Chapter 7 : You Can't Refuse

Ra's Al-Ghul, also known as the Demon's Head, leader of the League of Assassins and the only person in the world capable of going toe-to-toe with Batman on every level.

This man, who appears somewhat lean and has entered old age, is actually over 700 years old.

And the reason he has lived for over 700 years is the very thing that brought him from those ancient times to the present - the Pool of Lazarus.

It's a miraculous spring with the power to "raise the dead," healing all wounds and even reviving from death, as long as the time interval isn't too prolonged.

Ra's has lived countless years by virtue of the Pool of Lazarus.

However, this immortality comes at a cost. While it grants Ra's extraordinary endurance, strength, speed, and physical abilities beyond ordinary humans, it also drives him insane.

It's not just Ra's; anyone who uses the Pool of Lazarus eventually succumbs to madness.

Even Talia once expressed her concern, fearing that one day, what emerges from the pool won't be her father but a demon, a monster.

Just by looking into Ra's's eyes, flickering with an eerie green light, one can sense Talia's fears are not baseless.

"Kid, Bruce sent you to trade with me?" Ra's looked at Adrian and spoke.

His voice sounded like it came from a wheezing bellow.

It seems his next "resurrection" using the Pool of Lazarus isn't far away.

"Yes, a trade," Adrian replied.

"Hehe."

Ra's chuckled and said, "When did Bruce start playing these games? Or has he finally realized and decided to join our great cause?"

The Assassins League's great cause is the destruction of all mankind, as Ra's believes humans are pests of the world.

Teenage behaviour isn't frightening, but when coupled with long life, determination, and destructive power, it becomes terrifying.

Ra's epitomizes this dangerous and fearsome adolescent behaviour, accurately depicted by the Penguin's evaluation of the Assassins League.

"I want the water from the Pool of Lazarus," Adrian said, looking at Ra's.

Ra's heard this and burst into laughter, "What, has Bruce suffered severe injuries and can't recover? Bring him to me. If he agrees to join us, I can reserve the position of leader for him."

Ra's holds great admiration for Bruce Wayne, the Batman, even considering him as a potential successor.

Moreover, his beloved daughter has a connection with Bruce.

For Ra's, it would be perfect if Bruce agreed to join the Assassins League.

However, unfortunately, both of them follow different paths, and Ra's, out of respect for talent and his daughter, is unwilling to kill Bruce.

Batman also can't solve the enormous problem Ra's poses because of his no-killing principle.

Their clashes have never resulted in death, but many innocent people have been injured or killed.

The residents of Gotham City have developed survival guidelines.

For instance, during Adrian's first appearance, everyone's reaction upon seeing the Bat Signal in the sky was a result of years of traumatic experiences.

Currently, Ra's is quite pleased because he sees Bruce Wayne bowing down to him. Regardless of whether it's genuine or not, once the initiation ceremony begins, Bruce won't have the option to back out.

"Your father seems to have dementia." Adrian sympathetically looked at Talia.

Talia remained silent but her expression was 'exasperated.'

She was well aware of Ra's's condition. Though not dementia, he was sliding towards madness.

But can you say that as an outsider?

Talia's eyes scanned Adrian, seemingly searching for the best place to strike.

Ignoring Talia's gaze, Adrian took a few steps forward. The sound of unsheathed blades echoed in the darkness. However, despite Ra's raising his hand, no assassins appeared to impede Adrian's progress.

Jokingly, even in his weakened state, Ra's wouldn't fear the powerless Adrian.

"Perhaps I wasn't clear earlier." Adrian approached Ra's, "Let me reiterate. I want the water from the Pool of Lazarus," he said, pulling out two empty mineral water bottles from his bulging clothing.

"Fill these two bottles."

"..."

Absurd!

This thought arose in Ra's and the others.

What is the Pool of Lazarus? It's the "water" that can grant eternal life! Even with severe side effects, it's an invaluable treasure sought by many.

Yet this kid here wants the water from the Pool of Lazarus, with an attitude as if buying drinks from a roadside store?

What's the meaning of these two empty mineral water bottles? The labels aren't even torn off; aren't they the cheap ones you get for 2.5 cents?

One bottle even had residual liquid left inside.

Ra's and the assassins were shocked when Adrian produced these two bottles. It wasn't shock but a feeling of immense humiliation.

