章節 11: Chapter 11: Two sides of the coin, but one in the same.

Few hours later, police sirens pierced through the eerie silence of Gotham's dockyards. Red and blue lights flashed, reflecting off the wet pavement as patrol cars skidded to a halt near the abandoned shipping crates. Officers rushed out of their vehicles, boots splashing through puddles as they made their way toward the scene.

Captain James Gordon, dressed in his usual trench coat and wearing a fedora, stepped out of the car, the collar of his coat turned up against the chilly wind. His face, rugged and lined with stress, was set in a deep frown as he scanned the chaotic scene ahead. His eyes fell on the officers gathered near the warehouse, their hushed tones betraying a sense of disbelief. Gordon lit up a cigarette, exhaling slowly as he approached the scene, trying to make sense of the latest vigilante madness.

A young officer rushed up to him. "Captain Gordon, you're going to want to see this," the cop stammered, pointing ahead.

"Let me guess," Gordon muttered, shaking his head as he took a drag of his cigarette. "Falcone's men, the usual smuggling operation… and got beat up by Spider-man? We won't be able to tie any of this to him."

The officer on the side said, "No Sir, it wasn't Spider-man, we've interrogated one of the man and said it was some sort of human size bat."

Gordon stunned wanting to clarify, "A Bat? So, we got a Spider and now a Bat running around Gotham?"

The officer gave Gordon a nervous glance. "Yeah, things are getting weirder and weirder, but I think we might have gotten lucky with this one, sir. You better come with me."

Gordon furrowed his brow and followed the officer past a row of crates stuffed with teddy bears and other toys, concealing bags of narcotics. The dock has become synonymous with smuggling, human trafficking and other unspeakable crimes for Gotham's underworld, and Spider-man had been bringing down criminals night after night, but tonight someone else have come joined the fray.

As they walked, the distant hum of the city was drowned out by the sound of the spotlight. A dull whir filled the air, and as they rounded a corner, Gordon's eyes widened at the sight before him.

There, perched on top of a massive industrial spotlight, was Carmine Falcone, tied up in what appeared to be duct tape, his face swollen and bruised, his suit disheveled. The notorious crime boss looked utterly defeated, slumped against the beam of light that now cast a large, ominous symbol into the sky.

A Bat symbol.

Gordon blinked, mouth agape as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. The bright spotlight projected the crude but unmistakable image of a bat, lighting up the dark Gotham sky like an Omen.

"Is that…?" Gordon muttered, stepping closer, his eyes fixed on the symbol in the sky.

The young officer beside him nodded, equally stunned. "Yeah. It's most likely left by new guy." He trailed off, looking up at Falcone suspended like a prize for the police to find.

Gordon approached the spotlight, hands on his hips. He has another costume freak he has to worry about. "Well, I'll be damned," he said under his breath, staring at Falcone. "Fancy meeting you here Mr. Falcone."

Falcone groaned, shifting slightly but unable to move. "You… you gotta help me, Gordon! Get me down from here!" he pleaded, his voice hoarse from the beating he'd taken.

Gordon glanced at Falcone, barely acknowledging him. His focus was on the symbol in the sky. A Bat symbol of the new Vigilante, someone who's definitely making a statement. As to how this new guy will affect Gotham only time will tell.

"He left him here for us," Gordon mused, shaking his head. "And made sure the whole city could see it." He flicked the cigarette to the ground and stomped it out. "Whoever this Batguy is, he's not playing around."

The young officer pointed toward Falcone's car, now a wreck. "Captain, there's more. His guys were loading up crates full of drugs before this happened. Batman left everything. We've got enough evidence to nail him to the wall."

Gordon looked around, taking in the scene. Falcone's men were still scattered across the dockyard, either unconscious or tied up in similar fashion, hanging from the rafters, their guns left untouched beside them.

"Guess we might finally be able to tie something to Falcone after all," Gordon muttered, stepping closer to the crime boss. "This city's changing, Carmine. Maybe it's time you got out."

Falcone glared at him, his eyes bloodshot, spitting as he spoke. "This isn't over! You think those freaks are gonna clean up Gotham? It's bigger than him! Bigger than all of you!"

