"Have you locked onto his location?" Batman, listening to the Joker's voice, remained expressionless while accessing the equipment inside the Batplane, instructing Alfred to search for the Joker's whereabouts.
"Not yet. The entire Arkham Asylum is enveloped in a dark aura, making it impossible for the plane's scanning devices to detect anything inside..." Alfred quickly replied.
"Little bat, I'm giving you a chance, another opportunity to catch me. I can refrain from using these dark powers, as long as you can get past the Black Shadow Warriors and come face to face with me, I will surrender. How about it?" Just then, the Joker's voice sounded again, causing Batman to narrow his eyes towards the source of the sound.
"Boom!" Just as Batman was deciding whether to enter and play his trump card, an explosion resonated around them. Robert, upon landing, transformed into the power of the giant ape in rage and, expressing his dissatisfaction with the Joker hiding in the shadows, launched a qi blast that instantly demolished the Arkham Asylum building.
Batman: ???
Joker: ???
Both Batman and the Joker were stunned, especially the Joker, who had just been taunting Batman to come in and try his luck, only to find the Arkham Asylum now reduced to ruins.
However, the Joker was no longer inside Arkham Asylum, having moved along with the other inmates, as he considered them, aside from Batman, the only other interesting people worth saving from dying in a collision of extraordinary powers.
"It's a pity, I lived here for so many years, considering it my home. Fortunately, I still have a group of fellow inmates who can help me rebuild..." the Joker mused regretfully.
"Someone is even more unpredictable than me? But no matter, the explosion only destroyed the building. The surprise I prepared for the little bat can still be used..." The Joker, whose location was unknown, looked at the remains of Arkham Asylum with some regret.
"Pity, I've lived here for so many years, treating it as my home. Luckily, I have a group of fellow inmates who can help me rebuild our home..."
"Little bat, you didn't think I died in the explosion, did you?" Soon, the Joker's voice echoed again among the ruins, his tone mocking, "Or do you plan to rely on this outsider's help forever? Our famous Dark Knight of Gotham, are you now afraid to venture out on your own?"
"Boom!" Before the Joker could finish, his voice was drowned out by the collision between Robert and the Black Shadow Demon. The battle, more intense than the last, sent everything nearby flying with a terrifying sonic boom, silencing the Joker's voice.
"... "The Joker fell briefly silent before slowly closing his eyes, a voice appearing in the Black Shadow Demon's consciousness, commanding it, "Take that guy far away, don't interfere with my game with the little bat..."
With a "bang!" following the Joker's order, the Black Shadow Demon unleashed powerful force, sending Robert flying, but before it could follow, a powerful energy beam shot through, piercing the Black Shadow Demon's body.
"Roar!" The Black Shadow Demon roared as Robert returned, struggling to recover. Robert, already back, launched another punch, sending the Black Shadow Demon flying into the ruins of Arkham Asylum, further damaging the debris.
"... "The Joker fell into a long silence, somewhat affected by Robert's actions, which were entirely unpredictable.
The Joker's plan was for the Black Shadow Demon to hold Robert back while Batman walked into the traps he had set.
However, due to a lack of understanding of Robert's strength and personality, the Joker's plans were repeatedly disrupted, causing him some irritation, especially when he noticed a fleeting smile on Batman's face, mocking him.
"Enough!" But soon, the Joker laughed again, looking forward to the unfolding scene, "Having another interesting guy isn't bad, but you and the little bat, I'm afraid one of you will have to give in today... Right, little bat?"
As the Joker spoke, the setup within Arkham Asylum began to shift, with Black Shadow Warriors appearing beside Batman, luring him in another direction.
Since they couldn't extend the battlefield with the Black Shadow Demon, they decided to open another front, with the same expected outcome.
"Trying to lure me over?" Batman observed the Black Shadow Warriors encircling him, moving away from the battlefield, a thought crossing his mind, but he didn't intend to return to the Batplane.
Since Robert had destroyed the Joker's first setup, the Joker's second might not be as effective. Moreover, Batman had already prepared countermeasures before arriving, which could now be put to use...
Soon, Batman, while dispatching one Black Shadow Warrior after another, arrived at a location far from the battlefield. Throughout, Batman remained vigilant, constantly instructing Alfred to monitor the surroundings with the Batplane.
After the destruction of Arkham Asylum, Batman knew the Joker had left, but he suspected the Joker wouldn't leave without settling their score, given their unresolved rivalry.
