Soulmate

Bane had never experienced such a strange sensation. With a single glance, the other party understood his intent. A single movement, and the other party responded seamlessly.

This level of coordination, like a bond between souls, was so uncanny it nearly drove him mad.

They fought not as mortal enemies who had clashed mere days ago, but like twin brothers who had trained together countless times, their movements perfectly synchronized.

"Damn you... how is this possible?" the creature of the Black of Decay rasped, clearly outmatched.

Chunks of wood flew through the air, torn apart as easily as peeling a dragon fruit. Weakened and battered, it couldn't withstand the combined might of Bane and Batman.

The Black of Decay's power still clung to Bane, but it couldn't corrupt him, nor Batman, who could transform at will.

 Even dead things would lose the ability to resist after being dismembered. Plant master's body was already broken. Even with the three Hunters of the Black desperately trying to control it, its physical destruction would mean their end.

The Hunters barely managed to rally their controlled minions for a final stand, but all they could do was funnel crisis energy towards Adam.

Boom!

The Black of Decay's creation fell. Plant master, fully under its control, collapsed and trembled constantly, his broken body oozing rotten substances. Bane, exhausted from his rampage and the subsequent possession, leaned against a nearby tree, panting. His body and strength had reached the limit.

Adam spat at the twitching creature of the Black, then pulled out a vial of Lazarus water and poured it over the writhing mass. With a sizzle, the monster of the Black of Decay fell silent, completely lay on the ground and could not move.

Poison Ivy, her strength returning, used her power to cocoon Plant master in a protective embrace of plants. "Jason can't die. He's an essential part of the Green—"

"I don't want to kill him," Adam replied, meeting Poison Ivy's wary gaze. "Just keep him contained."

Poison Ivy visibly relaxed. "Good. After all, Jason isn't truly human... I was worried you might..." She trailed off, remembering the countless sentient plants Batman had destroyed in the past.

Adam ignored her comment. "Now then..." Before Adam could turn, Bane leaped into the air. "We will meet again, Bat! This is not the end of our battle—"

Adam shook his head, his attention shifting to Catwoman and the others. The Black of Decay's influence had faded, leaving them to stumble to their feet, dazed and disoriented.

[Catwoman Mask: The cat never removes her mask, not even in front of those she trusts most. Her father forced her into marriage with a master of toxins, an act that drove her to run away. But one day, the cat must accept her fate.]

["My face has brought me nothing but tragedy."]

[Ventriloquist's Glasses: Arnold Wesker never knew warmth until Batman entered his life.]

["Batman! My God!"]

Adam nearly gained14 points of crisis energy. But what Harley Quinn brought to Adam made him pay attention:

[Harley Quinn's Broken Baseball Bat]

[Description: Harley Quinn's baseball bat was crafted by Poison Ivy from the broken handle of a mallet given to her by the Joker. Despite Ivy's disapproval of Harley clinging to Joker's possessions, and her frequent attempts to scare Harley by transforming the bat into a wooden snake, it remained Harley's favorite weapon.

Before the Black of Decay corrupted Harley Quinn, this bat was the last thing to break. But even love that defies normalcy cannot escape destruction. Even the most twisted and devoted affection cannot elicit a response from the cruel, pale man. It may be possible to use this to summon a Bat from a parallel universe...]

[Error! Error!]

What?

Adam was startled. It was the first time he had seen such an anomaly in the Alfred Protocol.

[But could this existence, summoned through a twisted love for the pale man, truly be Batman?]

["No, my puddin'! He loves me! I know he loves me! Why? Why do you always think of Bats? I'm the one who loves you most!"]

[Crisis Energy Units Converted: 40]

[Current Crisis Energy Units: 124]

[Warning! Downloading Target Data...]

[Laughing Madly...]

[Error! Error!]

[Target Acquired—]

[Joker]

[Threat Level: D]

...

Inside the Iceberg Lounge, the Penguin's headquarters, Oswald Cobblepot sat, indulging in his midnight snack: a slice of pink strawberry cake.

The once-bustling casino and liquor smuggling hub was now solely dedicated to illicit trade. Years of Batman's relentless pursuit had forced Cobblepot to abandon the gambling aspect of his business.

It was past nine in the evening, and the underworld kingpin, after a long day of criminal endeavors, deserved a sugary reward. Though, his nightly indulgence in sweets was likely the reason for his short, rotund figure, resembling an oversized penguin.

Tonight, the Penguin was preoccupied.

The recent Arkham breakout had unleashed a wave of chaos upon Gotham. Every major villain had escaped.

Joker, Scarecrow, Zsasz, Riddler, Two-Face—a veritable league of lunatics wreaking havoc. The city was in disarray, with daily occurrences of gang warfare and terrorist attacks. Business was being disrupted by both the police and the chaos. It was becoming impossible to conduct his affairs.

"They are all crazy." the Penguin muttered, pouring himself a glass of milk. He avoided coffee at this hour; at his age, caffeine kept him up at night.

The influx of maniacs, including the new Bane, was making life difficult for a respectable criminal like himself. Perhaps it was best to close up shop for a few days and let Batman clean up the mess.

The Penguin savored his cake, his mind drifting as the sugar took effect.

His casino and weapons businesses were constantly under attack, and his old ventures weren't as profitable as they used to be. He needed new ideas to boost revenue and cut costs.

Maybe he could invest in Penguin-branded ice cream trucks or burrito stands? With armed guards, no one would dare rob them, right? Or perhaps he could try his hand at the stock market. He'd heard of this Bitcoin thing seemed promising.

Just as the Penguin was enjoying his quiet contemplation, a henchman burst into his office, his face etched with terror. He tripped over the plush carpet.

"Boss! It's the Joker! The Joker is here!"

...

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