C 43

"Who?" Kingpin's face, usually calm and collected, now wore a serious expression that could scare children. 

His tone lowered, revealing the menace beneath. "Who? Who dares to run wild in my turf? Is it that daredevil who's come here?"

"No, although the appearance has changed a little, it should be Batman!" Bullseye shook his head, the urgency in his voice evident.

"The guy who overturned the Continental Hotel?" Kingpin asked, his voice tinged with irritation.

"Yes, it is." Bullseye nodded, his expression grim. "He's about to break in. It's not safe here now. Boss, you're a successful businessman; you shouldn't be here."

"I am waiting for you in the car," Kingpin replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Resolve him as soon as possible."

"No problem," Bullseye said, a cruel smile spreading across his face.

"Let's go, Mr. Sloan." Kingpin turned to the black man next to him, motioning him to follow. "We'll be in the car waiting for the good news."

"Of course," Sloan agreed with a smile, but he had no idea that Batman wasn't targeting Kingpin at all; he was after him.

On the other side...

The Rabbit Battle Armor was on a rampage, attacking the small-time thugs armed with weapons. The guns they wielded were practically useless against the armor's formidable defenses. 

Only heavy weapons could inflict damage on its super shell, but unfortunately, the heavy artillery in Hell's Kitchen was stored elsewhere. The time it would take to retrieve those weapons would be more than enough for the Rabbit Armor to take down the thugs multiple times over.

"Change to armor-piercing bullets!" someone shouted.

"They're heading to the weapons storeroom to grab more lethal weapons!"

But it was already too late.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Rabbit Battle Armor, under Anton's control, plowed through the crowd, sending thugs flying with each punch. With the shadows helping him and the power of his metal fists, the Rabbit Armor moved through the thugs like a hot knife through butter.

Suddenly, a sharp dart zipped through the air.

It struck the connecting joints of the Rabbit Armor's arms and legs, embedding itself deep.

Boom!

In the next instant, the dart exploded. The Rabbit Armor shook but remained intact. Anton, watching from Los Angeles, received a message:

[Rabbit Warframe: Durability decreased by 3%, damage rate is 5%]

The explosion had damaged the armor. While the damage was minimal and wouldn't affect its combat ability, it was evident that the person who shot that dart was no ordinary thug.

"Oh?" Anton thought as he recognized the bald man wielding the dart.

The gun-target tattoo on the man's brow made his identity clear.

Bullseye!

"Kingpin is really entangled with the fraternity," Anton mused, not at all surprised. He had just tortured information out of the fraternity members he had encountered in the Empire State Building, but this confirmed his suspicions.

Unfazed, he sprang into action, his heavy body bursting forth with surprising agility as he charged toward Bullseye.

Bullseye, however, wasn't foolish enough to confront the Rabbit Armor head-on. While he was a capable fighter, he understood that his advantage lay in his mystical dart-throwing abilities. 

He sidestepped, shooting darts as he went, quickly retreating without any intention of engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the iron monster before him.

But then, he froze in terror.

Boom!

The gun barrel on the Rabbit Armor's shoulder erupted in flames, a powerful shell launching toward Bullseye.

The roar of the shell echoed in the air as a shockwave rippled outward.

Bullseye was engulfed by the massive blast, unable to maintain his footing, and crashed against the wall with a resounding thud.

Thick clouds of gray smoke rose around him.

In an instant, something large, at least twice the size of a fist, fell and slammed into Bullseye's chest.

Puff!

Bullseye sputtered, blood spraying from his mouth as he smashed through the wall behind him, buried beneath bricks and debris. He was in no condition to fight.

His eyes widened in shock; he hadn't expected to be defeated so quickly.

"Bullseye, boss!"

The thugs nearby were stunned at the sight.

Bah!

Bullseye spat out a thick glob of phlegm, rising from the ruins, and glared coldly at the Rabbit Armor, darts poised between his fingers. He planned to use his signature tactic again, aiming for the armor's joints.

But as he prepared to strike, his face paled. The bazooka mounted on the Rabbit Armor's shoulder turned and aimed directly at him.

In that moment, even the surrounding thugs held their breath, paralyzed by fear. A rocket launcher was no toy; it was a heavy weapon that demanded respect.

Earlier, the explosion had spared the nearby crowd, but now, they didn't want to test their luck.

Seeing Bullseye frozen in place, a cold snort echoed from the voice module of the Rabbit Armor.

Boom!

Bullseye was knocked unconscious, and the Rabbit Armor dashed down the corridor, dragging him along.

Using infrared scanning and thermal energy tracking, Anton navigated quickly, searching for a secret room. However, when he finally reached the secret room, it was empty.

Frustrated, he smashed through the inner wall and continued his pursuit.

Meanwhile, outside...

A sleek, black bulletproof luxury car sat parked on the outskirts of Hell's Kitchen. This vehicle was significantly larger than ordinary cars, custom-designed to signify the status and identity of its owner.

Kingpin's massive form barely fit inside. He was accompanied by Sloan, who, despite his age, still emanated a cunning aura.

"Mr. Fisk, I wished to know since I had never heard of it. What grudge do Batman hold against you?" Sloan suddenly broke the silence in the car.

"Don't all the newspapers call him a superhero?" Kingpin retorted, maintaining his calm demeanor. He had enough confidence not to care about the opinions of others.

"In fact, assassination and being assassinated is a daily occurrence for me. There are many who aspire to be heroes, and I have offended more than my share. What's important is that soon he will be another unwilling soul beneath my vast empire."

Boom!

As soon as Kingpin finished speaking, a figure descended from above, landing heavily on the luxury car's hood.

Click, click!

The front of the car crumpled under the weight. Despite the immense impact, the luxury vehicle, designed to withstand gunfire, held firm.

Kingpin and Sloan were jostled within, their faces falling as they stared at the imposing figure visible through the windshield.

"Batman!" Kingpin growled between clenched teeth.

Though the car was soundproof, Anton, having learned to read lips, noticed Kingpin uttering his name. He waved cheerfully, greeting the crime lord unfriendly.

Without missing a beat, Anton tossed Bullseye aside and leaped into the air.

In mid-flight, the cannon barrel on his shoulder adjusted, aimed squarely at the windshield of the luxury car, and opened fire.

….

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