บท 523: I Am Just Arthur, always will be
Arthur suddenly understood everything.
The reward given by the Quiz game was a chance for him to make a new choice. Previously, he had no options and only the path of the Joker lay before him. But in this world, having experienced drastically different lives, he could now take control of his own destiny again.
However, while the opportunity was presented, whether he could seize it depended on him. Arthur took a deep breath and once again reaffirmed his conviction: "All of this is rightfully mine!"
As he watched the video of his future in the Quiz game, the biggest feeling in Arthur's heart was sorrow. He actually enjoyed being the center of attention, but not as the puppet protagonist being led by invisible strings. That wasn't what he wanted.
Observing his own future in the third person always led to similar thoughts, like watching a movie where the script was already written, and once filming began, the role you played couldn't be changed. You had to follow the script to the end!
And now what Arthur wanted to do was break free from the script and become a truly free man!
Having realized this, he no longer felt lost and pained when facing Bruce. As the opponent approached again, he launched another attack. Bruce's body seemed impenetrable, and he understood Arthur's tactics well. Trying to confront Bruce head-on with his body clearly put him at a disadvantage.
Whenever he threw a punch, his arm would be broken. Lifting his leg would result in it being twisted. Even using his head would only lead to bruises and swelling. Under Bruce's relentless assault, Arthur was nearly beaten beyond recognition, covered in blood. Yet, even so, his eyes still gleamed with a bright light. He refused to give up!
Initially, while tormenting Arthur, Bruce laughed incessantly. He enjoyed this process, being ruthless not only with his hands but also with his words, describing in detail how he tortured Alfred, trying to break Arthur's will mentally.
But Arthur's resilience disappointed him. Bruce's laughter gradually faded, and he became unhappy. "Why, Arthur? Tell me, why persist in this meaningless resistance? You are the Joker, everyone believes you are the Joker!
What's wrong with being the Joker? You know better than anyone else. We all share the same goal - to change the injustice of Gotham, to change this terrible world!
But we also know that only chaos can end all the evil, only then can absolute fairness be restored. Isn't that what you want?"
Arthur simply looked at him with calm and cold eyes. Even though he was now missing limbs and completely powerless to resist, the contest was not over yet.
The injuries and struggles on his body were just details, or rather, just a means to an end. The ultimate goal was to crush Arthur's rationality and will. Only then could Bruce get what he wanted.
Therefore, he found it difficult to deal with Arthur's unyielding attitude. He had planned everything meticulously, carefully watering the little seedling. According to his understanding of Arthur, when he revealed all the truths and Alfred's torment, this series of stimuli should be enough to make Arthur collapse. But Arthur could still hold on for so long.
He tilted his head to observe Arthur, who was lying on the ground, breathing heavily. Bruce placed his foot on Arthur's remaining right-hand fingers, then slowly exerted pressure, crushing the fingers bit by bit, and smiled, saying, "I have to admit, you are now a qualified Batman. But Batman cannot save Gotham, nor can he save you!"
Arthur, who had endured silently for a long time, finally smiled at this moment. He coughed up blood as he laughed. "You're right. Batman can't save Gotham, nor can he save me. That's why... I need to step forward! I know what you're going to do, torture me, beat me, and then feast on my shattered soul and will. You've carefully planned all of this. But guess what? I don't have to do anything. As long as I persevere, the ultimate winner will be me!"
Upon hearing this, Bruce couldn't laugh anymore. He tightly pursed his crimson lips, revealing a hint of Bruce Wayne's appearance. His voice, dripping with darkness, seemed to be squeezed out of his throat: "I will enjoy this process very much, slowly devouring you!"
As he spoke, he continued to crush Arthur's fingers bit by bit.
But Arthur still smiled weakly and said, "I've already won—this duel isn't fair, but who said this is not my world?"
This bizarre world originated from the reward of the Quiz game, but its foundation was built by Arthur's consciousness and rationality. It was precisely because of this that he could separate himself from the chaos and madness within, and everything that happened in this world had to follow Arthur's cognition.
From this perspective, Arthur stood undefeated from the beginning, because as long as he retained his rationality, he could control this world. Of course, he couldn't manipulate it like a creator, commanding the winds and rains. Or snap his fingers to erase Bruce into thin air. However, it can be ensured that his will won't be consumed by Bruce unless he willingly surrenders his sanity.
This is also why Bruce went to great lengths to set up this situation. He must use external stimuli to make Arthur collapse, voluntarily losing his sanity, in order to win this game. And he mustn't let Arthur realize this.
But he miscalculated. Arthur struggled to slowly rise from the pool of blood, staring up at the grim and insane eyes of Bruce. "This is a test for me. I must immerse myself in this world, in the role of Batman, to meet you and defeat you. However, in doing so, I become more susceptible to your provocation... But fortunately, I persevered!"
This bizarre dream is actually an immersive drama. Arthur plays the role of the eldest son of the Wayne family and must fully embrace the role. Yet, once he does, he naturally overlooks the truth and exposes vulnerabilities.
Thus, he must maintain a balance between immersion and detachment. Arthur ultimately achieves this. Just now, he realized that he was everything in this world.
Bruce also ceases his actions, staring straight at him with his hoarse voice saying, "The abandoned Joker, do you want to become Batman?"
"No," Arthur shook his head. "As you said, Batman cannot save Gotham. I am just Arthur, forever Arthur. I will make people remember my name—Arthur, not the Joker or any other title!"
Infinite black mist gushes out from Bruce's body, but as the gentle breeze sweeps through, the mist gradually dissipates into the air.
In the blink of an eye, he vanishes without a trace, leaving only a remark: "Well then, Arthur, I look forward to our next encounter."
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