Chapter 4

[MC POV]

'Gotham, a savage playground where the law's a distant memory, and the villains, they're like trophies waiting to be claimed. In this twisted city, I navigate the chaos with the instincts of a predator, a lethal dance in the shadows.

The Joker may be the madman orchestrating the mayhem, but I see it as a game – a hunt where chaos is my ally, and the thrill of the chase is intoxicating. Two-Face and his coin? I'd flip it in my favor, not chance. In this concrete jungle, I'm the apex predator, and I leave nothing to fate.

Riddler's puzzles? Child's play. My instincts cut through the riddles like a blade through silk. And Catwoman, the elusive feline? She's just another creature to be tracked, her every move anticipated in this deadly ballet.

But the Bat, ah, the Batman. He's the big game, the ultimate challenge. His cape flapping in the night is a signal – a call to the wild.....well he was supposed to be. After all, he was the one who had the criminals of Gotham fearing the darkness of the night, the shadows in an alley, and the signal that represents the nightly activity. I thought I'd relish the confrontation, a clash of fangs and claws, but if the confrontation at the docks was his best then he's not worth my time. And unless I get a contract for his head, he's no concern of mine. Gotham's dark knight thinks he's a symbol of fear, but he's just another creature in the urban jungle. One not even on the top of the food chain.

In this city of shadows, I am the hunter, the stalker in the night. Gotham's villains are pawns, and I, the merciless game master. The chaos, the danger, it's my element. The thrill of the hunt, the taste of victory – that's what fuels me. Gotham's my hunting ground, and in the end, it's not about justice or order; it's about survival of the fittest. And in this savage city, I am the fittest.' I contemplated while gazing at the city below from my perch on a seven-story building, which was the meeting spot for the drip-off.

I hear sirens in the distance as they approach the building I was at previously. The very building in which the strewn corpses of the gang formerly known as the cultures now lay. Once an up-and-coming force that had the potential and means to carve out a slice of the rotting pie that is this city for themselves. Now they are a testament to my efficiency as a hunter and a start to my reputation as a mercenary.

'In the underbelly of Gotham, where chaos reigns, crime families slither like serpents in the shadows. The Falcones and Maronis vie for control, but in my world, they're just unwitting prey, caught in the crossfire of a larger, deadlier game.

The GCPD, the supposed guardians of order, are nothing more than bureaucrats in uniform. Their attempts to tame the city are futile, a mere nuisance to those who thrive in the lawless dance of shadows. I'd slip through their fingers like smoke, leaving nothing but whispers of my passing.

And then there's the Justice League, the so-called saviors of the world. Metahumans with capes and ideals, attempt to bring light to the abyss. But even they can't fathom the true nature of this city. In their ivory tower of heroism, they're blind to the feral pulse that beats beneath Gotham's surface.

As for partners, in a city that devours weakness, they're liabilities. Loyalties are fickle, and alliances shift like the wind. I'd trust the growl of the alley cat over the loyalty of a sidekick any day. In my world, duos are a luxury I can't afford; survival is a solo act.

In the end, Gotham is a savage mosaic, where crime families, GCPD, and the Justice League are mere actors in a blood-soaked play. The city itself is the puppet master, pulling strings and orchestrating a symphony of chaos. And in this twisted ballet, I'm the lead dancer, moving to a rhythm only the true predators can hear.'

My eyes glowed a potent amber as my claws and fangs involuntarily extended.

'In this shadow-draped city, there are more players in the game than there are stars in the sky. The League of Assassins, the League of Shadows – ancient cults with their twisted ideologies, seeking to impose their version of order through the blade. But in Gotham, where chaos is king, their ideals are just another ripple in the storm. The League of Assassins, led by the enigmatic Ra's al Ghul, sees itself as a surgeon cutting out the city's corruption. A noble pursuit, perhaps, but they're just trading one poison for another. In my world, their noble intentions are nothing more than a convenient distraction, a sideshow to the real spectacle in the shadows.

My journey through the crucible of Gotham's darkness wasn't a mere stroll; it was a descent into the abyss, a metamorphosis forged in blood and shadows. I emerged from the underbelly of this city, a product of survival and ruthless adaptation. The alleys were my training ground, the whispers of the criminal elite my guide. I honed my skills in the art of combat, stealth, and manipulation, learning to navigate the tangled web of alliances and betrayals that define Gotham's underworld. From the shadows, I observed the dance of chaos and order, understanding that power is not granted but seized.

The death of my mother was the catalyst, my father vanished off the face of the earth after. And water care in this city is a good way to get sold in servitude or killed.

My metagene activated that day but I didn't know until it truly surfaced during my time in the trenches of Gotham where my claws and fangs started to sharpen. League of Assassins or more specifically old man Ras found me and saw potential in my predatory nature, he put me through training that would break most men and stepped up from even that when it was discovered I could regenerate fatal wounds in seconds. My training was overseen by the Terminator himself Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke. I did many missions for them during the three years I was there then it was suggested that I still needed an education and thus I was sent back to Gotham. Gotham High was filled with prey who thought they were predators. Silly pecocks strutting with their colorful plumage trying to press the peahens. I put many in their rightful place...the hospital. After graduating I went back to work for the league as an assassin to further hone my skills and find worthy quarry. But as I got better that task became more difficult.

'

A sigh escaped me as I recalled that. I was now 22. I'm technically still a member of the league. But I'm allowed to work outside it's influenced. A privilege not extended to many.

The only reason I took the Falcone job is because I'm technically fresh on the Gotham seen. No one has ever heard of Sabertooth. As an assassin of the league, it's your job to be unseen.. so job well done on my part.

But it draws worth prey I'm must become worth pray a wolf in sheep's clothing or something like that. Once my name is big enough a price will be placed on my head or someone will hurt me just for the rep. I might even get a somewhat difficult job to do.

Either way after tonight the whispers will start, the first domino has fallen and the chain reaction has begun. Sabertooth is the man who wiped out an up-and-coming gang and bested Batman on the same night during his debut.

I like my lips in anticipation"Let the games begin" I said as a predatory grin graced my face.