Gordon sighed, looking up at the bat symbol once more. "Maybe," he said quietly. "But right now, it sure doesn't feel like it."

As officers began taking photographs of the scene and preparing to cut Falcone down, Gordon turned away, his thoughts racing. First Spider-Man delivered half the city's worst criminals in front of the police headquarters, wrapped up like gifts in a web, and now Batman—this new shadowy figure—had taken out one of Gotham's biggest crime boss. The landscape of Gotham's criminal underworld was shifting, and it was happening fast, maybe to fast.

Before he could dwell on it further, his radio crackled to life. Another officer's voice came through, tense with urgency. "Captain Gordon, you're gonna want to get back to headquarters. It looks like Spider-Man left us another present."

Gordon rubbed his temples and sighed deeply. "Great. Just what we need. Another night of surprises." He glanced one last time at the bat symbol lighting up the sky before heading toward his car.

As he drove off, the symbol remained, casting its shadow over Gotham, a silent promise of what was to come.

As the city bathed in a dim, gritty glow from the few scattered lights that managed to penetrate the gloom. On top of one of the tallest buildings in Gotham, a shadowed figure stood alone, his cape gently rippling in the wind as he overlooked the sprawling, crime-ridden city below. Batman, still relatively new to his mission, pondered how he could send a message that would strike fear into the heart of Gotham's criminal underworld.

His black Nomex survival suit blended seamlessly into the shadows, his bronze utility belt barely visible beneath the glow of the faint light from the distant streetlamps. His cowl, with its iconic bat-like ears, shielded his intense gaze, which was fixed on the chaos below.

The silence was suddenly broken by a voice that carried a distinct tone of sarcasm.

"Are you done brooding? That's my spot. You're sitting on my gargoyle, move it." said Spider-Man, his voice cutting through the night.

Batman, usually one to sense any movement in his surroundings, hadn't noticed the presence of this new figure… someone who, unlike most, had somehow managed to sneak up on him. Batman turned sharply to face the man now standing across from him.

System Note: Congratulations on your first time meeting a Super Hero.

As a mile stone you get.

+ 1 Character Loader: An item when use will guarantee to give you a Legendary rank character and up. Spider-man Seeing this was surprise looks like there are hidden functions in his system, he wonders if there are more things which he doesn't knows about and what will happen when he meets more famous characters in this universe.

+ 10 Fame Points, and it also seems that getting fame points from this sort of individual you can get higher points compared to other people.

Ignoring the prompts from his system for now, Spider-Man stood tall, his heavily armored suit contrasting with Batman's more tactical appearance. The black-and-white plating of Spider-Man's suit gleamed faintly, the crimson glow of the Ark Reactor embedded in his chest casting an eerie red light that flickered across the rooftop. His mask, featureless and unsettling, had glowing red lines running through it, giving the impression of an insect-like, mechanical creature.

Batman's mind immediately went into overdrive, his training kicking in as he began studying this intruder. His eyes darted over Spider-Man's form, examining the way he stood, the technology embedded in his suit, and the spider-like emblem etched into his chest. This man was no ordinary vigilante. He was something more, the armor, the technology he posed is out of this world. It's in a word very efficient and highly dangerous.

Batman's voice, low and calm, broke the tension. "Are you Spider-man?"

Spider-Man crossed his arms, his mask's glowing eyes narrowing slightly. "You must be new here. Most people don't ask that question." There was a smugness in his tone, one that hinted someone with deep intellect but also someone who likes to play. "A bat symbol on the belt and chest, Should I call you ManBat then?

Batman stepped forward. "It's Batman," he said, his heavy boots barely making a sound on the concrete rooftop. His cape swept out behind him, still and commanding. "I've heard about you, how you've been trying to clean up the city. But in your path, you don't seem to regard what happens to your victims and the destruction you cost. You don't strike me as someone who cares much about justice."

Spider-Man shrugged, the mechanical legs on his back shifting slightly, almost instinctively, before folding neatly on his back. "Destruction is just a tool. It gets people to move. And here in Gotham, it's a common occurrence." He paused, his voice now dripping with a darker edge. "But you're right. Justice isn't my endgame. I'm here to react. To balance the scales."

