AM I SUPERMAN?

Chapter 103: CHAPTER 102



High above Gotham's courthouse, a dark figure descended from the stormy sky. Cloaked in shadow, Batman spread his bat-like cape wide, gliding with precision toward the ground. He landed with a thud, his presence electrifying the crowd. For the people of Gotham, their savior had arrived.

A wave of cheers erupted from the gathered citizens. Hope, which had been smothered by fear, ignited once more.

"Oh, finally, our other protagonist arrives!" Bain's gravelly voice boomed as he leapt down the courthouse steps, landing with a heavy thud before the Dark Knight. "I almost thought you were too scared to show."

Bain stood tall, his massive frame dwarfing even his imposing adversary. Though his mask concealed his expression, his voice dripped with mockery. But as Batman sized him up, Bruce Wayne couldn't ignore the changes in Bain. He was bigger, stronger, and radiated an unnatural aura of menace. Whatever enhancements Bain had undergone, they made him more dangerous than ever.

Fortunately, Batman had come prepared. His new kryptonite Alloy Batsuit, forged with the help of Kaius, was his most advanced armor yet. The lightweight but nearly indestructible alloy was resistant to extreme physical and chemical damage. The glowing blue energy cores in the chest and eyes signaled its immense power.

Bruce's voice, filtered through the suit's modulator, rumbled low and menacing. "Enough talk, Bain. Your place is back in prison."

The energy within the Batsuit surged as Batman activated its core systems. The once-sleek black armor now looked like a walking tank, every plate radiating strength and power. Without hesitation, Batman charged forward, his heavy strides shaking the ground.

Bain braced himself, his massive frame towering like a mountain. But even a mountain can fall.

With the force of a freight train, Batman collided with Bain. The impact sent Bain, all 400 pounds of him, flying through the air. He crashed into the marble staircase of the courthouse, shattering the stone like brittle chocolate. Dust and debris filled the air as the crowd erupted into cheers.

"Good job, Batman!"

"Show him no mercy!"

As Bain struggled to rise, Batman was already upon him. His fists, reinforced by the kryptonite Alloy, rained down with relentless force. Each punch landed with a thunderous boom, shaking the very ground beneath them. Though his armor slowed his movements slightly, the added strength more than compensated. Every blow cracked with the force of a sledgehammer.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The people watching cheered louder with each hit. On the ground and in their homes, Gothamites dared to believe the nightmare might finally be over.

"Kill him!" someone shouted. "End this madness and save Gotham!"

But just as victory seemed certain, Bain struck. His massive fist slammed into the side of Batman's helmet with the force of a wrecking ball. The blow sent Batman reeling, his vision blurring as he staggered backward. His center of gravity faltered, and for a moment, it seemed he might fall.

Bain rose from the rubble, brushing dust from his grotesquely swollen frame. The enhancements had turned his already formidable body into a weapon of pure destruction. His voice was calm, even mocking. "I admit, Batman, you've grown stronger since yesterday. But it won't be enough. You cannot save Gotham."

Batman steadied himself, his jaw tightening. He surged forward again, unleashing a flurry of calculated strikes—aiming for Bain's pressure points with a precise hand chop, followed by rapid elbows and knee attacks. Each move was executed with the precision of a master martial artist.

But Bain didn't flinch. He absorbed the hits like a mountain weathering a storm, his bulk rendering Batman's strikes ineffective. As Batman's assault slowed, Bain countered with a devastating knee to Batman's abdomen.

Bain's fists swung like wrecking balls, delivering devastating blows to Batman's armored frame. Each strike reverberated through the air, and despite the kryptonite Alloy enhancing his suit, Batman faltered. Finally, with a powerful swing, Bain knocked the Dark Knight to the ground, his heavy armor clanging against the cracked marble floor.

Seizing the moment, Bain reached down and wrapped his massive hand around Batman's neck, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. Turning to the cameras, he held Gotham's greatest protector aloft for all to see.

