Chapter 203: Batman VS Gamma Goblin
Thunder erupted as the disposable Batwing crashed into the gamma facility.
Wings, fuselage—everything shattered from high-velocity impact. But the most reinforced component, the core cockpit, maintained relative structural integrity.
It rolled several times before the cockpit hatch explosively ejected. Instantly, four massive hydraulic support stakes burst from interior walls, driving deep into the floor.
These four hydraulic columns elevated the cockpit. The cockpit's underside then separated, releasing an enormous bunker-buster ordnance that clattered to the ground.
Originally, Batman had designed this as a last-resort escape mechanism—drilling underground passages when every other contingency failed. His final lifeline.
But now, with the bunker-buster detached, Batman clearly didn't require tunnel excavation. The cockpit itself would execute an alternative protocol.
The hydraulic-supported cockpit began extending and transforming. Reinforced metal panels descended vertically, using the four hydraulic stakes as skeletal framework to construct an impregnable cage.
This containment differed from bat-pod one's mechanisms but served similar purpose—forcibly imprisoning or controlling facility gamma creatures.
Imprisonment required Batman luring creatures near the cage—or simply beating them into position.
But currently, The Leader, Gamma Goblin, and Red Hulk surrounded Batman completely. Compared to emergency protocol two for creature containment, he presently relied far more heavily on Venom Robin.
"Robin, can you withstand the heat?" Batman asked quietly.
"Dad, I don't think so." Venom responded softly, voice trembling with fear.
Aboard the Batwing, it had heard Batman's simplified plan description. Understanding its role as Batman's ultimate contingency, Venom had refrained from premature deployment.
From some anticipatory impulse, Venom had obediently remained concealed within Batman's body. Beyond one intervention under EMP and smoke grenade coverage, it had waited patiently throughout.
But Venom hadn't anticipated its deployment against the high-temperature monster it feared most.
Observing Red Hulk's crimson-glowing form, Venom instinctively recoiled:
"Dad, what do we do?"
"Don't be afraid, Robin." Batman reassured. "You can manifest weapons, correct? Give me a sword."
"Okay!" Venom responded. Pitch-black symbiote material rippled, coalescing in Batman's grip into a massive door-panel greatsword.
Blade plus hilt measured six feet. Width matched a door panel. Irregular bone spurs protruded from the crossguard.
"Cross sword, Robin." Batman glanced at the oversized blade with peripheral vision, gently correcting.
"Huh? Oh!" Venom realized its error, rapidly manipulating symbiote material to transform the cleaver into an elongated cross sword configuration.
Facing three creature opponents, Batman chose proactive engagement—targeting the entity that had demonstrated teleportation-speed movement, quite possibly exceeding even Red Hulk's capabilities: Gamma Goblin.
"Norman's demonstrated velocity exceeded Peter Parker's dynamic visual acuity. Tracking him visually during combat wouldn't be prudent."
"I need to exploit spider-sense optimally."
Batman gripped the cross sword with both hands, experimentally flowing the medieval knight's blade through subtle wrist rotations.
Venom feared Red Hulk's heat. The Leader's psychic control proved ineffective against Batman.
Currently, maximum threat: the extremely fast Gamma Goblin. Batman needed to eliminate it first.
Against such velocity-based opponents, Batman wouldn't engage bare-handed. He required weaponry for optimal combat efficiency.
The instant Batman's gaze locked onto Gamma Goblin and he advanced with determined stride, Gamma Goblin vanished from his position.
His speed exceeded Peter's dynamic visual threshold, barely leaving atmospheric displacement trails—moving faster than the displaced air itself, flashing to Batman's flank.
SLASH!
Dark green talons materialized at Batman's left side, clawing mercilessly toward his skull.
Only now did Gamma Goblin's rapid movement generate wind shear throughout the underground plaza.
Within that instant—The Leader's lips still curved smugly, Red Hulk hadn't yet initiated attack—Batman already hung by threads beneath Gamma Goblin's talons.
The moment before those claws connected, Batman raised the pitch-black cross sword, positioning it with surgical precision directly into Gamma Goblin's strike trajectory.
CLANG!
Ear-piercing impact erupted—sufficiently loud to rupture eardrums. Tremendous force spiderwebbed the floor beneath Batman's feet. But the Venom suit instantaneously distributed and absorbed impact force, black symbiote material boiling turbulently.
The instant talon met blade, Gamma Goblin's form vanished again—this time reappearing behind Batman with renewed strike.
But strangely, despite Batman never visually tracking Gamma Goblin's attack trajectory, his cross sword once again precisely intercepted the talons.
While blocking that strike, Batman's body twisted fluidly, blade shifting minutely downward to simultaneously intercept Gamma Goblin's second claw.
CLANG CLANG CLANG...
Piercing sounds erupted continuously throughout the underground plaza. Often, the instant sound registered, Gamma Goblin's claws had already launched countless additional attacks from all directions.
Amid these patternless, imperceptible strikes, Batman maintained constant footwork, continuously repositioning while both hands wielded the cross sword in an impenetrable defensive sphere.
Though a relatively cumbersome knight's cross sword, under Batman's control it seemed animated—the Venom blade becoming extension of his perception and limbs, consistently intercepting every attack with absolute precision.
Within mere seconds, Gamma Goblin had launched dozens of strikes. Batman relied on spider-sense, wielding the cross sword in continuous parries. The Leader's brow furrowed involuntarily.
Batman's capabilities once again exceeded The Leader's projections. But he wouldn't concede defeat.
While Batman voluntarily engaged Gamma Goblin, The Leader rushed into his aircraft cockpit. Multiple missiles immediately launched, streaking toward Batman.
Simultaneously, The Leader yanked the throttle. As the underground plaza ceiling split open, he maneuvered the craft skyward before firing additional missiles downward.
Concurrently, Red Hulk—uninvolved for several seconds—finally struck. Plunging both hands into the floor, he lifted a concrete slab measuring over thirty square feet, hurling it toward Batman with devastating force.