21 Oh shit!

(Bruce POV)

I am on the 8th floor right now. After beginning my career as Batman, I have concluded that there is a need for a floor dedicated to criminal holdings: a prison, but just a good one. My little game at the Gala paid off. Ma Baker was a criminal and would only grow in terms of reputation. So the 7th floor was a prison floor. A floor where I held dangerous prisoners or those whom I wanted to help.

But why was I currently on the 8th floor and why did I even create a new floor? Well, I have noticed something strange. I have been researching the universal forces and found out something very strange. There wasn't any Tenth Metal or Element X anywhere. I couldn't find it! None, nada, niente ... zero. That is VERY concerning.

Why is that concerning? Because Element X is present in small quantities in every single thing, sentient being or otherwise, in the Multiverse. But the fact that there was none here ... that was not good. Not good at all.

Element X is the purest form of creation itself. Now imagine if there was none of that anywhere. What does that mean?

Well, I have to be sure first.

.

That is why I have created an extra floor for this next part. I created the floor in a separate dimensional field, which I could implode at any given moment. The walls sealed the dimensional field off from the outside world and made sure that if what I thought might happen, DID happen ... I was ready.

I have my modified Portal Gun in my hands. I created a very special one just for this moment. One whose frequency changed in every nanosecond. I didn't want to be found and traced should this shit hit the fan.

I even created something I called the dimensional scrambler. This device scrambled every universal force which I have already analysed and coded so that there is an interference. Meaning that force couldn't be used for anything, and also not to locate me. That would be bad, very bad. I also added the mystic energy to the scrambler.

It took me a week to build. That is LONG for me.

.

I fire up the modified Portal Gun and watch as slowly the portal begins to manifest. It is hard to do that in this room. I watch the black swirls slowly grow bigger and bigger. Looking at the device in my hands, I notice that there aren't any new forms of energy just yet. That could potentially be good.

The portal grows bigger and then reaches the correct height. Suddenly all monitoring devices begin to sound alarms.

*BEEEP BEEEP BEEEP*

[Unknown energy detected. Corrupting properties ... analysing. Immediate abort recommended.]

"What properties were detected?"

[Corruption ... Thought ... Fear ... Dream ... ... Error ... Error... Nightmare ...]

"Shit! Abort now. CALL IT OFF!", I scream.

The computer no longer answers. I can feel winds picking up and then darkness seemingly comes out of the portal. This is bad. Really bad. I have to hurry and close it.

"Activate Emergency Protocol: Ω01-001-049!", I scream and begin to type on the monitoring device. Things are getting out of hand. I can feel my emotions getting riled up and getting affected by this dark miasma.

.

The computer doesn't work anymore. I feel myself getting ... possessed by something. Voices begin to speak in my head. I focus as hard as I can and decide to go the hard route. Fuck it!

I get to the big red button ... the self-destruct button for the entire 8th Floor. I went full Dr. Doofenschmirtz on this one. I press it and activate it. It's not something that needs a computer. It works on its own. The gravity bomb.

The last thing I see is a finger that comes out of the portal and then ... everything turns black.

.

.

(3rd Person POV)

In one of the Banks of Gotham, the day started out as peaceful. But it is interrupted by a few gunshots and screams. A group of men enter the Bank all wearing red masks and a tuxedo. The man in front is clearly the leader as he has a weird red 'hat' on his face. It was a weird look for him to have as only his mouth was visible and the disgusting smile he had.

"Greetings poor sheep of Gotham! We are the Red Hood Gang and we're here to help you! Yes, that's right we are here to help you with the burden of having to deal ... with money. But don't worry, we won't charge you for it ... not with money that is. HAHAHA!", the man said and ordered the others to begin looting the Bank.

"You! Get me that one there! I have to introduce us with style don't you think?", the man said to one of his goons. The other went and grabbed a man who was whimpering on the floor. He brought the man in front of the leader who took out a gun from his suit.

"You see. There is nothing that really matters in this world. Gotham needs to wake up! You see we are here to help you with your problems and we challenge the Gotham Police to catch us! Come you useless fools and stop us, for we are the Red Hood Gang and I am Red Hood One."

Then Red Hood One aimed the gun at the sobbing mess of a man and shot him in the head.

*BANG*

"Aaaaahhhhh" "Noooo" "HELP" "Buuhuuuu" "Aaaaahhhh"

Screams were heard as the hostages began to scream and shout. And yet, Red Hood One just smiled and ordered his men.

"Go and do what needs to be done! We still have other appointments to attend to. Hahahahaha."

.

The Red Hood Gang then began their rampage all over the Bank and their first official heist was completed. They had gotten the attention of all of Gotham. A new era had just been created. The chaotic era where villains and heroes play their eternal game ... and then there is also Batman.

The different Batman.

_________________________________________________

This is the end of this introduction Arc. The time for some real shit has arrived. And we will see what Batman will do to counter his situation ... as soon as he comes back to life ... somehow.