32. Batman.

Gotham City, like Metropolis, is one of the unique cities in the DC universe. Located on the east coast of New Jersey, it faces Metropolis across the sea.

Gotham is an incredibly 'diverse' city, with architectural styles from almost every country in the world. It features elements from famous cities like New York, Los Angeles, London, and Sydney, as well as traditional Japanese styles.

However, this city, with its many landmarks and historical sites, is perpetually shrouded in dark clouds that can't be dispelled. Beneath its glamorous surface lies the cruelty of the alleyways, a perfect example of outward splendor concealing internal decay.

Gangs, criminals, mad scientists, and lunatics—everything imaginable in terms of chaos happens in Gotham. It is the city with the highest crime rate in the world.

Yet, just as Metropolis has Superman, Gotham also has its dark guardian—Batman.

By day, he is a playboy billionaire, but by night, he transforms into the Bat vigilante. Whenever the Bat-Signal pierces the sky, criminals throughout Gotham are gripped by fear, knowing that the vengeful spectre has arrived to punish all evil in the city.

Batman has no superpowers and is not a metahuman. He relies solely on years of rigorous training and exceptional intelligence, single-handedly challenging Gotham's criminal underworld. To most people, he is more of a myth, a mere urban legend.

Batman's true identity is Bruce Wayne, the head of Wayne Enterprises. His entire life has been dedicated to fighting crime. However, in this universe, Bruce has been retired for a long time.

Alex and Piètrò took a taxi from Metropolis to Gotham, heading towards Wayne Manor. Throughout the journey, Alex's mind was unsettled as he looked at the city, no longer in need of Batman's protection. His emotions were complex.

Bruce Wayne had retired, and Gotham no longer needed Batman because it had become one of the safest cities in the world.

The reason? This world's Batman didn't adhere to a no-kill rule. Instead of handing criminals over to the police or sending them to Arkham Asylum, he killed them outright!

The likes of the Joker, Riddler, Two-Face, Black Mask, Court of Owls, League of Assassins, Man-Bat, Killer Croc, and Solomon Grundy—every notable villain had fallen to Batman's lethal justice.

That's why Gotham transformed from a city filled with crime to one of the safest cities around.

As the old saying goes, "If you kill all the criminals, there will be no more crime."

Approaching Wayne Manor, Alex couldn't help but shake his head. Batman's actions and their results indicated that this was far from a normal universe; it was clearly on the brink of collapse.

It wasn't that Batman couldn't kill, but the way things unfolded here was unlike most universes. If this universe weren't doomed to destruction, Alex believed that after wiping out the villains, this Batman would likely turn into a villain himself.

He might not even need to kill all the villains—just taking out the Joker or Riddler would suffice. The death of either could plant the seed of darkness within Batman.

"We're here, sir. I can't go any further; this is private property," the taxi driver said, smiling as he turned around.

He didn't know why these two kids had traveled all the way from Metropolis to Gotham, but he knew that anyone visiting Wayne Manor was no ordinary person. Although the place seemed long-abandoned, and the old man inside hadn't appeared in a long time, Wayne Enterprises remained a prominent and wealthy enterprise.

"Thanks," Alex nodded, pulling out a wad of cash—Piètrò's 'earnings' from pickpocketing. It was unclear how much he gave, but judging by the driver's smile, it was a generous amount.

After the taxi drove off, Alex turned to Piètrò and nodded, climbing onto Piètrò's back.

"Hey, Alex, which building are we looking for in this huge estate?" Piètrò asked, glancing at the sprawling manors.

"The central one. The gate is too high; you'll need to run with anti-gravity. But to be safe, let's head to the main manor entrance. Even though the old Bat has retired, we can't assume there won't be…"

Whoosh—

"…traps." In a blur, Alex found himself at the entrance of the manor, with Piètrò grinning beside him.

"What's next? Do we ring the doorbell?" Piètrò asked, pointing at the old-fashioned bell.

Ignoring Piètrò, Alex walked to the door and pressed the bell. Clearly, no one had visited for a long time; even the button was covered in dust. After ringing the bell, Alex rubbed the dust off his fingers, waiting for a response.

After about five or six minutes, the manor remained silent, as if uninhabited.

"Is anyone home?" Piètrò asked.

"They're here. Bruce Wayne is inside," Alex said, licking his dry lips. He looked up at the surveillance camera with a red light above the door.

Stepping back to ensure he was in full view of the camera, Alex spoke clearly.

"Bruce Wayne, I know you're here, and I know you can see me. This world needs your help. I believe you understand what I'm saying. Can we talk?"

The atmosphere grew tense as Alex stared at the camera, certain Bruce would open the door. Since their arrival at Wayne Manor's gate, they'd been under surveillance. Bruce would have noticed Piètrò's high-speed movement.

An individual with superpowers coming to his door signaled urgent matters and significant threats. Despite being retired, Batman wouldn't leave them outside, because he is Batman.

As if to confirm Alex's thoughts.

Click.

The manor door opened, revealing a disheveled old man with an extremely impatient expression.

"...the second surprise of the day. I'm 'so thrilled.' Come in, kids."

.......

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33. A Joke.

34. Batman's Old Friend's Relics.

35. The Villain's Relics (Part 1).

36. The Villain's Relics (Part 2).

37. Misunderstanding.