The room buzzed with anticipation as cameras flashed, reporters murmuring among themselves.
At the center of it all stood Izuku Midoriya, a fifteen-year-old Quirkless kid, yet the face of Arkham Enterprise's groundbreaking announcement. He adjusted the microphone, his expression serious but composed.
Izuku: "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here today. Arkham Enterprise is proud to introduce a revolutionary advancement for Quirk users, the Quirk Stabilizer."
A ripple of excitement spread through the crowd. He continued, his voice steady.
Izuku: "Every year, countless accidents occur because young Quirk users can't fully control their abilities. Some of these incidents turn tragic children hurting themselves, their families, or innocent bystanders. But with this technology, we can prevent that. The Quirk Stabilizer will ensure safer development for young users, giving them and society, peace of mind."
The reporters scribbled notes, some already drafting headlines in their heads. Then Izuku's tone darkened.
Izuku: "However… our progress was nearly destroyed. Recently, someone infiltrated our systems. They stole data, sabotaged research all of it trying to erase years of work."
A hush fell over the room. He let the silence linger before speaking again, his gaze sharpening as he stared directly into the cameras.
Izuku: "Whoever did this… you weren't just stealing from a company. You were stealing from me. A fifteen-year-old Quirkless kid. Do you feel proud of that?"
A reporter quickly raised her hand.
Reporter: "Do you know who was behind the attack?"
Izuku hesitated, then shook his head.
Izuku: "I have my suspicions. But naming names without concrete proof wouldn't be right. What I can tell you is this: despite the sabotage, we've recovered our work. And in four months, the Quirk Stabilizer will be released globally, and free of charge."
The room erupted. More hands shot up, voices overlapping.
Reporter 2: "Why release it for free? This could be a billion dollars product!"
Reporter 3: "Are you saying a corporation targeted you?"
Reporter 4: "How can you guarantee the Stabilizer's safety?"
Izuku answered each question calmly, but the weight of his words was undeniable. By the time the conference ended, one thing was clear, the world would be watching.
— — — —
A monitor flickered off, the press conference footage dissolving into black. For a moment, the room was deathly silent.
Then *CRASH.*
Jamie's desk overturned, papers scattering as his fist slammed into the wall. His body flared crimson for a split second before the glow receded, his breathing ragged with fury.
Jamie: "That little…"
His secretary, a middle-aged man with a stoic expression, stood motionless, waiting.
Jamie: "Burn Arkham Enterprise to the ground. Buy out their suppliers, hack their networks, bury them in lawsuits I don't care what it takes."
The secretary gave a curt nod. "It'll be done."
As the door closed behind him, Jamie stared at the blank screen, his jaw clenched.
'This wasn't over.'
. . . .
On top of the roof, the black-caped crusader had returned, his suit finally repaired. Batman stood vigil, his sharp gaze scanning the city below as he listened to the chatter of the hero and police radios.
Then, a signal.
Without hesitation, he leapt from the ledge, arms spreading wide as his cape caught the wind, sending him gliding silently through the night.
He moved swiftly, cutting through the air before landing smoothly on a nearby rooftop. Without pause, he broke into a sprint, vaulting over obstacles as he raced across the rooftops, closing in on the crime scene.
From his vantage point, the scene below unfolded: a villain a pale, corpse-like man with gray hair was battling four pro heroes. Despite their skill, they were losing. The ghastly figure moved with unnatural strength, as if death itself had spat him back into the world.
"Harry, Kelsie, Harrison and especially Juliette. You thought you could get away with murder?" The pale man spread his arms wide, his voice a venomous whisper.
The heroes recoiled, their faces draining of color. "He was alive." After everything, after leaving him for dead, he stood before them, unharmed.
"Shocked? I would be too." Mors tilted his head, a grotesque smile stretching across his face. "Turns out, I had a Quirk all along. One that brought me back. And guess what? It didn't just revive me, it made me stronger. Faster. Unbreakable."
Juliette stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Mors, please. We're sorry!"
"SORRY?!" His scream tore through the air like a blade. "YOU FUCKING KILLED ME!" Spittle flew from his lips as he lunged forward, eyes wild. "Now I get to return the favor starting with your heads."
The four heroes exchanged exhausted glances. They'd been fighting him for hours. No matter what they did, he kept coming back stronger each time. Their bodies ached; their resolve wavered.
Mors' gaze locked onto Harrison. "You first. Always so eager to put me down. Was it jealousy? Or just petty pride?" He took a step forward, his movements unnaturally smooth.
Harrison clapped his hands together, summoning a shimmering barrier around himself.
"You really think that still works?" Mors chuckled, stepping through the energy field as if it were nothing.
"Worth a shot." Harrison shifted into a Muay Thai stance and lunged, delivering a crushing side kick to Mors' ribs.
But Mors didn't flinch.
Before Harrison could react, Mors seized his face and slammed him into the ground. Bone met concrete with a sickening *crack*.
"Now," Mors mused, pressing his boot against Harrison's skull, "I finally get to look down on you." His laughter was a guttural, unhinged sound. "You should die, I think. I thin—"
A black blur descended from above.
A boot crashed into Mors' jaw, sending him hurtling backward.
Batman landed in a crouch, his cape settling like a shadow. "Get your teammates out of here," he growled. "Call for backup."
Mors staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his lip. "Some newbie hero?" he sneered, straightening his suit. "You picked the wrong fight."
Batman said nothing. His silence was answer enough.
Mors' eyes flicked to his fleeing former allies. With a snarl, he charged only for Batman to hurl a smoke bomb. Thick, choking fog swallowed the battlefield.
"Pathetic tri—"
A fist rocked Mors' jaw, cutting him off. He swung blindly, but Batman was already gone striking from the shadows, vanishing before retaliation. A punch to the kidneys. A kick to the back of the knees. Over and over, a relentless ghost in the smoke.
'Why isn't it clearing?!' Mors seethed, his vision useless. There was no sound, no warning just pain.
Then *crack*.
Electricity surged through his veins as Batman's Shock Gauntlet connected. Mors' muscles seized. He collapsed to his knees, gasping.
'What the hell?'
Another punch. Another jolt.
His heart jerked once, twice then pounded back to life.
"GAAAH!" Mors clutched his chest. It hurt. It burned. His body was alive again, his nerves screaming. He thrashed wildly, swinging at empty air.
And then the smoke cleared.
Batman was gone.
Instead, an army of heroes stood before him, reinforcements flooding the battlefield.
Mors grinned through bloody teeth.
"Finally," he hissed. "A real challenge."