American comic book: My Father is Superman, am I just an NPC?

Chapter 216 Batman's actions are always amazing.
Just as Superman and himself were locked down by Darkseid with the "Omega Sanction".

At the critical moment when they were about to suffer a devastating blow.

Batman did move.

However, he did not rush to the battlefield to strike first, nor did he use any tricks to try to block the gods with his mortal body—he simply raised his left hand and gently swiped the card.

Everything is so natural.

Batman swiped his card with lightning speed, without the slightest hesitation.

Because the system detected sufficient funds, it not only automatically used the paid voice pack, but the next instant, his visual interface suddenly lit up, and countless windows popped up like mushrooms after rain.

It filled Batman's entire field of vision.

[Ian's Cross-Dimensional Pay-to-Win Armor System - Welcome!]

[Dear valued user... High-intensity combat environment detected. We recommend the following value-added services to help you sweep away powerful enemies and achieve legendary status!]

As the notification sound appeared, a glittering list appeared on the left side of the interface, labeled "Paid Unlock Zone," which contained many truly powerful abilities.

For example, the "Pay-to-Win Rage Mode".

[A mere $10 billion payment will temporarily upgrade your power level to "Planet Ripper." Note: Requires Bruce Wayne's identity verification; payment can be made through escrow services by Citibank, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs.]

[Small Payment] Energy Shield Instant Overload: Pay $100,000 to gain a one-time energy burst that knocks back nearby enemies.

[Medium-cost] Dimensional Anchoring Interference Field: Pay $10,000,000 to disrupt the stability of the surrounding space and prevent short-distance teleportation.

There are also [Bio-ray Module], [Gravity Field Distortion Device], and the functional modules listed on the armor are like an arsenal of destructive weapons.

Each item is marked with astonishing unlock conditions.

Pay.

It still requires payment.

For a fee—Ian even opened up all his abilities, as a human evil god with the [Sharing] skill, he could certainly [share] his abilities with this armor.

The evil god has a human brain, and imagination is humanity's most powerful weapon. The fact that he could come up with this way of applying skills truly proves that he is not lacking in human qualities.

The list was long, each item clearly priced, the sums high enough to collapse the economy of a small country. But Bruce merely glanced at it indifferently; to him, these numbers were no different from the prices on a convenience store shelf that an ordinary person would see. The Wayne family's wealth itself was an almost supernatural force.

however.

The right side of the interface.

Then there's an even stranger area, marked "Social Mission Unlock Zone." The tasks here don't require money, but they demand a price that might be far more "expensive" for Batman than paying an astronomical sum.

"Ultimate Anti-Darkseid Weapon - Prototype": Unlock conditions: Record a short video of no less than 3 minutes, in the guise of Batman, vividly explaining how Mr. Ian's wisdom and generosity illuminated the dark multiverse, and upload it to at least 5 major dimensional social networks.

"Causality Interference Charm (One-Time Use)": Unlock Condition: As Bruce Wayne, hold a press conference at the top of Wayne Tower, the tallest building in Gotham City, publicly declaring Ian the greatest inventor and aesthetic icon of the century, and improvise a 30-second hymn.

"Conceptual-level stealth force field": Unlock condition: Create and release a series (12) of comedy shorts called "My Daily Life with Boss Ian", requiring a cumulative view count of over 100 billion.

These entries are bizarre and whimsical, brimming with a flavor of what's called "Ian's narcissism." Of course, just because others don't understand them doesn't mean Ian is actually a narcissist. He simply wants to gain Batman's "power of faith"—what malice could such a simple-minded and greedy child possibly harbor?
[Hidden Option - Identity Challenge] "Wayne's Declaration": Hold a global press conference as Bruce Wayne to announce Ian Kent as the sole designated heir of the Wayne Enterprises.

This clause unlocks the ultimate feature—a truly mysterious one.

The final choice was made with overly simplistic motives.

Batman is just an ordinary person.

I can't understand Ian's innocence.

of course.

This isn't really something that makes Batman upset.

In Batman's view, Ian's demand that he, the Dark Knight, the embodiment of fear, and Gotham's richest man named Bruce Wayne, praise Ian was more painful than killing him. To put it simply, it was far more unbearable than emptying his bank account.

