For Every Batman (A Batman Birthday Special)

Supreme Superboy accepted Dumb Owl's plan.

He agreed with the other man's idea and promised Chen Tao that he would not simply charge into the Presidential Palace in a frenzy, fight the impostor, and cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands or even millions.

He knew Dumb Owl's plan was unreliable. The moment Supreme Superboy took over as the Time Trapper, it was as though he had inherited the mountains of bloodshed caused by The Batman Who Laughs and the Time Trapper on the Prime Universe's Flashpoint timeline in that brief span of time.

Supreme Superboy was Superman. He simply chose not to use his superhuman hearing; that did not mean he lacked it.

He knew that the malice and hatred directed at the name Superman would drown Supreme Superboy. He had to stop it. He had to...

Chen Tao was tired.

After regaining his sanity, his ability to think made him realize that The Batman Who Laughs had surely been waiting for his challenge. This game had already begun the moment he manipulated Ventriloquist and decided to find mercenaries to besiege Bane.

World Forger, Time Trapper, The Batman Who Laughs, Perpetua, Empty Hand, Parallax Hal, Supreme Superboy, the person behind Murder Machine...

Chen Tao was startled to discover that he could actually feel fear.

So many years, so many years, my friend.

This game would never end.

He thought about it.

He wondered what choice Batman would make in such a situation.

He knew the Batman he imagined was merely a combination of every Batman's strengths, but he did it anyway. He was used to doing so.

He could always find a way through Batman's actions, but this time...

His understanding of Batman gave him the answer.

If it were Batman, when he was suffering under cold, bleak torment,