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Chapter 42: The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

Gotham – Midnight Patrol

The cold night air swept through Gotham's skyline, rustling trash and newspapers in the dimly lit streets. The city was never silent—distant sirens howled, muffled arguments echoed from alleyways, and the occasional gunshot reminded everyone that Gotham was still Gotham.

Joshua, in his Garurumon X form, moved through the city unseen. His massive frame barely made a sound as he leaped across rooftops, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. Each movement was calculated, every sense heightened.

Something feels off tonight.

The bounty hunters he had interrogated earlier were one thing, but they were small-time. No, the real danger would come from whoever had hired them.

And Joshua wasn't about to be caught off guard.

---

The First Sign

As he landed atop an abandoned apartment complex, his ears twitched.

Footsteps.

Not the normal, heavy steps of common thugs, but light, measured movements. Trained. Precise.

Assassins.

Joshua didn't move immediately. Instead, he let his senses stretch out, picking up every sound, every shift in the air.

There were at least four of them.

One on a rooftop across the street. Another positioned in a fire escape below. Two more were moving through the alley below him.

Smart. They're covering multiple angles.

But they made one mistake.

They thought they were the predators.

Joshua's lips curled into a grin.

Time to show them who the real hunter was.

---

The First Kill

The assassin on the rooftop across from him moved slightly, likely adjusting his rifle.

Joshua acted instantly.

He pushed off the rooftop, a blur of silver and blue as he soared across the street. The assassin barely had time to react before Joshua's claws ripped through his rifle, snapping it in half.

"Wha—"

Joshua slammed into him, sending them both rolling. The assassin scrambled for a knife, but Joshua's paw clamped around his wrist.

CRACK.

A scream barely left the assassin's mouth before Joshua's fangs sank into his shoulder, muffling the sound. The scent of blood filled the air.

"Two choices," Joshua growled into his ear. "Talk, or I take another bite."

The assassin trembled, gasping in pain.

"W-We were sent to confirm your location," he stammered. "We weren't supposed to fight you directly—"

Joshua yanked him closer. "Who sent you?"

The assassin gritted his teeth. "We don't know! We get assignments through coded drops—"

Joshua could tell when someone was lying. He applied pressure.

The assassin screamed as Joshua's claws pressed deeper.

"A name," Joshua growled.

"Falcone!" the assassin choked out. "Carmine Falcone—he wants you dead before you become a problem!"

Joshua narrowed his eyes.

Falcone. One of Gotham's biggest crime lords.

So, he's finally taking me seriously.

Joshua leaned closer, his breath hot against the assassin's ear. "Run."

The assassin didn't hesitate. He stumbled to his feet and vanished into the night.

Joshua let him go. He wouldn't be reporting back.

Not after that kind of fear.

---

The Next Two

Joshua turned his attention back to the two assassins in the alley below.

They had heard the struggle. They were moving carefully now, blades drawn, scanning the rooftops.

Joshua smirked. Too slow.

He dropped down.

The first assassin barely had time to react before Joshua's clawed foot slammed into his chest, sending him crashing into a dumpster.

The second assassin lunged with a knife.

Joshua caught his wrist mid-swing, twisting hard. The assassin yelped as his own blade was turned against him, the tip pressing against his throat.

Joshua's voice was ice. "Tell me why Falcone suddenly cares about me."

The assassin struggled, breathing hard. "H-He's heard rumors. That you're not human. That Batman might actually be working with a monster."

Joshua tilted his head. "And what does he plan to do about it?"

The assassin swallowed hard. "He's testing you. If these attempts fail, he'll send more. Stronger ones."

Joshua's grin widened. "Good."

He drove the assassin's own knife into his leg, pinning him to the ground. The man screamed, writhing in pain.

Joshua looked up, his golden eyes flashing.

The last assassin—the one hiding in the fire escape—was already trying to flee.

Joshua took off after him.

---

The Last One

The assassin ran across the rooftops, leaping between buildings in a desperate bid to escape.

Joshua let him run.

Let him think he had a chance.

Then, with a single powerful bound, Joshua outpaced him.

The assassin turned the corner—only to see Garurumon X standing in his path, waiting.

The assassin skidded to a halt, fear in his eyes.

Joshua stepped forward, claws scraping against the rooftop. "Go ahead. Run."

The assassin didn't.

He wasn't dumb enough to try.

Instead, he slowly reached for his belt—likely for a hidden weapon.

Joshua moved faster.

His jaws snapped shut around the assassin's belt, tearing it away before he could react.

The assassin froze.

Joshua smirked. "Wrong move."

Before the man could scream, Joshua headbutted him, knocking him out cold.

---

Mission Complete

Joshua exhaled, shaking the adrenaline from his limbs.

Four assassins. All eliminated in under ten minutes.

Falcone had made his move.

Joshua had sent his answer.

Now, he had to decide the next step.

He glanced down at the unconscious assassin at his feet.

Maybe it's time for a little visit to Falcone himself.

End of Chapter

Chapter 43: Hunting the Falcon

Gotham was a city ruled by shadows, where crime lords like Carmine Falcone built their empires on blood, money, and fear.

Tonight, Joshua—Garurumon X—would burn part of that empire to the ground.

Taking out Falcone himself would be easy. But easy wouldn't make him stronger.

His evolution depended on pushing his limits, fighting bigger threats. Instead of taking the head off the snake, he would cut off its limbs first.

Six of Falcone's major bases would fall tonight.

