章 19: Chapter 18
It's no wonder Kara felt like she was no longer on Earth. In fact, she wasn't on Earth anymore.
Strictly speaking, she was in a place called the Rock of Eternity, which doesn't belong to Earth but is a space that transcends the concept of time and space.
It's a mysterious and unpredictable place, with doors connecting to many magical worlds. Some dangerous things are sealed here, such as the Meditation Mite.
This creature looks like a caterpillar, but it's said to come from Venus. It's an extraterrestrial insect with superhuman intelligence and the ability to control people's minds.
At the same time, this place is also home to Shazam, the ancient opponent of Captain Marvel.
Speaking of which, Shazam's original name and title were always Captain Marvel. Yes, that Captain Marvel. Shazam initially had no connection to the DC Universe but was created by a small publisher called Fawcett Comics.
However, Shazam's powers and costume were almost identical to Superman's, leading to a lawsuit from DC.
And as for the name Captain Marvel, well, Marvel Comics used to be called Marvel Comics. It's worth noting that "Marvel" initially meant surprise, and the old translation was indeed Marvel Comics before it was officially changed worldwide.
When DC acquired the Shazam character, Marvel also bought the rights to the title.
In the end, Shazam became part of the DC Comics universe, while the Captain Marvel title passed into the hands of Marvel.
Marvel certainly wasn't going to let DC have a Captain Marvel, right? That would've been crazy.
In short, Shazam once held the title of Captain Marvel and was even the first superhero in live-action films.
Superman is indeed the first superhero in the world of comics, yes, but Shazam was the first live-action superhero to hit the big screen.
Later, to distinguish him from Marvel's Captain Marvel, he became known as Shazam.
And now...
Somehow, Kara had suddenly found herself in the Rock of Eternity, and the old man who appeared before her was none other than the wizard Shazam, the one who gave Shazam his powers.
Whether it was Shazam or Black Adam—who could also be called Shazam, or more specifically, Egyptian Shazam since his power came from the Egyptian gods—both drew their powers from this wizard, Shazam.
In fact, both generations of Shazam were merely mortals who had borrowed divine power, but the wizard standing before Kara was the real god-man. He was likely a deity himself, who after making a deal with the gods, was granted the power of Shazam to bestow upon others.
Now, the wizard Shazam approached Kara and shouted:
"My champion, I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Kara blinked, raising her hand and saying:
"Hold on a second, what's going on here?"
She was a little confused by the situation. Why had she suddenly appeared in the Rock of Eternity? And why did this wizard think she was his successor?
Was she supposed to become a female Shazam?
No way.
Kara was already a female Superman. Not that she belittled Shazam's powers, but they weren't necessary for her.
Moreover, Shazam's power was borrowed from others. What would happen if they decided to stop lending it?
Even Shazam's power could be replaced by the likes of Yuga Khan from the New Gods, who had fought both Darkseid and Superman. Superman and Darkseid, who were sworn enemies, had both been defeated.
One relied on borrowed strength from the gods, and the other possessed the power to defeat the New Gods. Who knows which is stronger?
This is why Kara didn't want to inherit Shazam's power.
To put it simply, Shazam's power couldn't surpass that of the New Gods because it was a gift from them.
Just as the wizard Shazam was about to explain things to her, Kara interrupted him again, pointing at the statues of monsters on the wall.
Now that she knew where she was, Kara recognized what those evil statues really were. They weren't just statues—they were still alive, merely sealed temporarily by the wizard. These creatures were considered immortal. Yes, they were the Seven Deadly Sins.
Kara suddenly said:
"These guys are bad-mouthing you. Want me to take care of them for you? Even without your Shazam powers, I can help."
As she spoke, Kara slowly began to float. Since she was here, she might as well show her strength.
As for the Seven Deadly Sins, they would've been difficult to deal with if they were still in their ethereal form. But now that they had become material beings, she knew there was a way to defeat them.
The wizard Shazam looked at Kara in surprise.
Kara extended her hands:
"Don't you know who I am? My name is Karla Zor-El, One of the last children of Krypton. If you don't mind, call me Supergirl—or just call me the female Superman."
Kara found this situation amusing. She didn't need the so-called power of Shazam because she already had the immense power of Superman.
"I don't even know why I'm here," Kara said, glancing around. The place might have seemed mysterious to others, but it didn't surprise her. After all, she herself was a being worthy of awe.
The wizard Shazam explained:
"The reason is simple. I used a seeking spell, and those qualified to inherit the power are brought here."
"I see," Kara replied. Then she reminded the wizard,
"Be sure to choose wisely; don't pick the wrong person or you'll have endless problems later."
Unexpectedly, the wizard Shazam agreed:
"I will always choose someone with a pure heart as my champion. That's never been an issue before."
Before?
Kara recalled that Black Adam had existed for over 5,000 years—a prime example of a poor choice on the wizard's part.
"Alright, I don't need your Shazam powers. I'm sure you'll find someone with a pure heart in the future, but obviously, that's not me," Kara said with a dismissive smile.
"A pure heart?" Kara scoffed. "Sorry, but you're mistaken again."
Pointing to herself, Kara added:
"I'm actually a pretty selfish and bad girl. I don't have a so-called pure heart, so you can send me back. Although, if you have any magic books that could help me increase my knowledge, that would be useful."
Kara was concerned that, while she had immense physical strength thanks to her Kryptonian heritage, her resistance to magic was almost nonexistent. After all, Superman's power was entirely physical. If she had the chance, she wanted to learn more about magic.
Surprisingly, the wizard Shazam looked deeply at Kara before handing her a book.
Kara took the book curiously, glancing at the wizard.
Then she heard him say:
"Don't underestimate yourself. I believe those brave enough to look into their own hearts aren't villains, don't you?"
Not at all.
Kara rolled her eyes. She aimed to be a superhero, but maybe her methods were a bit harsh.
The wizard pointed to the book and continued:
"This will only give you knowledge, but it can increase your willpower and make you somewhat resistant to magic. If the day comes, I hope you'll help deal with the Seven Deadly Sins."
"No problem," Kara replied.
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