Chapter 620: I, Joker (18)
Chapter 620: I, Joker (18)
The battle raged on beneath the Castle.
Though Qiao Yi had the advantage of "Bane's Blood" and his martial arts skills were no slouch, he remained outmatched against The_Bruce.
Moreover, the performance gap between their respective Batman Armors became a decisive factor, gradually pushing Qiao Yi into a disadvantageous position.
"What's wrong, kid?" The_Bruce taunted mid-attack, his strikes relentless. "Already running out of physical stamina?" He began circling Qiao Yi like a predator toying with its prey. "Did you really think... maintaining this godhood relies solely on the Equipment crafted by Kliber?"
Qiao Yi never believed that. He knew full well that in all those years, The_Bruce had always relied on sheer skill against challengers. Even without his "Combat Armor-Plated", the man remained formidable.
"Compared to my ancestor... I still fall short", The_Bruce continued. "Bruce Wayne was the greatest combat master of his era, mastering 127 martial arts and nearly every weapon imaginable. His martial prowess was unparalleled—a unique fusion of Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, Boxing, Ninjutsu, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. No one could replicate it." He paused. "The martial techniques I wield, both in quantity and quality, pale in comparison. But... they're more than enough to handle you."
Before his words faded, The_Bruce launched another furious assault. His movements thundered like lightning, his force as fierce as a tiger. His fists and feet alone could crush mountains, and the deadly arsenal embedded in his armor was no joke. Whether near or far, Qiao Yi couldn't afford a single moment of carelessness—his opponent's attack methods were simply too diverse.
"I won't lose to you..." Qiao Yi gritted his teeth, determined to hold his ground. At the very least, his willpower wouldn't falter.
"Heh..." The_Bruce scoffed coldly. "Good. Admirable resolve. That's why I knew you were destined for greatness."
Pounding blows echoed—three consecutive strikes slammed into Qiao Yi's chest. Cracks now marred the surface of his Batman Armor.
"But greatness demands extremes—either ultimate triumph or utter ruin", The_Bruce declared, his authority undeniable. "Do you think anyone can don the Mantle? Do you possess my level of preparedness?" He advanced, voice booming. "If you did, you'd never spout such foolishness as 'I don't want to become a god.'"
"Can't... hold on much longer... consciousness fading... this won't end well..." Qiao Yi had no strength left for retorts. His body screamed with unprecedented pain. All he could do was channel his remaining Spirit to stay conscious.
"Qiao Yi.Colin." The_Bruce's assault neared its climax as he drove Qiao Yi to the ground, preparing his final strike. "You and my ancestor made the same mistake. Your idealism is mere anesthesia, while my philosophy... is surgery." He raised his arm, the laser rays on his wrist locking onto Qiao Yi. "This city needs a god, not a Dark Knight. If you refuse godhood... then die!"
Hiss—
A beam of light erupted, striking its target.
But... the victim wasn't Qiao Yi, and the shooter wasn't The_Bruce.
"Tch... Uninvited guests now?" The_Bruce clutched his wounded shoulder, spinning around.
Above, Maya descended on a glider, clad in traditional Robin attire. The laser rifle on her arm still glowed faintly.
At that critical moment, Maya had fired from the skies, forcing The_Bruce to falter. Seizing the opening, Qiao Yi rolled aside, regaining his footing.
The_Bruce's Blood had drastically enhanced Qiao Yi's metabolism—a capability beyond ordinary limits, his only remaining advantage.
"Hmph... Since your ally struck first..." The_Bruce adapted instantly, activating his communicator. "Then I'll show no restraint. Robins, emerge! Fight for your god!"
At his command, swarms of hover airships surged from Batmancastle, hovering over the plaza.
"The farce ends here", The_Bruce declared. "I've enjoyed our playtime, Qiao Yi." His grin twisted. "But now, I'll hunt worthier prey... through my forces..."
"Referring to me?" Feng Bu Jue's (Joker) voice cut in from above, interrupting Bruce.
The_Bruce looked up, his expression darkening.
