Chapter 104 (edited)

In order to avoid being discovered and to take care of their adoptive father, Jonathan, Kara and Clark would only visit this uninhabited, mysterious island at night, even though it served as their hidden base.

It wasn't the first time they had been here, but typically, they played for a while before leaving.

Tonight was different. They had engaged in a less intense contest than usual—though still terrifying by human standards—which had led to unexpected events.

As Kara and Clark prepared to leave, a group of dark shadows began moving stealthily toward them under the cover of night.

Suddenly, Kara turned her head sharply.

Thanks to her super vision, Kara could see clearly even in the darkest depths of the ocean. Now, she observed an ugly and bizarre creature approaching them. The beings were humanoid but resembled some sort of fish more than anything else.

They were not only hideous but also terrifying. Their hands were clawed, sharp fins protruded from their shoulders and arms, and their backs displayed jagged, fin-like structures reminiscent of a saber-toothed dragon.

The moment these creatures realized Kara had spotted them, they opened their grotesque mouths and let out ear-piercing, inhuman shrieks. They quickened their pace, rushing toward the siblings.

Kara frowned.

Clark noticed the approaching creatures and quickly asked, "What are those?"

Kara shook her head without answering. Her eyes narrowed, releasing a brilliant blue heat vision ray that streaked toward the monsters.

Clark mirrored his sister's reaction. Hovering beside her, his eyes began to glow red before unleashing bright, fiery heat rays in another direction. Together, the siblings floated side by side, their combined heat vision carving through the attackers like lasers.

Clark's heat vision reached temperatures of hundreds of degrees, while Kara's was close to fifteen hundred degrees—powerful enough to instantly reduce the monstrous creatures to molten remains. With their precise aim, they efficiently eliminated every target.

"They chose the wrong people to mess with," Kara sneered, her tone laced with confidence. While she may have recognized the origin of these monsters, she dismissed any concern, treating them as insignificant threats.

What Kara didn't voice was the creatures' connection to humanity. These beings were remnants of the Atlanteans—the Trench People—who had lost their humanity and reason, degenerating into monstrous predators.

Kara quickly pieced together the mystery of this island. It was located within Trench territory, which explained its eerie isolation.

For ordinary humans, encountering these Trench creatures would mean terror or certain death. For Kara and Clark, however, the creatures were nothing more than an inconvenience, wiped out in moments.

When no more creatures emerged from the sea, the siblings finally ceased their attacks, their heat vision fading.

Clark hovered above the remains, using his super vision to examine the creatures' bodies. His expression turned to one of shock.

"Kara," he said, "these things… they're human, aren't they?"

Clark's microscopic vision confirmed it. Despite their grotesque appearance, the Trench People still retained human genetic structures, remnants of their Atlantean and human lineage.

Kara glanced at her brother. "Let's go. They might carry some kind of disease. Come home with me."

Clark hesitated.

"What is it now?" Kara asked impatiently.

"We… we killed them," Clark said, clearly troubled. "If they were human—"

Kara cut him off with a sharp look. "Clark, listen to me. If you follow the theory of evolution, everything on this planet came from the same single-cell ancestor. Does that mean you feel bad every time you eat beef? Or chicken? Studies even suggest that plants feel pain. Do you feel guilty eating carrots or potatoes?"

She continued, her voice firm but tinged with exasperation. "We make these distinctions between meat and vegetables, but in the end, we're taking lives to survive. Humans are no exception. We just happen to be at the top of the food chain."

Clark looked unconvinced, but Kara pressed on. "Those creatures wanted to kill us, Clark. They weren't going to hesitate. If you're feeling guilty, then maybe this place isn't for you. But don't come crying to me when you start second-guessing yourself while they're trying to rip you apart."

Her tone softened slightly. "Come on. Let's go home."

Clark sighed but followed his sister.

Despite her words, Kara felt a flicker of unease. She didn't want to turn this into a philosophical debate, nor did she want Clark to become cynical like her. Jonathan had always hoped Clark would grow into a symbol of hope—a savior for humanity.

Kara, however, saw herself differently. She wasn't bound by the same ideals. Her methods and beliefs were more extreme, driven by pragmatism rather than ideals of morality.

Even so, she couldn't bring herself to burden Clark with her views. For now, it was enough to know he was safe.

As they flew away from the island, Kara glanced back at the dark waters below. The Trench People were a reminder of how fragile humanity could be—and how dangerous it was to underestimate the unknown.