American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

368. A Voice

Late at night, the entire Earth was shrouded in deathly silence.

After being swallowed by a seemingly eternal darkness, people living here were reminded once again of their fear of the dark and the unknown.

Due to Dr. Doom's extraordinary feat, humanity gained precious time for survival, but at the same time, they were thrust back into a "semi-primitive" era, forced to rekindle fire from wood.

In the tech workshop of Blood Nest, a faint glow of firelight seeped through the cracks of the building. In this world, aside from a few unique superhuman beings, the only light source left was the primitive oil lamps used to keep the darkness at bay.

"Barbara, I need you to adjust the capacitor parameters again—reduce the differential from 65-35 to 55-45. This world's parameters are still quite different from the ones we're used to."

Bruce Wayne, the Batman, had completely removed his battle suit. Since he and Barbara arrived at Blood Nest, he had immersed himself in the depths of technology.

He knew exactly what needed to be done, as always. In any situation, Bruce Wayne would make the choice closest to the right one.

"Got it."

Barbara responded casually, stifling a yawn.

The two had been working here for three days and nights. Though they'd taken breaks, the intense workload was a severe strain on their mental stamina.

Every so often, Barbara couldn't help but think of Cyborg. If Cyborg were here, with his abilities, restarting Earth's entire network and power grid would be a simple task.

Given enough time, Cyborg could even rebuild a "Watchtower" outside of Earth.

Sadly…

With a silent sigh, Barbara continued her work and glanced at Bruce Wayne, who was working not far from her.

"I heard Dick and the others had to put in a lot of effort to wake you up."

Bruce's hand paused as he tightened a screw, but he continued as if nothing had happened, replying in an even tone.

"They're all exceptional heroes. Unlike when they were Robins, now they can all stand on their own. I'm pleased to see how much they've grown, especially with respect to my actions."

"Oh, come on, you're always like this, Bruce! There are no cameras here, no reporters, no other Justice League members—just the two of us. Could you drop the act just this once?"

Barbara shook her head, exasperated.

Despite only having known Bruce for a few years, Barbara had discovered just how seriously he carried his "idol image," especially around young heroes.

She still couldn't tell if it was because he wanted to leave a stern impression on them or just wanted to emphasize his serious demeanor.

"What would you like me to say?" Bruce turned and showed Barbara the still-dark circles under his eyes. "A speech, perhaps?"

Barbara couldn't hold back her laughter, and the exhaustion she'd felt vanished in an instant.

"I just wanted to hear your thoughts on their combat skills. By the way, Bruce, you know Jason is a super-soldier now, right? How did that feel?"

"Jason…"

Bruce Wayne felt a faint ache in his ribs.

Jason was true to his street-tough roots; he had mastered Batman's various fighting techniques, takedowns, and even some less scrupulous moves.

If Dick's fighting style resembled that of a gymnast, relying on agility and speed, Jason's was more like a demolitions expert or an assault soldier.

Of course, his style was largely influenced by his personality. Jason isn't one for overthinking, but that doesn't mean he's not clever; his brain works fast, especially in combat strategy and reflexes. So, Jason usually charges in headfirst and only starts planning his next moves once the fight begins.

This approach often yields surprising results, and that was back when he was still the old Jason.

Now, with the strength granted by the super-soldier serum, Jason's style had become even more intense.

Without sufficient preparation, even Batman couldn't guarantee he could take Jason down. Jason was now an even greater threat than Bane.

"I don't resent him for taking the super-soldier serum. Jason is a good kid who just took a detour. Now that he's back, that's all that matters."

"That doesn't sound like you. Weren't you always against these things? I remember when you trained us, you told us to stay far away from stuff like that," Barbara pointed out.

"That's because, back then, you were all still kids. Your values and beliefs weren't fully formed yet."

Bruce Wayne looked up and spoke each word with careful deliberation.

"Whether it's super-soldier serum or other extraordinary enhancements, these things grant immense power, but you must understand that this power is illusory. It isn't something you earned through hard work and suffering.

