Talia Al Ghul
Three batarangs are thrown, each targeting the thugs' hands, causing them to drop their weapons by cutting their hands. Without giving them a chance, rush at them and kick the middle thug's knee, bending it completely. He instinctively bends down to clutch his leg, grab his hair and knee him in the face.
Jump and deliver a double kick to the thug on the left's chest, using the momentum to headbutt the one on the right, sending him flying back.
I put my hands on the ground and perform a backflip, slamming my feet into the thug's face. Then throw a hook at the one I kicked in the chest, who has yet to recover, yank him as his face is dragged on the ground, leaving behind a bloody trail, and finish him off with a kick to the head, like kicking a ball.
30 targets neutralized in 2 minutes and 12 seconds... too slow.
Another gang down, just a few left, but the GCPD can handle the rest. Now, it's time to find out who the peeping tom is.
Entering the alley closest to me, I change into my stealth suit and shoot a hook to the closest roof.
Once on the roof, I accessed one of my satellites to track my stalker, whom I noticed had been following me for a while now.
I spot my stalker hiding on a rooftop with a clear view of my fight, or rather, me absolutely destroying those thugs.
A woman with tanned skin, brown hair, and eyes. She was wearing some kind of two-piece green dress with a sword on her back. She had a toned body with visible muscles, especially her abs, clearly indicating that she was well-trained.
[IMAGE]
Talia al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul. She is as bad as him, if not worse.
Already feeling a headache coming on because of this woman.
Switching back to my batsuit, I moved behind her.
"Talia," I called her name, and she quickly turned around with a spinning kick.
Slightly bending my body backward, I dodged her attack. Then she threw a punch, which I simply brushed off with a wave of my hand. After that, she attacked me for a while, using all kinds of martial arts, most of them aimed to kill, while I just deflected them without moving a single step from my spot.
Realizing she couldn't outmatch me in hand-to-hand combat, she pulled out her sword and swung it at me.
I simply caught the blade of the sword. She tried to pull it back but soon realized my strength was greater, so she released the sword and aimed a kick at my head.
I just stepped back and hit her on the head with the handle of the sword.
Maybe a little too hard, as she stumbled back, looking dazed while leaning against a wall for support.
"*Ugh*, you don't hold back even against a pretty woman like me, do you, Batman?" She said with a smile, rubbing her head while looking at me with interest.
"The hammer of justice is unisex," I said.
"Indeed, never underestimate your enemy, no matter what." Talia nodded at my words with a giggle.
Recovering a little, she got up, although still a little wobbly. She looked at me with a seductive smile; she was putting on a brave face because I could see that a little bump was forming on top of her head.
"Why are you here?" I asked, but she ignored me and stepped closer, her hand tracing over my armor.
"Such a strong and big armor, I wonder if the man inside is just as impressive," she remarked, continuing to touch me.
"Oi"
"Hmm?" She stopped and looked up at me.
"If you're done groping me, answer my question," I said, removing her hands from me and pushing her back as I crushed the tracking device she had placed on me.
"Look at this city, Batman," she said, turning to the side and gesturing towards Gotham with her hand.
"It's filled with chaos, filth, and corruption; even as we speak, riots are happening everywhere, and innocent people suffer while the rich hide in their warm homes. It only took one man's word for this city to become a playground for scum to rob, kill, and destroy. All of this could have been prevented with the help of..." She paused dramatically and turned to face me.
"League of Assassins, an organization created solely to bring peace and justice to the world, with our help you can cleanse this city and restore the hope and justice it deserves. You deserve it," Talia said as she once again moved closer to me, her hand gliding over my body as she gazed into my eyes, filled with vulnerability, as if she was completely surrendering to me.
"We watched you from the beginning, Batman. I know how hard you work to protect this city from ruin. Every night, you leave your warm bed, sacrificing your sleep and sanity so that the innocent can rest easy, so they can feel safe. But you are just one man; you can't be everywhere at once, keeping the entire city safe. Like today, innocent lives were lost while you dealt with that madman. But this can change. Join us; let us help you; let me help you," Talia said, her voice soft and pleading as she gently stroked my face.
I can actually turn the entire Gotham into a utopia, but doing so will take away the free will of everyone. Or I could just build thousands of Batman robots, but then there won't be any meaning to this whole Dark Knight thing.
"League can't help me, Talia," and even if I wanted the league's help, I wouldn't join them.
I'll rule the league, and if they refuse to obey, I could simply destroy them since I have an entire robot army beneath the Eth Alth'eban, their sacred city, and all of their bases around the world.
