Gotham City: One day since last chapter
Naruto drove casually from Metropolis to Gotham with Cindy riding right beside him while Mercy was in the backseat trying to get used to the fact she didn't have to drive everywhere anymore. Said woman was in a jacket, blouse, black lace bra that was showing with her cleavage (which was intentional), black tight fitting business pants, and flat business shoes. Naruto had to smirk at her still desiring to look professional despite the fact she could just relax and enjoy herself. Cindy had been trying to get her to loosen up for the past day, but the most she got was an amused smile from her and her showing off her assets a bit when around Naruto, which was probably due to her sleeping in the night dress the previous night.
"You really should relax Mercy, unlike cue ball, I'm not expecting you to throw yourself on a grenade so I can live. I'd be amazed if there was anyone I fought capable of killing me." Naruto stated since she knew what he was doing and couldn't exactly feel bad for the assholes since some of them had come to Lex about possible business ventures that were less than legal.
"I know, boss, it's just second nature to me now. I spent years protecting Lex and being his personal shield that it's now just habit that I do it." Mercy stated since it wasn't something she could just switch off after having done it for years and years.
The first thing she tried to do when they went to the car was open the door for Naruto and Cindy to get in the backseat so she could drive only for Naruto to usher herself in the backseat since he wanted her to just enjoy the drive. Even now she felt weird sitting in the backseat while Naruto drove.
"I understand that Mercy, what I am saying is don't force yourself to react to everything. I mean no offense, but what you keep tensing up about is not a threat and I can sense far more threatening things than what you are reacting to. All you're doing is stressing yourself out when you can just relax and enjoy the drive for a change." Naruto stated since it was true as she tended to tense when a car got so close or a sound of an engine revving reached their ears. However, that was nothing compared to what Naruto could sense since it was part of the curse of possessing the Darkness and Angelus that he could see various things that no one should ever have to see.
Naruto's one saving grace was that he had seen such things so much that he learned to numb himself to the atrocities, sickening images, and other things. Part of what helped was Naruto locking onto the signature of the person and ensuring they didn't survive the week after he encountered their signature or even a day if the person was going to commit another crime in the same day Naruto encountered them. He had brought a lot of victims peace through his methods, something that the current brand of heroes hadn't done.
Naruto also idly wondered if the Batman would live up to even part of his expectations. He could understand the no killing rule the man had since at this point his enemies would win in the end if he did cross that line. Hell certain enemies of his, and some times allies, tried to deliberately push him into killing and at times it took the man everything he had to not put down one of the enemies.
His primary flaw was he trusted too much in the justice system since many of the enemies he took down should have been sentenced to execution at this point. The joker had close to 100 successful escapes from Arkham and still the courts just shipped him back to the place to be "rehabilitated" which Naruto knew was impossible and knew Batman knew it too.
Batman had gotten around that little detail at times by simply not saving an enemy from dying, he had done so with Ra's Al Ghul and some others on more than one occasion with all parties still coming back due to one method or another. However Naruto wasn't going to go that route, he was going to give Gotham a wakeup call that they'd never forget and never take justice for granted again.
He just hoped those left behind would rise to the challenge otherwise he'd do a more extreme cleaning of the streets.
Gotham City: Wayne Enterprises CEO Office
In his company's tower, Bruce Wayne sighed as he did paperwork while his mind was on other things. Specifically, it was on the new hero named Kage that was running around. Right now, Bruce wasn't sure how to feel about him since it was both for and against his principals.
Originally he had been against Kage and was trying to research a way to take him down since he wasn't an ordinary man. However, he was surprised when both Lucious and Alfred recommended he look at the people he was killing before labeling him a monster. Bruce had done so, but it was to see what connected the victims as a way to possibly track him. Bruce found the connections and as he dug deeper he found himself no longer able to classify them as victims and the more he dug the more he felt the darker part of him wanting to have 10 minutes alone with them. He finally had to stop as some of the actions made even him want to release his stomach contents.
That had been the first step, the second came when he saw L.A's crime rates had dropped by 15% in the first week of him being there something even Bruce and Clark hadn't achieved and no other hero had either. Bruce suspected part of it was his willingness to kill criminals and the fact that those he didn't kill knew weeks if not months of physical and psychological therapy.
The third step came in the form of his addressing the scientists and humanitarians neglecting different people who didn't ask for their powers and wanted a way to get rid of them or even help the rare few who went criminal because of something beyond their control. Him airing Clark's dirty laundry was also a moment to give him pause since he hadn't even known that Clark had done such things. Bruce would be the first to admit he was hard on anyone that tried to be a hero let alone in his own city, but he'd never have sent one to prison for a justifiable rookie mistake or ignored someone wanting help with pursuers. Let alone beating the person after escaping the pursuers in self-defense.
It was part of the reason that any time a criminal was legitimately released, he didn't hunt them down and send them back to lockup since they had served the sentence they were assigned. He couldn't lock them up on crimes they could commit since that would set a bad precedent: the Batman able to lockup anyone he deems necessary regardless of actions after they were released. That would destroy the very principles and standards he had set for himself and his students.
The fourth step came in the form learning that all of his spared victims were ones that had either just started the life of crime or had a justifiable reason for doing said things. Namely providing for their families because no business would hire them, a family member needed an expensive medical procedure, a family member was in deep to a loan shark or other shady entity, and the list went on and on with Batman mainly only finding it because each person was acquitted of their crimes by the same group: the Wright Anything Agency. The agency run by its current lead attorney, Phoenix Wright*, had told the court of the circumstances that led them to no other options and that his benefactor was willing to post bail and ensure that the defendants would show for all trials and hearings and would stick with their probation or acquittal and was even prepared to offer them all respectable jobs. When asked who the benefactor was, Phoenix informed them it was a man named Menma Uzumaki, who was a prominent and wealthy man thanks to investments his grandfather made but usually stuck to being out of the spotlight.
When bail was asked to be posted, it was done within an hour regardless of how much it was and at the hearings different cops and witnesses came forward stating the gang related criminals were in fact new since they didn't have their "marks" yet and even several experts came forward for the others explaining the various problems. The fact that the people hadn't actually committed a crime before the time Kage caught them just further proved that some leniency should be shown.
Naturally Bruce dug into this Menma person and found legit records of the family dating back over a hundred years and Menma's grandfather was even a founding investor in Wayne Enterprises when Bruce's father was turning the company into what it was today. This also explained to Bruce where that 4% of the company no one could ever get their hands on belonged: Menma's family kept it and secured it away which was why a small stipend of money came from their books each couple of years like any shareholder got.
Back on to track though, last he looked into the ones pardoned, acquitted, or put on probation, they were working decent jobs while Menma was footing the bill for hospital, lawyer, and any other fees that came up for them. There was also a small news report by Lana Lang that Menma was going to start his own company in LA soon and was simply waiting for a proper location and some employees to become available. How Lana knew Menma was anyone's guess but it wasn't impossible.
