This is the long-awaited direct sequel to 502nickster's "The Dark Knight of Chiba" which is a MUST read before going into this story.

Picks up after the events of Chapter 52 (end) & 55 (monologue).

Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1: Red Dragon

Tsurumi Rumi couldn't help it, she had to see the end of her beloved superhero franchise from the West. Like any ten year old child, the girl begged her parents everyday to take her out for the film's midnight premiere. She proved herself to be just as stubborn as her father; there would be no better time to see the movie than the night of its worldwide debut.

If there ever was a time she'd act selfish, it would be on this matter alone.

Countless movie buffs anticipated it to be the year's biggest blockbuster film, going so far as to call it the "end of an era". That particular market-based exaggeration resonated well with the Japanese population. It must have been fate that their country formally entered the "Reiwa Era" in the same time-frame, promoting peace and harmony under a cultural order.

Recent disastrous events in Chiba led many to think of this sentiment as a cruel irony. Nonetheless, they were more than keen to drown their senses with forms of escapism.

By consuming 'cape and cowl' entertainment, however, it wasn't unreasonable to say many were subconsciously holding out for a hero to lift them out of the abyss. Perhaps this doomed foreboding was a worldwide phenomenon.

The stars of the film have been lionized and put on pedestals as a result. Most media outlets and fans hung on every word they've spoken for the past year. Everyone seeking a resolution.

There was no doubt that everyone at school would continue talking about it after—and little Rumi wanted to see it before anyone else. To finally be one of those kids at school, doling out smug smiles and speaking arbitrary hints related to the events of the film.

All in good nature, of course.

On a side note, perhaps this was a chance for the lonely girl to gain a friend or two out of finally having a common topic of interest? Due to a badly timed cold, Rumi missed her shot when the film was initially announced. The girl was also too nervous to join any later conversations in class.

Being one of the first to see the film and talk about the experience would ultimately make up for her initial silence, right?

…

As if that would ever happen—nothing but wishful thinking on her part. Even now, only a lonely joy was guaranteed. She hasn't felt the warmth of companionship for quite a while now.

Well, perhaps not entirely. Being a Tsurumi meant you had a small but loving family, after all.

Her parents were relatively well off and absolutely adored their little girl's unending excitement—her admiration for men in tights and armor seemed endless.

They thought it was downright cute seeing her don a makeshift cape and mask, having the time of her life either running around their backyard in secret or re-watching her favorite DVDs with such an intense expression.

A personal favorite moment they shared was the time they caught her holding up a camera to her torso. She was playing around with its flash function, pretending it was the glowing core of her favorite full-metal hero.

Too adorable, honestly.

Though, it was painfully obvious to them that Rumi had no other peers to gush with over these films. You couldn't convince them that she was occasionally spoiled; all they could see and hear was their darling child filled with so much life.

To see a smile on her face instead of the usual look of indifference made it all worth it. Everything else came in second.

And so, Tsurumi Subaru relented and pre-purchased their tickets a month beforehand—the man got up at the crack of dawn and managed to luck out with the digital queue.

He picked out great reserved seats for his family in the nicest theater in town. The one that everyone knew had the best screens, seats, and sound available at the time.

Needless to say, they got their money's worth.

"Okaa-san! Otou-san! I told you Steel-Man was superior to Major States. It can't be argued anymore.

It's embarrassing to say but... I-I'd like to be as intelligent and brave as he is when I'm older!" Rumi gleefully declared, with her tiny nose held up high.

"Right, right. Y'know, I had no idea who most of the heroes were the entire time, but that movie really delivered. Been a while since I've seen any kind of action. Ain't that right, wifey?" Her father asked her mother, a cheeky smirk plastered on his face.

She responded with a tiny smirk of her own, along with a swift elbow to his gut.

"Geez."

Ignoring her husband's pout, Tsurumi Emi brushed her long raven hair behind her ears and jokingly muttered to her daughter not to count out the Major's chivalrous, tactful spirit. That hero was just as admirable as he was handsome and quite romantic for a Yankee!

Her husband was only slightly jealous, still opting to look away than give his teasing wife the satisfaction.

Amongst the joyous crowd, the small family left the theater feeling happily satisfied from the midnight premiere experience.

Even hours past her usual bedtime, the girl skipped with joy and ecstatically recounted the events of the movie to her dear mother and father.

Apparently it was everything everyone had hoped it would be and more. She couldn't wait to at least try to broach the topic to her classmates at school.

Hopefully not only would they let her join their conversations for once, but also accept this hidden fondness of hers. There was more to the girl than just the aloof, cold front she's put on since losing her place among her previous friends.

Someone who loved heroes just as much as Narvel loved money.

"Your Otou-san took us out for a lovely night despite having work early in the morning. Now, isn't there something you should say?" Emi gently reminded her daughter.

"Right! Otou-san, you're the best! I had a wonderful time and… I'll never forget tonight, thank you!" The girl finished off with a shy grin.

In turn, the father simply nodded at his daughter with a tired smile and a gentle tousling of her own long, raven hair.

"Anytime—*Yawn*... Well… whenever we can, sport."

The doting mother was superbly content at the sight of her energetic, happy child. Her husband's heart swelled with pride at having provided his family with a small, but joyous occasion.

If he had the energy, he'd convince his wife to finish off the outing with some late night karaage from the joint he spotted around the corner.

But it was close to the witching hour, a lengthy drive from home, and he had more than a few patients to consult with, later at work. He and his family needed a good night's rest, but they'd all have to settle for a few hours nonetheless.

