章節 14: C14
Kai stood on the rooftop, the city stretched out before him like a patchwork quilt of lights and shadows. His mask muffled the cold night air, and the faint hum of his voice modulator vibrated faintly against his chest. Below, the scene was set. A group of men—clearly not fans of the law—were unloading stolen goods from a van. They were loud, uncoordinated, and clearly overconfident. Easy pickings.
He crouched down, carefully observing the situation before leaping into action. "Alright, boys," he muttered under his breath, his voice already taking on that cocky edge he loved to project. "Let's see how long it takes for you to regret your life choices."
He jumped down, landing with a faint thud behind them. The group turned, startled, and the first thing they noticed was his black costume, sleek and intimidating. Then the voice.
"Hey, guys," Kai drawled, tilting his head slightly. The modulator distorted his words into something deep and sinister, but Kai couldn't help himself. His tone was still dripping with sarcasm. "Unloading vans at night? You're either committing a crime or running the most suspicious delivery service ever."
One of the men, a burly guy with a buzz cut, stepped forward. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Kai's posture shifted as he put his hands on his hips. "I'm The Catalyst." He let the name hang in the air dramatically for a moment before adding, "You know, like the spark that ignites change? Except in this case, the change is me kicking your asses."
Buzz Cut cracked his knuckles, unimpressed. "You've got a big mouth for someone dressed like a Halloween decoration."
Kai chuckled, pointing at Buzz Cut's oversized jacket. "And you've got big pockets for someone who still can't afford decent fashion sense. What's in there, candy corn?"
Before Buzz Cut could respond, another guy charged at Kai, swinging a crowbar. Kai sidestepped easily, flicking his wrist to send a quick burst of kinetic energy into the guy's arm. The crowbar flew out of his hand, clattering to the ground.
Kai leaned down, picked it up, and inspected it mockingly. "Really? A crowbar? What is it with you guys and outdated tools? Ever heard of innovation? Maybe try bringing something that isn't out of a 1980s heist movie next time."
The guy groaned, clutching his wrist, but Kai wasn't done. "I mean, I get it," he continued, tossing the crowbar to the side. "Not everyone can afford the fancy gadgets. But seriously, if you're going to be criminals, at least have some self-respect."
Buzz Cut decided he'd had enough and came at Kai swinging. Kai dodged again, this time releasing a controlled pulse of energy that sent the guy stumbling backward into a stack of crates. The crates toppled over, and Buzz Cut went down with them.
"Timber!" Kai said, smirking. "Man, you're just falling apart tonight."
Another thug tried to sneak up on him from behind, but Kai was faster. He spun around, grabbing the guy's arm and flipping him to the ground with a move he'd picked up from one of his martial arts sessions. The thug groaned, pinned under Kai's foot.
"You know," Kai said, looking down at him, "I almost feel bad for you guys. Almost. But then I remember you're the ones breaking the law, and I feel fine again."
The remaining two men exchanged nervous glances. One of them pulled out a knife, holding it shakily. Kai tilted his head, his voice mocking. "Oh no, a knife! My one weakness! What ever will I do?" He let out an exaggerated gasp, then straightened up. "Seriously, do you guys just raid hardware stores before committing crimes? This is embarrassing."
The guy with the knife lunged at him, but Kai was ready. He grabbed the blade with his energy-absorbing gloves, the material neutralizing the attack instantly. The thug stared in disbelief as Kai yanked the knife away and held it up.
"Now, this," Kai said, inspecting the blade, "is just sad. I mean, look at this thing. It's dull. Do you even sharpen your weapons, or are you too busy being terrible at your job?"
He tossed the knife into a nearby dumpster and turned to the last thug, who was now visibly trembling. "Alright, your turn. Do you want to try, or should we just skip to the part where you run away crying?"
The guy took one look at Kai, then bolted, disappearing into the night. Kai shook his head, laughing to himself. "Smart choice."
