211-215

**Chapter 211: Restoring the Riddler's Glory, A Duty-Bound Mission  

The Riddler was probably having a bit of a rough time. 

Right about now, that was likely the consensus among all the supervillains in the hall, and it was easy to understand. What was supposed to be a completely lopsided match, a total stomp as he'd hoped, was unfolding perfectly... and then, in just moments, it was about to become a total victory. For the Riddler, who prided himself on his intellect, this process of winning from a thousand miles away was probably hitting him right in the pleasure center. 

And most importantly, his great enemy was finally going to hand him victory, or death, today – either outcome was perfectly acceptable to the Riddler. 

Don't misunderstand, he wasn't talking about Batman. He was talking about the Pervert Cyclist. Batman would just break a dozen or so of his bones, but the Pervert Cyclist had thoroughly humiliated him. He wasn't even a target the Riddler could select. He'd followed all the Riddler's planned arrangements, demonstrating incredible strategic discipline and an extreme will to survive. 

Anyway, just as the Riddler was about to celebrate his major triumph, the situation suddenly took a slight turn. Batman showed up. 

So he said to everyone, "No worries. Even if it's not a total win, swapping Killer Croc for the Ventriloquist is acceptable. At least Two-Face and the Pervert Cyclist can pull back." 

Then, Batman saw right through Killer Croc's attempt and quickly grappling-hooked Harvey Dent away. 

It's fine, he thought to himself. Looking at how things are going, Batman is basically not going to miss the Pervert Cyclist. Let's just say we swapped Killer Croc and Two-Face for the Ventriloquist and the Pervert Cyclist. 

This wasn't a loss. 

And then, Killer Croc actually reacted. It grabbed the second grapple shot directly and smashed through the wall, creating an escape route for Cody. 

Everyone secretly glanced at the Riddler. At this point, he suddenly stopped talking and just quietly sat back in his chair. 

Snap. He lit a cigarette. As smoke filled the air, everyone else fell silent too. 

Just then, a subordinate's voice rang out with a report. 

"Boss, the Pervert Cyclist is back." 

"Tell him to beat it." 

"Uh," the subordinate hesitated slightly, "Boss, he said the mission's done. Kicking him out now... wouldn't that be a bit harsh on him?" 

"Harsh my ass!" 

The Riddler suddenly exploded in rage, slamming his phone down hard. This sudden outburst immediately sent the subordinate scurrying out the door in a hurry. 

"Meeting adjourned." 

After coldly dropping those two words, the Riddler left the hall. 

"As the war between the Joker and the Riddler continues, Gotham's Park Row, Upper West Side, and East End remain incredibly dangerous. But it's worth noting that the recent bloodshed has significantly decreased, and the pressure on Gotham Hospital's medical staff has plummeted. All signs point to the situation improving. This city still has hope, still has a future." 

"What's there to say about that? I told you all along, Bill, this war was about picking a side. Only one side winning could prevent more deaths. Bruce Wayne was smart for once. Without his donations, those three areas would still be a meat grinder right now." 

"Oh? By that logic, how is Batman, all by himself, managing to hold his own against both factions of super-criminals? Frank, look at this report: just last night, Batman first apprehended the Joker's super-criminal, the Ventriloquist, in a building, and then captured the Riddler's subordinates, Two-Face and Killer Croc. And he hasn't joined either side." 

"I know what you're trying to say, Bill. You're a Batman fanatic, singing his praises all day long. Didn't Killer Croc and Two-Face take down the Ventriloquist together first last night? Batman just swooped in to reap the benefits. The truth is, he's just an illegal criminal anyway. If he'd joined one side by now, maybe the war would already be over." 

"And you're a narrow-minded idiot, Frank! Even when Batman is genuinely saving people, he's still a 'criminal' in your eyes. But the fact is, every Gotham citizen knows he's providing backup for Kite Man's rescue efforts. Those two aren't walking the same path as criminals like the Joker and the Riddler." 

"Today, we'll briefly go over the plan going forward." 

The next day, the Riddler, looking restored, sat in his seat, assigning tasks with his usual expression. 

"Although Batman caused us some trouble, he at least took the Ventriloquist last night, along with the goons from that block. Now, the Joker's remaining subordinates are Man-Bat, Mr. Freeze, the Mad Hatter, Solomon Grundy, and that former Falcone enforcer, the Penguin." 

