Starting With Batman

At this point, Link fully understood that, from the very beginning of the fight until now, every single event had been part of Batman's meticulously planned strategy. It dawned on him that every step he had taken was predicted, every action countered. He hadn't been fighting his own fight—he had been walking right into Batman's carefully crafted trap.

First, Batman had used ultrasonic waves to exploit Link's enhanced hearing, overloading his senses and causing unbearable strain on his brain. Link's primary advantage—his superior sense of hearing—had been turned against him. Disoriented, with his hearing disabled, he had to rely solely on his vision, but Batman wasted no time, throwing flashbangs to blind him. Suddenly, both his hearing and sight were gone, two of his most crucial senses stripped away in a calculated instant.

Link's instincts screamed at him to strike before it was too late, to land a decisive blow while his body was still functioning. But even this desperate reaction had been anticipated by Batman. The move where his tentacles had struck the transformer box wasn't a fluke—it was entirely intentional. Batman had positioned himself there from the start, using his own body as bait, luring Link into a fatal miscalculation. He had planned to use that electrical transformer as a weapon all along.

Indeed, this entire trap was part of a carefully laid-out strategy. Before the battle had even begun, Charlie, with Friday's help, had hacked into the city's power grid, adjusting it to create the perfect storm. The transformer box had been subtly manipulated to deliver a massive electric shock when struck.

Friday's calm voice broke the tension of the moment, confirming the success of their tactic. "That last move caused a temporary power outage in a small residential area above ground," she reported, "but we definitely hit him hard."

"Thanks, Friday." Charlie smirked, appreciating the precision of the plan. A good assistant is efficient, capable, and adaptive—and Friday had earned the title of MVP for her work in this fight.

As Stark's universal AI, Friday had always been known for her intelligence and combat assistance capabilities. But today, her strategic brilliance had outshone even her typical duties. In this fight, she had been more than just a helpful AI; she had been an invaluable tactician.

Link, meanwhile, was left dazed and numb from the electric shock, barely able to move as the electricity crackled across his armor-like body. But Charlie wasn't going to give him a chance to recover. Batman rushed forward, his hands encased in electrified shock gloves, and landed a series of punishing blows.

The first punch connected with Link's nose, sending electricity surging through his head. The impact sent him reeling backward as the shockwave made his armor spark and jump with energy, throwing off his balance. His vision blurred, and he couldn't focus.

Despite the overwhelming pain and disorientation, Link's training kicked in. Even with his senses dulled, he predicted Batman's next move through pure muscle memory and lashed out with a wild counterpunch. It was a desperate, reflexive strike, fueled by years of combat experience.

But Charlie was prepared for that too.

Batman wasn't just a master of dirty tricks; he was a martial artist of the highest order. Charlie quickly ducked and maneuvered, dodging the wild punch with ease. At the same time, Batman delivered two powerful, electrified punches to Link's lower abdomen, sending fresh shocks coursing through his body.

Link's body was in agony. Every muscle screamed in protest as electricity continued to surge through him. He couldn't believe what was happening. He had expected a brutal, direct fight—one where his superior strength, speed, and invulnerability would allow him to crush Batman with ease. But nothing had gone as planned.

Link had severely underestimated Batman's tactics, expecting a conventional fight between warriors. Instead, he had been subjected to a relentless onslaught of tricks, traps, and strategic misdirection.

He felt humiliated.

By every metric, Link was stronger, faster, and more durable than Batman. His armor made him nearly invulnerable to conventional attacks. On paper, this fight should have been over in minutes, with Batman lying at his feet.

But instead, he was the one getting pummeled.

It was as if the roles had been reversed. Link, a genetically enhanced super-soldier, was being toyed with by an "ordinary" man in a bat costume. His moves, though powerful, were rendered useless by Batman's superior tactics and planning.

As Batman's blows rained down on him, Link's tentacles flailed wildly, trying to strike back. But every attempt to counter was met with precise dodges and punishing counters. Batman knew exactly when to step in, when to step back, and how to make each strike count.

Then came the punch that nearly broke Link's spirit. Batman delivered a devastating strike to his forehead—a blow so powerful it almost shattered the armor-like substance covering his face. For a moment, Link's entire body seemed to pause, the force of the impact reverberating through his skull.