He turned back to the remaining thugs, all of whom were either groaning on the ground or too dazed to move. He crouched down next to Buzz Cut, who was struggling to sit up. "So, here's the deal," Kai said, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "You're going to tell me where this stuff is going. And if you lie, well…" He let a small pulse of energy ripple through his glove, making a faint crackle. "Let's just say you don't want to find out what happens."
Buzz Cut gulped, nodding quickly. "Alright, alright! It's going to a warehouse on the west side. That's all I know, I swear!"
Kai stood up, dusting off his gloves. "See? That wasn't so hard. Now, do yourselves a favor and find a new line of work. Something less… illegal. Maybe knitting. I hear it's very relaxing."
He turned and walked away, his black costume blending into the shadows once more. As he disappeared into the night, he couldn't help but grin under his mask.
The night was alive with chaos, and Kai was in his element. Cloaked in his black costume and concealed behind his voice modulator, The Catalyst prowled the streets, itching for his next encounter. As much as he enjoyed crafting intricate plans, moments like this—taking down scum one punch and insult at a time—were what he lived for.
He heard shouting from an alley nearby and turned his attention toward it. A gang of three guys was harassing a lone woman, their voices cocky and laced with malice. Kai's blood boiled instantly, but instead of charging in, he climbed up to the rooftops, observing the scene from above.
"Three against one? What is this, a group discount for scumbags?" His voice boomed through the alley as he leaped down, landing dramatically behind them. The woman gasped, taking the opportunity to run as Kai casually stood there, adjusting his gloves. "Don't mind me, just a concerned citizen making sure you all rethink your life choices tonight."
The largest of the three, a guy with greasy hair and a sneer plastered on his face, took a step forward. "Who the hell are you supposed to be? Batman's broke cousin?"
Kai tilted his head, feigning contemplation. "Broke cousin? That's rich coming from you, Discount Bane." He pointed at the guy's tattered leather jacket. "Seriously, man, did you steal that from a dumpster or are you just a connoisseur of garbage fashion?"
The guy growled and lunged, but Kai sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the man's arm and flipping him onto his back. "Wow, that was pathetic," Kai said, standing over him. "I thought you were going to put up a fight, but you move slower than dial-up internet."
The second thug, shorter and wiry, decided to try his luck. He pulled out a knife and charged. Kai dodged, spinning out of the way like a dancer. "Oh, look, another genius with a knife!" Kai exclaimed, grabbing the man's wrist mid-swing and twisting it until the weapon clattered to the ground. "Do you guys share a brain cell or something? Because this is just sad."
Kai shoved him backward with a burst of kinetic energy, sending him flying into a pile of trash bags. "Well, at least now you're where you belong," Kai said, smirking. "You and the garbage can have a little heart-to-heart."
The last thug stood frozen, clearly reconsidering his life choices. "Uh… I… I don't want any trouble," he stammered, raising his hands.
Kai walked toward him slowly, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "You don't want trouble? Buddy, you're in a gang. Trouble is, like, your whole brand. But hey, I get it. You're probably the brains of the operation." He paused, looking the guy up and down. "Actually, scratch that. With those socks and sandals, there's no way you're the brains. Who even does that?"
The thug, clearly humiliated, turned and ran, leaving his friends groaning on the ground. Kai sighed dramatically. "And there goes another one. Man, these guys never stick around for the good part."
He turned back to the guy he'd first taken down, crouching next to him. "Alright, big guy. Let's have a chat. Where's your boss, and why's he sending a group of fashion rejects out to terrorize people?"
The thug groaned, clutching his side. "I ain't telling you nothin'."
Kai leaned in closer, his modulator giving his voice a menacing edge. "Oh, come on. Do you really want to play tough guy? Because I can keep this up all night, and I've got a whole arsenal of insults you haven't even heard yet."
Greasy Hair cracked. "Alright, alright! There's a warehouse on 12th and Main. That's where we take the stuff we steal. Please, just don't hit me again."
