Why Are You Enjoying This?

"How did you find this place, Lynn?"

"Really? Is that seriously the first thing you decided to ask after seeing me?!"

Lynn gestured at himself. "A whole bunch of masquerade freaks jumped out of the coffins over there and nearly skinned me alive! And that's what you're asking?!

"Fuck you, eat my Great Virtue Battle Axe!"

Lynn was genuinely furious. He had originally planned everything out perfectly. This was Batman's own family business. Although it involved several generations of Gotham and hundreds of billions, perhaps even trillions, in hidden money flows, Lynn still did not think it had much to do with him.

Honestly, according to the rational judgment instilled in Lynn by his previous education, the very existence of super-rich people was an absolute blight upon society.

The feud between the Court of Owls and the Wayne Family could be understood just as simply.

If Lynn had not had a personal friendship with Batman, then given his usual way of doing things, he would have sat back, watched through the window, eaten popcorn, and done absolutely nothing.

This time, Lynn had come prepared only to lend Batman a hand, provide some red wine and grilled meat, maybe get him some glucose solution, and leave it at that.

But the Talons under the Court of Owls did not have brains!

Lynn had just entered the labyrinth through an entrance near the river. He had not explored even two hundred meters when, without a sound, a Talon Assassin suddenly appeared behind him.

Those things really were like owls—completely silent.

If Lynn had not been such a coward and worn such thick gear, that dagger stabbing into his tactical vest might have taken his life in one blow.

After being ambushed, of course Lynn was not going to refrain from retaliating. Before entering the Underground Labyrinth, it could still be called Batman's private affair. But now that someone had nearly put a blade into his kidney, he could only happily join in.

Talons were assassins by nature. They used the assassin's approach: strike successfully from the shadows, and flee if the strike failed.

As for Lynn, he suffered from insufficient-firepower anxiety. Since he lived in Gotham and had somehow ended up in the business of sending people off to their graves, he had enemies everywhere. So, Lynn's equipment was always as plentiful and comprehensive as possible. Even after obtaining the Infinite-Ammo Tactical Master Pistol, he had maintained that habit.

After all, he had a Spatial Bag on his belly. If it could fit, he might as well carry it~

So, when Lynn reached into his clothes and pulled out a handful of caltrops, a pile of mousetraps, and a small generator with its own lighting system, the Talon lurking in the shadows against the underground cavern wall was instantly exposed. Its mind then crashed in confusion for two seconds.

Naturally, Lynn did not go easy on it. These things were bioengineered living dead; there was absolutely no need to communicate with them.

So he raised his hand and unleashed a burst of bullets.

After finishing off the fallen Talon with more shots, beheading it, piling up firewood, lighting it, reciting a requiem, digging a pit, and burying it, Lynn calmly tossed Kitty out to scout ahead and continued exploring in search of the old Batman.

Talons could no longer be considered human in the biological sense. It was debatable whether they even had heartbeats. Batman had nearly been ambushed by a Talon pretending to be dead, but Lynn was not going to give one that chance.

Unfortunately, after killing a Talon, Lynn received only a tiny amount of Soul Fragments. That further confirmed his judgment that these things were not human.

When fighting things like this, they did not feel pain when you hit them, nor did they fear loss or death when you killed them. But the blades they stabbed into you were very real. In Lynn's eyes, as someone who never made a move without getting something out of it, this was utterly meaningless combat.

Better to avoid it whenever possible. It was not worth it.

For once, Lynn completely admitted defeat. He had no intention of making a move, yet things refused to go his way.

Whether Kitty was taking revenge on society or was simply that unlucky, it actually wandered into a room packed with coffins and awakened every Talon sleeping there.

At that moment, when Lynn saw pairs of eyes light up in the darkness like tiny bulbs, he truly almost pulled the Iron Pineapple from his Spatial Bag and threw it over.

Fortunately, Lynn might have been crazy, but he was not stupid. This damn underground space was semi-enclosed and maze-like. If he threw an Iron Pineapple and actually collapsed the place, then Batman or owl alike, nobody would be getting out alive.

Lynn himself would probably be finished too.

He had only come to provide support. A tactic like Heaven-and-Earth Coexistence could wait until later.

Thus, Lynn was extremely unwillingly forced into a cramped, many-against-one deathmatch with more than ten Talons.

The battle was incredibly fierce. If Lynn had not possessed the Invincible Shield—allowing him to grab Kitty and use it to block a certain amount of damage—his arm might have been ruined.

Relying on his ample firepower, excellent equipment, and cheats, Lynn finally blew apart the last Talon's neck just before its dagger could plunge into his eye.

The Infinite-Ammo Tactical Master Pistol, which Lynn had always looked down on, earned him plenty of pride in this battle.

If there had not been so much blood on it, Lynn truly would have wanted to kiss the gun to thank it for saving his life.

Such a brutal battle had taken place here, with gunfire continuing nonstop for five minutes, yet no one else came. If Batman was here, then his mental state had truly reached a very dangerous point.

So, while apologizing to Kitty, Lynn ran at full speed. He finally arrived just before Batman could use Heaven-and-Earth Coexistence, saving Batman and himself.

As Lynn shouted, "Eat my Great Virtue Battle Axe!" he had already leaped up with his arm raised high. Batman did not know what Lynn intended to do, but instinctively understood that Lynn would not harm him. Coupled with the prolonged hunger and hardship, mental exhaustion, and wild swings between life and death...

Batman offered no resistance or obstruction whatsoever. He simply stared blankly at Lynn as Lynn struck the crown of his head with a hand chop.

Pff.

Batman, who had just stood up, sat back down again.

Rubbing his forehead, he realized that his mind had become much clearer. It was no longer filled with thoughts of dying together, revenge, and murderous urges.

Lynn was helping me!

"Lynn, do it again."

"...Huh?"

Lynn stared at his palm, beginning to doubt his life.

Had the skill effect not activated?

That could not be possible.

"Hey, you asked for this yourself!

"Eat my Great Virtue Battle Axe!!"

"Ah~~"

"Fuck, don't look so pleased! This is a proper combat skill! You... you're making me seriously question my life, boss!"

"One more time."

"Fuck off!"

Lynn casually chopped Batman on the forehead again.

Honestly, there might not have been anyone else in the entire DC universe who could hit Batman like a child, yet make him not only unangered but actually quite pleased by it.

"Let's go. We'll get out first and talk later. In your condition, you still need to eat something and drink some water. Getting chopped on the head all the time isn't the answer.

"This isn't a place to talk or eat. Let's get out first.

"Hmm... Your body isn't in great shape. Ride this."

Looking completely serious, Lynn reached beneath the hem of his clothes and pulled out a floating yellow cloud.

"Ride this out. It's fast."

Lynn helped Batman up and said with a smile.