Chapter 386: Doomsday for the Owls (2)
Batman vs. Talia and Ubu
Two figures emerged from the darkness: one wearing power armor, and the other, a woman—a strikingly beautiful woman.
Her skin was tight and soft, the color of wheat, and her long, dense black hair flowed down her back like a waterfall, shimmering in the dim light. She was tall, about 1.75 meters (5'9"), wearing a black catsuit that highlighted her long legs, slender waist, and ample chest in a way that was hard to ignore. Her face was covered by a black veil, partially obscuring a pair of sharp eyes.
For some reason, Bruce felt her face was vaguely familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
"Who are you?"
"Before asking for someone's name, you should introduce yourself. That's good manners."
Talia raised a hand and then dismissed the point. "Never mind. Ubu, grab him. We don't have time to waste."
Ubu, the figure in power armor, stepped forward. The suit glowed with a bright blue light, and an invisible force field enveloped his body, radiating a powerful energy signature.
Boom!
The ground shook, and Ubu was instantly in front of Bruce.
"So fast!"
Bruce was stunned. He instinctively raised his hands. A force of unimaginable magnitude struck his wrists, instantly numbing his arms.
Thud-thud-thud!!
Bruce staggered backward, only managing to dissipate the force when he crashed into the owl statue. His chest felt constricted, and he couldn't help but cough.
"MAX military power armor! Why are you wearing it? Who are you? Wait..."
Bruce suddenly understood. "You're not with the Court!"
Talia sneered. "We'll reveal our identities once we capture you. Ubu, don't hold back."
Ubu nodded slightly. His arms crackled with electricity, which converged on his hands to form powerful electrical pulses.
Bruce took a half-step back, his expression grim. The enemy's speed and power far exceeded that of the Talons he had fought. Even worse was the MAX armor, which he had no effective means of penetrating right now.
This is the only way...
Bruce pulled out his last smoke pellet and threw it on the ground. The smoke quickly expanded, filling the entire room.
"A tedious trick," Ubu said coldly. The MAX had scanning and targeting functions, allowing him to locate the enemy even through smoke.
"A laughable superhero. I thought you might offer me a surprise."
As Ra's al Ghul's most loyal servant, Ubu was over a hundred years old and had mastered virtually every combat technique, including secret Chinese ancient martial arts. His primary goal in Gotham was to protect and monitor Miss Talia, ensuring she didn't act recklessly. His secondary goal was to gauge the true "King of the Night" in Gotham.
His master had spoken highly of Batman, but based on this initial exchange, he seemed ordinary.
Losing interest, Ubu decided not to prolong the fight. His first move was a killing blow. His right fist shot out like lightning, aimed directly at Bruce's heart. Just as it was about to connect, his vision suddenly flashed to blinding white.
A sonic shriek echoed in his ears, making his head ring.
"Damn it, a flashbang!"
Ubu quickly closed his eyes, took a defensive stance, and retreated. He waited two seconds but felt no incoming attack. A sudden realization struck him, and he roared,
"Miss, watch out! He's targeting you!"
"You don't need to shout, I hear you."
Talia drew her pistol and fired repeatedly into the smoke.
Bang! Bang! Bang!!!
All seven shots missed. Talia was reloading her clip while retreating when a sharp whistle rushed past her ear. Instinctively, she raised her pistol to block.
Clang!
A Batarang struck the gun barrel. The powerful impact made Talia's wrist twist, sending the pistol flying.
Damn it!
The woman cursed silently. Instead of retreating, she charged forward, drawing a short knife and engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat.
Her fighting skills were phenomenal, especially her knife work. It seemed guided by a master, savage and tricky, with every move aimed at a vital point.
Bruce was caught off guard. He hadn't expected the woman to possess such terrifying combat prowess, leaving him momentarily flustered. Ubu, having recovered from the blindness, charged forward.
The two attacked in tandem, one in front and one behind, relentlessly pressing the attack.
Fists flew, and knives flashed. Ubu led the assault while Talia provided support. In mere seconds, they breached Bruce's defense, and Ubu's fist connected with his chest.
Electricity crackled.
Bruce cried out, forcibly enduring the pain. He used the force of the punch to retreat. Talia pursued, her short knife weaving in her hand like a viper's fangs, the blade flashing, drawing significant blood.
"Die!" Talia yelled, thrusting the knife toward his heart. Bruce quickly grabbed her wrist. Ubu seized the opportunity, kicking him hard in the abdomen.
Pugh!
Blood sprayed from Bruce's mouth, splattering the woman's face.
Bruce roared, his eyes wide, looking like a mad beast. He took another punch from Ubu, clamped a powerful arm around Talia's neck, and twisted, rolling with her across the ground.
Talia resisted with all her strength but couldn't break free. Even when she tried to bite him, Bruce didn't flinch.
They rolled down a slope and ended up right next to the underground river.
"No good!"
Ubu's face changed slightly. Ignoring the attack, he sprinted to the riverbank, blocking their path.
"You want her? Take her."
In the middle of the roll, Bruce suddenly released his arm. Using his left hand, he shoved the woman in his grasp high into the air.
Ubu quickly caught his mistress. Before he could celebrate, the battered Batman sprang up from the ground like a wild beast and pounced. The three continued to fight, falling backward, and plunged together into the rushing river.
Even submerged in the water, the three showed no intention of stopping the fight. The torrent carried them downstream, quickly pulling them out of the hall and into the black abyss of the underground depths.
Luke's Impending Arrival
On the second floor of the Court of Owls' headquarters.
The conference room door was violently pushed open. A man rushed in urgently.
"Bad news! There's a disaster!"
Sir Black Hawk immediately stood up, his voice tense. "Did they fail too?"
"No," the man quickly shook his head, speaking in a rush. "Those two and Batman all fell into the underground river. They were all swept away!"
Hearing this news, Sir Black Hawk first felt a flicker of joy, which was immediately replaced by sheer terror.
The underground river was rapid, with only an entry point and no known exit. Falling in meant certain death.
The daughter of the League of Assassins' leader, Ra's al Ghul, is dead! She died in the Court of Owls' headquarters!
The Red-Robed Grandmaster also realized the horrible consequences of this event. He immediately issued an order.
"Quickly mobilize our forces! Search downstream along the river! You must find Talia's body, even if she's dead, bring her back!"
Before he could finish, the door was shoved open again.
"Trouble at the northern entrance! A large group of people have arrived, all wearing power armor! They're killing everyone they see, and they're almost at the Grand Hall!"
Power armor! Luke Shaw!
Sir Black Hawk and the Red-Robed Grandmaster exchanged glances, both seeing a look of grim determination in the other's eyes.
"Forget Talia! You two go through the secret door to the various guard posts and recall all the loyalist soldiers and Talons. Since Luke Shaw has come, we'll make sure he doesn't leave alive!"
"The Court of Owls will not be humiliated!"
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