King of Gotham!

"Alright, see you in a bit."

Downton patted Oswald on the shoulder, then stepped forward to push open the large door.

After walking inside, he nodded toward Victor and Falcone, who were both looking his way.

"Hello there. I'm Downton. It looks like you two have been waiting for quite a while. My apologies; I just took a moment to grab a ridiculously overpriced steak, so I'm running a little behind."

Downton exchanged pleasantries with the pair, then sat down naturally on the sofa opposite Falcone.

Crossing his legs, he drew his pistol and gestured with the muzzle toward Victor, who was standing beside Falcone.

"Although this is our first meeting, I assume the one sitting down must be Falcone, and that makes you Sabatino, standing there, right?"

"That is not the case."

Though he didn't understand why Downton thought he was Sabatino, Victor still responded.

"I am Victor Zsasz. I thought you would have had information on me, but it seems I am still just a small fry not worth mentioning in your eyes!"

Victor bared his teeth in a cruel sneer; he didn't like being underestimated.

Watching Victor's smile, Downton shrugged.

"You look like you're about to eat a child with that grin of yours. You'd better stick to the cold face. Besides, Falcone, is it? If Sabatino isn't here, then what the hell are we even talking about?"

As his voice trailed off, Downton toyed with the Desert Eagle in his hand while casting an amused look at Falcone.

Although Victor had only said one sentence, Downton had already picked up on the fact that they seemed to have made a mistake!

If Falcone truly possessed all the information on him, he would know that Downton hadn't existed on Earth before today. And he was just himself—he was never part of the "you all" they kept referring to!

So...

Downton couldn't help but speculate.

What did they mistake him for that led them to decide to negotiate with him?

What did they think the "you all" behind him actually was?

While Downton was deep in thought, Falcone couldn't help but frown.

He had naturally arrived at the same conclusion as Downton; Downton had realized they were mistaken, and he had also realized that Downton was vastly different from the Talon and the Court of Owls he had expected!

Second-hand information passed through intermediaries was never as clear as a face-to-face encounter. A single moment of contact was enough to give men like Downton and Falcone plenty to ponder.

However, even with his doubts, Falcone waved a hand at Victor.

"Since Mr. Downton wishes to see Sabatino, let him come over as well. I am starting to get curious about everything."

"As you command."

Victor nodded and left the room with footsteps that were barely audible.

The only reason Falcone had kept Victor nearby earlier was the fear that the Talon he expected might not play by the rules.

But despite his brief contact with Downton, he was now certain that he himself was not Downton's target.

Then, what was the true goal of Downton's attack on the Iceberg Lounge? Was it Sabatino?

What had Sabatino been doing behind his back?

Falcone calmly scrutinized every detail of Downton, his gaze traveling from Downton's dirty leather shoes all the way up to his pupils.

The moment he locked eyes with Downton for the first time, Falcone was finally stunned.

At that moment, he actually felt as if he were looking into a mirror!

That look... it was so much like himself when he was young!

Back when his younger self had resolved to make something of his life and began fighting tooth and nail for power and status, his eyes had looked exactly like Downton's.

So, sitting before him was a young man who was already prepared for anything!

Just as Falcone was sighing inwardly, Downton suddenly beckoned to Victor, who was about to step out.

"Wait, Victor, bring me some drinks and food while you're at it! Inviting me to a meeting without preparing any drinks—you hosts are being a bit neglectful, aren't you?"

After saying this, Downton looked at Falcone with a smirk.

Falcone nodded at the slightly stunned Victor.

Having received his boss's order, Victor understood and left the room.

Once they were the only two left in the private room, Falcone finally began the pleasantries.

"Before I saw you, I thought you were a group of old friends I had met years ago. But now, I understand; I was just frightened by the shadows of the past within my own heart. I must thank you—if not for your appearance, I truly wouldn't have realized this."

"Fear seems too distant for me. Whenever I think I've ceased to feel it, I need someone like you to give me a reminder; it helps me see myself more clearly."

Hearing this, Downton nodded in realization.

"You really did get it wrong. I felt like something was off—that subordinate of yours, Victor, actually referred to me as 'you all.' I never care about the fact that I am alone. Where would this 'we' come from? For someone like me, one in this world is enough. If another one of me were to appear, I'd be the first to take him out! Just like how your gaze grows deeper and more dangerous as you look at me—what do you see in my eyes? Our gazes are very similar, aren't they?"

At this, Downton clapped his hands with a smile.

