I'm in an American comic book, and all my teammates are main characters and bosses.

Chapter 106, Page 105: This Sounds Like a Science Fiction Story

To the children's disbelief, Alfred stared intently at the middle-aged man who had appeared out of nowhere. If it were just staring, that would be one thing, but what truly baffled them was Alfred's current state.

It's no exaggeration to say that Alfred was practically synonymous with composure and calmness in the eyes of the three of them—you know, even Bruce Wayne, as Batman, had repeatedly reached the edge of his mental limits due to the many sinister plans of those supervillains.

And every time Bruce reached his mental limit, Alfred would appear just in time and help Bruce relax in the most appropriate way.

In fact, it's not just Bruce; even the current trio are all—resurrected from the dead. Todd now harbors a deep disgust and rejection of Bruce's ideals.

It's only because Thomas and Barry are together now that Todd is doing this; otherwise, he wouldn't have just drawn his katana, but would have unleashed a classic American iaido.

If Batman is the patriarch of the Bat-family, then Alfred is the Bat-family's crucial... butler.

Although he is a butler, Alfred's responsibilities go far beyond what can be simply described in those two words. In a sense, because of a certain playboy's lack of life management skills, Alfred now also shoulders the responsibility of the matriarch of the Bat-family, responsible for filling in the gaps in Bruce's sight, such as the psychological problems of young Batman.

This resulted in the little bats almost always perceiving Alfred as calm and collected.

And now? Locked inside the armor, Alfred's neck and forehead veins bulged. Accompanied by a low, growling question, beads of sweat instantly covered his disheveled hair.

But more important than his outward tension was Alfred's eyes.

What changes have occurred in those eyes that were once so steadfast, calm, and composed? Fear, panic, bewilderment, confusion, and even a hint of joy have all intertwined to create an indescribable complexity.

"Who are you! Who are you really! Who sent you, and what is your purpose?!"

"Don't rush, Alfred."

Sensing Alfred's terror and madness, Thomas was not angry; instead, he felt increasingly satisfied.

Through physiological analysis of the Cyborg Core, Thomas was able to determine that Alfred was acting this way because of fear. And what was he afraid of? He was afraid that his presence would bring Bruce irreparable pain and torment.

……

Well, that's almost inevitable. Having once been Batman in post-apocalyptic Gotham, Thomas knows very well what Batman represents. Perhaps the Batman of this world never kills, but one thing Thomas is certain of: as a bat, Bruce Wayne achieves deterrence through fear.

Those who gaze into the abyss are also gazed into by the abyss. What is Bruce afraid of?

The answer is self-evident...

When Thomas and Martha appeared in Crime Alley, and when Thomas saw the white petals that had not yet dried and rotted in the corner, Thomas knew that Bruce in this world was also dead... Little Bruce had also died in Crime Alley.

No one can leave that place alive; it only breeds a monster born of fear, a being named Batman.

Thinking it over, Thomas calmly said, "I know what you're afraid of, Alfred... Don't worry, you're not mistaken, it's me."

"I'm not some cloned artificial human, nor am I a replicant created by extracting DNA from corpses. It's just me, except I come from another world..."

Upon hearing Thomas say that he came from another world, Alfred paused slightly, then involuntarily swallowed, and said in a trembling voice, "Then, why did you come here...?"

"You guessed it, didn't you, Alfred?" Thomas released Alfred from his restraints and calmly helped him straighten his clothes.

"My presence here means something went wrong that night..."

"But you're not from this world!" Alfred grabbed Thomas's collar, shouting hoarsely, "He... he's not from your world either! You know that, you know perfectly well!"

"You know I don't care," Thomas said coldly. "Like a drowning person who doesn't care whether what's in front of them is a straw or a piece of driftwood, as long as they can grab onto it, that's enough! Similarly, you know... he doesn't care either."

"Because you know very well."

"We are not drowning people, but people who have died of drowning."

Having heard Thomas's words, Alfred regained his freedom and opened his mouth, but he found himself unable to utter a single complete sentence.