"..."

Batman was also activating this module for the first time, so he was quite shocked by Ian's "obsession," and his lips trembled almost imperceptibly a few times.

Fortunately, no one saw it.

He didn't even spend a second carefully reading the detailed descriptions of the options before his gaze immediately refocused on the paid list on the left.

Ian's armor system presents the concept of "pay-to-win" in an unprecedented and almost absurd way. Power no longer depends on arduous training, mysterious encounters, or technological breakthroughs; it simply, directly, and nakedly lists its price.

Power is readily available as long as you can afford the price.

This is exactly what Batman wanted.

He likes this kind of pay-to-win system. For Batman, money is just a number. There's only one answer to what money can buy.

Cost-effective!

"Facing Darkseid... it seems I have no choice but to spend money on this." Batman's gaze was sharp and determined as he quickly locked onto an option at the very bottom of the paid list.

The icon for that option was a spinning, dark nebula that devoured all light, and the price tag next to it had numbers so long that you had to scroll to see them all.

of course.

It hasn't reached the point where Batman would need to use "Ian Loan." The amount is roughly equivalent to ten percent of Batman's assets, making it a skill that he might only use ten times in a short period of time.

Batman did not hesitate, did not bargain, and did not feel the slightest bit of heartache.

Bruce Wayne's will, or rather, his wealth, has been proven.

"Confirm payment".

A silent command flashed through his mind.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred!

The previously restrained eerie light around the Hellbat Armor suddenly erupted, no longer flickering like data streams, but transforming into substantial energy as thick as liquid ink!
The energy fluctuated violently, weaving countless complex geometric runes around the armor, so intricate that they surpassed the comprehension of mortals and perhaps even gods.

After all, it was just Ian's scribbles.

They spun and collided, emitting a chilling whisper of Ian from beyond dimensions.

"Let's get out of here! Let's get out of here! Super Escape Activated!" A pre-set, astronomically expensive, interdimensional long-distance teleportation spell was activated instantly!
Intense spatial fluctuations spread out like ripples, even temporarily disrupting Darkseid's solidified force field and Superman's golden radiance.

"?????"

"?????"

Superman and Darkseid, these two powerful beings facing off, were both stunned at the same moment. Before Superman and Darkseid even started fighting, Batman chose to run away.

This caught Superman completely off guard, and even Darkseid was baffled—he had studied Batman, but he truly hadn't expected this side of him.

For the first time, a clear look of astonishment appeared in Darkseid's crimson eyes, which burned with the Omega effect. He had witnessed the resilience this mortal displayed in dire straits, the unwavering determination to sacrifice everything for his beliefs. He had anticipated countless possible actions Batman might take—a desperate fight, a clever maneuver, even an attempt to delay him with some kind of trap… but he had never expected that the other man's choice would be… to run away?
"No."

The anger over the destruction of Darkseid's hometown has been temporarily relieved.

Superman Clark was also completely bewildered. He watched as his teammate's figure rapidly became blurry and transparent in the dim light, and instinctively reached out his hand but grabbed nothing.

Om-!
A flash of light.

"you……"

Before Superman could finish speaking, the portal suddenly contracted, and Batman, along with his expensive Hellbat armor, vanished completely into the cold void.

Yes, Batman has disappeared; he's really gone on the run!
Left standing there, only a dumbfounded Superman and Darkseid, who also seemed unsure how to express his feelings, stared at each other in the void where Apokolips had once existed.

A deathly silence lasted for several seconds.

Finally, Darkseid broke the silence, letting out a low, mocking laugh, his voice like two boulders rubbing together: "Ha... these are the comrades you placed your hopes on? These are humanity's 'heroes'? In the face of real crisis, they will always choose to save themselves."

"Kal-El, you are destined to fight alone forever." Darkseid wasn't just joking; he was trying to destroy or shake Superman's beliefs.

High-level combat is often so simple and unpretentious.

Verbal sparring is also a required course.

Faced with Darkseid's ridicule, Superman slowly lowered his hand, the astonishment on his face fading, replaced by a deep trust and steadfastness.

