Curze stood on the rooftop where cold winds howled. After thinking for a long time, he looked down at Kazan, who lay collapsed on the ground.
The boy, around fifteen or sixteen years old, was curled up and trembling. His face was covered in tears and blood, and his eyes were filled with terror and despair.
In the end, he decided to follow the mysterious outsider's instructions, take him back, and hand him over to the judgment of the law.
He bent down and seized Kazan by the collar. His movements remained as brutal as ever.
In the Primarch's hands, Kazan felt unbelievably light and was easily lifted into the air.
His legs dangled weakly, and a hoarse, sobbing sound escaped him.
Curze leapt from building to building at astonishing speed, landing precisely on every protruding point with each step, producing a whistling sound each time.
Kazan floated in midair, listening to the wind rushing past his ears. He closed his eyes, unable to bear looking at the darkness spreading below.
After a while, Curze landed in an alley.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he made no sound at all, like a ghost.
He threw Kazan onto the ground with a dull thud.
At that time, the girl who had been dragged into the alley and nearly assaulted had not yet left.
She was huddled in a corner, hugging her knees, wrapping her torn clothes around her body, and trembling with fear.
She had witnessed Curze tearing the gang members apart.
The level of cruelty and terror far exceeded what she could endure.
Her mind went blank, and she no longer even had the strength left to flee.
Startled by the sound of Curze's landing, the girl screamed.
She instinctively clutched her torn clothes, trying to hide her exposed skin.
Curze looked at her. The alley was dark, but the skin revealed by her clothes was clearly visible.
He could see every detail of the girl's body, yet he felt no desire whatsoever.
His gaze was completely calm as he stared at her panic, fear, and shame.
Then he walked over, not caring whether the girl was dressed or not, seized her, and lifted her up.
Cruel, direct, and without any extra emotion.
Amid the girl's screams, Curze carried the two of them into the darkness.
...
New Safe Zone, the courtroom.
In the middle of the hall stood a massive judge's bench, upon which rested the legal code that Datch and Ferrus had compiled themselves.
Behind the judge's seat, the appointed judge was examining evidence and judging the man and woman Curze had brought.
Curze stood in the corner of the hall with his arms crossed, watching the actions of the law enforcement officers.
Kazan and the victim were questioned separately. A dedicated recorder noted every detail and verified the authenticity of every statement.
Hearing the news, Ferrus, who was standing next to Curze, thought for a moment and said, "Actually, when you bring them in, you should have given that woman some clothes."
"After all, she is a girl, and she is the victim."
Curze turned toward Ferrus, his eyes filled with confusion.
"What difference does it make whether she wear it or not?"
Primarchs are born with knowledge of human biology.
In his view, there was no difference between the bodies of men and women.
Aren't they all made of bone, muscle, skin, and blood vessels?
Ferrus sighed in irritation, completely at a loss for words regarding his brother Curze.
This man understands absolutely nothing about the rules of human society!
It is truly surprising, Father! While bestowing vast knowledge upon the Primarchs, you give them not a single bit of common-sense understanding about society!
Datch stood to the side, saying nothing, a satisfied smile on his face.
It was good that no vigilante justice had been carried out. Curze should maintain this pace.
Based on witness testimony and physical evidence, Kazan was sentenced to eight years of hard labor.
It was particularly noteworthy that the girl was sentenced to twelve years.
During the interrogation, the investigators unexpectedly discovered that the girl was a member of another gang and had committed multiple crimes.
She was found guilty of robbery, fraud, and murder, and was sentenced to twelve years in prison.
Learning this fact left Datch speechless at the existence of the crime-ridden planet Nostramo.
Indeed, if you threw a brick, you might hit a dozen criminals.
Curze seemed lost in thought as he watched the two people being arrested and imprisoned.
According to his usual logic, that man would undoubtedly have been torn apart and left in a miserable state as a deterrent to criminals.
Meanwhile, that woman, as a victim, would have been ignored by him.
Curze quickly realized his own problem. He could only see the surface and could not deeply investigate each crime.
On Nostramo, many of the so-called victims were not actually saints at all. The crimes they had committed might have been even more heinous.
Therefore, he had not completely excised the tumor — he had only removed the part that had been discovered.
To build a fair and just society, one must not base everything on what one sees with one's eyes.
Instead, we must thoroughly gather evidence, investigate backgrounds, and reveal the truth.
Only by clarifying every lead and connecting every detail can all criminals be brought to justice.
Having realized this, Curze became even more motivated and decided to go catch the perpetrators.
Before Curze left, Datch had someone give him the newly made Bat Armor.
