New Check-In Mission: The Batmobile!

In the base converted from an underground brewery, the air no longer smelled only of dust and spent grain.

In their place came the heavy scent of gun oil, the sharp smell of plastic packaging from new equipment, and, mingled with it all, the sweet scent of money.

Link's men, outlaws who had been risking their lives on the streets for a few hundred dollars not long ago, now had serious firepower.

They stroked brand-new M4A1 assault rifles and inspected military-grade Kevlar body armor, looking like children seeing their favorite toys for the first time.

"Boss! Those Black Mask bastards blew up a bar we just bought in the East End!"

Iron Spike burst into Link's makeshift office, his face blazing with anger. He still gripped a charred piece of wood.

"The guys are waiting for your orders! We just took down Penguin. Are we supposed to be scared of some masked wimp?"

Inside the office, Link faced a computer displaying a tangled map of Gotham City's underground utility tunnels.

He did not even turn around.

"How much did we lose?"

"Not much money, but our reputation—"

"I asked about the money." Link cut him off, his voice as calm as ever.

"Maybe... a few tens of thousands in renovation costs." Iron Spike's voice dropped.

"Let him blow it up." Link finally swiveled his chair around. "Tell everyone to pull back and halt all expansion. Put the money into training and intelligence. For the next week, nobody is to clash with Black Mask's men."

"What?" Iron Spike froze, hardly believing his ears. "Boss, if we back down, everyone will think we're afraid of Black Mask! All the respect we just earned will be gone!"

"Respect?" A mocking smile touched Link's lips. "You don't win respect by fighting. You get it by kneeling and begging. A dog barks loudest when it's afraid."

"Now get out and carry out the order."

Iron Spike wanted to argue, but when he met Link's utterly still eyes, the words caught in his throat.

It was like staring into a dark pool with no bottom.

He shuddered, lowered his head, and retreated respectfully.

The office door closed, shutting out the noisy discussion beyond it.

Harley hopped off the sofa in the corner and wandered over to Link, watching him curiously.

"Sweetheart, what are you up to? That black-faced creep's practically in our faces."

Link did not answer. He reached out and zoomed out from the utility map, revealing a complete map of Gotham City.

The territories of Falcone, Maroni, Black Mask, and the other factions were clearly marked.

But above all those territories, at the city's highest point, Link had drawn a rough bat symbol in red.

"Black Mask?" Link tapped the bat symbol with one finger. "He's just a fly. I'm trying to hook a shark."

Harley followed his finger. Understanding dawned at once, and a feverish excitement lit her bright blue eyes.

"You're going after him?"

Link smiled but said nothing.

Defeating Penguin's elite guards had shown him exactly where he fell short.

The Chaos Force was strange and unpredictable, but his hand-to-hand skills were still nowhere near good enough against a true master.

The dark phantom looming over Gotham sat at the very top of the city's food chain.

If Link wanted to become the new king, he first had to slay the dragon.

Just as he considered how to lure that bat out of its cave, the cold mechanical voice sounded in his mind again.

[Host's current circumstances detected. New check-in mission issued!]

[Mission target: Batmobile!]

[Mission objective: Remain within five meters of the Batmobile for a total of five seconds and complete the check-in.]

[Mission rewards: A-rank ability "Vehicle Driving and Modification Mastery"; S-rank ability "Gotham Knight Fighting Style (Incomplete)"!]

Link's pupils contracted sharply.

The Batmobile!

Gotham Knight Fighting Style!

As if the system had read his mind, it had delivered the gift he needed most!

A-rank vehicle mastery would make him a top-tier driver and mechanic. And the S-rank fighting style, even incomplete, would transform his close-quarters combat ability!

This was no challenge.

The system had handed him a dragon-slaying blade!

The smile on Link's face slowly widened, dangerous and full of anticipation.

Until now, he had been thinking about how to set the perfect trap and wait for his prey to come to him.

Now it seemed the plan needed changing.

Rather than wait, he could... strike first!

He stood and walked to the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, looking down over the city, brilliant with lights and riddled with crime.

"Harley."

"Right here, boss."

"Get ready. We're pulling off a big job."

"How big?" Harley licked her lips excitedly.

Link gazed through the night, as though he could see the black figure patrolling above the city.

"We're going to... kidnap Gotham's mayor."