Jizzman (batman x jesus)

✨🎂Chapter 5: The City's Pulse🎀⭐️

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**Chapter 5: The City's Pulse**

The night after the confrontation with the gang, I couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the leader's face, his sneer still fresh in my mind. I kept thinking about what the Wayfarer had said—*"Being a hero isn't about never being afraid. It's about facing that fear and doing what's right anyway."*

It echoed in my head, louder than the noise of the city outside my window. I hadn't realized just how much fear I'd been carrying until now. I wasn't afraid of the dark or the shadows—that was what I'd learned to hide in, to become part of. I was afraid of the consequences, the idea that no matter how hard I tried, I might not be able to change anything. That all my efforts might be for nothing.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized something: I couldn't let fear control me. If I did, I'd never be able to look at myself in the mirror again.

I sat up in my bed, the weight of the world pressing down on my chest. It had been hours since the fight, but the adrenaline was still buzzing in my veins. I needed to get out, to move, to do something.

I grabbed my hoodie from the chair and slipped it on, pulling the hood low over my head. The city was waiting. The shadows were always there, and I needed to become one with them again. I needed to keep pushing forward.

As I stepped out into the cool night air, the world felt different. It was quiet, the usual hum of traffic distant, as if the city itself was holding its breath. The moon was full, casting long shadows that stretched out in front of me. It felt like the perfect night for a patrol.

I walked down the streets, my eyes scanning every alley, every corner. The city wasn't just dark; it was alive. It was a breathing, pulsing entity. There was danger in the air, but there was also something else—a flicker of hope. Maybe that's what kept me going, despite everything.

The sound of footsteps behind me broke my thoughts. I spun around, my hand instinctively reaching for the small bat-shaped knife I kept in my pocket. But when I saw who it was, I relaxed.

"Eli?" I said, surprised to see him standing a few feet behind me, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

He smiled, a little sheepishly. "You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You're supposed to be at home, Eli. It's late."

He shrugged, his grin widening. "Yeah, well, home's not exactly safe right now. Figured I'd tag along."

I couldn't help but smile back, though I was still a little concerned. "You don't have to do this, you know. You don't have to be a part of this."

Eli shook his head, his eyes serious for once. "I don't care what you think, Wayne. I want to help. Besides, you said it yourself: you're not alone in this."

For a moment, neither of us said anything. The weight of his words hung in the air, a promise I didn't know how to respond to. But deep down, I knew he was right. I wasn't alone, not anymore.

"Alright," I said after a long pause. "Let's stick to the main streets for tonight. I don't want to get you into something you can't handle."

Eli nodded, falling into step beside me. As we walked, the tension between us started to ease. There was something comforting about having him there, about knowing I had someone to watch my back.

The streets we walked through were a far cry from the city's shining downtown, where the lights never seemed to dim. This was the underbelly of the city, the forgotten places where people disappeared, where the shadows were thick and filled with secrets. But there was a kind of beauty here, too, if you looked hard enough. Old brick buildings, faded murals, the occasional streetlamp that flickered on and off. It was like a hidden world, one that only a few people ever really saw.