"Who exactly are you?!"
The members of the Court of Owls who are initially frozen in shock and confusion, quickly snapped into action. Many of them leapt to their feet, closing ranks in the center of the room. Those seated nearest Avery, startled most by his sudden revelation, retreated in haste.
In an instant, several dark silhouettes emerged, cloaked in owl masks and armed with glinting blades. Like phantoms, they encircled the intruder, their weapons poised to strike.
Despite being surrounded, Avery remained unflustered. His demeanor radiated an air of complete control as he lounged elegantly in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips as his unusual eyes calmly swept across the room.
Setting his mask gently on the table, Avery didn't answer their question. Instead, he countered with one of his own. "That's such a foolish question. Does it really matter who I am at this point? I'd say you all should be more concerned about yourselves."
The members of the Court sneered in response, scoffing at the absurdity of one man claiming to pose a threat to them. One of them jeered, "Do you honestly think you can take on all of us by yourself?"
Avery didn't respond, he just glanced at the speaker with a knowing look. Before he could say a word, the silver-suited leader of the group's in the central seat narrowed his eyes and barked an order. "No! Kill him now! Talons, eliminate him immediately—and the rest of you, prepare to evacuate!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Avery's face at the command, though it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. The Court of Owls members, however, looked puzzled, struggling to understand why their leader seemed so rattled by a lone infiltrator.
Sensing their hesitation, the silver-suited man suppressed his irritation and hurriedly explained, "No one is foolish enough to infiltrate us alone. There are bound to be reinforcements outside, ready to encircle us. If we don't act quickly, we'll be exposed. We must leave immediately!"
At his signal, the Talons moved with deadly precision, their blades slashing toward Avery's neck, aiming to sever it in one clean stroke.
But nothing happened.
To their shock, Avery's body shimmered, becoming intangible. Every strike passed through him harmlessly, as though he were nothing but air.
He remained in his chair, relaxed as ever with his fingers intertwined beneath his chin. His rare-colored eyes gleamed faintly as he observed their growing panic with faint amusement.
"It seems you earned your position for a reason," Avery remarked coolly, his tone carrying a hint of mocking approval. "You're marginally more clever than the others. It's pity…"
He sighed theatrically, as though genuinely regretful. "It's pity it's too late."
At that moment, the Talons who had been attacking Avery abruptly turned around. Their movements were mechanical, but their gaze—glowing faintly red beneath their protective goggles—was fixed squarely on their former master, the silver-suited man.
"Wh-what…"
The leader's voice quivered with disbelief, but before he could finish his thought, a sharp, searing pain shot through his throat. His eyes bulged as he clutched at his neck, trying desperately to stem the torrent of blood gushing from the deep gash.
A Talon had slit his throat.
"Hkk… ggh…"
Choking sounds escaped him as he collapsed, lifeless, to the floor. His wide, horrified eyes remained locked open, reflecting his utter disbelief at having been betrayed by his own creation.
Screams erupted from the remaining members of the Court. Panic consumed them as they scattered, frantically searching for an escape. But deep down, they all knew it was futile.
The Talons were their own creations—perfect weapons, engineered to obey. And now, those weapons had turned against them. There would be no escape.
Driven by sheer survival instinct, they ran, their desperation palpable. Yet Avery remained on his seat, watching the chaos unfold in front of him with the calm detachment of a conductor observing his orchestra.
The silver-suited man's voice broke through the carnage as he begged for mercy, his tone trembling with desperation. "Wait! Don't kill me! We can make a deal. Whatever you're want—Gotham, resources, power—I can help you! My family has deep roots in this city. I'll give you everything, just spare me!"
Avery turned his head slightly, his eyes sparkling with an almost playful glint. His voice was soft yet resolute, carrying a finality that snuffed out all hope. "What I want is a Gotham free of your existence."
At his unspoken command, a Talon stepped forward and swung its blade. Blood splattered across the walls as the man fell, lifeless, before he could utter another plea.
Soon, the underground lair fell into complete silence. The Talons, having completed their mission, were also destroyed instantly, with no chance for regeneration or resurrection.
At that moment, the heavy doors swung open.
The newcomer entered without a word, his quiet footsteps echoing against the stone walls. He surveyed the carnage strewn across the floor, his expression unreadable, before stepping closer to where Avery sat.
The vast hall was eerily silent. The two figures present exchanged no words at first, a palpable tension filling the air.
"You went too far," Batman finally said, his gravelly voice low but firm.
Batman's arrival here was no coincidence. As an exceptional detective, he had uncovered most of the Court of Owls' lairs built beneath his city. By piecing together the identities of members publicly exposed earlier, he'd begun a methodical investigation, identifying some of the Court's real-world counterparts.
From then on, Batman had been covertly tracking their movements. His vigilance paid off when he noticed several key figures leaving their homes on the same day. Following them discreetly—mindful of the Talons acting as bodyguards to avoid raising suspicion—he trailed them to this location.
But he was a minute too late.
What awaited him was a room filled with dismembered bodies.
Batman spared no pity for the corpses littering the ground. If Gotham were in a state where the death penalty applied, he would have ensured every one of these individuals faced it. However, despite his disdain for their crimes, he could not condone Avery's method. Killing, to him, was never a sustainable solution.