"We outnumber them, that's obvious. So, we have the advantage now, and we need to further expand that advantage—Saul." 

Cody immediately stepped forward: "Boss, I'm here." 

Perhaps the Riddler would have been happier without that response. As it was, his face, like the Joker's, had lost its usual smile. 

"You've already carried out four missions, you're very experienced with this kind of thing. This time, I'm giving you an important assignment." 

"What assignment?" 

"I've gotten some intel on the Joker's faction. The reason he can still control parts of the Upper West Side with some remnants of his forces is because he has the Mad Hatter, Tetch, on his side. Using Tetch's mind control device, he's hypnotized and controlled a large number of Falcone family enforcers. This means if the Mad Hatter is gone, he won't have any muscle left." 

"You plan to send me in as intel again?" 

"Exactly. I'm ordering you to leave immediately and deal with Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter. Capture him for me, or just kill him. As long as he's taken care of, the outcome of this war will be undeniable." 

"Wait, what about my teammates?" 

"You're going alone. The Mad Hatter is just a crazy guy who can hypnotize people. Just put a bullet in him, and he won't be a threat to you anymore. I trust your marksmanship." 

"Uh, but what if he takes me out—" 

"Don't be a coward, Saul." The Riddler's expression suddenly turned incredibly grim. "My patience with you is at its limit. If you defy my orders, you know the consequences." 

The surrounding supervillains nodded in agreement, all staring at the Pervert Cyclist. 

In their eyes, at this moment, the fact that the Riddler hadn't just pulled a gun and shot Cody already showed he was being quite rational. 

"Alright, alright. But if Batman shows up, you guys have got to let me retreat..." 

"Triple your bonus." 

"Restoring the Riddler's glory, it's a duty we can't refuse!" 

Chapter 212: Riddler's Such a Jerk 

It was pretty clear the Riddler had figured out Cody's weakness. 

"Triple the bonus." 

"No problem, you got it. I'll handle this job." 

Even though he'd automatically taken the Riddler's mission, Cody still let out a sigh. 

"Boss, it's not that I don't trust you, but the Mad Hatter is seriously dangerous. I wanna bring some guys—" 

"No can do. The operation has to be covert." 

"Okay, well, can I at least prep a little?" 

"No problem." 

"And hand over the bonus first, too. I'm gonna need that cash for the prep work." 

"No problem." 

"Gotta send it right now." 

"Deal's done." The Riddler clapped his hands together, looking pleased. "Go on, get your bonus. I want to hear that the Mad Hatter's been taken care of before tomorrow morning." 

Something was off. Seriously off. 

Cody walked out of the hall, grumbling to himself. That negotiation went way too smoothly. The minute he agreed to take the mission, Riddler became super easygoing. 

If there wasn't something fishy about this job, he'd twist his own head off and let the Riddler use it as a soccer ball. Honestly, he already had a bit of a hunch about why the Riddler was sending him after the Mad Hatter. 

"Ugh," he muttered, sighing. "Riddler's such a lowlife." 

Meanwhile, back in the hall, a relaxed smile spread across the Riddler's face. 

He'd figured out the Pattern-Cycling Freak's routine. 

"You all heard the recording, you know how scummy Saul is. When he's got teammates around, he always manages to bail by selling them out. So, hey, if he doesn't have any teammates to sacrifice, then nobody has to worry anymore." 

"Now, we can finally make some solid plans without that jinx getting in the way. Clayface." 

"Boss, you call me?" 

Hearing the word "Boss," the Riddler instinctively rubbed his forehead. 

"Basil Karlo, don't you dare talk like that loser Saul!" 

"Sorry, Boss." 

"Get outta here! You're dealing with that dummy Solomon tonight! You two are two peas in a pod!" 

"Okay, Boss." 

"Karlo, stop acting like an idiot," Poison Ivy chimed in. "It's gonna make you one. You still remember who you are, right?" 

In the room, the burly guy with the not-so-bright look on his face began to change shape, eventually becoming a figure made entirely of mud. 

"I... I'm Clayface." 

"Don't call me Basil Karlo. Karlo's dead." 

Having shifted back into his menacing mud form, he didn't seem to be playing the part of the simple-minded big guy anymore. Even his voice turned rough and heavy. 

Poison Ivy replied, "Harvey once told me that knowing who you are is a really fortunate thing. You can become anyone, right? With that ability to change into a million things, how long has it been since you turned back into your original self? How long has it been since you looked yourself in the face in a mirror? If nobody reminds you, eventually you'll forget your own name." 

