Just as the weary mineworker slaves were leaning against the tunnel walls for a rest, a sudden rumbling sound erupted from beneath the earth. This caused all the demons to scramble to their feet, looking around with panic.
Batman, deep in thought, was awakened by the commotion. But instantly, he realized what was happening. He lowered his head and his gaze pierced through layers of rocks towards the sea of magma at the very bottom of the mine.
"Someone is stirring the magma! Someone is stirring the magma!" the elder of the shuttle snake demons screamed. "This is an ancient fire magic that can induce colossal magma waves and trigger volcanic eruptions. We must leave this place immediately!"
Upon hearing the words "magma eruption," Batman's mind flashed to the term "mountain structure."
As with all mines, the internal structure was riddled with innumerable cavities, of varying sizes, forming a complex network. A terrain such as this would provide a decisive advantage in tunnel warfare.
However, it posed a major risk. If the main structure were destroyed, a total collapse would be inevitable. With the force of gravity, nothing could escape the weight of a mountain.
Batman always knew that he would face the tricky issue of magic one day. But he didn't anticipate this day would come so soon. He hadn't thought of the Rotting Heart General's response to be so swift; using the underground magma turned out to be a good strategic move.
What astonished Batman was the Rotting Heart General's willingness to sacrifice his stronghold - the Central Mine, even under the pressure exerted by Beelzebub, in order to strike at them.
But Batman knew they had no time to hesitate now. The immediate priority was to evacuate everyone. Once the mountain collapsed, the aftermath would be catastrophic.
Fortunately, he had designated evacuation routes in advance. Amid the chaos, Batman clambered to a higher position, waving his hands and shouting, "Everyone, follow me! We must evacuate immediately!"
The leadership structure he had previously established worked flawlessly in the chaotic situation. All the demons instinctively followed him as they surged through the tunnels.
Fortunately, the number of mineworker slaves was limited and they were not all together. The rehearsed evacuation routes proved effective. Even though the slaves were slightly flustered, they managed to follow the evacuation route led by the older and more experienced mineworkers in an orderly manner.
The earthquakes intensified, making it difficult even for Batman, with his excellent coordination skills, to keep steady. Those demons with awkward proportions found it near impossible to move forward.
Those who fell were left behind in the rush with no one to help them. This sight evoked a feeling of despair in Batman.
He wasn't angry that none of his demonic companions was helping the fallen. He did not expect demons, known for their cruelty, to have compassion.
But he was taken aback by the resignation of those who had fallen. They did not cry for help, nor did they even attempt to rise. They lay there defeated, experiencing the pain inflicted by the falling rocks on their bodies.
Batman quickly grabbed a fallen miniature demon and heaved it to the front of the crowd. Swiftly, he picked up five or six more and hoisted them up to avoid them being trampled by the panicked crowd.
A particularly large giant demon had fallen due to the mine's violent shaking and found himself lodged in a crack in the rocks. No other passing demons stopped to help, so Batman fought against the crowd and yanked the giant demon to safety.
In that moment, Batman didn't see any demons─including himself. He saw his fellow demons as fellow beings and companions, the same people from the slums that he had once wanted to save but didn't exactly know how.
He knew that similar disasters were happening in Gotham. The crazed citizens attacking each other, the huge broccolis littering the ground blocking traffic, conspiracy plans being hatched behind the scenes. In the face of such a catastrophe, the plight of the lower classes could only worsen.
Despite being consumed by thoughts, Batman continued his rescue efficiently. He hoisted up the giant demon, signaled for it to run, and watched it hobble away.
Just when he was about to leave, he saw a shadow monster's tentacle trapped under a falling boulder. When Batman approached, he found it wasn't Hexagon. He sighed with relief and tried to pull the trapped appendage free.
But the boulder's pressure had caused extreme injury exceeding the creature's shadowy protective layer. As the shadow monster howled in agony, Batman remained calm and instructed, "You must sever this tentacle, or you won't be able to escape!"
"No!! My feet!! My feet are in so much pain!!" The response, almost identical to Hexagon's voice, caused Batman to pause momentarily. But without hesitation, he used the edge of his hand armor to cut off the injured tentacle and grabbed the other appendages to pull the shadow monster away.