The design of the Bat Armor was inspired by Batman from the DC Universe. It was manufactured by combining Necron technology with human technology, resulting in a perfect creation.
This armor had a foldable glider on the back that, when deployed, allowed the wearer to glide through the air.
Various tools were hidden in the belt and on the back.
A grappling gun, smoke grenades, flashbangs, a stun gun, rope, a first-aid kit, and an advanced lock-picking toolkit.
The gloves had small claw-like blades at the fingertips that allowed easy climbing of smooth walls and could also be used as weapons when necessary.
Datch also equipped Curze with a stealth vehicle and a vertical takeoff and landing fighter.
Curze put on the Bat Armor and moved his limbs. He felt no restrictions whatsoever.
When he put on the helmet, various data immediately appeared in his field of vision.
Distance, temperature, wind speed, air quality, and the heat signatures of living beings lurking in the shadows.
Looking pleased, Curze walked to the window, spread the hang glider, and leapt out.
The black figure silently crossed the night sky and disappeared into the shadows of the city.
Watching Curze leave, Datch felt a slight regret. Why hadn't Nostramo been called Gotham?
If only he could return to the era when the settlers of Nostramo first arrived on this planet.
He would have proposed naming the planet Gotham instead of Nostramo.
Datch was drawn to the idea, but ultimately gave up.
After all, Nostramo is an important location in the Warhammer universe. If the name changed, it would lose the same atmosphere as before.
...
Curze became Batman and tracked criminals and fought gangs across the entire Nostramo.
He was extremely capable. In a short period of time, he captured many leaders of ancient noble houses and factions.
The masterminds hiding in secret underground bunkers were also dragged out of their hideouts one by one and thrown into the defendants' seats in the courtroom.
These heinous criminals were sentenced to death after public trials and hanged one by one under the streetlights.
This approach sparked intense debate and overturned people's perceptions.
For the first time, the people of Nostramo understood that order was not the violence of gangs, but the law.
They also realized that Nostramo's corruption and despair were not irreversible.
After the New Safe Zone had expanded to a certain extent, Datch announced the establishment of a new planetary government and promulgated an entirely new legal code for planet-wide governance.
It established a completely new system of equality for everyone and also stipulated standards regarding social wealth disparity in the legal code.
This was not about confiscating property or robbery. It was about legally returning wealth to society through progressive taxation, inheritance taxes, excess profit taxes, and the like.
The ancient families that had built enormous wealth through the trade of refined gold, and the powerful conglomerates that had once exploited people, were not so fortunate.
The assets they owned were forcibly liquidated and used to build schools, hospitals, libraries, and stadiums.
They improved the treatment of workers and supported the destitute at the bottom of society.
The establishment of the planetary government and its various laws greatly stimulated people's creativity and motivation.
Many people were overflowing with vitality and working hard to live better lives.
Meanwhile, the gangs that had once run rampant on Nostramo gradually disappeared.
Many gang members witnessed the prosperous lives of ordinary citizens and the planetary government's zero-tolerance stance toward organized crime.
They all chose to confess their crimes to the new government and voluntarily accept labor reform.
"Not a single one of them is a loyal friend."
Some gang leaders were furious and cursed the shameless actions of the planetary government.
Workers in every field benefited from increased income, improved status, and protection of labor rights.
Law enforcement agencies were constantly active, investigating various illegal acts to ensure that the laws and regulations were effectively enforced.
Children returned to school, studied, and received education.
Each small soul became a modest force for change.
This force accumulated like grains of sand stacking up to form a tower, flowing like a river, and eventually transforming into an unstoppable torrent.
The old, blood-stained rules were abolished, and a better new social order was established.
The dark forces lurking in the shadows and plotting a comeback felt despair at this situation.
The order established by the Night Haunter could be overturned once the other party was gone.
Because it was merely the other side's will.
The order established by the nameless one would continue to function normally even after the other party left.
Because a common understanding had been established among the people that only by acting according to the law could one maximize one's own interests and live a good life.
Any attempt to challenge the legal system was a challenge to everyone.
No matter how powerful their means might be, they could not fight against everyone.
As Nostramo entered a new era, Datch led Ferrus to Curze, who was still capturing criminals.
"We plan to leave this place."
"Leave??" Cos, still holding a prisoner, asked. "Shouldn't you stay on Nostramo?"
"Good things must always come to an end, Curze," Datch said in a calm tone.
"But before we leave, I have decided to give you and everyone on Nostramo a gift."
"A gift?" Carrying the prisoner, Curze asked in a confused voice.
What kind of gift?