"Power that speaks too loudly becomes deaf to reason."
---
Gotham was restless. The smog had barely stitched itself back together but word spread faster than smoke.
A punch that broke the sky.
A heartbeat that made grown men vomit in alleys.
A new predator stalking Gotham.
The Bat-family mobilized.
The Hunt
Nightwing's voice crackled in the comms. "He's big. Scarred. Face like stone. Looks like he could crush Bane's skull without sweating. But the trail's… weird. No known prints, no data in Oracle's network."
Batgirl added, "Civilian witnesses say he just… walked away after the sky broke. Calm. No panic."
Batman's voice, gravel on steel: "Search every district. He doesn't vanish without leaving something."
Jason Todd, the Red Hood, chuckled into his mic. "Relax, Bats. If he's as scary as the stories say, I'll find him first."
The Encounter
Jason did.
He caught sight of King sitting on a broken park bench under a flickering streetlamp. Gotham's night pressed heavy around them but King wasn't hiding. He sat straight-backed, hands folded in his lap like some grim statue, watching the rain.
Jason dropped from a rooftop, twin pistols gleaming. "So. You're the new boogeyman. King huh?"
King looked at him, expression calm, almost bored. "Guns in a first introduction. Poor form."
Jason stiffened. "Excuse me?"
King rose slowly — a towering wall of muscle, scar catching the light. His presence was suffocating, the faint rumble of the King Engine pulsing under his words. "When you meet someone for the first time, you extend a hand. Not a weapon."
Jason scowled. "You think this is tea time? This is Gotham."
King tilted his head. "Even in Gotham, a man should carry himself with dignity." He stepped closer, and though Jason's fingers twitched on the triggers, he didn't fire. That heartbeat sound crawled under his skin, freezing his instincts.
"Stand tall." King continued evenly. "Speak clearly. Respect others and then you'll be able to respect yourself. Otherwise, you're nothing but noise in the dark."
Jason found himself gritting his teeth, not out of anger but because some part of him wanted to obey. His training screamed danger. His pride screamed to pull the trigger. But his body… wouldn't.
King stopped inches from him. His gaze softened, just slightly. "You've seen enough death, haven't you? Don't add more to it carelessly."
Jason's mouth went dry. No one — not Bruce, not Dick, not even Alfred — had ever disarmed him like this.
And then, before Jason could respond, shadows descended.
Nightwing flipped into the light, escrima sticks crackling. Batgirl landed nearby, scanning the perimeter. Damian dropped from a rooftop with predatory precision, blade drawn. And finally, Batman himself emerged from the darkness, cape swallowing the rain.
Jason snapped back to himself, muttering into the comm: "Found him."
King turned to face them all, utterly unshaken.
"Ah." He said. "The family arrives."
The King Engine growled, low and thunderous, shaking puddles at their feet.
Batman's eyes narrowed. "We need to talk."
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