Naturally, Bruce's mind also made the connection that when Kage showed up, Menma came out of the shadows and started helping the people Kage spared. It wasn't too far fetched to think Kage and Menma were one and the same which was part of the reason Bruce used his playboy persona to denounce Batman because no one would think he was Batman if he vehemently denounced him.
However, that thought was ruined when he Alfred gave him a book that Bruce's father was given by Menma's grandfather. Inside it detailed an entity seen across the centuries with ever major civilization of the ancient and medieval world having depictions and stories of how it showed up when gods and man failed to keep balance in the world and killed evil men regardless of status while consuming the very Darkness they had in their hearts along with said hearts. Apparently, Menma's family had allied themselves with the entity and helped "clean up" after it did its work in various areas.
Within the book were numerous mentions of different diaries and accounts of the entity from different accounts including his own father's personal journal. Towards the end of the book was a list of people from across history that were either killed by the entity or were allies of it with the most recent names of the allies list being his father, James Gordon, and Lucius Fox.
Naturally this shocked Bruce and when he was about to question Alfred, the man gave him another book this one leather bound with the Wayne Family Crest stamped on it. Opening it, he found it was his father's journal where he gave an account of meeting Ra's Al Ghul and how the man wanted his help to purge Gotham. The account went onto Thomas refusing and it was only through the interference of another person that Ra's relented.
Apparently, Thomas met Kage back then and Kage made Ra's back off by handling the crime his way rather than the League's and Thomas kept detailed reports of various instances of Kage's interference and even began building the archive of all similar sightings across history. It stopped the day Thomas died stating he was going to ask for Kage's help in fixing Gotham.
It was then Bruce remembered that the person who killed his parents was found dead after being ruled innocent and so was a mobster high up on the food chain of one of Falcone's rivals. Said rival was then quickly broken apart and found dead soon after as well along with 10 other high ranking members of society. Meaning Kage avenged Bruce's parents when the justice system failed before leaving the city for whatever reason.
When asked why Alfred had this, Alfred told him he was to hold onto it until Kage either showed himself again or Alfred was retiring or dying. Beyond that he was to keep it safe since there was no point having Bruce investigate or worry about him if he wasn't going to show while Alfred was alive.
Back to the here and now, he had just finished reading everything Lucius had on Kage and learned Lucius had set him up a small expense account when Thomas had asked for it. Lucius didn't question it and did so and occasionally he'd get a call from Kage asking for a small amount to be moved to a new account for living expenses, this time it was for LA. The details of everything Lucius found was both disturbing and enlightening in some instances since it was detailed accounts from each country including the U.S. before it was even called the U.S.
There was even a bit of one history saying he fought Hercules and beat him to an inch of his life when the demigod tried to subjugate the Amazons and Zeus forbid his son from ever trying to fight Kage again. Another mention had him fighting beside Greeks, Norsemen, Egyptians, Amazons, Atlanteans, and some other beings against a monster of unimaginable power with Kage being the one who brought it down and sealed it away.
There was even an account stating he could see the very soul of a person and know everything they did in their life letting him know if they went up or down when their time finally came for judgement. Those going down with no chance of changing were put down while those going up were left alone along with any that there was still time to change.
After close to 30 different myths, legends, and accounts of him, Bruce stopped as he got the picture: Kage had been around a LONG time and had been protecting innocent people longer than anyone else on the planet and apparently he knew exactly who was guilty and who was innocent and punished the guilty.
And now, now Kage was heading to Gotham, every fiber of Bruce's being told him he was and Bruce honestly had no idea what to do. Part of him was against killing, but the other part of him understood the need for it at times when the courts did nothing, when the innocent suffered because no one did something to truly fix it, and there was the fact his own father had condoned Kage's actions against the criminal underworld also put things into a new perspective.
Bruce didn't know what to do yet and if he knew Clark, which he did, then he was more than likely going to come to Gotham because of Kage and Bruce would have to deal with that as well. It wasn't going to be pretty since he also learned that Clark had completely missed a massacre of the prison in Metropolis with both guards and criminals alike dead and evidenced piled up for the DA to put away several dozen cops, lawyers, politicians, judges, and city officials before the day was out.
He was starting to get too old for this shit.
That Night: GCPD
Jim Gordon sighed as he sat in his office, tonight was going to be hectic just like every other night in Gotham. He was just glad Batman was around to help since otherwise it would be a lot bloodier than it was now. He idly looked at the picture of his daughter, the only sad thing about it was that she was in a wheelchair ever since Joker attacked her. They had tried every known and experimental procedure known to man with Bruce Wayne footing the bill after hearing what happened. None of them worked and his daughter simply made due and was already three years into college at the top of her class and was helpful with some police proceedings due to her computer and analytical skills.
Gordon broke from his musings when he realized he couldn't hear anything coming from outside his office and looked up to see Kage standing right in front of him making him lean back slightly. A normal person would have jumped in fright and shock, but Gordon had been around Batman for too many years with him suddenly showing up and disappearing on him. He idly looked out the window of his office to see the other officers and the clerks going about their business like nothing was wrong.
"Hello Jim, it's been a while." Naruto stated since he had encountered Gordon when he was in Gotham years ago and found the man to be respectable.
"Kage." Gordon stated leaning back in his chair and grabbing his coffee cup already assuming Kage did something to the windows to make people not notice since the man had done some weird shit before so that wasn't too unlikely a theory, "I assume you're here to tell me that tonight is gonna be busy for us?" He asked since Kage had done the same thing last time he was here though only Gordon listened at the time.
"That, and I have something for you." Naruto stated making Gordon raise an eyebrow before Naruto placed a small black pill on his desk, "I heard about your daughter, have her take this before she sleeps tonight. Tomorrow she'll be able to move her legs and the day after she should be able to walk with crutches. From there it will be about her taking it easy and doing physical therapy to be able to move again. There will be pain and discomfort during the process, but she'll never have to fear her back getting worse again should she fall or move wrong." Naruto stated making Gordon widen his eyes, "Consider this a thank you for your help years ago and as a good faith payment for letting me work tonight." Naruto stated before he disappeared into the shadows and Gordon heard the commotion outside his office as he took the pill and put it in a small sample bag before pocketing it.
If Kage said it would work then it would, he had seen Kage pull a bullet out of a man before sealing the wound up like it never happened in the first place as well as be shot in the chest until three thugs' clips were empty and still kept walking like nothing happened. If he said this pill could fix his little girl, then he wasn't going to doubt him.
He just hoped Batman didn't try and fight Kage or it wouldn't end well for the Dark Knight.
Across Town
Naruto stared down at the group below him at the docks with disgust. Apparently Diaz was meeting up with some of Los Muertos' investments. Like any smart business man, the head of Los Muertos was investing in future endeavors, this one happened to be with the Santa Blanca Cartel of Bolivia.*
Said cartel started off as a couple thugs trying to make money before it boomed into a conglomerate with T-shirts, posters, and even their own religion that gained them followers from all over whether it was people wanting to become a true gangster, wanted to get in good with their deity Santa Muerte, or they just wanted a reason to carry guns and use them. Currently said cartel controlled 99% of Bolivia with rebels and some CIA spooks trying to fight them with little to no success. Naruto made a note to go after them at some point when he was done with LA since hurting Los Muertos was also hurting them.