"What kind of power is this?" Link wondered, shocked by the sheer force behind the punch.

He had fought countless foes in his lifetime—many of them powerful, many of them dangerous. But this punch, from a man who was supposed to be just a regular human, felt more like the work of a superhuman. It didn't make sense.

The special agents who had been watching from the sidelines finally regained their vision, and what they saw left them in awe. Batman was locked in a brutal, fast-paced battle with Link, who was dressed in bizarre, monstrous armor. The two figures moved with incredible speed, trading blows and dodges in a display of strength and precision that defied logic.

Link, who had seemed unstoppable just moments ago, was now on the receiving end of a relentless assault. Batman's fighting style was unconventional, a mix of brutal efficiency and strange, almost supernatural moves. At one point, Batman even kicked Link into the air and followed up with a series of mid-air combos that left the agents wondering if they were watching a real fight or a choreographed movie scene.

"Is that something a human can even do?" one of the agents muttered in disbelief.

Just moments ago, the agents had been getting destroyed by Link. Despite their best efforts, they hadn't been able to make a dent in his defenses. But now, Link was the one being battered, and the agents were left questioning everything.

Charlie felt a rush of satisfaction as Batman continued to pummel Link. Each punch, each shock, and each blow was a testament to Batman's mastery of strategy and combat. Link, once an overwhelming threat, was now a beaten, crumpled mess.

After Spider-Man, who had joined the fight, delivered a final combo using his web-swinging abilities, a bat-shaped explosive dart detonated on Link's face. The explosion sent a fireball and smoke screen rolling through the room, blasting Link backward and tearing away most of his armor.

Finally, the agents could see what lay beneath the armor.

Beneath the shattered, blood-red armor, Link's body had mutated grotesquely. His skin had hardened and mutated into something monstrous, more like a creature's than a human's. The tissue underneath was unlike anything seen on a normal person—it was almost alien, a twisted amalgamation of muscle and sinew.

Even now, Link's body was trying to heal itself, flesh knitting together and regenerating rapidly, struggling to repair the extensive damage.

Link lay on the ground, his breath ragged and shallow. "Ha… I underestimated you," he gasped, his voice weak but tinged with grim acceptance.

He knew the fight was over. There was no point in resisting any further. He had lost.

Lying on his back, Link stared up at Batman, who was walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps. A dry smile crossed Link's face, though it was filled with bitterness.

"I guess a lot of people make this mistake," he said. "They get a little bit of power, and they think they're untouchable." He coughed, the movement straining his already battered body. "And you… you're the best at using that. You let people think they're winning, and then…"

Before Link could finish, Spider-Man webbed his hands and feet, binding him tightly. Batman wasted no time, throwing another gadget—a gel bomb. The bomb exploded at Link's feet, and in seconds, the expanding gel enveloped his body, hardening and trapping him completely.

With both the webbing and the gel keeping him restrained, there was no way for Link to break free. Even if he were in peak condition, there would be no escape.

"I lost," Link admitted, his voice raspy and filled with resignation. "But it doesn't matter," he added with a weak, bitter smile. "The gears have started turning. The tide will sweep everyone away. No one will escape—not even you."

---

Elsewhere

In a shadowy, secretive location, a pair of glowing eyes slowly opened in the darkness.

"It looks like the plan failed."

A man's voice, calm yet edged with cold resolve, echoed in the shadows. His face, partially illuminated, revealed a stern expression—it was Link.

"Batman turned out to be more than we expected," he continued. "He's not just a fighter with power. We underestimated him."

"Yes, it seems we did," another voice replied from deeper in the shadows. Another figure stepped forward, his face also revealed—it was another Link.

"But it doesn't matter," the second Link said with eerie calm. "The mission of the Dead is complete. Sacrificing one of us is insignificant."

"That's true. As long as the key remains active, everything will proceed according to plan."

A third voice joined the conversation, and yet another Link emerged from the darkness.

Around them, pairs of glowing eyes began to open, one after another, like ominous lights flickering to life in the pitch-black room.

They all shared the same cold, emotionless gaze. The plan was still in motion.

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Posted up to chapter 162

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