dc with power of digimon

Chapter 40: The Hunt Begins

Gotham Academy – After School

Joshua stepped through the school gates, his hands in his pockets, his expression neutral. The group of older students waiting near the entrance didn't belong here. Their clothes weren't expensive enough for Gotham Academy, and the way they stood—tense but trying to look casual—made them stick out like sore thumbs.

Bounty hunters.

Or at least hired thugs pretending to be bounty hunters.

As he walked past, one of them—a tall guy with a scar on his cheek—stepped forward, blocking his path.

"Hey, kid," Scarface drawled, his voice rough. "You go here, right?"

Joshua raised an eyebrow. "What gave it away? The uniform or the fact that I'm walking out of the school?"

Scarface didn't appreciate the sarcasm. His jaw tightened, but he forced a grin. "Smartass. Look, we just wanna ask you something."

Joshua sighed dramatically. "Fine. Make it quick."

Scarface and his buddies exchanged glances before one of the shorter guys leaned in. "You ever hear anything about Batman's new sidekick?"

Joshua barely resisted the urge to laugh. This is too easy.

"Sidekick?" he repeated, feigning ignorance. "Batman doesn't do sidekicks. He barely works with anyone."

Scarface scoffed. "Yeah, well, someone's been running around with him. Big, freaky thing. Changes shape. Some people are saying it's not human."

Joshua gave them a blank stare. "Sounds like Gotham."

The shorter guy crossed his arms. "Cut the crap, kid. Rumor is, this thing's been spotted around some rough neighborhoods. We're just looking for a lead. Maybe you heard something?"

Joshua tilted his head as if considering it. "And if I did?"

Scarface grinned, pulling a thick envelope from his pocket. "Then maybe you make a little cash for pointing us in the right direction."

Joshua took a slow breath, pretending to think it over. He glanced around, noticing a few students watching from a distance, including Barbara, who was standing by her father's car. Her eyes were locked onto him, suspicion written all over her face.

He had to play this right.

Joshua scratched his chin. "So you're offering money to a random kid in a school uniform, hoping he magically knows where Gotham's newest urban legend hangs out?"

Scarface's grin faltered. "Look, just tell us if you've heard anything."

Joshua smirked. "Sure. I heard Batman and his 'sidekick' hang out in the Iceberg Lounge with the Penguin. You should totally go there and start asking questions."

One of the guys cursed. "Kid's messing with us."

Joshua shrugged. "Or maybe I just saved you the trouble of wandering around Gotham at night like a bunch of idiots."

Scarface stepped forward, his height giving him an intimidating presence. "Listen here, punk—"

Before he could finish, a voice interrupted.

"I'd back off if I were you."

Barbara.

She had walked up behind them, arms crossed, her expression calm but serious.

Scarface turned to her. "And who the hell are you?"

Joshua chuckled. "You don't know? That's Barbara Gordon. Her dad's the police commissioner. You know, the guy who works directly with Batman?"

The bounty hunters went stiff.

Barbara smirked. "Yeah. So unless you really want to explain to my dad why you're harassing students outside a private school, I suggest you walk away."

Scarface's eye twitched. He glared at Joshua one last time before turning to his crew. "Let's go."

As they walked off, Joshua let out a low whistle. "Well, that was fun."

Barbara turned to him, unimpressed. "You were way too calm about that."

Joshua smirked. "Please, Babs. If they tried anything, I'd be the least of their problems."

Barbara studied him for a moment before shaking her head. "One day, you're going to have to explain why you don't take things like this seriously."

Joshua grinned. "And one day, you're going to have to explain why you do."

Barbara rolled her eyes and walked back to her father's car. Commissioner Gordon was already watching, his expression unreadable.

Joshua sighed. "Guess I'll be seeing him soon."

With that, he turned and headed in the opposite direction—toward the bounty hunters.

Because now that he knew they were looking for Gotham's "monster"…

It was time to send a message.

---

End of Chapter

Chapter 41: Hunting the Hunters

Gotham – Midnight

The city of Gotham never truly slept. Under the dim glow of streetlights, the underbelly of the city thrived—criminals, corrupt businessmen, and bounty hunters looking to cash in on Gotham's chaos.

And tonight, Joshua was hunting them.

Perched atop a rooftop in his Garurumon X form, he watched as the bounty hunters from earlier walked through the back alleys of Gotham's East End. Their destination? Unknown—for now.

