More than twenty men in suits flooded into the block.
They moved with precision, weapons already raised as gunfire erupted in sharp, controlled bursts. Their aim was steady, their coordination tight, each shot directed toward the black-clad figures still moving through the streets.
The sound of gunfire tore through the night.
Under the relentless barrage, the attackers who relied on blades and close combat began to withdraw. One after another, the men in black disengaged, retreating into the shadows with practiced discipline.
Among the suited group, a pair of sharp eyes swept across the scene.
They moved quickly, scanning the wreckage of the street—the shattered walls, the blood staining the snow, the bodies left behind. Her gaze lingered on the fallen figures, searching, hoping to catch sight of someone else.
"Judge… are you here?"
Elena's voice rang out clearly as she stepped toward the alley, her tone cautious but filled with urgency. Around her, the suited guards formed a tight protective circle, their attention locked on every corner.
The alley remained silent.
Dark. Empty.
Elena stood there for a moment, her expression slowly falling. She had wanted to thank him, to say something—anything—but there was nothing left except the aftermath of violence.
Just as she turned to leave—
Footsteps echoed.
Slow. Measured.
Every guard snapped to attention, their weapons shifting instantly toward the source. The tension in the air tightened as all eyes fixed on the darkness ahead.
A figure emerged.
Tall, draped in black, his presence quiet yet unmistakable as he stepped out of the shadows.
Elena's eyes lit up immediately, relief and admiration flashing across her face as she looked at him.
Locke didn't speak.
He simply raised a gloved hand and held out a card he had prepared beforehand.
"…?"
Elena took it instinctively, confusion flickering across her features. The card was black, smooth to the touch, with a single line of bright red English printed across it.
Before she could even read it—
"Watch out!"
The warning came too late.
A rush of wind cut through the space as Locke's body blurred. In the blink of an eye, he had already moved, his figure streaking toward the wall before disappearing entirely from sight.
"Wait—!"
Elena reached out, her voice catching as she tried to stop him, but there was nothing to grasp. He was gone before she could even form the words.
"Miss, we need to leave," one of the guards said firmly as he stepped forward. His build was imposing, his voice steady, but there was a lingering tension in his eyes. "The police will be here soon. If they see us, it could cause trouble for your father."
Elena looked down at the card in her hand, her expression dimming slightly.
"I wanted to invite him home for dinner…" she murmured, almost to herself.
Reluctantly, she turned away. Surrounded by her guards, she left the street behind, stepping into the extended black car waiting at the edge of the block.
The neighborhood slowly fell quiet again.
Five minutes later, the flashing lights of police cars cut through the darkness as they arrived in force. Red and blue reflections danced across the broken street as officers poured out, their attention immediately drawn to the destruction.
George was the first out of the car.
His eyes swept across the scene, taking in the damage as he moved quickly toward the center of the fight.
"They really tore this place apart," he muttered, his tone heavy.
The wall ahead was caved in, bricks scattered across the ground, blood smeared across every surface. The snow, once white, was now stained in dark red patches.
Other officers began combing through the area.
They found torn pieces of clothing, fragments left behind by the attackers, along with scattered darts that glinted faintly under the streetlights.
"These guys…" George's expression darkened as he crouched near one of the bloodstains.
He already knew something was wrong the moment he got the call. The Judge's strength wasn't something ordinary criminals could challenge, yet this scene told a different story.
This had been a real fight.
And the Judge hadn't come out of it untouched.
Whatever group had done this wasn't just another local gang. Their organization, their preparation—it all pointed to something far more dangerous.
Not even from Gotham.
Around them, windows began to open.
Residents leaned out, their anger spilling into the streets as they saw the police finally arrive.
"Where the hell were you?" a large man shouted, his bare chest exposed to the cold as he leaned out from a second-floor window. "You show up now? What if something happened to the Judge? If he died in our neighborhood, we'd all be responsible!"
Voices rose one after another.
"What's happening to this city?"
"You useless cops!"
"The Judge saved your station, and this is how you repay him? Showing up after it's over?"
The accusations came fast and loud, echoing across the block.
The officers' faces tightened, their expressions turning ugly under the barrage. Only George remained silent, his gaze fixed on the scene as he processed everything.
Eventually, with nothing left to say, the police withdrew.
Their cars pulled away under a chorus of angry shouts, leaving the street behind once more.
One by one, the residents closed their windows.
Silence returned.
Above, the moon finally broke through the heavy clouds, its pale light spilling across Gotham's stone streets.
And then—
Shadows fell.
Figures dropped silently from the rooftop of a nearby building, their movements smooth and coordinated. There were more of them than before, their numbers greater than the group that had faced Locke earlier.
At the front stood three men.
Their presence alone carried weight, their auras far stronger than the rest.
One of them, with two long swords strapped across his back, stepped forward. He moved to the spot where Locke had first fought, his hand brushing lightly against the damaged wall.
Then he climbed.
His movements were effortless as he scaled the surface, stopping at the exact point where Locke had stood. His gaze lingered on the bloodstains left behind, his expression unreadable.
Slowly, he pulled out a small vial.
Carefully, he collected the blood and the surrounding snow, sealing it away without wasting a single drop.
Then he dropped back down.
His eyes swept across the group behind him, settling briefly on the injured members.
"Boss… that guy is strong," one of them said, his face pale, his voice strained. "His fighting style… it's sharp. There's a certain… European edge to it."
The man with the twin swords didn't respond.
Silence hung in the air as the others began searching the area.
Then—
Footsteps.
Heavy. Deliberate.
All heads turned.
Three figures approached from the far end of the alley, their masks distinct, their presence unmistakable.
The men in black reacted instantly, weapons drawn as they faced the newcomers.
"If you don't stay in Star City and handle your own problems," Hollenhua said coldly, his eyes locked onto the man in front, "why come here?"
The leader of the black-clad group tilted his head slightly but said nothing.
Instead, one of the men behind him stepped forward, his voice sharp.
"Our business isn't something you should interfere with. Go back and tell your boss to stay out of this. Otherwise…"
He didn't finish.
Hollenhua moved.
His body shot forward like a predator unleashed, his speed explosive as he crossed the distance in an instant. His hands reached out, aiming to seize his opponent—
But before he could make contact—
A blur.
The leading man moved.
His hand flashed forward, grabbing Hollenhua by the collar mid-charge. With effortless strength, he lifted him off the ground and slammed him down.
Boom!
The impact drove the air from Hollenhua's lungs, pain exploding through his chest.
He reacted instantly, grabbing onto the man's collar, trying to counter—
But the grip on him tightened.
The man twisted, lifting him again before driving a brutal kick into his abdomen.
Boom!
Hollenhua's body flew backward.
Two of his companions caught him, their feet sliding across the ground as they struggled to absorb the force. Even then, all three were forced back several steps before they stabilized.
Their expressions turned grim.
The man with the twin swords calmly placed his hands behind his back.
Then he turned.
And walked away without a word.
....
Join my exclusive P@treon community for 60+ thrilling chapters!
Link: pa*treon.com/MidnightWonder (Remove the *)
If you join now you will get 2 Chapters for free as well.
Don't miss out, join now!