Thea knew that if she wanted to defeat Catwoman, she had to limit her speed. Although she was also considered agile, that was only a general comparison. Compared to Catwoman, there was always a slight difference in speed between them. That small gap prevented Thea from fully securing her victory, despite having the advantage.
She dodged Catwoman's series of kicks by moving sideways. It seemed that Catwoman's leg techniques were the result of intense training. She used whip kicks, back kicks, and other flashy strikes, which left Thea exhausted. She seriously doubted that this woman could even walk normally in high heels, let alone fight in them. Wasn't this completely unscientific?
In any case, Thea figured that if she ever wore shoes like that, just maintaining a normal walking speed would be an achievement. Why would anyone want to kick up and down like that? This was already GG.
Finally, Catwoman's stamina was depleted. Her once-powerful side kick lost precision and was easily blocked. Seeing her opening, Thea lunged forward and struck her in the face with a sharp elbow.
It was clear that this move was ruthless. If it hit the face, the dense network of nerves there would definitely cause a brief blackout. At the critical moment, Catwoman exerted force through her waist and legs, making her body lift slightly, but the fierce elbow still landed near her collarbone.
Thea didn't hold back. Grabbing Catwoman's shoulders with both hands, she pushed off the ground with her right foot, bent her left knee, and executed a Muay Thai knee strike.
Just as Catwoman was about to be hit in the lower abdomen—losing her ability to fight—a shiny metallic object flew toward Thea's right foot at extreme speed from a distance.
What the hell is this? If I continue my attack, I might injure Catwoman, but I'll also get hurt.
Weighing the pros and cons, Thea decided that she was only fighting, not engaging in a life-or-death duel. There was no need to get injured over this. She quickly altered her knee strike into a backward jump, temporarily withdrawing from the fight.
With a sharp "pop," the metallic object embedded itself into the concrete where Thea had just stood. She looked at the half-exposed weapon—its aerodynamic design gleamed under the dim light, and a sharp blade jutted out where it hit the ground.
Oh, is this a Batarang?
At that moment, Felicity's anxious voice came through the earpiece:
— Thea, watch out! It's Batman!
Honestly, Thea didn't even need Felicity to tell her. She had already seen the legendary Batman—dressed in his Kevlar bulletproof suit, black mask, and dark cape—descending from above like a shadowy specter.
With this outfit and such a dramatic entrance, he would have been worshipped as a god in the Middle Ages. He must be using psychological intimidation. It's true—according to reports, he's a renowned master of psychology.
Where did he come from? Does he have some kind of cultivation technique? That should be impossible!
Carefully using her heightened perception to scan her surroundings, Thea did detect something unusual above her. However, the distance was a bit too great, making her perception vague.
It must be his Batplane. He's actually capable of flying at ultra-low altitudes. The fact that it's invisible to the naked eye suggests that it also has advanced stealth camouflage.
This is different from traditional stealth aircraft that evade radar but can still be seen. This one can't be detected by radar or human sight. That's next-level! I need to ask Queen Industries' R&D department to develop one for me!
After landing, Batman stood next to Catwoman. But for some reason, she took two steps away from him, as if she was trying to avoid him.
Although Batman's face was hidden by his mask, his jawline and other features revealed a hint of helplessness—like he wanted to say something but didn't know where to start. Meanwhile, Catwoman suddenly seemed blind, continuing to glare at Thea as if she hadn't noticed the living legend standing right beside her.
Huh? Even a blind person could tell something was off between these two. Thea's gossip instincts were ignited. Felicity, watching the live feed, muttered her thoughts and nearly jumped in excitement.
Sensing the awkward tension, Thea took the initiative to speak with righteous indignation:
— You're Batman, right? Aren't you Gotham's hero? Why are you protecting this thief?
Batman was truly troubled. This whole situation stemmed from his complicated relationship with Catwoman. The two had spent time together outside of their masked identities. While passing through Star City, they got into a debate about their worldviews and perspectives on life.
Meanwhile, Moira Queen had gathered all of Star City's politicians for a press conference. Catwoman, feeling frustrated, decided that if she was miserable, everyone else should be too. So, she changed into her costume, sneaked inside, and stirred up trouble.
What she thought would be a quick and easy job was completely wrecked by Thea. Their fight had escalated from the event hall to the streets. When Catwoman was about to lose, Batman had no choice but to intervene.
Now, faced with Thea's question, Batman didn't know how to respond.
He had already checked her background via the Batplane's database. She was the eldest daughter of the Queen family, with a father and brother who died in an accident. No criminal record. Currently managing her own company while applying to Princeton University.
There was nothing bad about her. In fact, her experience was similar to his. Yet, despite her hardships, she hadn't fallen into darkness or despair. Instead, she remained optimistic. Batman, who had struggled with his own inner demons, envied that about her.
When someone achieves something you couldn't, you naturally feel admiration.
So, right now, Batman could only pretend he hadn't heard her question—standing there silently, looking cool.
Seeing Batman play dead, Catwoman, who had been provoked multiple times tonight, finally lost her usual elegance and composure. She shouted in frustration:
— Catch me if you can!
Thea was left speechless. These two were clearly on the same team. She might as well save herself the trouble.
Besides, she had no intention of antagonizing Batman. After all, he was the leader of the Justice League, and if she wanted to work within the hero community in the future, it wouldn't be wise to make an enemy out of him.
As long as I don't have superpowers, I'll automatically be placed in Batman's camp.
Yes, there are factions among superheroes—just like how Marvel has the Captain America vs. Iron Man conflict. In DC, the main ideological divide is between Superman and Batman.
Batman is wary of all superhumans. In his eyes, it doesn't matter whether they're good or bad—any alien or mutant is a potential threat. The only difference is that he's universally hostile toward aliens, while selectively hostile toward those with special abilities.
Despite having wealth comparable to a small nation and a vast network of connections, he refuses to enhance himself with superpowers, even though it wouldn't be difficult for him to acquire them. This shows his commitment to remaining purely human.
There's no point in trying to outfight someone like him. Even if you're better in hand-to-hand combat, unless you beat him to death, he'll always find a way to come back and haunt you like a cockroach.
Thea decided to use the same strategy Prometheus once used against Green Arrow—persuasion. She would take the moral high ground first. No need to see who had the stronger fists—if she could leave Batman speechless, then she'd naturally win!