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

Chapter 61: Prison City

"Damn, I've witnessed an incredibly rare sight."

Ron looked away, shaking his head in slight astonishment.

If it were anyone else who committed the murder, even Superman, Ron wouldn't be surprised at all. But the problem is, this time the murderer wasn't just anyone; it was Batman.

What is Batman? Without exaggeration, he's DC's father. Every major event related to DC either involves the Flash's sacrifice to prevent a direct reversal of the future, or Batman's sacrifice to emphasize that even if the Flash survived, the apocalypse would still be unavoidable.

And any event related to Batman, no matter how small, will eventually become a major event that affects the entire Justice League and even the entire universe.

One of Batman's defining characteristics is that he never kills.

No matter what crimes a criminal commits, at most they will be brought to justice. For Batman, not killing is a bottom line, a principle. It is the simplest and purest manifestation that distinguishes Batman from ordinary superheroes, supervillains, and even masked vigilantes.

And now, even Batman has crossed the line...

"Oh no, the world is doomed!"

Shaking his head with a sigh, Ron said with a look of deep emotion, "It's a scene of this magnitude right from the start. I even doubt whether I'll be of any use in this."

"...Is the problem that serious?"

Noticing Ron's expression, Ciri said with some surprise, "It sounds strange, but I always thought you'd be a cynical, eccentric guy..."

"That's two different things."

Upon hearing this, Ron pursed his lips and said:

"My erratic behavior is the price I pay for the stripping away of my worldview and rationality during the ascension process... Don't even mention me, take your father, Geralt. He's not even as strong as me, yet he still lost a lot of his human emotions because of the Trial of the Grasses, and was even considered an inhuman humanoid monster. Otherwise, he wouldn't have earned the title 'Butcher.'"

Upon hearing this, Ciri's eyes dimmed slightly.

"The Butcher of Bravican," a title Geralt could never shake off throughout his life. Although this title originated from Geralt's well-intentioned battles, ultimately being misunderstood, it undeniably caused him much hostility.

Even in the Witcher 3 storyline, Geralt was met with hostility from the guards for introducing himself, and they told him that if anything seemed amiss, they would kill him immediately.

Geralt had heard this threat from mortals countless times, and he was so tired of paying attention to it that he didn't even bother to acknowledge it.

But let's not forget that humans are social animals. Ignoring these emotions represents a stripping away of humanity.

Although she calls herself a Witcher, Ciri did not undergo the Trial of the Grasses. All her power comes from the ancient blood within her—or rather, for Ciri, who possesses the ancient blood, the Witcher's path of gaining power through mutation is fundamentally laughable.

After all, no matter how much a Witcher mutates, they are still only stronger than ordinary people. Although their agility and skills are extraordinary, being surrounded in plains or cities means certain death.

But the Ancient Blood is different. With a single thought, Ciri can jump to other worlds, or even other timelines, or even a moment earlier, and wipe out all her enemies.

In this context, Ciri being called a Witcher is more of a professional title than a title of status. For Geralt, however, the title "Witcher" is not only a professional designation but also a derogatory term and an insult.

Thinking to herself, Ciri asked, "So your sanity is no longer affected?"

"Partly, as the scope of what one can see expands, one's thinking naturally changes as well. If one cannot understand, the discrepancy between mental and physical perception will increase. Now, having completed the collection of two umbilical cords, although the final ascension ceremony has not yet taken place, I am more or less able to understand some interesting things."

After a pause, Ron added, "Geralt should be similar, except his path to advancement is much longer. Unlike me, my mutation and advancement involve a change in how I perceive the world. A Witcher's mutation, however, involves more about modifying the person themselves, achieving a spiritual castration through physical alterations. So you don't need to worry about him turning into me."

"That's good..." Ciri patted her chest and said with a sigh, "To be honest, when I heard that Geralt was on the same path as you, I was worried that Geralt might break up with Yennefer in the future."

"That's your family matter, hehe... After they break up, can you introduce me to Yennefer? I'm pretty good at comforting divorced women."

Ciri gave Ron a disdainful look and said, "Let's get down to business. You seem pessimistic about the state of the world right now?"

"To put it another way, change pessimism to despair."

Ron gazed at Batman, who was gliding through the air on bat wings, surveying his territory like a wild beast.

"You can understand that guy as one of the moral bottom lines of this world. You can think of him as the most detestable friend or the most unapproachable partner in your mind. And even if he is questioned and disliked by the team, partners, and friends, one of the reasons he can become a positive character is his no-killing principle."

Even the most heinous criminals who have killed countless people are simply apprehended and brought to justice. They are either sent to a mental hospital or to the police station to face legal judgment.

"And now?"

Ron said with a sigh, "Even this guy has started killing people. I reckon this world is literally on the verge of destruction."

"The only thing I'm not so sure about is the city's planning."

Looking around, there were high walls made of reinforced concrete and covered with special alloys.

This hundred-meter-high wall forms a circle, effectively locking up the entire former Gotham City.

Of course, what's enclosed isn't the entirety of Gotham, but only a part of it. Outside the high walls, the cities not protected by them appear dilapidated, devoid of any semblance of life, resembling a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

but……

"Even inside those high walls, it's not much better." Shaking her head, Ciri observed for a moment and said, "This place feels like... a super-sized prison?"

(End of this chapter)