A scream tore through the night sky in an agonized death scream, as Gotham slept, all aside from the Batman, and few others. Another night of crime and murder came upon Gotham, this time there was something horribly wrong, and the bat could feel it in his very bones. Perhaps something about the air, the weather's changing, or it may have just been something he had ate, or at least those was the theories he wanted to go with. He turned from the bat mobile toward his loyal butler to speak, and then stopped himself to step in and pursue this latest crime.

This body was found gutted. All the organs was torn from his body, the police surrounded the area and rushed into the building the act was committed in, and none of them returned, finally they called the Batman. As Bruce reached his destination, nearly on target a loud whipping noise cut through the air as a helicopter made itself seen by flying up from the tall building roof, flying right for Wayne Manor.

The police gave chase, as did Batman of the chopper, however within moments the bat left the cops in the dust. The bat growled as he boosted up the turbo drive, muttering, "Whatever criminal you are, you choose the wrong place to go for safety… this is personal. "

The black vehicle slammed through the Wayne Manor gates as he charged onward, then upon reaching the door, stepped out and shot his hook shot to the roof, zipping him up in a blaze. Batman's eyes widened as he seen what appeared to be the young man standing in a slouched position next to the landed helicopter, his long sleeved white shirt, and blue jeans, covered in blood as he held an axe in his two hands that also was dyed crimson red.

His expressionless black eyes stared into the Batman's as he spoke, "Much like you, Bruce Wayne, I am also a detective. You may call me Rue Ryuuzaki. It Is a pleasure to meet you formally."

Batman growled in a harsh voice, "What have you done? You have taken innocent people's lives, look at you!"

"I have taken a trip to get here, to meet the legendary hero of darkness. Now finally, I have your full attention. Once I end this case between you and I, I have the ability to vanish once again. Those local police will take too long to get here, and your building happens to be the tallest in town, so no sniper may target me from here. Are you proud of yourself Batman? Running in, kicking around a few criminals? Do you get your hidden pleasure out of it Batman?"

Rue charged in toward Batman swinging his axe, and the moment the dark knight dodged leaping back, the mysterious detective thrown down a ball behind the Bat which released a yellow gas. Batman gagged as he fell to his knees, "Killing people has no effect on you? You are as twisted as the Joker…"

"I have studied up on your Joker. He and I are nothing alike. His attacks are reckless, unpredictable, and random chaotic strikes. I have calculated every move in advance. I know your every tool, and also exactly how to counter each of them. You can't win."

Bruce leapt up into the air, and unfolded his cape gliding higher, before folding it back swan diving toward Rue to tackle him down. At that moment a foot shot into the air slamming into the night protector, causing Bruce to roll onto the roof and hit the elevator shave. Groaning Batman gotten up, and staggered, "What have you done to me? My vision is beginning to fade."

"It's a nerve agent that attacks the area of your brain that affects vision. It only causes temporary blindness though. I am not much for paying for the more expensive ingredients in my concoctions when I know the battle shouldn't last long."

The bat shot out several bat-a-rangs then his hook shot with the limited vision he had left shooting himself toward his opponent. The bat-a-rangs was avoided easily enough, and the Batman's cord to the hook shot was severed with a swing of an axe. Rue smiled, "You could just simply admit defeat and just face what is coming."

"Never" , the dark knight growled as he reached for his belt, but stopped to flip back from an oncoming swing of the axe. "When we met the other day I took you for one on the side of justice?"

Rue shook his head, "We never had met face to face… you must have met L. He is much more acclaimed then I am, but I am the shadow that haunts him. What you see now is the greatest of nightmares of the greatest detective. Sure. You are a detective… but in the end your just some guy running around with a mask punching out bad guys."

The bat swung with his fists, slower and slower as more time passed with his blurred vision, as Rue avoided the oncoming assaults easy enough, "There is much more to what I do then simply fight criminals, but not many people know of what I do when I am not on the street."

Batman rushed in toward Rue and dived under his legs giving a roll, and on standing up, Rue fell onto his face with his feet tangled into the batman's cape, and the batman standing no longer wearing it. "I am a thinker like you, but I put my mind to good use… your no detective, just a murderer."

Rue broke out into hysteric laughter, "Nothing told of any indication of you having ever removed your cape for any reason! You surprised me Bruce, but still, you lose. Soon enough my gas should now effect your muscles to cause involuntary movements, loss of control, delusions, and in the end you will become even more insane then all your little friends you throw in Arkham on a daily basis!"

Batman started stumbling on the roof as he kept trying to grab for his belt, but missing. Soon he ended up next to the edge, stumbled and began falling into the night.

The dark knight landed with a small bounce into a safety net the police had readied for him. In moments after saving the Batman's life they leapt for him, but were stopped by L who ended up in front of the crowd. "Up there, your hero fought a vicious criminal risking his life to prevent any further murders. I as of now close and seal the case of Batman, your hero you deserve, but seemingly still are not ready for. I will take in the bat myself, and I do not wish for any photographers or police following or happen to appear on the way."

The police officers glared coldly, but backed off making a path as L began carrying the Batman to a nearby limo, stepped in himself, brought the Batman in, and shut the door. "Watari, this is the Batman… we need to go back to our base of operations."

The Batman glanced toward the man that was nearly a shadow to his vision. "Where are you taking me?"

"I am taking you to safety, my friend, to help bring you back up to one hundred percent. We can speak there… for now just relax. I can assure you, I make sure things will work out."