Anyway, it would seem Diaz was there to broker a trade of some of his best drivers for some armored vehicles and some extra firepower to try and take Naruto out. With Naruto causing problems for Los Muertos, Los Muertos was having to divert money away from their investments to stem the bleeding Naruto had caused so far and that meant less financial backing and product sales for Santa Blanca, which of course both parties found unacceptable.
So now he was here negotiating with a representative of Santa Blanca that was in the area for a shipment of product coming in. Poor fools didn't know they weren't going to leave the area alive.
"So it's agreed then, we give you some of our best drivers to make runs for the borders and in exchange we get some of the military outfitted vehicles." Diaz stated with some exaggerated movements of his arms while the Santa Blanca member merely nodded.
However before they could finalize the agreement, four of the armed thugs were attacked by Darklings jumping on their heads and started stabbing them with broken bottles. Naturally, this caused the group to panic and try to shoot the buggers before tendrils suddenly shot through their chests lifting them off the ground. Diaz and the representative were the only two not pierced through the chest and were dangling in front of Naruto.
"So Diaz, you ran all the way here to get away from me and even got the Santa Blanca involved. How very… useless." Naruto stated before he tore Diaz in half and turned to the Santa Blanca representative.
"Do whatever you want! Santa Blanca and Santa Muerte will avenge me and make you suffer!" He stated fantastically as he growled at Naruto who merely chuckled before laughing.
"You damn fool, Santa Muerte will never help you." Naruto stated before he beheaded the man. Naruto then dropped the body as he absorbed the darkness from his victims before smirking, "You can come out boy, you're not at a level where I can't sense you." Naruto stated as he looked and saw an armored figure stand before him with a sword on his back and a blank face mask with red paint on it.
"You are indeed as talented as the order said you were, Lord Kage." The figure known as Azrael, a knight of the Order of Saint Dumas, stated as he bowed his head in respect.
"Yes, though from what I understand you don't work with or for the order anymore, Michael." Naruto stated making Azrael tense since it had been a long time since anyone called him that. Even Batman respected his wishes and hadn't called him by that name in over a year.
"I see, you truly do know a person just from looking at them." Azrael stated since there were many stories and legends of Kage within the order and it wasn't only them either as every secret society that had existed for centuries knew of Kage and what he did when out in the world.
"Yes, it was I who gifted your order with the weapons for their champion. I merely took them back once your order began to go fanatical and kill anyone who didn't agree with their methods." Naruto stated making Azrael nod as that had been a blow to the order decades ago when he did such a thing but the order wasn't foolish enough to try and force him to aid them again.
"Yes, they said as much when I was still part of the order." Azrael stated and he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel intimidated by the aura and look in Naruto's eyes.
"But you're not here to talk about that, you want a mentor." Naruto stated knowing why the man was before him. While the man had been taken under Batman's wing, trained further and shown the benefit of intellectual work, the man wanted someone more attuned to breaking the evil doers rather than simply beating them. Most of all, he wanted a teacher that could show him how to read a person at first look without having to stop and think over if the person was truly guilty or not.
"Yes, Batman is an exceptional teacher in the forms of combat, analysis, and many other things but I need someone who can teach me to observe my fellow man, to see them for what they truly are and not who they pretend to be. To know who deserves to taste my blade and who has the right to be given another chance." Azrael stated knowing there were times that even Batman was fooled by people and couldn't read a situation fast enough to prevent it, merely survive it.
While the likes of Batman and Ra's al Ghul were masters of the shadows and striking down opponents no matter how out numbered they were, Kage was an entirely different kind of being. He didn't use the shadows, he was the shadows; he didn't research an enemy, he knew who they were from encountering them once; where other men feared to cross the line of life and death, Kage controlled that line as if it was his creation.
"Indeed, but you must understand I do not harm those who are innocent just to get to targets. Nor do I kill anyone who commits crimes for acceptable reasons such as they do the crime to keep a family member from dying or have no way out. Nor those who are cursed with powers they do not want nor ever asked for. Should you ever break these rules or others if I take you as a student, then I will kill you." Naruto stated with a dead serious tone and Azrael happily accepted expecting nothing less from the man before him.
"Of course my lord, I expect nothing less and will end my own life should I stray from the path of freeing the world from the darkness that consumes it." Azrael stated firmly believing that Kage was the one that could train him to be a weapon of the light that would cast down those who thrived in the shadows.
Naruto of course was going to educate him on the difference between a darkness that can't survive and a darkness that must survive and that the Light is not always something that should be fought for and protected. In many cases over history the "light" was just as bad if not worse than the "dark" was. Many denied that of course, but the proof was there for all to see, you just had to be willing to look.
"Very well." Naruto stat d as he turned to face Azrael, "Meet me atop Lady Gotham in two hours for your first test. If you succeed, you will need to gather anything you require as you will have to come with me to LA if you wish to learn and there is no shortage of criminals to test yourself against, at least for the time being." Naruto stated making Azrael nod before he left to prepare.
Naruto waited a few moments to let him get a distance away before a tendril launched from his back and wrapped around a woman making her gasp in surprise as she was lifted and held in front of him, "Hello Talia." Naruto stated holding the gorgeous assassin in front of him while said woman was calm and smiling at him with a small tint of pink on her face.
"Hello Naruto-koi." Talia stated with a smile. Naruto was her first and probably only true beloved long before Batman even existed.
Naruto released a low chuckle, "Still haven't given up the place I hold in your heart, even though Batman has gained a place of his own." Naruto stated with his normal voice and seeing her gain a bit more pink while shuddering slightly. It wasn't surprising since when Naruto helped train her as a young woman he'd tease her by breathing and speaking huskily into her ear and the trend continued the few times they were intimate over the years.
"No matter what happens, you will always hold the center of my heart." Talia stated seriously yet passionately as Naruto set her down and had his tendril release her.
"I assume Ra's heard I was back so you're here both to try and be with me again and to offer the League of Shadows to me." Naruto stated since any time he made his presence known longer than a few days or weeks, either Ra's or Talia would approach him.
"I swore the first time you left that I would never stop loving you and would await the day you'd let me. My father still wants you to control the league since you are the only true warrior that can lead it. We had hoped Batman would at one time, but his morals cannot be shaken and he could never kill someone or order someone else to do so to save the masses except for the few instances even my father wouldn't dare cause." Talia stated with Naruto nodding since he knew of those instances. They were instances where someone pushed Batman to his true breaking point and they all involved someone killing one of his "children" and Ra's could never bring himself to do it as he had nearly lost Talia many times and knew the pain that came was an evil no one should experience.
"Mm. Tell your father that… I will take over, but the league will operate on my terms and not on how he has been doing things. I will not kill the many to save the few unless the many are all people who deserve to die." Naruto stated since not only was that not him on any level, but it's how that one bitch he despised would do things to get the job done.
