Shazam's grin beamed with excitement, his admiration for Adrian clear in his bright eyes.
"I still can't believe you know who I am," he said, voice tinged with awe. "My fame might be small overall, maybe big in my city, but compared to the whole country, it's tiny."
He reached as if to pull out a notebook for an autograph, then froze, remembering he wasn't in his kid form anymore.
Clearing his throat, Shazam spoke with youthful confidence, "I am Shazam, a hero who stands for justice. I carry the power of six gods. Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury have given me part of their strength. My duty is to uphold fairness and protect the innocent."
His tone grew serious. He wanted to gush about being a fan, but he had a mission.
That was why he came to Metropolis.
Shazam needed to understand why Adrian went from protecting humanity to ruling over it.
At twelve years old, he didn't fully grasp the wisdom of Solomon, but he knew he had to discover the truth himself.
Facing the suddenly appearing Adrian, he decided to show strength and confront him directly.
Even his temperament shifted after transforming into Shazam. Where he was calm as a child, now he felt sharper, more determined.
"But you, Adrian," Shazam said, eyes steady, "your recent actions clearly conflict with the justice I protect."
Adrian regarded him with a frown, crimson eyes narrowing slightly.
"Are you here to cause trouble?" he asked, voice cool and measured.
Despite knowing this boy before him was powerful, Adrian didn't see him as a serious threat. No matter the gods' power he carried, he was still a twelve‑year‑old child in Adrian's eyes.
Shazam had been about to say he didn't want to fight, but when he saw that wary look in Adrian's eyes, he changed his mind.
This could be a chance to test Adrian's strength—something he never had the opportunity to do since gaining his powers. And if he fought Adrian, maybe he could unravel the questions clouding his mind.
"Yes," Shazam declared, stance firm. "I'm here to stop you. Maybe your intentions started out noble, full of hope, but things changed. I've seen terror in the faces of the people, I've seen how uneasy they are. Good intentions turned into greater harm."
He raised his arm, calling lightning down from the sky.
Before the crackling energy fully formed, a sudden pain struck his chest.
With a thunderous crash, Shazam fell backward, his strong body slamming into the hard stone with enough force to crack it.
"Sha!"
Shazam struggled to rise, pain wincing through him, preparing to shout the word that would call the lightning down again.
But Adrian was already in front of him, one hand pressed firmly over his mouth.
"Mmm!!!"
__
In Riverside City, California, Clark walked the quiet streets at night. Dressed in simple athletic wear, he looked up at the pale moon, his expression distant.
Since leaving Metropolis, he had stayed here.
He came to make up for a regret—fulfilling a dream Alicia once shared with him.
She had wanted him to visit California with her. At the time, he refused. He never realized that dream before she passed.
So he remained in Riverside City, honoring that unfulfilled wish.
As he walked, he spotted a young girl selling flowers by the roadside.
She called out enthusiastically to passing cars, but no one stopped. Clark hesitated, then approached and bought a bouquet.
"I know you!"
The girl's face lit up with excitement. Her words came out in a rush.
"It's like a dream! I never thought I'd see you in person! Like winning a prize nobody ever wins!"
She talked fast, barely pausing for breath.
"You're Superman, right? Even if you look a little different now, with those glasses, I knew it was you the moment I saw you! I mean, you're my hero!"
Blonde hair with darker roots framed her youthful face—ordinary at first glance, but full of grit and life.
She seemed like the kind of kid who could survive anything life threw at her.
"Sir Superman, could I have your autograph?"
Clark stood still, waiting for her energy to settle. She talked nonstop, but when she noticed Clark's quiet gaze, she faltered.
"I'm not Superman," Clark said gently, giving her a small smile. As much as he appreciated her enthusiasm, he couldn't claim that identity.
"But of course you want to keep it secret, right?" she said with earnest insistence. "I won't tell anyone if you sign this!"
Clark felt a headache coming on. In the end, he bought all her flowers just to politely end the encounter.
The girl left overjoyed. Clark exhaled with relief.
He turned to leave—but spotted several shady figures trailing her.
He frowned. If he had just given her money that was going to be stolen…
Clark followed silently.
---
The girl, satisfied after her brief encounter and autograph attempt, returned to her small apartment in an old, rundown building.
The blinds were tattered, cars rushed past outside, and harsh lights flickered across the walls.
A passing car's headlights revealed her reflection in the mirror.
"Look at you," she muttered. "You look like you rolled out of the gutter. Superman would be ashamed to see you like this."
She peeled off oversized clothes, revealing worn jeans and a stained jacket.
"Today was a good day," she said softly. "I might not have sold any flowers, but I saw Superman. And everyone thought he was gone. But he's here in this city. That's something."
She clicked on the bedside lamp and dim yellow light filled the sparse room.
A lone cockroach lay motionless on the floor.
"Get going," she told it, nudging it with her foot. "I'll spare your life today."
The insect scurried under the fold‑away bed.
She stared at herself in the mirror.
"An ancient soul inside you," she whispered, remembering what her mother once told her. "Ancient or corrupted—that's all the same."
She sat on the edge of her bed.
"You took a step today. Superman thinks you're a fan who can support him, but that's not enough. You want to be someone Superman would rely on—not someone he rescues."
On the mattress lay sketches—various heroes drawn by fan artists she once paid after long hours of part‑time work.
At the top were drawings of Superman and Homelander.
She used to admire Homelander, but recent events had shifted her feelings. Now her admiration belonged to Superman.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Alert, she rolled off the bed and withdrew the small dagger tucked beneath it.