Chapter 265: Ronin Hawkeye
Batman wouldn't unconditionally trust Hawkeye simply because Clint Barton resembled Green Arrow Oliver Queen excessively.
Whether intelligence exchanges or Hawkeye proceeding to Yokohama, Japan—Batman helping him find Black Widow—fundamentally represented one transaction between both parties.
Hawkeye naturally proposed his viewpoint:
"If I don't agree to this transaction, finding Black Widow myself? This causes me zero losses."
Batman's response was direct:
"This involves another question: Back at Cube Prison, why did Black Widow frame you as Hydra—preferring confining you at Cube Prison rather than letting you participate in her operations?"
Hawkeye contemplated briefly, cautiously speaking:
"Simply transferring Dr. Banner from Cube Prison to New York wasn't enough. She also needed personally imprisoning her own partner, exchanging this for Hydra's complete trust? This is a loyalty pledge?"
"Perhaps not limited to that." Batman said. "But other reasons currently remain my evidence-lacking hypotheses. Inconvenient elaborating."
"Won't elaborate then. At minimum I already know that if I participate in Black Widow rescue operations, perhaps it'll cause her efforts becoming wasted." Hawkeye thought transparently. "I'll depart for Yokohama, Japan tomorrow."
"No. Your operation timing is the day after tomorrow." Batman shook his head. "You need abandoning 'Hawkeye' identity. Discarding longbow. Using other weapons proceeding to Japan."
"I'll provide all equipment you need."
Hawkeye looked down at his hand's longbow. Folding it and placing it at his waist, he unceremoniously proposed requirements:
"I need one katana. One cut-resistant armor-lined samurai outfit."
"I'll operate in Japan as ronin identity."
"Maximum half a month—I'll provide information you need. Similarly, you must find Black Widow for me within half a month."
"Deal." Batman said.
WHOOSH—Batman's rear wide cloak swept upward. Hawkeye instinctively raised his arm blocking.
But anticipated attacks didn't arrive. When he lowered his arm, Batman had already vanished without trace.
---
Simultaneously, Bat Island.
Norman Osborn felt cold and hungry. He tightly wrapped himself in clothing he'd worn from the Batcave.
In his embraced bag, food had been consumed by one-fifth.
Inside were only compressed biscuits and fresh water—capable maintaining vital signs, but taste and satiation remained unsatisfying.
Norman Osborn didn't know what he'd done wrong. He simply sat cautiously on ground.
Unlike last night, tonight Norman Osborn hadn't entered forests—instead following his arrival path back to Bat Island's shoreline.
Here he couldn't hear those strange hissing sounds, slightly diminishing his unease.
Tonight lacked moonlight. Surrounding areas remained pitch-black. Norman prepared continuing enduring until dawn. During daytime, he'd lie beneath sunlight sleeping properly.
But as night deepened—hissing sounds disappeared, but rustling sounds plus occasional water splashes made Norman Osborn continuously anxious.
Those sounds resembled something in water continuously landing on the island.
Norman Osborn stared wide-eyed at darkness before him. He vaguely recalled this scene appearing somewhat familiar.
SPLASH!!
Something's water-falling sound emerged—frightening Norman Osborn into shuddering. His mind flashed with consecutive bat shadows. His nose smelled waves of fishy odors.
...
Those reptilian sounds emerged again faintly—different from last night's breathing-like rhythm. Currently-emerging sounds more resembled countless snakes beside ears flicking tongues.
"No, not..."
When one slimy thing swam past Norman Osborn's side, Norman's heart couldn't restrain trembling.
That hissing sound wasn't illusion. Countless snakes genuinely flicked tongues swimming past him!
Not just snakes—also turtles, lizards, other reptiles.
They rustled past Norman Osborn's side without attacking Norman—instead passing over him, advancing toward island forests' depths.
"What exactly hides in the island's depths?" Norman Osborn's heart raised curiosity.
But currently pitch-black, Norman Osborn didn't plan rashly following these reptiles forward.
He prepared tomorrow daytime penetrating forests deeply, observing what precisely summoned these reptiles.
---
Daytime. North Brother Island.
Batman arrived at the laboratory carrying a suitcase completely mismatched with his image.
"You'd better not tell me that suitcase contains people."
Batman entered. Several scientists all looked over. Dr. Octavius joked.
Venom Robin had remained on the island since yesterday, together with Professor Morbius accepting Dr. Banner's mental aspect training.
Currently seeing Batman, Venom Robin immediately bounced running over, accepting the suitcase from Batman's hands while impatiently opening it.
"Chocolate, chocolate..." Venom Robin murmured. But after opening—immediately greatly disappointed. "What's all this stuff? No chocolate?"
"Why are these all pants?"
Professor Connors wasn't here. The other three scientists originally thought Batman brought experimental equipment or other things. But hearing he'd brought underwear, they couldn't restrain frowning toward Batman.
Throughout, Batman represented mystery's synonym in North Brother Island scientists' eyes—never connecting with ordinary people's food, clothing, housing.
"Dr. Banner, these are for you and Professor Connors."
Meeting Banner and others' bewildered gazes, Batman explained:
"I commissioned Peter Parker using his invented memory fibers rush-producing one batch of clothing. They can maximally stretch and rebound."
Dr. Banner's eyes immediately brightened. Three steps became two—running over.
Throughout, Dr. Banner wore extremely loose clothing and pants. But even so, transformed Hulk always tore them.
Professor Connors similarly. His transformed physique was larger—over four meters tall, rear-dragging tail—bursting all body clothing. After reverting to human, he'd always be naked.
Fortunately Hulk retained slight shame—wouldn't tear shorts. But Banner's daily wearing remained extremely uncomfortable.
"Not bad, not bad..."
Dr. Banner ran to the suitcase observing inside pants. Selecting one deep-purple pair, he hurriedly ran behind laboratory curtains.
Several minutes later, Banner hurriedly emerged again. His fully-dressed appearance showed little difference from before, but added several portions of refreshed spirits.
"Two nights ago when I removed clothing, I noticed Batman frowning slightly. At the time I didn't think much." Dr. Banner seemingly hadn't comfortably worn clothing for long. Currently appeared quite good-spirited. "Didn't expect today Batman already procured proper-fitting ones for me."
Professor Morbius looked longingly at Banner—eyebrows raised—couldn't restrain lowering his head observing his own rain-soaked, sewer-crawled, Rikers mudwater-rolled tattered clothing.
Just as he lowered his head not knowing what he contemplated, Batman extracted one paper bag from the suitcase, presenting it before him:
"Professor, this is yours."
Professor Morbius suddenly raised his head toward Batman. His lips moved without speaking.
He similarly entered behind laboratory curtains. Rustling clothing-change sounds transmitted.
Several minutes later—wearing black trench coat, high collar with blood-red interior lining—Professor Morbius emerged from behind curtains.
Compared to previous vampire appearance, current Professor Morbius appeared more like elegant blood clan walking from stories.