As his words fell, The Joker sprawled across the table and slowly edged his body toward Bruce in an especially awkward pose.
His face scraped across the smooth tabletop, actually making a faint rasping sound. But instead of making anyone laugh, that sound made their hearts tremble uncontrollably.
Amid that uncontrollable dread, Bruce frowned and slowly shook his head.
"Joker!"
He suddenly spoke.
"I... a long time ago, I kept thinking about something.
That was... if one day, I was no longer Batman.
Then who would I be?"
As he said that, Bruce slowly rose from his chair. Drawing himself closer to the table, he bent down as well, bringing his face nearer and nearer to the ridiculous Joker sprawled across it.
Under countless gazes filled with inexplicable fear, Bruce slowly reached out. As though petting a small animal, he gently stroked The Joker's clumped hair.
The Joker did not become angry at that. He was The Joker. He never got angry over things that would anger other people, nor did he become happy over things that would make others happy.
After all, there were only three kinds of people in the DC world: heroes, villains, and The Joker!
At that moment, The Joker actually revealed an expression of enjoyment. He even stuck out his tongue slightly.
"Ha~ ha~."
He panted twice in quick succession like a dog.
After panting, The Joker's breathing abruptly stopped.
Then, he laughed.
"Hehe~, hehe~, hahaha~~."
His laughter grew louder and louder, yet sadder and sadder, until finally...
"Haha~, ha~ boohoohoo..."
He cried!!!
The Joker's sobbing made everyone present shudder. Even Penguin, sitting at the head of the table, felt every hair on his body stand on end.
Every villain there was a true powerhouse, at least mentally.
There were very few things that could