He shook his head and calmly replied, “No, Darkseid. You’re wrong. I know Bruce. He’s not the kind of person who would desert his post. He chose to leave because he had something more important to do. This kind of tacit understanding based on trust and division of labor is something you, a loner who only ever uses fear and power to control others and has no one by your side, can never understand.”

The words "a lone wolf" were like a sharp thorn, precisely piercing Darkseid's most sensitive and furious nerve—he had just lost his planet, his army, everything! Superman's words were undoubtedly like rubbing salt into his wounds, even igniting gasoline!

"Shut up!"

Darkseid's rage erupted completely, and the surrounding void began to distort and crack due to his emotional outburst. "I won't kill you now, Kal-El! That would be too easy on you! I'll let you live! I'll let you watch as I destroy Earth, and everything you cherish, step by step, in a way that is ten thousand times more cruel than destroying Apokolips!"

"I will make you watch your friends, your family, and your ridiculous followers wail in pain and despair! And you will be powerless to do anything about it! You can only watch! This is the price you pay for daring to defy the Dark Lord!" Before the words were finished, Darkseid's massive body had already transformed into a destructive streak of light.

He charged toward Superman with a terrifying, all-crushing force! Wherever he passed, space shattered like glass, and the universe itself groaned in despair!
This is the Western version of a world where even the most fundamental principles have been obliterated.

"Ha, I don't think you can do that if you don't even know what hope is... Victory will not be on the side of someone who only knows enslavement and oppression!"

A dazzling golden light burst forth from Superman's eyes, a manifestation of energy being channeled to its fullest potential!
"Foolish Kryptonian orphan!"

Darkseid's roar was like a million thunderbolts exploding at once.

"You want to fight? Then come on!" He charged forward without fear, his fists clenched, filled with the belief of protecting everything, and clashed violently with Darkseid!
boom----! ! ! !

An indescribable roar spread out in the vacuum as an energy shockwave!
The light engulfed everything, like the collision of two miniature universes! Shattered fragments of space flew everywhere, and this battle concerning the fate of the universe erupted completely on the ruins of Apokolips!
That was a clash of laws, an annihilation of concepts. Centered on the point of impact between the two, a massive spatial rift was forcibly torn open, swallowing light, matter, and even time.

The war between gods has fully erupted.

Just as the skies above Apokolips were plunged into chaos due to the fierce battle between the two supreme beings.

In another distant, desolate, seemingly eternally forgotten star field in the universe, space rippled like water. Then, a dark light appeared out of thin air, quickly coalescing into the figure of Batman. He stood firmly on solid ground, and the light on the Hellbat armor quickly subsided, returning to silence.

There was no starlight here, only the faint afterglow of distant dying celestial bodies, barely outlining the contours of a massive planet. A suffocating stillness and cold permeated the air, along with a... thick, unyielding stench, characteristic of bio-factories, a mixture of rotting organic matter and corroding metal. Batman looked around. He hadn't escaped back to Earth as Darkseid had expected, but had instead arrived at a hidden place that most cosmic civilizations wouldn't dare mark on their navigation maps.

This is one of Darkseid's secret arsenals, located inside a dark planet far from the main star's path. Apokolips serves as the visible capital and center of power, and there are several such arsenals throughout the universe responsible for the continuous production of Darkseid's war machines—Parademons.

"It is indeed here."

Batman landed on the planet's cold, rugged surface. There was no sunlight, only the faint red glow of a distant, dying star, barely outlining the mountain ranges that resembled monstrous fangs. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur, decay, and a nauseating, distorted odor of life.

He silently slipped into a huge, seemingly naturally formed cave entrance.

The deeper one goes, the dimmer the light becomes, but a dark red, pulsating glow gradually becomes clear, accompanied by a sickeningly sticky wriggling and hissing sound.

Deep within the cave lay an unimaginably vast underground space—a sight that would drive any sane person insane.

Countless viscous, ovary-like incubation pools filled the field of vision, each containing countless twisted, forming demonic embryos! The pool walls were covered with dense, vein-like energy conduits, transmitting some kind of dark energy to these soon-to-be-born monsters.

Their unconscious howls and the crackling of bones growing echoed in the air.

