a shade of green. He'd come to terms with the idea of superhuman strength. He'd even accepted that some people could live for thousands of years, or jump 20 meters effortlessly.
But flying through the sky? That was pushing it.
Kaius zipped through the air with Diana, the sheer force of their approach whipping the wind around Oliver, leaving him utterly disheveled.
In fact, Kaius was afraid of saying too much at once and frightening these fragile mortals, so he kept his explanation brief, revealing only a small part of the truth and saying almost nothing about his abilities.
After catching up with the truck mid-air, Kaius dropped Diana directly onto the ground and then landed himself with a crash, blocking the truck's path.
When a man dressed in black tights suddenly appeared in front of the van, the gangsters in the vehicle smirked and kept driving straight toward Kaius, not even slowing down. It seemed as though they could already envision him being crushed into a pulp beneath the wheels.
"Kaius, be careful! Run!"
Oliver, watching the scene unfold, struggled to his feet despite his pain. Instinctively, he reached for his bow and aimed at the truck's tires, but he quickly realized it was too far away. The arrows wouldn't reach in time to stop the vehicle.
A moment later, the truck collided with Kaius.
Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear watching. A pang of regret surged through him.
Rumble!
A loud crash echoed through the air, forcing Oliver to open his eyes. The scene before him left him stunned.
The speeding truck had hit Kaius as though colliding with a steel pillar. The entire front end crumpled like an accordion, its tail lifting into the air from the force of inertia. The truck tumbled and rolled dozens of meters down the road before finally coming to a stop.
"Oh... my god! What just happened?"
Oliver stood frozen, his mind unable to process the sight before him. What could possibly cause such catastrophic damage to a truck?
And then he saw Kaius. He was still standing in the middle of the road, exactly where he had been before the collision. He hadn't moved an inch.
Oliver's mouth twitched uncontrollably at the sight.
From the wreckage of the truck, a man who had been injected with Mirakuru let out a guttural growl. He tore apart the remains of the vehicle and stepped onto the road, glaring at Kaius.
The fortified man had survived the impact, his enhanced body withstanding the crash.
Diana charged at him without hesitation, her fist aimed directly at his face.
"Little girl, are you looking for death?"
The gangster, brimming with irritation and completely ignoring the overturned truck, extended his hand to grab Diana. He planned to take her hostage, ensuring his escape.
But the moment his face met Diana's fist, he realized how wrong he was.
With a resounding bang, the man crumpled to the ground, his body bending at a perfect 90-degree angle. His head slammed into the concrete with such force that the road cracked beneath him.
Kaius, not one to be outdone, approached the fallen gangster. Though Diana had already neutralized him, Kaius landed a few controlled punches, ensuring the fortified man injected with Mirakuru would regret standing up again anytime soon.
Oliver stood at a distance, completely dumbfounded.
This was a man strengthened by Mirakuru, capable of lifting two tons with ease.
And yet, here they were, beating him as if he were some ordinary thug.
"Hey... could you give me a chance to shine once in a while?" Oliver muttered under his breath, utterly exasperated.