In the eternal space, the golden light gradually dissipated, eventually turning into tiny specks of fluorescence, merging into Arthur's body. He opened his eyes, and there seemed to be an indescribable passion in his gaze.
He had spent countless years in the world created by the Dream Star, but in the outside world, it was just a moment. Bruce, Peter, and Gordon all stared at Arthur, naturally noticing the changes in him.
"Uh... Mr. Arthur?" Peter looked at Arthur with uncertainty. "Is it really you?"
Arthur's appearance hadn't changed at all, with no missing limbs, and no additional scars on his face, but when he just opened his eyes, his whole demeanor was completely different from before.
Demeanor is a mysterious thing, intangible yet undeniable. Sometimes, it attracts more attention than a specific appearance. Those superb actors and actresses, when playing good characters, look kind and gentle, and when playing villains, they appear sinister. Besides acting and makeup skills, changes in demeanor are also indispensable.
Among the four players this time, Arthur underwent the most significant changes in the quiz game.
At the beginning, he was a pitiful and pathetic mental patient, appearing restrained and introverted. After the exposure of his future video, Arthur's condition worsened, leaning toward that terrifyingly insane Joker.
But now, he had a sincere smile on his face, and his eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, giving people the first impression that he was a leader full of fighting spirit, hope, and positivity!
"Damn!" Gordon was dumbfounded, staring blankly, and muttered, "I actually mistook him for Batman..."
Bruce raised an eyebrow, also feeling puzzled. Like Gordon, he felt a sense of familiarity in Arthur's demeanor at this moment.
How could they not be familiar? If Arthur were to play Batman now, he might even fool everyone!
He smiled and said, "As you can see, I am Arthur, neither the Joker nor Batman."
Arthur's smile was very warm and infectious. Even Peter couldn't help but smile. "Mr. Arthur, you are so much better now. your smile now feels very comfortable, not as scary as before..."
Bruce was more concerned about the reason behind his changes. He hinted, "It seems you gained quite a bit from the mysterious prize."
"Yes, I found the way to change Gotham and even the whole world. No, don't worry, of course, it's not the madness and destruction used by that crazy Joker to achieve his so-called fairness. That's a crooked path. I want to create a world of true justice and fairness, full of vitality, free from oppression, and where everyone is equal! Bruce, Peter, Commissioner Gordon, would you like to join this great cause?"
Arthur's bright eyes looked at them, accompanied by passionate gestures. His words and attitude were very persuasive, describing his blueprint without reservation, a world full of beautiful ideals.
Peter nodded repeatedly, full of admiration. Gordon and Bruce exchanged glances, both wearing strange expressions.
"This game is truly magical, turning a terrifying mental patient into a staunch idealist..." Gordon sighed with emotion, and in the end, he naturally refused Arthur's invitation, after all, they were in different worlds.
Bruce remained non-committal, neither agreeing nor refusing. Instead, Peter was attracted by Arthur's idea and eagerly invited him to join the Multiverse defenders.
Arthur naturally agreed, "Yes, Peter, you're right. We shouldn't limit our perspective to our own city or world. We should look into the multiverse. As long as everyone holds justice and fairness in their hearts, no matter where we are, we are comrades!"
"you are right, Mr Arthur, we are comrades!" Peter was ecstatic, nodding repeatedly. "That's great, Mr. Arthur, now you are truly yourself."
Peter still regarded Arthur as a friend. At first, he took care of him very much, but after watching Arthur's transformation into the Joker's future video, he felt very conflicted. Now, with Arthur's transformation through the quiz game, it was naturally a great relief for him. Even if he lost this game, making such a good friend was worth it.
Gordon and Bruce had much more complex thoughts. On the one hand, they understood Arthur's thoughts and theories, but overall, they didn't quite agree. On the other hand, they couldn't completely trust this guy who would eventually become the Joker, suddenly turning over a new leaf.
What if all of this was just an act?
At this time, the quiz game gave a reminder that the game would end in one minute, and all players would return to their own worlds.
Before parting, Arthur told Bruce,
"After you return, you must guard not only against the Joker but also against another, more terrifying opponent."
"The Steepenwolf or Darkseid?" Peter asked curiously. He had seen the future of the Justice League version of Batman and knew that the enemies the Justice League had to face were indeed very powerful.
Arthur shook his head: "No, I'm talking about—The Laughing Batman."
"The Laughing Batman?" Bruce raised his eyebrows, instinctively feeling that this name, or rather, nickname, was not very pleasant. Frowning, he asked, "What else do you know?"
"Bruce, you must strengthen your resolve and must not waver." Arthur locked eyes with Bruce, now more than anyone, he knew the terrifying monster hidden deep within the heart of Gotham's Dark Knight.
Therefore, one couldn't help but admire Batman's tenacious willpower. Arthur had a brief encounter with The Laughing Batman in the Dream Star and was also influenced by Batman. Having played the role of Batman for so long, his will was constantly honed, becoming more resilient with each setback, which was a key reason for his eventual victory.
"Right, there's also this." Arthur raised his hand and took out a notebook, throwing it to Bruce as the light enveloping them gradually faded: "Take a good look, it should be of help to you!"
Bruce reacted quickly, catching the notebook. He glimpsed the cover, which read "Gotham City Investigation Report."
As the dazzling light faded, the four players returned to their own worlds. Bruce, upon his return, was approached by another Bruce from a parallel universe before he had the chance to look through the notebook Arthur gave him, being invited to join the Multiverse Defenders face to face.
Gordon was then taken away for investigation by official agencies.
Arthur returned to the familiar Gotham City, energetically beginning his own venture, building his ideal state.