"I don't know how much time has passed?"
Batman stumbled, supporting himself against the wall.
Behind him lay three or four unconscious members of the League of Assassins.
A week had passed since he entered this dimly lit, blurry maze.
During that time, he had fought off wave after wave of assassins.
He had also sustained considerable injuries.
Batman clutched his left side.
His leather armor was torn, and a shallow but noticeable scar was etched into his exposed flesh, reminding Batman that if he continued to drag this out, death awaited him!
Hunger, fatigue, pain, boredom, and anger.
These negative emotions crashed against Batman's heart like waves, screaming for him to descend into madness.
"Crack!"
Batman pressed against a wall, moving his body with difficulty.
This maze had no exit. The damn bastard's words were nothing but lies.
As a master of understanding minds, Batman could feel that the guy enjoyed seeing him suffer and be tormented.
"They want me to fall, but I won't."
Batman leaned against the wall, slowly moving his body.
When he turned the corner, the familiar, giant owl stone carving came into view.
"Here."
Batman's eyes were bloodshot, fixed on the giant owl statue.
A trickle of water flowed from the bird's beak, converging into a pool below.
Parched, his tongue was dry.
Batman rolled his tongue, trying to produce some saliva.
But, having gone without water for so long, he couldn't keep his tongue moist.
"Enjoying your enemy's food in their base is a very wrong choice."
"But if I don't drink water, I'll die soon."
Like a poor student staring at two terrible multiple-choice questions, A and B, he could only choose the less terrible option.
Batman stumbled to the edge of the pool.
He reached out his right hand and dipped it into the water. The icy coldness sent a shiver through him.
"Whoosh."
He cupped his hands and drank.
The sweet, refreshing liquid soothed Batman's mouth and his burning stomach.
He exhaled, relieved.
The overhead fluorescent lights cast a reflection of his distorted cowl on the rippling surface of the water.
Silent stood up. The familiar sound of footsteps came from behind him, as always. This was the 168th time – a group of people arrived almost every hour.
Swinging his massive arms, Batman plunged back into the dark maze.
"Calm, focus."
Batman ran through the long, dark corridor. In a daze, the tall figure wearing a white mask appeared at the end of the alley.
"I found you!"
Batman clenched his fists and roared, charging towards the end of the corridor.
"Tell me the truth about Gotham City!"
Whoosh!
A ferocious fist slammed forward, passing right through the tall figure.
Batman jolted awake, realizing what he'd seen was just an illusion.
"They put hallucinogens in the water."
He collapsed weakly to the ground, gasping for breath.
After a moment, Batman got back on his feet, staggering as he searched for a way out.
He passed through another brightly lit room, seeing rows of coffins. The photos of children on the lids proved that the owner of this place had captured children to train as assassins.
"Thud, thud."
His boots echoed on the cold floor. Batman turned his head; he couldn't stay here.
When he walked out of the room, the familiar feeling of dizziness washed over him again.
His vision began to blur. A pair of elderly faces slowly appeared at the end of the road.
Although he couldn't see them clearly, Batman, or rather, Bruce, immediately recognized the two elderly people.
"Thomas? Martha!"
Bruce hurried towards them, and the two elders smiled at him.
His mother, Martha, reached out with a kind expression and touched Bruce's cheek: "My little Bruce has grown up."
Bruce's shoulders trembled with excitement, and his lips quivered, unable to speak.
Was this real?
Or was it the effect of those damn hallucinogens again?
"Yeah, let me give you a hug." Thomas still had that cheerful personality from the memories. The man opened his arms, seemingly wanting to embrace Bruce.
"Whoosh～"
At the moment of contact, the faces of the two old people gradually twisted and deformed. They let out miserable wails and slowly vanished.
"Bang!"
Bruce's furious fist slammed into the marble tile, leaving a shallow indentation.
"I… I can't tell the difference!"
Bruce covered his face with his hands. The anger in his heart grew stronger, making him want to shout out loud.
But the Batman in his mind was warning Bruce not to make a sound and expose himself.
"It's all a lie."
Bruce's voice grew even lower.
Batman took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his heart, and once again regained his composure.
His keen hearing picked up the sound of footsteps behind him.
In the dim darkness, Batman was secretly on guard.
"Tap, tap, tap."
Shoes tapped rhythmically on the floor.
Then, a finger snap slowly echoed.
The blinding light illuminated the tunnel, forcing Batman to shield his eyes.
He lowered his hands again.
It was a narrow passage of exaggerated length. At the end of the tunnel, Batman saw a figure standing silently around a bend, the white light stretching their shadow long.
As the figure moved, the shadow shortened. Batman silently took a batarang from his utility belt, remaining vigilant.
He was ready for a fight.
The instant the figure came into view, Batman threw several batarangs.
Their sharp, double-edged blades glinted with cold light, their pitch-black color making them look like black lightning bolts as they hurtled toward the figure.
They aimed at the figure's sides, ensuring they would wound the opponent without killing them.
"Click!"
To Batman's surprise, the rapidly flying batarang seemed to vanish into thin air, as if disrupted by something.
His gaze fell upon the figure.
Black suit, white mask.
The mysterious person was holding two batarangs.
"Always playing with petty little toys. You truly disappoint me now."
The mysterious person sounded somewhat dejected, as if the life-and-death battle in Batman's eyes was just child's play to him.
At this moment,
Jino was a little disappointed. He had hoped the current Batman could become the "omnipotent" Batman of the future and bring out the Hellbat Armor to fight him.
But, it was just a thought.
Jino fiddled with the batarangs in his hand. The person who had eaten the most batarangs in the future would undoubtedly be the Joker.
Too bad the Joker was probably performing in some circus right now, or maybe telling awkward and unfunny jokes in some dilapidated bar.
Jino looked at Batman.
Standing in the light, Batman was wearing a black cape, looking like a large, flapping black moth.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked tired.
------------------------
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