The talkative raven in the world of American comics

Chapter 154 I Became Myself (Part 2)

Ethiopia.

Batman was speeding along the mountain road on his Batmobile.

At the very top of this road, there is a huge warehouse.

Inside this warehouse, his son Jason was framed by the Joker and imprisoned.

He told himself to stay calm.

Don't think about how Jason will be persecuted by that madman Joker, and don't think about what if Jason just... leaves him.

He is Batman, and he is also the child's father.

He needs to stay calm.

Inside the warehouse.

The clown in the suit fired a fatal shot, ending the life of the woman tied to the pillar.

After he finished, he blew on the gunpowder smoke and chuckled.

.

"Little bird, little bird, look, Uncle J killed this damned woman for you. You should be thanking me..."

""

The clown dropped his gun, picked up a crowbar from the ground, and then strained with all his might.

A powerful swing!

call!

The crowbar slammed into young Robin's face, spitting out several of his teeth along with thick blood.

"Instead of glaring at me with that look that seems to want to kill Uncle J! You have absolutely no manners. Compared to the first little bird, you still have a lot to learn!"

The clown stepped on Robin's face and twisted the tip of his shoe hard.

He leaned down slightly and saw Robin's lips whispering, as if he were saying something.

"oh?!"

The Joker immediately became interested, loosened his shoe, and leaned down slightly to listen to young Robin's whispers.

"You bastard, you're a bastard," Robin said.

The clown curled his lip, his face showing utter boredom, and yawned, saying, "Is this what you wanted to tell Uncle J? How disappointing!"

After saying that, the clown started another round of beating with the crowbar.

And this second adopted son of Batman really looks just like Batman!

No matter how hard he tried, Robin gritted his teeth and silently endured the pain.

This is the look the Joker hates most.

Why does it have to look so much like a bat?!

There's only one bat!

There can only ever be one!!!

Click!

The clown's powerful blow shattered Robin's leg bone, leaving him unable to walk like a normal person for a long time afterward.

"Phew! I'm exhausted!"

The clown wiped away non-existent sweat, then tossed the crowbar in his hand, making a loud thud on the ground.

He glanced at his watch and knew it was almost time.

If we stay any longer, Batman will arrive soon.

"I had a lot of fun playing with you today, little bird."

The clown straightened his suit collar, looking as elegant as some kind of aristocrat.

He walked towards the warehouse door, saying without turning his head, "Say hello to the bat for Uncle J~ Hahahahahahahahahaha~"

boom.

The clown slammed the door shut and left.

As soon as he stepped outside, a helicopter was circling overhead, waiting for him.

Splash!

The stairs were thrown down by the crew inside the cabin.

As the clown climbed, he looked around and spotted a bat figure rushing towards him at full speed.

"Hahahaha, Bat! You've finally arrived!!!"

"Your little bird has been waiting for you!!!"

"6

""

Batman had the throttle fully depressed, and the modified Batmobile was running at full speed.

The figure above was still laughing and mocking him.

But Batman had no time to worry about that now; he had to save Jason.

The image of the helicopter dragging the clown further and further away.

After the maniacal laughter, came the clown's last words.

"This will be your biggest failure!!! Bat!!!! Haha ...

'

""

Just as he was about to reach the warehouse, Batman leaped off the Batmobile and strode toward the warehouse door.

Then he slammed his shoulder into the iron gate, breaking it open.

Then I saw the body that was lying on the ground, unable to get up, but still trying to move.

"Robin!"

"I'm sorry... Batman..."

3

Batman ran over quickly, and naturally noticed the dead woman, who was none other than Robin's biological mother.

They were most likely killed by the clown.

He thought to himself, then picked up Robin with both hands.

"I'll get you out of here. Take a deep breath and stay calm."

"No, Bruce...you have to get out of here...the Joker is still..."

'

drop.

drop.

drop.

Drop drop drop.

Batman and Robin both looked toward a spot where a time bomb had been placed.

The countdown above has now reached zero.

Boom—

A towering flame and a deafening explosion engulfed the entire warehouse, and Robin's already strained eyes were finally covered by darkness at the last moment.

Quiet.

noisy.

The effects of the bomb left Robin unable to tell whether he was dead or alive.

All he felt was that his body was being pressed down by something, but all he could see was darkness.

"No..

"7

Robin quickly realized that something was wrong!

"No no no no no no no no no no... Bruce!"

Ignoring his broken and twisted arm, Robin endured the pain and pushed away the darkness above.

Then my vision suddenly returned.

The starlight illuminated his surroundings, and he struggled to turn over, only to witness a scene that was hard for him to accept.

The bat-shaped hood was completely destroyed by the explosion.

The face beneath the mask was revealed.

That face, shattered by the explosion.

That father's face.

"Batman...Bruce!!!!"

Robin leaned forward, and Bruce's hideous wounds came into full view.

"cough!"

Bruce coughed up a mouthful of blood, barely managing to lift his heavy eyelids to look at his son Jason, who had been beaten beyond recognition.

Jason...

'

"Bruce! I'm so sorry, so sorry... I'm really sorry... I should have listened to you..."

'

Ignoring the physical consequences, Jason took out a small device from Bruce's belt.

"Don't speak yet... I'm calling for help now... Hold on! You must hold on!!!"

"No!"

Bruce suddenly grabbed his arm.

Jason was stunned for a moment, unable to tell whether this was reality or fantasy.

"It's too late, Jason..."

'

"There's still time! Hang in there a little longer!!!!!!!!!"

Jason pressed the button, and the support signal was immediately sent out.

