Ace Chemicals is now in a chaotic situation.

Commissioner Gordon has sent the GCPD Special Forces to the location, and as soon as the car arrived, they’re being shot at.

It seems the owner of the Ace Chemicals had hired henchmen as guards.

At this point, it’s chaos outside and in the factory; with Batman trying to apprehend Alfred Stryker, and the cops trying to quell off the situation.

But nobody, or rather almost nobody within the proximity knows about an additional person wearing blacks and wielding sword is currently also inside the factory.

It was Matthias in his new getup, and while Batman is facing Stryker and his goons, on the other side of the facility, Matthias is silently knocking out several of the henchmen.

“Who the hell?”

*Swoosh* *Wack!* “Argh!”

Matthias uses his blunt metallic sword to beat up henchmen left and right.

He creeps behind a group of three, and did a quick succession of attacks to knock two, and slam the last one to the wall.

*Swish* *Swoosh* *BLAM!* “Argh!” “Owww!” ...

Another group of five henchmen heard the voice and checks the previous group.

Matthias hid himself, and preps his smoke grenade in the middle of the group, and, *Poof!*, the smoke cloaked the area.

“Dammit! Who the hell is this guy?”

“I don’t know, he’s been ...—Argh, Rzrzrzrz!” A guard spasms; Matthias just shot him with a Taser.

The remaining four are disconcerted, and Matthias uses this opportunity to strike...

*Wham!* A henchman got whacked using the metal sword.
*Pow!* another got kicked in the stomach...

Two down.

The last two got their sight upon Matthias, and attacked;
One swung his guard baton > Matthias parries with a *Clang!* noise > the other henchman swung his baton downwards > Matthias parries again, and did a kick to the first henchman that attacked > the last henchman tried to tackle > Matthias did not budge, and instead lifted the last henchman with ease, flinging him to a wall.

Eight henchmen down, no sweat.

Matthias took down more henchmen. One more, two more, three more..., and he stopped at the fifth as he saw someone being cornered.

It was an adult man dressed in a peculiar tuxedo and red cape. But one detail rings on Matthias’ brain; the helmet worn by this cornered man... A red dome helmet, no facial details, and very out of place.

‘I remember now! Joker was the original Red Hood before he became the Joker!’ thought Matthias.

Matthias prepped his metal sword, and sneaks from behind the pipes’ shadow.

The Red Hood was being cornered by three henchmen posing as guards, and Matthias prepares himself to strike.

“HEY! YOU!” one of the goons yells at the Red Hood, and using this signal, Matthias jumps off the pipes and whacked one the guards in the head.

*Whack!* “Argh!” *Thud*
One down for the count

“Who the heck--” *Swish* *Wack* “—OOF!” *Thud*
Another one wacked... one more to go, as Matthias quickly hid behind the pipes again and shot a Taser at the remaining one.

“SHIT! Come out you pussy! I know you’re in ther— Aaaah, Rzrzrzrzr!” *Crackle* *Crackle*, *Thud*
this one spasms before falling... and fainted with some more spasms.

Matthias then jumps out of the pipes again, and started approaching the Red Hood.

He eyed him, hard. This Red Hood, though his face is hidden beneath the dome helmet, his whole body radiates fearfulness.

“... You ...” Matthias finally spoke, his voice is already disguised in gruff and deep tone.
“You’re Red Hood, huh.”

Matthias did not actually intended to voice out the “Red Hood” part, but the shock of meeting the soon-to-be Joker surprises him.

Matthias then walks closer; he wants to take off that domed helmet, he wants to see the person inside...

But then...

A new footsteps approaches, and a new henchman appeared from the corner...

“You! You’re him, aren’t you?” A henchman shouts.

But he’s no mere henchman; he’s someone Matthias knew... or at least, he thought he knew.

“Do I know you?” Matthias spoke in his disguised gruff voice, very deep and sounding intimidating.

“Of course you know me. I’ve introduced myself before, didn’t I?”

Matthias was racking his brain, and for about one minute, it finally chimes in.

“Davian... uh, Casper? Is it?”

“It’s Casilla, you fuck!” Davian shouts.

“Ah yes, the poor fella whom I defeated a year ago in that other chemical plant... Hmmm, how did you know it was me?”

