Bruce leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.
That feeling of being completely unable to control his own body was truly terrifying.
Especially for Bruce—this was the most horrifying experience imaginable.
However, it did help him understand how the inmates in the prison were supposed to be used.
But this clearly wasn't something that could be used recklessly.
Today, Bruce experimented with Lego, but what if he had to use the Red Death or the Ravager next time?
Not to mention, the child's drawings included more than just these individuals.
There were even a few vague silhouettes with only faint traces of existence.
What were they? Bruce didn't know. Maybe even the child hadn't fully decided what they would become.
Bruce returned to his bedroom—he truly needed a good rest.
Though, he did feel a little guilty toward Lego Batman. After all, he still hadn't gotten the cheesy baked lobster he wanted.
Removing his gear, Bruce lay on his bed and fell asleep.
But this time, his sleep was noticeably different from before.
In a pure white space, a child sat quietly, as if waiting for Bruce's arrival.
"Hello, my Bat," the child said with a smile, looking at Bruce.
Bruce wasn't entirely sure what was happening.
After all, he had watched that wooden door decay completely. Yet now, this child had appeared before him once again.
Perhaps sensing Bruce's hesitation, the child waved a hand, and the pure white space transformed into a dreamlike pond.
Lush trees lined the shore, bringing a sense of tranquility, and the soft grass looked incredibly inviting.
The child sat at the water's edge and patted the spot beside him.
Bruce approached but did not sit down. Instead, he stood there, gazing at the calm pond alongside the child.
"I never thought that our first meeting might also be our last," the child said, clearly excited to be sitting with the Bat.
But realizing that this might be the final time he would see the character he loved, his voice carried a hint of sadness.
Still, he quickly regained his cheerful demeanor.
"I don't know what kind of world most people see after they die, but I got to see the world of my dreams. Even though... I'm not the protagonist."
With a wave of his hand, the child changed the sky to the first scene Bruce had encountered in that world.
A pitch-black night, paired with the dazzling neon lights of New York City.
A sight both mesmerizing and disorienting.
Bruce remained silent, simply listening to the child speak.
"But at least I left my mark," the child propped his chin on his hands.
"As long as you exist, I will always have a place in this world," the child said with a smile.
"When I designed you back then, I did base you on most of the Bat's characteristics, but I didn't make you completely silent," the child turned to look at Bruce.
"Do you regret it?" Bruce suddenly asked, his words seemingly coming out of nowhere.
To others, it might have seemed nonsensical.
But the child understood exactly what Bruce meant.
He smiled.
"I never grew up. Children don't think about regret." The child simply grinned.
"If I hadn't done what I did, maybe another child, just like me, would have lost their dream."
Looking at the glowing nightscape of New York, the child spoke with happiness.
"Why didn't you come to me at the beginning?" Bruce asked.
From the moment he arrived in this world, this child had likely existed within his consciousness.
"Also, you never seemed to interfere with anything I did."
"No, no, no, you're wrong about that," the child shook his finger at Bruce.
Bruce turned to look at him, unsure of what he had gotten wrong.
Every choice he had made had been entirely his own.
"At first, you were called Wayne," the child said.
But now, he was no longer just a child.
He had grown into an adult—
Not a child anymore, but instead, the way he was when he completed that painting.
"Whose name do you think that is?" The child walked toward the pond, but instead of being submerged, he walked on the water's surface.
He slowly made his way toward the deepest part of the space.
He did not look back, nor did he need to.
Because he knew that Bruce was watching him.
"Goodbye, my Bat." As the child walked forward, he gradually reverted to the small figure Bruce had first seen behind the wooden door.
Bruce did not speak. He simply watched as the small figure completely disappeared from his sight.
With the child's disappearance, the pond, the lawn, and the trees vanished as well.
The once pure white space behind Bruce also began to fade, as darkness slowly swallowed everything.
Bruce took one last look at the vanishing whiteness before turning and stepping into the darkness.
He was never destined to walk in the light.
Only darkness would be his final resting place.
When Bruce opened his eyes, he glanced at the alarm clock beside his bed. The time displayed was ten hours later than when he had fallen asleep.
It had been a long time since Bruce had slept this long.
Even Aunt May was surprised when she got up in the morning and didn't see Bruce.
He was always the earliest riser, yet today, he had unexpectedly slept in.
However, Aunt May didn't plan on waking Bruce. Considering what had happened yesterday, she thought it best to let him rest.
After all, the situation had been somewhat frightening.
But what surprised Aunt May even more was that another person had also slept in.
Jessica.
"Jessica, dear, it's time to get up and eat." Aunt May knocked on Jessica's door, trying to wake the late sleeper.
But there was no response from inside the room.
Aunt May found this odd.
"Jessica?" She knocked again.
Still, no answer.
Just as Aunt May was about to knock again, Bruce stepped out of his room.
"What's wrong?" Bruce asked, looking at Aunt May.
"Jessica isn't responding," Aunt May said with a hint of worry.
Given past experiences, Jessica would normally answer immediately.
But this time, she remained silent.
Bruce also knocked on Jessica's door. "Jessica?"
Still, no response.
Without hesitation, Bruce kicked the door open.
Inside the room, Jessica was nowhere to be found.
Bruce's gaze immediately landed on the note placed on Jessica's bedside table.
"What happened?" Aunt May asked, growing more concerned about Jessica's situation.
But after reading the note, Bruce already understood everything.
"It's fine. She just went to meet some friends to take care of something," Bruce said as he handed the note to Aunt May.
However, the slightly messy handwriting on the paper suggested that whatever it was, it must have been urgent.
Otherwise, Jessica wouldn't have left so suddenly without saying a word.
Aunt May still felt uneasy.
"Trust me, she'll be fine," Bruce looked into Aunt May's eyes and said seriously.
How could Aunt May possibly not trust Bruce?
(End of Chapter)
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