Talia nodded with her eyes widening a fraction before she came up to him and put her hands on his face, "Something's changed, you've got a light in your eyes I've never seen before. The only time I saw something similar was when you talked about…" Talia stated before widening her eyes before Naruto nodded causing her to engulf him in a hug with tears going down her face while Naruto smiled as he hugged her back, "I'm so happy for you." She stated since the only time she saw any real light in his eyes was when he talked about his family before that bastard Kami attacked and she could only guess that Naruto finally found a way to free them and his nod only proved it.
Naruto merely chuckled before pulling back and wiped her tears away from her eyes, "Yes, there seems to be a way and it has been working from what I feel. It involves me doing my job and this world has no shortage of darkness and souls on their way south. The more I consume and remove the faster I can get them back." He stated making her smile and nod before lowering her head, "However." He stated making her look at him, "Do not take that to mean that you will never be able to gain my love, I have closed myself off for a long time and it will be a time before my heart can be opened again. I'm not saying it will be easy, but be patient with me."
Talia merely smiled at him, "I told you over a century ago, I will never stop loving you and will stand by you no matter what the cost or how much time passes." Talia stated seriously as she held his face still hidden behind his mask, but that was fine with her since she truly loved his eyes over anything else you could physically see of him. Even now she gazed into the one visible eye knowing why he had the other hidden from her.
Naruto smirked knowing what she wanted and removed his mask showing her his face for the first time in decades while keeping his one eye closed before he leaned down and kissed her making her wrap her arms around him.
After a minute or so, Naruto pulled back and put his mask back, "Head back to your father, I have some work to do." He stated making her nod before she gave him one last kiss before running off.
Naruto waited before disappearing in a pool of darkness, it was time to pay a visit to the animals of this city.
Elsewhere in the city: short while later
Batman stood on a rooftop monitoring the different police frequencies while standing near him was Superman with his eyes closed listening to the various sounds of the city trying to find Kage. Near them was the current Robin named Tim Drake, Nightwing, and Red Hood*.
Each of them had different feelings towards Kage: Batman wasn't sure what to feel after everything he learned recently, Superman was pissed and still determined to stop him, Robin wasn't sure since from what he learned the entire group of people Kage was fighting and killing were the type of people he and Bruce would beat to an inch of their lives before sending them off to prison, and Nightwing was different due to him having grown up and seen things away from Batman's guidance and knew that some times there were certain people that just needed to die. He had never crossed that line himself, but he also understood that some people had to cross it to ensure that certain people didn't continue with their atrocities.
As for Red Hood, he was on Kage's side of things. He fully believed that there were numerous criminals and such that shouldn't get to live another day. His only problem was that he couldn't bring himself to cross that specific line no matter how much his mind and soul howled at his body to do it. He was too close to the rules and regulations Batman laid down for him when he was Robin to break them, but he did bend them via sending various entities to the hospital for months on end before they could be transferred to prison. It didn't fully remove the desire for greater justice, but it was enough to keep him sane and let him do his job effectively.
They all broke from their thoughts as a radio call came in, (Control to all units in the area, we have a murder scene at the docks by Pier 27. Known cartel members are among the casualties and it is believed to be the work of the Hero known as Kage). A woman stated through the radio making them all take off for Pier 27, though the Humans were playing catch-up since Superman took off like a rocket.
Five minutes later had the heroes at the scene seeing coroner vans and Jim Gordon coordinating the officers to seal off the area. The thing Batman noticed was that Jim didn't seem that surprised by the carnage, which meant he had to know that Kage was in town.
While Superman decided to look around and see if he was still in the area and Bat's protégés began looking for anything important, Batman approached Gordon, "You made it here in record time, Batman. Though I'm guessing you already know who did this and why?" Gordon stated then asked since he knew Batman had a way of just knowing different things.
"Yes, Kage. However what I want to know is why you don't seem surprised that he's involved?" Batman stayed making Gordon sigh.
"Look Batman, I like you, I trust you, I respect you, I'd gladly put my life in your hands on any day, but Kage has had my trust longer since before the Waynes died and tonight he only reinforced that trust for me." Gordon stated making Batman raise an eyebrow, "He gave me a pill that can fix my little girl, I trust him more than I trust anyone else save for Barbara and if he says it will help her then it will." Gordon stated making Batman widen his eyes slightly, "Look Batman, don't fight Kage if you can help it, you're only asking for trouble that you can't help but lose to. Trust me, I've seen it before." Gordon warned while Batman frowned.
However before either could speak again, (Attention all units! Arkham Asylum is under attack! Suspect identified as the hero Kage! Multiple units down and some even dead). Came a frantic radio call and Gordon quickly grabbed the radio.
"All units! Do not enter the Asylum or engage! I repeat do NOT enter or engage!" Gordon stated knowing that any corrupt cops would be dead and any good cops would be out of action for who knew how long. Naturally, it was the latter he was more concerned about since any shortage of officers could prove disastrous, "Form a perimeter, but do not attempt infiltration, I'll be there soon to coordinate." Gordon stated before turning to see Batman still there, but he was looking at a building and Gordon looked to see Azrael there waiting.
Batman nodded to Gordon before he grappled up to Azrael, "I see you've found Kage's first work in town." Azrael stated as the other Batfamily members came up, "Batman, I wanted to thank you for your training and mentorship over the past two years." Azrael stated and the other raised an eyebrow while Batman remained impassive already guessing what was going to happen.
"You've approached Kage for training, haven't you?" Batman stayed surprising the other three and even more when Azrael nodded.
"I have and he is going to test me tonight. I am sorry Batman, but Kage is the only one who can train me in what I need. After the incident with the fake Sword of Sin and the Suit of Sorrows, I need someone that truly understands the darkness and the light to help me deal with the after effects. I am sorry for not telling you about this beforehand, but I knew you would question it thoroughly and with Superman here I couldn't chance the meeting going south." Azrael stated and explained knowing that such an incident was still fresh in their minds.
A little over two years ago, the Order of Saint Dumas sent him to replace Batman. Azrael thought he was being a true instrument of good, but the suit was designed to control him and make him do the Order's bidding regardless of it being for the good of others or not. They even outfitted him with a fake Sword of Sin and had him kidnap Barbara to force Batman to face him in single combat and the winner would be in charge of watching over Gotham. However, when Azrael was gaining the upper hand, the fake Sword erupted in golden flames and washed over him making him scream as the flames purified his mind and body and destroyed the suit of sorrows and the fake sword leaving him in an under-suit with the Templar cross on it.
Azrael then broke down and begged for both Barbara and Batman's forgiveness for what he had done. He wanted to serve God and the light but all he did was become a puppet for pretenders. Batman took him in and outfitted him again with a new sword, partially to test his control, and trained and worked with him over the last two years once he was sure the man was sane and capable.
However, an aftereffect was there were times he could hear the cries of innocent people suffering and each time they investigated, there was a crime in progress or about to start and when Azrael looked upon the criminals he knew things they had done that they were never convicted of. Barbara had theorized that perhaps the true Sword of Sin was angered by the fake and punished Azrael with the Suit by making him hear the sorrow around him at times and to face the darkness that existed.