Batman's eyes narrowed beneath the cowl. He continued to assess Spider-Man, piecing together a mental profile as he spoke. "Balance? You think the chaos and destruction in your wake justified what you do."

Spider-Man stepped forward, his body language casual but the menace in his presence unmistakable. "I don't think. I know. This city has wronged me, like it did everyone else, like it has wronged you. I just do what's necessary." As he points towards Batman as if pointing to the Bat symbol on his chest.

The wind picked up slightly, rustling Batman's cape as he regarded Spider-Man, weighing his words carefully. Batman had trained with the League of Shadows, mastering nearly every form of combat, learning the intricacies of fear, stealth, and power. But Spider-Man, he wasn't like anything he had ever encountered before, it's not just his suit and the tech his capable of, it's more about the man Infront of him.

"You're dangerous," Batman finally said, his voice colder now. "and your methods don't belong here. Gotham needs something different. Something... controlled, it needs a Symbol."

Spider-Man let out a chuckle, the sound almost mechanical behind his mask. "Like what? Like you, please. You think you can control this place? You think playing hero and dressing like a bat will scare these people straight? Gotham doesn't need a symbol. It needs a reckoning."

The two clearly similar but their view on the world are of opposite ends. Batman didn't flinch, his resolve unshaken. "This city has survived worse. It can survive you."

Spider-Man's mask shifted slightly, the hint of amusement barely visible beneath his insect-like face. "Survive what? The criminals? Did it ever occur to you that, as we're talking right now, people are dying out there because of them?"

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Like I said before… I don't care how many people I break, how many people I cripple. As long as they get in my way, they better be ready."

For a moment, the two vigilantes stood in silence, the tension between them palpable. The rooftop felt smaller now, the shadows closing in as the weight of their presence clashed. Batman's hand hovered near the edge of his belt, always ready for a fight. Spider-Man, however, seemed almost bored by the idea, his body relaxed but his mind clearly analyzing every move Batman might make.

Batman's voice, still calm but laced with a quiet intensity, broke the silence once more. "Stay out of my way."

Spider-Man turned, casually stepping toward the edge of the building. "I'll go where I'm needed. If that happens to be in your way, well..." He glanced back over his shoulder, the red eyes of his helmet locking onto Batman's face. "That's just bad luck for you."

Without another word, Spider-Man launched himself off the rooftop, shooting a web into the air and disappearing into the night. Batman watched him go, his mind already working through the new information, trying to understand the vigilante who had scared the people in Gotham's ever-twisting game of power.

As the city below stirred restlessly in its endless darkness, Batman stood alone once more. He had encountered the one who came before him, a figure who also fought in the shadows. But their views on justice and the world differed vastly from his own. Batman knew that, in the future, their paths might clash because of these conflicting ideals.

The next day, sunlight pierced through the elegant curtains of Bruce Wayne's bedroom as Alfred slid them open with a firm pull. The luxurious room, decorated with rich mahogany furniture and walls lined with artwork, bathed in golden light.

Bruce, still half-asleep, groaned as the brightness hit his eyes. "Bats are nocturnal, Alfred," he muttered, shielding his face from the light with an arm.

Unmoved, Alfred stood tall and composed, a man in his late fifties dressed in a finely pressed suit. With his usual dry wit, he replied, "Bats may be nocturnal, Master Wayne, but even for billionaire playboys, staying in bed until 3 o'clock is a bit excessive."

He smirked slightly and added, "That's the price you pay for leading a double life, I'm afraid." He then set a breakfast tray on the side table, its contents meticulously arranged.

Bruce sat up, rubbing his eyes. Alfred picked up a neatly folded newspaper and, with a slight wave, remarked, "Your theatrics made an impression," pointing to an article on Bruce's recent escapade as Batman.

Bruce's tired expression brightened slightly as he snatched the paper from Alfred's hands. He scanned the headline, a small grin forming. "Theatrics and deception are powerful weapons, Alfred," Bruce said, a touch of pride in his voice. "This is a good start."

