DC: A New Beginning-Chapter 78: Fear
The Batcycle zipped through the streets and alleys of Gotham City.
The engine was nearly silent, and the two figures lying low on the bike looked like one black rat darting through Gotham at incredible speed.
Nightwing asked in a muffled voice.
"I have a question."
"Speak."
Viktor quickly picked up Batman’s style—short and to the point. The bat cape behind him flapped loudly in the wind from the high speed.
"Why am I the one driving the Batcycle?"
Nightwing gripped the handlebars tightly in annoyance.
He glanced back through the rearview mirror at Viktor’s eyes hidden under the bat helmet but couldn’t read any extra expression.
"I’ve never ridden something this fast before."
Viktor was wearing the Batsuit, sitting on the back seat with his arms tightly around Nightwing’s waist.
The cold metal armor pressed against Nightwing’s back.
This felt too weird, especially when Nightwing looked down and saw the sharp blades on the bat gauntlets almost touching his stomach.
Nightwing swallowed and sucked his stomach in slightly.
"Then why did you reject the Batmobile when I wanted to take it earlier?"
"Fighting crime is often urgent. The enclosed structure of the Batmobile isn’t convenient for jumping out."
Viktor’s voice explained.
The Batcycle’s speed gradually slowed.
The road ahead became more and more deserted, and the already dimly lit streets fell completely into darkness.
In the distance, in the direction of the waterfront docks, faint flickering firelight was visible.
Oracle’s voice came through the earpiece.
"Oracle calling Bat team. The target has been confirmed at Gotham Harbor. The Penguin and Black Mask’s gangs are in a small shootout. The fight is still under control for now, but the number of people on both sides is still slowly increasing."
"Copy."
Nightwing raised a hand and pressed his earpiece, then couldn’t help glancing at him through the rearview mirror.
Aquaman had previously expressly forbidden Gotham Harbor residents from engaging in fishing and related maritime operations.
The docks, already a dirty and shady place, were now almost empty of normal people.
The stranded ships and empty warehouses had turned into perfect secret bases for gang members.
Nightwing hit the brakes hard and stopped the bike about a hundred meters from the docks, quickly instructing him.
"We split up. You handle Penguin; I’ll deal with Black Mask. Finish it fast."
Viktor nodded slightly, raising his hand to adjust the bat helmet.
"Okay."
"And one more very important thing."
"No killing, just subdue them. No fatal strikes."
"Fine."
Viktor nodded again, and a faint flash of excitement passed through his eyes.
He was just here for fun because there was not enough to truly interest him in a fight.
After confirming everything, Nightwing moved in a flash and disappeared into the shadows between the containers.
He looked down at the bat grappling gun hanging at his waist. After thinking for a moment, he chose to float forward at a low height instead.
Viktor’s feet were barely half a centimeter from the ground, controlled his movement precisely, and moved extremely fast.
The stacked shipping containers at the dock were being used as cover.
Penguins’ men all wore white shirts with black vests, with iceberg badges pinned to their collars.
Black Mask’s men wore black suits with black hoods over their faces.
They both cursed at each other while holding back their anger, and at the same time looked for chances to strike back.
They exchanged fire but didn’t dare go all out. Their pistols had silencers, and even their shouting was deliberately kept low.
After all, Batman had only disappeared for one night, and his presence still scared them. If they made too much noise, they might bring the old bat back.
"Move!"
Viktor, who had been quietly clinging to the outside of a container at the edge of the fight, suddenly heard Nightwing’s short call in his earpiece.
As three smoke grenades hit the ground and exploded, white smoke instantly spread, and two black shadows jumped into the battlefield from left and right.
"It’s Batman!"
The familiar entrance immediately hit the nerves of some of the gang members, and someone shouted first.
Nightwing’s figure flashed. Using the smoke as cover, he charged straight toward Black Mask’s direction.
The short staff in his hand instantly extended, swinging toward the nearest thug with lightning speed.
With just a muffled grunt, the thug fell to the ground unconscious.
Nightwing didn’t pause at all.
As he moved and dodged through the area, Nightwing used cover to avoid enemy gunfire, looking almost like he was performing graceful acrobatics.
But every swing of his staff carried fierce force, and Black Mask’s men kept falling one after another.
In just a few dozen seconds, he had already taken down seven of them.
On the other side, Viktor, disguised as Batman, had no intention of seeking cover, charging straight toward the Penguin’s direction.
Even without looking at photos beforehand, Penguin was way too easy to recognize.
Seeing Batman silently charging at him, Penguin’s heart clenched, and he shouted at his men.
"Shoot! Shoot and stop him, don’t let him through!"
However, Batman’s next moves left them all dumbfounded.
He didn’t avoid the line of fire in any normal way and didn’t look for cover at all.
He just kept moving up and down, crouching and jumping, and every bullet aimed at him missed by a hair.
"Something’s not right... was he always this agile?"
One of the men asked the person beside him in confusion.
The other guy was even more stunned, and his gun even dropped slightly without him noticing.
"Are you kidding me! Since when have you ever seen Batman spin sideways in the air seven hundred twenty degrees to dodge bullets?!"
Penguin didn’t even have time to yell at them now because Batman was already almost right in front of him.
Just as he managed to open his umbrella, before he could even activate the hidden weapons, Batman grabbed the edge of the umbrella and snatched it away with a speed and strength that Penguin had no way to resist.
Penguin’s face turned pale, and his legs went weak, but he still forced out a cold smile.
"Looks like you really got some good rest yesterday. You weren’t this agile before."
But Viktor said nothing. He only raised his fist, and the excitement in his eyes grew stronger.
"Batman, wait, let’s talk this out. I surrender!"
The low, deadly voice rang out for a split second.
"650!"
A loud "crack!" as the fist smashed right into Penguin’s fat face.
The Penguin was knocked to the ground with one punch, blood instantly pouring from his mouth, spitting out half a mouthful of broken teeth, his cheek swelling visibly.
"You... you’re crazy!"
The Penguin clutched his cheek, shouting in shock and terror.
"This breaks the rules! We haven’t even started the deal tonight. We just had a small clash because of an argument. You shouldn’t be hitting this hard!"
"850!"
A sharp sweeping kick slammed heavily into the Penguin’s ribs.
The intense pain made his vision go dark, his whole body twitch, and even more blood poured from his mouth.
He could barely breathe.
Viktor’s movements paused for a moment.
’Nightwing’s advice... were they right? This was only the second hit, but this guy already looked like he was about to pass out.’
Penguin coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, then suddenly roared.
"Shoot! Quick, pull out the rifles and kill this lunatic!"
Viktor quickly crouched down and raised his fist high.
"Bang!"
After delivering a heavy punch that gave the Penguin’s shinbone a fracture, Viktor once again dodged the bullet rain, running nonstop toward Black Mask’s side.
At this moment, Nightwing had just taken down the last of Black Mask’s men and was preparing to charge at Black Mask himself when he noticed a black figure swiftly rushing toward him.
Oracle’s barely controlled voice started shouting in Nightwing’s earpiece.
"This is insane!"
Oracle’s shout made Viktor’s movements pause for just a second.
He seemed to realize that he had gone a little too far and that his style had drifted off course.
After all, Viktor was here to impersonate Batman.
Pulling out a smoke grenade from his utility belt, Viktor casually tossed it on the ground.
A white smoke instantly erupted, completely enveloping him and Black Mask, whom he’d already reached.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
After three dull thuds, along with Black Mask’s piercing screams, Viktor rushed out of the smoke, running while calling to Nightwing.
"Let’s go to the next location."
...
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