LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 5: **Chapter 5: Forged in Fire**
**Chapter 5: Forged in Fire**
The streets of Gotham never slept. Even with Black Mask's empire crumbling, new threats rose to fill the void. Ethan had proven himself in battle, but that was just the beginning. The city demanded more than brute strength—it required strategy, patience, and a willingness to step into the darkness and walk the fine line between hero and monster.
Under Batman's tutelage, Ethan pushed his limits every night. They trained in hand-to-hand combat, stealth, and detective work. His fusion ability was a wildcard, something even Batman couldn't predict. Every sparring session ended with Bruce forcing him to refine how and when he used it.
"Raw power isn't enough," Batman said after another brutal session in the Batcave. "You need to be smarter, faster. The people we fight don't play fair. You can't afford to either."
Ethan wiped blood from his lip, grinning. "So… no honor among heroes?"
Batman narrowed his eyes. "Honor is a luxury in Gotham. Survival is the priority."
That lesson was burned into Ethan's mind when they took to the streets again.
Word on the street was that a weapons shipment had just landed at Gotham Docks—military-grade firearms meant for an unknown buyer. Ethan and Batman moved in under the cover of night.
"This isn't just about stopping a shipment," Batman said through the comms. "It's about finding out who's pulling the strings."
Ethan perched atop a warehouse, eyes scanning the scene below. Dozens of men surrounded a cargo ship, crates being unloaded with precision. At the center of it all stood a man in a crisp white suit, a red tie knotted at his throat.
"Who's the pretty boy?" Ethan asked.
Batman's voice was grim. "Roman Sionis. Black Mask. Looks like he got out faster than we thought."
Ethan tensed. He had put Sionis behind bars, but Gotham's underworld was a revolving door. Criminals with money and power never stayed locked up for long.
"This is bad," Batman continued. "If he's back in play, it means the gang war is far from over."
Ethan's fists clenched. "Then let's shut him down."
Moving in silence, Ethan dropped down behind a stack of crates. He fused a throwing knife with an explosive charge and sent it flying toward a group of guards. The blast sent them sprawling, chaos erupting instantly.
"We're under attack!" someone shouted.
Ethan didn't give them time to regroup. He moved like a phantom, enhanced reflexes keeping him one step ahead. Bullets ricocheted off metal containers as he weaved through the battlefield, taking down thugs with precision.
Sionis cursed loudly. "Who the hell is this?!"
Batman answered with a **batarang to the face.**
Sionis stumbled back, roaring in fury. "Kill them both!"
Ethan smirked. "Wrong move."
He grabbed a crowbar, fused it with an electrical charge from his utility belt, and slammed it into the nearest goon. The man convulsed before dropping. Two more charged, but Ethan was already moving, fusing smoke pellets with flashbangs and tossing them into the fray.
The docks became a warzone. Batman fought like a shadow, moving through the chaos with ruthless efficiency. Ethan held his own, but the numbers kept coming.
Then he saw it—**a rocket launcher.**
"Heads up!" Ethan shouted as one of Black Mask's men aimed at Batman.
Thinking fast, Ethan fused a grappling hook with an explosive pellet and fired. The hook latched onto the launcher just as it was fired, pulling it off-course. The rocket detonated against a shipping container, the explosion rocking the docks.
Sionis used the distraction to flee.
"He's getting away!" Ethan growled.
Batman threw him a tracking device. "Then don't lose him."
Ethan sprinted after Sionis, his enhanced speed closing the gap. The crime lord shoved pedestrians aside, his expensive shoes slamming against wet pavement as he raced through Gotham's backstreets.
"You don't get to run!" Ethan shouted.
Sionis whirled, pulling a pistol, but Ethan was already on him. He fused a brick with his gauntlet, reinforcing it before delivering a punch that sent Sionis sprawling.
The crime boss groaned, spitting blood. "You think this ends with me? You have no idea what's coming."
Ethan knelt, gripping Sionis by the collar. "Then tell me."
Sionis chuckled darkly. "You'll find out soon enough. And when you do… you'll wish you hadn't."
Sirens wailed in the distance as Gotham PD closed in. Ethan released Sionis and stepped back as the police swarmed the scene.
"We'll see about that," Ethan muttered.
Batman's voice came through the comm. "Good work. But he's right—this isn't over. It's just beginning."
Ethan looked up at the Gotham skyline, determination burning in his chest.
**Let it come.**