Within the swirling chaos of mixed energy, a shift occurred. The violent storm of power that had consumed William seemed to still for a fleeting moment, as if the universe itself was holding its breath. And then, his eyes opened.
A fierce, multicolored inferno blazed within his irises, the very energies that had been seeping into his form now flooding into his gaze. The moment the cosmic forces touched his sensitive ocular nerves, a transformation unlike any other took place. His pupils burned away, replaced by a brilliant, shifting spectrum of light that pulsed with raw, untamed power. The multicolored flames did not simply reflect within his eyes, they became his eyes, their luminous glow a testament to the sheer force now embedded in his very soul.
The universe trembled.
As his vocal cords reformed, repairing themselves from their previous destruction, an instinct as old as time itself took hold. A primal, overwhelming urge to declare his rebirth surged through him, demanding release.
Then, he roared.
A sound unlike anything ever heard before tore through the void, a universe-shaking explosion of power that sent ripples across reality itself. The sheer force of it cracked the very fabric of space, delicate spiderweb fractures forming in the vast nothingness. The void, unable to withstand the sheer magnitude of his voice, broke.
The system, ever watchful, reacted instantly. Without hesitation, it funneled some of the excess energy into the surrounding space, weaving the fabric of existence back together and reinforcing it, ensuring that William's raw strength would not unravel the very dimension he occupied.
But the force of his roar did not go unnoticed.
Raven, who had been watching in stunned silence, felt the shockwave first. It hit her like a physical blow, a tidal wave of force that sent her careening backward into the abyss. Her cloak flared wildly around her as she struggled to regain control, but the sheer magnitude of William's unleashed might left her helpless. She tumbled uncontrollably through the void, the weight of his power pressing against her chest like an unstoppable current, threatening to drag her into oblivion.
Just as the darkness around her seemed ready to consume her, something moved.
A writhing, inky black and green mass surged through the void, flowing like liquid shadow yet shifting with intelligent purpose. The amorphous entity twisted and pulsed before rapidly shaping itself into something more familiar, a feminine form, sleek and sinuous, with glowing emerald eyes that burned with a knowing intensity.
In an instant, the entity reached Raven, its dark tendrils lashing out and wrapping around her waist with surprising gentleness.
"Master would be sad if you got hurt due to something he did!"
The voice, both soft and firm, carried a strange warmth despite its alien tone.
Raven gasped as she was caught mid-fall, her body now cradled securely in the arms of the being that had saved her. She looked up to see its form solidify further, a humanoid figure composed of shifting biomass, its surface a mesmerizing mixture of darkness and luminous green streaks that pulsed with eerie life.
Phage.
The symbiotic being held Raven effortlessly, anchoring them both in place as the storm of energy continued to rage around them.
Together, they turned their gaze back toward William.
His transformation was still unfolding, the cosmic energies weaving around him like the strands of destiny itself. The multicolored flames within his eyes flared even brighter, illuminating the darkness with their chaotic brilliance. His body, no longer merely mortal, pulsed with a power that defied comprehension.
The swirling tempest of energy continued to seep into William's very being, each tendril of multicolored power fusing into his cells, his muscles, his bones, reshaping him into something beyond mortal comprehension. His body, once merely a vessel, had become a conduit for the boundless force now coursing through him. Every pore drank in the energy with a voracious hunger, absorbing it into the depths of his existence.
Minutes passed, but within the void, time felt irrelevant.
Slowly, the once-raging storm of energy began to wane, its intensity dying down as the last remnants of cosmic power were drawn into him. A luminous glow pulsed beneath his skin, his entire form radiating a brilliance that rivaled the stars themselves. But even with his newfound strength, there were limits, his body had reached a bottleneck, straining under the immense power it contained. The air around him crackled and warped, space itself bending as if struggling to contain what he had become.
Then, as if exhaling the weight of an entire universe, William released a calm, measured sigh.
With that single breath, the overwhelming radiance that had surrounded him dimmed, retracting into his core like the dying embers of a cosmic inferno. His body, still glowing faintly like the last light of a setting sun, drifted downward, his descent slow and deliberate, drawn by the unseen pull of the world beneath him.
Phage and Raven locked eyes, the silent exchange between them filled with understanding. Without hesitation, they followed.
