Forged in Chaos: A Transmigrator’s Tale in the DC Universe

**Chapter 7: War on the Horizon**

Gotham had always been a city of shadows, but now, those shadows moved with purpose. The emergence of Cipher had changed everything. He wasn't just another crime boss—he was a strategist, a manipulator, someone who saw the bigger picture and moved the pieces accordingly. And Ethan Cross knew that if they didn't act fast, the city would soon belong to him.

Back in the Batcave, the mood was tense. The confrontation with Cipher had shaken even Bruce. The Batcomputer displayed every known piece of information on Cipher, but it wasn't much.

"No real name, no known aliases before Gotham. He just appeared one day, and within a year, he had his hands in every criminal network," Batman muttered.

Ethan clenched his fists. "So he's a ghost. Great. That doesn't help us stop him."

"It tells us something important," Batman said, eyes narrowing. "He's careful. He's smart. And that means he has a weakness—he needs to stay in control."

Ethan cracked his knuckles. "Then let's take that control away."

Cipher's drones were his eyes and ears across the city. If Ethan and Batman wanted to level the playing field, they had to blind him. And there was only one person who could help them do that—Lucius Fox.

At Wayne Enterprises, Lucius worked tirelessly to develop countermeasures for threats just like Cipher. The problem? Cipher knew that too.

"WayneTech servers have been under constant cyber-attacks since last night," Lucius explained, rubbing his temples. "Whoever this Cipher is, he's got resources beyond anything we've seen. And if he gets into our systems—"

"He'll have everything," Batman finished. "Blueprints, countermeasures, identities."

Ethan grinned. "Then let's hit him first."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "I hope you have a plan."

Ethan smirked. "Oh, I've got something fun in mind."

Cipher's main data hub was hidden beneath an abandoned subway station. It was heavily guarded, but Ethan wasn't one for subtlety. As Batman took out the perimeter guards with silent precision, Ethan went for a more direct approach.

He fused a pair of smoke grenades with high-powered magnets, tossing them toward the guards at the main entrance. The grenades latched onto their armor before exploding into a thick, blinding cloud. Before they could react, Ethan was already on them.

One guard swung a baton, but Ethan caught it, fused it with his gauntlet, and watched as the weapon hardened into reinforced steel. One punch sent the guard crashing into the wall, unconscious.

"We're in," Ethan whispered into the comms.

Batman's voice was calm. "Find the main server. Plant the disruptor. Get out."

Ethan moved quickly, navigating the underground facility. Cipher's men were well-trained, but they weren't ready for someone like him. He fused a throwing knife with a stun charge, taking out cameras along the way.

Finally, he reached the server room.

"Time to shut you down," Ethan muttered, placing the disruptor on the main terminal.

Alarms blared instantly.

"Intruder detected. Security lockdown engaged."

Ethan groaned. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy."

The room was instantly flooded with drones. Ethan grabbed a crowbar, fusing it with an EMP device from his belt. The second a drone came too close, he swung, watching as the pulse shut it down mid-air.

"I hope you have an exit plan," Batman's voice came through.

"Working on it!" Ethan shouted, dodging gunfire.

The disruptor activated, sending a pulse through the system. The drones flickered, their connection to Cipher severed. Across Gotham, the criminal networks relying on Cipher's surveillance suddenly went dark.

But then, a new voice came through Ethan's earpiece.

Cipher.

"Impressive," the modulated voice said. "But predictable. You think taking away my eyes will stop me? No, Ethan Cross. You've only made yourself my priority."

The transmission ended.

"Not ominous at all," Ethan muttered, sprinting for the exit.

Batman was already outside, the Batmobile's engine revving. Ethan dove in as bullets pinged off the armored exterior.

"We got what we came for," Batman said. "But he's coming for us now."

Ethan grinned. "Then let him come."

Because he wasn't afraid of Cipher.

He was ready for war.