Joker's Doomsday

The Joker listened to the report from his subordinates with a grim expression. After a long moment, he raised his hand and shot the poor desperado dead.

"So you all just slunk back here in shame? Useless, idiots!" A manic grin spread across the Joker's pale, painted face, startling the surrounding desperadoes. Fortunately, after venting his frustration on the corpse, the Joker continued.

"This is truly, cough, another hypocritical scumbag has appeared in this world. To silently take out five of my men, should I call him skilled or an idiot?"

He performed a flamboyant waltz.

"But no matter how skilled, it's just the dying whispers before the end. When my lovely little toys explode, the whole of Gotham City will descend into chaos and hell, heh heh heh~~"

"Bang!"

A loud crashing sound interrupted his ramblings. Amidst the flying dust, a robust figure descended like a god of war, appearing before the Joker and the remaining thugs.

"Unfortunately, you won't get to see any of it," the newcomer said playfully. "Heath Ledger!"

"Who? Who did you say?" The Joker, true to his nature, despite the utterly theatrical scene, managed to regain his composure and madness after a moment of stunned silence. "A fresh, tasty, little handsome guy?"

"And who might you be? A superhero? This is quite a surprise! I love surprises!"

The snake began to wag its tongue. "Heh heh heh... what's the point of such a hypocritical and boring job? Why not join me and add a little fun to this fragile and dull world?"

Unseen by anyone, a sharp little knife secretly slipped from his sleeve.

"Don't like it? Then, how about blowing up Gotham City with a bang? How's that?"

A flash of blade light appeared.

Aeo had been having Eiffel monitor a large area at the intersection of Fifth and Third Avenues. Just like him and Batman, the Joker and his subordinates didn't move, they left certain traces in the world when they did.

And so, when the Joker sent people to kidnap Harvey Dent and Rachel, several suspicious vehicles drove out of a small, dark building. Then, after Aeo and Batman rescued them, a few suspicious individuals rushed back into the building—well, now the Joker's location was confirmed.

Upon receiving the news, Aeo rushed over immediately after resolving the hostage situation. With his X-ray vision, the Joker and his accomplices were like mice in the sun, with nowhere to hide!

"Under asymmetric warfare, the Joker is nothing more than this..." In the sky, Aeo sighed softly.

Facing the Joker's sudden turn, Aeo merely cast a pitying glance at him, remaining motionless, letting him act. The Joker couldn't help but show a hint of wild joy and excitement, but the result was...

Boom, the knife broke, the bullet deflated.

The Joker stared at it all in disbelief. "What kind of monster are you..."

Aeo smiled.

"To be called that by Mr. Joker feels quite ironic..." Without looking back, he casually grabbed a chair and boom.

A thug was sent flying by the cannon-like wooden chair.

"..."

"After all, you were always my idol..."

Boom, another one.

"Even if only in movies, but..." Aeo blinked, and with a hiss, Eiffel's unique heat vision ability erupted. The third, fourth, and fifth thugs were blasted away and killed by the beams.

His burning gaze slowly cooled, and Aeo returned to his normal appearance. Meeting the Joker's dumbfounded expression, he shrugged, "Undeniably, the way Heath Ledger portrayed you was very charismatic, making one unable to resist being drawn in..."

Bang, he killed the last fleeing thug with super speed, and then bang, he broke through the wall and returned to his original spot.

"..."

The Joker's expression shifted from astonishment to silence, then to rage. He raised his hand, the muzzle of the gun pressed directly against Aeo's forehead. "Who the hell do you think you are! How dare you come here and play the fool..."

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang."

Only after firing it all did the Joker stop, panting.

"Alright," Aeo gently pushed away the standard issue M9 pistol, a .9mm U.S. military special, from his eyes. "The fact is, you're ultimately not Heath Ledger. Yes, you're too ugly... Heath Ledger was a great handsome guy..."

"What the fuck^"

"Hey, calm down, you're the Joker..." Aeo playfully put a finger to his lips.

Bang, the stunned Joker was violently sent flying by Aeo, crashing through countless tables, chairs, and miscellaneous items. When he fell back down, the great Mr. Joker was barely breathing.

"Who... the... hell... are... you..."

Aeo curved his lips into a cruel smile and leisurely walked up to the villain who should have been famous. "I know, you might feel wronged, you have a lot you want to say, but..."

"I'm no longer the ordinary citizen I was when watching the movie, and you, you're really not Heath Ledger, so..."

The Joker, completely clueless about what this bastard was talking about, "..."

"Sorry, you're going to die here!" he declared calmly but coldly.

"..." The red all around him, and the feeling of being shattered, made him understand that he was truly going to die. This made the Joker, who had initially thought the newcomer was one of those hypocritical superheroes like Batman, laugh grotesquely.

"You're different from them, ruthless, cruel, powerful! This world will become more exciting because of you, you..."

Aeo shook his head. "Still trying to 'corrupt' me even when facing death..."

"No, this isn't..."

Suddenly closing in on the Joker, "Don't mistake me for you!" Aeo growled. "To me, who witnessed my entire race fall like a meteor, you and this world are too narrow-minded..."

The Joker, his eyes wide with terror.

"You!"

"...Die." Aeo, who had said too much, stated clearly. "Heath Ledger!"

"!"

"I am not called..."

The great supporting character took his last breath.

Bruce Wayne and his butler, Alfred, watched with grim expressions as the host on the television excitedly and emotionally introduced the corpse being carried out.

"According to Director Gordon, this man is the Joker, who caused such a stir some time ago. He and his accomplices were killed in this abandoned parking lot..."

"VBS reporting..."

"According to on-site reports from Reporter Walker of NBC..."

Bruce switched through several channels, but found reports about the Joker everywhere. Finally, annoyed, he turned off the 100-inch LCD television.

"Alfred, who do you think it was? Someone with enough power to find the Joker before S.H.I.E.L.D. could..." Bruce said, his expression grim.

"Whoever it was, he is a powerful and ruthless individual..." the old butler said worriedly. "Master, I think it's best not to investigate further. Regardless, he saved Miss Rachel and eliminated the threat to Gotham City..."

"But such power needs to be restrained!" Bruce declared firmly. "Otherwise, they'll be like S.H.I.E.L.D., acting without restraint, cruel and ruthless!"

The old butler was speechless.

After a pause, he said resignedly, "In any case, Bruce, I just hope that you and Miss Rachel are safe and happy. Everything else..." The old man's wrinkled face showed the open-mindedness and wisdom of someone who had seen through the ways of the world.

"...isn't really that important."

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Nick Fury, Hill, and Black Widow quietly watched as another agent, Level 9 Agent Melinda May, arrived after hearing the news.

After a moment, the big boss spoke. "Well, Agent Melinda, does this bear any resemblance to what you've been investigating for the past ten years?"

"!"

.