Batman had no proof to the contrary since he had used the suit before, he was stronger and faster but more brutal and it happened whenever he saw someone suffering or committing evil. He knew the armor was semi-sentient due to the process of making it, but he never wanted to test how much sentience existed or what it would push him to do if he continued to wear it. Such a thing was why he locked it up in the Bat-cave before it was stolen: to remind him that no soul was so pure that they couldn't be led to violence and harm and he was no exception.
Azrael broke them from their thoughts as he spoke again, "The order has known of Kage since its founding and at one point were even allies before Kage rejected their methods. They wanted to remove anyone that was trying to do good in the world but wasn't putting down evil and Kage objected to that and lashed out violently. The order never attempted to face him or cross him again afterwards and I learned he took the real Sword of Sin and Sword of Salvation when he broke his alliance with them. It was only fair he do so since he helped to forge them, the suit was only the Order's creation." Azrael explained knowing his friends/allies would wish to know.
Before either of them could say anything, the police radio cane to life again, (Control, Superman has entered the Asylum! I repeat, Superman has breached the perimeter and entered the Asylum). An officer stated frantically over the radio.
Azrael snorted, "That fool doesn't stand a chance against Lord Kage. If he's lucky he won't end up on the ground broken and bleeding." Azrael stated knowing that Superman couldn't handle a force like Kage. If even half the reports the order had were true then Superman was far out of his league.
(Control, please advise, Kage is beating Superman. I repeat, Superman is getting his ass kicked by Kage!) Stated the same officer over the radio making the group look at each other. Without another word the group headed for the Asylum unknowingly being followed by two others.
Arkham Asylum: 10 minutes ago
Naruto walked towards the gates of the Asylum with a frown on his face due to the amount of darkness practically oozing from the place. Not waiting for an invitation, Naruto tore the gates off the hinges and threw them at two guard towers where he knew several of the less moral guards were located before he walked towards the Asylum itself.
Reaching the doors, he found they were sealed tight and scoffed before tearing the doors off and finding several armed guards aiming guns at him behind a wall of riot shields. Naruto merely tilted his head before vanishing and then appearing right in front of them before he spartan kicked one of the riot guards sending the group flying. As they slammed into the walls, ceiling, and floor, Naruto killed the guards that had run out of time via tearing in half, pinning to the wall, slamming them hard into the ground, or tearing their hearts out. The rest he merely tossed outside onto the ground.
The whole time, four clones were hidden in the shadows absorbing the dark essence both from the people and the very area itself. There was quite a lot stored up into the building itself infecting it and making it a breeding ground for darkness to take root and infect more beings. Not surprising given the violent history the Asylum had before it was "refounded" and made a "better" place. Hmph, right, that's why they had such a huge success rate with all the psychopaths and mass murderers
Naruto broke from his musings as he reached the next security door and ripped it off before throwing it down the hall at another set of guards crushing them as he walked looking at the different cages and threw a black rod from his hand each time he saw one cage in particular that needed the occupants to die. This of course made many of the other prisoners back up in fear hoping they weren't being targeted next.
The few he did walk past breathed a sigh of relief until they heard something and saw a Leviathan or Darklings in their cell and screamed in terror before they were set upon. Said screams echoed throughout the entire Asylum scaring all the occupants as the screams got closer and closer to where they were located.
Naruto paused before turning to see two officers and narrowed his eyes seeing one in particular before he disappeared and reappeared with his hand through said officer's chest before grabbing the other by the throat and holding him in midair, "Hmm, you're actually innocent. Good, I'd hate to have had to remove two officers instead of just one. Stay out of this place until I'm done." Naruto stated before sending him sliding across the floor to the exit before Gordon's voice came over the radio ordering all officers to not enter the Asylum as Naruto walked deeper within.
Within the maximum security ward, many of the villains and psychopaths of Gotham were tense as the screaming grew closer and closer before the door of said ward was torn of the hinges and thrown down the other side of the ward smashing against some people if the screams were any indication. The different people locked up watched as the newest hero Kage walked in like there was nothing to be afraid of within the room.
Naruto stopped in front of the cell containing the man simply named Bane and looked at him a moment before smashing the wall separating the two and walked towards he man while said man growled. Bane then lunged at him thinking he could at least knock him down and then run for it since he wasn't going down without some kind of fight. Said thought was broken when Naruto caught him by the neck and held him there, "So, you're the boy that one bastard was thinking about. How interesting." Naruto stated cryptically as he ignited his arm in black flames making Bane panic, "You don't know what you are dealing with, let me show you." Naruto stated as the flames went up his arm and began consuming Bane making him release a blood curdling scream that echoed throughout the area.
After a few minutes of letting Bane be in the fire, Naruto retracted the fire and dropped him letting Bane fall to his knees before walking away and Bane slowly moved back to his cell's bed and sat there while just staring at the floor.
Naruto then turned and looked at the cell across from Bane seeing Two-Face there and approached it while said dual personality villain was backing up before Kage broke his cell door and entered, "I always knew the devil would come for me eventually." The two sides of him spoke as they looked at Kage.
Kage merely stopped and looked at him before raising his right hand showing a black and white swirled flame, "I'm not the devil, I just send him his clients." Naruto stated as he walked up to him still holding the fire, "You however must make the choice to be a client or not. You can choose to stay as you are and I will rid the world of you or you can take my offer right here and now and become Harvey Dent again. Grace Lamont is still waiting for her love to come back and I know both of you love her, which is why "Big Bad Harv" would always hide away when she was near since you never wanted her to see that side." Naruto stated as the fire was now at Harvey's face making them both freeze as they gazed at it with some trepidation.
"We'll let the coin decide." The two sides stated and as the coin flipped into the air the fire began to flow onto them covering them entirely just as the coin landed and they saw the result letting them relax and accept the fire.
Naruto walked out of the cell as the flames still roared on Harvey before he went to the next cell and the next while breaking the different criminals or killing them outright before he reached the cell of Dr Crane and broke the wall making the man back up with fear clearly showing in his eyes, "No! St-stay back!" Crane stated in fear as he hit the wall.
"What's the matter Crane? Scared?" Naruto stated as his voice took an even darker tone as he approached and began moving the cover that was over his right eye as Crane panicked against the wall. When Naruto reached him, he revealed his right eye was pitch black and Crane screamed as he looked into it scaring everyone in hearing distance save for Bane and Harvey. After about five minutes, Naruto covered his eye again and Crane fell to the floor with his eyes being pure white with his face stuck in a look of horror.
Naruto snorted at him before turning and heading for Crane's across the way neighbor, a certain Clown Prince of Crime. Even as Naruto approached, said clown was still grinning his usual grin even as he backed up from the wall as Naruto destroyed it like usual, "Hey! Get away from my Puddin!" Harleen Quinzel shouted from another cell while Naruto ignored her and Pamela Isley looking at her friend to get her to shut up.
