Batman’s counter had worked. But it wasn’t enough. Gigachad wiped the dust off his shoulders, rolling his neck. A slow, deliberate movement. His grin hadn’t faded. If anything, it had grown wider. “You’re good,” he admitted. “Didn’t expect an Unranked to toss me like that.” Batman said nothing. He didn’t need to. Gigachad exhaled—and then his body changed.

  [Titan Blood Awakening: Partial Release]

  A pulse of raw Essence burst from Gigachad’s body. The ground beneath him cracked, sending tremors through the arena. His muscles expanded slightly—not grotesquely, but refined. A perfect bance of power and speed. His eyes glowed golden. The crowd exploded.

  “HE’S USING HIS ESSENCE!”

  “Batman’s done for—” “This isn’t even his full power…” Deku gripped the railings in the audience. “Batman—” Jessa watched silently, her golden eyes unreadable. Batman analyzed. This wasn’t just brute strength anymore. Gigachad was adapting. And Batman was running out of options.

  With Overwhelming Power Gigachad moved. No, disappeared. The next thing Batman knew—pain. A fist smmed into his ribs, unching him like a missile across the battlefield. Impact. He crashed into the Colosseum wall, the solid stone shattering on impact. The force rattled his bones. This wasn’t just a strength gap. This was a different level of combat. Gigachad cracked his knuckles. “Yeah. This is more fun.” Batman coughed, blood dripping onto the stone. His body was breaking down. But his mind? His mind was sharper than ever.

  Gigachad wasn’t invincible. He was strong, but his power came in bursts. His Titan Awakening was limited. Meaning— Batman had one chance. Gigachad rushed in again, his aura like a storm. Batman moved. Not to dodge. To bait. He let Gigachad think he had the advantage. Let him swing—commit to an attack with too much force. And then— Batman sidestepped.

  A single step.

  A minimal movement.

  And Gigachad’s own momentum betrayed him. His swing missed. Batman’s counterattack connected. A precise strike to the sor plexus. A weak point even a Titan couldn’t ignore. Gigachad staggered. For the first time.

  The Colosseum went silent. Batman was still in this fight. And he wasn’t done yet. ---