Man, we all gotta be insane for being out and keeping stores open this late at night. Well, either we're being dumb or everyone also feels that all the drama's gonna settle down soon. A winner is me if our car isn't stolen.

Unfortunately, the outpouring crowd made it very difficult for the Tsurumis to navigate through the streets. At some point, the family couldn't tell how many times they were stopped by groups conversing and taking pictures. Such rudeness irritated the family's matriarch, especially.

Both the streets and sidewalks were filled with cheering fans, decidedly standing by and turning the mini-rally into, admittedly, a bonafide nerdy circle-jerk.

Seriously, the movie's over. I understand that it was good... but there's no need to act like you're all ten. Calm down. The father thought to himself, weary-eyed at the spectacle.

But the man of the family wasn't all that deterred—he knew these streets like the back of his hand. Feeling somewhat adventurous, he led his family away from the crowds and to the side of a building he recognized.

He intended to lead his family through a shortcut to their parked car, using a sketchy-looking alleyway.

"Are you mental, dear?" Of course, his wife was skeptical from not knowing where it led to and the imposing darkness that shrouded the route. The last thing she wanted to do at the moment was lead their daughter through the unknown, frightening her all the while.

But their child was too excited to notice the shadows within, opting to side with her father for once and insist she was brave enough! The father also insisted on leading his family forward. He gave his wife a reassuring look in his eyes and told her he knew exactly where the messy trail would end.

And that he did.

They navigated through many twists and turns that they didn't think possible of any alleyway.

Rumi's bravado faltered at the scurry of a rat next to a nearby trash can. But the mother held their daughter to her warm, soft side and the father reassured them both again with a gentle chuckle.

Within a minute, they were completely away from the cacophony of the crowds. In the next, they finally saw an opening to empty streets straight ahead, everything illuminated by the streetlamps and the pale moonlight.

Their sedan was merely across the street, its red color shining brightly.

*Rustle* *Click*

Another sudden noise, followed by a scraping of the pavement and a distinct, metallic click.

"Another rat," the young girl whispered.

She wasn't entirely wrong, in a figurative sense. But what actually appeared before the family was much bigger than any rodent.

A hulking, ugly, beady-eyed man, with slick oily hair and a huge schnozz to boot.

One shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the small family couldn't help but shiver at the greasy aura this man oozed with his disgusting glare. His stench growing closer with every step he took.

Absolute scum, not much different from a disease-riddled rat.

And above everything else, he held a weapon. The kind you wouldn't expect to see outside of a police officer's possession. Weapons smuggling in the black market was alive and well, Japan's laws be damned.

Acting quickly, Tsurumi Subaru pushed his daughter and wife behind him as he looked into the barrel of a loaded revolver.

"Don't scream. Don't run. Wallet. Purse. Now." The gunman demanded, gesturing to them with his free arm.

Rumi's father froze with fear—his life was now in the hands of a hard-looking thug, one who handled his weapon with disturbing ease.

However, the stranger's threats made the most important girls in his life whimper as they hid behind him… And that alone replaced his own feeling of terror with nothing but contempt for the gunman.

He was outraged.

Not angry enough to do something foolish like play the hero but the feeling was presented in the father's tone when he curtly responded. "No problem. Just keep that pointed only at me, got it?"

"Don't tell me what to do. Shut your trap and move it." The gunman demanded.

"Emi." The father whispered, glaring coldly at the gunman as he carefully took out his wallet and was handed his wife's purse from behind.

He made sure to move as carefully as possible, so as to not agitate the gunman with any sudden movements. He dropped the wallet into the open purse and zipped it all the way closed.

Still angered, however, the father tossed the closed purse into the hands of the gunman before the latter could say anything else.

"Watch it." The mugger's glare intensified at the family man's disrespectful actions against his person. But the thief wasn't there to gain any friends or create any unnecessary noise. He didn't care what the family did after, so long as he got a huge take from this mugging.

"Happy? We'll be leaving now," said the male Tsurumi, trying to turn his family back the way they came from as the mugger lowered his gun to search through the purse.

But the mugger was quick to stop them with another wave of his piece, sounding gravely as he spoke. "Don't move or your dead."

The family internally panicked and remained as still as possible. They still weren't out of the woods yet and all they could do was wait for the ugly bastard to make a decision.

The mugger expertly sifted through the wallet and purse, counting his loot within seconds.

And he was not happy with what he found.

"You bastards—there's jackshit in here!" The mugger roared, his nostrils flaring and oozing snot.

The now penniless father scoffed at the thug's nerve to declare such a thing. "What—there's three-thousand yen in there! Take it."

The mugger spat in the family's general direction, eyeing them once over. "Don't hold out on me ass—"

"—We're tapped out," the father interrupted, shrugging his empty arms.

In a show of force, the mugger cocked his gun again. "The hell you are... Give me those rings and the pearls around the lady's neck. Now."

Rumi faintly heard her father spout curses under his breath, but he held in his temper with a resigned sigh as he took off his wedding ring and was handed the rest over by her mother.

Once everything was in the palm of his hand, the father began carefully stepping over to the mugger until the latter halted him with a wave of his dirty finger.

"What now? I'm just giving you—"

"—Quiet," The mugger interrupted with a toothy grin. "I want your little shit to do it," he finally explained, gesturing to the young girl with his gun.

At this, Rumi sobbed profusely as her mother cried out and tightened her protective hold. Her father tightly clenched the jewelry in his hand and glared at the smiling man with unimaginable fury.

More firmly than ever, he responded to the mugger with, "No, there's no need for that—"

"—Fuck you then."