The descent was smooth at first, but as they neared the planet's surface, Raven's breath hitched as gravity had intensified dramatically. It was a sudden, crushing force, attempting to drag her down like an anchor sinking into the abyss. Her body stiffened in response, her limbs struggling against the unexpected weight pressing upon her.
But she was no ordinary girl.
Gritting her teeth, she swiftly wove magic through her form, reinforcing her muscles, and fortifying her strength. The immense pull that had momentarily threatened to overwhelm her was countered in an instant as she regained control, her movements now fluid and precise.
Together, she and Phage touched down on the planet's surface.
Their eyes were immediately drawn to William.
He sat upon the thick trunk of a fallen tree, one that he had clearly knocked over with nothing more than a casual movement. The shattered remains of its massive roots jutted out from the earth like broken fingers reaching for the sky, a testament to the sheer ease with which he had felled it.
But it wasn't the destruction that held their focus, it was him.
The transformation had altered him in ways both subtle and profound. His once pure-black hair had changed, the sides now a radiant blonde that shimmered under the soft glow of the ambient energy still clinging to him. His hair had also grown, cascading past his stomach in untamed waves, an ethereal contrast to his previous form.
But it was his eyes that held the most striking change.
The once-familiar emerald hue had been replaced by a swirling, shifting spectrum of colors—each shade moving and blending as if they were alive, a living nebula contained within his irises. They pulsed with an internal fire, reflecting not just power but an undeniable presence.
The very air around him seemed distorted, as if reality itself struggled to define him. The space surrounding him wavered like heat rising from the desert sands, an invisible aura warping everything in his vicinity. Yet, despite the raw power radiating from his form, his expression was calm, unnaturally calm.
Phage took a step forward, her tone laced with both reverence and hesitation.
"Master?"
At the sound of her voice, William lifted his gaze, his multicolored eyes flickering with brief confusion before the expression passed. He blinked once, as if adjusting to his own existence, then exhaled lightly before shaking his head.Without a word, he lifted a hand and gestured for them to come closer.
Raven and Phage exchanged another glance.
Neither of them knew what had truly changed within him.
As they approached, a quiet tension hung in the air, both Raven and Phage instinctively cautious in the wake of William's transformation. His presence was different now, more than just powerful, it was commanding, as though the very fabric of reality acknowledged his existence in a way it hadn't before.
Before either of them could react, William vanished from his position.
A mere blink later, he reappeared behind them, his movements so seamless that it was as if he had never left. His touch was gentle yet firm as he placed a hand atop each of their heads, a deep sigh escaping his lips.
"Thanks, Phage," he murmured, his voice carrying an uncharacteristic softness.
"I don't tell you that enough."
Phage froze, her form flickering for a brief second as if struggling to process the words. If she had the ability to blush, she was undoubtedly doing so now. But rather than linger in her flustered state, she quickly collected herself and did what she always did, reunited with him.
Tendrils of black and green biomass slithered up his arms, molding seamlessly into his Saiyan armor as she reattached to his body. Unlike before, her presence felt more connected, more intentional, as if she craved something deeper than just a simple bond. She wanted to feed off his energy directly, to immerse herself in the power he now radiated so effortlessly.
Meanwhile, Raven was paralyzed, her entire face burning red as she looked up into his eyes.
Those eyes.
She had seen many things in her lifetime, nightmarish horrors, celestial wonders, realms beyond mortal comprehension. But nothing, nothing, had ever mesmerized her quite like the swirling brilliance of William's gaze. It was as if an entire universe lived within them, shifting and pulsing with an internal fire that refused to be tamed.
She couldn't look away.
And then, before she could react, his lips met hers.
It was sudden yet deliberate, a fleeting but undeniable moment of connection. The warmth of the kiss sent a shock through her system, her mind momentarily blanking as her body betrayed her usual composed demeanor. The moment lingered just long enough to send her heart into a frantic rhythm before William closed his eyes, and just like that, he was gone.
His consciousness withdrew, his form fading from the system space.
In the real world, his body lay still, motionless, untouched by time, until, without warning, his eyes snapped open.
The suddenness of it startled the three girls surrounding him, their collective gasps filling the quiet room.
For a moment, all they could do was stare in stunned silence.
Then, as if a single thought had struck them all at once, they spoke in unison.
"William, are you alright?!"