Kai stood, dusting off his gloves. "See? That wasn't so hard. Now, take a nap or something. You look like you need it." He turned and walked away, his cape fluttering behind him.
A few hours later, Kai found himself outside another dingy building, this one crawling with low-level villains. They were clearly arguing about something, their voices echoing into the street. Kai perched on a nearby lamppost, listening in.
"You were supposed to bring the money!" one guy shouted, his face red with frustration.
The other guy, a lanky dude with a bad haircut, shot back, "Well, maybe if you didn't blow it all on that stupid costume, we wouldn't be broke!"
Kai couldn't help himself. "Wow, and I thought I was dramatic," he called out, drawing their attention. "Let me guess: the guy with the ridiculous shoulder pads is in charge, right?"
The leader, a guy who looked like he was trying way too hard to be intimidating, glared up at him. "Who the hell are you?"
Kai hopped down, landing lightly in front of them. "The Catalyst," he said, folding his arms. "And you guys must be… what? Villains in training? Because this is just embarrassing."
"Get him!" the leader barked, and the group rushed at Kai.
The first guy swung a bat, but Kai ducked under it, delivering a quick punch to his stomach. "A bat? Really? Did you lose a bet, or are you just stuck in the 1950s?"
The second guy tried to tackle him, but Kai redirected his momentum, sending him crashing into a wall. "Man, you guys are bad at this. Did no one teach you how to fight, or are you all self-taught?"
The leader pulled out a gun, but before he could aim, Kai used a burst of energy to knock it out of his hand. "A gun? Wow, you're really bringing out the big guns… literally. Too bad it's not going to help."
One by one, Kai took them down, each insult sharper than the last. By the end of it, the group was either unconscious or groaning on the ground. Kai stood over them, shaking his head. "You know, I expected more from a group of villains. At least pretend to be competent next time."
As he walked away, he couldn't help but smile. Being The Catalyst was a lot of work, but moments like this? Totally worth it.
—-----------
Got it! Here's a continuation with Kai trash-talking villains and criminals, using a variety of his powers while keeping his overconfident and sharp-tongued personality intact. Let's dive right in:
Kai crouched on the rooftop, his pitch-black costume blending seamlessly with the night. His voice changer crackled as he muttered, "Alright, Catalyst, time to shine again. Let's see what the bottom of the food chain is up to tonight."
Scanning the streets below, he spotted a small group of masked thugs loading crates into an unmarked van. The Catalyst's HUD display in his goggles ran a quick analysis—yup, stolen goods.
Kai smirked under his mask. "Looks like the dumb-dumb convention started without me. How rude."
He leaped off the rooftop, absorbing the energy from the fall to soften his landing. As he approached the group, one of the thugs spotted him and froze.
"Oh no, look, he's thinking," Kai quipped, his voice deep and distorted by the changer. "Careful, buddy, you might sprain something."
"What the hell is that?!" one of the criminals yelled, fumbling to pull a weapon from his waistband.
"The future, obviously," Kai shot back, sliding forward and sending a low-energy blast into the guy's knees. It wasn't enough to injure him badly—just enough to knock him off balance and send him face-first into a crate.
"You seriously brought a crowbar to a vigilante fight?" Kai taunted as another thug charged at him. With a fluid motion, he absorbed the energy from the thug's wild swing, redirecting it into his fist and sending the guy flying backward. "Honestly, it's cute. Vintage, even. But did you forget this is the 21st century?"
One of the smarter criminals scrambled for the van and attempted to drive off, but Kai wasn't about to let that happen. With a swift gesture, he absorbed the heat from the air around him, creating a sudden temperature drop that frosted the van's windows.
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Kai shouted as he sprinted after the vehicle. "You can't leave your friends behind! That's rude and terrible teamwork."
The driver panicked and veered sharply, but Kai used a burst of stored kinetic energy to propel himself forward, landing on the van's roof with a heavy thud.
