บท 120: CHAPTER 118
During the late hours of the evening, I sank into the bathtub, indulging in a hot bubble bath to soothe my mind, body, and soul. As the warm water enveloped me, offering respite from the stresses of the day, my tranquility was interrupted by an alert from Gwen, my AI companion.
"What is it, Gwen? You know I despise interruptions when I'm in the bath," I grumbled, reluctantly raising myself from the comfort of the tub.
"Apologies, Master Tom, but the information I have for you might pique your interest," Gwen replied with an undertone of excitement.
Curiosity sparked within me. "Oh, really? Tell me more."
"Batman has engaged in an all-out brawl with the Joker at a warehouse. However, a portion of the building is already ablaze and could soon be consumed by fire."
A wicked smile slowly crept upon my lips, relishing the news. Finally, it seemed that Batman had reached his breaking point with his deranged counterpart and was prepared to bring an end to the madness. Yet, I couldn't help but doubt his ability to do so, given his hypocritical sense of justice, which had cost the lives of many innocents.
"Very well, Gwen. I'll be out for a while," I informed her, stepping out of the bath and quickly drying my body and hair.
Once dressed in my Ace costume, I activated the communication feature in my earpiece. "Gwen, send me the location," I commanded, ready to intervene in this volatile situation.
"Displaying the location on your lenses now," she promptly responded.
As I glanced ahead, a small map materialized beside me, marked with a red pin indicating the warehouse. That had to be the spot. With a surge of anticipation, I propelled myself mid-air, soaring toward the site of the impending clash. From a distance I could see a section of the warehouse was already on fire.
Upon arrival, I observed the aftermath of Batman's merciless assault on the Joker. The clown's face was a grotesque tableau of brutality, yet Batman hesitated to deliver the final blow. Hovering above like a spectator, I watched, captivated, wondering if the Dark Knight would at long last sever this eternal cycle.
"Come on, Batman, you know you yearn for revenge for poor Robin. Just do it," the Joker taunted, his bloodied face twisted into a deranged smile, followed by his signature maniacal laughter.
"No, I won't succumb to your madness. A special cell has been prepared for you at Arkham, and this time, there will be no escape," Batman seethed, his restraint palpable as he refrained from pummeling the Joker into oblivion.
"Ugh... Can this get any more tiresome?" I remarked with a bored tone, lowering myself closer to Batman's side. Intrigued, I attempted to reason with him. "Come on, Bat, deep down, you know he deserves death. There's no point in returning him to that asylum; it will only perpetuate the cycle."
"Ace, what are you doing here?" Batman asked, his voice maintaining its cold demeanor, yet hiding a hint of surprise.
"I came to talk some sense into you, perhaps even lend a hand as you deliver the final blow to this scoundrel," I coolly replied, my words laced with a touch of malice.
"And who might this charming fellow be?" the Joker chimed in, his eyes gleaming with madness. "He's right, you know. We've only just met, but I think I already like him." Blood trickled from his nose, mouth, and a gash above his eyebrow, giving him an even more unhinged appearance.
"Get out of here, Batman, and leave the Joker to me," I interjected, my voice dripping with a blend of amusement and menace. "You have no place in this." Batman replied.
"Stop being rude, Batsy. Our new friend is an honored guest tonight. He can stay as long as he pleases," the Joker chimed in, punctuating his words with a mad cackle.
Ignoring the clown's taunting, I pressed on, my gaze fixed on Batman. "What I do is up to me. No one dictates my actions. Plunge a sharp object into his heart or blow his brains out, and he's done for."
A wicked grin curved my lips as I circled around Batman, whispering my thoughts into his conflicted mind. "Remember what he did to Robin. Recall all the lives extinguished by this heartless clown. He thrives without remorse or guilt."
The Joker, still seated amidst the wreckage and smoldering flames, couldn't resist interjecting, "Ouch... Don't say that. You might hurt my feelings."
"Shut up, clown. I'm trying to have a conversation here," I snapped, my eyes narrowing in disdain beneath my mask.
"I don't have time for this," Batman growled, his frustration mounting as he assumed a battle stance. "Ace, leave, or I'll make you."
A dry chuckle escaped my lips, the amusement evident in my voice. "I suppose you'd rather fight me than put an end to this clown. But you're not worth the effort. It would be like tossing around a rag doll."
