Casually waving his hand, he threw a person against the wall. The boys and girls had never seen someone so brutal.
After taking down the leader with one hit, Eric swung his fist.
It looked like a casual strike, but the explosive power suddenly exploded in the gang member's chest.
The opponent immediately spat out a mouthful of blood and crashed backward.
He hit the fire hydrant on the roadside with a loud "bang."
The remaining gang members only reacted after two of their companions fell, rushing at Eric with weapons in hand.
But against an opponent with such a huge power difference, they could only be beaten one-sidedly.
Eric, casually swinging his fists and not even bothering to move his body, easily took them down.
The few people standing in the alley only saw a blur as the gang members were sent flying.
They either hit the walls, crashed into the ground, or smashed into the fire hydrant.
In just a moment, they were all knocked out, their lives uncertain.
Throughout the entire process, Eric used only one hand, and the hand holding the umbrella didn't even move.
Raindrops fell densely on the black umbrella, splashing down.
After standing quietly for a while with the umbrella, Eric looked up at the dark space above the alley.
Then he lowered his head and muttered, "I think the 'Gotham Travel Tips' should add another point: don't go to Crime Alley."
"Whoosh!"
The tarp opened, accompanied by the sound of rain being flicked away.
A shadow like bat wings appeared in the air, then disappeared into the alley.
Eric watched the shadowed place in the alley, expressionless.
Tap! Tap!
With the sound of footsteps, a figure emerged from the darkness.
Under the gaze of Eric and the boys and girls, Batman walked out.
The dark battle armor was soaked by the rain, with water gushing from the joints of the chest armor and guards.
"Batman!"
The few boys who had been discussing Batman shouted in surprise.
In an instant, their hearts were filled with shock, disbelief, and joy.
Batman walked from the shadows into the dimly lit area, his raspy voice sounding in the night, "When?"
"What?"
"When did you notice me?"
"My eyes can see what others cannot, my ears can hear what others cannot."
Eric stepped closer to Batman with his umbrella, "So, I saw a vengeful spirit."
"..."
Batman was silent for a moment.
"And a criminal."
Eric took a deliberate deep breath, teasing Batman.
Hearing the other person call him a criminal, Batman stared straight at Eric, "Whether I'm a criminal is not for you to judge. But now, you've hurt and even killed several people. I think... you're the real criminal."
"And next, you need to reflect at the GCPD."
Batman looked at the still-calm Eric. Though it was their first meeting, he felt a familiar aura from him.
Dark and unfathomable, like the feeling he had when he fell into the bat cave as a child, it made him slightly uneasy.
Moreover, after witnessing Eric's moves, his vigilance soared to the highest level.
Even the leader of the League of Assassins, Ra's al Ghul, couldn't so easily defeat several armed gang members with such casual ease.
"Even if it was self-defense, you didn't have to kill them, but I understand..."
Batman readied himself to act at any moment, "Your extremely dangerous mindset! To you, it seems like just a game, where you can casually disregard life. If their crime is their sin, then your guilt is even greater than theirs."
As soon as he finished speaking, he revealed a grappling gun in his hand.
At the moment he pulled the trigger, the grappling hook shot straight at Eric.
Bang!
Eric easily caught the grappling hook's rope.
"Sounds good. It's the first time I've heard Batman give such a long speech to a criminal."
Eric crushed the grappling hook with one hand.
The rope behind the hook shattered instantly, falling to the ground.
At the same time, he moved in front of Batman in an instant. In Batman's incredulous gaze, he punched him in the chest.
Batman felt an explosive force erupt in his chest.
Like a firecracker!
The next second, his body, as if struck by lightning, flew back like a cannonball.
The sturdy bat armor cracked inch by inch, and he felt unbearable pain all over his body.
"Disregard? Is that your assessment of someone you just met?"
Despite the brief skirmish, Eric still held the umbrella steadily, revealing half of his face under it.
"With obsessive hatred, hatred, fear, anger... Do you think I'm describing a criminal? No, I'm describing you. Just as you judge me by feeling, I can see your inner self."
Shaking his head at Batman, who was struggling to stand, Eric turned and left, "Go home, watch over your bat signal, observe the petty thieves and cops playing their games. Don't mess with me."
Tap! Tap!
Watching Eric walk away, Batman clutched his chest, gasping for breath, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
That feeling of facing an abyss for the first time, he had never felt it before.
Who exactly was this mysterious man?
A new criminal in Gotham? Another emerging villain?
Why did he give him such a strange feeling?
Soaking in the night rain, Bruce fell into thought.
The trio standing in the alley exchanged glances, showing expressions of extreme surprise.
The scene before them was beyond their expectations.
The Batman, who held a high place in their hearts, was defeated by an out-of-town visitor.
And it seemed Batman lost very quickly, without showing the amazing abilities he did in previous fights with robbers.
The trio felt a bit disheartened.
Especially the red-haired girl, who grabbed the plastic sheet in her hand and shook it in discomfort.
"Batman won't fly like last time. If he could fly, maybe..."
She quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought, and looked at Batman.
Batman didn't notice the children in the alley watching him. He took a deep breath and walked toward the fallen gang members, opening his wrist communicator.
"Alfred."
"Yes, sir, it seems you've encountered some trouble."
The butler's voice came from the device.
"Surrounded by trouble, the last thing I fear is endless trouble. Didn't you say I'm fighting not only criminals but also the police and even civilians? Fighting against everyone doesn't feel too bad."
Bruce walked to a fallen gang member and squatted down, "Call an ambulance for me. Wait... I think I found something."
He reached out for a strange coin on the ground.
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