Naruto merely grabbed Joker by the throat and pinned him to the wall before stabbing him in the arms and legs in a crucifix position making the man scream in pain while Naruto then burned his chest with a spiral like he did Lex, "You should be glad you still have a purpose to serve on this world or I would destroy you now and condemn you to eternal suffering." Naruto stated before igniting Joker's head in black flames causing him to scream until Naruto back handed him both knocking him and some teeth out before he turned and walked towards Harleen.
"Stay away you monster! I'll get you for doing that to my Puddin!" Harleen shouted as Naruto approached before entering her cell making her back up more until she was against the wall with her eyes closed tight. She then opened them in surprise as she felt his hand caressing her face gently and turned to look at him.
"You poor woman." Naruto stated before he had a fire consume her, but Harleen didn't scream or move instead she felt… happy and safe in the fire and let it consume her fully.
Naruto then walked away before going to Ivy, who was both scared and pissed at him with the latter most likely being due to Harleen. Naruto entered her cell and immediately felt her pheromones trying to control him, but he ignored them and walked right up to her making her back up in fear since her pheromones didn't even phase him.
Just like Harleen, she closed her eyes waiting for the pain and instead felt a hand gently caressing her face, "You have nothing to fear from me, Pamela. You will not be harmed today, but you must stop the actions you have been taking. Do this, and not only will you have an ally in me, but I will grant you that one thing your heart desires above all." He stated making her eyes widen before he leaned into her ear and whispered something before walking away as Ivy sank to her knees and released a breath she didn't know she was holding.
Naruto then moved further in before frowning and made a clone to continue his work while he dealt with the unwanted guest. Speaking of said guest, Naruto quickly raised his arm and caught said guest by the throat, "Didn't I warn you about getting in my way?" Naruto asked as he looked at Superman trying to get him to let go.
Naruto merely snorted before he slammed Superman into the ground before punting him through a wall into a holding area. Naruto merely walked through the area looking as if he was looking for someone new when he saw a couple officers come in and flicked his fingers sending small bullet-like projectiles that pierced and killed three of them while the other was merely wounded, "I suggest you leave, your commissioner ordered no one to enter and those three comrades of yours were a waste of Human space." Naruto stated before ducking a charging Superman before grabbing his cape and slammed him into the ground multiple times before spinning and throwing him further into the Asylum.
Naruto walked after him while idly looking for any other inmates that needed his personal attention. He then dodged a punch from Superman before grabbing his suit and head butted him a few times before throwing him out of the Asylum by way of crashing through three walls. Moving towards the Kryptonian, Naruto raised his hand making a black swirl appear that blocked the Heat Vision the Man of Steel tried to use. Naturally this shocked said alien and the shock turned to pain as Naruto threw the swirl at him and screamed as it felt like he was being burned.
He was then sent into the ground by Naruto appearing above him and axe kicking him creating a large crater as Clark gasped in pain. Naruto stood next to him gazing unimpressed at the so called Man of Steel, "Pathetic." Naruto stated before he kicked Superman out of the crater and into several trees before he was kicked back towards the Asylum. As he hit the wall, Clark tried to turn around and fight back only for a fist to his face to cause him to close his eyes before a barrage of fists began pummeling him into the wall.
An uppercut made him blackout a moment and lifted him off his feet before Naruto grabbed him by the ankle and slammed him into the ground like a rag doll before slamming him down back first onto his knee making Clark silently scream in pain.
Naruto then just tossed him back onto the ground while sensing his clones, Darklings, and Leviathans were finished within. He then grabbed Superman by his hair and dragged him to the front of the Asylum where an army of cops were along with the recently arrived Batfamily and the two guests. Naruto flung Superman in front of them making him hit the ground rolling as he groaned, "Keep him on a tighter leash, Supergirl, Powergirl, or I will do worse than simply give him a beating." Naruto stated looking up making the others do so as well and seeing the two blondes floating there with the older nodding her head.
Naruto then looked at each officer making them stiffen before he gazed at Batman with Batman returning the gaze as the two just at each other like it was a battle of wills. After what was an uncomfortable silence between them, Naruto smirked, "Be seeing you." Naruto stated as he disappeared in a pool of darkness.
Batman stayed there a moment before walking towards the Asylum not bothering to spare Clark a glance as he moved in and Clark's cousins came and lifted him before flying back towards Metropolis. The other officers followed Batman's lead and backed him up as they walked through the Asylum with a chunk of the officers having to leave to empty their stomachs due to the carnage in the lesser cells and the hallways.
Upon reaching the maximum security ward, they were surprised to find quite a few still alive… if you could call it that for some: Killer Croc had his head smashed into the wall while his hands and legs were pinned to the floor via pieces of his bed frame
Mad Hatter was on the ground with two of his cards shoved into his eyes and his hat shoved into his mouth.
Zsasz was hanging by his own intestines while each of his numbered scars were open and bleeding again.
Pyg was against the wall with his meat cleaver buried in his chest and his pig mask shoved into his mouth.
Firefly was pinned to the wall by his hands while looking even more badly burned than he originally was.
Black Mask was against the wall with a terrified expression on his face and the Black mask torn in half
Bane was simply sitting on his bed looking lost in thought.
Scarecrow was on the ground with blank eyes and a horrified expression
Joker was pinned to the wall in a crucifix position and was burned on his chest with his head stuck in a screaming position
Hugo Strange was on the floor holding his own head, which looked to have been torn off from his neck, in his hands
Hush was on the ground with what looked like a hundred scalpels stabbed into him and his body bleeding from an unknown number of cuts
Kirk Langstrom was huddled in the fetal position on his bed murmuring about the Dark
Mr. Freeze was also just sitting on his bed in thought
Penguin was huddled in a corner with a wet spot beneath him looking around frantically
Riddler was pinned to the wall via his cane stabbed through his left shoulder while his chest and head had a question mark burned into his skin
Both Ventriloquists were pinned to the wall by pieces of their destroyed puppets.
Anarchy was on the ground with a blank look while his chest was branded with an anarchy symbol
Calculator was on the ground with pieces of his prized calculator lodged in his body like shrapnel
Calendar Man was on the ground with his arms and legs broken in various directions while the date of that night was written on the wall in his blood
Clue Master was beaten on the ground with his left arm most likely having to be amputated with the question, "Who am I?" Painted on his wall in his blood.
Electrocutioner was just kneeling on the ground with a blank look on his face while his body showed several electrical burns
Clayface was now just a stone statue while looking like he was superheated
Great White Shark was tied to the ceiling looking like a freshly caught shark while blood dripped from his body from a few stab wounds
The Doll Maker was strung up like a marionette while a blood pool was under him
Killer Moth was stuck to the ceiling like he was on fly paper and his wings were on the ground torn from his body
Maxie Zeus was strung up by his arms from the ceiling while a lightning bolt scar was now on his chest and he had been beaten.
Rag Doll was twisted into a pretzel and not the normal way a contortionist would do it, which was shown via the fact he had some compound fractures
Ratcatcher was huddled under his bed whimpering and mumbling about a "demon that turned his precious ones against him" and if you looked closely you could see he had bite marks that looked to have come from rats all over his body
Tweedledum and Tweedledee were pinned to opposite walls in opposite positions while frozen in looks of horror
Deacon Blackfire was slumped against the wall with a look of horror on his face while his hands bled
Harley was merely lying on her bed curled up and crying her eyes out.