In this situation, your mindset changes. You no longer feel, 'This power was hard-won; I should use it for something meaningful.' Instead, you're more likely to squander or waste these abilities heedlessly."

"There can even be dire consequences. Has Gotham not taught us enough lessons?"

Putting down the wrench in his hand, Bruce Wayne picked up an electromagnetic device from his utility belt and continued calmly.

"That's why I urged you to stay away from these things—to protect you, not to restrict you. When you each truly become heroes in your own right, you'll be free to choose your own paths."

"As for me, I'll pass. I'd rather provide support to all of you than face various monsters directly. Besides, there's so much about this new Earth's past that's waiting for me to explore."

Barbara clenched her fist, her spirits rising.

"When we get the power systems running again, I'm going to study the history of this world thoroughly, including the origins of the mutants, Inhumans, and Avengers!"

"Good idea, but all that will take a lot of time. For now, we have plenty of work to keep us busy, so you might have to postpone your 'retirement' plans."

"What about Superman, Jason, and the other members of the Suicide Squad? What are they up to now?" Barbara asked.

At this, Bruce Wayne's previously relaxed expression turned grim.

"The Justice League has more pressing matters to deal with. The faster we complete our work, the more we can help them."

"Can't you share a bit more with me? I'm not a kid anymore, remember? Kate and I held Gotham together for two years."

Barbara couldn't help but complain about Batman's habit of withholding information.

Though she wasn't officially a Justice League member, as part of the Bat Family and a hero who had made significant contributions in the final battle, she felt she deserved to know the plan.

Bruce Wayne took a moment to reflect.

For him, Barbara would always be a junior member, but he couldn't deny that she was no longer just a "sidekick."

She and others like her were writing their own stories, sometimes even surpassing his expectations.

With this in mind, Bruce gave a slight nod.

"The Justice League members are scattered, working to protect the citizens arriving here. Lois and Harley Quinn are tallying the Suicide Squad's losses while trying to keep super-criminals under control."

"Don't tell me those criminals are planning to go back to their old ways."

"That's precisely our concern. While everyone stood united against an enemy like Darkseid, now that it's over and we're in this new wasteland, it's easy to imagine their personalities stirring up trouble."

Batman's concerns weren't unfounded; there were plenty of precedents with these villains.

They'd survived two years of despair on Apokolips, and now, in this "lawless" wasteland, it was hard to predict what these super-criminals might do.

"It's a pity. I heard the Suicide Squad lost a lot of people in the attack on Luthor Tower. I felt awful at the time, but now I wonder if those people had survived, this place might be even more 'chaotic'."

Barbara shook her head, a complex mix of emotions surfacing within her.

"By the way, what about Luthor?"

Hearing her question, Bruce Wayne responded in a level tone.

"Lex Luthor is planning to establish a new government in the wasteland. He's currently negotiating with several factions, and Black Canary is with him."

"What?"

Barbara couldn't hold back her reaction to Bruce's casual mention of such a bombshell.

"You know as well as I do how ambitious Luthor is. He wants to be the ruler of this wasteland, and you're just going to let him?"

"He's a member of the Justice League."

"He's a traitor who changes sides when it suits him," Barbara said, displeased.

"But he's a capable leader and exceptionally intelligent," Bruce replied calmly. "I understand why this shocks you, and that's normal, but the truth is, we need Luthor."

Bruce scanned the room, activating a low-frequency soundproofing device to ensure the busy vampires nearby wouldn't overhear before he continued.

"I've met the heroes of this world—Clint Barton, Kate Bishop, Baron Blood, Frank, and so on. You have to admit, they're getting old, and some of them have become mentally unwell.

"They're not exactly threats, but they're far from ideal leaders either. Their obsessive, grim personalities wouldn't bring hope; they'd only make the wasteland more divided."

"I discussed this briefly with Clark. We hope these two civilizations can truly integrate, but achieving that will take a long time, possibly even a lifetime of effort.

"But no matter where we start, the wasteland can't remain fragmented."

Bruce Wayne's face grew solemn as he concluded.

"To bring real change, the wasteland must have a single voice."

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