Chapter 362
Even though Devil Dinosaur's size fell far short of that giant T-rex, the creature's fifteen-meter length and four-to-five-meter standing height remained far too conspicuous for a metropolis like Manhattan.
"Lunella, I'll deliver Devil Dinosaur to you tonight. Be prepared to receive him," Batman sent the message to the little girl, then turned to face the scientists on North Brother Island.
Dr. Banner was dozing. Professor Morbius practiced low-altitude flight. Dr. Otto sat before a control panel with at least a hundred operation buttons, absorbed in his work with a fanatic expression.
"Batman, look what I've discovered." Even while working, Dr. Otto addressed Batman. "Based on the information Hawkeye transmitted from Japan, this so-called 'Antarctic Vibranium' is very likely a new metal we've never encountered before."
Batman had too many matters to handle. With the North Brother Island scientists serving as his logistics team, he didn't shoulder every burden alone.
Clint Barton's mission as Ronin—destroying the Dark Wind organization in Japan and obtaining their Antarctic Vibranium data—had been delegated to Dr. Otto for analysis.
"Explain," Batman said, moving to Dr. Otto's side.
Dr. Otto handed Batman a series of data readouts. "Though they call it 'Antarctic Vibranium,' the actual atomic structure differs completely. It doesn't absorb vibrations—instead, it actively broadcasts a vibrational field outward. This field can liquefy surrounding metals. Therefore, theoretically, Wakandan Vibranium could be converted into Antarctic Vibranium."
"Does the data mention Dark Wind's Antarctic Vibranium reserves?" Batman asked.
"Quite the opposite. They didn't stockpile Antarctic Vibranium. They possessed a quantity of Wakandan Vibranium, purchased from an international mercenary named Ulysses Klaue," Dr. Otto said.
"When did this transaction occur?" Most of Batman's mental capacity remained focused on the problem of transferring Devil Dinosaur to Lunella.
"One year ago." Dr. Otto glanced at Dark Wind's trade records.
"One year ago?" Batman's attention snapped back fully. He looked at Dr. Otto.
Dr. Otto nodded. "Correct. One year ago, this international mercenary Ulysses Klaue suddenly began selling Vibranium on the black market. Total weight approximately three kilograms. Dark Wind's leader, Kenji Koyama, purchased the majority, leaving less than four hundred grams remaining on the market."
Batman immediately recalled the finger-sized Vibranium piece he'd purchased on the black market before Wakandan Prince T'Challa had approached him.
That Vibranium fragment weighed three hundred seventy grams—matching the weight Dr. Otto described.
And when T'Challa found him on Roosevelt Island, the prince had mentioned that Vibranium theft had occurred precisely one year ago.
"Where did Dark Wind store the Vibranium they purchased?" Batman cared more about this question.
"Used up." Dr. Otto spread his hands. "Dark Wind used minimal amounts of Antarctic serum to liquefy the Wakandan Vibranium and process it, combining it with other metals to create a new alloy. Let me see what it's called... Adamantium alloy."
So that's how Kingpin obtained his Adamantium skeleton... Batman nodded, about to continue researching Adamantium data with Dr. Otto when Venom Robin's voice suddenly crackled through the encrypted communications from the City Hall Batcave.
"The Bat-signal is lit."
Batman and Dr. Otto exchanged glances. Both left the control panel and walked to the laboratory windows, looking outside.
The sky showed only darkness. No signal of any kind.
"Robin, verify the situation," Batman's voice dropped low. "I see no Bat-signal."
"Of course you can't see it." Venom Robin's voice carried a trace of confusion. "It's not coming from Manhattan Police Headquarters. It's from Hell's Kitchen. And the light is very dim—even I didn't spot it immediately."
Batman gave a slight nod. North Brother Island sat across the East River with most of Brooklyn between it and Manhattan.
Unless it was the kind of signal from Manhattan Police Headquarters that projected directly onto the cloud layer, other lights would struggle to be visible across such distance.
"Hold position. I'll pick you up in seven minutes and we'll go together," Batman said.
The Venom Robin on the other end of encrypted communications sounded almost surprised. "Really?"
"Yes." Batman ended the communication and turned to Dr. Otto. "Doctor, when I return I'll need your help with something."
"Of course." Dr. Otto agreed immediately without even asking what the favor entailed. "We'll discuss it when you return."
Just as Venom Robin had said, this Bat-signal was indeed extremely dim—incapable even of reaching the clouds.
Batman traveled from North Brother Island back to the City Hall Batcave, collected Venom Robin, then abandoned the Batmobile. The two of them swung toward the signal's source using webbing and tendrils.
"Daredevil?" Minutes later, Batman and Venom Robin landed one after another atop the high-rise where the Bat-signal glowed, seeing the figure standing beside it.
"It's me." Daredevil leaned on his staff, hearing Batman's voice and responding.
Beside him stood a Bat-signal hastily improvised from an ordinary spotlight. Even the bat shape appeared to have been cut from cardboard in haste.
"You seem to have encountered trouble," Batman said.
"You're right." Daredevil explained how Luke Cage and Jessica Jones had fallen into Kingpin's hands. "I was too careless. I thought they could help me subdue Kingpin easily, but Kingpin's body has somehow become incredibly hard, and those two lack combat experience..."
Venom Robin couldn't help but shrink his neck slightly.
Compared to Daredevil bringing two people with no combat experience to confront Kingpin—only to fail and have Kingpin capture both—Venom Robin's experience differed drastically.
Following Batman meant training, then more training. But beyond training, every mission they'd executed had never spiraled beyond control like this.
Whether traveling all the way to New Mexico or venturing the few short steps to Pym Technologies, Venom Robin only now realized belatedly that when operating with Batman, everything seemed to develop according to Batman's plans.
While Venom Robin processed these thoughts, Batman briefly outlined Kingpin's situation. "Kingpin replaced his skeleton with metal, giving him strike resistance and strength far beyond human limitations."
"Can you handle him?" Daredevil asked.
"Yes." Batman's voice remained low. "But I won't take action personally."
Daredevil hesitated. "Why not?"
"I'll have Iron Man Tony Stark retrieve your two friends. But not tonight." Batman's mouth curved in a mysterious smile.