For a while now, Mr. Hargreaves had been busy with work handovers and personnel changes, preparing to step down as CEO of Stark Industries next month.
It looked like their move wasn't far off.
Soren sighed.
He felt uneasy.
It wasn't about the Hargreaves' emotional outbursts, but rather the harsh reality of the world.
When he was just a reader of comic books, the innocent people hurt by supervillains, second-rate villains, or even third-rate villains seemed so insignificant to him.
They were just background characters in the superhero stories, often without even a name.
But now, he suddenly realized that every innocent life lost in those stories had once been real.
They had loved ones who would grieve their loss deeply.
And that pain lasted for years.
Meanwhile, the villains roamed freely in this chaotic world, taking lives at will and leaving behind permanent scars on others.
Even the police, who are supposed to represent justice and order, don't have the power to be a judge in this world.
Here, only superheroes can pass judgment on the fallen.
...He simply couldn't accept that.
He thought, since he had gained the ability.
Since he had received the power from Dr. Manhattan to transform into an Angemon.
Could he... make some small changes, to the best of his ability?
Moreover, the Hargreaves had been good to him.
Before leaving New York, he wanted to repay them and do something for them.
The boy's beautiful face that was like kissed by the gods, now showed a maturity beyond his years.
He seemed to have made a decision.
— Gotham's grand stage, if you have a dream, come and join!
He could fly.
— The six white wings fully spread out, shining with holy light, soaring through Gotham's misty night sky.
He had strength.
— The Angemon, with six wings, caught a lost bird that was flying towards him.
The bird was unconscious from the high-speed impact.
The Angemon sighed silently and quietly landed, gently placing the unconscious bird on a rooftop.
He could see through the darkness.
— On a rainy night, Soren, in his Angemon form, stood between dark buildings.
His gaze moved between the tall, warehouse-like flat-roofed buildings, quickly locating the warehouse he was searching for.
The white figure was nimble and agile, and despite the area being filled with watchmen, no one noticed this mysterious intruder.
Soren reached the back door of the warehouse.
The warehouse was next to an abandoned factory, and there were many old machine parts piled up between the two buildings.
He kept his breathing quiet, hiding behind a damaged brick wall, observing the movements not far away.
His performance in the New Earth military academy had been exceptional during his youth.
He earned top grades in every subject, impressing many who had previously looked down on him because of his background and rumors.
Reconnaissance, counter-reconnaissance, stealth, and intelligence gathering—these were all skills that military academy graduates needed to master, and he had naturally lived up to expectations, knowing these skills very well.
However, getting used to his new powers had taken him quite a bit of time.
At first, Soren couldn't fully control his ability to transform at will.
It took him a long time to successfully evolve into his Angemon form, or switch back to his human form.
Because of this, he almost revealed his powers in front of the Hargreaves couple.
He barely managed to fold away his six wings and squeeze into the bathroom just before they entered his room, narrowly avoiding being caught.
But after a few days, he could change forms whenever he wanted.
He still needed to get used to the differences in vision and strength between his human and Angemon forms, though.
In his Angemon form, he stood 2 meters tall, with a wingspan of 5 meters.
When his six wings fully spread, he became a towering giant, making any room feel incredibly small and cramped.
His vision also changed.
His eyes that was hidden behind a cross-shaped helmet that covered the upper half of his face, allowed him to sense his surroundings with mental power, giving him a wider field of view and the ability to detect obstacles that weren't solid.
The biggest challenge for Soren was controlling the Angemon form's immense strength.
He hadn't measured the full extent of his power yet, but he knew it was enough to tear apart a car with ease.
He had to be very careful not to accidentally destroy everything he touched.
After much practice, he finally managed to gain control over most of his Angemon form's abilities.
Now, crouching behind a tire, he shifted back into his human form.
It made him smaller and harder to spot.
From the intel he'd gathered, Carmine Falcone, known as "The Roman," was going to make a large drug deal in this warehouse tonight.
But the Roman wasn't Soren's main target.
His real mission in Gotham City was to capture the fugitive who had killed Benjamin Hargreaves and bring him back to New York to face justice.
In the thick darkness, Soren only showed his eyes, peeking through the cracks in the brick wall, watching the warehouse's back door closely.
On the other side of the wall, an old, rusty car sat, covered in dents and looking like it had been abandoned for a long time.
Suddenly, the car door opened from the inside, and a pile of cans, clothes, and toiletries spilled out onto the ground with a clatter.
A shadowy figure with two pointed ears slipped out of the car next, trying to stand up straight, but stumbled slightly as they tripped over a blanket tangled around their feet.
Soren's eyes widened instantly—
Bat-helmet, black cape, tight suit, black boots, and gloves.
In Gotham City, there was only one person who dressed like that.
It could only be the man who lurked in the shadows.
By day, he's a wealthy heir, playboy, extreme sports fan, and famous troublemaker.
By night, he suits up to fight crime on Gotham City's streets.