"You expect this man to save you?" Bain bellowed, his voice carrying over the gathered crowd and live broadcasts. "It's over. Gotham City will burn to ashes and rise anew under my rule. Hahaha!"

His eyes glinted with unrestrained malice. The crowd of journalists, frozen in terror, finally broke into panicked screams and scattered like frightened birds. The scene descended into chaos as the news of Batman's defeat rippled through Gotham, plunging the city into despair. Panic and lawlessness erupted across the streets.

Suspended in Bain's grip, Batman strained against the mercenary's iron-like fingers. His attempts to pry Bain's hand loose were futile. Through the haze of pain, Bruce Wayne analyzed the situation. His upgraded armor far surpassed his previous gear, yet Bain's strength had increased exponentially. The only explanation: Bain, too, had been enhanced.

"Bain!" Batman growled, his voice tight with effort. "Stop the super-energy reactor while there's still time!"

But Bain's sneer only deepened. "Don't waste your breath, Batman. Heroes are nothing but a farce. And you? You're the biggest joke of them all."

Batman's vision blurred, but his mind raced for a solution. In a desperate move, he coiled his legs around Bain's arm and hooked his instep under one of the Venom pipes protruding from Bain's shoulder. With a sharp pull, the pipe hissed and snapped, releasing bursts of green gas into the air.

Hiss! Puff! Puff!

The Venom supply feeding Bain's monstrous strength faltered. With a powerful kick, Batman launched himself off Bain's chest, flipping through the air to land gracefully a few feet away. He straightened, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "Bain, it's over. You've lost."

But Bain simply stood, brushing off the debris as if nothing had happened. His eyes gleamed with derision as he took a step forward. "Lost? Me?" He chuckled darkly. "Oh, Batman, you're even more amusing than I thought."

The crowd watching the live broadcast fell silent. The monster hadn't been defeated after all.

Elsewhere, two figures hovered above the sports center where Bain's super-energy reactor and nuclear bomb were housed. Superman's cousin, Kaius, scanned the scene below with his X-ray vision. Beside him, Wonder Woman adjusted the grip on her golden lasso, her eyes fixed on the battlefield.

"The bomb is in the underground parking lot," Kaius said, his voice calm but urgent. "There are 102 mercenaries stationed throughout the center, including guards near the bomb."

Diana smirked, tilting her head slightly. "How about this? I take the front entrance; you take the back. Whoever clears their path first gets to disarm the bomb."

Kaius returned the grin. "You're on."

Without another word, the two heroes split up. Kaius entered silently, using his enhanced speed and precision to dispatch mercenaries before they could even react. For him, there was no room for mercy. Each terrorist fell swiftly, their weapons useless against his superhuman reflexes.

Meanwhile, Diana strode confidently through the front doors. Any mercenary foolish enough to confront her was swiftly dealt with, her sword and lasso cutting through their defenses with ease. Her every move was a testament to her Amazonian training.

Kaius reached the underground parking lot first, finding the cavernous space illuminated by bright industrial lights. At its center stood a massive, transparent reactor ring emitting an ominous glow. Inside, nuclear fusion raged, a destructive force held in precarious balance.

A lone figure stood beside the reactor, a remote control in hand. The man's back was turned, but Kaius's memory banks quickly identified him.

Diana arrived moments later, stepping into the parking lot just as the man turned around. Kaius narrowed his eyes, recognizing the face. "You," he said sharply. "You're one of Lex Luthor's mercenaries. What are you doing here? Don't tell me Luthor is part of this too."

The mercenary smirked, holding the remote up as if to taunt the Kryptonian. "You think you know everything, alien. But let me tell you, Gotham isn't your concern anymore."

Kaius stepped forward, his expression darkening. "It is when innocent lives are at stake. Now, hand over the detonator, or I'll take it from you."

The mercenary's smirk faded as Diana unsheathed her sword. "You heard him. Surrender now, or face the consequences."

The air grew tense as the two heroes prepared to end the threat to Gotham once and for all.

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