Even more disturbingly, all the hatcheries were in an abnormally accelerated state of activity. Crimson light flickered violently, and the Parademons were forming at an astonishing speed! Clearly, they had received orders from their Overlord—Darkseid—and were being frantically accelerated to form a destructive army!
Countless transport ships busily crisscrossed the planet's surface like worker bees, arming and preparing newly hatched Parademon squadrons for the endless war of Darkseid's conquest of the universe.

They were about to pounce on a target, and that target was undoubtedly Earth! Batman, hidden in the shadows, swept his cold gaze across the hellish scene.

He was not running away. The moment he confirmed that Apokolips had been completely wiped out by an unknown force, he knew that Darkseid's revenge would be relentless and ruthless.

Rather than passively waiting for Darkseid to lead his army to invade, it is better to wait for him to do so.

Bring the flames of war to Earth.

It would be better to take the initiative and cut off his henchmen when he is at his most frenzied and furious, thus confining the disaster to Darkseid himself as much as possible.

He once again anticipated what might happen.

"I must destroy this place beforehand, limiting the danger to Darkseid himself," Batman muttered to himself. This was his plan.

High risk.

But it may be the only solution that can protect the Earth to the greatest extent.

The previous scenario of heroes and villains fighting each other, with Earthlings being slaughtered by minions, served as a lesson for Batman, so he is prepared for this.

"They're a truly qualified group of biological weapons."

Batman silently watched the hellish scene, his expression unreadable beneath his mask. But his next move was unexpected.

He didn't activate any of the Hellbat Armor's weapon systems, nor did he choose those expensive paid skills to wipe out these Parademons.

Instead, he made an even more perplexing move—he deactivated his armor and stepped out of the Hellbat Armor.

The icy air instantly enveloped Batman's body, which was only clad in the Batsuit. He took out the black bank card again and swiped it on a port on the outside of the armor.

"Initiating automatic parking procedure. Destination: Earth, Gotham. Highest privileges confirmed."

He gave the order in a low voice.

A red light flashed in the Hellbat armor's eyes as it received the command. A faint glow returned to its body, and a smaller portal appeared. The armor automatically stepped into it and vanished. It would return to Earth, while Bruce Wayne chose to remain alone on this dark planet teeming with enemies.

"I once witnessed these monsters, which made me restless and plagued me with nightmares every night. This led to the person I am today—or rather, it led to my idea of ​​creating the body I have now."

"We must fight cruelty with cruelty."

Bruce looked around at the Parademons struggling and howling in the hatching pool, at all this desecration of life. His gaze was eerily calm.

It was as if they were gazing upon some predetermined destiny.

The Parademons seemed to have sensed the presence of this uninvited guest, and began to crawl out of the hatching pool, surging towards him from all directions like a tidal wave. Their crimson eyes merged into a chilling sea of ​​blood in the darkness. They roared, brandishing their sharp claws and teeth, their sheer number enough to overwhelm any powerful individual.

however.

Batman wasn't worried at all.

He slowly raised his hands, no longer suppressing his chaotic genes. Bruce didn't look at them. He slowly closed his eyes, as if engaging in some kind of final meditation or prayer.

next moment.

As he removed a device from his wrist.

His body began to radiate light from within.

At first, it was faint, like a firefly. But it quickly grew stronger, and a warm, pure light, yet carrying an indescribable sorrow and resolute determination, began to emanate from his body. This light was different from Superman's solar energy; it was gentler, more sacred, as if it came from a higher dimension.

It carried the meaning of cleansing all filth and ending all suffering. It not only dispelled the darkness and coldness around him, but even caused the surging tide of Parademons to hesitate and stir with fear. The light grew brighter and brighter, gradually coalescing behind Batman into the faint outline of a pair of wings made of pure light energy.

His face appeared incredibly solemn and sacred in the light, like a deity descended to earth—yes, this was the power of an angel, and Batman wasn't entirely idle during that angelic fall.

Light surged and rippled violently within Batman's body, as if something was about to burst forth. Fine cracks began to appear on his skin, and what emanated from those cracks was not blood, but an even more blinding and scorching light! His expression was slightly distorted by the immense pain he was enduring.

"Feel this light and warmth!"

The moment Batman finished speaking.

