In Sinestro's eyes, Thea was one of those rare anomalies in a planet's food chain—an evolved specimen possessing abilities far beyond her kind. Judging from Hal Jordan's dumbfounded expression, this definitely wasn't the average level for Earthlings. With that in mind, Sinestro wasn't quite as angry about the Yellow Ring's choice anymore. At first, he thought the Guardians were plotting something, but if his competitor was genuinely powerful, he wasn't afraid of a fair contest.
"No. This is a Ring War. What's the point of removing my Green Lantern Ring? I reject that rule!"
The Guardians had suggested he take off his Green Ring and fight Thea barehanded.
If Thea had been an ordinary Earthling like Hal, Sinestro wouldn't care. But now—she could fly on her own. Across the universe, many species could fly, but humanoids who could do it naturally were extremely rare. At least Sinestro himself couldn't fly after removing his ring. So he immediately rejected a rule that disadvantaged him.
He insisted this had to be a Lantern-versus-Lantern duel.
After another round of silent telepathic discussion, the Guardians reluctantly compromised.
"Miss Thea, do you have any objections to using a Green Lantern Ring in this duel?"
Her ability to fly had changed their attitude—no more calling her "Earthling" with that dismissive tone.
"Someone who's not part of the Corps can use it?" Thea asked. She had no intention of working for these ancient, half-eternal bureaucrats.
"You may use a temporary ring."
A pale green ring materialized in the air before her. When she nodded, it slipped onto the middle finger of her right hand.
A flood of information poured into her mind.
Only now did Thea realize her earlier understanding was too narrow.
The power of the ring resembled magic—magic was eternal, and emotional energy shared that same nature. As long as life existed, emotions existed. The Green Ring's power did not repel her magic; instead, the two probed each other curiously—ancient forces intertwining for a brief, wondrous moment.
The Green Lantern's strength required willpower and courage.
Thea's will—tempered through magic—already surpassed most intelligent species.
But courage? Did she truly have it?
Borrowing the ring's power, she finally looked at the part of herself she'd never dared confront. Malcolm had once told her she was born a warrior—not just empty words. Within her, the emotional spectrum revealed a vast ocean of green.
That was her true inner self.
Whether she faced Horus or Ares, she always charged in head-on. She possessed a courage even she hadn't fully recognized.
"Ah—!"
A burst of green light erupted outward from her, spreading like a shockwave. At its center, Thea raised her right hand as her transformation completed. Thankfully, it was only a temporary ring—she didn't have to recite that oath she found unbearably embarrassing. But the green-and-black bodysuit still snapped onto her body without asking for permission.
"Astonishing presence. This is the first time I've seen someone generate such force on their first use of a Green Ring. I acknowledge you as a formidable warrior."
Sinestro's complaints vanished. Facts were facts—his pride wasn't so blind that he'd ignore reality.
"But… so strange. Why did the ring choose that Earthling back there, instead of you?"
Thea's power had already downgraded Hal Jordan—in Sinestro's vocabulary—to "that Earthling."
The Guardians didn't understand either. Could the ring's selection process have malfunctioned? Even without seeing her construct yet, her aura alone surpassed Hal by several levels.
Unaware he was being labeled a software bug, Hal Jordan earnestly explained the basics of constructs to the Earth girl:
"Anything you can imagine can be manifested. I started with weapons. You're American too, right? You're young—have you used a handgun before? Try starting with something small!"
Thea listened for a few seconds…
Then realized Hal's imagination was tragically limited.
A handgun?
What a joke.
In a battle of constructs, picking a pistol was useless.
A magician's knowledge easily rivaled the most seasoned Lanterns who had traveled countless galaxies. And Thea had the memories of a transmigrator—her creativity was overflowing.
She quickly selected a suitable battle form, shaping it with immense courage, outlining details with pure will.
A monstrous green figure appeared in the distant skies—at first glance like a massive tree. But up close, its branches were fifty heads and a hundred arms, each holding a massive sword. A divine creation that was never meant to exist in the mortal realm—
A Hekatonkheir.
A hundred-armed giant.
Hal Jordan, mid-lecture about "handgun-to-grenade-launcher progression," nearly bit his own tongue when he saw it. Each face perfectly sculpted. Each weapon detailed like forged steel.
He silently retreated to a corner to draw circles of shame.
Even Hal couldn't stay oblivious anymore—Thea was leagues above him. He cursed the injured Lantern who had given him the ring—he must have been half-dead and blind! He was just a normal Earth guy with zero talent for this!
"Remarkable talent. To reach such mastery on your first contact with a ring—you are a true warrior. I apologize for underestimating Earthlings earlier."
Sinestro was not frightened—he was exhilarated. He forged his own construct: a giant green version of himself wielding a massive axe. It roared back at Thea's hundred-armed giant.
Size didn't determine strength, but size did reflect emotional intensity.
Sinestro's construct stood at seventy meters.
Thea's was only fifty.
On the surface, Sinestro seemed ahead—but considering she had just received a temporary ring, the gap wasn't large.
And Thea's construct was far more refined.
That was why Sinestro now respected her—and why he apologized.
If all Earthlings had Thea's potential, they would've unified the universe long ago.
To show his respect, Sinestro activated his ring's language function, switching to Earth English.
"Let us begin," he said—manifesting two more long swords.
Hearing an alien speak English was so surreal that Thea nearly laughed. She held her expression in check and manifested a large zweihander of her own.