Starting With Batman

When most people go out into battle, they focus on how to work with their team or figure out the enemy's skills. But not Batman. His method is different—he doesn't just consider the opponent's abilities, but also those of his teammates. And it's not about teamwork and coordination. No, for Batman, it's about how to neutralize anyone—opponent or ally—at any time. In his mind, anyone could become a threat, and he prepares for that eventuality constantly.

Though Batman has taken down some of the toughest villains, he's often fought his teammates just as many times, if not more. The reason lies in his unique mindset, one plagued by a mental state that could best be described as "paranoid pragmatism." He operates with the belief that, "There are always people trying to harm me." This paranoia makes him deeply distrustful of even the most capable allies. And none exemplify this better than Superman—a being whose immense power is only rivaled by his frustratingly straightforward thinking. Despite his good intentions, Superman's strength, combined with a mind that is too easily manipulated by blackmail, brainwashing, or magic, makes him as much a liability as a friend.

Thus, Batman—the Justice League's designated "anti-Superman" member—has often found himself in the unenviable position of being the only one capable of keeping Superman in check. When Superman or any other overpowered teammate goes rogue, it falls to Batman to stop them.

You can't entirely blame him for this level of wariness. After all, as the only non-superpowered human in a team of gods, aliens, and meta-humans, Batman is perpetually fighting an uphill battle. His reality is one of managing not just the world-ending threats that regularly arise, but also the possibility that his allies might go rogue or get mind-controlled, turning them into equally dangerous enemies. This constant state of high alert has led him to create a staggering array of Anti-Justice League equipment, ensuring that no matter what ability a teammate might have, Batman has a countermeasure ready.

Batman, Against external enemies, his relative lack of power can depend on whether the writers of his stories give him an edge. When the writers don't favor him, he can sometimes seem like just another vulnerable human. But when it comes to dealing with his own team, Batman is an unstoppable force.

So, it doesn't matter which member of the Justice League goes dark, gets mind-controlled, or loses control—Batman will push them back. Even if the entire Justice League turns evil, Batman will still be able to bring them down, one by one.

But if Batman were to lose control himself? That's a different story. If Batman were to go rogue, no one would be able to stop him. He has prepared too well for that eventuality—he can suppress everyone else.

And he's had plenty of practice. The Justice League consists of gods and immortals with powers beyond imagination, controlling elements, bending reality, and doing things that defy logic. In order to keep up with them, Batman has developed countermeasures for nearly every common power or ability. So, if you find yourself squaring off against Batman, and your superpowers are too generic, you'll likely find yourself hoping you didn't have them.

That brings us to Link, who has just become the latest victim of Batman's meticulous preparation.

Link had been using his special abilities to enhance his hearing. His plan was simple: use his augmented senses to locate Batman in the darkness and strike him down. However, what Link didn't anticipate was Batman's use of ultrasonic waves, which tore through his brain, nearly causing him to collapse on the spot.

In a split-second decision, Link cut off his enhanced hearing to stop the damage, but it was too late. The ultrasound had already wreaked havoc on his brain, leaving him disoriented and dizzy. His sense of balance was obliterated, and he felt as though his mind was swimming in chaos.

Squinting through the haze, Link managed to locate Batman in the distance. His eyes were filled with accusation, silently condemning Batman for being underhanded, using such low tactics to gain the upper hand.

But Batman wasn't done.

Before Link could react, Batman flicked his cloak, raising his arm and throwing something down with precision. A metallic object hit the ground with a sharp clang, and before Link knew what was happening, a blinding light erupted, flooding the dark underground space with a brightness so intense it felt like the sun had been switched on. Link's eyes, already strained from the disorienting effects of the ultrasound, were assaulted by the glare, nearly blinding him.

The sudden flash of light was so strong that even the nearby agents, who were merely watching, had to shield their eyes from the explosive brightness.

Batman had dropped a flashbang, a tactic that was as effective as it was ruthless. The brilliance of the light tore through Link's vision, leaving him temporarily blind and helpless.

But this wasn't just an accidental side effect of the fight. Batman had thrown the flashbang with the full knowledge that it would blind both the enemy and his own allies. Flashbangs are an area-of-effect weapon, and there's no way to shield your teammates from the damage. It wasn't that Batman disliked his teammates—he simply didn't care about them at the moment. As long as he could secure victory, collateral damage was acceptable.

The blindness wouldn't last forever, but it would last long enough.

For now, Link's world was pitch-black. He had lost all sense of direction, and his mind was spinning in confusion. He cursed Batman silently, feeling the deep unfairness of facing someone who fought like this.

While his senses were scrambled, Link was overwhelmed by a single thought: "Shameless!"

He hadn't expected this at all. According to the data he had on Batman, this so-called hero was supposed to be a master of martial arts and stealth, an expert in strategy and combat. But so far, all Batman had done was assault his senses—first with ultrasonic waves and now with blinding light. Link had been expecting a duel of skill, not these cheap tactics.

But for Batman, the end always justifies the means. As far as he was concerned, it didn't matter how he won, as long as he did. And when it came to defeating powerful opponents like Superman or, in this case, Link, Batman was willing to use whatever tricks were necessary.

After all, this was the same man who once kidnapped his best friend's wife and dangled her off a building just to manipulate Superman. Batman isn't without principles, but he is a pragmatist. His bottom line is flexible when it comes to saving lives and protecting the world—except when it comes to killing. That's the one line Batman won't cross.

Link, however, had never faced someone like Batman before. His extensive combat experience told him that most opponents would have already struck by now. But Batman? Batman preferred to disable his enemies first, breaking them down before striking.

Though he was blinded, Link's body was still highly trained. His enhanced physical abilities, combined with his years of experience, allowed him to react even when his senses failed him. As his vision plunged into darkness, the tentacles on his back shot out, aimed directly at Batman's last known location.

Most people in his position wouldn't even think to counterattack while under such intense sensory assault. But Link was no ordinary fighter. His extraordinary physical attributes, combined with his advanced combat awareness, meant that he could still attack with precision.

He moved fast—faster than most would expect. In his mind, he was certain Batman was still recovering from the flashbang. Even though Batman's eyepieces likely had built-in defenses against flashbangs, Link knew there would still be a brief delay in his movements.

This was his moment to strike.

Confident in his timing, Link smiled. His tentacles would land the hit, no doubt about it. Batman had no escape.

What Link couldn't see, however, was that Batman had already rolled out of the way with an agility that was almost superhuman. The tentacles, which had been aimed directly at Batman's previous location, missed by inches and instead struck something else—a large electrical box attached to the wall.

In an instant, the room was lit up with the bright blue arc of electricity. Sparks flew as the tentacles became conduits for the surge of power, sending electricity racing back toward Link at a deadly speed.

With the speed of a lightning strike, the current traveled along the tentacles and into Link's body. The surge of electricity caused his entire body to seize up, his muscles spasming uncontrollably as sparks flew from the strange, armor-like material covering his form.

At that moment, Link's mind was filled with nothing but anger and frustration. He had fallen for Batman's tricks, and now he was paying the price.

"Do you ever fight fair?" he mentally screamed, though all that escaped his lips were garbled, pain-filled noises.

As the electricity continued to course through him, Link's thoughts grew dimmer, and he realized that, for all his power and experience, he had underestimated Batman.

And in Batman's world, that's always a fatal mistake.

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Posted up to chapter 159

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