Leo was numb.
Please, just leave me alone!
This was Gotham, wasn't it? Why was a security guard trying to be a hero?
With nothing but a fake gun in his hands, Leo could only bluff. He scowled, puffed up his chest, and barked, "Don't move!"
The young guard flinched, trembling like he had the world's worst case of Parkinson's.
"Listen, buddy," Leo growled, panting dramatically. "You really don't want me and my boys turning you into Swiss cheese. Think about your family! That bank money ain't worth your life."
"I… I'm an orphan," the guard replied blankly.
Leo's conscience delivered a swift gut punch. For a moment, he considered apologizing.
But the timing wasn't right. He doubled down instead.
"Then think about your girlfriend!"
"I don't have one. Nobody's interested in me."
"..."
Leo's brain flatlined. He had no follow-up.
Fortunately, the guard seemed too emotionally crushed to resist any further. Curling up in the corner, he hugged his knees like a defeated toddler.
Seizing the moment, Leo darted forward and snatched up the guard's revolver. It was a six-shot model, the kind you'd expect in some old Western movie.
Real bullets.
The thing he had consciously avoided had now conveniently fallen into his hands. Irony at its finest.
After fumbling with the safety for a few seconds, Leo managed to engage it. Killing wasn't on his to-do list today.
"Alright, everyone!" He pointed his fake AK menacingly at the terrified hostages. "Stay down and keep quiet! We're only here for the money, not your lives!"
The locals, seasoned Gothamites, were all too familiar with the rules of a good robbery. They obediently plastered themselves to the floor, nodding in agreement.
Satisfied, Leo checked his countdown.
00:06:54
Just seven minutes.
Soon, he'd be back home, basking in the glow of his computer monitor. Maybe he'd even keep the fake AK as a souvenir. A piece of memorabilia from his most absurd day yet.
Time crawled by.
Despite the tension, the only noise came from the occasional groan of the hostages and the distant hum of traffic.
Then, without warning—
RATATATATATA!
Gunfire erupted.
The sudden noise shocked Leo to his core. Every hostage screamed, scrambling for cover.
"What the hell's going on?!" Leo shouted, his voice cracking.
"Boss! Boss!" The short thug beside him shouted into a crackling radio. "What's happening?!"
"B-Batman—!"
The boss's terrified shriek was abruptly cut off, followed by the unmistakable sound of a large body hitting the floor.
THUD.
Leo could practically picture it. Batman's fist, a punch that sent the boss sprawling. It was undoubtedly impressive—so long as it wasn't aimed at him.
"It's Batman! He's here!" the thug screeched, the radio still trembling in his hands.
The hostages' faces brightened with hope. They exchanged excited whispers, certain that the Dark Knight would save them.
Leo's fellow criminals, on the other hand, looked like they'd just seen a ghost.
Pathetic.
"Calm down!" Leo growled, adopting an air of faux confidence. "It's just Batman. He doesn't kill people!"
To sell the act, he pulled out the revolver and rapidly emptied all six bullets onto the floor. The metallic clinks echoed through the bank.
"Your gun." He tossed the empty weapon back to the guard. "But not the bullets. Can't have you getting any ideas."
That ought to prove his innocence if the caped crusader showed up.
00:00:44
Almost there! Leo mentally cheered.
But then—
CRASH!
The glass doors leading to the vault shattered, and a body was flung through the air like a ragdoll.
"Batman! He's here!" The thug squealed into the radio.
The two remaining goons outside bolted inside, their eyes wide with panic. One even waved frantically at Leo.
"Come on! Help us shoot him! You'll be a legend!"
Are these guys insane? Leo thought, his jaw hanging open.
Sure, Batman didn't kill people… but the man threw punches like a damn freight train.
And right on cue, Batman descended like a shadow from above. One swift kick sent the nearest thug flying, his body crumpling instantly.
Leo had seen enough.
"Nope. Nope. Nope." He spun around and bolted.
00:00:20
Only twenty seconds to go.
Running faster than he ever thought possible, Leo darted into the nearest alleyway. Behind him, the sounds of carnage grew distant.
"Almost…" He gasped. "Almost there!"
10… 9… 8…
Freedom was within reach.
But just as he could practically taste victory, a black figure descended from the rooftops.
BATMAN.
A net shot out, enveloping Leo like a helpless fly.
"NOOOO!" Leo wailed, struggling futilely.
The countdown ticked closer to zero.
"Wait! Hold on!" Leo yelled desperately. "Joker! The Joker planned this! He's nearby! Go get him instead!"
Batman froze.
"Joker?"
"Yes! Him! I saw him! He's the mastermind!" Leo continued, barely suppressing his glee. The timer had reached its final moments.
00:00:01… 00:00:00
Traversal complete.
He was free.
But why waste this moment?
Grinning, Leo relaxed within the net, stretching his legs like he was lounging in a hammock.
"Hey, Bruce," he said smugly. "What's the deal with the bat suit? Billionaire, playboy, Gotham's golden boy… and you're out here cosplaying a flying rat?
---
Read Up To 30+ Advanced Chapters in pat/reon.com/KyokaSuigetsu