Chapter-8 Oracle: Barbara Gordon (Rewritten)

Their gazes locked, creating an awkward atmosphere. She couldn't help but feel that way, especially with the other party's dark eyes playfully scanning her from head to toe. It made her feel underestimated. No, I won't be underestimated, because...

"Oracle?" Stephen Lang interrupted.

This instantly made Oracle, who was trying to lift her spirits, feel mocked. What annoyed her even more was what this guy said next, almost pushing Oracle to the brink of anger.

"Haven't you been paralyzed yet?"

Paralyzed? Are you cursing me? Oracle seethed with anger. Is this guy so irritating every time he opens his mouth? No, even when he intentionally ignored my calls before, this jerk was still annoying without saying a word.

"Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Oracle—Gotham never fails to surprise people," Stephen smirked and suddenly lunged toward Oracle.

Oracle didn't expect this bastard to pick a fight with her. Instinctively, she stepped back to avoid it, but felt a rush of cold wind on her face. As she reached out, she realized her mask had been snatched away.

Enraged, Oracle retaliated immediately. Stephen chuckled lightly, deftly evading Oracle's attacks like a nimble wild cat, effortlessly sidestepping, leaping, shifting, and turning, rendering Oracle's strikes futile. While Oracle knew he was incredibly agile, witnessing it firsthand was entirely different from observing him through surveillance.

Revealing her acquired combat skills one by one, fiercely and mercilessly, what good was it if she couldn't land a single blow, no matter how hard she tried? Oracle possessed a slightly richer fighting ability than Catwoman, but in terms of actual combat experience, she clearly lagged behind. She was also inferior in terms of physical strength, speed, and agility.

Stephen's fighting style suddenly changed, abandoning evasion and engaging Oracle in a direct confrontation. This shift caught Oracle off guard. She could see that he was using the same tactics as her, but in terms of strength, speed, skills, and experience, he far surpassed her.

Turning left and right, her stamina dwindling, Oracle gradually transitioned from offense to defense. Stephen's attacks grew increasingly fierce, akin to a relentless downpour that made her feel like it was nothing compared to her practice sessions with Batman—this was even more challenging.

"This isn't good."

Stephen's punching speed suddenly escalated, catching Oracle off balance just as she was adapting to the rhythm. In the next moment, she felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, as if she had been hit by a car, and she dropped to the ground with a thud.

"I've sparred with Catwoman and outsmarted Harley Quinn. If I don't land a blow on you, it wouldn't be fair to the both of them," Stephen smiled, squatting down and gripping Oracle's hair to lift her head. Her eyes, glistening like pears, portrayed a pitiful expression. Clearly, that punch had caused her considerable pain.

"Batman's mysterious style doesn't suit you. Making calls from phone booths? Do you think this is Resident Evil? Wait until you're in a wheelchair to attempt such things. Or perhaps... I'll personally paralyze you if you dare pull this stunt on me again. Do you understand?" Stephen squinted at Oracle with a smile.

The once timid yet furious Oracle trembled involuntarily. Although he seemed to be joking when he said it, the fear within her heart grew, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he would actually follow through with his words.

"Don't be afraid. I've only paralyzed you temporarily, and I won't capture any compromising photos," Stephen grinned brightly.

Oracle gritted her teeth, regaining control over her body's movements.

"No? Let's forget it," Stephen curled his lips, released his grip on Oracle, stood up, leaned against the wall, and toyed with her bat mask using his fingers. "The police chief's daughter, Batman's apprentice—Barbara Gordon, why are you looking for me?"

"What's your name!" Oracle Barbara Gordon asked through gritted teeth.

"Stephen."

"Stephen, I'll remember you," Barbara Gordon secretly committed the name to memory. Struggling to rise to her feet, with Gotham in chaos and Batman missing, Barbara Gordon, the Oracle who had yet to be paralyzed, intended to take action. But what? She hacked into the satellite to locate Batman or the nuclear reactor, but found nothing. Instead, she found Stephen.

His marksmanship was excellent, hitting bullseye with every shot.

Shockingly, he could evade bullets.

Although his reckless shooting made Barbara question her decision to seek his help, she needed assistance.

No information on Stephen was found in the police records. Barbara checked Batman's list of recorded criminals, but he wasn't included. So, she decided to reach out to him first and assess the situation. The plan seemed sound, but it veered off track from the start—first, he ignored her calls, forcing Barbara to reveal herself, and then he exposed her identity and attacked her unexpectedly.

Such behavior cast doubt on Barbara's decision. Was it wise to seek his aid? Was he truly willing to help?

Glancing at the mask spinning on Stephen's fingertips, Barbara swiftly retrieved a smoke bomb from her belt and slammed it onto the ground.

In an instant, the area was engulfed in smoke.

Barbara raised her arm, aimed at the rooftop, fired her grappling gun, and soared away with a whoosh.

"The Bat family's foolish habit of using smoke bombs just to escape. What a waste of resources," Stephen muttered, curling his lips as he walked out of the alley.

...

Real Author: Marvel King

Translator: Zatch[King]Rex