Two Face was on his bed with the blanket over him blocking the main view of him.
And lastly Ivy was merely sitting on her bed with her legs crossed looking at the Batman and the officers before she stood and walked towards the door to her cell making many officers point their guns at her, "Oh please, if I was going to leave I would have while Kage was dealing with the Kryptonian." Ivy stated as she merely put her hand out to Batman showing a flashdrive, "This is from Kage, he said it would explain some thing to you and he wanted this for the Commissioner." She stated before handing another flashdrive to Gordon.
Ivy then surprised them by walking back to her cell and lying on the bed, "What did he do to Harley?" Batman questioned not moving from the spot as he put the flashdrive into his belt.
"From what she mumbled after she stopped being on fire? Apparently Kage wiped out whatever mental control Joker had built up in her mind and freed her letting her be Harleen Quinzel again and now she's processing all the memories she has from being Harley Quinn." Ivy stated sadly though she was glad her friend and some times lover was free from the psychotic clown.
Batman frowned before turning to leave, "A word of advice." Ivy stated making him pause, "I'd recommend not trying to fight him at all in the future. He's beyond anything you've faced before Batman." Ivy stated and there was actually a speck of genuine concern in her voice.
"She's right detective." Freeze stated turning to face them, "That man, if you can even call him that, is beyond you and anyone in here and the proof is in this room." Freeze continued as Bane came up to his cell wall.
"They are right comrade, you live in the dark, but he IS the dark and he won't tolerate anyone trying to trespass in his domain. Least of all someone who will oppose his work." Bane stated as he looked at Batman knowing the man knew of his respect for the detective since it was because of that respect he worked so hard to break him.
"Why were you spared the brunt of his attack?" Batman asked looking at Bane with narrowed eyes before he froze as a familiar voice filled the room making many look in shock.
"Because we were the ones that could be saved." Harvey stated getting up from his bed showing he was completely healed and looked like Harvey Dent again. Harvey understood the shock and surprise coming towards him since he was still in it as well, "Kage gave the few of us worth it, a second chance. We're not the only ones either if I had to guess, we were just the only ones in here at the moment." Harvey stated knowing that he wasn't gonna stick around in Gotham since he had too many enemies even if Kage was removing several of them.
"How?" Batman asked still surprised to see his former best friend looking entirely normal.
"Kage's abilities, they don't just destroy, they can restore. I wouldn't be surprised if he could cure Freeze and Ivy. If I had to guess, he wants something in return or is willing to wait till they want to be fixed, what that is isn't any of my business and I wish them the best of luck." Harvey stated as he turned to go back to the bed before he paused, "Oh, here, a souvenir." Harvey stated flicking his coin to Batman, who caught it with ease as Harvey laid back on his bed waiting to be transferred to a new area since this one was too damaged.
Batman merely looked at what remained of his Rogue Gallery of enemies before he walked away with Nightwing and Robin following him while Red Hood and Azrael looked at the people remaining with their own unique perspective. Azrael now saw why the Order of Saint Dumas wasn't fully supportive of Kage since if the man could see the potential to turn people from the darkness than that was conflicting with them since any who dipped into the darkness were considered targets first and foremost. However, why kill that which you can turn to your side to fight the darkness? Azrael was now even more determined to complete Kage's test.
For Red Hood, he felt that it was about time that these creeps and psychos got what was coming to them, but he had to wonder: why did Kage leave the majority alive? Why kill certain ones and not others? He didn't mean Ivy and such since they had the lowest kill counts of all the people locked up here, but the others like Joker and Riddler, why them?
Red Hood was going to ask Azrael about this but found the knight gone and merely walked out to join Batman. However, they all froze as the radio came on again, (Attention all units! Alarm triggered at Blackgate Prison, reports indicate Kage is attacking the prison). The call came making them frown before several cars took off to seal off the area before the radio came to life again, (Control, this is Charlie 55, we have an explosion down town in a penthouse suite as well as several locations owned by Rupert Thorne, Salvatore Maroni, Carmine Falcone, Fish Mooney, Gambol, and Cobblepot. Requesting backup and fire department). Another call came making Batman frown before he sent Robin and Nightwing to the explosion while he and Red Hood went to Blackgate.
Sometime later
Naruto stood atop Lady Gotham gazing at the city waiting as he felt his body pulsing from the amount of Dark Essence and hearts he consumed since Blackgate was drenched in darkness like the Asylum was and he quickly removed the corrupt guards and then the darkest inmates while ensuring the innocent inmates were safe.
Across town, he had a clone send a small message to the Order of Saint Dumas since they were planning to try and take Azrael prisoner and recondition him. Naruto had an issue with that so he wiped out the entire Gotham branch of the order in one fell swoop before he then ensured the different Mafia families were put on notice that he was paying close attention to their businesses and that they weren't going to have much time left. He already made a public display of Rupert Thorne via leaving nothing but his head on a pike at one of his properties before it blew up.
That would get the message across and make them scatter like ants either to be picked up by the cops when the evidence was shown and their assets were frozen or seized or he'd find them should they escape somehow.
He broke from his musings as he sensed Azrael climb up behind him and stood beside him. Naruto was silent a long moment before he swiped his hand and a dark swirl formed before showing a bar area in Gotham, "Tell me, what do you see?" Naruto asked as the view showed an entire bar with various patrons.
Azrael looked closely trying to determine what he was supposed to be seeing, "I know what there is obvious to see, but nothing else. I see people enjoying drinks, having a conversation, going about their lives, and a few having a card game where they are all cheating." He stated seriously hoping he wasn't disappointing his future teacher.
Naruto snorted slightly, "You must learn to look beneath the underneath. Don't just focus on the activities, learn to read a person by their discreet actions." Naruto stated making Azrael look again but still wasn't seeing much. Naruto then pointed to a woman sitting by herself in a corner, "You see various people, but I see a woman who's trying to forget she made her rent in the backseat of a car." He then pointed to a man in a suit that looked like he had had a few already and was nursing another, "I see a man worrying about what he's going to tell his wife if he can't find a new job soon." He then pointed to a man and woman chatting, "I see a lonely woman humoring a man she normally wouldn't give the time of day to because she's reached that point in her loneliness." He stated before pointing another man in the back corner, "There's a man wondering if his family would be better off if he just killed himself." He then pointed to another, "There's a man who wants to get the courage to find a man who hurt someone he cared about and then make them suffer." He then pointed to another woman that had multiple empty glasses by her, "And there's a woman that's trying to forget something painful and tragic because she doesn't want to face it, because if she faces it then she has to accept that it was real and that it really happened to her."