"At least that saves me the trouble of hunting you down myself," he retorted, reaching for his utility belt and producing four batarangs.
"Frankly, I had hoped we could coexist without crossing paths. But now, you've left me no choice but to show you the consequence of opposing me," I replied with a sigh. "Well, I suppose this is how it must be."
"It's how it must be," Batman affirmed, launching two batarangs toward me before swiftly evading to his right, executing a seamless roll as he threw the remaining two.
The projectiles hurtled toward me, but I effortlessly discerned their trajectory. With calculated ease, I deftly maneuvered between them, darting toward Batman before he had a chance to react.
In the blink of an eye, I stood before him, his eyes widening in surprise as he desperately attempted to create distance. Alas, it was too late.
Before he could comprehend the imminent danger, I closed the distance with lightning speed, conjuring a sphere of condensed air in my palm. With a sudden jolt, I slammed the sphere into his chest, unleashing a shockwave that reverberated through his body.
"Ggrrrh," he grunted, his body freezing for a split second as the impact burst through his back. Blood gushed from his mouth and nose before he was sent hurtling through a stack of crates, colliding with a wall near the encroaching flames.
Joker, seemingly undeterred by the unfolding chaos, couldn't help but comment, "Wow, didn't see that one coming," yet again, punctuating his words with a mad chuckle as he attempted to get up.
"Stay down, clown. I'll attend to you shortly. No need to rush your demise," I sneered, a cold edge to my voice.
"Whoa, how intimidating," Joker remarked sarcastically, his voice oozing with twisted amusement. "I was just trying to strike up a conversation. Geez." Joker remarked, seemingly unfazed by my warnings as he defiantly made an attempt to stand up.
"I have no time for your antics," I spat out, my eyes narrowing in disgust. With a dismissive glance in Batman's direction, I turned my attention back to the Joker, who appeared to be struggling to stand up.
*Sigh*
Without hesitation, I accelerated towards him, delivering a powerful kick to his left knee, causing it to buckle and break. I swiftly followed up by ruthlessly forcing his right ankle against the unforgiving ground, shattering the bone with a sickening crack.
Not so surprisingly, the deranged madman didn't scream nor did he cry out in pain. Instead, he erupted into maniacal laughter, his twisted amusement echoing through the warehouse. I couldn't help but look down at him with a mix of disgust and disdain.
As I turned my attention back to Batman, I noticed him struggling to regain his footing, slowly pushing himself up from the ground.
I closed the distance between us swiftly, a predatory smile playing on my lips. "Come on now, not so fast," I taunted Batman, taking slow steps towards him.
I reached out and gripped his neck, lifting him off the ground. Predictably, he brought his hidden left hand forward and released a cloud of gas directly at my face, followed by a desperate kick to my chest. But his feeble attempts were futile against my unwavering hold.
"Nice try, Batsy, but such cheap tricks don't work on me," I scoffed as the gas cleared from my face.
"Why don't you just kill me? After all... it's what you're good at," Batman said, his voice trembling.
I burst into maniacal laughter before responding, relishing the moment. "Kill you? The weak can't even choose their own way to die." With that, I delivered a powerful blow to his solar plexus, rendering him unconscious from the internal damage he had already suffered. "Now that we're done here, it's your turn," I sneered, dropping Batman's limp body to the ground.
As I approached Joker, I noticed his limbs healing up. He wore a twisted grin, his eyes gleaming with madness.
"I warned you, Joker. Now it's time for you to face the consequences of your actions so far."
The clown's face twisted into a grotesque grin, his bloodied features contorting with sadistic delight. "Oh, I do love consequences. They make life so... Unpredictable," he cackled, seemingly unfazed by the pain coursing through his broken limbs.
As I approached him, Batgirl descended from above, swinging into the warehouse with a resolute expression. She landed with a resolute thud, her tonfas at the ready. Her eyes locked on Batman's battered form, then quickly shifted to me.
"What have you done to him?" she demanded, her voice laced with anger and concern. Gripping her weapons tighter, she prepared to defend her fallen comrade and continue his mission by not letting me have my way with Joker.
A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I met her gaze. "Don't concern yourself with him, darling. You and I both know you won't be able to alleviate my boredom."
Batgirl's eyes narrowed as she steeled her resolve. "We'll see about that," she retorted, her voice filled with a mix of determination and defiance as she prepared to attack.
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