"RAAHHHHH!!"
Bane roared like a wild beast, driven by Venom, as he charged toward Arthur with murderous rage.
Leaping with brutal strength, he raised both arms, trying to smash Arthur as if wielding a hammer made of flesh and bone.
Arthur crossed his arms in a defensive motion, blocking the blow. Although the impact didn't harm him, the ground beneath his feet wasn't as lucky — cracks spread instantly, and his feet sank into the concrete.
Finally, the floor gave way. An explosion of debris and dust marked their fall to the level below.
The moment they hit the ground, Arthur moved like lightning. He drove his left fist directly into Bane's stomach, causing the man to double over from the impact. Without giving him time to react, Arthur spun and landed a straight punch to Bane's face with his right hand, hard enough to make the giant stagger.
"Arrrrrgh..."
Bane groaned, his muscles tightening from the devastating blows. His throat clenched, and before he could react, he vomited a stream of gastric acid — the result of the punch to his abdomen — along with a few teeth knocked loose by the hit to his face.
But he couldn't focus solely on Arthur. Batarangs zipped around him like metallic predators, forcing him to stay alert, dodging aerial attacks while dealing with a close-quarters opponent.
"RAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
Consumed by blind rage and the Venom pumping through his veins, Bane lunged like a furious beast, trying to trap Arthur in a crushing bear hug.
But his arms grasped only air — Arthur had already jumped back the moment he sensed the approach.
BANG!
Still midair, Arthur twisted his body and delivered a precise kick to the side of Bane's head, sending the giant flying like a sandbag. The impact made him tumble across the floor, a muffled groan escaping his lips.
Arthur landed softly and, without hesitation, approached the fallen Bane. With a firm step, he pinned Bane's chest underfoot and raised his fist, fingers slightly curled.
"Piercing Prey."
With precision, Arthur began delivering surgical strikes using only the tips of his fingers, hitting Bane's weak points with ruthless speed and accuracy.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Each blow made Bane's body tremble. Blood began to spurt in small arcs as Arthur varied the strikes, not stopping until the villain's face was bloodied and unrecognizable.
Without giving his opponent a moment to breathe, Arthur grabbed Bane's battered body, lifted him with one arm, and hurled him into the air. He then leapt, spun acrobatically, and delivered a spinning kick to Bane's back, hard enough for a sickening crack to echo.
CRACK!
"ARRRRRRGH!!!!"
A deafening scream of pain erupted from Bane's throat. His spine had snapped.
Robin, watching from a distance, swallowed hard, eyes wide in shock.
He had seen Batman break bones before — many times, in fact — but never a beating this brutal, this one-sided… this bloody.
Batgirl, more sensitive, took a step back. Her eyes were fixed on Arthur, now covered in blood, and a shadow of concern crossed her face.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice hesitant, almost fearful.
It was hard to look at that scene and not assume Arthur harbored some deep grudge against Bane.
"Don't worry, I'm fine, Batgirl," Arthur replied calmly, turning his gaze to her.
Even though she didn't say it out loud, it was clear she believed there was something personal behind that fight.
And in a way, she wasn't wrong. Arthur didn't like any villain.
Even if Bane had occasionally helped Batman, his wicked nature was undeniable — in the end, he was an enemy of justice.
Batgirl bit her lip, still uncertain. To her, Arthur looked like someone carrying a past full of scars.
"Everything will be fine… don't worry," she murmured softly, gently holding his hand.
"Ahem."
Robin cleared his throat loudly, breaking the moment.
"Sorry to interrupt the couple, but… we really need to get out of here. Now."
---
Later...
Batman and Robin escorted the captured villains to Arkham, while Batgirl and Arthur left together, each on their own motorcycle.
Upon returning to his room at the Bella Monica Hotel, Arthur was met with a curious scene: Selina Kyle sitting on the floor, surrounded by her cats, playing with them as if she didn't have a single care in the world.
Noticing his arrival, Selina instinctively stood up, but remembering how Arthur had rejected both her flirting and the breakfast she had prepared, she turned her face away with a pout and went back to playing with the felines.
"The woman you were with — was she pretty?"
She asked casually, though her voice carried a hint of jealousy that didn't escape Arthur's notice.
(Woman... we met yesterday...)
Arthur sighed internally, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
"Putting that aside, how long are you planning to keep living here?" he asked, raising an eyebrow — after all, she was the one paying the rent.
"You're a very strange man, Arthur."
Selina replied, giving him a look that was both confused and teasing.
What kind of man tried so hard to keep his distance from a woman as attractive as her?
"Meow~"
A black kitten approached Arthur, rubbing against his legs. It purred, clearly enchanted by him.
Arthur smiled, crouched down, and picked it up. The cat instantly snuggled into his arms, half-closing its eyes in sheer pleasure as Arthur stroked its belly.
Selina watched in silence, surprised. She had never seen a man attract cats so easily — especially street cats, who were usually wary of strangers.
"Having a cat really is a joy."
Arthur murmured with a smile as he walked over to Selina and sat beside her, allowing the other cats to approach.
Several of them came to rub against him, purring. He looked completely at peace, surrounded by furry, affection-seeking creatures.
(If you love cats so much… why are you trying so hard to push me away?)
Selina thought irritably, pressing her lips together.
"Dinglingling~"
The soft ring of a cell phone interrupted the moment. Arthur picked it up and saw that it was a call from Barbara.
"Your little girlfriend's calling?"
Selina asked with venom in her voice and one eyebrow raised.
"Instead of asking who I'm talking to, you should be thanking me for still living here rent-free."
Arthur replied, rolling his eyes playfully.
"Yes, yes, thank you so much for your immense generosity," she said sarcastically, crossing her arms.
Arthur answered the call without paying any more attention to the provocation.
"Hello, Barbara."
{"Hi, Arthur. Are you free right now?"}
"Sure. Do you need something?"
{"Actually... I wanted to know if you could go shopping with me. Right now. Can you?"}
Her voice sounded shy, almost embarrassed.
Arthur couldn't help but smile, finding her tone adorable.
(So cute...)
he thought.
"Of course. Where are you?"
he asked, already getting up.
Selina watched him with a sharp gaze. Her expression mixed frustration, jealousy, and… perhaps a hint of envy.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."