Naruto stated as he stood there before the image faded away, "I could go on and on, but you get the point. You see the people, but you don't actually see them or their suffering. Like Batman, you've closed yourself off to it because you fear that if you feel for every victim or person suffering you will become attached to every person or that it will influence you in ways you do not want. I however do not have that luxury as I see everything about a person when I gaze at them and as such to block out something that is displeasing could blind me to something that is important." Naruto stated as he wanted to get his point across, "What I can teach is not pretty, it is not pleasant, and there is no going back after you have been trained. Every time you see a victim of a crime you are going to see every sign of it showing on them as clear as day and you will begin to know what that crime was and will have to take the pain of knowing: knowing that that person is forever changed, knowing that there is nothing you can do to help fix what happened, knowing that the best thing you can ever give them is closure, and knowing that when you cross that line of life and death, you MUST do it for the right reasons and not because you are enraged someone would do such a thing."
Azrael nodded knowing why he was telling him this, if Azrael ever lost the will to do this work, then he was forever trapped in knowing people's secrets and pain at the very sight of them and there was nothing Kage could do to help him afterwards, "I understand Lord Kage, but I must do this. It is who I am, it is all I have trained to be. If I can't fight this fight then I do not have a purpose anymore. I can't sit by while other suffer without doing something about it. If I did that then how am I better than the people causing said suffering?" Azrael stated then questioned since trying to ignore others suffering and doing nothing to help was as bad as being the one causing the suffering.
"Very well, your first test starts now." Naruto stated as Azrael nodded and prepared himself for hardest training of his life.
Naruto was curious if he would survive long enough to regret asking for training.
Two days later
Naruto finished loading his car with the things Cindy brought and the stuff she and Mercy bought before getting in said car. His time in Gotham at the moment was finished so it was time to head home with a few pit stops along the way.
He had checked in on Gordon and Barbara with the latter being able to walk shakily with crutches which wasn't that surprising due to her injury and the fact the muscles in her legs had atrophied so it was going to be a painful and long process like Naruto had warned them. But still, the smile on both their faces as Barbara hobbled across the floor on her own power was well worth any discomfort in his mind and he was sure the observing Batman and protégés were of the same mind including Azrael since he felt that Barbara's injury was both a shame and tragedy since she was a skilled crime fighter and never should have had to face possibly never walking again.
As Naruto drove out of Gotham, the radio idly commented how the different Mafia bosses were indicted along with a dozen or so officers, 3 judges, 5 surgeons, several security and prison guards, three ADAs, 12 defense attorneys, and dozens of others on racketeering, extortion, murder, conspiracy, Rico, smuggling, drug, accessory, kidnapping, blackmail, bribery, and other charges that was slowly weeding out the corrupt from Gotham's justice system since those with money would make bail but wouldn't dare run should Kage decide to track him down while all the lower totem pole lackeys would be locked up for years with no chance of parole till they were too old to be a threat anymore.
The radio then went on to talk about how Harvey Dent, Harleen Quinzel, Robert Langstrom, Bane, and Matthew Hagen were all reportedly cured of their different afflictions and were peacefully serving the rest of their sentences. It also reported that Poison Ivy and Mr. Freeze were also compliantly serving their sentences while the rest of the villains that terrorized Gotham were either dead, traumatized, or in a hospital for the foreseeable future. There was also several callers and the radio host, a miss Vicki Vale, themselves thanking Kage for doing what Batman wouldn't.
Of course, that prompted Naruto to call and tell them that he respected Batman for not killing his enemies as not everyone had it in them to kill someone. He further went on to state that at the point things were, Batman would have lost if he crossed that line since a few of his enemies wanted to push him into killing them. Batman was a good man who's only fear was that if he crossed that line he'd never be able to come back again and he is trying to be an example for his protégés who take after him.
He further went and questioned the different people that if he gave them a gun and told them where to find a criminal, could they truthfully and realistically pull the trigger when given the chance? Vickie was the honest one and said she couldn't answer that until she was put in the situation, which prompted Naruto to question why it was ok to question Batman when she herself couldn't say she'd kill the criminals if she were the one fighting them?
It was certainly a question that made everyone be quiet and think before Naruto said his goodbyes and hung up while still driving. When his two companions asked where they were going, he informed them that he was heading for Star and Central City to get some work done, then maybe another stop in Vegas before returning to LA.
Azrael would be meeting them in Vegas or LA after he finished an assignment Naruto had for him that would be a first test run and base level test for his student.
The girls accepted the answer and relaxed with Cindy now in the backseat and mercy riding shotgun.
It was going to be an interesting week to be sure.
Done! Hope you all enjoyed it because it's the longest chapter so far.
Now for the Batman bit, I know it may not seem entirely believable but when you add the fact his father, best friend (face it Alfred is his best friend), and his confidant in Jim all supported the man that just came to your city when he was there decades ago and killing criminals, it puts a new perspective for him and makes his two halves conflict with each other. Thomas Wayne was a man so revered that Ra's didn't even attempt to touch Gotham while he lived and every Mobster, Judge, Lawyer, Cop, and others all respected him as in various "origins of Batman" comics show that he was never targeted by any criminal since no one dared to try and cross the people that respected him. In fact in one comic line it was the Order of Saint Dumas that ordered the hit on Thomas and Martha Wayne as a way to possibly cause the city to implode or even raise Bruce up as a warrior that would despise criminals wholeheartedly after Thomas rejected the order's policies on things and they got part of what they wanted since following Thomas and Martha Wayne's deaths the crime in Gotham skyrocketed as there was no great moral compass of the city anymore that both the good guys and bad guys respected.
So yes, this Batman is a bit more conflicted on things happening since the more he digs into what kind of criminals that Naruto is killing, the more he wouldn't mind getting his own hands on them. Now this isn't saying that Batman approves of what Kage is doing, but it's more understandable from different POVs and the fact he's sparing certain individuals who had a reason, some more justifiable than others, to do the crimes they were accused/convicted of.
As this fic progresses, Batman/Bruce's stance is essentially going to be a "I'm not going to kill, but I'm not going to save them either" Kind of deal. He will not be pulling the trigger himself, but he won't be getting in Naruto's way of pulling it either. Before anyone says that's not believable, in multiple comic and TV series (not just Batman Begins) Batman has let criminals die instead of saving them because he simply finds it pointless to save the enemies that are NEVER going to change. Now, I will grant that it has always been during times where it was just him vs said criminals and never when his protégés were in the vicinity even though Dick took after him in other comics.
All I am saying is, Batman will not be killing anyone other than aliens since the whole no killing rule seems to go out the window with people when it comes to aliens like the Imperium or Darksied's forces.
*Yes, that was Phoenix Wright from the Ace Attorney games mentioned in this fic.
*Santa Blanca are the main antagonists of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands and is situated in Bolivia. Also no, the representative in the area was not one of the targets you eliminate in the game since I plan to have them be in Bolivia for when Naruto eventually goes there and breaks the Cartel.
*Yes, contrary to common belief Red Hood still worked with and supported Batman after dawning that persona even though he killed some criminals before moving into the Green Arrow way of things by changing his methods to cause pain and incapacitation over death. In this case, he became the Red Hood but he's only been extremely brutal in fighting and not killing anyone.
Next time will be Naruto's business, two new guests, and then the start of the Imperium arc.
That should be it, please leave a review