"I know exactly who I am," Clayface replied. "I'm Clayface now, and I'll always be Clayface. Who I was doesn't matter at all. What matters is, there's only one Clayface in this world who can be anyone." 

Poison Ivy looked at Clayface, shaking her head helplessly. Maybe it was because of his powers, but his head seemed to be a little messed up now. 

Just then, the Riddler spoke up again. 

"Clayface, I've got one more thing for you. And because you're Clayface, I trust you with this. You need to hit Solomon earlier tonight, and make as big a scene as possible. You gotta draw Batman out." 

Poison Ivy's eyes narrowed instantly. She immediately understood what the Riddler was thinking. 

"What if Batman doesn't show?" 

"You don't need to worry about that," the Riddler continued. "Just know that if Batman does show up, your primary objective switches from dealing with Solomon to buying time. You need to hold Batman up." 

"And then?" 

"Then just wait for the signal. You'll get the order to pull out within an hour, tops. Buying time and getting away from Batman? That should be a piece of cake for you." 

Clayface shrugged. 

The sun set, the moon rose, and evening arrived quickly. But Cody hadn't actually done any real preparation. Honestly, the reason he'd asked the Riddler for triple the bonus right away was because he had a hunch – this might be the last bit of leverage he could get out of the Riddler. 

"Let's see what's what..." 

Cody casually opened his system panel. While working undercover for the Riddler, he'd also been selling intel to the Joker. Because of that, he'd racked up a total of four hundred thousand asset points during this time, which made him feel pretty good about how generous both bosses were. 

But he hadn't managed to save that money. He'd spent it all upgrading the "I Didn't Kill Anyone" skill. After dumping a total of five hundred thousand asset points into it, the number of slots for the skill had increased to six, the cooldown had dropped to three hours, and the duration could now be freely adjusted from one second to twenty-four hours. 

Sure, a good chunk of the low casualty rate during this period was thanks to Kite Man saving a lot of people, but this skill definitely deserved major credit too. 

When Cody had nothing else going on at the base, he'd go around and pop this skill on the patrol teams heading out for the day, and on his other supervillain teammates. He'd even sneak into the Joker's territory using his Master-level Stealth skill to use it there. 

Since he bought the Stealth skill, it had been his most used ability, even more often than using firearms. 

Plus, he'd trained with Batman and Slade for a bit, so Cody's Stealth skill had leveled up to Master during all that frequent practice after joining up. 

His other skills hadn't leveled up. Cody figured it was probably the combination of high-level theory and frequent practice that made skills upgrade – maybe a little talent sprinkled in too. 

After all, he used his cooking and English way more often than Stealth, but they still hadn't changed at all. 

"This triple bonus is almost two hundred grand... Geez, Riddler's really loaded up since Wayne started bankrolling him." 

He glanced at the Intermediate Mental Resistance in the shop. It cost a hefty three hundred thousand, even more expensive than some cheaper Master-level skills. So, Cody decided to skip buying it for now. Spending that many asset points just to deal with the Mad Hatter wasn't worth it. 

Besides, he didn't even have three hundred thousand. 

But, thankfully, he found another option in the system store. 

[BERET Price: 50,000 USD Asset Points Note: Snort, oink, snuffle... Good eye, this hat's real warm. It's only 50 oink coins. 

Chapter 213: The Ever-Changing Clayface 

Obviously, Cody didn't buy that beret just to stay warm. 

While it did offer some warmth, its most important attribute was its sanity (san value) recovery effect. According to the system's evaluation, the Mad Hatter's mind control ability hadn't reached a high level yet, and this hat, combined with Cody's basic mental resistance, was enough to offer sufficient resistance against it. 

"Still got 180,000 asset points... Gonna hang onto 'em for now. Just in case something unexpected pops up, they'll be good for an emergency." 

Cody pulled off the black hood of his cloak and transformed the pretty warm beret, replacing it with something else. This transformation service cost him a thousand asset points – a little pricey, but worth it. 

The moment he took off on his bike from the East End, the guard at the gate immediately reported it to the Riddler. 

"Boss, Saul has taken off." 

"Has the secret notice been passed down?" 

"Yeah, it's been passed down. None of our guys are helping the Freak Cyclist against the Mad Hatter tonight. Everyone on the Upper West Side is going to help Clayface against Batman." 