*Bang*

A loud reverberating sound echoed through the alleyway, followed by cries from everybody within. The Tsurumi family dropped to the ground in one fell swoop, trembling altogether before lying still.

The mugger had a slight ringing in his ear from the shot he just pulled, but that was the least of his worries. He was more concerned about… running away, turning his head left and right as if not knowing what to do and where to go.

There was a hole in the mugger's hand and his blood wasted no time gushing out of it and onto the dirty pavement.

This wasn't part of the plan.

What the fuck?

It was as if the gun exploded the second he pulled the trigger. The mugger's intent was to shoot the fatherly prick in his heart for being such a hard ass.

But no, somehow the shot had backfired on the thug and badly injured his hand. The family was down on the ground, but none of them were dead.

Tears ran down the thug's eyes as he clutched his bleeding hand, trembling and shaking as he tried not to cry out in pain.

He managed to get his bearings together within a few moments. Amidst the pain, he glanced down at his now busted revolver on the ground. It was only for a quick second, but he managed to spot a sleek, black object jammed into the barrel of the gun.

It was in the shape of a small bat, he finally recognized, as a winged shadow ensnared his own from behind in the blink of an eye.

The Tsurumis had recalled it being the longest ten seconds of their lives. They dared to peek from their place on the ground and managed to spot a black shadowy figure adorned with crimson-red streaks, descending upon the mugger from the midnight sky.

Its cloak gracefully billowed along the wind and instantly retracted upon landing on the ground—like the wings of a bird of prey.

An angel sent from God? No, no way.

This... being was anything but an angel. It immediately brought down the bleeding mugger to his knees with a swift kick to the side. The mugger cried out in pain and turned around to lunge at the being that struck him.

But he appeared to freeze in pure terror just from looking into its pair of dreadful, glowing red eyes. His wild haymaker was ineffective and halted by the dark mass.

The mugger's will to act was evaporated and he attempted to crawl away, weeping on his hands and knees. He tried his best to ignore the pain of his wounds, just to get away from whatever was hurting him.

Despite the fluidity and elegance of its initial movements, no one could deny the shadow's predatorial intentions.

It—He was more of a demon, one out on another nightly hunt for the degenerates that plagued society. For rats like the mugger, all on the cusp of the witching hour.

To him, the night was still young... and he wasted more than enough time dealing with this lowly prey.

The demon grabbed the bleeding man with the wicked heart, standing him up to strike him in the gut. The mugger whimpered and coughed out a handful of saliva, his eyes bugged out in surprise at the strength exuded by the smaller, shadowy figure.

Said shadow exhaled and grunted as he manhandled the huge thief with all his strength. He finally let go but quickly shoved the mugger's head back into the concrete wall.

The mugger fell silent and crumbled down to the ground, finally knocked out cold.

The shadow revealed a hint of exhaustion through his quick, shallow breathing. He eventually got his bearings together after clutching his arms for a quick stretch and a few controlled deep breaths.

It was finally clear to the family that he was indeed a fellow living being rather than a spiritual entity. They remained on the ground all the same and took a good look at him as he bent down, took hold of the thug's limbs, and began hog-tying him.

They only needed a moment to finally recognize the angel, the demon—the hero who stood between them and the rite of death. They sat up from the ground and felt immense relief at the familiarity and sense of security this person brought with his presence alone.

Everyone and their mother was blindsided by the emergence of a new Japanese legend, seemingly overnight.

He was one of the few topics that all the papers and the news could talk about in the last few months. Perhaps not as much as the superhero movie, ironically enough, but he was pretty up there.

Because of him, again, the worst that the night would have brought to the Tsurumi family was denied.

And now?

Now they stood still in awe of their encounter with the savior of Chiba.

"H-Huntsman," the girl whispered.

Huntsman turned his head up towards the family at the mention of his name, but refocused again on the criminal's injured hand. His knotted rope double-acted as a makeshift tourniquet and stopped the bleeding.

With his, Huntsman wrapped the hand with a bit of gauze retrieved from one of his belt pouches. Once finished, he took something out from the side of his mask and placed it inside a small manila envelope, sealed it closed and attached it to the thug.

Huntsman tested the ropes and found they held tight. He fully turned towards the family and appeared to stare at them while they all sat still. Seemingly for no reason at all.

It was the mother's guess, however, that he was examining them for any signs of harm.

Imagine being able to infer that from a guy behind such a terrifying mask? Highly unlikely. However, Tsurumi Emi insisted feeling through his true intentions and even appreciated his 'heart'.

Call it a 'mother's intuition'.

The father clutched his and his wife's rings out of nervousness, but he managed to nod at Huntsman out of respect and whispered his thanks.

Huntsman didn't respond to him. Instead, once seemingly satisfied, he calmly held out his palm in the direction of an object a few feet away from them.

The small family, all still huddled together, responded to Huntsman's gesture with interest. From following his line of sight, they were able to spot the wife's purse, still intact.

And it really hit them that the mugging was botched. The gunman would be put behind bars for all of his actions and, most importantly, be taken far away from them. They felt grateful that not only were their lives saved and their daughter was spared from following the man's orders, even the least important things to them were saved.

He lived up to his legacy and rescued them on every possible level.

They turned back at Huntsman… only to see the restrained, knocked out mugger and an empty spot where the dark knight had stood. He was gone—as if he had been swallowed by the night, much like how the clouds concealed the pale moon.

Only the girl claimed to have heard a sharp ting of metal and a cape ruffle against the nightly winds.

Soon, the calm silence was interrupted by a melody of sirens heard faintly in the background, approaching the family closer with every second.

And that was the gist of Captain Yin's police report concerning the Tsurumi family's midnight encounter with a thug and Chiba's very own 'Dark Knight'.

