"John, it looks like you're planning to help Emily! That's a blessing!"
Dan's unkempt beard fluffed out as he excitedly waved his hands, his whole demeanor animated.
Sitting opposite him, John waved his hand in exasperation, signaling Dan to calm down.
"Hey, John, I believe you can defeat the biker gang with your karate!"
Dan's excitement was understandable. During a robbery, he was in despair when John appeared like a divine being, single-handedly subduing three armed thugs.
That slender figure overpowering three burly men seemed unbelievable, almost like the Dark Knight Batman—though Dan had never seen Batman in action.
"I have a task for you. If you complete it, I'll give you this much, and we can work together long-term."
John narrowed his eyes, making a money-counting gesture with his hand in front of Dan.
Dan's eyes widened, glowing like 32-watt light bulbs. Before he could respond, John's collar was grabbed, and he was dragged away. Initially resisting, John sensed the presence behind him and allowed the small hand to pull him from Dan's table.
Emily's eyes were wide with anger. "How can you drink with customers on your first day of work?"
Seeing the angry young girl in front of him, John raised his hands above his head in a surrender gesture, looking scared.
This comical pose made Emily laugh, catching the eye of the young students who were watching her.
...
As night fell, Emily's bar gradually emptied until the last few customers left their tables.
John moved like a whirlwind, swiftly and efficiently cleaning up. Watching him, Emily felt a warmth in her heart.
"Maybe I should have hired someone long ago," she murmured to herself, unable to suppress a smile as she watched John work.
With the bar's dim yellow lights extinguished, Warril Street fell silent. After a while, the bar's door quietly opened.
A figure crept out, locking the door behind him. John, now dressed in a black trench coat, a black mask on his face, and black leather gloves on his hands, was thoroughly covered.
Now more than human, John needed to hide his identity while dispensing justice. This world wasn't as simple as it's the DC Universe. Batman, murderous gods of old, the chaotic neighboring Star City and Central City, and various alien beings filled it.
Even as an ordinary person, John could glean unusual information from newspapers, despite government cover-ups. This world was far more chaotic than it seemed.
District 24, unlike the peaceful Warril Street, was bustling with noise.
"Fuck! I'm going to kill that kid. It's the first time I've been beaten instead of doing the beating. Fuck!"
A blond, leather-clad man yelled, surrounded by a group of men and women in leather jackets, their faces painted with colorful makeup.
"Haha, I've heard about him. He likes to meddle and help the weak!"
"Him? Does he think he's the Dark Knight? Even that damn bat wouldn't dare offend our biker gang!"
"Yeah, if he comes, I'll be the first to break his neck!"
A bald man with bulging muscles took a swig of vodka, roaring with a ferocious expression, drawing cheers from the surrounding thugs.
Just as the bald man was about to take another swig, his loud laughter abruptly stopped. Everyone looked at him in astonishment.
The scene made them panic. A tall, masked figure stood behind the bald man, holding his thick neck with one hand, lifting him slowly in the air under the incredulous gazes of everyone.
"Fuck!"
The bald man's face turned red from the pressure on his neck. He roared hoarsely, drawing a knife from his side and stabbing backward. But a hand caught his wrist, and a crisp sound of bone breaking echoed in the street.
The bald man screamed miserably, and John's lips curled under his mask.
Facing the muscular man, John felt at ease, the man's strength like that of a baby in his hands.
"Who are you? Put him down!"
The young thug in the middle of the biker gang shouted first, smashing a bottle on the table and pointing the broken glass at John.
The other bikers reacted, pulling out iron rods and knives, surrounding John.
"Do you think only you can shout?"
John's voice was low as he watched the approaching gang members.
The next moment.
"Bzzzzzz~"
A strange low-frequency hum emanated from John, causing a thug trying to attack from behind to collapse instantly. Like dominoes, everyone fell, clutching their heads in pain. Even covering their ears couldn't block the weird sound infiltrating their minds.
"Ah!"
Screams filled the street, mingled with John's humming.
The bald man in John's grasp fainted instantly, his neck snapping as John threw him aside.
The Master's high-frequency sound attack wasn't something ordinary people could withstand. John calmly walked forward, increasing the frequency of his sound waves. All the bikers foamed at the mouth, some fainting only to wake up in pain again.
John reached a young man with blond hair and a fierce expression, kicking his neck. The man's neck snapped, and he stopped struggling. John moved from one thug to another until the last one lay dead.
Bang!
John felt a pain in his back, surprised. Gunshots rang out, and he vanished into the night.
After a while, dozens of men in suits arrived at the scene. A burly man examined a youth with a crushed throat.
"Boss, who was that guy?"
The man ignored the question, crouching where John had stood.
He touched a drop of white liquid on the ground, sniffing it.
A serious look crossed his face.
(End of Chapter)