"Good. And from now on, you guys are to call me Riddler. Stop calling me Boss." 

After hanging up the call with the guard, the Riddler immediately contacted Clayface using his communicator. 

"Clayface, go start a fight with Solomon right now." 

"Got it, Boss." 

Nygma's hand tightened around the communicator, veins popping. He hung up abruptly, then made another call. 

"That idiot Saul has already left. Blow the whistle on him now." 

"Boss, are we really doing this? Won't this let the Joker know our plan for tonight?" 

"It's not about letting the Joker know, it's about letting the Mad Hatter know. There's a fundamental difference. Now, I'm giving the orders, so you just follow them." 

"Understood, Boss." 

"None of you are to call me Boss again, dammit!" 

On the Upper West Side, a young man in a hoodie put away his phone and looked towards a factory three blocks away. It was the most heavily guarded place in the area, with countless gang members and regular folks patrolling back and forth. And every single one of them, without exception, was wearing a hat. 

Black ones, white ones, red ones, made of cloth, velvet, wool... 

Aside from the gang members all wearing felt hats, there were women in headscarves, cowboys in cowboy hats, kids in baseball caps, young guys in hoodies... These ordinary Gotham residents were acting just like the patrolling gangsters, all carrying guns. No matter how harmless they looked, if the Mad Hatter gave the word, they would pull the trigger on anyone without hesitation. 

This is the Mad Hatter's mind control ability. He hides control chips in the hats, and as long as someone puts one on, they are undeniably under his control. Actually, the current number of controlled people isn't even his limit; it's just that the Joker doesn't let him control too many. Otherwise, it's hard to say this war wouldn't just turn into a war between the Mad Hatter and the Riddler. 

After all, supervillains don't exactly have a strong sense of morality or loyalty. The alliances they form are pretty loose. Whoever has the biggest fist naturally becomes the boss. 

"So the Mad Hatter is also managing Solomon's territory on the side... Guess that makes sense, though. That zombie's way too dumb to manage an area." 

[I hope readers remember our domain 101kan.com up to this point] 

Just then, a patrol of Falcone family members happened to be coming down the street towards where the man was. The young man mumbled softly, and his entire body, along with his clothes, quickly lost color and softened, turning into a puddle of yellow mud before slipping into a dark alley. 

At that moment, the patrol walked into the street. After looking around, the gunmen didn't notice anything unusual, so they got ready to leave. 

Just then, a blurry shape moved in the dark alley. 

"Huh? What the heck is that?" 

The gunman at the back of the group happened to see the shape. He immediately raised his gun and aimed it at the alley, calling out a wary warning to the gunmen ahead. 

"Hey, hold up! I think I saw something in the alley." 

The other gunmen were just as alert. With his heads-up, the guys in front stopped immediately and raised their guns, ready to fire into the alley at any moment. 

"Should we go check it out?" 

"Uh... I'm a little scared. Can we not go in?" 

"What are you scared of? There are so many of us. Even if Batman showed up, he couldn't stand against this many rifles firing at once." 

"What if it's not Batman?" 

"You're such a damn coward... Fine, get the flashlight." 

The lead gunman just turned on his flashlight and shined it right into the alley. The bright beam of white light swept over the sewage in the alleyway, 

then the dumpster, and then... 

"What the heck!" 

Everyone saw a yellow shape flash by quickly. They all immediately got ready to pull the trigger, and then, that yellow shape shot right out of the alley. 

"Don't shoot! Don't shoot!" 

The lead gunman's voice suddenly rang out. The other gunmen's instinctive move to fire was stopped, and then everyone got a clear look at what that yellow shape really was. 

It was a big Golden Retriever. It tilted its head, looking at the group of gunmen. It looked harmless and wasn't afraid of people. "Damn... almost scared me to death. It's just a Golden Retriever. Reggie, what the heck? A dog scares you?" 

"Weren't you guys scared too, dammit?" 

"Alright, alright, it's fine as long as nothing happened. We should head back." 

"What about this dog?" 

"What? You think the Riddler sent it?" 

"No, it's not that..." 

"Just leave it there. No need to bother with it." 

So the gunmen turned around and walked towards what looked like a theater. 

A couple more gunmen couldn't help but look back again. They saw that the Golden Retriever was silently following behind the group, not making a sound or barking. 

"That's creepy. This thing walks without making a sound..." 

The lead gunman frowned and urged, "Stop looking. Let's go." 

