The Amazon River, one of the greatest natural wonders in the world. As fierce and violent as it is awe-inspiring and majestic. It has created the largest rainforest system in the world, home to trillions of magical creatures, yet it conspicuously lacks the shadow of the human race.
The Amazon River basin is not suitable for human habitation, but that doesn't mean there are no traces of human activity here. On the outskirts of the Amazon rainforest, closer to civilization, there are some scattered tribes that together form a nation—the Amazon Tribal Federation.
Even the outskirts of the rainforest can bring immense shock and surprise to people who live year-round in the steel jungle. As a result, tens of millions of tourists come here by boat each year, and most people in the Amazon Nation serve tourists, engaging in the tourism industry.
Entering the Amazon is not simple. First, you need to fly to the nearest country's airport, then change to a ship, then to a small seaplane, and finally back to a ship to reach the Amazon's only dock.
However, if you use unconventional methods—such as those taken by Batman—you must pass through from the other side of the Amazon rainforest. Because the natural conditions are too harsh, the Amazon does not have borders set up, giving someone like Batman an opportunity.
Shiller and Batman walked through the dense brush, following a stream downward and leaping off a rock wall about 20 meters high. In the crevice below the rock wall, Shiller saw that very exaggeratedly designed Batmobile.
That's the one Arkham Batman built in the magic school, using the same materials as Stark's Mech—Vibranium and Molten Steel Alloy, with some nano-materials used to reduce the car's weight. More uniquely, it has an engine that requires magic power to drive.
Arkham Batman handed Shiller a brand-new, uncharged Magic Core, saying, "Fill it up."
Shiller looked at him, he looked at Shiller, and the two stared at each other for a long time. Finally, Shiller spoke, "Do you need me to get you a calculator?"
"I know it wasn't you who got beaten up in the school hospital that day," Arkham Batman said.
Shiller snorted inwardly. He knew that most Batmans could distinguish him from Mephisto, and Arkham Batman was no exception. It was just that he didn't expose him at the time; he intended to bring it up now to bargain.
"Add another 200 points," Shiller said. Before Arkham Batman could negotiate, he added, "I guarantee my fuel is better than Tony's."
Arkham Batman considered it for a moment and nodded, saying, "Deal."
Shiller couldn't help but curse inwardly, "Damn wealthy bastards, why are they so rich?!"
Shiller filled the Magic Core with Moonlight Energy, and Arkham Batman inserted the Magic Core into the engine. The two of them sat inside the car together.
"Paradise Island has special protective magic; we can't enter by conventional means."
"By unconventional means, you mean driving the car straight in?" Shiller couldn't help but turn to Arkham Batman, saying, "This might make it completely impossible for you to handle your relationship with Wonder Woman afterward."
"Do you think there's still any room for reconciliation between us?"
"You're making this sound too easy," Shiller sighed, "You were teammates for a while, and you know she likes you."
"I would prefer her to like the Magical Defense Network."
Shiller didn't intend to persuade him further; he just looked at the lush rainforest outside the car window and said, "That's one of the reasons I don't like dealing with Batman—not an ounce of the romanticism an idealist would have."
The Batmobile soon flew into the sky, speeding over the Amazon rainforest until they saw an exceptionally unique light amidst the thick canopy. Where the light hit the ground, a not particularly conspicuous small island appeared in view.
The Batmobile stopped a few hundred meters away from the island, its engine roaring louder and louder until Arkham Batman stepped on the gas. With a "boom," the Batmobile suddenly crashed into an invisible barrier.
"Bang!"
Visible cracks appeared. The Batmobile backed up a bit, but Arkham Batman didn't step on the gas again. Shiller heard the commotion coming from below. Soon, a woman in a purple robe, bearing some resemblance to Wonder Woman, appeared on the ground.
Arkham Batman got out of the Batmobile and, through the barrier, said to her, "Hello, Your Majesty, the Queen."
Arkham Batman and Shiller were invited in, though not in a particularly friendly manner. Considering what Arkham Batman had just done, this Queen could be called remarkably kind-hearted.
Entering the palace of the Queen of Paradise Island, the woman could finally no longer keep her cool. She stared at Arkham Batman's face and said, "Where is Diana?"
"I assure you, she's fine," Arkham Batman said. "She cares deeply about her sisters and mother; she loves her homeland. She doesn't want any conflict or bloodshed to occur here. Your Majesty, do you think she will get her wish?"
This blatant threat made even Shiller unable to listen any longer. He realized he should get used to Arkham Batman's no-nonsense style sooner.
The Queen tightly gripped the scepter in her hand, saying, "The Amazon has never been against you. We only wish for peace and to live unstirred. Why must you drag us into those dirty political battles?"
"You're mistaken, Your Majesty. I haven't dragged you into any political struggle. You're not qualified yet."
Shiller tilted his head slightly to the side. Batman is very talented at turning a request for help into a robbery. One must say, the United States has welcomed the most fitting president for it.