Well, it was their lengthy account of the events. Perhaps some parts were romanticized, but maybe not.

The family was shaken up a bit but survived the ordeal. They lit up like a Christmas tree at the mention of the Huntsman, especially the young girl.

Cute kid. A shame that their family outing had come to an end like this though, even if it was stupid to walk through a dark alley in the first place.

Still, it was an unfortunate common event as of recently, thugs mugging random people on the street more often than before. After dusk, it made no difference where a thug would strike whomever possible, just to make a quick buck.

Doesn't mean it always worked out. I'd go so far to say our cells have never been more filled with shit. At this rate, we'll probably need another jail.

Honestly, Captain Yin didn't think that taking on overtime shifts from Saturday night to Sunday morning would consist of occasionally arriving to beaten-down, hogtied criminals all ready to be picked up. Then writing up reports of the same story... over and over.

The Huntsman always arrived either early or just in the nick of time.

"Nothing but flesh and steel… against full grown men with guns," Yin whispered to herself, tilted on an old desk chair.

Consistent with the Batman, Huntsman had yet to kill a man—unintentionally or not. The Tsurumi family's recent would-be mugger was unconscious, but breathing regularly when officers arrived at the scene.

The thug received a couple of bruises and a concussion, but nothing that a man of his size couldn't survive. Even his injured hand received a makeshift tourniquet and was sloppily patched up before the patrolmen and EMTs had arrived.

"And then there's this," Captain Yin spoke to herself again as she flipped a tiny, square device in her hand.

It was a cheap SD card, presumably holding first person video footage of the mugging as it occurred. Would-be victims have mentioned the Huntsman detaching these cards from the side of his head and placing them onto the thugs he had beaten down.

Clear cut evidence. Handed down onto our laps every time. Just like all the other petty criminals, the prosecutors won't have any trouble convicting the one who threatened the Tsurumis. She thought, giving a slight smirk.

Captain Yin placed the evidence back into the small manila envelope it came from and again in a plastic bag, securing everything within her desk. Once her desktop was locked, she disposed of her plastic gloves and grabbed her red leather jacket. She decidedly made her way up to the rooftop, passing by other weary-looking detectives and patrolmen.

A cool breeze enveloped Captain Yin as she exited the building from up high and closed the rooftop's door behind her.

Alone at last. She inhaled and exhaled deeply, fishing for a box of smokes and a lighter within her pockets. After tapping the box a couple of times, Yin popped out a cigarette and ignited the butt end.

A couple of drags later, Yin felt relieved from inhaling a particular sweet pungent mix of menthol and tobacco that only her favorite brand could provide. She welcomed its familiar warmth and satisfying release at the expense of her lungs.

Looking up at the midnight sky, Yin was suddenly reminded of Shizuka's surprised reaction at her little red box when they met up at the usual bar, the night before.

Her dear cousin was so unbelievably repulsed at Yin's love for the brand and the latter couldn't help but chuckle at the small, recent memory.

It was always amusing to see that total bombshell of a woman paired with a childish, bratty look on her face.

Maybe if Shizuka was just a bit more mature, she'd get a date and understand why 'Dragon Reds' ciggies are top-tier. Better than her damn Seven Stars. Ah well... her loss. She thought with a small smile, taking in another drag.

After a few moments, the Captain's thoughts of her beautiful cousin dissipated like the gray clouds she exhaled, replaced by those regarding her present situation.

Out of a nervous habit, Yin let her long, glossy black hair down, gently moving her head to and fro against a light breeze, before using the same hair tie to fasten it all in a simple ponytail once again. Her lit cigarette easily dangled between her full, red lips the entire time.

Captain Yin usually didn't smoke, but it helped whenever she felt restless. For whatever reason, she's been feeling that way much more recently... experiencing vivid dreams and even feeling sore after some sleep sessions.

It hadn't got out of control, but there was also no rhyme or reason as to why Captain Yin would feel so tired through most of the day, every other day.

It also couldn't come at a worse time when she had just convinced the Chief to let her start a youth outreach, internship program. Applications from credit-hungry, justice-oriented youths would be coming in soon and she needed to be ready.

The old guard wasn't getting any younger, after all.

Hopefully some over-the-counter melatonin and sleeping aids would do the trick, but if that didn't work out?

Well, shit.

Captain Yin deadpanned and scoffed at the possible implications of her current issue. She brushed her hands over her cheeks before firmly grasping the rooftop rail with more force than she intended.

"I swear to God, I hope I don't need to cry to a shrink or something…"

"Likewise."

Captain Yin's heart jumped at the intrusion of clear, baritone voice that came right behind her.

She immediately turned around with swift reflexes unknown to her before that moment, one hand hovering just above her reliable, department-issued pistol.

Her senses were more than aptly refocused by the adrenaline rushing through her veins. Her lips no longer held the single, tobacco-infused Dragon Red that she was enjoying—now they trembled as she tried speaking to the source of the deep voice and her current apprehensiveness.

"W-What are you doing here?!" She managed to yell out.

Leaning against the same rooftop guardrail, some ten feet away from the distressed captain, was the Huntsman, clad in full armor and mask.

Under the pale moonlight, Captain Yin could tell his utility belt was decked out and that the sleek black and red armor was as hardy as it was new.

The Huntsman looked absolutely imposing, even as he carefully raised one of his hands from the rail and gave her an overtly simple, but somewhat fitting response.

"Yo."

…

"...I don't know what the hell you were thinking of coming here. Just see that I'm armed and have backup on the ready!" She exclaimed, her left hand now fully on top of her sidearm and the other on a walkie.

