KNIGHTFALL IN MANHATTAN

The sky over Manhattan tore open like fabric, revealing a portal to another world. From it emerged a figure cloaked in shadow and vengeance - a Batman.

Peter sensed him moments before the breach. His spider-sense screamed like a siren. He perched atop the Chrysler Building, watching the Dark Knight's silhouette glide between rooftops like a phantom. But this wasn't Gotham. This was his city.

Their first clash came fast - too fast for the untrained eye. Batman lunged from the shadows, a blur of gadgets and martial prowess. But Peter wasn't just fast. He was so much faster.

A twist, a spin, a backward somersault... Batman's strike found only air.

"You're not the first ninja I've tangled with," Peter said, his voice cold. "But you're definitely the grumpiest."

Batman responded with silence and a flash grenade. Peter's response was instantaneous. He webbed the device midair and flung it back into the distance.

A benign boom goes off in the shadows.

The fight continued on the roof of the MetLife building. Batman brought out everything - shock gauntlets, cryo-bombs, a blade... all his toys. And every time... Spiderman treated them like toys. It was almost fun watching the frustration build on the face of this dark vigilante.

With every move, Spiderman's strengths became clearer. He caught punches, tore through reinforced armor. No offense Batman could mount could even come close to matching Spidey's reflexes.

Spidey reacted to everything before Batman even finished thinking.

A precise web yank sent the Bat spiraling. A spinning heel kick launched Batman across the rooftop. He crashed into a neon billboard, sparks raining like fireworks.

"You move like someone who's been doing this a long time..." Peter said as he stepped forward adding... "but, I think... you've never faced anyone like me before, have you?"

Batman coughed, blood flecking his lips. He tried to stand, but his ribs were cracked. His cowl was torn. His utility belt lay in pieces. "No," he admitted.

"You fight in a way that feels faster than Flash, using every limb from every conceivable angle at speeds I rarely encounter. Hit much stronger than Bane. You have a fighting precognition for danger that I have never faced before."

"You're a chaos let loose... overwhelming anyone who stands between you and your city," a blood-soaked Batman added.

Peter stared for a long moment and finally responded. "Go back to your world. I don't know what you were looking for and why you tried to ambush me but don't come back. I was only playing with you this time..."

With that, he webbed Batman to the side of the building, binding him in stronger-than-steel strands. The fight was over. Honestly... it was over before it started.

As the portal reopened, sucking Batman back to his world, he looked at Peter one last time. There was no anger. Only respect... and pain.

"You'd make a terrifying Batman," Bruce whispered.

Hard-pressed to pass on a quip, Spidey responded.. "Thank you but I learned a while back that black's not really my color."

The portal snapped shut. Silence returned to the skyline.

In the heart of Manhattan, Spiderman stood tall - unshaken, unbeaten. The Bat had fallen... his motivations unclear. As the darkness engulfed the city anew, Spidey couldn't shake the feeling that it was all a test. But...

To what end.