The sky cracked.
A sonic boom shattered clouds as Nolan appeared high above the city, floating with a calm fury in his eyes. A moment later, Battle Beast descended like a meteor, landing atop a skyscraper, the impact sending out a shockwave that shook the surrounding buildings.
"You came," Nolan said flatly.
"You are the one they call Omni-Man," Battle Beast said, his voice deep with challenge. "I have come for battle. I will know your worth… through war."
Nolan floated down, arms at his sides. "I don't use weapons."
Battle Beast didn't hesitate. He let go of his mace and ax. The weapons hit the ground with a clang, cracking the rooftop beneath.
"Then I won't either."
Nolan shook his head. "No. Use them."
Battle Beast blinked.
"I want you at full strength. I'm not fighting a half-measure." Nolan's gaze sharpened. "And I want to fight in space."
A grin tugged at Battle Beast's fanged lips. "A warrior's heart. I like it."
In the blink of an eye, Nolan shot into the sky, Battle Beast right behind him, both piercing the atmosphere like twin comets. Heat and friction licked off their bodies until, suddenly, there was silence — the vacuum of space.
High above Earth, the stars bore witness to what was to come.
They hovered, eyeing each other, then—
Boom.
The clash sent shockwaves through the upper stratosphere. Fists collided with enough force to bend gravity. A single punch from Battle Beast sent Nolan hurling across a field of space, only for Nolan to stop mid-flight, rocket forward, and slam his fist into Battle Beast's chest, sending him reeling.
Satellites shorted out. International space stations shook. On Earth, even Cecil's underground command center registered seismic pulses from orbit.
In the Grayson home, everyone stood outside, staring at the flashes above the clouds.
"Are those… stars exploding?" Naruto whispered.
"No," Mark said, landing next to them, voice quiet. "That's just Dad fighting."
In Space
Battle Beast laughed, wiping blood from his jaw. "You are strong, Viltrumite."
Nolan's nose bled. A rare thing. He didn't wipe it. "You're not bad either."
Their fists clashed again. The stars trembled.
This was no skirmish.
This was a war of monsters.
A battle between legends.
And Earth watched in silent awe.