DC: Rise of the Kryptonian Tyrant

Paradise Island felt strange to Bardi. He noticed something unusual.

Beneath Paradise Island, embedded in a shadowy corridor, was a massive, ghostly portal. The portal was half open, and at its end were only rock and soil. There was no space passage, this ghost-like portal seemed simply embedded into the mountain at the corridor's end.

Then Bardi opened his eyes again, penetrating further with his enhanced vision. Atop the magic tower of Paradise Island, he saw a massive magical communication array. There were faint traces of magical energy, indicating it had been used just a few days prior.

Bardi had studied magic with Raven and Zatara. He understood the operation of magic circles and could wield magic when transforming into his magical form, so he could both perceive and sense lingering magic traces.

This island truly seemed isolated from the world, not connected to any other realms or strange dimensions.

That was what Bardi found strange.

In the comics, Paradise Island was often depicted as being connected to places like Mount Olympus or as a gateway to the underworld. But none of those connections seemed present here.

As Bardi puzzled over this...

Diana returned, her expression dark, and shouted solemnly in Bardi's direction.

"Barmulodi! Send your soldiers to duel with the Amazons, one-on-one! Let each Amazon and your soldiers decide their fate through combat!"

This was the compromise Diana had come up with.

Amazon warriors valued emotion and honor. By allowing one-on-one duels with the Barmulodi soldiers, each warrior could decide her own fate—whether to die in battle or lose honorably in defeat and become a slave. In the days ahead, as slaves, they would have the chance to challenge their masters. If they won, they could reclaim their freedom.

This approach turned what would have been a legion-scale war into a series of personal battles. It fractured the unified faith of the Amazons in the Greek gods and forced them to confront defeat individually.

If they fought as a united army, the Amazons—driven by their beliefs—would fight to the death. But this method allowed them to be broken down individually. Each Amazon could duel a Barmulodi soldier, and if they lost, they would be bound to the outcome. In this way, they could avoid total destruction in the name of faith.

As for the future, they wouldn't remain slaves in the literal sense. Diana had already discussed the plan with Ott and obtained Bardi's approval.

In the days to come, Diana would lead the Amazons to grow stronger. During their time as slaves, they would train harder, and each one would challenge her master to reclaim her freedom and dignity.

This kind of approach was unheard of. With the legions assembled and war imminent, now they were being asked to engage in individual duels.

But for the Amazons, this kind of challenge struck a chord. As soon as Diana proposed it, they cheered in agreement. Some even demanded to duel Bardi himself to win back Princess Diana.

Diana firmly refused. She said she would reclaim her honor in the future and turned down any such challenge.

Unbeknownst to them, Princess Diana had already become Bardi's lover and had gone to great lengths for their sake.

Bardi left the matter in Ott's hands.

"Work with Diana. Do as she says. Either they become slaves, or they die on Paradise Island. No one is allowed to leave," Bardi ordered.

He had no interest in the battle. The Kryptonian high-level genetic soldiers behind him, having only absorbed solar energy for a short time, were already stronger than most Amazon warriors.

Only Artemis, Phillipus, and Antiope could be considered rivals. There were fewer than ten Amazons on their level, and they alone could not win freedom for the island.

This grand, large-scale one-on-one duel, with its stakes of victory or slavery, unfolded on the beach in full view.

Under Ott and Diana's coordination, the Amazons burned with passion to uphold their pride. One by one, they stepped forward to duel.

But this was far from a fair fight. The Barmulodi soldiers wore anti-magic trench coats, rendering them nearly immune to Amazonian magical attacks. Their physical strength was exaggerated, making them nearly unbeatable.

Amidst the heat and rage, the Amazons were overwhelmed with grief and fury.

They were not true opponents. Yet still, they were stubborn and courageous, challenging the soldiers one after another, willing to give up their pride and stand to the bitter end.

These Amazons, especially the warriors from the lower ranks, were incredibly fierce. Their necks stiff with pride, they refused to bow, determined to fight in duels.

That was when Diana stepped in. Her strength exceeded that of the Barmulodi soldiers. She could even fight Bardi for several rounds, although she relied heavily on divine artifacts.

But against the common soldiers, she held a clear advantage.

In the eyes of the Amazons desperate for a win, Diana dominated several soldiers, winning and making them her slaves. Her victories brought a wave of cheers from the Amazon crowd.

The passion of the duels ignited the coastline. Even Artemis couldn't sit still. With a restless heart, she entered the arena and eventually defeated a soldier. When she raised her hand, the crowd erupted with thunderous cheers, triggering another wave of fierce challenges.

Yet one by one, more Amazons became slaves.

Most Amazons, after all, were not on the same level. Though they had unyielding spirits, they lacked the strength to match.

In the end, the majority were defeated.

Paradise Island was overwhelmed with sorrow.

After thousands of years training in seclusion, they had hoped to defeat any outside invaders. Now, to suffer such defeat was almost too much to bear.

At the most despairing moment, Diana stepped forward with resolve, raising her fists high and speaking on behalf of all Amazons.

"We Amazons are not warriors who can't bear defeat!"

"Amazon warriors are the strongest!"

"The Amazonian spirit is immortal. Our will shines like the sun and the moon, illuminating our hearts and bodies!"

"In the days ahead, as slaves, we will train even harder, reclaim ourselves, reclaim our faith, and take back everything that belongs to us!"

Diana shouted passionately. The Amazons felt a fire reignite in their hearts. Their blood surged. The coastline resounded with cries of her name. They were enraged and driven. In the future, they would work tirelessly to regain their freedom.

At that moment, Queen Hippolyta stepped forward, acknowledging her failure as queen and her incompetence. She formally passed the mantle of Amazon leadership to Diana.

Diana was crowned queen amid the people's anticipation, sparking waves of enthusiastic cheers.

She vowed to lead Paradise Island down a new path, one where they would rise from slavery and shine in a new era, protecting humanity under the banner of Barmulodi.

Bardi watched the entire scene unfold, his expression strange. It was both absurd and logical.

A group of warrior women... Honestly, Bardi didn't understand how the minds of tens of millions of fierce fighters worked.

Did this really work?

What should've been a serious massacre felt more like a campfire party.

Paradise Island was truly... talented.

(To be continued.)

***

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