Boom—
Batman didn't hesitate to crash through the mansion's steel doors, his Batmobile sliding to a stop on the meticulously trimmed lawn.
The sight that greeted him was the disarrayed 'Black Panther' squad members. Batman narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected this. He had thought he'd arrive just in time for a fierce battle, but it seemed that Kaitou Kid had already handled things.
He checked their pulses—only to find that they were simply asleep. It seemed that Kid had spared them from harm.
Whoosh—
Liu A'dou deployed his gliding wings, sprinting from the roof and taking off.
Batman, making a snap decision, shot a grappling hook that latched onto Kid's ankle.
Liu A'dou glanced down. "Well well, Batman, what are you doing here?" Another unexpected encounter. Oops, he'd always wanted to show off in front of Batman. Since crossing over to this world, he had been planning it all along, but reality had made it clear that his plans to show off were not so easy to execute. This was the second time they had met, and Liu A'dou hadn't been able to maintain his Kaitou Kid persona. He figured that even if he tried to impress Batman next time, it wouldn't matter.
"Batman, this isn't a good idea." The wind tonight wasn't strong enough to support both of them, and Liu A'dou felt himself beginning to fall.
Clearly, Batman didn't want to let go either. Liu A'dou had no choice but to retract his gliding wings, plummeting nearly five meters before rolling on the ground to dissipate the impact.
At the same time, he managed to free his foot from Batman's rope.
"Kaitou Kid, this time you won't escape," Batman declared.
Both of them stood almost simultaneously. Batman stood taller, his helmet adding two sharp points to his height, making him seem even more imposing. His suit was made of muscle, exuding strength.
In contrast, Kid appeared fragile, his sharp suit and tall hat giving him a slight size advantage in front of Batman.
On the lawn, the two stood facing each other, eyes locked.
The wind howled, causing Batman's black cape to billow behind him, while Kid's white cape was blown in front of him.
The sound of the wind was like a horn.
Kid stuffed both hands into his pants pockets and stood tall, letting the wind blow. Batman kept his hands at his sides, fists clenched, his eyes focused on Kid, wary of any tricks.
"Batman, we meet again," Kid said, sounding like an old friend.
Batman thought to himself that he couldn't afford to be distracted this time. He pulled a Batarang from his utility belt. "Surrender."
It seemed like things weren't going to go smoothly. In this open space, even tear gas wouldn't be effective. It looked like they were really going to fight. "Even if I said I'd return the gem afterward, would you still not let me go?"
"Exactly. You need to learn a lesson. Stealing is not something to boast about." Batman wished he could convince the young thief, but he had failed.
Liu A'dou raised his right hand, his magic card gun already in his grasp. He tilted the gun's muzzle slightly upward, against his hat brim, and said, "Then let's begin!"
Whoosh—
Whoosh—
Almost simultaneously, Batman threw his Batarang. The bat-shaped projectile spun in the air and flew toward Kid.
Liu A'dou wasn't slow either, shooting a spinning magic card to intercept.
Clink—The two weapons collided, bouncing off each other and landing on the ground.
The first round was a draw, and the second round began immediately.
Batman's Batarang versus the playing cards: both fighters' techniques were near perfect, each time they clashed, the force was neutralized, and neither could gain the upper hand. It quickly turned into a stalemate.
Kid and Batman moved in parallel lines, firing as they moved. Both were using their signature skills, determined to take down the other.
"Batman, how many Batarangs do you have left? I still have plenty of playing cards," Liu A'dou said, trying to distract Batman.
Batman knew his supply of Batarangs was limited. He didn't hesitate, quickly switching to a Batarang filled with gunpowder, throwing it with pinpoint accuracy to collide with Kid's playing cards.
Boom—
Black smoke erupted between the two, obscuring their vision.
Tsk, Kaitou Kid quickly realized what Batman might do next. Would he use the smoke as cover to keep throwing Batarangs or charge right through it?
The magic card gun tilted slightly, and Liu A'dou shot two playing cards while rolling forward to dodge.
The Batarangs flew from the smoke, slashing through his white cape, while the flying cards grazed Batman's cheek, leaving a shallow cut.
Batman had learned just how formidable Kaitou Kid was—precise and with combat skills that were terrifyingly good. In the midst of the smoke, Kid had immediately taken the best course of action, attacking and dodging at the same time. Batman even wondered if Kid had been trained by the Shadow Warriors League, because at such a young age, it was hard to believe anyone could possess such refined skills.
But the capture wasn't over. Batman hadn't just thrown two Batarangs—he had called for backup.
Liu A'dou felt a vibration beneath his feet. Without much time to think, he immediately darted sideways. The Batmobile suddenly appeared behind him, its tail whipping out and catching Kid's cape.
Kid was thrown into the air, spinning 180 degrees before crashing heavily onto the lawn. So, it was true. The rich guy had a war vehicle for backup. It made Liu A'dou think—many superheroes don't wear capes for a reason. They can get caught in engines during flight, or snagged in combat. But Kid wasn't about to abandon his cape; it was too stylish.
Liu A'dou wasn't going to call it a cheap shot; after all, the Batmobile was a gadget of Batman's.
"Surrender!" Batman stood over Kid, confident that the fall had taken its toll. He believed that even a soldier would struggle to stand after such a fall, let alone a young, thin person like Kid. He was sure Kid couldn't get up.
But it wasn't over. Kaitou Kid wasn't about to be captured so easily. He tightly gripped his magic card gun, rolling swiftly on the ground, his hands moving quickly.
The tranquilizer dart magazine clicked into place, and the gun was set to rapid-fire mode.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Batman saw the gun barrel suddenly turn toward him. He quickly pulled his cape over his body to shield himself, but it was already too late. A couple of tranquilizer darts hit his face. While most were blocked by the cape, the darts that landed immediately started to take effect. Batman staggered back a few steps, realizing he might have been poisoned.
Liu A'dou quickly stood up, "Guess it's time to go home and sleep. See you later." As he spoke, he casually attached a tracker to the Batmobile.
Batman wasn't unconscious; he was a trained professional. But he knew that capturing Kid wasn't going to happen today. He quickly returned to his car and activated the autopilot.
Watching the black, ghost-like vehicle drive away, Liu A'dou smiled slightly. He opened the tracking map on his monocle, and a red dot was rapidly moving on the screen.
He deftly slid his foot, releasing the two small wheels from his white shoes, and then did the same with the other foot. Strapping on the rollerblades, he sped off, quickly following Batman. The tracker had a limited range, and with Gotham being so large, if he didn't follow closely, the signal would soon be lost.
This time, he was going to follow Batman back to his lair.