Capítulo 51: Chapter 51: Can You Change Your Wish?

Gotham Harbor, abandoned warehouse.

In a room that should have been forgotten, in a corner that no one had visited since the year before last, a faint green glow illuminated the space.

It came from the fluorescence of a display screen. Makeshift shelves and tables held computer towers, and a pair of monitors surrounded the room's only chair. Darkness filled the room, except for the inactive screensavers that featured the same green background with a prominent "?".

This was the Riddler's hideout.

Edward Nygma, better known as the Riddler, sat amidst the monitors in the room.

Not long after his debut, he had engaged in a fierce battle of wits with Batman. However, after suffering his biggest defeat yet—when a giant, seemingly deus ex machina figure casually bypassed his meticulously planned trap and rescued the child he had kidnapped—the Riddler decided to lay low for a while.

Since then, he had been holed up in his little hideout, leaving no clues or riddles and not venturing out to cause trouble. Because of this, both Batman and the GCPD were at a loss for where to find him, and they had to temporarily give up.

Of course, he wasn't going to just give up entirely.

This time, he was planning something bigger than ever before—a grand scheme that would be a riddle beyond any that had come before it, worthy of his identity as a super-genius.

Suddenly, a dark shadow slowly emerged behind him, taking a twisted form in the empty room.

"Edward Nygma..."

The Riddler's pupils contracted. He stopped typing on his keyboard and turned around, frowning.

"Who's there?"

"Me? I am the shadow formed from the hearts of all those who hold a grudge. I am Vengeance."

The dark shadow coalesced into the figure of Scorpion Spirit, with blood-red eyes filled with cruelty.

"A demon?"

The Riddler, who was a frequent guest at Arkham Asylum, was not fazed by this supernatural appearance.

"A demon? No," Scorpion Spirit sneered. "My name is Kresus, the Spectral Wraith, here to offer you a helping hand."

The Riddler pondered for a moment.

"But you just said you were Vengeance."

Scorpion Spirit opened its mouth, the rest of its prepared speech abruptly halted.

"...That was a conceptual, abstract statement," it explained gruffly. "I am indeed Vengeance, but my name is Kresus."

"Dude, you guys make this too confusing."

The Riddler leaned back in his swivel chair, hands clasped.

"I bet you don't get out much to negotiate deals, right? My guess is you're not very successful at tricking new souls."

"I told you, I'm not a demon. I'm a wraith!" Scorpion Spirit shook its head, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "In short, you have talent, and in your heart lies a darkness unmatched by others.

We have taken an interest in your talent and are willing to remove any obstacles in your path to achieving your dreams! Speak your greatest wish, no matter what it may be..."

The Riddler replied without hesitation, "Help me kill that 'Ultraman'."

Scorpion Spirit's smile instantly disappeared.

Its blood-red eyes widened, staring directly at the Riddler.

Are you trying to get me killed?

After a moment, it grumbled, "I thought you'd want to kill Batman. Isn't he the one who's been ruining your plans?"

"That would be nice too, but I think I can handle him on my own. After all, he's not as smart as I am."

The Riddler laughed smugly, crossing his arms.

"But that giant from last time was a wild card. He disrupted my plans for no reason, as if he just happened to be passing by, without playing by my rules... I don't like that."

Scorpion Spirit pondered for a moment and said, "I know you're a great designer, a master of riddles. Your creations are impressive."

"Thank you." The Riddler puffed out his chest proudly.

"But I know your ambitions don't end there. You want to achieve greater heights than ever before, to create a riddle of the ages, one that will be an indelible scar on this city—no, on the world. Isn't that right?

And we have the power, the extraordinary power, to make anything happen."

The wraith floated behind him, whispering persuasively.

"Embrace the darkness within you, and we will help you realize that grand blueprint—"

The Riddler thought for a moment.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I still want to kill that Ultraman."

The wraith: "..."

It was already starting to rage internally.

I can't beat him! How many times do I have to say it? I just can't!

Can't you choose something else?

After a moment's contemplation, the wraith changed its tactics again.

"Or, I'm curious—how could a master of riddles like you be so blind to the greatest riddle right in front of you?"

"What?" The Riddler was indeed drawn in.

"Batman," Scorpion Spirit coaxed gently. "Aren't you curious who he really is behind that mask? The man who appears out of nowhere, always one step ahead of you.

The one who solves all your riddles, always sees through the clues you leave behind.

That man, who is a riddle himself—don't you... want to know?"

The wraith's ethereal voice echoed in the darkness, growing more and more compelling.

For a moment, the Riddler seemed genuinely tempted.

In his eyes, the unique desire for answers possessed by a mad genius flickered to life.

"Now that's more like it," the wraith pressed on, "Embrace your inner darkness, and we will grant you power—"

"Thanks, but no," the Riddler shook his head. "But my wish is still to eliminate that Ultraman."

The wraith: "..."

Wait, are you doing this on purpose?

"I'll handle the Batman problem myself; the reveal wouldn't be satisfying if I didn't do it with my own hands," the Riddler said.

Unable to hold back any longer, the wraith's body surged with dark energy. It raised its claws behind the Riddler, nearly deciding to just tear this idiot apart in a fit of rage.

Then, the Riddler's tone changed: "But... now that I think about it, accepting your help might not be a bad idea. I am planning a final showdown with Batman, a riddle for the ages.

But you're right; my previous riddles have always been cracked by him, so maybe I do need some contingencies..."

The wraith hastily retracted its claws in the split second before he turned around, pretending nothing had happened.

"I'm glad we can come to an agreement," it said with a light chuckle. "Don't worry. With us around, that bat is as good as dead."

Back at their hideout, Scorpion Spirit let out a deep sigh.

"That human is not right in the head," it muttered vaguely. "Do we really have to work with such a lunatic?"

"It's necessary, Kresus," a shadow emerged in the darkness—the Owl Spirit.

"Edward Nygma may be a lunatic, but he's a lunatic with ideas, at least among humans. He can help us draw out the 'Batman.' After all, the real objective is to capture 'Batman' alive."

"I still don't get it—he's just some freak in a costume, isn't he?" Scorpion Spirit wondered. "Why do we need him?"

"He possesses things that others do not. These qualities make him the perfect sustenance and sacrifice.

It is 'His Excellency' who has specifically designated him."

The Owl Spirit cast a cold glance at him.

"Do you dare to question His Excellency's will?"

"No, no, I wouldn't dare," Scorpion Spirit lowered its head.

The Owl Spirit snorted coldly, "Soon, the day of descent will come. When His Excellency reigns, anyone who dares stand in our way will meet only death!"