On the high platform of Batmancastle stood a figure—clad in Batman armor, draped in the Mantle, wearing the iconic mask. Yet his exposed lower face twisted into a grotesque, grinning snarl.
"This isn't a joke", The_Bruce growled. "How did you get there?!"
"Oh, I just used 'certain methods' to sneak back into your castle, eliminated everyone foolish enough to resist me, and here I am", Feng Bu Jue replied mockingly.
"You dare mock me by dressing as Batman's Joker?" The_Bruce glared. "This is an insult..."
"A Batman who kills is the insult", Feng Bu Jue countered boldly. "A Batman who seeks domination is the insult..." He flared his Mantle, dropping from the heights. "A ninety-year-old Batman, terrified of losing authority and turning himself into a Frankenstein... that's the ultimate insult."
He landed with a thud.
"Bruce, you're a legend, but like all legends, you've tarnished your legacy", Feng Bu Jue smirked, golden light flickering between his fingers. "The Game's rules change now... by me."
"Open fire! Kill him!" The_Bruce roared, ordering the airships to attack.
But what followed defied expectations.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Within seconds, the hover airships turned on each other, unleashing chaotic crossfire. Hundreds of explosive rounds lit the sky as damaged crafts spiraled downward, crashing into the crowd in fiery explosions.
"OH! God!" "Run!" The crowd erupted into panic, screams piercing the air.
"Hehehe... See? The moment things reach your bottom line, your confidence wavers", Feng Bu Jue advanced, step by step. "You project that oppressive aura when charging into crowds or battling Qiao Yi, but your 'Gotham King' momentum ultimately relies on your faith in your own strength and certainty of victory."
Feng Bu Jue's grin widened as he halted two meters from his foe. "Say those words to my face now, if you dare."
"What's happening?! Why are you firing on each other!" The_Bruce staggered backward, shouting into his communicator. "Answer me! Anyone!"
“Commander, our hover airship is out of control—ah!” A voice finally responded through the comms channel, but the speaker was cut off mid-sentence with a scream.
“Hmm? Can’t think straight because of fear?” Feng Bu Jue chuckled. “Can’t even figure out something this simple? After all, if I could hijack every screen in this city, naturally I could also take control of those hover airships. Don’t forget—these machines’ hardware and operating systems were all designed by the same person.”
“Kliber!” The_Bruce roared toward the sky. “Traitor! I’ll kill you!”
“Heh… Worry about yourself first,” Feng Bu Jue scoffed, then suddenly intervened.
Cling—clink!
Two golden blades flashed, producing two crisp metallic sounds.
Feng Bu Jue, wielding his death poker, launched two close-range slashes. The_Bruce blocked with the fin-blades on his forearms, parrying the strikes.
“Hmph… You’re not as strong as I expected,” The_Bruce said, somewhat delighted. After this brief clash, he realized Feng Bu Jue’s strength wasn’t as exaggerated as he’d imagined. Though the glowing weapon couldn’t be analyzed, its power left no visible damage on the Batmanarmor.
“You’re misunderstanding,” Feng Bu Jue laughed, dissipating his poker as he scratched his head. “I held back to test your capabilities. This makes planning the next step easier.”
Hearing this, The_Bruce felt a mix of shock and wariness, instantly tightening his guard.
But Feng Bu Jue didn’t attack again. Instead, he pulled out a device from his pocket. “This little gadget was cobbled together by Kliberdoctor using existing Batcave equipment. Its effect is quite interesting.” Holding a walkie-talkie-like device, he explained, “It emits a special electronic signal that interferes with specific systems.”
Before he finished speaking, The_Bruce already understood which “system” was targeted. But he could only stand there, teeth clenched in helpless silence.
“Based on my tests…” Feng Bu Jue held the jammer in one hand and raised an index finger to his lips in a mock-cute gesture, “Reducing your combat armor-plated output by about 40% should do it.” He tapped the device a few times—operation complete.
At that moment, error messages flooded The_Bruce’s right visor. His armor’s tactical analysis system and weapon remote system collapsed simultaneously.
