The cold night air carried the scent of smoke and panic. Devil's Side was on the verge of collapse.
But hope was in motion.
Bunnyman, Lady Tape, and Deadknight leapt from rooftop to rooftop, dropping modified canisters across key points of the city. The same method Mr. Crow had used—now turned against him.
Hissing gas burst from the capsules. The weak sedative drug began to spread.
Below, the chaos shifted. People staggered, their aggressive energy dulled. Some dropped to their knees, clutching their heads. Others simply collapsed, unconscious or dazed. The drug was working.
Lady Tape landed beside two raging men who hadn't yet been affected. With a flick of her tape, she wrapped them and slammed them into a nearby wall.
"No choice," she muttered.
Deadknight was more direct. He punched a rioter mid-charge, sending him flying.
Bunnyman swept the last capsule across a market plaza, then stood atop a ledge, watching as the tide of violence began to quiet.
"We did it," Lady Tape said behind him, breathing heavily. "It's working."
Deadknight gave a rare nod. "Finally."
But Bunnyman didn't look relaxed. His eyes scanned the horizon.
"No… the war isn't over yet."
And then—
A blur. A streak of dark force.
CRASH.
Rex.
He burst from the shadows like a missile, grabbing Bunnyman by the chest and hurling him through the air, sending him crashing across several rooftops and into a quiet street far away.
"No!" Lady Tape yelled.
She and Deadknight turned to Rex instantly, both of them leaping in to attack.
But something was wrong.
They hit him—he didn't budge.
Rex turned his head slowly toward them.
His body was massive now. Muscles rippled under his dark armor, his eyes glowing slightly.
Lady Tape's strikes barely fazed him. Deadknight tried to tackle him—but Rex grabbed his fist in midair and flung him into a wall.
"He's stronger," Deadknight growled as he stood up again. "Way stronger."
Back on the lonely street below—
Bunnyman lay on his back, coughing, struggling to stand.
A shadow approached.
Boots crunched over glass.
Mr. Crow.
He stepped into view, hands behind his back, composed… and smiling.
"You should've stayed out of this," he said softly. "You and your little team."
Then, without warning—a kick to the face.
Bunnyman collapsed again.
Another kick. Then another.
Blood ran down the edge of his mask.
"You think you're better than me?" Mr. Crow hissed. "You think heroes make a difference in a city like this?"
He leaned down, inches from Bunnyman's face.
"I've always wanted to know who you really are."
His fingers reached for the mask—