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Chapter 204: Who Are You Again? IV
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The Sixth dimension was very lovely, and Ian had plenty of fun traveling through it with his lovers while focusing on perfecting the Rose Of Death, but soon, he sensed something, "It's finally happening huh?"
He flared his wings, and a moment later, Ian found himself standing on the tallest roof of Gotham right next to Batman.
"You're very hard to contac..." Batman's words came to a halt as he turned to eye Ian, a bit bewildered because of Ian's changes, especially his blurry eyes. It was as if he had gone blind.
"Yeah, I was very far away," Ian shrugged as his eyesight detected the anomaly in the sky, darkness slowly overwhelming every world throughout every Universe.
"You could've at least left a way to contact you... I had to wait," Batman spoke, tension clear in his voice, "You left everything behind, and everything fell apart, even your companies."
"Hmm, all of those things became useless and meaningless at some point." Ian stated as he sensed everything throughout Gotham, "But well, Gotham seems to be very peaceful in your hand."
"It's largely due to the fear and discipline you printed on the very core of Gotham," Batman shook his head, and added, "But I learned a few things from you, so Gotham should... Will be safe in my hands."
"That's lovely." Ian nodded with a smile, feeling somewhat proud. He didn't need to question Batman anymore because he already saw his plans.
He changed his methods methodically and drastically. Batman no longer was the absolute force in Gotham. He went under the radar, and only took care of the most pressing of issues.
What took his place was another personality, Bruce Wayne.
The Wayne corporation thrived significantly when Ian was ruling Gotham all because Batman had faith in Ian, so when Gotham became the most peaceful and prosperous city in the country, the Bat was ready to take full advantage of that.
Thus why The Wayne Corp's influence was only second to the Roses, and when the Roses vanished, Wayne corporation took the opportunity to take full control of the financial side of things.
On the other hand, a crime family took the place of the Roses, and strangely, they had enough forces and strength to do very well, and keep a tight hold on the underworld's side of Gotham.
The three major people in charge of all sides of Gotham are Batman, Bruce Wayne, and the crime lord that calls himself the Dark Side. They're all the same person.
"Can you do it? And if so, what's the price?" Batman finally asked the most important question that would stress even the calmest of minds.
Hell, even a dead person would come to life by the sheer pressure of the question only to put themselves back in their grave out of fear.
"Huh?" Ian raised his brows in confusion, seeming offended, "Have you gone mad? Am I so greedy as to not do this out of kindness? Am I not the most charitable person you ever met?"
It was Batman's turn to be confused, "Are you not the greediest person to ever exist? And wasn't the charity you funded used to get charity for yourself."
"No," Like a turn-based Rpg, it was Ian's turn to be confused, "I was merely funding myself to achieve the greater good."
"Yeah, sure..." Thankfully, Batman believed him, quite understandable considering Ian's kindness.
Ian shrugged and vanished, taking his place was Constantine who just showed himself.
Because this is a turn-based Rpg, it was Constantine's turn to be confused, "What happened? Am I mind-controlled? This must be some kind of conspiracy, right? Did he go mad? Have I gone mad? Am I in a simulation?"
There comes a time in life when something happens so inconceivable to the human mind it can drive one insane.
"Hey!! Out of it!" A slap to the face by the Bat woke him up, "He really messed with your mind a bit too much. Get it together, alright?"
Constantine frowned as he caressed his cheek, "Aghh, It hurts... but you're right. He must just be messing around with me again. We need more preparations just in case..."
They definitely still don't trust Ian, but someone who does is Diana. She very much trusts the lengths he will go to get the answers he desires. It was obvious to her more than most, but she chose to ignore the possibility until now.
"Did you do it?" Diana asked.
Ian didn't directly head out to the monsters waiting for him but paid Diana a visit first, and now she was looking quite stern, but also tense at the same time.
"I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about, but sure, I did it." Ian shrugged, not taking her too seriously as he lay down on the lovely green grass of the countryside.
It was a nice place for their meeting, well, for Ian at least. Diana didn't seem to care, "I'm serious."
"So am I," Ian answered again as he glanced at her odd expression like she was wishing for a different answer.
That still wasn't enough for her as she asked again though she was more specific this time, trying to look for the straw that can lead to an alternate direction, "You're the one responsible for the eradication of the other universes?"
"Yup," Ian smiled as he nodded, "I gladly did it to further my goals." His smile irritated her to no end. It was like he wants to make the situation than it already is.
"How do you expect me to react?" Diana asked as she clenched her fists, irritation apparent in her eyes, "Do you think I would just let it go? Do you think I will just follow your steps like a sheep?! Just who do you think I am? Or do you just not care about what I think?"
"I knew exactly how you'd react, but I don't care enough to change my ways." Ian's response was strangely a bit too cold, especially considering his close relationship with Diana.
"Power didn't get to you. You were always like this. Power just showed the real you. This is why you're acting like this?" Diana asked, trying to hide her confusion.
"Not really. I just want to see how you'd react. It's very amusing." Ian let out a smile as he closed his eyes. His words only worked to make her madder.
"You... I..." Diana seemed speechless and hesitant. She knows what she should do considering the kind of person she is. She should be trying to take his head off considering the kind of person he is.
"I have to take care of a few things, but I'll be back... We can 'Talk' Then." And without waiting for an answer, Ian vanished again, leaving Diana in a battle with herself.
"I..." Diana bit her own lips, finding her mentality crumbling, facing an existential crisis, "Even if It means Death, I have to..."
Ian was acting very weird recently, but such are the consequences of knowing some things. It's most often than not good to know more, but one should know the consequences that come with knowing.
Can you bear that burden? Can you handle the truth? Ian was handling it very well considering the extent of what he's constantly remembering about his past.
But nothing was weirder than the Anti-Monitor speaking with unbridled contempt, "I have been waiting for this for a long time. Your existence stopped me from achieving my destiny, but finally..."
"Who are you again?" Ian sized up the odd creature before turning his attention to the creature he deems to be most dangerous, Darkseid.
The battlefield was ready, prepared by Darkseid himself. They were waiting for him, preparing for what was to come.