“There,” Feng Bu Jue said. He’d been several meters away when starting the sentence, but finished it standing directly behind The_Bruce. “Get up there!”
Suddenly grabbing The_Bruce’s mantle, he yanked hard, hurling the scenario Boss skyward.
The_Bruce was stunned by this impossible speed. His earlier assessment of this “Joker” had been completely wrong. The limits of Feng Bu Jue’s capabilities were beyond anything he could measure…
By the time The_Bruce regained his senses and tried to stabilize his fall, he was already crashing sideways onto the castle’s high platform. He simply let himself land there.
Meanwhile, Feng Bu Jue had already leapt up from the plaza with Qiao Yi in tow.
“Now, you’ve lost your remote-controlled Batman Batarangs powered by your own Power Source, your thermal sensors, and laser weapons,” Feng Bu Jue declared. “The Power Source armor-plated output has dropped by 40%. The technological gap from our eras has been erased. Your strength and speed are now roughly equal to Qiao Yi’s current level.” He smiled. “You wanted a game? I gave it. You wanted fairness? I gave it. You wanted an audience…” He swung his arm, and all the city’s screens activated, live broadcasting the scene. “I gave that too.”
Feng Bu Jue erupted into berserk laughter, the sound echoing across Gotham.
“Gotham Citizens! I bring you a truly authentic show,” he announced after a few chuckles. “Let’s see who’s stronger when wearing the most basic Batman Equipment—equipment that doesn’t aim to kill.”
Pausing, Feng Bu Jue suddenly cast a strange glance at Qiao Yi. Their eyes met, and Qiao Yi seemed to understand something, though he gave no outward sign.
“The birth of Batman… you’ll witness yourselves,” Feng Bu Jue said, then spun his mantle dramatically and strode into the Batmancastle.
As he passed The_Bruce, the latter dared not move a muscle, let alone attack.
“I believe we’ll have a second round,” Feng Bu Jue said after leaving. Qiao Yi stepped forward, facing Bruce directly.
Behind Qiao Yi, the streets billowed with thick smoke, the sky choked with gunpowder haze.
In this battlefield-like Solemn Killing Scene, Qiao Yi.Colin’s figure seemed taller than ever. The eyes hidden beneath his Batman mask burned with unprecedented resolve.
The black mantle fluttered in the wind. Suddenly, people seemed to glimpse another figure—a towering silhouette from a century ago. His true name didn’t matter, for he was—Batman.
“Heh… Haha… Hahahaha!” The_Bruce suddenly laughed—a bitter, relieved sound.
In this darkest hour before dawn, the sky’s Batman Symbol beams had vanished. Yet those bizarre light beams still shrouded the city.
Gotham fell silent. Every citizen watched this duel.
“Fine… Fine…” The_Bruce shook his head, smiling. “You want to be Batman?” He stared at Qiao Yi. “Alright then—defeat me. Surpass me.” As he spoke, he removed the visor and communicator from his right faceplate, tossing them aside casually.
At this moment, the ruler of Gotham for over three decades finally cast off his hypocrisy and fear, facing everything head-on.
“I must warn you… the path you’ve chosen is harder than becoming a god,” The_Bruce said. “I couldn’t walk that path to the end, which is why I became who I am today.” He unfastened his mantle, letting it drop to the ground. “I admit—I failed to inherit Bruce Wayne’s will.” He paused. “But I did eliminate evil and confusion, preserving Gotham’s peace.”
“You brought peace through dictatorship,” Qiao Yi countered.
“Yes, and I have no regrets—I’m proud of it,” Bruce replied. “Because I’ve seen firsthand the chaos freedom brings.”
“You should stand at the boundary between Order and chaos, defending the weak, not protecting them through control,” Qiao Yi said.
“Hmph…” Bruce smiled bitterly. “It’s ironic that you’re the one saying this to me…” He cracked his neck, fists raised. “Ideologically, you’re the heir Bruce Wayne wanted… But whether your abilities are sufficient—let me, the last heir of the Wayne Family, test that personally.”
(End of Chapter)
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