Shadows Judgement

The bullet is stopped by the broad side of a sword then the gun is cut in half, causing the criminal to be shocked,then he is kicked breaking his ribs as he flies into the alley wall leaving a crater behind him as he lays against the wall and slouches forward unconscious from the blow.Bubble boy looks up and sees it is Gladiator.

Bubble Boy in awe " Thank you for saving me Gladiator" But he is interrupted by Gladiator placing her sword against his neck.

Bubble Boy's breath hitched as the cold steel of Gladiator's blade pressed against his neck. His body trembled, his mind screaming at him to move, but he was frozen in fear.

"You're next," Gladiator said, her voice sharp and unwavering. "You're a vigilante. That makes you a criminal."

Bubble Boy swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his temple. "Wait—no! I-I was just trying to help! I—"

Gladiator ignored him, her focus shifting back to the unconscious criminal. Without hesitation, she raised her sword, the metal gleaming under the dim alley lights, and prepared to bring it down upon him.

Bubble Boy's body moved before his brain could catch up. He shot a burst of bubbles from his hands, propelling himself forward like a missile. The wind rushed past his ears as he slammed down between Gladiator and the criminal, raising a translucent bubble shield just in time to intercept her blade.

CLANG!

The force of her strike cracked his shield, ripples of energy shattering across its surface.

Gladiator's eyes narrowed. "Move."

"No!" Bubble Boy shouted, his voice shaking but resolute. "You think you can kill for sport? How dare you try to take this man's life!"

Gladiator hesitated, her grip on her sword tightening. He's… shaking? No. He's trembling. But not just from fear. From anger.

A strange feeling twisted in her chest. Did I just… hesitate?

She clenched her jaw, forcing the doubt away. "I told you—this isn't a game."

With one swing, her sword slashed through his shield like paper, the force sending a shockwave through the alley. The blade carved into Bubble Boy's side, a deep gash tearing through his suit.

"Aghh!" Bubble Boy staggered back, clutching his wound. Blood seeped through his fingers, hot and sticky, painting his gloves crimson. His knees buckled, his breathing ragged.

Gladiator watched as his expression twisted in pain and fear. See? That's reality. This is the real world.

"You heroes…" he coughed, struggling to stay upright. "You call yourselves saviors… but you're nothing but executioners!"

Gladiator's eyes widened slightly.

Why… why did that hit me?

She growled, pushing down the strange unease creeping up her spine. "You're weak," she spat. "And weak people don't get to have opinions."

With a sudden burst of speed, she lunged forward, sword aimed straight for his neck.

Bubble Boy's pupils shrank.

I'm going to die.

A blur of black streaked through the alley.

A hand grabbed Bubble Boy's collar, yanking him back. The next second, a dark figure landed soundlessly behind him, setting him gently on the ground.

Bubble Boy winced, gripping his wound as he looked up. His vision swam, but even through the haze of pain, he recognized the figure.

A long black coat. A mask of shadows.

The legend himself.

Shadow.

Gladiator gritted her teeth. "You."

Shadow stood tall, his piercing eyes locking onto hers. "You heroes make me laugh." His voice was smooth, almost amused. "You act like gods. You pretend you're above everyone else. But here you are, slaughtering kids in the streets."

Gladiator clenched her fists. "Shut up, you trash. You couldn't cut it as a hero, so you became a vigilante instead."

Shadow smirked. "Maybe so. But at least I still have honor."

Gladiator growled, raising her sword. "You want a fight?"

Shadow rolled his shoulders. "If that's what it takes to put you in your place."

And then they moved.

Gladiator dashed forward, swinging her sword in a blur of silver light. Shadow twisted, dodging with inhuman agility. The tip of the blade barely missed his neck as he ducked under her strike and countered with a brutal kick to her ribs.

She skidded back but barely flinched. With a fierce war cry, she flipped her sword into a reverse grip and lunged again, her blade slicing through the air.

Shadow dodged the first slash. The second nearly grazed his shoulder.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he produced a dagger from his sleeve, parrying her sword with expert precision. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed.

Gladiator spun, twisting her blade downward in an attempt to slice his legs, but Shadow leaped over it, flipping through the air and landing behind her.

"Too slow," he taunted.

Gladiator snarled and pivoted, swinging at his midsection.

CLANG!

Shadow blocked it with his dagger, the force sending a shockwave through his arm. He grinned. "Not bad."

Gladiator pushed against his blade, their faces inches apart. "You're really pissing me off."

Shadow suddenly shifted his weight, twisting their locked blades. The momentum forced Gladiator off balance.

Before she could recover, Shadow drove his knee into her stomach.

"GUH—!"

She staggered, coughing as air was forced from her lungs.

Shadow didn't let up. He delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to her side, sending her crashing into the alley wall.

BOOM!

Dust and debris exploded outward. Gladiator gritted her teeth, wiping blood from her lip.

Shadow twirled his dagger, calm and unbothered. "Still think you're invincible?"

Gladiator glared at him, her grip tightening around her sword. I can't believe it. He's keeping up with me?

She rushed forward again, but this time, Shadow was already moving.

They clashed in a blur of steel and shadow, their movements so fast they were almost impossible to follow. Each strike sent shockwaves through the alley, cracking the pavement beneath them.

Bubble Boy, still clutching his wound, watched in awe.

They're monsters.

But even amidst the chaos, he couldn't take his eyes off Shadow. The way he moved—the way he fought—it wasn't just power. It was control.

This was a man who had mastered his craft.

And yet, he wasn't a hero.

So then…

What was he?

Gladiator, panting, skidded to a stop. "I won't lose to someone like you."

Shadow smirked. "Then you'd better start fighting like your life depends on it."

Gladiator charged.

Shadow met her head-on.

The alley erupted into a battle that would shake the city's foundations.