"Patient?"
Commissioner Gordon frowned.
Was there really a patient in Arkham Asylum important enough for Axel and his people to personally retrieve?
Since Haino's case had occurred outside Gotham, the Gotham Police Department had never been involved in the investigation or subsequent handling of the matter. Gordon genuinely knew nothing about her.
Seeing his confusion, Bruce considered his words before answering.
"There's a patient named Haino. She has a... connection to Wraith."
"In any case, I'll have someone bring her back to the Manor. Axel can decide what happens to her."
"You understand how things are now, Commissioner Gordon. I don't like making these compromises, but Axel's stability affects Gotham's stability. Sometimes there are realities we can't ignore."
After speaking, Bruce pressed his lips together and walked toward the asylum exit.
He had already received confirmation of the Mad Hatter's death. The crisis was effectively over.
The incident had caused significant casualties, claiming hundreds of lives.
Even so, most of the damage had been contained within Arkham Asylum itself. The city had avoided a wider catastrophe.
Considering everything Gotham had endured recently, along with the destruction in Washington, Bruce viewed that outcome as acceptable.
Watching Bruce leave, Gordon let out a long breath.
The times had truly changed.
Now even he had to follow the lead of the people living in Downton Manor.
The Falcone crime family and other old criminal powers had relied on bribery and intimidation to influence City Hall and the police department.
The Dead Souls Gang, however, operated openly.
Just as Gordon was reflecting on that reality, he called out toward Bruce.
"Bru... Batman!"
Damn it.
Bruce's expression stiffened.
Even Gordon nearly slipped up.
At this point, his identity might as well have been public knowledge.
Suppressing his embarrassment, Bruce turned around and asked coldly,
"What is it?"
"Nothing important. I just wanted to ask about Wraith's dragon."
Cold sweat formed on Gordon's forehead.
After glancing around, he stepped away from the officers and lowered his voice.
"Is that dragon really a project developed by Wayne Enterprises and LexCorp?"
"To be honest, my daughter used to enjoy video games. I bought her a lot of consoles and games."
"One of them was Monster Hunter."
"She hunted Silver Rathalos in that game."
"I mean... did you really build that Sky Dragon? That giant flying machine?"
Bruce inhaled deeply.
He had investigated Gordon long ago.
Barbara Gordon was a genius who spent most of her time studying and working with computers.
The idea that she had spent endless hours gaming was questionable.
The more likely gamer was standing right in front of him.
Even so, Bruce nodded.
"Of course it was built by Wayne Enterprises and LexCorp."
"Technology has limitless potential."
"Yes, it resembles a monster from a game."
"But that's simply a technological achievement."
"What else would it be?"
"Do you think a dragon can fly out of a video game, Commissioner Gordon?"
A faint smile appeared on Bruce's face.
"Though perhaps I should call you Director Gordon now."
"Yo, Commissioner Gordon, Batman, my dear friends!"
A familiar voice suddenly interrupted them.
Both men immediately tensed.
Turning toward the source, they saw Axel emerging from the flames.
Nearby, Ah Yin rested in the Arkham parking lot, lazily swishing its tail.
"Careful, it's Wraith!"
"Careful? Wraith's here!"
"Don't call him that, we're police officers!"
"Bullshit. The Mayor calls him that."
"Boss Wraith!"
"Wraith!"
"Your dragon is amazing!"
"That's awesome!"
The atmosphere changed instantly.
The exhausted police officers suddenly seemed energized.
Over the past weeks, Gotham's ordinary citizens and rank-and-file officers had formed a surprisingly favorable opinion of Axel.
Whether it was his hostility toward Gotham's corrupt elite or the security he had provided during the Washington disaster, people had noticed.
As for the killing, Gotham was hardly unfamiliar with violence.
Compared to the threats they lived with daily, most people cared more about practical benefits.
Safety.
Higher wages.
A city that seemed harder to destroy than before.
Those things mattered.
Seeing the excitement around him, Axel grinned and waved.
"Easy, everyone."
"A lot of people died here today."
"Let's not turn the place into a celebration."
"Be professional. Wipe those smiles off your faces and look serious."
The officers immediately complied.
Their expressions became so grim that they looked like they had just attended a funeral.
Watching the scene, Gordon sighed.
He truly was just a mascot at this point.
Then he cautiously stepped forward.
Axel immediately wrapped an arm around his shoulder.
"Haha, Commissioner Gordon, long time no see."
"When are you introducing your daughter to me?"
"Axel!"
Gordon gritted his teeth.
"Stop joking about my daughter. She's still a minor!"
"Fine, fine."
Axel nodded.
"But she'll grow up eventually."
"When she graduates high school, I'll invite her to visit the Manor."
While speaking, Axel casually pulled Gordon along toward Bruce.
"So what happened here?"
"How did Arkham end up looking like this?"
"Which genius caused all this?"
"It was Jervis Tetch, the Mad Hatter."
Bruce's expression darkened.
"He was institutionalized years ago after multiple incidents involving hypnotic manipulation."
"When you killed Hugo Strange and his attending physician, he found an opportunity."
"He eventually hypnotized the entire asylum."
"The situation only became clear today."
Bruce lowered his head.
"I should have discovered it sooner."
"Many lives could have been saved."
"As for you, Axel, you misled me."
"The Harley Quinn you recommended wasn't nearly as capable as you claimed."
