[Integrated/Crossover DC/Marvel] Why Did the World End Again? - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Countdown to Destruction

When those words left Jason Todd’s mouth, he felt a sudden pang of regret, but he didn’t offer an explanation. He simply continued to look at Batman, feeling a sudden curiosity about what Bruce would say after hearing such a thing.

“Why?”

Batman looked at Jason. He had always understood his son; Jason wasn’t one to make meaningless jokes about things like this. So why would Jason say that the “Batman” in the dream killed his own son?

He didn’t want to believe it, but then he thought of the Lycoris Wayne Alice had described—the one laughing maniacally. He suddenly understood.

“Is that how it is?”

“Old man, what are you talking about?”

Jason, feeling uncharacteristically guilty, didn’t have time to say anything else before he saw Batman standing there, seemingly deep in thought. Superman remained silent; experience told him never to participate in someone else’s family drama.

“I understand.”

After saying this, Batman looked at Superman. Moments later, the two vanished from Jason’s safehouse, leaving Jason standing there in a daze.

“What do you understand? You understand what!?!?”

Returning to the Batcave, Batman began organizing the clues. All the threads, when woven together, seemed to point toward one reality: the downfall of the Bat-family, the laughing Daughter of the Bat, a Gotham never mentioned, and a Batman who killed his “bird.” It all pointed to one final possibility—Gotham was gone.

“Bruce, maybe it’s not as bad as we think…”

“No, Clark. You know that I once almost killed the Joker. You stopped me. I’ve also thought about ways to kill him, but I discovered another secret hidden within him.”

Superman fell silent. He had also questioned why the Joker, in a city as large as Gotham, still lived despite having so many enemies and so many people hating him.

Was Gotham too inclusive? Were its citizens too law-abiding? Both ideas were clearly laughable.

Was it a vague sense of “fate”? Superman found the thought ridiculous. If fate were real, why didn’t it open its eyes to see how many people in this world waste resources and harm others’ lives—people who clearly deserve to die but survive to this day?

The Son of God loathed both evil and fate.

“There is an active agent in his body that grants the Joker incredible regenerative abilities. This is why, no matter how severe the wounds I inflict on him during patrol, he’s back on his feet the next day, continuing to destroy everything.”

“I see, Bruce. But regarding what Jason said… well, I’m still skeptical. I believe in you, Bruce. You could never kill your son.”

“And what if my will isn’t strong enough? Or what if someone else is walking in my skin?”

The two in the Batcave fell silent. The World’s Finest watched each other. A storm brewed in Superman’s heart. He understood Batman’s significance and his personal will better than anyone; no one could shake Batman, which was why he held his morality in this dark city. But if someone “replaced” him… what kind of end would Gotham and the entire Justice League face?

“Bruce, that couldn’t be worse…”

“We need to prepare other contingencies. Regarding me.”

At the Watchtower, Alice took her computer back to her room and resumed the game. When the laptop opened, Lycoris Wayne appeared directly on the screen, giving her a massive fright.

“Do you like the sea?”

The nonsensical question left Alice silent. The sea? Alice didn’t have many strong preferences; her last impression of the ocean was the seafood—it was quite delicious…

Alice didn’t answer. She clicked directly on Lycoris Wayne’s character card and found that Chapter Two had been unlocked.

Chapter Two: The Drowned Gotham.

Seeing those words, Alice’s head filled with questions. What did the Billionaire ever do wrong? Why do they keep picking on him?

“Superman, help!!!”

Superman, currently discussing things with Batman in the cave, felt something was wrong. He tilted his head to listen, but the lead in the Batcave blocked most signals.

“What is it?” Batman asked, noticing Superman’s sudden serious expression.

“Bruce, I feel like someone is calling me…”

Alice, having called for Superman without him appearing, ran to the Justice League main hall. Fortunately, the League had a rotating watch; the Flash was sitting there observing data on the screens for emergency calls.

Barry was curious about Alice’s sudden appearance. He was fascinated by the red-haired girl and everything she carried—most importantly, that eerie computer.

“Hello, Alice. What happened? You look panicked.”

Seeing a superhero in the hall, Alice’s heart finally settled. “A new plot unlocked in the computer. It mentions Gotham. I called for Superman, but he didn’t come.”

Barry understood and immediately signaled Superman and Batman.

The two soon arrived at the Watchtower. Alice pointed the screen toward them. Batman fell silent upon seeing the title of Chapter Two. Superman broke the quiet.

“Let’s see the plot…”

Alice clicked play. The screen faded to black before transforming into an image of seawater. The world looked like a vast ocean. Only one landmark remained: Wayne Tower. The high-rise built by the billionaire had not disappointed the millions of dollars spent on it; it still stood there, the last ruin of Gotham City.

A figure stood there watching the collapse: Lycoris Wayne.

“If the heavens allow it, I am willing to give everything—my body, my soul, my all. I want everything to be reversed. Please, answer my prayer.”

The girl’s manic state left Alice speechless. Then, an ethereal voice rang out:

“Then, let it be exactly as you wish…”

A woman stood atop the seawater. A massive Bat-symbol was emblazoned on her chest. Lycoris Wayne stood before her as she raised her arms, the seawater surging upward.

“Dear Lycoris, you should call me ‘Mother’.”

Then, the screen went completely black. White text jumped out line by line:

If you were given a chance to start over, and the price was losing everything, would you take this hollow opportunity?

Someone would.

The screen lit up with countless specks of starlight, mapping out a giant Bat-symbol over the planet.

There is always someone who loves you, Batman.

Alice covered her mouth, not daring to look up. To be honest, she felt a bit awkward. If this system didn’t actually grant superpowers, it would just be a “meme-leech,” obsessed with ruining Gotham City…

Batman watched the footage in silence. His focus was entirely on that “Batwoman” and that one word: Mother? Based on existing clues, Lycoris Wayne was his “daughter.” Based on their demeanor and conversation, he could rule out the possibility of that woman being a Mrs. Wayne. That left one final possibility: that woman was him.

Regarding the “prayer” Lycoris spoke of: Batman was not a mystic and didn’t believe in strange magic, but he knew one thing—everything in the world has a price. What would a “chance to start over” cost? A life? A soul? Or truly “everything,” as she said? Lycoris Wayne got her chance, but Batman knew the deal was doomed to end badly.

All magical sources are greedy. They drain every bit of value from a person. Every “believer” is like an ox, willingly giving everything until they are consumed. Batman had briefly met the Devil once; he had been offered an excellent deal in exchange for his soul falling to Hell after death. Batman refused. Constantine once said: Never make a deal with the Devil.

Perhaps no one understood why he did what he did, but it didn’t matter. Just as many questioned why he put on the cape, his soul had been polished through agony. Both Heaven and Hell coveted him.

They both longed for this most brilliant collectible, but Batman never cared. He accepted malice with equanimity, but when faced with kindness and love, he usually chose silence. A porcupine never fears its quills hurting an enemy, but it fears they will hurt its family.

“Will you enter the dream tonight?”

Superman’s words broke Batman’s contemplation. Everyone had to look forward; one cannot stay in the past.

Alice nodded at Superman’s words. “It should be. I’ll dream of a scene, then enter the plot. I don’t know if someone will be with me this time. I met someone last time, but I don’t know about now.”

Superman nodded and looked at Batman. “Then we wait for nightfall.”

The moon climbed to the treetops. Alice lay on her bed and closed her eyes. She felt herself walking on a plain, but she couldn’t see anything. She could only hear the sound of crying in her ears, followed by a burst of gunfire, manic laughter, and one final sentence:

“Alfred is dead.”

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