So a few of them turned back to ask, "What if this dog follows us into the factory?" 

"I don't know. Maybe Solomon will just smash it into a pulp, or maybe he'll keep it." 

While they were talking, the Golden Retriever quickly leaped up, directly pouncing onto Reggie's back. Its entire body melted into a pool of thick mud in mid-air, instantly covering the gunman completely. 

He struggled desperately in the mud, but his mouth was completely sealed, and his limbs were instantly bound. He couldn't make a sound. The mud silently pulled him rapidly into the alleyway. The whole thing only took maybe two or three seconds, and no one in the patrol group noticed. 

Just then, a couple of the gunmen couldn't help but turn their heads to look again. But this time, the Golden Retriever was already gone. 

"Huh? Where'd that dog go? And where's Reggie?" 

Chapter 214: Monsters Brawling 

Spotting Legion and Goldie missing from the back of the line, the gunman leading the patrol immediately changed his expression. 

"Something's off! Everyone, stay alert!" 

Just as the leader called for alert, Legion came walking out of the alley, buckling his belt. 

"Huh? What's going on? Alert for who?" 

"Could you give a heads-up when you leave the group?" 

"Just took a leak, man, don't be so jumpy, bro." 

"Where's the dog?" 

"No clue. Maybe he was scared Solomon would kill him, so he took off." 

Legion chuckled, explained a couple of things, then rejoined the group. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Upper West Side, next to a fancy theater, there was also a large group of people on patrol wearing hats. There were hardly any gang members among them; the group was almost entirely made up of regular civilians in their everyday clothes. 

"Everybody pay attention," one of the gunmen said, looking at the neighborhood in the night, reminding the guys playing cards next to him. "At least cut back on the drinking. Cody (the Mad Hatter) just said we're getting hit tonight." 

"What are you scared of?" a gunman with a cigarette dangling from his lips sneered, tossing out two cards. "You can see it yourself, there are hundreds of people patrolling around here. Once these guys put on those hats, they're like robots. They don't feel hungry, they don't feel cold, they don't feel tired, they don't even let a single damn word out of their mouths. They don't do anything but patrol." 

"Speaking of that, I gotta say that guy is seriously messed up," another gunman complained, taking a swig from his beer can. "Damn it, always got people in the theater performing some Alice in Wonderland for him, singing creepy nursery rhymes all day and night. The guy's just a damn psycho, crazy as the Joker." 

"If it was just putting on fairy tales, fine," a third gunman shook his head. "But not a single person that scumbag dragged in to act for him has walked out of that theater alive yet. If he wasn't always going out to do jobs for the Joker, we'd have to clean up bloodstains in that theater every single day." 

"Jackson just got shot and killed on stage by him yesterday. This guy even kills his own people. I seriously wanna just put a bullet in his head." 

"Watch your mouth, man. The Joker and the Mad Hatter are both crazy. If words like that get back to them, we brothers will have to haul your body and dump it in Gotham Harbor." 

"F**k you, I'll at least live longer than you." 

"Besides," he added, "who knows if anyone's really gonna attack tonight? God knows where psychos like that get their intel. We don't need to be all worked up. Do what you gotta do tonight, go to sleep when it's time. These hundreds of controlled dummies are way better fighters than us anyway." 

"According to Cody, they planted a mole among the Riddler's soldiers. That guy's hats are seriously spooky. The intel might actually be legit." 

"Alright, alright," one of the gunmen put down his cards and beer can. "If a fight actually breaks out later, we gotta make sure we're not too drunk. Gotta find a safe spot to hide so we don't catch a stray bullet." 

"Now that makes some sense." 

BOOM! 

As the guys were talking, a massive bang suddenly came from the neighborhood far away. Startled, they whipped their heads around, only to see flames shooting into the sky and a column of gray-black smoke. 

"Holy crap, what's going on?!" 

"Looks like Cody's intel wasn't exactly spot on." 

"Whose turf is that over there?" 

"That big dumb lug's. Solomon Grundy." 

"Now that's gonna be a show..." 

"Aren't we gonna help?" 

"That monster fights like the Hulk, you serious?" 

"Nah, forget it." 

"Solomon Grundy! Born on a Monday!" 

An angry roar echoed from the factory. The massive, pale-white figure's clothes were in tatters, his body covered in scorched burn marks, with a few flames still flickering on his skin. He had his hands plunged into a huge, humanoid mud figure, trying to tear this enemy who had suddenly attacked him in the factory to shreds, but he was being constricted by the sticky mud. 

