Hunter X Justice

Beware X The X Impersonator

I got this chapter out, just before the month ends. Now I was originally gonna write the rest of this small arc into the chapter, but I realize it'd be better if I split it up into two because it'd be too long. That said, thank you for the support and I hope you enjoy this one.

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Batman and Robin touched down on the store's rooftop. They received a broadcast from GCPD describing a brawl that took place here about a half hour ago. Their eyes caught the parking lot below, and they were relieved to see the professionals seemingly finishing up their business.

Cops and medics alike scoured the store's parking lot. Doctors checked up on the bystanders who witnessed the fight while the cops asked them questions concerning the situation. It was the typical routine of the aftermath of a scene that was loud enough to draw each department's attention.

Among the site, Batman caught Commissioner Gordon and Detective Harvey Bullock standing at the side, watching everyone performing their respective duties. Gordon looked stressed as he massaged his forehead, while Bullock appeared carefree, munching on his late-night sandwich as his back was slanted against his car.

Robin turned away from the scene, wandering his gaze around the vicinity. "Is there any way in from here?" He said quietly.

"Hmm..." Batman hummed as his eyes scanned the rooftop and, from across, spotted a ventilation outlet with a narrow tunneling vertical tube.

Approaching it, Batman gripped the door vent's sides and used his brute strength to tear off the hinges with a loud clang. Batman turned to Robin and gestured to the opening before he entered, his flowing cape disappearing in the blackness.

Robin shortly entered the vent, feeling his body drop the vertical tunnel before landing in a crouch. Robin saw Batman crawling several meters ahead before he towed not far behind. In their trek, the pair made several sharp turns through the ventilation network, their bodies brushing through cobwebs and holding their breaths to avoid inhaling the grungy dust.

Finally, Batman detected the next opening. After kicking off the door vent, Batman and Robin studied their surroundings, noting that the store was a complete mess, littered with splatters of dried brownish substances with shelves and store products trashed around the floors. Batman narrowed his eyes before proceeding to the area where the police crossing lines were enclosed.

Approaching a small mound of the substance staining the store, Batman knelt and tapped the pile with his gloved fingers, inspecting it closely. It was a moist substance not usually found in crime scenes, but Batman knew this substance all too well.

He thought back to the security footage that recorded the suspected man with the strength to tear a cash drawer in half with his bare hands, stacked with his unusually pupilless eyes that Gordon commented on. Compared to his usual pace, Batman took longer to conclude these robberies. This crime scene only further confirmed his suspicions.

"It's what I suspected. Clayface is back." Batman said.

"So that's what you were talking with Gordon about," Robin commented. He turned to the mess that littered the store with a raised eyebrow. "I did catch on to Gordon describing how the suspect operates. Are you sure this here connects with the other robberies?"

"I know what I saw in that footage. Otherwise, you'd agree if you'd focused on the task." Batman retorted, much to Robin's shame and embarrassment. "If Killua hadn't been here, Clayface would've killed the witnesses before moving on to his next target."

Robin tilted his in puzzlement. "And how do you know it was Killua? Someone else like the Huntress could've been the one that fought Clayface."

"I'm sure she's smart enough to use extreme temperatures to fight against Clayface, but there's no sign of anything related to fire or ice," Batman replied immediately to squash Robin's argument. "Who else in Gotham could take Clayface head-on?"