Considering everything, Batman indeed sought Robert's assistance, but the Joker also used the Black Shadow Demon to restrain Robert, allowing for a direct confrontation with Batman!
"Sir, I can't find anything unusual nearby, apart from the continuous emergence of Black Shadow Warriors. Should I have the plane sweep the area?" As Batman continued to defeat Black Shadow Warriors, Alfred's voice rang in his ear, causing Batman to frown.
"Did I misjudge? He doesn't intend to confront me? What is he planning? To kill me with some method?" Batman thought, preparing his trump card as he repelled a Black Shadow Warrior and touched his waist.
But at that moment, Batman's expression changed as he sensed the environment shifting, a dark energy enveloping everything around him.
Batman didn't dodge immediately, realizing he couldn't escape in time. Instead, he chose to use his trump card, extracting a power from the demon itself!
With a "buzz," a pair of demon horn-like objects appeared from Batman's belt. As the demon horns emerged, Batman's suit transformed instantly, as if the horns were a source of energy, evolving his suit into a new mode.
This mode, even describable as armor, would surely astonish Tony Stark, who pursued purely technological armor, whereas Batman had begun to incorporate supernatural powers into his own armor!
However, what Batman didn't expect was that before his demon bat armor could unleash its true power, it reverted to its original form, as if Batman had never used the demon horns' power. Now, enveloped in darkness, Batman saw nothing...
"Do you think I wasn't prepared for you to use other supernatural powers?" The Joker's laughter echoed in the darkness, "We're not real supernatural beings, not like that boy fighting demons outside, but that doesn't mean we can't use supernatural powers..."
"See, this dark power in my hands is stronger than its original master, who has already submitted to me..."
"I found him quite cute, able to chat and relieve boredom, but his place in my heart can't compare to yours!"
"So, how did you do it? How did you know my trump card?" Batman's ears twitched, unable to locate the source of the Joker's voice, which seemed to come from all directions, confusing him.
"No, your trump card wasn't exposed. I know
you must have other plans, but they won't work either. In this darkness, only dark power and one's own strength can be used. Do you possess these two powers, my Dark Knight?" The Joker mocked as Batman reached for his belt again.
"Of course, your technological methods are still usable here, but unfortunately, even if you can use them, you won't be able to escape this darkness!"
"You want to trap me here?" Batman's brow furrowed, his voice still calm as he probed, "So, you aim to monopolize Gotham, to dominate alone?"
"No, no, no, I don't aim to monopolize Gotham. What fun would Gotham be without you?" The Joker's voice carried an undisguised laugh, "I'm not trying to trap you; I'm trying to liberate you, to help you see your true self, to let you truly be yourself!"
With a "swish," as the Joker's words fell, a black light appeared in the darkness, eerily black even in this light, allowing Batman to see something for the first time in this darkness...
And in that black light, a blue mask floated in mid-air, the source of the Joker's dark power, the mask of General Ikka!
"Do you think we're the same?" Batman scoffed disdainfully.
"Of course, we're the same!" The Joker's voice, persuasive and firm, replied, "See the mask before you? It's the source of my control over the dark power. If you wear it, you'll gain all the power I possess, not only escaping this darkness but also saving Gotham..."
"Saving Gotham? What have you done?" Batman's expression darkened as he stared at the Ikka mask and asked sternly.
"Nothing much, just continuing to wreak havoc in Gotham with these dark powers. Your drones may stop my Black Shadow Warriors temporarily, but they can't stop them forever..." The Joker's voice shifted from innocent to increasingly manic.
"You could guess that in our previous clash, I didn't unleash the true power of the Black Shadow Warriors. I was merely playing a game, but now, I'm serious!"
"Unfortunately, I can't show you Gotham's current situation, or you'd see how desperate the citizens are without the Dark Knight's protection. They're crying in pools of blood, cursing in their hearts. Guess who they're cursing? Me, or you?"
"However, if you pick up the mask in front of you, you can cut off my dark power, control it yourself, and then all my methods will be stopped by you, allowing you to once again save the citizens of Gotham..."
"Oh! Of course, this comes at a cost... The cost might be... that you'll truly understand your own heart, and then become me!"
"Just imagine, the Dark Knight might not protect Gotham anymore but choose to slaughter it instead. Thinking about that scene makes me so excited and eager!"
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