His arm muscles bulged dramatically, unleashing terrifying power from his hands. The mud figure's chest was slowly being torn open. He was straining with all his might to keep Solomon restrained, but it was clear he couldn't hold on much longer. 

"This zombie just took an explosion head-on, how is he still this strong?!" 

Two massive mud legs extended from the mud mass. The mud figure leaped with all his might, carrying Solomon directly into the air. Instinctively, Solomon tried to grab onto the steel beams in the factory, but his hands still weren't free from the restraint. He could only be forcefully carried by the mud figure as they smashed through the factory roof and shot straight into the night sky. 

Without a doubt, the mud figure's super strength might be inferior to Solomon's, but it was definitely on a non-human level. The powerful leap sent them high into the air, and then they started falling back towards the factory floor. 

"Solomon Grundy! Born on a Monday!" 

The mud mass reshaped in the air, wrapping around Solomon and adjusting his posture. The pale-white zombie was heading down headfirst, slamming hard onto the tough concrete ground. Despite his desperate struggles, the sticky mud mass had practically turned him into an insect in amber, every movement of his body hindered. 

BOOM! 

They hit the ground in seconds. The mud mass dispersed just before impact, shattering into scattered mud. Solomon's massive, heavy body, however, crashed through the floor. The terrifying tremor and loud crash made the entire factory area shake violently. 

What was even worse was that on the outskirts of the factory, the large number of citizens controlled by the Mad Hatter were all walking towards the factory with guns. The gang members who still had their wits about them stayed put, knowing full well that ordinary flesh and blood couldn't possibly get involved in a fight between two such behemoths. 

Even getting hit by a piece of rubble splashed up during the fight, or having their internal organs ruptured by the shockwave generated by the battle, would be enough to kill someone on the spot. Not to mention the possibility of being casually picked up by one of them and thrown like a projectile. 

And right now, even if Kite Man and Batman showed up together, they wouldn't be able to stop everyone outside the factory by themselves – there were just too many people controlled by the Mad Hatter. 

Meanwhile, inside the factory, Solomon was climbing out of the deep crater. The impact of their fall had split his head wide open on the ground, but he seemed completely oblivious to it. His gruesome wound exposed his stark white skull, along with dark red muscle and some brain tissue, but no blood was flowing out – or maybe, as a zombie, Solomon just didn't have that kind of stuff in his body? 

Facing Solomon, the mud scattered on the ground regrouped, forming a mud giant. He was amazed by how tough Solomon was. 

"This guy is seriously a monster..." 

Chapter 215: Solomon Completely Countered 

Outside the abandoned factory, Clayface and Solomon, two monsters, were facing off. 

After infiltrating the factory, Clayface successfully struck first, hitting Solomon twice with a violent explosion and a high-altitude fall. Without a doubt, he'd dealt significant damage; Solomon's entire body and head had taken a beating. 

But in just moments, the skin on Solomon, scorched dry and black from the explosion's high heat, began to crack and peel off. The wound on his head also started slowly shrinking. Dark red muscle and greenish-gray skin were regrowing at his injuries, repairing his body at a speed so fast it was visible to the naked eye. 

Clayface saw Solomon's healing speed and his mood turned serious. This big guy's defense was already monstrous enough, but he hadn't expected his regeneration to be so terrifying too. If he hadn't been the one fighting him today, it's uncertain if anyone else from the Riddler's side could have guaranteed an advantage. 

Luckily, he wasn't afraid of physical attacks, and Grundy only knew how to fight with his fists and feet. 

After assessing the situation with his mud-formed head, he immediately charged at Grundy. Clearly, waiting any longer would only give this massive zombie time to recover and catch his breath. Seeing Clayface charge, Grundy also roared and charged back at him, swinging a punch. 

"Solomon Grundy! Born on a Monday!" 

Both massive figures charged at each other, the ground rumbling from their footsteps. Grundy instinctively balled up his huge iron-like fist and swung at Clayface, while the mud giant twisted and reshaped one of his hands, mixing in gravel and twisted rebar, turning it into a giant sledgehammer that he also swung at the oncoming Solomon. 

BANG! SMASH! 

Their blows struck each other's bodies simultaneously. A violent shockwave and blast of air accompanied the huge impact, blowing tiny pieces of rubble twenty meters away. 