“Of course I do, I know all the people I’ve crossed blades with.”

“... I didn’t use blades though.” Matthias joked with a shrug, but Davian didn’t enjoy the humor.

“Shut it. Now since I’ve been bailed out from prison, I’ll use this opportunity to mangle you!”

Davian promptly pulled his black, long machete from his sheath. He pointed his blade to Matthias as to challenge him.

“Didn’t you lose against me the first time, though? I can beat you all the same, now.”

“Heh! Back then I wasn’t ready and underestimated you. But now, I’m ready... and no longer alone.”

With that signal, Davian raised his blade above him, signaling two new henchmen from either side of Matthias.

Davian then pointed his blade to Matthias again, “I don’t know who you are, but I can at least tell that you’re part of those freakish ‘supersoldier’ projects the military has been secretly conducting, right?” Davian spoke with a frown.

At this point, Matthias was confused. He has no idea on what supersoldier project Davian is talking about, but then Davian spoke a name that rings a certain bell in Matthias’ head.

“You’re one of Slade’s chosen individuals, yea?”

“Slade? Like Slade Wilson?” Matthias asked, trying to clarify something, which obliviously made Davian giddy.

“SEE! I knew it! You’re one of those monsters!” Davian yelled with wide eyes as if he had finally found a new clarity.

Then, the two henchmen beside Davian started to unsheathe their blades.

“Supersoldiers like you do not belong here. I’ll bring your head and earn my bounty.”

Matthias responds by twirling his sword and rested it on his shoulder¹if you’ve ever played Injustice 2, picture Robin.

“Listen, Davian, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, but since you’re asking for it, I’ll bring you down for another go.”

*Smirk* Davian flashes a smirk on his face, and then signals his two friends to attack.

*CLANG!*

A blunt steel katana blocks a machete accompanied with metallic sounds and sparks.

*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*

Another machete joins the fray, as the single blunt steel katana blocks and parries the attacks with inhuman speed and agility.

*Clang!* *Clang!* *Swoosh!*

One of the machete attacks misses; Matthias dodged at the perfect time and hit one of the henchmen using the steel grip of his weapons.

*Thwack!* “Argh!” a grunt...

The other henchmen attacks faster to help his friend recover.

*Clang!* *Clang!* *Whip!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*

But Matthias is a lot faster. With a *CLANG!*, Matthias perfectly parried the other’s attack and disarms him. Matthias then kicks hard, *Blam!* *Thud*
One down.

Davian joins in and attacked Matthias from behind.

*CLANG!*

Matthias blocked, and the other henchmen swooped in.

*SWISH!* *Swoosh!* *Clang!*

Matthias handled them well.

Davian grunts and cursed inwardly. “You’re actually a lot stronger than our previous encounter. You must either be Slade’s personal trainee, or you’re just like Slade himself.”

Matthias stayed silent for a while, which made Davian into thinking that perhaps Matthias is indeed someone as dangerous and powerful as Slade Wilson.

Matthias was about to ask about Slade; if he had become the assassin “Deathstroke” or not, when Davian dashes closer and did a thrust attack.

*PANG!* Matthias parried the attack,

*CLANG!* Matthias returned the attack.

*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*

More metallic sounds echoes throughout the facility; blunt steel katana vs. machetes

Matthias parried and struck a blow on Davian’s last companion, he’s not yet down but the pain will keep him away for a while.

Matthias then focuses on Davian; the best combatant he’s ever faced so far.

*Thwang!* *Clang!* *Swish* *Ding!* *Swing* *FWOOSH* *Thwang!*

Noises of metal meeting metal, a swing hitting air, a body crashing unto other body, and another batch of metal noises surrounds the whole place.

It’s a battlefield for two people... but one eventually dominates the fight, and the other lose the ground.

*KICK!* *Thwack!* Matthias gave a hard kick after he parried Davian’s machete.

Matthias then took his Tazer and shot one round at the pained henchman, knocking him down, and then readied another round to shoot Davian.

*Pang!* Davian blocks the Tazer round with his machete.

“You’re really good. Perhaps just as good as him.” Davian grumbles.

