DC: I am Bruce Wayne

Chapter 102: A Mexican Standoff

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A special Thanks to my Celestial Emperor patrons Dwhateverprof, MacZeuss, Commander Jimmy & Zedd780 for supporting me on Patreon ~~~///(^v^)\\\~~~ Thanks for the immense support.

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"Meddling When You Don't Need To...Is The Essence Of Being A Hero."

- All Might, (My Hero Academia)

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<(Omniscient POV)>

"May I have everyone's attention, please?" Roman Sionis, the enigmatic leader of the Black Mask, called out, his voice a commanding presence even amidst the chaos among the public. "I urge you all to remain calm and I assure you of your safety. This altercation concerns only my associates and these... misguided individuals in their red masks who attempted to steal what rightfully belongs to me." His words carried weight, even as he fired his AR-15 rifle into the sky to catch everyone's attention. "Rest assured, as long as none among you intervene, no harm shall fall on you. Once the stolen funds are returned, we can all peacefully resume our happy lives."

"Stole? No, we took what could be taken and we aren't giving you back even a single dime you Black fuckers... No, I don't mean skin color, Edward, I meant members of the Black Mask gang, so stop looking at me like that." The leader of the Red Hood gang whom Bruce couldn't recognize since he had never heard of him snapped at one of his own men before focusing his attention back on Romanis. "Anyway, as I was saying, you might have us outgunned but you will never have me outdone. I will paint this entire mall red before I return even a single cent that we all worked so hard to steal." He yelled like an absolute maniac.

"The guy is dangerous," Bruce murmured from his position, his voice edged with a tinge of concern. His brief foray into the study of psychology in the past had equipped him with the tools to assess the different levels of danger posed by different sorts of criminals. He understood that the truly menacing criminals weren't just those who operated with intellect and caution; rather, they were the ones who were driven by an insatiable desire for destruction and chaos, indifferent to the consequences. And this man wearing that weird red bucket on his head embodied that reckless abandon, a stark reminder of the havoc such individuals could wreak upon society when they had nothing else to care about.

"Oh and you might not hurt civilians, but I certainly will. Today is going to be one hell of a red day, pun very much intended," He remarked. "Today is going to be one hell of a red day, pun very much intended." He chuckled at his own bad joke, a stark contrast to the gravity of the situation unfolding around him, as he gestured to his men to round up the civilians around them to use them as human shields.

Now, one thing that everyone knew about Black Mask was that he was smart. He might be ambitious with desires to grow his empire even bigger than Falcone's one day but at least he was discreet about it. He understood the delicate balance required to evade the scrutiny of the federal government, the Gotham City Police Department, and, above all, the vigilante shadow that lurked in the city's darkest corners-Batman.

Aware that his survival depended on staying beneath their radar, Sionis focused on less conspicuous endeavors like selling the less harmful drugs like cannabis and mushrooms while steering clear of the more lucrative yet perilous avenues of criminal enterprise. Moreover, he also adhered to one strict code: Civilians were off-limits, especially in public places.