The Queen furrowed her brows deeply, her eyes, strikingly similar to Wonder Woman's, fixed on Arkham Batman. Arkham Batman said, "I want to go to Mount Olympus."
The Queen lowered her eyelids and gently shook her head, saying, "I can't help you. Otherwise, Diana will blame me."
"Does she really like Mount Olympus?"
"She really likes you." The Queen took two steps forward, lifting her eyes to seriously look at Batman, saying, "She doesn't want you to get hurt. So, no matter what you plan to do to the gods, give up on your naive ideas."
"Naive is you, Her Majesty the Queen. You've lived comfortably for too long here, this little island and those chaotic deities are your everything. But Diana is not like that. She has participated in wars, becoming a member of the Justice League. Your daughter is better than you, her vision more far-reaching. Most importantly, she is better at picking men than you."
Shiller couldn't help but want to give Arkham Batman a blow. What an inappropriate comment, what a sore spot mentioned, and to cap it off, you extinguished the fire under other pots too. Truly, you're Batman.
The Queen was obviously taken aback and had nothing to say. If this topic were to be seriously discussed, inevitably it would touch upon Zeus's character. But once this is mentioned, she has no reason not to let Batman go to Mount Olympus to stir up trouble. She's afraid she might end up following Batman to stir up trouble.
"In short, I can't give you the key." The Queen shook her head, saying, "And don't think about using force. Even if you sink the entire island, the key won't appear."
"Do you think I'm relying on my relationship with Diana to come find you, hoping you can understand me and give me the key? But, no. Her Majesty the Queen, I'm not relying on that."
"Then what is it?" The Queen seemed to have made up her mind; she walked back to her throne to sit down.
"Naturally, it's the integration of the Federation's fifty states, the shadow government rendered ineffective, from now on there will be no separation of powers. When I, the most powerful US President in history, face assassination in Amazon, what will you and your kin do?"
The Queen stood up suddenly, glaring at him, saying, "Despicable!"
"This is dirty political struggle, Queen. Hand over the key." Arkham Batman issued the final ultimatum.
The Queen gripped the scepter in her hand tightly, after a while, some dejection appearing on her face as she sat on the throne. She said, "You can't treat Amazon this way. We have never betrayed our partners..."
"America is not your partner. It wasn't before me, nor will it be after me. Me personally coming here and using my safety to coerce you, is already the most gentle measure I took for Diana's sake. Otherwise, the person you should be meeting now would be the leader of the Amazon National Independence Uprising Army."
The Queen appeared somewhat desolate. Compared to the insurmountable predicament provided by Arkham Batman, she seemed more hopeless about her daughter liking such a person. Diana's taste in men was a bit too good.
"Tell me what you're going to do." The Queen said.
"I don't know what gives the gods such confidence, thinking they can hoard precious power that doesn't belong to them, completely detached from Earth, acting high and mighty like in Ancient Times. I just want to tell them that the romantic mythological era recorded by humans in books is over. It's time to pay for their squandered youthful years." Arkham Batman said.
This speech carried a presidential flair, but the Queen understood his meaning. She stared into Arkham Batman's eyes and said, "Do you know what you're saying?"
"Of course I know. Her Majesty the Queen, are you truly content?"
"What?"
"On Earth, Paradise Island is special enough. You have the special powers bestowed by the Divine King, able to protect your sisters from worldly troubles. But compared to Hera, who holds great power, is this really enough?"
"What are you trying to say?"
"If Mount Olympus provided you with not just a morsel that fell through the gods' fingers, as a legitimate queen, how could you let me, a foreigner, hold forth here? How could Amazon be threatened by me? How could you suffer such humiliation?"
The Queen tightened her lips and said, "Do you think I haven't tried? But they are gods, do you know what a god is?"
Arkham Batman shook his head. The Queen was about to explain the power of the gods when Arkham Batman said:
"They are gods because I don't want to be a god yet."
"Absurd!" The Queen stood up again. She quickly walked to face Arkham Batman, her robes flipping and her long hair blowing.
"You arrogant human!" she said, "All humans who attempt to challenge the gods are dead. Do you really think you can ascend Mount Olympus under the siege of the gods?!"
"Then why not let me prove it to you? Your Majesty." Arkham Batman appeared very calm, saying, "If I'm going to die, you should be happy about it."
"It seems you are set on doing this." The Queen sighed and said, "The key is in my hand; if you want it, come and take it."
"Sorry, ma'am." Shiller spoke up, "Is the key really with you?"
"Of course. It's in the scepter in my hand." The Queen turned to look at the scepter in her hand, but suddenly she found that the scepter she was holding wasn't the original one, but had turned into a silver long wand with a crescent moon at the top.
It was Shiller who was holding her original scepter.
Arkham Batman never spoke nonsense, Shiller knew this very well. So when he started a long discourse with the Queen, Shiller knew exactly what he had to do.