Solomon's left shoulder took a hit from Clayface's punch, and his knees sank directly into the hard concrete ground. Half his body tilted backward precariously. Meanwhile, Clayface's left side was directly blasted into a mass of exploding mud by Solomon's fist, leaving only half his mud body and two legs holding him up. 

Both big guys couldn't help but roar out at the same time. Solomon hadn't expected a mud fist, which should have been incredibly soft, to harden and solidify, becoming as tough as steel. With the rebar reinforcing its shape, that punch directly broke through the zombie's tough gray hide, nearly shattering his shoulder. 

And Clayface also hadn't expected that all Grundy, this big lug, needed to do was simply raise his fist and hammer down on him; his terrifying strength was enough to smash his hardened mud body into a mess. 

"A pointless struggle..." he chuckled. His mud body quickly reformed. Physical blows like the one just taken were meaningless to him. Since his entire body was made of mud and clay, Grundy's attacks couldn't cause any real damage. 

His hands once again transformed into two giant meteor hammers, using broken rebar pieces as spikes on the heads, and he slammed them violently towards Solomon. The undead zombie's regeneration took time, and with this fighting style, he could completely wear Solomon down until he didn't have time to heal. 

Solomon braced his hands on the ground and leaped with all his might, pulling himself out of the crater. This time, he didn't charge directly at Clayface's attacks. Instead, he immediately turned and ran into the factory. 

"Solomon Grundy... scared?" 

Clayface sneered and chased after him. His two mud arms extended infinitely like tough putty, and the heavy meteor hammers slammed hard into Solomon's back, blasting him away. Although there was no sound of bones breaking, sharp rebar had torn several wounds in the flesh on Solomon's back. 

After the greenish-gray behemoth flew into the burning factory, his figure was obscured by the flames. Clayface looked at the factory and hesitated for a moment. He chose not to follow him directly inside. This kind of environment was bad for him; if he got tangled up in there too long, the heat would dry out the water in his mud body. 

In a straightforward slugfest, he had a definite advantage. But in this kind of specific combat environment, whether it was high or low temperatures, fire or water, they would all weaken him to some extent. In the most extreme cases, they could make him completely lose his ability to fight. 

"Solomon Grundy! Born on a Monday!" 

Just as he hesitated, Solomon charged directly out of the flames. In each hand, he held an H-beam as thick as a normal person's waist. Just watching those two heavy steel beams whistle through the air as he swung them, no one would realize each one weighed several tons. 

Seeing the two burning steel beams swinging towards him, Clayface didn't choose to turn back into a soft puddle. That would cause the two meteor hammers he'd formed, complete with embedded rebar and stones, to fall apart. Instead, he simply swung his hammers directly at the Solomon charging at him. 

Solomon also swung the steel beams. The two flaming steel beams met the meteor hammers. Moments later, the crash of metal on mud and stone once again made the ground tremble slightly. Shattered mud chunks, rebar, dirt, and rocks flew everywhere. Although the steel beams were slightly bent, Clayface's weapons were also directly smashed. 

At this point, the crowd outside the factory had gathered at the factory gates. In just a few more minutes, they'd be pouring into the factory itself. 

Just then, two figures, one black and one green, finally appeared in the sky. Batman and Kite Man, drawn by the blazing factory firelight and the occasional massive crashes, had arrived above the factory. 

Kite Man spotted the scene in the factory right away. "Solomon Grundy and Clayface are fighting? No wonder the factory's torn up like this." 

"No," Batman said, shaking his head. "They haven't been fighting inside the factory for long. Most of the damage is from the explosion – Clayface is keeping away from an environment that's bad for him." 

"So what do we do now? There are too many people outside the factory, and they're all pushing their way in. We can't stop all of them." 

"People controlled by the Mad Hatter only follow orders. We can't just forcibly stop them – not unless we take off their hats one by one." 

"We probably don't have that kind of time..." 

"There's another way." 

Batman operated the miniature Bat-computer on his arm. Seconds later, the roar of powerful engines sounded in the sky. The Batwing, which had been on standby, arrived above the battlefield. 

"We're taking them out." 

As soon as he spoke, the Batwing immediately dove towards the two figures on the ground. At the same time, an ice-blue mushroom-shaped device fell from his hand towards the ground. 

CRACKLE An icy blast instantly swept over Clayface and Solomon Grundy on the ground, freezing the two massive figures into a block of ice.