Kaius estimated the odds to be about eighty or ninety percent correct. After all, very few people could pull off something like this at a time like this.
Meanwhile, Jor-Lar the Destroyer, after another round of frantic cell division, had grown noticeably larger—and, unsurprisingly, uglier.
"Roar!"
With a furious swipe of his arm, Jor-Lar sent a powerful blow toward Kaius. Kaius raised his hands to block, but the impact was immense.
Bang!
Kaius's body was hurled through the air and smashed into a building behind him.
Jor-Lar the Destroyer prepared to leap after him, but Diana sprang into action. She pulled out the Lasso of Truth, binding Jor-Lar's leg and yanking with all her strength. The maneuver forced Jor-Lar to the ground.
Using the recoil to her advantage, Diana leaped forward and slashed with her sword. However, Jor-Lar's warrior instincts kicked in. He narrowly dodged the attack and countered with a swift elbow strike.
Diana blocked the blow with her shield, steadying herself. Wielding her sword in her right hand, she thrust forward once more.
The two engaged in an intense melee, their strikes and counters blurring together in a deadly dance. They were evenly matched, exchanging blows in rapid succession.
Kaius, recovering from the rubble of the building, re-entered the fray. Spotting a streetlamp, he wrenched it free from the ground and charged at Jor-Lar.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The clash between the three warriors intensified, their attacks shaking the ground. After a chaotic battle, the street lay in ruins.
The destruction was absolute. Cars were crushed like tin cans, some embedded in walls, while others were shattered into pieces. The few remaining pedestrians had fled, leaving only a small police contingent stationed hundreds of meters away, desperately calling for backup.
"This is the Metropolitan Police Department calling for armed helicopters. Repeat. Armed helicopters are urgently needed. An extremely dangerous monster is wreaking havoc. Twelfth through Thirty-Fourth Streets are completely destroyed. Heavy firepower support required!"
News of the Metropolis incident quickly made national headlines. A terrifying monster had appeared, and two unidentified heroes were battling it in the middle of the city.
While the U.S. government acted swiftly to control the narrative and minimize public panic, the truth still spread across the internet.
In the Seventh Military District, General Lane convened an emergency meeting after receiving the Metropolitan Police Department's distress call.
Suddenly, the phone in the high-level conference room rang.
The secretary glanced at the caller ID and turned to General Lane with a solemn expression. "It's the President. He's calling about the situation in Metropolis."
General Lane sighed, rubbing his temples. The last thing he wanted was a call from the President right now. But ignoring it wasn't an option.
Picking up the receiver, he said, "Hello, Mr. President… Yes, sir, I'm aware of the situation… No, sir, we couldn't have anticipated this. You've seen the footage—it's a monster, not a monster! … No, no evidence of biochemical testing… Yes, sir, I'll dispatch gunships immediately to neutralize the threat!"
After offering repeated assurances, the President hung up with a curt tone.
A senior officer in the meeting smirked. "What's gotten into the President? Isn't he usually more interested in leisure than military operations? Why the sudden involvement?"
"If the President hears you, you'll be retiring early," General Lane snapped. Then, turning to his staff, he barked, "Deploy Eagle One, Two, and Three immediately. Arm them with heavy weapons. Their orders are to eliminate the Metropolis threat at all costs!"
A subordinate hesitated. "General, reports indicate that two volunteers are assisting in the fight. Should we…"
"Destroy them all!" General Lane interrupted firmly, slamming his fist on the table. The secretary relayed his orders without question.
Within minutes, three armed fighter jets—Eagle One, Two, and Three—were airborne, speeding toward Metropolis.
"Eagle One, Two, Three, this is Command. Be advised: the target is extremely dangerous. Authorization granted for the use of large-scale destructive weapons. Priority is the total annihilation of the target. Proceed with caution."
General Lane was in the war room, closely monitoring the situation as he directed the three fighter pilots on their mission.
Soon, the pilots responded over the radio, "Roger that. We're approaching the target and ready for engagement!"
The once-bustling streets of the Metropolis were now eerily empty, devoid of any sign of life.
But in the next moment—
Boom!
A fiery red beam of heat vision suddenly tore through the middle of the street.
The ground cracked open, as if a massive chainsaw had split it in half.
Crack!
Within seconds, the crack expanded into a massive crater, carved out by two figures crashing down with incredible force.
The surrounding walls trembled under the impact, splintering into webs of fractures.
Unsurprisingly, it was Kaius and Jor-Lar the Destroyer locked in battle.
Despite his overwhelming power, Kaius fought carefully, mindful of the civilians still trapped in nearby buildings. He worked tirelessly to contain the fight and protect them from harm.
"Die!"
Kaius slammed Jor-Lar into the crater with immense force. His eyes flared red, and twin beams of searing heat vision shot directly at Jor-Lar's chest.
The target: Jor-Lar the Destroyer's heart.
Kaius aimed to obliterate it in one decisive strike.
"Roar! Roar!"
Jor-Lar howled in rage, his darkened hand shooting out to grip Kaius's throat.
The two clashed again, locked in a deadly grapple, each pouring their full strength into the struggle.
"Arghhh!"
Kaius roared, pouring all his energy into his heat vision. The intensity of the beams doubled, nearly draining his reserves.
The effort paid off—Jor-Lar's hardened skin began to char, revealing the grotesque, dark tissue beneath.
From the shattered windows of nearby buildings, terrified onlookers dared to peer out. Some even pulled out their phones, capturing footage of the desperate fight.
Silently, everyone prayed for Kaius to prevail, to stop this monstrous creature and end the destruction.
Just as Kaius's heat vision was about to penetrate Jor-Lar's heart, the beast roared again. With a burst of inhuman strength, Jor-Lar grabbed Kaius with both hands, tightening his grip around his neck.
"Roar! Roar!"
Jor-Lar's monstrous hands squeezed tighter, threatening to snap Kaius's neck. Then, with brutal force, Jor-Lar hurled Kaius to the ground and delivered a series of devastating punches to his midsection.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Kaius's body absorbed the blows, his vision blurring. Even as he fought to stay conscious, his heat vision flared intermittently, its energy near overload.
Jor-Lar, however, showed no signs of fatigue. His wounds healed almost instantly, and each regeneration seemed to make him stronger.
Kaius had lost count of how many times he had burned, battered, and broken Jor-Lar, only for the monster to recover and grow even more formidable.
"Is this guy invincible?"
Kaius's mind raced, his body weary. Even the small shard of Kryptonite he carried—his secret weapon—had little effect. It wasn't useless, but its size was far too small to deal the decisive blow.
Jor-Lar the Destroyer's resemblance to Doomsday was undeniable, and his relentless assault seemed unstoppable.
Kaius gritted his teeth. He was exhausted, running on fumes, but fleeing wasn't an option.
Not until this monster was defeated. Not until everything—and everyone—was safe.