Their synchronized concern caught them off guard, and almost immediately, giggles filled the room as they realized how in tune they had been. The tension from before melted away, replaced by a warm, shared amusement.
William simply smiled, his expression soft but unwavering. Without hesitation, he reached out and began to pat their heads, his touch light yet reassuring.
"I'm fine, ladies,"
he said smoothly, his voice carrying an undeniable warmth. "And it's cute that you were all worried."As their laughter continued, a comforting peace settled over the group.
For now, at least, everything was right.
William leaned back against the bed, his glowing multicolored eyes scanning the three women around him with a calm yet knowing expression. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke, his tone casual, almost too casual.
"So, ladies, I plan on heading home in a few minutes. Anyone want to come with me?"
The laughter in the room came to an abrupt halt.
The shift in mood was almost comical. The three exchanged glances, their expressions shifting from amusement to something more serious. For a moment, silence filled the space, an unspoken conversation passing between them before one of them finally moved.
Harley was the first to act.
With a sultry sway in her step, she sauntered forward, her bright blue eyes glimmering with something playful yet possessive. Without hesitation, she threw herself into William's arms, wrapping herself around him in a tight embrace.
"Puddin'," she purred, nuzzling against his neck while barely resisting the temptation to run her hands over the sculpted changes to his physique.
"You already came inside of us… so that means you're stuck with us, Mister."
Her voice was teasing, but there was an undeniable finality to her words, a silent declaration that she wasn't going anywhere.
The other two nodded in agreement.
Even Raven, who had been lurking in the shadows, finally emerged, her figure slipping from the darkness like a whisper of night. She crossed her arms, her gaze steady as she gave a single, wordless nod.
William exhaled a soft chuckle, warmth flickering in his expression. There was no point in arguing, not that he wanted to. He had already known their answer the moment he asked.
Still, there were a few things he needed to take care of before leaving.
Reaching into the void itself, his fingers slipped into the intangible depths of space, and when he pulled his hand back, he brought forth a small, fully potted Senzu bean sprout. He placed it carefully on the nightstand, a parting gift.
For Batman.
But even that didn't feel like enough.
Considering the trouble he'd caused to the timeline, a little extra compensation felt appropriate. With a flick of his wrist, another gift materialized beside the sprout, a pristine set of slabs of pure adamantium and vibranium, taken from previous battles.
If there was anyone who would find use for them, it was the Dark Knight.
With his final debts repaid, at least for now, William turned his gaze back to the four women at his side, his smirk widening ever so slightly.
"Well then," he murmured, voice laced with amusement.
"Shall we?" he said as he swiped his hands in the void creating a red misty portal and walked through with the women in tow.
"FWIK!"
The portal snapped shut with a resounding slap, sealing off the last remnants of William's presence just as Batman strode into the room. His cape billowed slightly before settling, his sharp eyes scanning the space with calculated precision.
He had come to thank William for saving his son, something he rarely did, but the moment his gaze landed on the nightstand, he paused.
His eyes narrowed.
There, sitting atop the polished wood, was an unexpected sight: a small potted sprout and two slabs of gleaming metal.
His brow furrowed as he approached, the low hum of the Batcave's technology buzzing in his ears. With practiced efficiency, he plucked the note tied to the sprout and read the message written in William's unmistakable scrawl.
"In case of life-threatening emergency, chew a bean, or turn it into something Batman-ish. Your decision. They grow back after all."
Batman's lips pressed into a thin line, though there was the barest flicker of amusement in his otherwise stoic expression.
He set the note down and turned his attention to the slabs of metal. Another pair of notes lay beside them, each explaining their properties and potential uses.
As he read, his normally impassive face betrayed a rare moment of genuine shock.
Adamantium. Vibranium.
Two of the most rare and powerful metals in existence, casually left behind like parting gifts. He ran his gloved fingers over the cool, dense surfaces, already considering countless applications, enhancements for his suit, upgrades to the Batmobile, new armor for his allies.
The possibilities were endless.
But questions nagged at him.
Just who was William, really?
And how much more power did he possess if he could afford to leave something like this behind so casually?
His grip on the slabs tightened as he exhaled through his nose, pushing those thoughts aside.
There would be time for answers later.
For now, he turned on his heel and made his way toward his lab, the weight of the metal firm in his grasp. The world's greatest detective had work to do.