An indescribable explosion occurred. Centered on him, an indescribable, pure, and divine energy was released like a supernova explosion!
No sound.

Because the air has been burned out.

A dazzling white light instantly engulfed everything! All the incubation pools, countless demonic embryos, the intricate energy conduits, and even the entire dark planet, under this angelic power representing absolute purification and end, melted away like ice and snow under the sun, vaporized, and returned to nothingness in an instant!
The light lasted for several tens of minutes before gradually fading away.

The site where the arsenal once stood is now completely empty. Not even a speck of dust remains, as if nothing had ever existed there.

And Bruce Wayne was there.

They also vanished into that extreme light and heat.

Meanwhile, on Earth, in Gotham City.

Deep beneath Wayne Manor, far from the hustle and bustle of the city and the sins of the land, the Batcave was unusually quiet at this moment.

Only the low hum of the giant computer servers and the occasional drip of water from the stalactites above broke the solitude of this tranquil place.

The dim, cold light strips outlined the various high-tech equipment and souvenirs, and also illuminated the figure sitting in a specially made wheelchair in the center of the cave.

Bruce Wayne—Batman—slowly opened his eyes.

His chest rose and fell slightly, his breathing was rapid, and his forehead was covered with a fine layer of cold sweat, as if he had just escaped from an extremely realistic and exhausting nightmare.

The cold air touched his sweaty skin.

It brought a slight chill.

"Ugh..." A suppressed groan, tinged with pain, escaped from his throat. He raised his slightly trembling hand and pressed hard on his temples, where a burning, sacred energy still lingered, along with... a sense of emptiness as if his soul had been torn apart and forcibly reassembled.

This was not a side effect that should have been expected from using clones.

It's like a punishment from the unseen world.

only.

Batman, however, turned a deaf ear to this.

“Angel genes integrated into clones… the technology still needs improvement.” He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and weary, carrying a deep-seated vigilance.

"Such biological weapons are far too dangerous."

Those blue eyes, usually hidden beneath the bat mask, now gleamed with a complex light in the dim light, reflecting both the clarity of someone who had survived a catastrophe and a deep fear of that uncontrollable force.

After a few minutes, once the trembling in his arms had subsided somewhat, Bruce wheeled himself to a seemingly ordinary workbench that was equipped with the highest level of encryption technology. He extended his still slightly trembling fingers and opened a slim yet powerful laptop placed on it.

The screen lit up, its pale blue light illuminating his sharply defined face. He expertly entered a series of complex passwords, bypassing several biometric verifications, and finally gained access to a highly encrypted private database. Batman's fingers moved the cursor across the meticulously named folders on the touchpad.

He finally stopped at a folder labeled "Angel". He double-clicked to open it, and inside were a large number of messy but logically structured documents, data graphs, and even blurry video clips.

After recalling his feelings, Batman's fingertips began to fly across the keyboard, making a rapid, clattering sound that was particularly clear in the excessively empty cave.

He took notes incredibly quickly, his notes cold and objective, like the most rigorous laboratory report, meticulously recording every detail and every update to the data inferences.

This is not a diary, but an archive—a reference document for the activation of a blood-soaked biological arsenal, obtained through personal suffering, in the event of a future confrontation with an even more powerful threat.

His morality... the morality he set for himself did not allow him to conduct those inhumane experiments, so all of Bruce Wayne's experiments were conducted on his own "body".

Type the last period.

Save the document.

Bruce leaned back in his wheelchair and exhaled a long breath, as if sealing the thrilling experience he had just had into a cold hard drive.

He didn't rest for long. Immediately afterward, he grabbed his encrypted phone from beside his workbench, quickly typed a short message, and sent it to the entire Justice League.

This is a signal of readiness for war.

Do it all.

He then turned his gaze back to the laptop screen. The screen's light reflected in his deep eyes, mirroring the densely packed list of folders in the file manager window.

【Kryptonians】, 【New Gods】, 【Demons】, 【Old Gods】, 【Lamp Beasts】, 【Five-Dimensional Creatures】... Each folder represents the name of a supernatural species.

obviously.

Bruce Wayne has thoroughly researched a great deal of information about biological weapons.

he.

They had already crossed the forbidden threshold.

(End of this chapter)