Chapter 80 The Bat-Signal Illuminates Manhattan

Oscorp Tower.

Under George Stacy command, the NYPD task force mobilized swiftly, aiming to assist Spider-Man in his battle against the Green Goblin.

Other officers focused on evacuating Manhattan residents.

"We need to find a way to help Spider-Man!"

George ordered his task force members, "Are the snipers in position?"

"They're ready!"

A task force member replied solemnly, "They can fire at any time."

"Good. Tell them to wait for an opportunity."

After giving the order, George turned his attention back to the evacuation efforts.

Fortunately, thanks to Spider-Man keeping the Green Goblin occupied, civilian casualties were minimal. The main damage stemmed from the collateral destruction caused by their battle, including several buildings and public facilities—most notably the ill-fated Oscorp Tower, which had only recently been repaired.

But property damage could be repaired. The priority was the safety of the city residents.

George looked up at the two battling figures in the air, his expression grim.

Accounting for losses and casualties could wait. The immediate problem was dealing with the Green Goblin—a lunatic who took pleasure in destruction and chaos.

Mid-air.

The Green Goblin zipped around on his glider, slippery as an eel.

Spider-Man swung through the air, trying to keep up, but the Goblin unpredictable movements made it impossible to pin him down. Peter relied on his spider-sense to narrowly dodge the Goblin deadly attacks while attempting counterstrikes.

But in prolonged battles, heroes often found themselves at a disadvantage.

Peter was getting desperate.

Spotting an opening, the Goblin suddenly dove toward him. Peter couldn't react in time and was slammed, crashing onto a car roof.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The car alarm blared as the roof caved in.

Ignoring the pain, Peter spider-sense flared. He saw another pumpkin bomb flying toward him and rolled away just in time.

BOOM!

The car exploded, sending flames skyward and filling the street with the acrid stench of gasoline.

The task force, seeing the fight shift to the ground, seized the opportunity. Guns trained on the Goblin, they opened fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Bullets ricocheted off the Goblin armor, utterly ineffective.

"Task force? How naive!"

The Goblin sneered, tossing a pumpkin bomb into their ranks.

BOOM!

The explosion sent the officers flying, incapacitating them all.

George Stacy face darkened with anger and despair. The task force was no match for a supervillain wielding advanced technology.

Worse, the Goblin disregard for human life made him a terrifying opponent. Thankfully, Spider-Man had bought them enough time to evacuate more civilians.

The Goblin spotted George amidst the chaos.

"The NYPD commissioner! Killing you should make my name even more famous in New York!"

As Norman Osborn, the Goblin was well-acquainted with George Stacy. Any prior goodwill was now discarded without hesitation.

Eyes glinting with murderous intent, the Goblin let out a twisted laugh and charged toward George.

George eyes widened, feeling the encroaching danger like a plunge into an abyss.

Time seemed to slow as he realized he couldn't react fast enough. The Goblin speed was overwhelming, leaving George helpless as the green-armored figure bore down on him like a grim reaper.

"Goblin, stop!"

Spider-Man desperate shout echoed from afar. He rushed toward the Goblin, hoping to intervene.

This was Gwen father!

If George died, Gwen would be devastated, and Peter would never forgive himself. Worse, if Gwen discovered Peter identity and learned he'd failed to save her father, their relationship would be over before it even started.

At the last moment, the Batmobile roared onto the scene.

"Batman!"

Citizens on the streets near Manhattan edge, who had been watching news coverage of the chaos at Oscorp Tower, looked up to see a familiar silhouette streaking through the sky.

A few minutes earlier.

On the rooftop of the Daily Bugle building, Anton had activated the Bat-Signal.

A massive beam of light pierced the night sky, casting the iconic bat symbol onto the clouds above.

At least half the city could see the symbol.

Everyone recognized it.

As a landmark and viral sensation, the Bat-Signal atop the Daily Bugle was famous—not just in New York but across the entire United States.

Although the signal hadn't been lit in a long time, tonight, it shone brightly once again.

Tonight, the Bat-Signal once again cast its rare and iconic glow.

The bat-shaped emblem wavered across the clouds, captivating all who saw it. People across the city felt a strange sense of reassurance as they looked up.

Even those outside the Manhattan area opened their windows to catch a glimpse, some rushing to their rooftops in search of Batman shadow in the sky.

Whoosh!

Many spotted a dark silhouette streaking like lightning through the air.

The Batmobile!

"It Batman!"

"Batman is here! He coming!"

People cheered.

After enduring several crises—particularly the Kingpin incident—public trust in Batman had reached unprecedented heights.

No matter the danger, as long as Batman appeared, people believed with absolute certainty that he would resolve the situation.

At Oscorp Tower.

Among the police officers working to evacuate civilians, those stationed near the tower exhaled in relief when they saw the Bat-Signal above.

Somehow, even the officers had developed unwavering faith in Batman.

However, the NYPD task force inside the evacuation perimeter had no time to look up.

Even the snipers, laser-focused on finding an opportunity to attack the Green Goblin, didn't notice the signal.

All their attention was on the Goblin as he charged toward their commissioner.

Seeing the imminent danger to George Stacy, sweat beaded on the task force members' foreheads. Their shouts of desperation echoed through the scene.

One sniper gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The armor-piercing bullet hit the Green Goblin glider, creating a small dent on its edge.

The impact caused the glider to momentarily wobble, but it didn't stop the Goblin from continuing his deadly trajectory toward George.

It seemed George Stacy fate was sealed.

Spider-Man heart clenched as he watched.

There no time!

At that exact moment, the Batmobile arrived in the sky above the scene.

Spider-Man instinctively looked up and saw the Batmobile transform. A figure was ejected from the cockpit like a missile, cutting through the air with explosive speed.

Ripples of shockwaves trailed the figure as it rocketed toward George Stacy, an unbelievable burst of force closing the distance in mere moments.

Despite this, Spider-Man calculated the odds in his mind.

Even at Batman speed, he can't make it in time.

Despair weighed heavy on him.

On the wide street below, George stood frozen, staring as the Goblin closed in.

The evil green figure grew larger in his vision, an unstoppable force.

The turbulence from the Goblin glider and its immense pressure already pressed down on him.

But George did not flinch. His eyes remained resolute. Even in the face of death, he firmly believed that evil would never triumph over justice.

"Kehehe!"

The Goblin, now mere feet away, prepared to impale George with the sharp edge of his glider.

Whoosh!

A grappling hook shot out.

The streets below were in chaos.

George stared at the incoming Goblin, his mind bracing for the end.

The sharp green armor and malicious smirk were seared into his eyes as time slowed.

Suddenly, the hook hit its mark.

BOOM!

The grappling hook tore through the glider propulsion system, sending it spiraling out of control.

Black smoke spewed from the glider as it tilted violently, spinning away.

The Goblin was thrown from his perch, flung by the inertia into a nearby building, smashing through its wall.

The next moment, Batman landed between George and the Goblin.

BOOM!

The impact of his arrival was like a meteor crashing to Earth, shaking the ground.

A crater formed beneath Batman feet, cracks radiating outward.

He stood tall, his expression cold and unyielding as he glared at the Goblin. Without turning, he gestured for George to leave.

"George, evacuate the civilians. The task force is no longer needed here."

Anton voice was calm but commanding. "The Goblin is mine."