Invincible Isn't Just Something You Say

The fishing docks had become a wreck.

The entire dock was submerged beneath water deeper than a person was tall. More than a dozen fishing boats that had been moored there lay capsized at every angle, while planks, life rings, and other buoyant gear littered the water.

The water reached Deep Sea King's calves as he walked toward Starlight, one step at a time.

Starlight stood atop a shipping container, gasping for breath.

She had already dropped out of her fighting stance. The waves that had battered her one after another had left her exhausted. Even the gold had faded from her eyes, leaving them looking normal again.

Deep Sea King was surprised by Starlight's resilience, but there was one thing he could not understand.

If she had no chance of winning, why not surrender or look for a way to escape? Why insist on fighting to the end?

Such pointless resistance was foolish.

She could have used the crashing waves as cover to flee. He would have hunted her down, of course, but at least she would have had some chance of surviving.

If he were in her place, he would have tried, however slim that chance might be.

Yet Deep Sea King had never seen the slightest hint of retreat in Starlight's eyes, even now that she had reached the end of her rope.

Deep Sea King stopped in front of Starlight, his expression sour.

He had staged this grand spectacle while toying with his prey so he could savor her despair, not watch her die on her feet.

He could not stand the thought of her choosing a hero's death.

Deep Sea King grabbed Starlight by the head and lifted her into the air.

All he had to do was squeeze, and Starlight's beautiful head would burst before his eyes.

Starlight met his gaze without a trace of fear.

"Why?" Deep Sea King asked, baffled. "Why won't you beg me for mercy?"

"Beg me, and perhaps I'll let you live," Deep Sea King coaxed.

Of course, he had no intention of sparing Starlight.

He was only waiting for her to believe him. The moment she begged, Deep Sea King would crush her skull.

Killing her was not enough. He wanted to break her spirit first.

Deep Sea King enjoyed games that tested human nature. He was not human himself, but he understood it well.

He knew just how little faith mattered when the instinct to survive took hold.

He waited for Starlight's faith to crumble, for her to weep and beg his forgiveness.

But the scene Deep Sea King hoped for never came.

Starlight's throat bobbed. Then...

"Ptoo!"

Starlight spat in Deep Sea King's face.

Deep Sea King's face twisted with fury.

Starlight burst out laughing. She had always been a well-mannered girl. This was the first time she had ever spat in someone's face.

It would also be the last.

She had never imagined it could feel so satisfying.

Starlight closed her eyes and waited to die.

She felt Deep Sea King's fingers tighten, making her skull creak.

In another moment, her head would burst.

But a moment passed, and Starlight's head was still intact.

The pressure on her skull vanished. Suddenly weightless, she began to fall.

Then something caught her.

Starlight opened her eyes and saw a young man holding her in his arms, suspended in midair.

Deep Sea King's severed arm fell into the water below them with a splash.

Starlight had seen this man more than once. His bald head was unmistakable.

"You?" Starlight said in surprise. "Luke?"

During their last conversation in the park, Starlight had learned that his name was Luke.

Deep Sea King was furious and stunned. Just as he had been about to kill her, this bald man had appeared and staged a heroic rescue.

What enraged Deep Sea King even more was that the rescue had cost him an arm.

The bald man before him was clearly no ordinary person. His arm was harder than steel, yet the man had severed it with ease.

Deep Sea King had not even seen him move.

His mind raced. The man wore a superhero costume, so he was probably another superpowered person working for Vought International.

But he was clearly not one of the heroes Deep Sea King knew.

He was not Black Noir or Homelander.

And he certainly was not Queen Maeve.

The man was not a member of The Seven, but from that one move alone, Deep Sea King could tell that his strength was at least close to their level.

Even so, someone at the level of The Seven was still no match for him.

"You damned baldy! You insolent animal! How dare you ambush me, Deep Sea King!" he roared. "You cost the invincible Deep Sea King an arm. I'll make you pay dearly for it today."

"Now that I have complete control over the power of the ocean, I'm invincible even with one arm!" Deep Sea King bellowed.

"I won't let you die easily. I'll—"

"Are you done?" Luke interrupted, looking impatient.

"Seriously. All day long, you keep calling yourself invincible."

"Being invincible isn't just something you say," Luke said flatly.

Deep Sea King was beside himself with rage. He could hear the disdain and mockery in Luke's voice.

"Fine. Then I'll show you what true invincibility looks like." Deep Sea King's power surged wildly, and the water around him churned once more.

"Save it," Luke said coldly.

He held Starlight with one arm and punched the air with the other.

Though his fist struck nothing but air, the blow landed squarely on Deep Sea King.

The upper half of Deep Sea King's body vanished in an instant.

Behind him, an enormous fist-shaped imprint formed from compressed air split the surging sea. It drove irresistibly toward the seabed before disappearing into the ocean's depths.

Water rushed into the space the punch had carved out. In moments, all the water flooding the docks had drained away.

As the water receded, what remained of Deep Sea King toppled over with a dull thud.

Under Starlight's stunned gaze, Luke carried her into the night sky and disappeared.

Not long after Luke left, a man in a blue bodysuit hovered high above, looking down at the scene.

Amid the wreckage on the dock, Homelander saw half of an enormous corpse lying on the ground.

Its upper body was gone. The torso had been severed at the waist, leaving a massive wound with a strange curve.

Shock crossed Homelander's face.

Starlight could never have caused destruction on that scale.