Gotham... is like a black sheet of paper.
It's the white letters you write on that dark page, the path you seek, but continuously fall deeper into. It's like the first sentence of the last story in your life.
— Batman: Gotham Impressions
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"Zzzzz... The Gotham Gazette brings you the latest news... The
"... It's just a freak show attracting more freaks. A few days ago, Arkham Asylum had a massive breakout... and of course, it's all because of Batman. You know, he draws them in like a magnet..."
"As of now, Batman still hasn't arrived on the scene. It makes us wonder—could the rumors of Batman's death be true? Has the GCPD become so incompetent that... Wait, there's movement. It's Batman! He's arrived!"
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June in Gotham was drenched in endless rain, but the plaza in front of Gotham's Evidence Lockup was more chaotic than ever.
Before Nathan could fully stop the Batmobile, a horde of reporters swarmed like flies to a corpse.
Despite the drizzle, they pushed past protesters holding signs that read "We Don't Need Batman" and officers wielding batons trying to maintain order. Camera flashes lit up the night.
"Batman, what do you have to say about the recent rumors that
"... How will you respond to the challenge from the Ventriloquist..."
"... Batman, why such a public appearance this time..."
"You freak! It's your fault! That madman inside, don't you see? You attract them all..."
"Get him! Grab him!"
Protesters attempting to attack the Batmobile were quickly subdued, but Nathan ignored them all.
Amid the chaos, and under the gazes of admiration, indifference, and outright disdain, he opened the Batmobile's sliding roof and breathed in the first rush of damp night air.
Whoosh—
A long-forgotten nervousness washed over him.
In his previous life as an actor, he was used to being in the spotlight. But... today was different.
Nathan sighed.
Getting transported to the DC Universe? Fine. As a superfan of American comics, he figured he could survive just fine. But never in his wildest dreams did he expect to become none other than the legendary Batman himself—Bruce Wayne...
Wasn't he supposed to rely on Batman? How did he end up becoming Batman?
Everyone knew that as the only member of the Justice League's "Big Seven" without superpowers, Batman was possibly the most formidable human in history.
He had unmatched wealth, incredible intelligence, world-class combat skills, and a willpower that could bend steel. He's the man who's fought Darkseid with his bare fists and has taken on the entire Justice League. His prowess was beyond words!
But... What did any of that have to do with Nathan, the one who transmigrated here?
Oh, right. Batman was an orphan, and in his previous life, Nathan Blake was an orphan too. Maybe that was their only connection. Both the original Batman and the transmigrator were orphans—a "double-orphan" duo, so to speak.
And as if that wasn't bad enough, transmigrating into Batman was already "hell mode." But no, he had to land in the timeline of Knightfall, one of the darkest chapters in Batman's life. The Dark Knight was about to face one of his rarest defeats—his spine broken by Bane!
This wasn't just "hell mode." It was a nightmare.
Nathan Blake had thought about dropping everything and leaving Gotham, but quickly realized how foolish that would be.
Bane know Batman's true identity. Running away wouldn't just be cowardice—it would be suicide. Once Bane conquered him and took over Gotham, it would be the end of Bruce Wayne. Even if he survived the encounter, he'd likely spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
He glanced down at the lower left corner of his vision, where a line of silver text only he could see appeared:
[
[Warning! You need an anchor item to synchronize with Batman's memories!]
Damn it! Other people transmigrate and get power-ups immediately—they enter the Batcave, unlock platinum Kryptonite, swallow it, and boom, they become Superman. But him? He didn't even have Batman's memories, one of the basic perks of transmigration!
It had been three days since he arrived, and he had tried everything—he even considered using the toilet paper in the Batcave—but nothing triggered any sort of reaction.
Nathan knew about the Alfred Protocol—in the comics, it was a mechanical safeguard that Batman used to prevent memory tampering, not some strange visual overlay on his retina!
"Batman!"
A voice snapped Nathan out of his thoughts. He turned and saw Jim Gordon, the Commissioner of Gotham's Police Department, hurrying toward him.
With deep black circles under his eyes, Gordon's rain-soaked brown-gray hair clung to his forehead, giving him a disheveled and frazzled look—like a groundhog recovering from a nervous breakdown.
"My God! Batman! You're alive. I saw Bane snap your back with my own eyes. Are you really Batman, or is this some twisted joke where the Joker dressed up in your suit, playing a morbid role-play game?"
"I am." Nathan replied, "Enough with the needless probing. I'm not an imposter. Don't be deceived by the rumors."
He immediately detected the subtle suspicion hidden in Gordon's words and cut him off. Sure, the body was real, but the soul was fake. So, please, sharp-eyed detective, don't figure out the truth.
Nathan sighed inwardly. Dealing with Gotham's brilliant minds without Batman's memories was tough. He had to rely on his own instincts for everything.
His gaze shifted to the foreboding Gotham Evidence Lockup, silent in the rain.
This was the plan.
As a superfan of Batman comics, Nathan knew these stories inside and out, especially the villains.
Using his acting skills, along with his experience as a psychologist, he might be able to manipulate some of the weaker or more unstable villains on a psychological level and use them to his advantage—perhaps even against Bane.
Nathan turned to Gordon, getting straight to the point.
"Did you bring what I asked for?"
"Oh, yes, of course."
Gordon's gaze drifted from his face as he lifted a bag of evidence. Inside was a grotesque puppet, its face marked by a vicious scar.
Scarface—the favorite puppet of the Ventriloquist.
"Good, hand it over."
Gordon hesitated but ultimately handed the evidence bag to Nathan, who sighed in relief.
After a brief pause, Nathan explained:
"The source of the rumor—that Bane killed Batman—wasn't me. It was my apprentice,
"Right, right."
Gordon wisely didn't press the matter any further.
Nathan gave him a long look.
"We'll talk more about this later."
He pulled a large duffel bag from the Batmobile and, holding Scarface in his hand, walked toward the entrance of the Evidence Lockup, all eyes on him.
"Phew..."
He whispered so softly it was barely audible:
"Ladies and gentlemen, the props are ready, the actors are in place. Now, let me have the honor to announce: the performance… begins"
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Note by DontBother:
If you notice any translation errors or typos, please let me know.