[1st POV]
The destruction was massive, and the entire two floors were obliterated.
The most surprising part was that no one died.
It's because the precinct was first attacked by unknown assailants who incapacitated a small number of my colleagues.
They all regained consciousness outside, at a safe distance.
The attackers were dressed in "loose black suits" and masks from the descriptions.
They rendered my colleagues so quickly that they didn't have time to react.
No one could guess who they were except for me.
The League of Shadows orchestrated this demonstration for someone or something.
I don't know their exact goal, but now I know one thing for sure—either Batman or I was the target.
Lady Shiva was likely here, along with a few dozen of their regular assassins, and they were the ones who carried out this attack.
The precinct wasn't chosen randomly—it was picked with a specific purpose: to send a message.
The real question now is: what exactly did they want to convey?
I sensed someone approaching from behind.
Surprisingly, it was Nightwing, with dark hair slicked back. He wore a Zorro-like mask, and his outfit consisted of black armor with a blue bird emblem.
"Hey, detective!"
He said, slapping me on the back.
It seemed like he'd planted a bug.
"I see you're all dressed up. What event did you go?"
I almost wanted to tell him the same one he was probably at, but I figured that would raise too many questions.
"I was at a reception for the local elites."
I said, "Had to handle their security."
"By yourself?"
"No, with Detective Gonzales and a dozen officers."
"Aren't you worried that the next attack might target them?"
"No! The explosion was more of a warning or a signal to someone. They weren't trying to kill anyone. As for the elite... if someone really wanted to harm them, they'd have the resources and manpower to directly intimidate, kill, or kidnap my charges. There's something else going on here, but what exactly, I don't know. Also, Gonzales and the other officers are busy with the remaining 'important figures' of Gotham. Not many of them left. Where's Bats?"
I asked Nightwing.
"He's investigating this, but in a different location."
"Got it. You haven't seen Gordon or Bullock?"
"They're at city hall."
Renee chimed in, arriving just then.
"That's where the temporary police Headquarters is for now."
"Convenient."
I nodded, "Both the bureaucrats and the center of the city, all in one place. It's about time they moved the operations there."
"We were offered the move."
She rubbed her tired nose, "but Gordon refused and decided to stay put at the precinct where he started his service five years ago. So, we have both department and the precinct in the same place."
"How did things go for you all?"
I asked.
"Everything was quiet for us. After the 'party' ended, I found out about it from Pamela. Is the communication still down?"
"Yeah. A third of our people are either on sick leave or vacation. And I think those on their days off still don't know about the incident."
"Got it. We should probably head over to Gordon's or get in touch with him now."
"I'll call him. You stay here and check with our guys who's armed and ready for action."
"Okay!"
Nightwing had already disappeared and vanished somewhere towards the roof of the neighboring building.
After fifteen minutes, Renee came back.
"The commissioner said we should head to the weapons storage in two blocks, near the docks. We have supplies there just in case. That's also where we keep the junk."
"I remember Bullock and McCoy told me about it, and I even went there once when we were escorting a shipment to be disposed of."
"Got it. So, we'll go there, arm up, and then all the detectives from our department will head to Gordon at City Hall for further instructions."
"Alright. I haven't heard anything new from our people, so we'll have to figure something out ourselves. Are you coming with me?"
I nodded toward my car.
"No. I have my own. We'll meet there."
"Okay."
Rene took off first, and my car was delayed shortly after starting.
I immediately realized that I should have bought a new car, not a used one—even on credit.
After five minutes, my old junk started, and I quickly headed diagonally along the waterfront to my destination.
However, I didn't manage to get there peacefully.
First, I sensed there was a threat. Then, on one of the turns, I saw five people dressed in black.
Then I immediately knew they weren't cosplayers and definitely not local homeless people.
I could sense I was being surrounded by ten more unknown figures. I floored the gas pedal and charged straight toward them.
They didn't even move.
I had only one meter of space between my bumper and the ninjas when one of them jumped several meters into the air, and two others, who were also in the danger zone, darted to the sides.
A few seconds later, when I thought I managed to "squeeze through," I couldn't control the car properly.
It started to maneuver from side to side, and those assassins slashed my tires while avoiding me.
I was heading off the curb into the ditch, and I couldn't stop it. I had no choice but to fuel my body with chakra once again.
A fight was coming, and there was no way I'd escape it.
I flew off the road and waited in the overturned car, hoping they would come closer.
I switched on the hazard lights on my belt.
Two of them approached.
They thought I was unconscious, but that wasn't the case. I sent a bullet straight to their heads.
Their speed and reactions weren't enough to dodge it.
Then I jumped out of the car, landed on my feet, and managed to shoot two more of them.
Suddenly, more agile assassins managed to throw something at my gun, and it broke into two pieces, rendering it useless.
"You'll have to manage without firearms."
One of them said.
"Alright, I'll try."
I replied, drawing two daggers that Maze had gifted me while one of them charged at me.
Surprisingly, I managed to defeat him in just a few seconds.
I don't know why this happened—maybe because of their "inexperience" perhaps they sent their rookie after me, or maybe the chakra had enhanced me in all areas.
However, I swiftly slit his throat with one quick motion and then turned toward the next assassin standing closest to me.
I took longer to deal with him, but using the combination Maze had shown me, I sent him to his ancestors as well.
Strangely, the others didn't intervene. Instead, they approached one by one.
This continued for another two times.
When I had already finished off the eighth assassins with a strike from a sai to the skull, a command was given in a female voice for an attack.
Suddenly, I was attacked at once by seven assassins.
Then I realized that either I was lucky or the previous opponents had been far weaker than these.
I received minor wounds in my fights with these corpses, but these new ones started to "kill" me.
They were still surprised when they hit me with their hands, feet, and weapons in fatal spots that could have killed me or at least knocked me out.
They didn't know what a "player's body" was, and I was glad about that.
At one point during the battle, they surrounded me and got close enough for me to seize the moment.
I pulled out four grenades from the Inventory and, using my teeth, pulled the pins on all of them.
Then, I escaped using the "Body Replacement Technique." In my place, surrounded by assassins, was a driver's seat, and I was already in my car.
BOOM!
According to my sensory perception, only one person remained there.
I created a clone and sent it toward her.
Meanwhile, I managed to sneak away with Concealment Technique to the other side from her who stood still and didn't move.
I positioned myself fifty meters away from her, next to some empty barrels by a small warehouse.
I began to observe and listen closely to what was happening.
I looked at her with my "Observation" and realized she was Lady Shiva.
Name: Sandra Wu-San / Lady Shiva
Level: 43
Race: Human
Class: Assassin
Subclass: Master of Martial Arts
Feature: Assassin, Willpower, Lonely Woman
Age: 35 years
Attributes: See detailed stats.
She is quite striking in appearance.
She has cream skin, brown eyes with a slight amber tint, and jet-black hair that reaches down to her waist, untied, not even in a ponytail.
She wore grey pants, a red shirt-like garment with golden inserts, a black cloak, and black boots with heels about six to eight centimeters tall.
How does she plan to fight in those?
[+100 relationship with Sandra Wu-San/Lady Shiva]
"It seems I've killed all of your subordinates, beautiful stranger. I suspect you're here to avenge their deaths?"
To be continued...