Even at night, the sound of something heavy crashing to the ground—accompanied by a man’s agonized screams—was impossible to ignore.
The quiet neighborhood stirred as residents paused what they were doing and came outside to see what had happened.
Kingpin’s men blended seamlessly into the curious crowd.
When they recognized the fallen man as one of their own, however, they simply turned around and left without a word.
It was obvious someone had begun targeting them.
The question was…
Who would have the nerve?
Spider-Man was already dead by their hands.
Who else would dare provoke them now?
Those few young heroes who used to work alongside Spider-Man?
Whoever it was, they needed to notify the others immediately.
“Boss, one of our guys got thrown off a building by somebody. He’s still alive, but… he’s probably crippled for life.”
The thug assigned to monitor the Parker household immediately made his report.
No one knew what was said on the other end of the phone.
Before leaving, however, the thug glanced back at the crippled man Wayne had thrown from the rooftop.
His eyes were filled with pity.
The man’s fate had already been decided.
The Spider-People had heard the crash just as clearly.
But none of them rushed outside.
Upon arriving in this universe, the only Spider-Man among them whose lifelong profession had been both detective and superhero—Spider-Man Noir, dressed entirely in black and white—had stopped the others from charging out.
There were unknown scouts watching the area.
If they exposed themselves now, they’d be walking straight into the enemy’s trap.
The only sensible option…
…was to wait and observe.
As gangsters who had dealt with superheroes for years, Kingpin’s men understood one thing very well.
By the time an incident like this was discovered, the costumed vigilante responsible had usually vanished long ago.
Even so, they cautiously gathered near the scene and waited.
Wayne, meanwhile, hadn’t paid any attention to the conversation between the thugs.
He was patiently waiting for the person he truly wanted to see.
Searching every luxury apartment in Manhattan?
That was impossible.
Even if he spent three full days, Wayne wouldn’t be able to investigate every upscale residence on the island.
But certain events…
…were guaranteed to draw out the superior overseeing the men watching the Parkers.
Like a ghost, Wayne silently tailed the thugs from a great distance.
Far enough that they couldn’t detect him.
Close enough that he never lost sight of them.
More importantly…
This was the perfect distance.
The instant that man appeared…
Wayne could reach him in moments.
His prediction proved correct.
The moment the subordinate made the phone call, the man decided to come personally.
The location was simply too sensitive.
Spider-Man had only just died.
Now the men assigned to monitor his family had already been attacked.
No matter how one looked at it…
…that was an alarming conclusion.
Had another superhero begun targeting them without their knowledge?
Especially after yesterday— when one of their factories had been assaulted by an unknown masked vigilante.
Already irritable, the incident had only worsened his temper.
A car roared into the street without the slightest attempt at concealment.
The tires screeched as it slammed to a stop, leaving black skid marks across the pavement.
That crude, aggressive parking job perfectly reflected the driver’s current mood.
“I hope…”
A gray-skinned man stepped out from the driver’s seat.
“…that what I’m about to hear is good news.”
The moment he appeared, he began berating his subordinates.
Unfortunately… things were never that simple.
“Sorry, Boss.”
The thug who had made the phone call immediately stepped forward.
“There were too many witnesses. We couldn’t make a move.”
The crash had been loud enough to attract nearly every nearby resident.
By the time they arrived, people had already called both the police and an ambulance.
The only thing they could do was leave before becoming involved.
Tombstone took a deep breath.
He knew perfectly well that murdering someone in front of dozens of witnesses was out of the question.
But recently…
Nothing had gone right.
“Does anyone know…”
He forced himself to keep his voice calm.
“…who the hell did this?”
The surrounding thugs merely exchanged nervous glances before lowering their heads.
They silently prepared themselves for the inevitable outburst.
“So…”
Tombstone laughed coldly.
“You’re telling me none of you even saw who attacked them?”
Sometimes he honestly wondered…
How many brain cells had died the day he decided to recruit these idiots and assign them to watch the Parkers.
Had flashing red-and-blue police lights not already appeared in the distance…
He truly would have drawn his gun and shot every last one of them.
“Listen carefully.”
His voice became ice cold.
“Once those idiots get to the hospital… I don’t care how you do it. Finish them off.”
He paused before adding,
“Otherwise… I’ll finish you off.”
Leaving those words behind, Tombstone climbed back into his car.
What he failed to notice…
…was that the instant the car door closed, a tiny black object quietly attached itself to the trunk.
Tombstone had hoped this trip would finally provide clues about the mysterious individual who had destroyed their factory.
Instead…
The men here hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the attacker’s face. The source of this chapter is g.com.
Thinking about it… that wasn’t surprising.
The survivors from the factory had described the attacker the same way.
Like a bat hunting in the darkness— leaving no trace behind.
Almost everyone who had confronted the masked vigilante directly had ended up as little more than vegetables.
Only one man had managed to catch a partial look.
Even then… he’d only seen the attacker’s back.
The only useful information he’d provided was this:
The man wore an entirely black suit.
And a cape that resembled bat wings.
Compared to Spider-Man…
This new vigilante spared people’s lives.
Yet somehow…
His methods were even more brutal.
“So…”
Tombstone gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles whitened.
“You think you’re Batman?”
The feeling of being challenged like this…
Infuriated him.
Wayne watched the small red dot moving steadily across the map displayed on his gauntlet.
He was certain that after an incident like this…
Tombstone would report directly to Kingpin.
After all, the surveillance around the Parker household couldn’t possibly have been Tombstone’s idea alone.
Only Fisk himself would order so many people to keep watch— waiting to see whether anyone would attempt to avenge Spider-Man.
Perhaps Fisk himself had never imagined…
That someone really would seek revenge for Spider-Man.
The only difference…
Was that this person had set his sights not merely on Fisk— but on the entire Fisk Corporation.
Eventually…
The red dot stopped.
Contrary to Wayne’s expectations,
Tombstone hadn’t driven into Manhattan— nor toward the wealthy neighborhoods of Long Island.
Instead…
He stopped in nearby Brooklyn.
Judging from this universe’s version of Fisk— and his obsessive attachment to Vanessa and their son— that destination could only be…
…his warm family home.
Wayne rolled his neck, loosening the tension in his muscles.
He had already prepared himself… for a very difficult battle.
(End of Chapter)