The next moment, Bruce, who was lying on the ground, coughed violently again, spitting out mouthfuls of blood uncontrollably.

"Listen, Jason..."

'

Bruce turned his disfigured face and stared unfocused at Jason.

"Promise me... you won't kill the Joker to avenge my death..."

'

"What?!"

Bruce struggled to raise his hand and stroked Jason's face.

"Protect Gotham, help others, and that's how you heal the children who were hurt in Crime Alley."

"Please, Bruce, stop talking!"

"I hope you can do it... no, you have to promise me, you must do it..."

""

"Please!!! Bruce!!! Stop talking!!!"

"I love you, my child... I understand your anger, I know your inner pain. Killing the clown won't end this pain. Promise me you will continue to be strong."

Perhaps it was a final burst of energy before death, but Bruce's speech was no longer intermittent; instead, he spoke in one breath, maintaining a continuous flow of words, making it sound as if nothing had happened to him.

"Use this pain to become stronger, son..."

""

"Don't do this, Bruce... I was wrong... I should have listened to you... Don't leave me... I beg you... Daddy."

"Promise me... Jason..."

"I....

""

Time seemed to slow down considerably, and Jason could clearly see the life force in Bruce's pupils slowly fading away.

And he.

There's nothing we can do.

The last words Bruce uttered, his pupils completely losing their light.

He said.

"Don't let the clown succeed, for my sake, for your family's sake..."

'

"Shut up, you old geezer!!!"

A furious shout suddenly appeared in Jason's ear.

Immediately afterwards, he saw a hand appear in his field of vision.

That hand held a bottle of green syringe and plunged it into Bruce's skin, which was ravaged by the explosion.

"You only have a reason to teach others when you're alive, not to escape through death!!!"

"Get up, you old bastard!!!"

Robin looked up blankly and saw a young man wearing a red helmet, holding an unconscious raven in one hand and holding the end of a syringe in the other, slowly injecting the liquid into Bruce's body.

A miracle happened.

Bruce's gruesome wounds were healing at a visible speed, and his ravaged skin was regrowing over time.

His deathly pale face regained its vitality in just a few breaths.

Before Robin could even realize what was happening, he too had been pricked with a needle.

The shattered bones healed inside his body, and the pain caused him to faint.

"6

""

Red Hood clenched his fist and crushed the syringe in his hand, staring silently at Batman and Robin, who were huddled together and unconscious.

Back at the starting point, Red Hood's inner emotions were like a turbulent river, chaotic and disordered.

He had no idea what was happening in the universe at that moment.

Memories that were once buried deep in my heart surged up like a tide.

It made him relive his past memories again and again.

The facts that happened in this universe are different from, or even the opposite of, what we remember.

He had imagined the scene where Bruce was the one who died and he was the one who survived.

But when these facts actually come to light...

He found himself unable to accept it.

He saw another version of himself gradually enveloped by vines called hatred and anger.

He saw Bruce, even on his deathbed, telling himself, "Don't cross that line."

If all of this happened in his universe.

Even if he survived, he wouldn't feel even a moment of relief.

The annoyance I used to feel towards the old man vanished at this moment.

Because if this fact were to occur.

He lost far more than he had at that time.

He would rather die again than watch Bruce die.

"6

""

Red Hood stood up, his gaze lingering for several seconds on the image of Batman and Robin embracing.

Then, just as Bruce was about to wake up, he chose to leave.

He walked very slowly, much slower than on his previous departures.

But he walked very fast, so fast that Bruce, who had just woken up, didn't even notice him.

Red Hood arrived at a location.

One place where he can see Bruce and another of himself, while they cannot see their own place.

He took off his helmet and looked at Batman and Robin, who had already awakened.

I watched them embrace each other.

Jason couldn't stop the tears from flowing.

The knots that had been troubling him were all untied during this journey about the multifaceted universe.

Jason laid out all the gifts he had received on the trip on the ground.

There was a bat helmet, a complete set of light armor, a multi-purpose belt, a strange wrench, and a few small green pills.

He piled these things together, then took the dull, colorless wrench and tapped it lightly.

These gifts, symbolizing Batman and himself, form a brand new uniform.

A uniform that resembles a bat, but is not entirely the same.

"Bruce, I understand why you stick to that bottom line."

"But I've already taken the first step, and I'll never regret it."

"I will not become you, I never will, but that doesn't mean I'm betraying you."

As Jason spoke, he put on the uniform, which resembled a bat but was completely different from it.

Wearing this uniform symbolizes that he is still Robin, Batman, and still his son.

But the reason why this uniform is not entirely similar to a bat is also quite simple.

Because Jason had no intention of following in Bruce's footsteps.

He couldn't stick to that bottom line; his bottom line was different from Bruce's, which destined him to never become Batman.

But it's okay.

A son doesn't necessarily have to be exactly like his father.

Jason must ultimately become himself, not Batman.

After all, as he said.

"I will never be Batman."

Jason put on the helmet with short bat ears. The helmet's surface was an incredibly smooth mirror, and the moment he put it on, his eyes glowed with a fluorescent blue light.

Jason incorporated his own unique style into the lightweight armor, which is minimalist yet technologically advanced, and doesn't even have the bat logo on the chest.

Jason stared intently at the two people below.

The uniform, composed of gifts from different Batmen, represents his determination and his respect for Bruce.

This trip should come to an end.

He should go back.

He has found his heart again.

He would give the red hood a different meaning.

He would talk to Bruce about his thoughts, tell him that he understands his principles, and also tell him that he would not become like Bruce.

Because he became himself.

As for the outcome...

that's not important.

Jason's New Armor: