The battle between Batman and Bain had spilled far beyond the courthouse steps, weaving into the labyrinthine streets of Gotham. For Batman, this was home turf. He knew every alleyway, every shadowed corner, and every building better than anyone alive. Bain, despite his strength, was a stranger here, a brute in a city designed to favor its Dark Knight.
Batman's figure darted between the buildings, his cape trailing like a phantom in the night. Bain roared in frustration, his massive frame struggling to keep up. As Batman disappeared from his line of sight, Bain grabbed a nearby coupe parked on the street. With a furious growl, he hurled it toward the building ahead.
Boom!
The car smashed into the slab floor, sending spider-web cracks sprawling across the concrete. Fortunately, the area had been evacuated, and the residents were safe in Gotham's shelters. Batman took full advantage of the empty streets, giving him the freedom to fight without restraint.
Moments later, the faint whip of a cable echoed. Batman swung into view, his momentum carrying him like a pendulum. With precision timing, he delivered a powerful kick to Bain's chest, sending the hulking brute hurtling backward. Bain crashed through a wall, debris raining around him.
"Damn bat!" Bain roared, his voice like a thunderclap. "You dare to insult me like this?"
Anger flared in his eyes as he tore a massive chunk of concrete from the wall beside him and hurled it at Batman with the force of a cannonball.
Batman smirked under his cowl. Using his grapple gun, he soared into the air, shattering a window to take cover inside the building.
"Coward!" Bain bellowed, his rage shaking the air. "If you don't face me, I'll detonate the bomb and take Gotham with me!"
With an animalistic leap, Bain scaled the wall like a gecko, his massive hands clawing into the concrete for support. But as he reached Batman's location, an explosion rocked the structure. The wall detonated, engulfing Bain in flames and debris. The shockwave hurled him backward, his clothes scorched away, revealing grotesquely swollen, twisted muscles beneath.
From the shadows, Batman observed. "What have you done to yourself, Bain?" His voice was low, almost mournful.
Bain smirked, tearing away the remnants of his burned clothing. His grotesque musculature was a testament to whatever enhancements he had undergone, a far cry from the man Batman had fought the day before. "Do you see it now, Batman? Do you see the strength I've achieved?"
Bain's twisted grin held a strange mixture of pride and malice. For him, this wasn't just a battle—it was personal. Batman wasn't merely an obstacle; he was an obsession. Bain had trained with the League of Shadows, enduring the same grueling discipline as Bruce Wayne. Yet, unlike Batman, Bain had grown up in the absolute darkness of a prison. His life had been forged in pain, and his strength was born from unrelenting suffering.
This fight wasn't about Gotham. It was about proving he could surpass the legend of the Dark Knight.
Bain charged forward with frightening speed, faster than he'd been the day before. The air seemed to ripple around him as his sheer force propelled him toward Batman. Despite his heavy armor, Batman shifted his weight with feline agility, dodging to the side at the last possible second.
But Bain anticipated the maneuver. Pivoting on his toes with shocking dexterity, Bain twisted his massive frame and lunged again, arms outstretched like a bear ready to crush its prey.
Avoidance seemed impossible. Yet, Batman remained calm. As Bain closed in, Batman pressed a button on his utility belt. His grappling cable shot out and yanked him backward, pulling him to safety just as Bain's arms slammed into the ground where he had been.
While in midair, Batman drew six Pleiades alloy bat-darts from his belt. With a flick of his wrists, he unleashed them toward Bain.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The darts pierced Bain's dense skin, their razor-sharp tips enhanced by the indestructible alloy. Bain growled in annoyance, attempting to pull them free, but it was too late.
The darts began to blink. Then—
Boom!
A series of small explosions erupted, engulfing Bain in smoke and fire. The shockwaves shattered windows and sent cracks racing along the pavement.
The explosion shattered every window on the floor. Fiery waves surged outward, sending shards of glass and chunks of concrete flying. Batman dove through the chaos, his cape shielding him from the worst of the flames and debris. As he reached the edge, his cape unfurled like a bat's wings, allowing him to glide gracefully to the ground below.
Behind him, Bain erupted from the inferno, his body still smoldering, the flames licking at his twisted muscles. His breaths came in ragged, furious bursts, and his eyes burned with unrestrained rage.
"Bring in the tanks! All units, focus your fire on Batman!" Bain snarled into his communicator, his anger palpable. His losses in the skirmish had pushed him to the brink of madness.
Moments later, the grinding of steel tracks echoed through the streets as four tanks and accompanying armored vehicles rolled into position. Each one bore the familiar Wayne Enterprises logo, a cruel irony that didn't escape Batman's notice.
As the tank turrets swiveled toward him, Batman froze momentarily. "This is... insane," he muttered under his breath. The thought of Wayne Enterprises' own technology being used against him sent a bitter taste to his mouth.
"Does every billionaire who dabbles in weapons manufacturing go through this nonsense?" he quipped to himself. But his musings were cut short as the tanks fired in unison.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground shook as a barrage of shells hurtled toward him. Batman had no time to dodge; he braced himself, relying on the resilience of his Pleiades Alloy Batsuit. Though nearly indestructible, his armor didn't cover every inch of his body—his head, joints, and certain areas remained vulnerable.
The first explosion roared through the street, and the air grew searingly hot. Batman expected to feel the concussive force, but it never came. Instead, the temperature around him surged, and the blast waves were redirected.
Turning, he saw Fiora standing firm, her arms crossed over her chest. The Kryptonian shielded him from the assault, the fiery shells detonating harmlessly against her body. She barely flinched as the explosions raged around her, the flames dancing in her dark hair.
"Do you need me to take care of Bain?" Fiora asked casually, her tone almost indifferent.
Batman straightened, brushing soot from his cape. "Thanks, but I've got him. However, if you could handle the tanks, that would be helpful."
Fiora smirked knowingly. She expected as much. Without another word, she turned her attention to the armored vehicles. "You'll need something stronger for Bain," she added, tossing him a Kryptonite-infused pistol she'd retrieved earlier. "His enhancements are off the charts. This should even the odds."
Before Batman could respond, Fiora moved. In a blur of motion, she appeared in front of the nearest tank. With effortless strength, she plunged her hands beneath it and lifted the massive vehicle off the ground. She hurled it into a second tank, the collision triggering a fiery explosion.
Rumble!
The ground trembled as the two tanks erupted into flames. Fiora didn't pause to admire her work. She dashed toward a third tank, her shoulder striking its hull with immense force. Despite her slim frame, the tank slid backward several meters, carving a deep trench into the asphalt.
Her movements were fluid and precise, a deadly combination of Kryptonian power and trained efficiency. Within moments, the battlefield was littered with wreckage.
Batman watched the destruction unfold, the Kryptonite pistol firm in his grasp. His gaze shifted to Bain, who stood at the center of the chaos, his massive frame illuminated by the flickering flames. Bain's twisted muscles gleamed with sweat and soot, his expression a mix of fury and grim determination.
Their eyes met across the battlefield, a silent challenge passing between them. Bain sneered. "Come on, Batman. Let's end this."
Batman's grip on the pistol tightened. This wasn't just a battle of strength or weapons. It was a battle of wills, intellect, and resolve. And in Gotham, the Dark Knight always had the upper hand.
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