Arthur clenched his fists, determined to smash this bastard's head. Dark thoughts surged within him as he taunted, "Ra's, turning the enemy's son into a skilled fighter for a destined showdown. Do you find this a thrilling drama?"
"Perhaps," Ra's Al Ghul raised an eyebrow, "Initially, I didn't know your identity, but that doesn't matter now, Arthur. You are my admired disciple, and I hope you make the right choice."
"The right choice?" Arthur couldn't contain his anger, suddenly bursting into laughter. The laughter abruptly stopped as he pounced on Ra's Al Ghul like a cheetah.
The surprise attack succeeded, but Ra's being experienced, managed a few moves against Arthur. As they fought, assassins on standby joined the fray, attacking Arthur together. Despite the elite assassins, Arthur easily took them down. He resumed the battle with Ra's, extending from the factory to the outside.
Amazed by Arthur's increased strength, Ra's Al Ghul realized continuing the fight might not end well for him. Leading Arthur to another part of the factory, Ra's had set up bombs, intending to lure him in and trigger an explosion. However, Arthur was prepared, and the Batmobile swiftly appeared, crashing Ra's Al Ghul into a water reservoir.
Not missing the opportunity, Arthur attacked the soaked adversary. Ra's, battered and bruised, finally fell down.
"Tell me, where did you imprison him?!"
Arthur, holding Ra's by the neck, dragged him out of the water, eyes filled with malice. Suppressing his urge for revenge, Arthur knew saving Alfred first was essential.
Ra's nose was bruised and his face was swollen, but he was still calm and composed. He coughed and said, "It's too late, you can't save this city."
"But I can at least kill you!" Arthur threatened coldly.
Ra's shook his head, "No, you can't kill me... He is in the control room underground."
Arthur landed a punch and bound him with sturdy ropes, then dragged him to the underground control room. Despite having Ra's as a hostage, the assassins attacked ruthlessly. Arthur, adept in the face of darkness, easily took them down, leaving deep wounds on Ra's.
Arthur sneered: "Look, none of your men care about your life."
"That's because they know they are following an immortal being." Ra's Al Ghul calmly stared at Arthur.
"Arthur, you've lost your loved ones and must realize the fear of death. Regardless of your wealth or wisdom, in the end, you'll die. But now, if you're willing to follow me, I'll give you a chance to escape death and pursue immortality!"
It can be said that most people are afraid of death, because only when they are alive can they enjoy all kinds of fun, but when they die, everything will be in vain.
Yet Arthur did not pursue immortality.
whether as the Madman Joker or the current Batman, showed no interest in immortality. He coldly smiled, delivering two more punches. "Living like a turtle, what's the use?"
Ra's Al Ghul, undeterred, said, "You short-sighted people..." but was interrupted by more punches from Arthur.
Arthur, not satisfied, with a sinister smile, grabs Ra's neck, pointing to the control room where people are suspended: "Are you deliberately teasing me?"
During their conversation, he opened the control room, revealing a mess inside with several staff lying in a pool of blood. Hanging from the ceiling is a heavily injured guy, not the butler Arthur is looking for but the mob boss Carmine Falcone, recently sent to the police station.
"Wu, wu, wu!"
Falcone, seeing Arthur, struggles desperately, realizing he's in for a beating if Arthur decides to play rough.
"What do you mean?!" Ra's al Ghul, choked, says, "Do you think I'm lying? No, Arthur, you should understand me; I never lie!"
"Where is he?" Arthur, breathing heavily, eyes red, demands, "Release him, or I'll kill you!"
"Are you blind?" Ra's al Ghul finds the situation irrational, "He's right here unless you're not looking for him. But I'll tell you, I only caught him!"
Staring into his eyes, Arthur throws him to the ground, and then searches the control room carefully. It's not large, only one compartment, a rest area for on-duty personnel. However, as Ra's al Ghul said, there's only Carmine Falcone, no second hostage.
"Who are you looking for?" Ra's al Ghul, lying on the ground, coughs and laughs softly, "It seems we've had a misunderstanding from the beginning. Do you think I captured someone close to you?"
"Isn't it?!" Arthur, on the verge of chaos and darkness, suppresses his turmoil, regaining some sanity. He realizes he might have made a mistake.
Pressing Ra's al Ghul again is just a faint hope.
Ra's al Ghul shakes his head, "I haven't done these things, and I never lie. Don't threaten me with murder, Arthur; your problem is being too soft."
Hanging on the ceiling, Carmine Falcone thinks these people are lunatics. Is Batman too soft? Look at yourself; you both look beaten up.