"She failed to stop the Mad Hatter."
"In fact, she made things worse."
"Mm-hm."
Axel nodded knowingly.
"I never said she was good at solving problems."
"And you never asked what kind of person she actually was."
"If you had, I would've told you she's a future supervillain who's far more famous than the old crime families."
"Personally, I like her future self quite a bit."
"Damn it!"
Bruce couldn't stop himself from cursing.
Axel laughed and pulled Bruce into the same one-armed embrace he already had Gordon trapped in.
With both men beside him, he turned toward the officers.
"Everyone, Batman and I have a party to attend."
"And I'm borrowing your commissioner too."
"I happen to like his daughter, haha!"
"As for Arkham, that's your responsibility now."
"Get moving."
"If you can't even handle cleanup duty, don't expect me to be as patient as the old crime families."
"Understood!"
"Yes, sir!"
"We'll handle it!"
The officers and SWAT personnel saluted immediately.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Axel engulfed himself, Bruce, and Gordon in flames.
A moment later they appeared beside Ah Yin.
Bruce quickly steadied himself.
Gordon's legs trembled as he clung desperately to Axel's clothes.
"Stay away from my daughter, Axel!"
"Haha, old man, that's not your decision."
"Ah Yin, take off!"
The dragon launched into the sky.
Moments later they landed atop Gotham's Stock Exchange Building.
Geralt stared at Ah Yin with undisguised admiration.
Ciri waved excitedly.
"Axel, you're finally back!"
"It took a little longer than expected."
Axel chuckled.
"Can't help it. Popularity is a burden."
He pulled a stack of notes from his pocket.
"Look at this."
"In such a short time, women slipped me all these numbers."
"Gotham's hotel industry must be thriving."
"Who knows how many are waiting for me right now?"
After laughing, he waved toward everyone.
"Change of plans."
"Ah Yin caused too much of a scene."
"There are crowds everywhere."
"We're heading back to the Manor."
"Floyd, you've got enough weapons to build a small army."
"We'll turn the yard into a shooting range."
"We'll let Geralt and Ciri try modern firearms."
"Then we'll have drinks."
"And tonight we'll take Geralt to experience a twenty-first-century brothel."
"Let's see what the White Wolf thinks of modern entertainment."
Laughing loudly, Axel gestured.
Geralt, Ciri, and Floyd were immediately transported onto Ah Yin's back.
The dragon accelerated toward Downton Manor.
It landed heavily in the courtyard.
The ground shook.
Alfred glanced at the lawn that had only recently been repaired and sighed.
Nearby, Gordon staggered off the dragon.
Geralt quietly steadied him.
"Thank you."
Gordon nodded before glaring at Axel.
"You frauds."
"I recognize both of them."
"Mm-hm."
"You know far too much already."
Axel patted Gordon's shoulder.
"If you'd spent as much time solving cases as you spent gaming, the Falcones would've killed you years ago."
He led the group deeper into the grounds.
In the distance, Martha Kent was feeding animals with Rachel Dawes.
The sight of Ah Yin immediately made both women freeze.
"Rachel... what is that?"
Martha instinctively grabbed Rachel's hand.
Only then did she realize Rachel was trembling too.
Clark had just returned and quickly walked over.
"Don't worry."
"That's Wraith's dragon."
"It won't hurt anyone here."
"I know."
Martha nodded.
"Wraith may not be a good man, but he makes people feel strangely safe."
She looked toward Ah Yin.
"It's just that the world keeps getting stranger."
"Jonathan and I once thought our situation was extraordinary."
"Now it feels insignificant."
"Sometimes I wonder if we held you back, Clark."
"You might have become something even greater."
Clark smiled.
"Mom, I wouldn't trade you and Dad for anything."
He guided Martha and Rachel toward the gathering.
As everyone assembled near the dragon, Lex even leaned out of a laboratory window to observe the scene.
Axel immediately called out to Martha.
"Martha, you know I can hear you, right?"
"So you're talking about me behind my back?"
"If I get angry, your precious son won't be able to stop me."
Martha laughed.
"Axel, you're more dangerous when you're not wearing clothes."
"I'm not worried about you right now."
The comment instantly drew everyone's attention.
Especially Bruce.
His expression became extremely complicated.
"Don't start rumors, Martha!"
Axel immediately protested.
"I got hit by one of Ra's al Ghul's missiles back then!"
Then he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right."
"Bruce, Alfred."
"You should keep an eye on the League of Assassins."
"Ra's al Ghul may be gone, but the people behind him are still a problem."
"I have a feeling they won't disappear quietly."
"And even if he really is dead, what he left behind won't stop coming after me."
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Bruce."
"Me?"
Bruce stared at him.
Axel clearly knew things about his world.
The question was how much.
After a moment, Bruce nodded.
"I'll investigate."
"The League of Assassins should disappear permanently."
"But what exactly are you referring to, Axel?"
"If possible, I'd like us to exchange information."
"No problem."
Axel nodded.
"But not today."
"Today's for celebrating."
He placed his hands on Ciri and Geralt's shoulders and pushed them forward.
"Everyone, meet my friends from another world."
"Ciri."
"Geralt."
"This is my base of operations."
"These are my people."
"Make yourselves at home."
"And tonight, nobody's going to bed sober!"
"Wait."
Gordon's heart sank.
"Your people?"
"I am definitely not..."
===
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