Huntsman waved his hand dismissively. "Calm yourself. I'm not out to put you or any other officer in harm's way—"

"—What is it then?! Why'd you creep up on me?!" Captain Yin interrupted, a mix of fear and fury present in her tone.

Huntsman didn't respond to either questions, though he was rather pleased she appeared to be giving him a chance to explain his sudden presence at the roof of the police station.

This meeting wasn't planned, but damn him if he was to let this opportunity go to waste. It was only by luck that he spotted this specific person from a distance, courtesy of his Hunter Vision. The last thing Huntsman wanted to do was agitate Captain Yin into taking a shot at him.

...I've got a feeling she'd pull the trigger if she knew the cameras were temporarily disabled. Best if I kept that to myself, for now. He thought, before finally speaking again.

"You're Captain Yin Etsudo of the Chiba Prefectural Police Department. Formerly known as Detective 'Ellen Yin' of the Gotham City Police Department... How are you holding up this evening—"

*Click*

Huntsman sighed at the familiar sight of a loaded pistol aimed straight at him, one with a full magazine and its safety off.

Unlike the disturbing, sometimes nervous gazes of the scumbags Huntsman usually took down, he noted that Captain Yin had a determined look in her eye, notably with a hint of disgust.

If looks could kill, he'd be dead on the spot.

Even in a mask, I managed to creep out an... attractive member of the opposite sex. Damn it, Hachiman.

Still, Huntsman didn't let her actions fully deter him and he'd stay true to his word. Expecting the worst, however, he managed to slide down a couple of roughly bat-shaped throwing weapons from his forearms to the palms of his hands.

Thankfully, his preparation had gone unnoticed.

"Y'know, there's no need for that." Huntsman opined.

"...How the hell do you know who I am? You've been checking up on me?" Captain Yin bristled, her glare only faltered for a second before quickly reverting back.

His words were a not-so-subtle reminder to Captain Yin of the same line that Tsurumi Subaru used in defense of his daughter, Rumi, against the gunman's demands.

Perhaps he believed such an attempt would deter her from taking the same action as the gunman.

Not above using your good deeds to manipulate a difficult situation, are you?

Nonetheless, Captain Yin lowered her gun before finishing her thought. Maybe that's a bit too harsh, but… it'd pay to know how cunning you really are.

Huntsman was satisfied at the sight of the gun being pointed to the ground rather than his face. He respected Captain Yin's decision to keep it clenched in her hands with the safety remaining off.

I wish I didn't have to namedrop, but she's got Gotham at the heart. It's probably my best shot. Huntsman decided in his own thoughts.

Captain Yin patiently observed the vigilante seemingly gather this bearings, her ears peaking with curiosity when he finally spoke with the same clarity.

"For an officer from the States', you've quickly garnered an excellent reputation… Admired by both colleagues and the general public."

Her head tilted in confusion at the statement he just made. "That doesn't explain how you know my American name and there are plenty of other officers in the department to hear stories about—"

Captain Yin's words were halted as Huntsman raised one of his fists in front of him, her fingers instinctively twitched around her pistol.

"Yes, that's true. But none of your other peers have ever worked closely with… a mutual acquaintance of ours," Huntsman finished off, opening his fist to reveal a familiar, standard-issued batarang.

His action had its intended effect as Captain Yin was taken aback by the gesture, rather than being threatened by the object.

How could she ever find it frightening? Although it was a weapon intended for combat, it was usually intended for vile scum. The odd shuriken naturally reminded her of home… Of him and the security he brought every night to the streets of Gotham.

This wasn't the only batarang she's seen since coming to Chiba. But it was definitely the first time anyone fully confirmed to her face that Batman himself sponsored the Huntsman.

He knows we worked together in Gotham. Just how much did he reveal to this guy?

Captain Yin just had to know what was going on, even if it meant lowering her guard at the moment.

"Alright, smart-ass. I'll bite, just how much has he told you? At least answer me that, will ya?" She asked with an edgy, concerned tone.

Huntsman didn't respond right away to the officer's biting question. Truthfully, he didn't think he'd get to this point even with a detective as unconventional as Captain Yin. The conciliatory approach he took seemed to work thus far, despite his displeasure with beating around the bush.

She's being reasonably cautious, maybe a little frightened that her former partner possibly revealed more than a few sensitive details. I suppose relieving her worries would be the first step.

He straightened himself, looking right into the officer's eyes.

"If it's any comfort, I wasn't made privy to everything he knew about you. That said, you were commended in every moment that he chose to divulge. 'Truly one of Gotham's finest' he said," Huntsman explained.

"...I see. That's um… nice to hear?" Yin responded, clearly flustered. She didn't expect that in the least.

"...Right. In any case, the work you've done in Gotham interests me far more than your real name or other personal details ever could. No offense, though it seems you'd prefer it that way. So I'll be sticking to 'Captain Yin Etsudo' as well."

Huntsman observed the female officer finally turn the safety off of her gun and place it within her holster. He decided to do the same with his batarangs, securing them back into a compartment on his forearms.

Captain Yin looked up at the Huntsman again with a scowl on her face. "You're talking as if this won't be the last time we'll meet each other like this. Are… Are you trying to establish some sort of connection here? With me?"

"That's correct, a direct in-person rapport," Huntsman affirmed with a single nod.

…Strange way of doing so. It almost seems like he's not used to this kind of thing. He's gotta be the kind of man who prefers to work alone, otherwise I'd make him for an awkward, troubled youth—

Captain Yin's thoughts were cut off as the Huntsman took a few careful steps forward and continued their conversation.

