DC : The Template System

Max appeared above Zoom, his fist already cocked back like a cannon primed to fire. Thawne dodged just in time—BOOM!—as Max's punch slammed into the ground, shattering concrete and sending shockwaves through the air.

From the left, Barry darted in and landed a solid blow across Thawne's jaw, making the speedster stumble. He zipped away just as a blazing fireball whistled past—launched by Max.

BOOM!

The fireball exploded, engulfing the battlefield in flames and smoke. For a moment, nothing was visible—until Zoom burst through the haze, still running, lightning sparking off his boots.

Barry chased after him in a blur of red, while Max surged forward atop the head of a roaring wood dragon. Barry then jumped, Max caught his wrist mid-air and hurled him with immense force toward Thawne like a missile.

Barry slammed into him, tackling him to the ground.

CRACK!

Two punches to Thawne's face rattled his brain before he managed to land a counterpunch that knocked Barry aside. He pushed himself up—ready to flee—only to freeze in place.

His limbs wouldn't move.

Max landed softly in front of him, eyes glowing with cold—the ripples of the Rinnegan spinning in his gaze.

"Limbo: Border Jail," Max said calmly.

Unseen to everyone but Max, two shadowy clones from an alternate dimension had grabbed Thawne, holding him in place with unrelenting force.

"What… what is this?" Thawne demanded, eyes darting in panic.

Max didn't respond.

Instead, he conjured a black receiver rod, extending it into a javelin. Without a word, he hurled it forward.

SQUELCH.

The rod pierced through Thawne's forehead—clean, merciless. His body twitched once… then collapsed lifelessly.

Barry stared in stunned silence. "You… actually killed him."

Max turned toward him, his face emotionless beneath the fractured mask.

"That was the intention all along."

"Well… that was anticlimactic," Barry muttered, catching his breath.

"Did you expect it to be hard?" Max asked, dusting himself off.

"Honestly? Yeah," Barry replied, eyeing him. "Now that we're alone… who are you really?"

"I'm no one," Max said flatly.

Barry narrowed his eyes. "I've been piecing things together. Took some time, but… from what I've gathered, you're the Tobi of my world."

Max chuckled under his breath. "Took you long enough."

"So you're from the original timeline too?" Barry asked, brows raised.

Max nodded. "Yeah. How I ended up here—same as you. Still a mystery."

Barry took a step closer. "You know, you're not such a bad guy, Tobi. Why not stick around when this is over? Help us rebuild. Join the League. Use your power to actually make the world better."

Max's gaze hardened beneath his cracked mask. "I have no intention of joining your spandex-wearing circus."

He turned away.

"I was changing the world already. In my own way. And I still intend to finish what I started."

As he spoke, a massive shadow passed overhead. His bird—scorched and winged from battle—swooped down toward him.

Max didn't wait for it to land. He leapt high, catching onto its back mid-flight with practiced ease.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have unfinished business."

The bird beat its wings and soared back toward the battlefield.

Barry watched him vanish into the sky, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Guy's a menace," he said to himself, "but not the worst one around."

Then, in a blur of lightning, he vanished—off to find Batman and Cyborg.

Meanwhile, Clone Max 1 dragged Arthur and Diana outside, revealing the battlefield consumed by chaos. The Animal Path's summons tore through soldiers, leaving nothing but blood and ruin in their wake.

"See that?" Clone Max said, pointing to Orm—who lay in a pool of blood, unmoving, a gaping hole in his chest.

Arthur clenched his teeth in fury at the sight of his fallen brother. He struggled against his restraints—only for Clone Max 1 to slam his head into the ground with brutal force, cracking the stone beneath.

"Don't worry, my liege," the clone whispered coldly. "You'll be joining him soon."

He then turned to Diana, standing bound on his left.

"Look at your sisters one final time," Clone Max said, gesturing toward the battlefield, where Amazon warriors fell one by one to the Animal Path's relentless creatures. "See what you've brought upon them."

"They fought valiantly," Diana spat. "And fell in battle with pride. Like true warriors. I regret nothing."

Clone Max removed his mask, revealing his face. "Take a good look," he said. "Because this face is the last thing you'll ever see."

He formed a hand seal. Thick vines burst from the ground, wrapping around Arthur and Diana, locking them in place.

At that moment, the real Max landed beside them, dust kicking up around his feet.

"You done playing the villain yet?" he asked flatly.

"Yeah," Clone Max said with a shrug. "Was getting dull anyway. Though I gotta say—it was fun. What happened to your mask?"

Before Max could answer, they both leapt backward, narrowly dodging a barrage of water whips—Kulder's doing, as he attempted to free Arthur.

Clone Max turned to Max. "Just end this already. Flash is about to fix the timeline."

Max didn't answer. Instead, his chakra flared to life.

His Susanoo erupted in brilliant energy, towering and menacing. As Max formed a series of hand seals, the Susanoo mirrored his movements, seal for seal.

Then—

Darkness.

All at once, the world fell still.

Fighting ceased. Eyes turned to the sky.

"Great Hera..." one of the Amazons whispered, dropping her sword in despair.

"The gods are punishing us," another muttered, eyes wide with horror.

Kaldur finally freed Arthur from the vines. He supported the wounded king by the shoulder, trying to carry him away. But Arthur's gaze remained fixed on the still-bound Wonder Woman.

"Kaldur… stop," Arthur said weakly.

Kaldur froze.

"…It's over," Arthur said with a grim tone. "All we can do now… is take that bastard with us."

Shaking from the pain, Arthur raised a trembling hand and pressed a button on his belt.

Far out at sea, hidden beneath the waves, his ship exploded—sending a brilliant flash skyward.

"Well," Max muttered, glancing up at the sky. "Time to get out of here."

He activated his Perfect Susanoo, its armored form roaring to life as the meteor neared impact.

"Wait—what about me?!" Clone Max shouted from behind.

Max didn't look back.

"You've outlived your usefulness," he said flatly.

"YOU SON OF A—!"

The clone's curses faded as Max launched into the sky, flying beyond the meteor's destruction radius.

He landed near Cyborg, Batman, Barry, and the remaining resistance fighters, deactivating the Susanoo as he touched down.

"I take it the meteor was your doing," Batman asked, watching the sky.

BOOM.

The meteor struck with a devastating shockwave, leveling everything in its path.

"Yes," Max said casually.

"You're insane," Grifter muttered. "I like it. Even if I have no idea how you did that."

"What now?" Cyborg asked—but before anyone could answer, another explosion erupted in the distance.

A blinding light raced toward them: the underwater detonation triggered by Aquaman's final act.

Batman turned to Barry and handed him a letter.

"You know what to do. Give this to Bruce… for me."

Barry stared at the envelope, then nodded solemnly. He turned to Cyborg, who gave him a silent nod of approval. Barry's gaze finally landed on Max.

"We'll see you on the other side," he said.

In a flash of lightning, he was gone.

Cyborg turned next.

"Well… it was a pleasure working with you gentlemen," he said, offering his hand.

He shook with Max and Batman.

Max looked to the approaching wall of fire and said, "The explosion's catching up fast. I'll make a barrier—sit tight."

He quickly formed a hand seal.

"Wood Style: Wood Dome!"

A massive dome of living wood erupted from the ground, shielding the group in a thick protective shell.

But before it sealed shut, Max leapt away—outside the dome.

The others inside could only watch as he faced the inferno alone.