Alfred's sharp eyes noticed the fresh bruise on Bruce's arm, the faint purple discoloration spreading across his upper arm. With a tone of concern but an underlying hint of sarcasm, Alfred remarked, "If these are to be the first of many injuries, sir, it would be wise to find a suitable excuse. Rugby, perhaps?"

Bruce, standing up and stretching with a slight wince, quickly dismissed the idea. "I'm not learning a new sports for this," he retorted.

"Well," Alfred countered, folding his arms, "strange injuries, a nonexistent social life… These things beg the question: what exactly does Bruce Wayne do with his time and money?"

Bruce exhaled, stretching further, his muscles aching from last night's activities. "What does someone like me do, Alfred?"

Alfred raised an eyebrow, "Drive expensive sports cars, date movie stars, frolic with women. Who knows, Master Wayne. It's what people would expect."

Bruce smirked. "I'll need to see Lucius Fox before I start picking up girls and living this playboy life you're so eager to promote." He grabbed his shirt, and within moments, was dressed in his signature tailored black suit with a crisp white shirt beneath, the epitome of Gotham's elite. He fixed his tie in the mirror, Alfred handing him his jacket with a faint smile of approval.

---

Later that afternoon, Bruce made his way into Wayne Tower, the glass and steel marvel looming over the Gotham skyline. Entering through the sleek glass doors, he passed busy executives and employees, each nodding as he walked toward the elevators

Arriving at Lucius Fox's office, Bruce stepped into a modern, tech-filled room. Lucius, a middle-aged man with a kind face and intelligent eyes, greeted him warmly. He was dressed in a smart suit, and his desk was cluttered with prototypes and blueprints—evidence of the various cutting-edge projects he oversaw.

"Bruce," Lucius said, rising from his chair and extending a hand, "good to see you. What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

Bruce took a seat across from him, resting his arms on the table. "I need your opinion, Lucius. What do you make of this?" Bruce handed Lucius a file containing photos of Spider-Man in action, the distinct features of the armored suit captured in detail.

Lucius studied the images carefully, leaning back in his chair. The suit's sleek, black-and-white design, the glowing crimson core, the retractable mechanical legs, and the bursts of webbing intrigued him.

"Now, this… this is something," Lucius muttered. "From the look of it, it's an exosuit. A highly advance mechanical armor something the military would die for." He adjusted his glasses and zoomed in on one of the photos where Spider-Man's repulsor beams fired out. "It's a highly advance energy weapon, I can produce something similar but it will be a size of a fridge and nothing compact like he has and it will not have this level of sophistication."

Bruce, leaning in, nodded slightly. "What about the core, the energy source?"

Lucius tapped the photo showing the glowing red reactor in the chest. "That's the most interesting part. It's not traditional, certainly not any kind of standard power source I've seen. It could be a miniature fusion reactor, something experimental. I dare say who ever invented it deserve to be on history books. But how much power can it generate…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "Hard to say, probably around 15-20 gigajoules enough to power Wayne Tower for a long time. I have to see the real thing to come to any conclusion, but it's beyond anything on the market. Maybe a hybrid system of unknown metal, tech and fusion reactor."

Bruce looked thoughtful, his brow furrowing. "You're saying this isn't just tech?"

Lucius nodded. "Exactly. From the way this guy moves in the suit, it's not just mechanical; it seems almost… organic in how it adapts. It could be some sort of memory metal, experimental probably only one of its kind, but that's just a theory."

Lucius glanced at Bruce, studying him carefully for a reaction. He knew Bruce wasn't just asking out of curiosity. "Why the sudden interest, Bruce? Thinking of investing in some power armor yourself?"

Bruce chuckled lightly, standing up. "Just keeping an eye on the competition, Lucius."

As they both stood, Lucius gave Bruce a knowing look. "Just be careful, Bruce. Whoever's behind this Spider-Man… he's not your average vigilante his might be a brilliant scientist as well."

Bruce smiled slightly, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Thanks, Lucius. I'll keep that in mind." With that, Bruce exited the office, his mind already working on contingencies for this mysterious Spider-Man and how he will affect Gotham and how he might have to deal with him in the future if he ever cross the line.