"I've been... advised by our mutual associate to link together with an officer of the law. Initially I refused to do so, but I couldn't fully argue with the mutual benefits that both parties would gain from such a relationship."

"And I guess Batman used ours as an example, huh? I can't see any other way as to why he'd mention what we pulled off in Gotham." She looked to her side for a moment, relieved that the rooftop door remained closed.

"Again, that's correct. Among the other contacts he had in the GCPD, at least. Altogether, your form of communication made crime fighting somewhat easier in Gotham. Less obtrusive overlap and more information exchanged between officers and an outsider. Can you also confirm that, Captain Yin?" Huntsman asked.

The officer gave a curt nod, seemingly recalling past, relevant cases. "That's right, there were others involved and certain rogues became easier to put away. Flow of intel and efficiency definitely increased.

I can see why you would consider creating something similar here with the Chiba Prefectural Police Department. Starting off with someone, just me really, who's got experience working with... your types." Captain Yin finished, albeit with less confidence than before.

Huntsman nodded at her assertion nonetheless while Captain Yin could only look away with her hands on her hips as she contemplated this request. A few quiet moments passed between the two still figures.

Huntsman, again, uncharacteristically filled the silence. "As I see it, there's no other officer fit for this role at the moment. From what I've heard, it's very demanding—both physically and mentally."

"...Very much so. Gotta hand it to you for shamelessly asking a woman my age to... pick this up again." She teased with a light chuckle.

"Why is that? Again, you're the logical choice. This is hardly a selfish thing to ask for, especially when I had to be convinced to break ground with a capable officer." Huntsman responded, a bit bristled.

"So you're here because of someone else's selfishness, I see." Captain Yin pointed out, looking down again with a resigned smile. He didn't have as much of an immediate response to that statement. Perhaps, on some level, it rang true to the young vigilante.

The sky darkened even further as the clouds swallowed the moonlight. Both figures stood still in silence once again as a sudden cool breeze picked up, flowing through Captain Yin's hair and colliding onto the Huntsman's armor. His cape managed to flutter in defiance, ready to expand for a sudden glide.

The lack of moonlight made the city lights appear to shine brighter than before. As if in sync, both the vigilante and the officer turned towards the sight. They breathed in the fresh night air, mesmerized by the myriad of colors still active within the city, past conventional sleeping hours.

Subconsciously, they wished this pause in their conversation would have been a nice, sentimental moment shared between two proprietors of justice. Possibly the first of many.

However, any other feeling was overshadowed by the grim truth—the truth that misery lurked at every corner, ready to snuff out every joyous gleam at a moment's notice.

The Huntsman was the first to look back from the poignant scene. His stomach churned at the false peace it spoke and, as a result, it felt as if his next words were forcibly gagged out.

"Captain Yin, Chiba needs this… partnership. The underworld is in disarray and it must be quelled while we have the chance."

Captain Yin slowly turned back towards the young vigilante, as if reluctant to come back to reality. Her eyes widened in realization at the implications of the Huntsman's assertion and she voiced out what had been in her mind since the beginning of the week.

"Ah, so you noticed that much as well? The… The desperation behind all these recent muggings, robberies, and gang violence.

Our records guys found that for every ten thugs we arrest, eight of them were once either directly or indirectly funded by their gorgeous, precious 'Matriarch'. Can-Can you even believe that?

That's something we have yet to admit to the public and our so-called allies at the Prosecutor's Office and political affiliates have bombarded us with pleas not to do so."

Captain Yin received no response from the vigilante, this nonreactive stance reminded her too much of the Batman's own steadfast attitude. But seeing this attitude come from the Huntsman provided no comfort or inspiration to the woman. In fact, she felt a tinge of annoyance added alongside with her building anger.

She turned away again from the young hero, just before he finally shook his head and clenched his trembling fists. It was a delayed reaction that Huntsman refrained himself from showing but a reaction, nonetheless, to Captain Yin's news.

Eight out of ten, huh? Eight. Eighty percent since she's fallen. Sounds like a damn, cruel joke. It's just... absolutely infuriating.

"It's ridiculous!" Captain Yin continued with a guttural edge to her voice. "All these criminals coming out of the woodwork only after the Yukinoshitas became exposed to litigation.

The Prosecutor's Office has its work cut out for them, handling all these petty cases and even finding corruption within their own ranks. Damn Hayama's to blame for that mess."

Again, no immediate response from the Huntsman. All he could do was look at the woman pounding her fists on the rail in a fit of frustration. Her actions were quite inviting; it was an awfully disgusting situation.

After venting, Captain Yin chose to look anywhere else than back at the Huntsman, embarrassed to have lost a degree of control in front of him. Eventually, she spotted her unfinished Dragon Red cigarette from earlier, now unlit and left on the ground. The thought of picking it up and lighting it again was quite tempting, she had to admit.

Captain Yin took to restraining herself from the gross action however, opting to remain morose in lieu of indulging her recent taste for nicotine. She successfully fought off the urge while crossing her arms underneath her chest.

Nonetheless, the scent of tobacco lingered about for the Captain in her imaginative state. It wasn't long before she heard the dark hero attempt to pick things up again.

"...We may never know the full extent of the hold that Yukinoshita Yukari and her circle had over Chiba. Dwell on it if you must, but I'm focused on taking down as many criminals as we can through a united front." Huntsman insisted.

Captain Yin couldn't help but scoff at his last point. "A united front? This partnership would be an ongoing stealth operation more than anything else. Limited to our separate available schedules, not to mention our ideas of discretion—"

"—You know what I meant." He icily interrupted.

