NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: 9
After a month of rigorous training, Joseph knew it was time to part ways with Catwoman. He couldn't keep relying on her forever—she had her own life, and he had his. More importantly, the clock was ticking on his apartment situation, and he needed to start making moves.
"You're still not beating me anytime soon," she said with a smirk, arms crossed. "But I'll give you this—you're nowhere near as useless as when we first met."
Joseph grinned at the backhanded compliment. "I'll take it."
Catwoman rolled her eyes. "So? Got a target yet?"
"Not yet. But I do have a plan for how I'm gonna operate."
She arched a brow, mildly intrigued. "Ambitious, huh?"
Joseph laid out his rules. No killing cops or heroes. Never fight if you can run, never surrender if you can fight. No score was worth his life or his freedom. Never establish a pattern. Stick to these, and he'd avoid the worst of Gotham's hazards.
Catwoman listened, unimpressed but approving nonetheless. "Not bad. Won't save you from everything, but it's a start."
"It's enough," Joseph countered.
She shrugged, done playing mentor. "Then you graduate, Joey. Congrats."
As she turned to leave, Joseph called after her. "Hey, Selina. Why'd you help me?"
She hesitated, then pulled up her goggles as she left. "Maybe I'm a sucker for idiots who think they can take on Gotham alone."
Joseph smiled. That was all he needed to hear.
**
Gotham never slept, and neither did its protectors. With Batman off on League business, Robin and Batgirl kept watch, handling whatever crime dared to stir.
Tonight? A break-in at Gotham Arena. The haul? Freshly worn jerseys. An odd choice, but crime didn't always make sense.
"It's the new guy," Robin muttered into his comm. "Wanna see him in action?"
"The small-timer? He never takes anything big," Batgirl replied, skeptical.
"Yeah, but we've never seen him. Wouldn't you rather bring something new to the table when Batman gets back?"
A pause. Then, "...I'm on my way."
"I'm already on his tail."
Robin moved fast, scanning for an escape route. The rooftops were too risky for a thief trying to stay unnoticed. Alleyways were the smarter choice.
Sure enough—there. Just beyond the streetlights, a hooded figure melted into the shadows. Robin fired his grapple and swung down, aiming for a clean takedown.
Joseph felt the air shift behind him. //Incoming attack.//
His body moved before his brain processed Nova's warning, twisting into a roll just as Robin's boot cut through the space his head had been.
Robin landed in a crouch, eyes locking onto the figure in black. Hoodie, cargo pants, swimmer's goggles—odd getup, but this wasn't just any petty thief.
Joseph scrambled up the alley wall with unnatural ease.
//Wall climbing activated. 70% of nanites in use.//
Nova temporarily increased the friction of his skin while secreting an adhesive structure from his hands, allowing him to scale surfaces with ease. Actively altering his biology required immense resources, with the nanites working overtime to sustain the process.
He let Nova pilot his body for an hour each night—an agreement to gather intel. The AI only knew what he knew; no internet access, no external databases. Just pure, relentless analysis. After months of research and simulations, it had mastered the manipulation of his physiology.
Nova had also optimized his muscle density, enhanced nerve signaling, and streamlined energy distribution—but at a cost. His food intake had doubled, and 15% of Nova's CPU remained constantly engaged to keep everything running smoothly. But by now, he made enough for it not to matter.
Robin fired his grapple and cut him off at the rooftop. "Alright, that was cool. So, you're the new troublemaker? Got a name?"
Joseph stayed silent, scanning for an out. No introductions tonight.
Robin smirked. "Seven weeks dodging us isn't bad. But your streak ends here."
Joseph bolted. Robin was fast—faster than Joseph expected—but he had Nova. While the AI couldn't move for him, it could optimize every motion.
//Redirecting energy to legs.//
Joseph's muscles burned as his speed spiked unnaturally, letting him weave through rooftop structures with inhuman agility. Robin reacted instantly, hurling a Bird-a-rang. Nova projected its path—Joseph barely ducked in time—only for Robin to close the gap, throwing a punch at his jaw.
Joseph caught the strike at the wrist, twisted, and drove an elbow forward. Robin blocked, countering with a knee to the ribs. Joseph pivoted, using the force to roll backward into a crouch.
They reset. Circling.
"Impressive," Robin admitted.
'Nova change my voice.'
//Voice changed. 40% of nanites in use.//
"I have good teachers."
Robin lunged. Joseph dodged, countered, and suddenly they were trading blows—Robin's honed technique against Joseph's adaptive unpredictability. A kick forced Joseph back, and he knew he couldn't afford a prolonged fight. What if other bats suddenly appear.
//Suggestion: disengage.//
He smirked. "I don't have time to play with kids. I'm gonna bounce."
Robin's grin widened. "Oh, I like you. Let's see if you can actually run."
Joseph took off. The chase was on.