Matthias did not skip a beat and asked right away, “Tell me, Davian, what do you know of Slade.”

“Are you trying to mock me? Aren’t you and him the same?” Davian shouts as he stood up, “Here’s what I know of that monster... He killed my comrades, that’s all you’ll ever know!”

Davian then gave large swings to Matthias, and the latter just blocks them effortlessly.

Matthias parried the strike, and grabbed Davian’s wrist, making him dropping then machete to the floor.

Matthias then knocked Davian out with a head butt; his metal mask hitting Davian’s dome with a hard *Pang!* noise.

Matthias breathed easy and relaxes. He focuses his hearing and no footsteps approaching, he looks around and sees nobody is around...

WAIT! Where’s Red Hood?

“Crap! Where the heck did he go?”

Matthias frantically searched for Red Hood.

He found him, up there, on the catwalk with the chemical vats beneath him...

Not only Red Hood, Alfred Stryker is also there, with a gun in his hand.

“Who are you?! Another freak like that Batman?”

Stryker was aiming his gun at Red Hood.

‘Shit, he’s going to shoot him!’ Matthias panicked. He’s about to try to intercept, when...

*Fwoosh...* *Thwang!* something knocked the gun on Stryker’s hand.

It was Batman’s Batarang.

“Argh! Fuck!” Stryker then runs charging towards the Red Hood.

Red Hood did not have the strength nor the courage to fight back, and so he unwillingly let himself pushed aside; pushed towards the acid vat.

Red Hood was about to get thrown into the vat, when a grappling hook with the claw shaped like a bat’s wings tangles around his legs.

Red hood can only scream and curse as his body swings around, as Batman pulled him away from the vat.

Meanwhile, Stryker was about to escape, when...

“Ugh! Dammit, just how many freaks in costumes are going to show up at my business, today?” He grumbled.

Matthias stood in his way; his all black looks is a fearsome one, looking like reaper of souls with its hood on, and the sword he carried looked like it could cut flesh with ease.

But the sword is blunt, and Stryker did not know that.

“Mr. Styker,” Matthias spoke, still in his gruff and deep voice, “You better turn yourself in, else I’ll beat you senseless.”

Stryker was having none of it; two- rather, three weird freaks in costumes just appeared and keeps destroying his business, and so he ran back... but he got tangled by his shoes.

“FUCK!” *Thud!*, Stryker fell face first, and rolled to the side...

‘Crap, he’s gonna fall!’ Matthias ran to try and save Stryker. He pulled his grappling gun and tried to save him.

*Splash!* He’s too late.

... “Dammit!” Matthias cursed inwardly. Stryker’s death was not Matthias’ fault, but rather his own undoing.

Matthias stares at Stryker’s body splashing around, and dissolving in the acidic vat, when, Batman approaches.

... “ ... What have you done,” Batman spoke.

Matthias isn’t prepared to face Batman, and frantically uses his disguising skills to completely change his demeanor and aura; He made his voice deeper and gruffer to mask his identity more, and then he spoke, ...

“I did not kill him, if that’s what you’re asking, Batman.” Matthias then straightened his body; his hood still on. He then sheathes his steel sword, and started walking away. He’s panicking, nervous of the possibility that Batman could deduce his identity.

“I must go now.” –

“—wait!” Batman shouted, but Matthias did not stop, and quickly sprints away...

... “Who was that man..?” Batman mutters. This person wore all black, with hooded coat, and is wielding a sword that’s just as black as the rest of his looks. The weird thing for Batman is that the sword actually looks blunt, not at all sharp. And his demeanor is intimidating, but lacks aggressiveness; No Killing Intent.

Batman, then snapped back as he looks towards the man he had personally saved; a man wearing red dome helmet and red cape.

~

Matthias sprinted back home as quickly as possible, sneaked inside the manor, entered his room via the window, change back to his plain clothing, hid his gears and equipment in his secret compartment under his bed, then back to accessing his gaming console...

But his heart is still pounding. His fault or not, he had seen a man dissolved alive with his eyes, and he needs to adjust that horrible feeling.

“I guess, mental preparation is also a given.”

Matthias then shuts off the console, and lay down on his bed.

He had saved the original Red Hood. Perhaps the Joker will not be born.