Her eyes faltered and she exhaled in exasperation. "No, Huntsman, I honestly don't. Please just… hear me out, again."

The Huntsman sighed, but insisted the good detective continue voicing her thoughts with a slight wave. He knew right away that interrupting was not the right thing to have done while she spoke. But this encounter was going on for much longer than he thought it would and his patience was wearing thin.

She nodded in thanks, straightening her posture but kept her head down low as she slowly spoke. "It took time for me to trust the Batman before we could effectively work together. Even then, we had more than a few rough bumps along the way.

To this day… I have no idea who he is and only slightly know about his intentions and methods."

…Where is she going with this? Huntsman thought to himself, his fingertips slightly trembling as if he subconsciously knew the answer.

Captain Yin finally looked up at the Huntsman with a confident pair of eyes alongside a diminutive smile. Unbeknownst to Huntsman, this fond expression of hers was subconsciously reserved for a small circle of specific people in the captain's life. With that on, she finished her point.

"That said, I trust Batman as Gotham's 'Dark Knight' because, despite all the brooding, mysterious, and weird quirks attached to his persona, he's proven himself countless times over.

I trust him with my life wholeheartedly, as a cop and a person, because he was there even before I was… left behind. He's the reason why I'm hearing you out at this moment because, although I-I'm grateful that you've saved many lives beyond that incident with the monster, I simply don't have that same faith in you." Captain Yin finally stated, exhaling deeply.

Her point was made and, once again, she didn't receive an immediate answer. Only silence.

She observed the vigilante finally cross his arms defensively. He looked to his side, as if contemplating his thoughts once again. It was satisfying to have reached him, but of course there was a tinge of regret at having accomplished this feat by comparing him to another man.

Even more silence followed.

…

Ah shit, Etsudo, you didn't have to be so hard on the guy. I probably should have finished off with a—

"Yet." He said finally.

"...What?" she asked, blindsided by his one-worded response.

She would never see it, but the young man smirked underneath his mask as he clarified his statement. "You don't trust me yet. You're… rightfully skeptical of some stranger coming up to you, offering a partnership.

I respect that cautious, benefit-of-the-doubt approach of yours more than you could ever know. If necessary, I will get past that wall of yours soon enough."

...I'm glad for both our sakes that you've got that mask on. How the hell are you not fazed by declaring such an embarrassing, bold promise to a woman's face?!

Keeping a flush down, the captain persisted. "I, um, appreciate your optimism, but there's nothing special about my approach. It's just common sense—"

"—Wrong. Common sense would have been for you to shoot and take me to your superiors for a promotion. Not to say you aren't doing your job, but you're definitely above the average wage slave present in our society.

People on this side of the globe tend to write off such an approach as 'asinine' and 'foolish'. However, I actually admire this particular nonconforming attitude and there's no exception to be made here." The young vigilante explained, with his arms slightly outstretched.

"..." Captain Yin was silent, her eyes squinted in disbelief.

"...What? You disagree?" Huntsman asked, indignantly confused.

"No no, it's just—"

A roar of laughter followed her words. Captain Yin tightly clutched her stomach as her body shook and her head moved to and fro.

"I'm sorry, that was just… What the hell was that? You… You don't really talk much with others, do you? I mean, anyone ever mention you've got a twisted way of thinking?" She finished with a sheepish smile.

Huntsman wasn't as amused and had lost the last bit of his patience from the conversation. "...That was meant to be a compliment, Captain Yin."

Said captain continued smiling as she wiped away a stray tear with her sleeve. "I get that. Just telling you to work on doling them out. I can't believe I thought you were being optimistic at first."

"...Alright. I've had enough of this." In his unbridled annoyance, the Huntsman turned away from the smirking female and whipped out a handheld device from his utility belt.

Captain Yin had thought Huntsman would abruptly leave her for the night. Instead, he proceeded to stand still and hastily type away on the smartphone-sized device. The officer's curiosity was piqued and she felt like dragging her feet over to see exactly what he was doing.

But she was stopped by her own thoughts.

Easy Etsudo. Just because he made you laugh and seems determined to gain your trust doesn't mean you can share a close space. Gotta admit, his authentic side sort of reminds me of… Him. But Huntsman's also his own person and something in-in the back of my head tells me to stay vigilant—"

As if on cue, Captain Yin readied herself as the Huntsman finally finished typing away and turned to her with the device still in his hand.

He spoke firmly, unafraid to offend the officer who had seen him through. "Here, replace those precious smokes in your pocket with this. This is how we'll stay in touch."

Huntsman tossed the device to Captain Yin, who handily caught it with one hand.

N-No way.

In an instant, a wave of nostalgia rushed over Captain Yin as she scanned over the strangely familiar user interface. She instinctively lowered the brightness setting, dimming the glowing blue to a tolerable level.

The device fit in her hand like a glove. Her fingers moved deftly as she fiddled with the software to its fullest extent. After a few swipes here and there, Captain Yin was finally able to confirm exactly what she was handed over by the Huntsman.

It was a BatWave Commlink, Version 2. Similar to the one she had left behind in Gotham, but obviously upgraded to pass off as a regular modern smartphone. Courtesy of Batman himself, obviously.

She sighed with satisfaction at her second nature usage of the Commlink. Hearing its familiar notification sound was music to her ears—one that called to her sense of duty and her longing of…

Home. It's like I'm back in Gotham again, playing with this high-tech walkie. Except I'm not there, I'm in Chiba and the one who handed me this is…

"Hey, this was a nice blast from the past. But are you sure it's the right time to give me—"

Captain Yin had finally tried speaking again to the Huntsman. But when she had turned to face him, he was nowhere to be found.

