A portal suddenly appeared in the Batcave.
"Xiao Hong, that torch just now was so interesting, I want one too! It even makes sounds!" Harley said excitedly.
"That's not a toy," Pamela replied helplessly.
Dick and the others walked out in a daze, their eyes vacant, still not having recovered from the scene they had just witnessed.
The red sky, the clusters of volcanoes, the medieval town, and the wailing human-shaped torch in the central square—those images lingered in their minds.
"Uncle, who exactly are you?" Dick asked, his voice dry.
"I am Qinuo, godfather to Bruce's daughter, and also a Demon Lord of Hell. You can also call me Godfather," Qinuo introduced himself.
"..."
Is this a sci-fi movie? Why are Demon Lords from myths showing up and becoming our Godfather?
"Where did Bruce and Alfred go?" Tim asked expressionlessly.
"They went to celebrate his daughter's birthday. I don't actually know where they are right now."
"Barbara wasn't done by the Court of Owls either."
Dick's mouth twitched.
"No, I had someone do it. She's currently lying in the World at home. As compensation, I gave her a limb regeneration potion. She'll be bouncing around once she wakes up."
"You said before that the Wayne Family history and the first Batman were all fake," Jason asked with a dark expression.
"No, most of it is true, except for two Wayne Family being fake, and the first Batman was Bruce's grandfather, Richard Wayne. He became Batman to cover up his own wicked deeds."
"What was all that we did for? You're so strong, why did you drag us into this?" Oliver covered his face helplessly.
"Originally, I planned to do it myself, but I heard someone was gathering people to deal with me, so I just wanted to have some fun."
"..."
The three looked at Dick with the eyes of someone looking at a dead person.
"But I clearly enhanced you all and told you the enemy's weaknesses, yet you still managed to mess up. That's something I didn't expect," Qinuo said, looking at the four with a "that's it?" expression.
The three Robins plus Green Arrow were all characters who could take on an entire organization in their respective comics, yet together, they all failed.
"..."
The others looked at Dick again; he was the first to fail.
Dick remained silent; this failure was indeed his fault.
After injecting the enhancement potion, the powerful strength, coupled with defeating dozens of Talons...
Although he kept reminding himself not to be careless, his heart still couldn't help but swell with pride.
"How can I rest assured entrusting Gotham to you all when you're like this?" Qinuo said with a disappointed look.
"Entrust it to us?" Concerned about Gotham, Dick and the others asked eagerly.
"Bruce and I made a deal. He went out to celebrate his daughter's birthday, and I stayed in Gotham as Batman. But the Court of Owls has been eliminated, and there's still the Owl Council to deal with.
Besides having fun, this was also a test, to let one of you take on the heavy burden of Batman. But you all failed, so I can only continue to take over. The matter of the Owl Council will have to wait until Bruce returns."
Qinuo said slowly, his tone heavy.
"No, Godfather, please give us another chance. I will prove that I can protect Gotham," Dick said, his eyes burning and his tone resolute.
"That's right, we can also become Batman," Tim echoed, his expression full of anticipation.
"Without their baggage, I alone can fight crime," Jason said confidently.
The three Robins all harbored more or less a desire to become Batman, just like how children yearn to be a father when they are young; they yearned to take on Batman's responsibility.
Qinuo looked at their determined eyes, hesitating slightly.
"Alright! I'll give you one more chance. The three of you will become Batman together. Fighting crime will be your performance, and the time limit is until Bruce returns."
"Yes!"
Flames ignited in their eyes, vowing to redeem themselves.
Oliver watched the three young lads being "pua-ed" by Qinuo, but he dared not speak; he didn't want to experience the taste of being a human-shaped torch.
Qinuo didn't intentionally act as a hands-off boss.
Mainly, the first strike on Gotham had been too effective. The next day, the crime rate plummeted, selling drugs had to be done furtively, and robbing someone on the street required observing for a long time before daring to act.
It could only be said that Batman was too gentle with these guys.
100 Batmen were a bit too much. So, he decided to leave three, plus Dick and the others, making a total of six, which was enough to protect Gotham.
He also planned to explore the DC World and deal with the Owl Council.
After entrusting Gotham to the Robins, Qinuo took Venom, Pamela, and Harley to Challenger Mountain.
"Xiao Qiqi, fly with me again!" Harley jumped onto Qinuo's back excitedly.
"Get down first, I have serious business," Qinuo said helplessly, pulling Harley off him.
The fun was over, and he hadn't originally intended to bring her, but Pamela really liked Harley, so he brought her along.
Super Vision activated.
The entire interior of the mountain continuously appeared before his eyes, layer upon layer, until he saw a hidden area.
"Xiao Qiqi, what are you looking at?" Harley suddenly appeared in front of Qinuo, asking curiously.
A moving skeleton tilted its head and appeared before Qinuo.
Qinuo calmly turned off his Super Vision.
"Nothing, just looking for something."
Arriving at an ordinary mountain wall, Qinuo punched a three-meter-high hole, revealing an elevator shaft.
"Let's go!" Qinuo jumped in first.
Harley blinked.
"Xiao Qiqi, wait for me."
Without hesitation, Harley jumped down.
Her body kept falling, her heart pounding, and the thrilling sensation of nearing Death wildly impacted Harley's nerves.
Venom and Pamela exchanged a glance.
This girl is so crazy.
They also followed suit and jumped down.
Below, Qinuo used his biological field to transform into a transparent net, catching Harley, Venom, and Pamela.
"Hahaha, that was so exciting! I love this feeling!" Harley jumped off the soft net.
"Little Lunatic, you just jumped down like that. What if you really fell to your Death?" Qinuo said irritably.
"Little Lunatic? Is that what you call me? Fall to my Death? If I die, Xiao Hong, will you cry?" Harley skipped over to Pamela, evidently more concerned about Pamela's reaction than her own life or Death.
"Yes, I will, so you must take good care of yourself," Pamela said sympathetically, stroking Harley's hair.
To her, this disregard for life and concern for others' opinions was a sign of lacking love.
"Okay, as long as it's your request, Xiao Hong, I'm willing," Harley said playfully.
Qinuo looked at the underground Base, its silver-gray metal walls emitting a cold sheen.
On the ceiling was a golden Owl symbol, and below it was a mechanical control panel with various buttons and indicator lights flashing.
Qinuo came to a wall, shot Heat Vision from his eyes, precisely cutting out a neat doorframe, then gently pushed it open.
It revealed a hidden space inside, filled with boxes stacked densely.
Qinuo opened a box to examine it, only to find golden Nth Metal inside. He couldn't help but frown.
He opened other boxes to check.
The items were correct, but these metals contained a dark aura that would continuously corrode the holder's body and mind.
No wonder the Court of Owls, despite having so much powerful metal, only infected Bruce Wayne; ordinary people simply couldn't use it.
Ordinary people couldn't use it, and strong people didn't need it. Even if it could increase strength, it would constantly corrode and turn them into lunatics.
It could only serve as a bridge to communicate with the Dark Multiverse.