After weeks of intense training, Joseph realized it was time to go his own way. He could no longer rely on Catwoman—she had her own world to navigate, and he had his. With his apartment situation looming, he needed to get a move on.
"Still can't touch me," she said with a teasing grin, arms crossed, eyeing him like a predator. "But I'll admit, you're a lot more competent now than when we first met."
Joseph smirked at her backhanded compliment. "I'll take that as progress."
She gave a small shake of her head. "So, what's next for you? Got a plan?"
"Not a target yet," he replied. "But I do have a strategy."
Her interest piqued. "A strategy, huh? Sounds serious."
Joseph laid down his rules: No killing cops or heroes, never fight if you can flee, and never surrender if you can fight. Never create patterns, and never risk his life or freedom for a score. Stick to those guidelines, and he'd stay out of the worst trouble Gotham could throw at him.
Catwoman nodded thoughtfully, though her expression remained unimpressed. "It's a start, but it won't save you from everything."
"It's enough," Joseph answered, firm in his resolve. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
She let out a sigh, clearly done with the mentor role. "Well, look at that. You're officially ready. Congratulations, Joey."
As she turned to leave, Joseph called out. "Hey, Selina. Why'd you even bother helping me?"
She paused for a second, then, with a shrug and a glint of amusement, pulled her goggles down over her eyes. "Maybe I've got a soft spot for idiots who think they can take on Gotham alone."
Joseph smiled. That was all he needed to hear.
Gotham's night was as restless as ever, its shadows alive with the movements of its vigilant protectors. With Batman away on League business, it was up to Robin to keep the city in check.
Tonight's trouble? A break-in at Gotham Arena. The prize? Worn jerseys. It didn't make much sense, but Gotham crime rarely did.
"I think it's the rookie," Robin muttered, glancing over his shoulder.
"The small-timer?" Alfred replied, his voice even. "He never takes anything worth much."
"Yeah, but we've never seen him before. I'm going after him."
There was a moment of hesitation on Alfred's end. "Be cautious, Master Richard."
Robin moved quickly, scanning the area. He knew the rooftops were a bad choice for a thief trying to stay off the radar. The alleyways were his best bet.
Sure enough, there it was—just beyond the streetlights, a shadow slipping into the darkness. Robin fired his grapple and swung down, prepared for a clean takedown.
Joseph sensed something behind him. //Hostile approaching.//
Without thinking, he twisted and dropped into a roll as Robin's boot missed his head by inches.
Robin landed with a fluid grace, eyes locking onto Joseph. The figure in front of him was dressed strangely—hoodie, cargo pants, swimmer's goggles—yet there was no mistaking it. This wasn't some ordinary thief.
Joseph scrambled up the alley wall with unnatural speed.
//Wall climb activated. Nanite usage at 70%.//
Nova temporarily increased the friction of his skin while secreting an adhesive structure from his hands, allowing him to scale surfaces with ease. Actively altering his biology required immense resources, with the nanites working overtime to sustain the process.
He let Nova pilot his body for an hour each night—an agreement to gather intel. The AI only knew what he knew; no internet access, no external databases. Just pure, relentless analysis. After months of research and simulations, it had mastered the manipulation of his physiology.
Nova had also optimized his muscle density, enhanced nerve signaling, and streamlined energy distribution—but at a cost. His food intake had doubled, and 15% of Nova's CPU remained constantly engaged to keep everything running smoothly. But by now, he made enough for it not to matter.
Robin fired his grapple again, cutting off Joseph's path at the rooftop edge. "Impressive move. So, you're the one causing trouble around here? Got a name?"
Joseph remained silent, his eyes scanning the environment. No time for introductions.
Robin smirked. "Seven weeks of dodging us. Not bad. But it ends tonight."
Robin was fast, quicker than Joseph expected, but Joseph had Nova. While the AI couldn't control his body while he was in control, it could optimize every move he made.
//Redirecting energy to legs.//
Joseph's legs burned as his speed surged, carrying him across rooftops with unnatural fluidity. Robin wasn't far behind, throwing a Bird-a-rang in his direction. Nova projected the path of the weapon, and Joseph narrowly dodged it. Robin wasn't giving up, though, closing in with a punch aimed at his jaw.
Joseph intercepted the punch with a twist, locking Robin's wrist and elbowing him in the ribs. Robin blocked the strike, responding with a knee to Joseph's side. They broke apart and reset, circling each other.
"Not bad," Robin said, impressed despite himself.
Joseph smirked, his voice now altered. "I have good teachers."
Robin charged again, his movements sharp and precise. Joseph danced around him, his adaptive unpredictability clashing with Robin's honed technique. They exchanged a flurry of blows—Joseph dodging, countering, and retaliating until Robin landed a well-placed kick to his ribs. Joseph staggered, knowing this couldn't go on forever. What if Batman showed up?
//Recommendation: Disengage.//
Joseph smiled to himself. "I don't have time to babysit. I'm out."
Robin's grin widened. "You think you can outrun me? Let's see you try."
With that, Joseph took off. The chase was on.