Clark punched forward, and the air itself seemed to explode. Invisible shockwaves rippled outward, shattering the remaining glass in nearby shops into sparkling dust. The thundering crashes and breaking glass made it hard to imagine that any human could fight this monster, yet here they were.
Mike, still dazed in the passenger seat of his mother's car, watched wide-eyed as a hooded, masked figure dashed toward the vehicle. With superhuman strength, the figure pressed against the car's bumper, trying to stop its uncontrollable forward momentum.
"Ahhh!"
Hourman roared, muscles bulging, feet sinking into the asphalt as he braced against the car. Cracks spread beneath him, yet with sheer force, he brought it to a halt before it could slam into a wall.
Barbara, blinking away her daze, reached to pull Mike out. Courtney, Midnight Doctor, and Wildcat arrived, breath heavy from the run.
"Courtney?" Barbara's voice trembled, both concern and shock written across her face.
Ignoring her own injury, Courtney pressed a tissue to her mother's bleeding forehead. "Sorry, Mom. I broke my promise. Some things I just can't avoid. Even without the Star Scepter, and even if my father isn't Starman, I have to stop the Injustice Society from causing more harm."
Barbara shook her head, torn between relief and frustration. "I didn't expect you here… and I didn't know you touched the staff!" she murmured. "It doesn't acknowledge me, so why even—"
Mike, clutching his arm, peered at the chaos ahead. "But if I could, I'd be that great a hero too!" His voice carried excitement despite his pain, his eyes wide as he saw the battlefield.
"Family drama later," Wildcat said sharply. "Right now, we need to get out."
"I'll handle this one!" Hourman said, determination flashing. "That monster killed my parents. I will avenge them!"
He charged forward, but before he could land a blow, Solomon Grundy struck back, sending Hourman crashing hard into the street.
Clark, at the center of the fray, realized his own attacks were losing impact. No matter how many times he struck, Grundy kept rising, relentless and unstoppable, his monstrous strength fueled by raw rage.
A car from the roadside flew toward Clark. With lightning reflexes, he dodged and lunged for Grundy's knee, hoping to bring him down. The impact echoed through the street, but Grundy's massive hands smashed the pavement beneath Clark, cracking the road like brittle stone. Clark teetered on the edge of losing balance as the monster reached for him with a deadly grip.
Then, in a blur, Adrian appeared.
He intercepted Grundy's massive fist with one hand, holding it firm in the center of the monster's grasp. Grundy struggled, eyes wide and furious, but Adrian's strength was absolute. Calm, expressionless, he pressed his advantage, opening his fingers slowly and forcing the fist apart.
"Not enough," Adrian muttered, almost casually.
With a precise kick, he sent the colossal zombie flying. Boom! Grundy slammed into the wall of a nearby coffee shop, shattering it completely. Dust and debris rose in a swirling cloud, but Adrian did not pursue. He landed beside Clark, checking quickly.
"You okay?" Adrian asked, voice neutral but with that unmistakable air of indifference.
Clark adjusted his tattered clothing. "I'm fine. He heals fast. No matter how many times he's down, he keeps coming."
Courtney and the others, still on the street, watched Adrian. Mike rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "Did I just… watch a comic book come to life?"
"Yeah," Courtney muttered. "And this guy is insane."
Grundy, recovering from the wall crash, glared at Adrian with seething hate. Slowly, Adrian's eyes glowed red. Feet lifted off the ground as he hovered, the Heat Vision building instantly in his eyes.
Zzzzz!
Grundy reacted and dodged, slamming the ground hard as he charged, but Adrian's superior flight, speed, and strength sent the monster flying before it could land a single hit. Boom! The ground quaked under the impact of Grundy's back smashing down.
Adrian descended again, feet landing on either side of Grundy's massive head, then slammed a fist into the monster's chest. Debris and shattered glass erupted outward, airwaves radiating like shock ripples, pushing back everyone nearby. Barbara and the others stumbled back, ears ringing from the force.
"Could a human even generate this?" Barbara whispered, gripping Courtney's arm, astonishment and fear blending on her face. "This isn't just strength… this is a living weapon."
Adrian bent low and delivered another punch to Grundy's chest. Thump! Pain radiated outward, shaking the air and the street around them. Grundy's roars grew louder with each blow, struggling to rise under the relentless assault.
Zzzzz! Heat Vision fired again, striking Grundy with incendiary precision. Thump! Another fist slammed, crushing an arm meant to block the strike. Adrian's movements were fluid, brutal, precise, yet calm. Each attack reinforced his dominance. Even a super-healing, undead monster couldn't withstand the combination of speed, strength, and ruthless strategy.
Hourman, trying to escape the battle, was flung backward by the aftershock of the airwaves. Courtney, Barbara, and the others could only retreat, astonished at the display.
Then, across the street, the man responsible for the pickup collision, distracted by a giant burger in his hands, fell flat to the pavement. "Oh my God… he is a god among men," he muttered, completely oblivious to everything else.