After a long silence, Alfred could only grit his teeth and say, "No, you're not telling the truth. It's all just your nonsense..."

Before Alfred could finish speaking, suddenly, accompanied by a crisp sound, a black pistol landed in front of him.

Upon seeing the pistol, even without picking it up to examine it closely, Alfred's face turned deathly pale.

"You already knew, but you were just missing a definitive answer," Thomas said calmly. "The Bat Guardian armor is equipped with a scanning system containing data on this gun in this world... Come on, Alfred, my long-lost old friend."

Thomas said, "I appreciate everything you've done for Bruce... Don't worry, I'm just here to see him and let him know I'm here, that's all."

"Why do you insist on letting him know you're here?" Alfred asked, his brow furrowed deeply, his face filled with confusion and bewilderment.

"You know, you can relieve his stress simply by watching him silently..."

"That only relieves the pressure on Batman, not Bruce."

Thomas patted Alfred on the shoulder and said, "Alright, Alfred, I know what kind of person you are. Put on that act now. As an old friend, I understand your character, just as you understand mine."

"Take me on a tour of the old house; I haven't been back in ages. And tell me about Bruce's love life too. Ron says it hasn't been smooth sailing, and he doesn't even know he's having a child yet..."

"Young Master has a child? Really?"

Alfred was also startled, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face, but after a moment's thought, he fell silent, sighing softly, "I hope everything will be alright..."

As they spoke, Thomas had already walked deeper into the Batcave. After a moment of silence, Alfred did not try to stop him, but simply shook his head with mixed feelings, and then followed Thomas into the depths.

Seeing this unimaginable scene unfold before them, the three little ones, who had been waiting for a long time, fell into a long silence. They looked at each other in shock, because Thomas and Alfred's words were full of information that only they knew, so to the three of them it was like listening to gibberish.

Although they didn't understand the process, or rather, only vaguely understood it, they all saw the final result—why did the butler suddenly start serving the other person? What the heck? Did the butler betray Batman?

That's not right either!

Those involved are often blinded, while bystanders see things clearly. This is precisely why everyone is acutely aware of the extent of the butler's loyalty to Bruce. It's no exaggeration to say that in everyone's mind, even attempting to use mind magic to make Alfred betray Bruce is a pipe dream. Even if mind control were temporarily achieved, the ultimate result would inevitably be Alfred regaining his sanity and clarity.

but now……

Based on the knowledge Bruce had taught them, they were certain that Alfred hadn't lost his mind. At the very least, a person who has lost their mind either has cloudy, confused eyes, or their will has been altered to an extremely firm and obsessive degree. Because any means of altering will ultimately destroy the sanity of the person being manipulated, rendering them incapable of rational thought.

Now, though following behind Thomas, Alfred's eyes were filled with complex thoughts. Such intricate thinking was almost impossible for someone whose will had been altered.

While the three boys were still exchanging puzzled glances, Barry couldn't help but let out a sigh.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no... Ron, what do we do? I feel like I've totally messed up this time! Is it too late to apologize to Bruce?"

"Remember to show off your breasts when you apologize."

"Then forget it, I feel like Bruce's should be bigger than mine."

"In which aspect?"

"...Never mind, I'm not going to talk to you anymore."

Realizing that confiding in Ron would only make things worse, Barry turned his gaze to the three children beside him. He wasn't very familiar with the third Robin, Drake, but Todd and Barbara were longtime acquaintances. Aside from world-saving crises, the Flash, who often liked to travel around the globe, frequently came to Bruce to ask questions, provide necessary intelligence, or offer financial assistance.

Looking at Barry, Barbara asked, "Mr. Flash, what exactly is going on?"

"Things are a bit complicated... well, they are very complicated."

Barry sighed and said, "You could think of it as Batman from another universe coming to find Batman from this universe... well, or rather, Bruce's father from another universe coming to find Bruce from our universe."

"what?"

(End of this chapter)