Hal's voice cut through the ruined silence of Coast City. "Get out of the way, Sinestro, or I will kill you."
Sinestro's lips curved into a faint, amused smile. "Yes, that sounds about right. How absurd, isn't it? The fallen son returns seeking redemption, and I am left as Oa's final hope. There is a certain elegance to that irony."
He studied Hal with clear satisfaction. "Those fools, like Ganthet, actually allowed you to succeed. I cannot decide whether to regret it or celebrate."
Raising his right hand, the Yellow Lantern Ring glowed vividly against the night.
"Honestly, I doubt you would truly strike me down. Something about this feels insincere. Stop pretending to diminish yourself, Hal. You are still the same. Still a hero, still clinging to that identity."
Hal shook his head slowly. "Not anymore."
The moment the words left him, the rings on both his hands erupted with blinding green light. A devastating surge of energy blasted toward Sinestro, its intensity surpassing even Ganthet's power.
Boom.
The impact shattered the ground with a deafening roar. Sinestro narrowly avoided the direct strike, yet the shockwave hurled him violently through the air. He crashed hard onto the fractured earth.
Pushing himself up, he let out a low breath. "Impressive. You have become something truly dangerous."
He rose to his feet, brushing off the debris. "I expected more restraint from you, Hal. Coming armed like this and still holding back, it is almost disappointing."
Sinestro's eyes narrowed slightly. He could sense it clearly. Hal was no longer just himself. The presence of Parallax was unmistakable.
And yet, it was not enough.
Hal was unstable, powerful, but not fully consumed. Not yet the embodiment of fear Sinestro believed he could become.
"I will not indulge your illusions," Hal said, his tone sharpening. "I do not need excess power."
With deliberate motion, he removed the additional rings, discarding them until only a single Green Lantern Ring remained.
"I can defeat you like this."
He clenched his fist and lowered his stance, ready to strike. "Come."
Sinestro lifted his own ring in response. "Then let us see it."
Two beams of energy erupted simultaneously.
Green and yellow light collided in midair, tearing through the atmosphere with a piercing shriek. The impact sent violent shockwaves rippling outward, shredding the surrounding space.
They clashed relentlessly among the ruins.
Despite Sinestro's experience and resilience, he was steadily overwhelmed. The green energy pushed forward, forcing him back.
Then it broke through.
The blast struck his chest, sending him flying. He managed to form a shield at the last instant, but it shattered immediately under the pressure.
Another surge followed, slamming into him with overwhelming force. His body convulsed from the impact as he was hurled across the battlefield once more.
At the same time, Sinestro retaliated. A burst of yellow energy struck Hal squarely.
It was like striking a mountain.
Hal barely moved. The attack scattered dust from his body, nothing more.
The heat of the energy brushed against his skin, a fleeting burn that faded almost instantly. He registered it, but it held no real consequence.
A strange realization surfaced in his mind.
He had become this powerful.
Ignoring the attack entirely, Hal surged forward.
His fists, wrapped in green energy, rained down on Sinestro with relentless force. Each strike landed like thunder, shattering the defenses Sinestro attempted to raise.
The air fractured with continuous sonic booms, forming violent currents that whipped dust and debris into a raging storm.
Hal's expression hardened, his eyes filled with pain and madness as he continued the assault.
Finally, Sinestro was driven into the ground with a crushing impact.
He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. "Jordan… you have changed. Consumed by rage. This is hardly you."
Hal approached him slowly. "Me? I am still quite consistent. Killing you would bring me satisfaction."
"You cannot kill anyone," Sinestro replied, struggling to breathe.
"We will see."
Hal seized him, driving a brutal punch into his face and sending him skidding backward. He followed immediately, grabbing Sinestro by the collar and tightening his grip around his throat.
"Anyone who stands in my way will end like this," Hal said coldly. "No tricks, no rings. Just you and me. This ends now."
There was no hesitation left in him. Parallax had stripped it away, leaving only ruthless intent.
Sinestro choked under the pressure, unable to respond.
Far above, in the vacuum of space, Adrian regained awareness.
Pain lingered in his chest, though the wound was already healing. He steadied himself, his expression darkening.
He had been deceived.
For once, he had chosen restraint, and Hal had repaid it with betrayal.
Adrian exhaled slowly, shaking his head. "So much for trying to be decent."
He turned his gaze toward Earth. His vision sharpened, focusing past the Moon to the distant planet beyond. Even from here, he could sense Hal's violent energy raging below.
His expression hardened.
With a sudden burst of speed, Adrian launched forward, tearing through space like a blazing meteor.
Then he stopped.
A familiar figure hovered nearby.
"Clark. It has been a while."
Clark floated in silence, his blue and black suit unmoving in the vacuum. His cape drifted behind him as he looked at Adrian, his expression filled with conflict.
All the emotions he carried surfaced at once, yet only one word escaped him.
"Adrian."
He had followed after Adrian when he moved Mogo, intending to help. Instead, he witnessed Hal's sudden betrayal. Before he could intervene, Adrian had already recovered.
Now they faced each other again, and the distance between them felt heavier than ever.
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "What is this? Acting under Batman's orders to deal with me?"
Clark shook his head. "No. I have not worked with Batman in a long time. We are not enemies, Adrian. It should not be like this between us."
Adrian did not respond with words.
He moved.
His fist slammed into Clark's chest, sending him hurtling toward the Moon.
Clark crashed into its surface, carving a massive crater into the barren landscape.
Adrian descended after him, landing with quiet authority. The impact of his presence alone stirred the lunar dust into vast waves that rolled across the surface.
He stood there, unmoving, his gaze cold as he looked at Clark.
"You have no right to say that," Adrian said. "We are not enemies, yet you chose this path. You stood with Batman when you should have stood with me. We are family."
His voice hardened further. "Have you forgotten Smallville?"
Clark rose from the crater, unshaken. There was no anger in his expression, only regret.
"I have not forgotten," he said quietly. "I just lose my way sometimes."
He met Adrian's gaze directly. "But I can help you now. We can stop Hal together."
Adrian studied him. "Why?"
Clark hesitated, then answered honestly. "I do not fully understand it myself. I still believe in what Father taught us. But when I look back, I know I will regret certain things."
"What regrets?"
Clark's voice softened. "That I was not there for you. When you lost Father, when you lost Lana… you faced everything alone. If I had been more patient, more present, things might have been different."
He took a step forward.
"Now I have the chance to do something. I can stand with you, or I can try to stop you. Either way, I will not turn away again."