If not for the power of the Staff of Authority, Ra's would have drawn his sword by now.

"Very well." Ra's squeezed a voice as if from the depths of hell through his teeth, "What can you offer in return?"

What needs to be given to obtain the water from the Pool of Lazarus?

Originally, there was no definitive answer.

A massive wealth of money?

Money might entice characters like Penguin, but for an old monster like Ra's, it's just a number.

Moreover, even if Ra's mentioned a price, Adrian couldn't produce such a colossal amount.

Regarding other items - what Ra's desired most was the destruction of humanity, preferably with the subjugation of Batman, to annihilate humanity together.

This, however, was something Adrian couldn't provide.

So, Adrian would offer something else, something irresistible to Ra's.

Placing down the two bottles, Adrian rummaged in his pocket and pulled out a nickel coin. "It's this."

"Hahaha."

When consumed by anger, Ra's unexpectedly burst into laughter. His voice, like a night owl's, sharp and piercing, carried boundless rage.

"Kid, you're the most courageous I've seen, even braver than Bruce," Ra's said to Adrian. "So, are you prepared to die next?"

"Oh, so does that mean you're rejecting this deal?" Adrian looked at Ra's, unperturbed.

"Heh, of course."

While saying this, Ra's reached for a dagger behind him.

"Too bad."

Adrian smiled, "This deal doesn't allow your refusal!"

With his words, a black staff appeared between Adrian and Ra's.

Letting go of his umbrella, Adrian seized the staff, giving the ground a slight tap.

The base of the staff touched the ground, and at that moment, time and space seemed to "halt." Ra's's grimacing expression froze at that moment and then turned bizarre.

The staff vanished, and Adrian, bending slightly, caught the still-falling umbrella while tossing the coin towards Ra's.

Ra's instantly reached out and caught the coin.

"Father?"

Talia, not far away, was astonished and stepped forward, but stopped under Ra's's signal.

During the staff's appearance, nobody saw it clearly, only feeling that something had changed but unable to discern what.

Ra's tightly clutched the coin, nearly crushing it into a ball.

His emotions urged him to draw his sword and hack the kid before him into pieces.

But his rationality reminded him that a deal had begun; he had accepted the other's coin. A deal was unbreakable, just as Ra's himself was a man of his word, following rules and valuing integrity above all else.

Behind all this, Ra's instinctively sensed an immense terror, faintly incomprehensible, akin to how an ordinary person might feel facing the vast, dark universe.

This chaos disrupted Ra's's thoughts, making him eager to complete this transaction—using five cents to purchase two 500ml bottles of the Pool of Lazarus water.

"Wait here," Ra's picked up the two mineral water bottles from the ground and stood up.

This scene left the hidden assassins dumbfounded. Their great leader agreed to this seemingly absurd deal?

It defied all logic!

But no matter how illogical, they couldn't defy Ra's's will.

He was the absolute authority in the Assassins League.

Just like the "Forced Transaction" ability employed by Adrian.

Yes, Ra's agreed to this deal because Adrian initiated a "transaction invitation" using his Forced Transaction ability.

Ra's couldn't refuse.

From the beginning, Adrian had no intention of engaging in a normal, ordinary trade with Ra's.

Adrian didn't possess anything to entice Ra's, nothing Ra's would accept in exchange for the Pool of Lazarus water.

To obtain this miraculous water, a forced transaction was the simplest method.

As for demanding more, Adrian couldn't carry away more than what he already had. Even if he wanted more, Adrian couldn't take it.

Of course, Adrian had considered bargaining with Ra's, making him his servant through a contract.

However, after consulting with the Dark Advisor, Adrian realized it wasn't currently feasible.

Not that the Staff of Authority couldn't accomplish it, but because Adrian's own status wasn't sufficient. Maintaining this form of "long-term forced transaction" required an immense expenditure of wealth points.

Therefore, Adrian had to settle for the maximum "wealth" he could currently obtain.

"The accumulation of primitive capital is indeed bloody and cruel."

Watching Ra's's increasingly aged and hunched figure, Adrian sighed softly.

Although his actions didn't match his words, Adrian persistently believed that this statement was necessary to convey his aura.

An aura even more imposing.

In life, who wouldn't have some pursuit, some ambition?

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