Forged in Chaos: A Transmigrator’s Tale in the DC Universe

**Chapter 21: Shadows of the Past**

While Ethan's battle with the mysterious armored figure raged on, the world continued moving in unseen ways. Gotham was a city of stories, of lives intertwined in webs of fate and consequence. Tonight, the shadows whispered a different tale—one not of Ethan Cross, but of the forces lurking beyond his knowledge.

In a dimly lit underground lair beneath the city, an old enemy stirred.

Slade Wilson, better known as Deathstroke, sat at a round table surrounded by a collection of Gotham's most ruthless mercenaries. A holographic image of Ethan flickered in front of them, captured from security footage. Slade's one good eye studied the boy's movements, his unorthodox fighting style, and, more importantly, the power radiating from him.

"Cross isn't normal," Slade muttered, pausing the footage just as Ethan's fusion ability activated. The metal melted and reshaped in his hands, forming a devastating weapon in seconds. "I want to know where that power comes from."

One of the mercenaries, a grizzled veteran named Kessler, folded his arms. "Batman's got an eye on him. If we make a move, the Bat's going to be all over us."

Slade smirked. "Then we don't make a move. We watch. We wait. And when the time is right… we strike."

Across town, another player in Gotham's underworld had taken notice of Ethan's growing legend. A woman in a sharp crimson suit sat behind a desk, watching the same footage as Slade. Her name was Lorna Kane, one of the city's most cunning information brokers.

"Interesting," she mused, tapping her manicured fingers against the desk. "A boy who can fuse objects? That's a rare trick."

Her assistant, a lean man with a cybernetic eye, adjusted the display. "He's been active for months now. Not affiliated with any faction, though he's had some run-ins with Batman and his team."

Lorna smirked. "Let's see what he's truly capable of. Leak some info about a high-value shipment coming through the docks. Something dangerous. If he takes the bait, we'll see how far his power really goes."

As the city conspired around him, Ethan remained unaware of the forces aligning in the shadows. His battles had only begun, but the game was already in motion.

And in Gotham, no one played fair.

**To be continued...**