These robots are built with nano armor that can withstand military jet missiles at close range. If, by some chance, they are defeated, they will self-destruct with enough force to destroy a small city.
My favorite feature, the Black Death; inside these robots is a more potent version of the Black Death virus, the one that wiped out half of Europe's population back in the 14th century.
"Don't be so quick in rejecting us, Batman. The league is far more powerful and resourceful than you can imagine. We have, let's say, operatives in important positions all over the world. A single word from us can change the fate of a whole nation. We possess wealth that others only dream of, and most importantly, the league holds knowledge that has been forgotten. Secrets that can shake the entire world, secrets of immortality, and secrets of your beloved city. All of this can be yours if you accept me, my dark knight." Talia said with a soft smile, leaning her head against my chest.
What a funny girl; she is still trying to manipulate me... ME. I was the very embodiment of manipulation in every single fucking life I've lived. I'm Batman, for Christ's sake; manipulation is in my job description.
Shaking my head, I grabbed her face and pushed her away. I'm what people call an attention whore, but even I'm getting a little irritated with her being so touchy.
Then, from my palm, I showed her a projection of a map of Gotham with a marked location.
"See that green dot?" I pointed to the mark. "That's where the Lazarus Pit, your so-called secret to immortality, used to be. I destroyed it a long time ago, and the secrets of Gotham you speak of are just a curse. I'm aware of that too."
Of course, I only destroyed the location of the Lazarus Pit after moving the liquid to the Batcave.
As for the curse, when I tried to get rid of it, I discovered that it was inactive. The reason being that my wife, Death of the Endless, one of the most powerful beings in DC, second only to the Presence, was here. Her mere presence was enough to get rid of the curse that had haunted Gotham for centuries.
To be honest, if I were cursed, I too would be inactive if my wife, who could destroy the multiverse with just a thought, resided in the city where I was active.
Talia's smile faded, replaced by shock as her eyes widened. She looked like she was having a heart attack with the face she was making.
Then she looked like she was in a dilemma. Before, suddenly, her expression brightened into a bright smile, like she won the lottery.
"My father was right; you truly are one of a kind. You're truly worthy," Talia said with a joyous face, opening her arms to embrace me.
I leaped over her, leaving her standing there with her arms still open.
"I thought Ra's al Ghul decided to make that kid with the fear of bats his heir."
A few weeks ago, while traveling, Ra's al Ghul met Bane in Santa Prisca and took an interest in him after they had a fight, although Bane got absolutely owned before Ra's al Ghul tricked him and brought him to the League of Assassins to train him with the promise that he will help him conquer his fears.
"How do you know that? It's something only my father and I know," Talia said as she looked at me with surprise. "Could there be a traitor among us?" Then she murmured to herself with crossed arms.
*Deep breath*
"I know what I know, I don't know what I don't know, so I only know what I know and don't know what I don't know. I will learn what I don't know to know what I know."
"What?"
Ah, there it is, that dumbfounded face is what I live for.
"Never mind that coward; he is nothing but a distraction for Father, a replacement. You are the true heir, Batman. You are everything we dreamed of. You possess the strength and will to cleanse this city, this world, from its filth by our side, by my side," Talia said with a smile as she once again hinted that she wanted to smash.
"Here," I showed her my palm.
She looked at my palm for a moment, then up at me, confused.
"There is nothing in your hand."
"Look carefully, Talia. There are the fucks I give in my hand."
"Such rudeness doesn't suit a man like you, Batman," Talia said, frowning as she turned her head to the left side, clenching her fist tightly. Clearly angry, but forced to hold it in.
"Take your men and leave Gotham before dawn, or I'll see it as a declaration of war from the League," I warned as Talia turned her head to face me again, but I was already on her right side, out of her view.
"Say hi to Nyssa from me," I whispered, giving her shoulder a light pat as I switched to my stealth suit before she could see me.
I mentioned Nyssa, her sister, to her because I wanted to create chaos within the League. Since Talia thinks that there is a traitor in the League who passes me information that only Ra's al Ghul and his family know, I wanted to plant the thought that her sister might be the traitor in her head.
I know Talia won't take my word for it and will quickly realize I'm trying to create discord, but the seeds of doubt will still take root in her mind. She'll start watching Nyssa closely, questioning if she's really the spy.
I'm sure Nyssa will notice and become upset and angry about being suspected as a spy, and over time both Talia and Nyssa will become annoyed at every little thing the other does. Before they even realize it, a simple word I spoke will start a civil war within the League.