Joshua's enhanced senses kicked in. His sharp, golden eyes locked onto the group. His hearing picked up every word they muttered, every nervous breath they took. He had spent the evening tracking them from the moment they left Gotham Academy, keeping to the shadows, moving from rooftop to rooftop with silent precision.

Now, it was time to see who had hired them.

---

The Hunt Begins

The bounty hunters stopped outside a run-down bar—one of those places that catered to people who didn't want to be found. The neon sign flickered, barely holding onto life, reading The Rusty Nail.

Joshua crouched low, ears twitching as he listened.

"You sure this is the place?" Scarface asked.

The shorter guy, who Joshua mentally nicknamed Ratface, nodded. "Yeah. The guy said to meet him here."

Scarface grumbled. "Damn well better be worth it. If we don't get paid, this whole night was a waste."

Joshua's lips curled into a grin. Oh, you'll be paid—just not the way you expect.

He leaped down silently, using his claws to grip onto the side of the building. His body was perfectly camouflaged in the darkness.

Scarface and his crew entered the bar. Joshua crept closer, slipping onto a balcony above a broken window. He lowered his head, peering inside.

The Rusty Nail wasn't crowded—just a few drunks nursing cheap whiskey and a bartender who looked like he had seen too much of Gotham's filth. In the farthest booth, a man sat alone, dressed in a dark suit, his face partially obscured by the dim lighting.

Joshua's eyes narrowed.

Bingo.

The bounty hunters approached, sitting across from the man. Scarface leaned forward. "You the one who called us?"

The man exhaled smoke from a cigar. "You got information for me?"

Ratface smirked. "Not exactly. That freak? Nobody knows where he hangs out. But we asked around. Some people think Batman's keeping him close."

The suited man leaned back, tapping ash onto the table. "Tch. Useless."

Scarface scowled. "Hey, we ain't done yet. Word is, the Bat's new 'partner' only shows up in gang territory. It's like he's hunting them. If we set a trap, we might be able to lure him out."

Joshua's ears twitched. Oh?

The man exhaled another cloud of smoke. "That thing isn't Batman's partner. It's something else entirely. And I need to know what it is."

Scarface crossed his arms. "So what's the deal, then? You still paying us or not?"

The man slid a small envelope across the table. "Consider this a bonus. But if you idiots actually bring me something useful next time, I'll make it worth your while."

Scarface picked up the envelope, checking inside. He grinned. "Pleasure doin' business with you."

Joshua memorized everything. The man's voice. His build. The way he moved. He wasn't just some low-level thug. This guy had power. Influence.

But who was he?

Joshua had to get closer.

---

The Interrogation

As the bounty hunters left the bar, Joshua moved fast.

He leaped down from the balcony, landing silently behind them in the alley. Before they could react, he struck.

A low growl rumbled from his throat.

Scarface spun around. "What the—"

Joshua lunged. His claws raked across Scarface's chest—not deep enough to kill, but enough to send him crashing against the alley wall.

Ratface screamed. "Shit! It's him!"

Joshua moved faster than they could process. His tail whipped around, knocking another bounty hunter off his feet. He grabbed Ratface by the collar, slamming him against a dumpster.

"Who hired you?" Joshua growled, his voice guttural, distorted, inhuman.

Ratface shook violently. "W-We don't know his name!"

Joshua bared his fangs. "Describe him."

Scarface groaned from the ground. "Dark suit… smug bastard… smoked cigars… sounded like money."

Joshua narrowed his eyes. Not much to go on… but it's a start.

His grip tightened on Ratface's throat. "Where do I find him again?"

Ratface coughed. "I-I don't know! He finds us!"

Joshua sighed dramatically. "That's disappointing."

He dropped Ratface onto the ground and turned to Scarface. "If you idiots set a trap for me, I'll know. And next time? I won't be asking questions."

Scarface clutched his chest, wheezing. "Y-You're insane…"

Joshua smirked, baring his fangs. "You have no idea."

With that, he leaped onto the fire escape, disappearing into the night.

---

A New Mystery

From a rooftop across the street, Joshua watched the bounty hunters scramble out of the alley, dragging their wounded along. They wouldn't be a problem for now.

But the man who hired them?

That was a problem.

Someone with resources was trying to track him down. Someone who didn't believe he was just Batman's new sidekick.

Joshua's claws dug into the rooftop.

Time to find out who he was dealing with.

End of Chapter