Immortality

An uninvited guest arrived at a hidden Court of Owls stronghold.

It was a vast, square arena, as large as the ancient Roman Colosseum. A slave auction seemed to be in progress, a stark reminder that even in the civilized world, such a depraved practice still existed.

The place was teeming with activity, men and women in white owl masks reveling in a frenzy. They had shed their civilized facades, indulging their darkest desires.

It was into this scene that Bane burst forth.

As a Talon, a twisted and broken assassin of the Court, was tossed into the center of the arena, the opulent festivities were interrupted. The masked, well-dressed elite gradually fell silent.

"Well, well – it seems our banquet has a new attendee! Let him in, Talons!"

Bane lowered his head and strode past several Talons brandishing sharp blades.

Their blades did not waver as he passed, as if they intended to carve a bloody gash in his flesh as a warning.

But they failed.

The sharp edges tore through Bane's clothes, but not a single mark was left on his steel-like skin. It was as if the Talons were clawing at a resilient rubber tire.

Bane emerged from the Colosseum gates, like a gladiator in ancient Rome, slowly walking towards the center of the arena under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

The highest-ranking member of the Court, seated at the top, signaled to the Talons, and the slaves up for auction were removed.

They cried and screamed at Bane, but only received whips and blows in response. The hulking figure remained unfazed.

The Court member, seemingly pleased with Bane's lack of interference, leaned forward and spoke into a microphone:

"Bane. You rejected our generosity before. How dare you show your face here now?"

The amplified voice boomed throughout the arena, as all the members of the Court of Owls stared at Bane. Their white owl masks created an unsettling spectacle.

Bane's gaze lingered on a young girl wearing a mask. She seemed to sense the strong man's attention and nestled closer to her parents.

"And... how did you find us...?"

Before he could finish, the man in the white owl mask was distracted by a tracking device Bane held aloft.

A red dot on the device blinked incessantly.

"When did you replace—"

The man in the white owl mask stopped abruptly, realization dawning on him. He turned to a nearby Talon.

"Dissect his body."

With the crisp command, the other Talons sprang into action, swiftly cutting the fallen Talon into pieces.

They quickly found a small tracking device embedded in its neck.

The leading Court of Owls member slowly clapped his hands.

"Impressive."

He said, "Keen observation skills. Most would assume someone is dead after seeing their head removed. But you cleverly placed a tracker within the body."

The Court member's voice turned sharp. "Damn you, you tricked us. We are a secret organization. You found us, what do you want?"

"I'm here to propose a collaboration," Bane replied. "I need Electrum."

The word made the Court member pause.

"Where did you hear that... Never mind, it doesn't matter."

He ordered sharply, "Talons! Kill the intruder!"

He raised the microphone, turning to the other members. "I apologize, ladies and gentlemen, the party has come to an abrupt end. We must—"

"I need to be implanted with Electrum. In exchange, after I defeat Batman, take over this city, and die, I will bequeath my body to the Court of Owls as a Talon. Those are my terms."

Bane's voice cut through the air.

The white owl masked man froze.

Bane ripped off the sleeve of his shirt, revealing his arm. The man saw that Bane's body was covered in tiny plants, like vines and grass growing directly from his flesh. Such a biological anomaly would astound any biologist.

But it was the other half of his body that was even more striking: the complete opposite of the verdant side, it was an unhealthy bluish-white.

The white owl masked man knew this color well, the black veins beneath the pale skin. This was the appearance of a corpse. The Talons of the Court of Owls all bore this same mark.

"Attack him."

At the command, the Talon nearest to Bane lunged, plunging its blade into his flesh without hesitation.

Bane didn't even flinch.

Despite the Talon's full-strength thrust, the skin barely broke, the blade sinking only slightly.

The Talon slowly withdrew the knife, but no blood flowed. It was as if they had pierced a thick, layered leather armor.

"Remarkable, Bane. Something has happened to you that we are unaware of," the man in the white owl mask said slowly, his tone shifting.

"Perhaps we can talk."

"Indeed," Bane replied. He backhanded the Talon who had just stabbed him, driving its head into its chest. He then watched impassively as it pulled its head out and reattached it to its spine.

"I, too, am interested in immortality. We will cooperate."

...

Adam stood in Batman's private training ground within the Batcave.

He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and activated the Alfred Protocol.

[Syncing: Broken Bat]

[Current Crisis Energy units: 84]

His cells surged, the silver-white particles swirling around him, then turning black.

"Gah!"

Adam let out a guttural cry as half his body erupted, transforming into a swarm of black nanobots. They instantly pierced through the training robots in front of him!

Sizzle!

The nanobots reformed into a razor-sharp blade, slicing a robot in half.

But it wasn't his attack that had made Adam cry out.

The Broken Bat's negative memories were flooding his mind. Compared to Bane-Batman or Batmobile, this onslaught of negativity was on an entirely different level.

Adam focused, his mind struggling to remain clear under the immense influx of dark emotions.

"This is not enough to break me."

Adam examined his hands. "But it is enough to interfere with simultaneous synchronization with other Batmen."

.....

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