107 Old Grudges #107

'Is this David Cain's doing…?' I mused as I silently went to work, dismantling any hidden camera, microphones, and any other assorted surveillance devices in the room. However, I was surprised there was none.

'I suppose The Penguin learned his lesson….' I shrugged as I slumped into the couch and resumed contemplating what the fuck was happening with the tournament and the League of Assassins.

Lady Shiva was not only a deadly martial artist and assassin, but she was a high-ranking member of the League. The only ones who could publicly defy her and had the means to go through with it were Sensei, David Cane, Ras Al-Ghul himself, and maybe even Merlyn.

Merlyn was currently in prison (probably), while Sensei and Ras Al-Ghul had no reason to interfere with Cassandra's situation, leaving only David Cain as the most likely suspect.

There was also the chance that The Penguin was Lying. It wouldn't be out of character for him to re-randomize the tournament or even purposely place against the more powerful opponents out of spite because I refused to sell him the Sentry Guns.

It was anyone's guess which is which, and I could only hope the bugs I installed in the mob boss' office while I was there would help get to the bottom of the matter and maybe even find out what he's been doing to the losers.

It goes without saying that I was more concerned about the latter. I've also been digging about the current situation in Gotham to stay in the loop since I wasn't too aware of the city's happenings lately due to how busy I was.

I've noticed that several notable people from Gotham and the neighboring Bludhaven have suddenly disappeared shortly after or during my encounter with the Mawzir, like Lady Vic, Harley Quinn, Blockbuster, and other famous villains and mercenaries.

Now, The Penguin was disappearing people as well, and I couldn't help but connect the instances, unable to dismiss the similarities as a mere coincidence.

Either The Penguin was working with (or for) people who wanted those villains for reasons unknown to me, or maybe he's had enough of the crazy bunch and was clearing them to make sure they wouldn't interfere in one of his diabolical schemes.

'Whatever the case... I'll have to wait and see...'

...

The Penguin's arena

"To the right, we have the sewer-dwelling monster we've all come to know and love..." The announcer said, gesturing towards the right-side entrance as he riled up the audience.

"With scales as green as emerald and hard as diamonds, welcome the one and only Killer Croc...!" he added, prompting an enormous humanoid green lizard to slowly and calmly walk into the arena.

Killer Croc scowled as he stopped beside the announcer and looked around at the audience, his yellow, predatory eyes sending chills down everyone's spines.

"To the left, we have one of the most notorious Gotham villains, the man, who no women ever loved, and never will..." The announcer humorously introduced as he gestured to the left side entrance.

"The man who broke the Bat, the one and only Bane...!" The announcer added, prompting yet another humongous specimen to walk into the arena, albeit more human this time.

Bane had a clear look of superiority that anyone could see despite wearing his iconic wrestling mask as he stopped before Killer Croc, locking eyes with the latter with no intention of looking elsewhere.

Killer Croc growled at the challenge in Bane's gaze and seemed prepared to lunge at the latter, which the announcer immediately realized, causing him to step back quickly.

He hastily gestured for some henchman to start the fight to maintain decorum, and the latter obliged, ringing the bell before the two behemoths began treating each other apart.

Killer Croc was the first to make a move as he lowered his posture and lunged at Bane, to which the latter ducked, allowing the humanoid lizard to fly over his head.

The luchador wasn't done either. HE caught Killer Croc before he could fly past and sent the humanoid lizard flying into the arena's wall with a grunt, quickly sprinting towards him.

The impact, despite leaving a dent in the arena's had no effect on Killer Croc as he merely shook his head, and charged, meeting Bane halfway, as the two monsters clashed, locking hands together.

The two fighters began testing each other's strength as they pushed and pulled, trying to take the initiative, but they were equal in that regard, with killer Crocs having a slight advantage in physical strength.

Bane frowned as Killer Croc's slight advantage in strength finally began showing, the humanoid lizard slowly but surely pushing him back with a hideous, satisfied smirk on the latter's face.

The luchador moved his head back and brought it down on Killer Croc's nose with a loud thud that reverberated all over the arena but had little effect beyond that.

"You tryna tickle me?" Killer Croc asked, his grin turning more pronounced and hideous as he bit at Bane's shoulder, immediately drawing blood with his sharp fangs.

Bane's only response was silence as he didn't even react to the pain. He let go of Croc's hands and began battering him with punches to the side, that even the latter felt despite his thick skin, forcing him to let go.

Bane pushed his advantage as he charged and speared Killer Croc with his shoulder, smashing him against the already dented arena wall, and damaging it further.

He proceeded to barrage the humanoid lizard with more punches that would break even stone, evident by how the wall was rapidly turning to dust despite Killer Croc's body taking the brunt of the impact.

Suddenly Bane Stopped attacking as his injured shoulder finally started affecting him, and Killer Croc immediately took advantage of it, using his scaly tail to push himself off the wall to lunge at the luchador.

Killer Croc pushed Bane to the ground and stood over him, arms spread to the sides as he looked down on the luchador with his claws shining ominously and reflecting the arena's light projectors.

He immediately swiped at Bane's head, but the latter had already gathered his bearings, rolling to the side while locking his feet around Killer Croc's ankle, tripping him and making him fall to the ground.

The two behemoths got up at the same time and quickly resumed exchanging blows with rapidly increasing speeds despite their injuries, that any regular man would have died to already.

Looking at this display, the audience was giddy, at a loss at what to do with themselves, as some cheered while others whistled, clearly excited by the violent display, much like sharks smelling blood.

Meanwhile, the fight was quickly coming to its conclusion, as the two supernaturally strong fighters were approaching their physical limits, accumulating injuries and exhaustion with every passing second.

"I used to run this town 'til the cops and Black Mask and you hounded me to the sewers. And I blamed nobody but myself..." Killer Croc said as he and Bane stopped trying to tear each other's throats for a second to catch their breaths.

"But now... there ain't no cops with electric rods here, no Black Mask Goons... just you an' me..." The humanoid lizard added, growling and showcasing his teeth in an expression that was both a scowl and smirk.

"I'm gonna kill you first, then claim what's rightfully mine..." He concluded, trailing off and pausing as he waited for a reply from the luchador, who was happy to oblige.

"Gotham was never yours, Lizard. It was always mine for the taking, you and everyone else are just keeping it warm for me..." Bane replied, clearly dismissive of the humanoid lizard's words.

"I broke that bat, broke you once, and now I'll break you again..." He concluded with no intention of mincing words any longer as he charged Killer Croc, and the fighters quickly resumed began trading punches.

They didn't dodge or block, they merely stood there, taking whatever they threw at each other while giving back their all. Every punch connected sending echoes all over the arena and chills running down the audience's spines.

The two behemoths continued on like this for several minutes, and Killer Croc was the first to falter as one of Bane's punches caught his chin and caused him to stagger back, disoriented.

The Locahdor took advantage and moved forward, tripping the humanoid lizard, and punching him one more time in the head, to which the latter finally fell, unable to move a single muscle, but still conscious.

"Kill me... already..." Killer Croc said, his voice strained and exhausted as he struggled to move his head to the side and spat out the blood pooling in his mouth, sighing in defeat.

"I could kill you... but death would only end your agony— silence your shame. Instead..." Bane replied, scoffing in derision as he picked up the humanoid lizard and raised him high over his head.

"I will BREAK YOU!"

...

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