A few hours later, Fenric arrived in Gotham City.
The Mother Box has teleportation capabilities, he mused, weighing it in his hand. But unfortunately, it isn't classified as a special item. I wonder… once all three are combined, will they be considered one?
Still pondering, Fenric made his way to Wayne Manor.
After all—everyone knew Batman's true "superpower" was being rich. At night, he was Gotham's Dark Knight, striking fear into criminals. By day, he was Bruce Wayne, chairman of Wayne Enterprises and the wealthiest man in the city.
Beneath Wayne Manor lay the Batcave, the true base of operations for the Caped Crusader.
It was daytime now, so coming directly to the manor was no issue.
But Fenric wasn't the only one who had thought of this.
Someone else was already there.
Wonder Woman—Diana Prince.
Just half a day earlier, Diana had learned that her homeland, Themyscira, had been invaded and its Mother Box stolen. The moment she heard, she knew the culprit: Steppenwolf.
Every Amazon child grew up hearing tales of his terror. Passed down through the generations, his legend was one of carnage and conquest.
Diana knew one thing with certainty—she couldn't face him alone.
She needed allies. And with Superman dead, the next most capable hero was Batman.
Thus, Diana came to Wayne Manor. She had already slipped inside, undetected, and descended into the underground base.
Bruce Wayne was not surprised to see her.
"Did you know?" he said dryly. "It cost me millions of dollars to build that security system you just bypassed."
Diana chuckled, unbothered. "Yes, I could tell. Very expensive."
Bruce sighed. "It's good to see you, Diana Prince."
"And an honor to see the Batman in the flesh," Diana replied with a playful smile.
It wasn't their first meeting. They had once fought side by side against Doomsday. But this was the first time they'd spoken openly, face-to-face, without masks.
"You came at the right time," Bruce said, his expression hardening. "I suspect a dangerous enemy has arrived on Earth."
"Not arrived, Bruce," Diana corrected grimly. "He's already here."
"You know him?" Bruce asked.
Diana nodded, her tone heavy with history. "Thousands of years ago, he was called Steppenwolf—the World-Ender. Born for conquest. Entire civilizations fell to his blade, only for him to rise again, transformed into a demon-like creature. A nightmare that feeds on fear."
Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Those flying monsters I've been dealing with lately—they're his?"
"Yes," Diana confirmed. "He came to Earth for the Mother Boxes. Once united, they create a cataclysmic force powerful enough not just to destroy our world, but to reduce it back to its primordial state—like the void he calls home."
She paused, her gaze distant. "A thousand years ago, humanity should have perished. But we didn't. Humans, Amazons, Atlanteans, and even the gods themselves stood together. That unity drove him away. Many lives were lost—but the world endured."
Her voice hardened. "Now, he's returned."
Bruce leaned forward. "How long do we have?"
"A few days at most," Diana said gravely. "If no one stops him, Steppenwolf will reclaim all three Mother Boxes and end this world. We need allies, Bruce. We can't face him alone."
Bruce nodded. "I agree. I know of others—low-profile, but powerful. If we can bring them together, we might stand a chance."
Meanwhile, above ground.
At the gates of Wayne Manor, two security guards stopped Fenric.
"Sir, this is private property. Please leave."
"I'm here to see Bruce Wayne. Let him know I've come."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"I don't need one. Just tell him… Ronan Anderson is here."
"Sorry, sir. No appointment, no entry."
Fenric sighed. "Tsk. I wanted to be polite, but I suppose you're forcing me to be impolite."
He flicked his hand.
"Argh!"
The two guards screamed as they were lifted and hurled away like rag dolls.
Fenric strolled leisurely into the manor, triggering alarms immediately.
Down in the Batcave, Bruce and Diana were in the middle of discussing the Justice League when the wailing sirens cut them off.
"This time, it's not me," Diana said with a shrug.
Bruce pulled up the security feed and scowled as Fenric casually dispatched his guards.
Diana studied the screen, her brows raising at the sight of Fenric manipulating people with raw force. "He looks powerful. Do you want me to deal with him?"
Bruce hesitated. He knew Fenric wasn't an enemy—but he also remembered how little he had seen of the man's true strength.
"…Yes," Bruce said at last. "Go test him. And don't hold back."
Diana nodded and ascended toward the manor.
—--
Inside the manor, nearly all the guards now lay unconscious at Fenric's feet.
"Strange…" Fenric muttered. "With all this noise, Bruce should've shown up by now. Don't tell me he's not home?"
Just then, a tall, striking woman appeared.
Fenric's eyes lit up.
Her beauty was undeniable, her long legs perfectly proportioned, every line of her figure refined to golden ratios.
Wonder Woman? Fenric thought, delighted. Of all the Justice League members, she had always been his favorite.
He opened his mouth to greet her—but Diana suddenly surged forward, her speed explosive. In an instant, her long leg whipped toward his head in a devastating kick.
Fenric blinked in surprise. Why the hell is she attacking me the moment we meet?
Still, his body reacted instinctively. Armament Haki coated his left arm in an instant. He raised it to block—
Clang!
Diana's kick slammed into his arm, but Fenric absorbed the impact with ease.