บท 85: Chapter 85 Temporary Prison!

"Regret?"

Anton chuckled coldly in anger.

Since becoming Batman, he couldn't recall anyone daring to threaten him like this.

Hawkeye, having spent too much time in S.H.I.E.L.D., might indeed be skilled in combat and a top-tier operative, but his ability to handle delicate situations paled in comparison to Coulson. While his intentions might not be malicious, his lack of emotional intelligence was glaring.

"Hmph!"

Seeing Hawkeye draw his bow, Anton snorted. With a sharp step forward, he shot toward Hawkeye like lightning.

Hawkeye expression didn't change as he wielded his bow like a blade, prepared for a head-on clash.

But Anton leveraged the advantage of his armor, taking the hit directly. With a powerful punch that whistled through the air, he drove his fist into Hawkeye left ribs.

Thud, thud, thud!

Hawkeye staggered backward from the sharp pain in his ribs, his face changing slightly, and his expression filled with astonishment. He instinctively retreated several steps until his heel hit the rooftop railing, stopping him just in time.

Creak—

The railing behind him gave way under the force, crashing into the alley below.

Bang!!

Several seconds later, the sound of the collision echoed through the alley and reached the ears of Anton and the others on the rooftop.

The tense atmosphere lingered, accompanied by the whistling wind.

Anton and Hawkeye locked eyes, the tension between them crackling like lightning.

Hawkeye gaze grew heavy.

He realized he had underestimated Batman.

This so-called superhero wasn't just a figure of fame.

Moreover, for someone like Hawkeye, who specialized in ranged combat, Anton armored form was undoubtedly unfair.

"So, shall I send you packing, or will you leave of your own accord?"

Seeing Hawkeye shifting expression, Anton knew he was realizing the difficulty of the situation. For a moment, Hawkeye hesitated, unsure of what to do.

Anton words, however, only served to anger Hawkeye further.

"You don't have the authority to make me leave."

Hawkeye leaped backward from the rooftop, landing on the roof of an adjacent building. As he moved, he swiftly drew an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at Batman.

Anton remained expressionless, raising his hand and throwing a Batarang.

Whoosh!

The Batarang shot forward, spinning through the air with a thunderous sound as it streaked toward Hawkeye, who had just landed on the other building rooftop.

Boom!

Hawkeye arrow, aimed at Anton, was intercepted midair by the Batarang.

The arrowhead snapped off instantly.

A moment later, the Batarang exploded in midair, the flash of fire and a shockwave engulfing Hawkeye and blasting him off his feet.

In the face of Anton casual attack, Hawkeye was thoroughly defeated, with no room to maneuver.

Boom!

The deafening explosion reverberated across the Manhattan skyline, even startling the police stationed near the distant Osborn building.

At the same time, a figure plummeted from the rooftop.

From a height of over a hundred meters, the fall was terrifying.

"This!!"

Spider-Man gasped audibly, contributing a small amount to global warming.

Terrified, he turned abruptly to Batman.

"He part of an official organization! Won't you get into trouble for killing him?"

Spider-Man was panicking, feeling like something catastrophic had just happened.

"Who said I killed him?"

Anton replied calmly, his tone indifferent. "The explosion from the Batarang could easily kill an ordinary person, but for him, it nothing… Besides, he fell on his own. What does that have to do with Batman?"

"Uh…"

Spider-Man was left speechless.

"Don't worry. He tough. He won't die so easily."

Anton reassured him with a slight wave of his hand. "That lesson should be enough. I'm not in the mood to keep wasting time with him… If he wants to come after me again, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Anton gaze shifted to the little spider as he spoke: "I'm leaving now. If you need anything, you can find me anytime."

With those words, he casually knocked out Connors, grabbed the unconscious Green Goblin and Connors, and leaped into the air. His cape unfurled, gliding him into the distance, disappearing into the far reaches of the city.

The little spider watched him go, then leaped off the rooftop, swinging between buildings with his web.

Spotting a figure dangling from a wall, he let out a sigh of relief and quickly vanished into the depths of the streets.

The figure suspended on the wall had blood trickling from a head wound caused by an exploding batarang, looking utterly disheveled. His eyes burned with rage.

"Batman!"

Hawkeye gritted his teeth, his body exuding an oppressive aura as he hung mid-air against the wall.

Once the surroundings fell completely silent, he shifted his gaze from where the little spider had left to the unknown horizon.

He knew Batman was already gone.

But that didn't stop him from harboring resentment toward him.

...

Stopping somewhere, Anton looked down at the sewer beneath him and lifted the manhole cover.

He dialed Eddie, received an address, and began navigating the maze-like tunnels of the sewer system.

About ten minutes later, he arrived at the turtles' dojo.

"Who is it?"

The turtles had just returned home not long ago.

They were venting their frustrations to Master Splinter about their recent failed mission. New York Police Commissioner George Stacy had mistaken them for villains, but they did get to see Batman at last, who managed to clear their names...

Michelangelo was rambling on incessantly, causing Splinter a headache.

Swish!

Suddenly, the four turtles and their rat mentor all turned toward the entrance of the dojo, their expressions shifting as they instinctively assumed defensive stances.

A shadowy figure with a billowing cape stood at the entrance, holding an unconscious person in each hand.

"Batman!"

The four turtles were startled.

Master Splinter was slightly taken aback, his face remaining grave.

That Batman had reached the entrance without them noticing was beyond Splinter expectations.

Had he been an enemy, they would likely have already been ambushed.

"I mean no harm."

Standing at the doorway, Batman spoke calmly as he set down the unconscious Green Goblin and Connors.

"I came here because I have something to discuss with you—about The Foot Clan and also about yourselves…" Anton paused before continuing, "And a small issue I need to address."

"Have a seat."

Splinter gestured for Batman to take a spot, nodding at him.

After a moment, as the conversation progressed, the turtles and Splinter came to understand Batman intentions.

First, of course, was The Foot Clan.

Second were the Green Goblin and Connors, whom Batman had brought with him.

The Foot Clan needed no explanation the criminal organization was already a thorn in the turtles' side and also one of Batman targets.

The relationship between Shredder and Sykes was laid bare during the exchange of information.

Then came the matter of the Green Goblin and Connors.

There was an immediate issue: since talks with S.H.I.E.L.D. had fallen apart, there was no secure place to detain the two.

However, this wasn't a major headache.

After all, Anton had recently made some new friends who could resolve the problem.

The city sewer system made for an excellent temporary prison.

The four turtles could serve as wardens to guard the prisoners.

Additionally, Master Splinter, who remained at their base while the turtles were out on missions, could keep an eye on the Green Goblin and Connors.

Another concern was the mutagen coursing through the turtles' and Splinter blood.

The mutagen was the key to why the turtles and Splinter had evolved into sentient, intelligent beings capable of being called "people."

In a way, this technology was similar to Connors' "limb regeneration technology" and the human enhancement techniques that had turned Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin. They all fell under the field of biological genetics and were fundamentally interconnected.

From the results, the mutagen, even as a technology from over a decade ago, was far more advanced and successful than OsCorp genetic research.

As the discussion continued, Connors' eyelid twitched.

Anton turned his head.

With a faintly amused smile, he looked at the prone Connors, his tone teasing: "Since you've heard everything, are you still going to keep pretending to be unconscious, Connors?"