Evidently, he took the opportunity to vanish while Captain Yin was enthralled by the device. Needless to say, she didn't appreciate the feeling of déjà vu that Huntsman had left her with his sudden disappearance.

"Different guy. Same aversion to giving a proper 'goodbye'. Typical."

I guess he didn't want to take 'no' for an answer. That guy had me pinned as a partner whether I wanted to or not. Not exactly how I would have preferred for things to get started but…

Once again, Captain Yin looked at the illustrious city before her. If only to try to catch a glimpse of him gliding somewhere nearby.

But she was rewarded with no such sight. Instead, her head ached with frustration at the thought of taking up this performance once again. For a different vigilante and city altogether.

None of her colleagues would have had any patience for this proposal. 'Nonsense' they would call it and her a 'stupid American' for not unloading a bullet instead.

How ironic was that?

Shaking the thought out of her head, she embraced her 'foolish' nature and looked through the device again. It seemed to unlock at the press of a button, a security issue she would have to fix later.

She noticed a flashing notification at the top of her screen and proceeded to press it. A text bubble appeared with the words:

"Captain Yin, open your 'Notes' app."

The captain could only assume it came from the asocial hero. She had half a mind to respond him with her doubts, but proceeded to follow his instructions instead. It was probably what he had hastily typed out earlier.

Once the 'Notes' app was opened, she found a single written document with five listed bullet points.

…You're kidding me.

Her eyes bulged upon seeing that each point was fitted with a set of coordinates, nearby intersections, landmarks, descriptions of people and the crimes they've allegedly committed that night.

"All this time, he had twenty-three more thugs under his belt, already knocked out and ready for pick up. Goddammit—"

Captain Yin wasted no time turning around back through the rooftop door with the intention of rushing out of the building as soon as possible. As she sped down the stairs, the female officer whipped out her walkie and spoke firmly to the fellow officers on break within the building.

"This is Captain Yin speaking. In need of patrolmen assistance checking out five distinct locations within a five mile radius. Two in Chuo Ward, one in the Inage ward, and two in the Mihama Ward. Multiple suspects. Please respond for further detail, we're heading out in five minutes."

Off the bat, she knew there were at least sixteen available officers and eight squad cars at the ready. She would need aid from other precinct buildings than the one she was in. On the off chance they weren't enough, or if this was a trap, Captain Yin passed on the details to a colleague operator, who would also inform other squad cars already patrolling the areas to scout ahead of them.

She didn't mention the Huntsman, of course.

For the time being, I'll have to pass these off as anonymous calls made by civilians. That won't work for long, a less conspicuous method will have to be arranged.

Once she received responses from officers clearly reluctant to get up from their break, she doled out locations for each separate squad car group.

With any luck, they would all be back within the hour. Each group bringing back a total of twenty-three beaten alleged criminals and enough video evidence to convict them.

Captain Yin hopped into her own town car, deciding to tag behind two rookie officers in their squad car on the way to the Mihama Ward. This particular zone contained an elementary school, a middle school, and the high school her cousin worked at—Sobu High.

It perturbed her deeply that five thugs alone would be taken down there, even in the dead of night.

And if I'm right, you're not even close to being done for tonight, are you? Captain Yin thought.

A slight pain erupted in the back of her head and left as quickly as it came. This visceral feeling in her gut caused the hairs on her neck to rise up, but she chose to ignore it as best she could.

There was no use in wondering what the hell that was when she needed her mind to focus on the long night to come.

Unbeknownst to her, the Huntsman glided in the opposite direction of Captain Yin on his way to check over the Wakaba Ward. The night for him was indeed far from over—sunrise wasn't for another few hours and there was no school on Sunday.

He was more determined than ever to hunt down whatever miserable, desperate goons were out there. As much as he didn't want to admit it, a part of that was due to Captain Yin declaring her lack of faith in him.

The attack on Sobu, the Bishamonten incident, and the Yukinoshitas. Not to mention the countless petty criminals in between and since then. All of that wasn't enough for you, huh?

Hachiman scowled underneath his mask at the annoying thought. Still, he was sure not to miss the fact that he was starting to fly at a low altitude.

He sighed, wishing he remembered to dive-bomb every now and then to maintain the height level of his glide. Another tip Batman had provided for him.

With clear-practiced finesse, he paused mid-flight to shoot his grapnel gun at the edge of a nearby building. Once attached, he immediately activated the grapnel boost, which accelerated him at a speed high enough to be launched far above the gun's target point. His cape naturally spread once again with the winds just below the clouds.

I meant what I said, Captain Yin. Bruce Wayne has Gotham while I've been here for Chiba. And I don't plan on stopping anytime soon… not when peace is just within reach.

He activated his Hunter's Vision upon gliding down and up again in a fluid motion. A few moments of continuously doing so, he spotted a lone figure less than half a click away, holding what appeared to be a crowbar against a backdoor in an alleyway.

Hmph, typical. How about I find another five thugs for you to pick up by the end of the night? See if that helps. The vigilante inwardly smirked at the thought as he glided downward in the direction of the suspicious figure, ready to purge.

A/N:

Thanks a lot to 502nickster for giving me the opportunity to work on this sequel. Still very happy to have been asked to continue this world wherein Hachiman's a crime-fighting vigilante.

I did not expect to go from a reviewer, to a "consultant" for the first story, to finally being the author of the sequel to his work. He's a trooper for enduring my slowness while his avid readers asked for more. Please, check out his stories.

Thank you for reading the chapter. See you in the next one.