---

Target One: The Drug Warehouse (1:17 AM)

The warehouse sat by Gotham's docks, stacked high with illegal shipments of narcotics.

Falcone's crew—twenty men, all armed and armored—stood watch.

Joshua moved unseen across the rooftops, his glowing blue eyes locked on the patrol routes. He waited, listening to their conversations, watching how they handled their weapons.

Then he struck.

CRASH!

He smashed through the skylight, shards of glass raining down as he landed in the center of the room.

"WHAT THE—?!"

Before they could react, Joshua let out a deep, guttural growl that shook the building.

One of the thugs panicked, raising his gun—

Joshua moved first.

He lunged forward, knocking the barrel aside just as the trigger pulled. The bullet went wide, slamming into a crate of drugs.

Joshua twisted, using his massive tail to sweep the man's legs out from under him. He hit the ground hard, gun skidding away.

The rest of the crew scrambled for their weapons.

Joshua disappeared into the shadows.

"Where the hell did it go?!"

One thug turned a corner—

Joshua's clawed foot slammed into his chest, sending him flying into a stack of crates.

Another charged in with a knife—Joshua caught his wrist mid-swing, twisted, and yanked the blade away. He tossed the man aside, sending him crashing into the wall.

The remaining guards fired wildly, bullets shredding through the warehouse, but Joshua weaved between the crates, moving too fast for them to track.

Then he struck again.

He grabbed a steel barrel and hurled it into a group of men, knocking them over like bowling pins.

One tried to run—Joshua pounced, pinning him to the ground.

"P-Please! I just work here!" the man stammered.

Joshua's eyes glowed coldly.

"Then tell me where the next shipment is going."

The thug spilled everything.

Satisfied, Joshua slammed his tail into the gas lines, creating a spark.

WHOOSH!

Blue flames engulfed the warehouse, swallowing millions in drugs.

By the time the cops arrived, Garurumon X was gone.

One base down.

---

Target Two: The Money Laundering Hub (2:04 AM)

Falcone's money moved through a high-end accounting firm—a front for laundering dirty cash.

Joshua perched atop the adjacent rooftop, staring through the office windows.

Inside, stacks of cash were being counted under bright fluorescent lights.

Security was tight—ten guards, armed with semi-automatics.

Joshua leaped across the street, crashing through the glass.

Papers and money exploded into the air as Joshua landed in the middle of the counting floor.

"SHOOT HIM!"

A guard raised his gun—Joshua snapped his jaws onto the barrel, twisting it upward. The shot went into the ceiling.

Another guard rushed forward—Joshua grabbed him by the collar and threw him into the desk, shattering wood and spilling cash everywhere.

The remaining guards panicked, some trying to run, others fumbling for their weapons.

Joshua grabbed two duffel bags of cash—then set them on fire.

The flames spread fast, licking across the stacks of laundered bills.

Within minutes, the entire operation was up in smoke.

Two bases down.

---

Target Three: The Arms Cache (2:55 AM)

This underground bunker stored Falcone's weapons supply—military-grade firepower, explosives, and illegal tech.

Joshua moved silently through the underground tunnels leading to the storage vault.

Security cameras? Clawed apart.

Motion sensors? Avoided.

The guards never saw him coming.

A low growl from the shadows was all the warning they got before Joshua was among them.

One swung a baton—Joshua caught it, yanking the thug forward and tossing him aside.

Another went for his gun—Joshua's tail lashed out, knocking the firearm away.

He moved too fast, too strong—dodging blows, countering attacks, taking down guard after guard.

When the last man fell, Joshua turned his attention to the weapons cache.

His claws tore into the crates, shredding through Falcone's arsenal like paper.

Then he set it all ablaze.

The explosion rocked the tunnels, sending smoke billowing through the underground.

Three bases down.

---

Target Four: The Human Trafficking Ring (3:47 AM)

Joshua hated this one the most.

The warehouse was full of caged people—women, children, workers sold to the highest bidder.

Joshua moved carefully, silently.

He took down the first guard without a sound, gripping his wrist and twisting it behind his back, forcing him to the ground.

The next went down just as fast—a quick strike to the gut, knocking him unconscious.

Joshua unlocked the cages, his voice calm, steady.

"You're free. Get out of here."

The captives scrambled for the exit, their eyes full of fear and relief.

As they ran, Joshua turned to the last trafficker in the room—a sweating man in a tailored suit.

"You think you can just—"

Joshua silenced him with a growl.

"No."

He knocked the man out cold.

Then he set the place on fire.

Four bases down.

---

Target Five: The Corrupt Cop Headquarters (4:22 AM)

A hidden precinct where dirty cops ran Falcone's private law enforcement.

Joshua didn't even try to be subtle.

He broke down the front door, sending officers scrambling.

"You work for Falcone?" Joshua growled.

Some raised their hands, surrendering.

Others went for their guns.

Joshua took those ones down.

By the time he left, the entire precinct was in ruins.

Five bases down.

---

Target Six: Falcone's Safehouse (5:00 AM)

Falcone's penthouse safehouse.

Joshua didn't attack it.

He stood on the rooftop across from it, staring.

Let Falcone see the fires.

Let him feel the fear.

Joshua let out a low growl, his voice carrying across the night air.

"I know you put the bounty on my head. Consider this a warning."

And then, he vanished into the darkness.

Six bases down.

Falcone's empire was crumbling.

End of Chapter