"Before I met you, I wondered what kind of person Falcone would be. They say you're the Godfather of Gotham, but in my eyes, the environment you're in is far more treacherous than that of a godfather. After all, this is Gotham! And it's true—you really are far more dangerous than a godfather. If I were still the me of yesterday, I would at least have steered clear of you. Because I, still cherishing my life, wouldn't want to get close to danger, and you—at least the current you—are one of the greatest dangers in Gotham."

"Oh?"

Hearing Downton's assessment, Falcone smiled slightly, his fingers gently rubbing his ring.

"Only 'one of'? Then I'd like to know, who else is on your list?"

"Who else could it be? They're all your old friends. The League of Assassins, the Court of Owls—the dangers in Gotham are simply too numerous."

Facing Falcone's question, Downton listed them off with a chuckle.

Upon hearing this, Falcone's expression became fascinating.

"That is indeed true. You know more than I thought. I had assumed... you were just a young man who accidentally possessed extraordinary talent and had prepared himself because of it."

"Yeah, even you think this is an extraordinary talent. But do you know, Falcone, this extraordinary talent of mine—the inability to die—has one small, yet exceptionally important prerequisite!"

As he responded to Falcone, Downton's expression grew serious. He tapped his Desert Eagle lightly against the tabletop and continued in a low voice.

"I'll give you a chance. You can try to guess that prerequisite; consider it a test of our rapport."

"Is that so? A chance, then. So, even though I am not your target, I could very well become one. You are ignoring me. But you aren't wrong; the ability to not die is truly enviable. If I had your ability, I believe I could become a monarch who rules the entire world."

"Cut the crap, 'ruling the world' my ass! Old man, you might know how deep the waters in Gotham run, but you clearly don't know how deep the waters of this world go. Just stick to the riddle for now; the waters of this world aren't for an old guy like you to worry about!"

Downton interrupted Falcone and urged him on.

Faced with Downton's prodding, Falcone nodded and replied softly.

"Not a riddle, but a prerequisite. Then I understand. Only someone who has truly died once would know if they can be reborn!"

At this, Falcone sighed melancholically.

"Even if you have lost your fear of death, how could I not understand? That feeling of standing on the edge of death for the first time, or even... the feeling of walking straight toward death for the first time—it must have been very difficult, right?"

As he spoke, Falcone rubbed his brow.

"So, you came to me to take out Sabatino? He was the one who made you witness your first death, wasn't he? That is truly an indelible hatred, and you are indeed a troublesome fellow. According to what I've heard from the GCPD, you don't just revive upon death; you've even vanished once before, even when you hadn't died yet, just from being captured. So, your ability is at least that you cannot be captured, and you cannot be killed. I don't know if there's more to it, but these two elements are troublesome enough. Considering you are wiser and more rational than I thought, yet still fearless like a brute, it's clear your capabilities go beyond this, and your confidence is well-founded. This is truly a big problem. It seems I cannot protect Sabatino, but his death would make me lose face."

At this point, Falcone finally revealed a dangerous look.

"Downton, you should understand me. At the height I stand, my face is my foundation. Once I am provoked and fail to respond, every beast lurking in Gotham will dream of tearing a piece of meat off me. If I were still young, I wouldn't mind taking half a step back for you and cleansing Gotham all over again. But I am old, and in my old age, I may not truly be able to handle a challenge from all of Gotham. So, even though I see a younger version of myself in you, are we still destined for a situation where only one of us can survive?"

As his voice fell, Falcone's expression was no longer dangerous, but filled with regret.

Opposite him, Downton gave a slight nod, then spread his hands in a gesture of regret.

"That is indeed the case, Falcone, but it is only natural.

Do not pretend to be so regretful or merciful; after all, at your level, you have long since seen countless people like me who have challenged you.

The miserable deaths of those challengers are exactly how I should expect to die. Your current demeanor is merely because I am far more troublesome than any challenger you have encountered in the past.

You regret that you cannot kill me, not that you are reluctant to do so!

As for me, since my first death descended upon Gotham, I must naturally savor the brilliance of Gotham to the fullest; this is my destiny with this city.

If Gotham were a woman, I would want to be her only man, so we are destined to fight until one of us falls, Falcone!"

Competition is fierce during a new book's release; if the performance is even slightly lacking, it can plummet, making it very easy to fail.

If you have even the slightest interest in this book, then even if you intend to save up chapters, I beg you to quickly flip to the very last page to help boost the follow-read count.

Half-Dead has previously written completed, high-quality works of two million and three million words; as long as this book's performance is decent, I will write several million words to entertain you all.

I hope you will lend a helping hand; Half-Dead is infinitely grateful.