Bruce was remarkably talented. After mastering dart throwing, he enlisted Marcus as his teacher with Alfred's help.
Marcus didn't refuse their invitation. Teaching some fighting skills was something he didn't mind at all.
"Your body is still developing, so you need to focus on building strength over the next few months. Don't overdo it though, or you'll risk injuring yourself."
"However, I can teach you some rapier techniques."
Taking a rapier from a suit of armor nearby, Marcus held the slender sword before him.
"As a member of the Wayne family, you should be familiar with rapiers."
Glancing at the family's armor collection, Marcus continued:
"The blade of a rapier is generally round or square, with only the very tip sharpened. This design highlights the rapier's fighting style. The weapon focuses on thrusting attacks, though the blade's edge can also be used for slashing."
As he spoke, Marcus flicked his finger against the sword, producing a crisp, ringing sound.
"What I'll teach you is a style called 'Cunning Fox.' It's a swordsmanship method for rapid cutting and thrusting, incorporating attack, defense, counterattack, footwork, and other elements."
Marcus raised the sword with one hand. In just a few seconds, flashes of steel filled the air in front of him. The rapier moved so quickly it was almost impossible to track with the naked eye.
"This is a direct attack method called 'camouflage attack.' Now I'll add footwork and rhythm."
He attacked while moving, the rapier whistling through the air as he advanced and retreated with measured steps.
"This is an attack with integrated movement, called 'duel secret.' You use the tip of the blade to cut and thrust while maintaining mobility."
Marcus's every move filled Bruce with admiration. Even Alfred, the experienced butler, was astonished by Marcus's rapier skills.
Unlike Bruce, Alfred was no civilian. As a butler with vast militant background, he knew a great deal about many things, but Marcus's swordsmanship changed his perception of rapiers entirely.
He'd never imagined that this weapon, traditionally used by nobles for dueling, could be wielded with such deadly effectiveness.
The cunning and deceptive sword technique flourished in Marcus's hands. True to its name, the style was like a cunning fox—constantly switching between thrusting and cutting, making the attacks nearly impossible to defend against.
"Western swordplay differs from other weapon styles. In battle, besides defending against your opponent's attacks, you must quickly identify their weaknesses and strike decisively."
Marcus set down the rapier and picked up two thin wooden sticks.
"Now, try to attack me with this." He tossed one stick to Bruce and smiled. "Use the skills you've learned and come at me with everything you have."
Bruce took the stick and began a tentative attack. His technique was naive, his intentions obvious.
Snap!
Marcus easily deflected Bruce's attack with a flick of his wrist. "Continue," he said calmly.
Snap!
"Continue."
Snap! Snap! Snap!
"Continue, continue, continue..."
The sound of clashing sticks and Marcus's steady encouragement echoed throughout Wayne Manor.
...
That night, after Bruce finished training, Marcus left Wayne Manor and returned to Gotham's center.
For days now, he had been searching Gotham. He was certain the Court of Owls' Talons would eventually appear.
He'd covered half the city but still found no trace of these assassins.
Moving swiftly through Gotham, with buildings blurring behind him, Marcus suddenly spotted a flashing shadow that caught his attention. The figure moved with such speed that most people would never have noticed it.
"Looks like my target has finally appeared."
Marcus used his void dash to rush toward the shadow. As he closed in, he clearly saw the figure's appearance.
Just as he remembered, the Talon was equipped with weapons across their body and wore an owl-like helmet. They used a claw-shaped grappling hook to travel rapidly through the city.
"I wonder what they're up to?"
The Talon was heading toward Gotham's Blackgate Prison.
If they had been targeting one of the gangs or crime families, Marcus might have understood, but heading to the prison confused him.
Was there a prisoner they needed to eliminate?
Sneaking into Blackgate behind the Talon, Marcus observed that they seemed intimately familiar with the prison layout. Rather than searching randomly, they walked directly to a specific cell with obvious purpose.
When the Talon opened the cell door, Marcus was surprised to discover the prisoner was none other than the robber and murderer he had disabled—the man who had killed Bruce's parents.
"Is the Talon here to silence him?"
This puzzled Marcus. In his recollection, this was just an ordinary criminal with no special identity. Why would a Talon break into prison to find this particular man?
While Marcus pondered this, the Talon acted. A sharp dagger severed the robber's neck, and his head fell to the floor.
After decapitating the prisoner, the Talon calmly wiped the bloodstains from the blade and turned to leave.
But Marcus couldn't let them escape. He'd been searching Gotham for the Talons for too long to allow this one to simply walk away.
A kunai flew from his hand, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle as it shot toward the Talon.
Ding~
The Talon reacted with incredible speed, using one of their weapons to deflect the kunai.
Marcus released his void mode and materialized before the Talon.
"Since you're out in the open, why not play with me for a while?"
As he spoke, several more kunai flew from his hands, blocking all the Talon's escape routes.
Ding, ding, ding
A series of metallic sounds rang out as the Talon retreated under Marcus's assault. The kunai Marcus threw were extraordinarily powerful, and each targeted vital points, forcing the Talon to defend desperately.
Although the assassin was immortal, recovery still took time. Severe damage to vital organs would require even longer to heal. This was why the Talon kept trying to block Marcus's attacks.
However, they had clearly underestimated Marcus. Despite their best defensive efforts, the Talon's body was soon covered in wounds.
"Alright, warm-up's over."
As the last kunai left his hand, Marcus suddenly closed the distance between them. He grabbed the Talon with one hand and slammed them against the wall.
Boom!
The Talon hit the wall with a dull thud before Marcus smashed them into it again.
Marcus's legs glowed with faint void energy as he channeled tremendous power, kicking the Talon deeper into the wall.
Such an attack would have killed an ordinary person instantly, but the Talon was different. Despite the blood flowing from numerous wounds, they still clutched their dagger tightly, fighting back against Marcus.
It was as though the severely injured person from moments ago had been someone else entirely.
"So it seems those things really do exist in Gotham."
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Marvel x Star Wars: Avengers in the Clone Wars
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