Adrian lay at the bottom of a massive crater, his body battered and broken. He had pushed himself beyond every limit he knew. When his speed had surpassed Mach 20, the "Homelander Template," already at 95 percent completion, couldn't contain the strain. It overloaded, ripping through his body's endurance and forcing him into a devastating crash on the Moon's surface.
Blood slicked his skin, muscles and bones burning with unrelenting pain, making every breath feel like fire. This was why he had lost control, slamming into the lunar soil with the force of a meteor, leaving a crater wider and deeper than anything natural.
Lying on his back beneath the silent stars, frustration filled Adrian's heart. He had always believed he could master his destiny and control anything in his path. Yet here he was, shattered and powerless, reminded that he was not a god.
Just as the agony began to overwhelm his thoughts, a familiar voice — mechanical and emotionless — echoed in his mind:
"Homelander Template progress has been fully unsealed to 100 percent!"
"Host has fully unlocked the Homelander Template in 17 years and 259 days! Congratulations, Host!"
Adrian blinked in stupefied silence. He had actually completed the Homelander Template? Had unleashing a "Crescent Moon Slash" at the Moon somehow triggered its full release? Whatever the reason, the confirmation rang clear in his mind.
He staggered to his feet, instinctively aware that something had changed. Closing his eyes, he focused inward, letting his consciousness reach every corner of his body. A new power surged through him, hotter and more potent than before. His fists tingled with raw strength, and for the first time since the crash, confidence flickered in his veins.
He tested it instinctively — a slight leap sent him soaring well above his former best. He could feel the potential to dwarf the first cosmic velocity with ease.
But as he opened his eyes and surveyed his wounded form, a new concern dawned.
Though the Homelander Template was now complete, his healing had slowed. Unlike the near‑instant solar regeneration of a Kryptonian like Superman, Adrian's recovery was comparatively sluggish. Even more shocking, when he checked his physiology, he realized something profound: his Kryptonian traits had vanished.
The system template had purified his body, expelling the forced Kryptonian modifications Jor‑El had injected long ago. In their place, the Homelander template remained — singular and dominant — but everything uniquely Kryptonian was gone.
No freezing breath, no solar absorption, no extraordinary aura, no fear of green kryptonite — all had disappeared.
The template would never let him have the best of both worlds.
Adrian exhaled, watching his wounds heal slowly. Though the Homelander template granted self‑healing, it was far less efficient than a sun‑basking Kryptonian. It was a trade‑off: power amplified, but certain talents lost.
Then a new voice resonated in his mind:
"Homelander Template fully unsealed, the first template complete, and the second template now coming online!"
Adrian paused, confused. A second template?
"Second template — Moon Knight Template has been loaded!" the calm electronic voice continued.
"The Moon Knight Template is blessed by the Moon God Khonsu. When the host is under moonlight, physique, speed, endurance, and strength are enhanced. Injuries heal faster in moonlight, and in deep shadow the host can become invisible. This template is auxiliary and requires integration with the main template to be used effectively. Initial Moon Knight Template progress unlocked — 50 percent."
Standing in the crater under the lunar glow, Adrian absorbed the revelation: not only had his main template completed, he now had access to a second, mystical augmentation tied to moonlight itself.
In ancient myth, the Moon Knight was a warrior granted power by Khonsu, the Egyptian Moon God, resurrected with supernatural abilities. Though the template felt like a "patch," its effects were immediate and overwhelming.
A serene tide of energy washed through him. Strength and clarity surged. In an instant, his shattered body healed utterly as moonlight enveloped him. His control over himself sharpened beyond what he had ever known. Even at only fifty percent progress, the moon's blessing flowed through him more profoundly than any Kryptonian trait had.
Standing atop the lunar dust, he felt his consciousness expand. In a single gesture, he lifted his arm and traced a slow arc across the void. Stars, the glittering backdrop of space, seemed to shift in response. Streams of light danced among constellations, weaving patterns that followed his movements with elegant precision.
When he opened his eyes, they shone with luminous moonlight.
With a powerful thrust, he launched into motion, flying through space at speeds that defied mortal sight.
Meanwhile, far from the moon's barren plains, in Gotham City…
Bruce Wayne roared through deserted streets on his motorcycle. For nights he had tracked sinister whispers of the League of Assassins, their violence spilling into the city like a creeping plague.
"Alfred," he murmured into his communicator, gravel in his voice, "you said something about Blackgate?"
"Yes, Master Wayne," Alfred replied calmly, "someone has escaped. A large, powerful inmate was the center of the breakout. He allegedly has immense strength and is responsible for multiple guard fatalities. Please be cautious."
"I'm always careful," Batman answered with a low smirk, knowing his caution was often his greatest weapon.
But before he could continue, the encrypted frequency cut out.
"Alfred?" Batman called into the static, glancing upward at the glowing Moon suspended in the night sky.
There was something… different about it tonight.
Before he could ponder it longer, his personal phone buzzed with urgent vibration.
"I don't usually answer calls while I'm out," Batman said cautiously, "but what now?"
"Sir, we have a serious problem," Alfred's voice held a rare note of concern. "One of Wayne Enterprises' private satellites has disappeared from orbit. NASA confirmed its signal is gone."
Batman's eyes narrowed under his cowl.