"Knock, knock!" he called, pounding on the metal with a rhythmic beat. "Can I interest you in a free trial of getting your ass kicked?"
The driver swerved wildly, trying to shake him off, but Kai absorbed the motion's energy to keep himself stable. With a sharp punch, he dented the roof and reached into the cabin, grabbing the steering wheel.
"Pro tip: maybe don't run from someone who can literally use momentum as a weapon," Kai quipped, yanking the wheel and forcing the van to skid into a nearby lamp post.
He hopped down as the van's engine sputtered to a halt, casually dusting himself off. The driver stumbled out, hands raised.
"Okay, okay, I give up!"
Kai tilted his head. "Already? That's disappointing. You could've at least tried one good move. Do you guys ever practice? Or is the whole 'criminal mastermind' thing just a side hustle for you?"
One of the thugs from earlier, still nursing his bruised ego (and knees), attempted a sneak attack from behind. Kai didn't even bother to look back. He flicked his wrist, releasing a stored shockwave that sent the guy flying backward into a pile of garbage bags.
"Wow, you really just jumped into that one, huh? I mean, I admire the dedication, but, uh..." Kai turned around and gestured to the trash heap, "you kind of look like you belong there now. The symmetry's perfect."
With all the thugs incapacitated, Kai activated the comms in his helmet to alert the authorities about the stolen goods. He leaned against the van, watching the unconscious criminals as sirens began to wail in the distance.
"You know," he said to no one in particular, "if I were you guys, I'd consider a career change. Maybe something where you don't have to think too hard—like parking enforcement. Oh wait, no, you'd still mess that up."
Later that night, Kai perched on another rooftop, still brimming with energy from the night's antics. He hadn't even broken a sweat, but the adrenaline was keeping him wired.
"Man, these guys are too easy," he muttered, fiddling with one of the small energy capsules on his belt. "It's like fighting pigeons with a flamethrower—overkill, but hilarious."
As he scanned the city for more action, his internal monologue kicked in. Alright, Catalyst, let's review. Tonight's lessons: one, criminals are stupid. Two, you're awesome. And three... maybe tone down the trash talk a little? Nah, scratch that. It's half the fun.
He chuckled to himself, then stood and stretched. "Alright, Gotham knockoff, show me what else you've got. Catalyst is just getting started."
Kai spotted another group of suspicious figures gathering in a nearby alley. He grinned beneath his mask, already formulating his next round of insults.
"Here we go again," he muttered, leaping into action.
This time, the group was better armed—guns, knives, the works. But Kai wasn't fazed.
"Look at this!" he exclaimed as he landed in the alley, his voice amplified by the changer. "It's like the clearance aisle at a weapons store. Did you guys buy those in bulk, or...?"
One of the thugs pointed a gun at him, but before they could fire, Kai absorbed the kinetic energy from the bullet as it left the barrel, freezing it mid-air.
"Nice try," he said, catching the bullet between his gloved fingers and holding it up for them to see. "But you forgot the first rule of fighting a guy like me: don't."
He tossed the bullet aside and charged forward, using a burst of stored energy to close the distance in an instant. The thugs barely had time to react before he disarmed them with precise, calculated strikes.
"Seriously, though," Kai continued as he incapacitated another criminal. "Do you guys ever think these plans through? Or is this just a 'see what happens' kind of vibe?"
One of the thugs tried to run, but Kai used his stored thermal energy to create a small explosion of heat in front of them, cutting off their escape route.
"Aw, don't leave the party early!" Kai called, grabbing the fleeing thug by the collar and tossing him back into the fray. "We were just starting to have fun."
The fight ended quickly, with Kai standing victorious once again. He stood over the pile of groaning criminals, hands on his hips.
"Another successful night for Catalyst," he declared dramatically. "Saving the city one dumbass at a time."
As he prepared to leave, he couldn't resist one final parting shot. "You know, I almost feel bad for you guys but... here we are."
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