"Cos...play?"
Hearing Tony Stark's words, Bruce took a slow breath before glancing down at his clothes. After a brief inspection, he looked back at Tony and smiled.
"Mr. Stark, is this the kind of cosplay you're talking about?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Bruce lightly tapped his chest.
In the next instant, the nanites surged across his body. Within the blink of an eye, his attire transformed into a sleek black armored suit with sharp, angular lines that completely covered him, except for his head.
The iconic Bat symbol stood proudly across his chest.
Bruce deliberately left his cowl off, continuing to smile at Tony.
Tony froze.
His eyes widened.
His mouth slowly fell open.
He raised a trembling finger toward the massive Bat emblem.
"Ba... Ba... Batman?!"
"Holy... shit..."
He swallowed hard before turning toward Axel, speaking through gritted teeth.
"As cosplayers, you people are the most dedicated lunatics I've ever met.
"You stole my Arc Reactor and one of my Iron Man suits, and this is what you made with it?
"I'll admit it. Upgrading my design into nanotechnology that even I haven't finished developing is ridiculously impressive.
"But damn it, is my armor just your personal toy?
"You stole my suit just to make three fake superheroes?
"And especially that fake Lex Luthor. What the hell is he doing standing beside Batman and Superman? Doesn't that combination seem completely ridiculous to you?"
Tony snorted before marching over to Bruce.
He jabbed a finger against Bruce's armored chest.
"Fine, your technical skills are incredible. So how about we work together?
"Just because you improved my work doesn't mean you can leave me behind. I simply haven't focused on nanotechnology yet.
"Let's cooperate. I'm generous enough to share my research.
"So tell me, Axel.
"Were you the one who upgraded my armor?
"Who are these three? Your researchers? Your combat team?
"Or are they really just obsessive cosplayers?
"And could I see the complete specifications of that suit? Maybe run a few tests?"
By the end of his speech, Tony was grinding his teeth again.
To him, the Iron Man armor wasn't just technology.
It was his greatest creation.
His masterpiece.
Almost like a child.
Or perhaps even a lover.
Now someone else had taken it apart, improved it, and made it better.
The feeling was far worse than watching Pepper get slapped several times by Axel.
Nearby, Bruce quietly listened.
Clark looked thoughtful.
Lex paused before suddenly laughing in realization.
He casually patted Bruce and Clark on the shoulders.
"So that's how it is.
"I've always thought I didn't quite fit in with you two.
"You're both idealistic, while I've always been focused on results.
"Judging by Tony's reaction, we're all famous in his world.
"Batman and Superman obviously sound like heroes.
"And me?
"Haha.
"A brilliant, ambitious man like me is naturally the legendary villain."
His smile widened.
Lex couldn't care less about being called a hero or villain.
As long as history remembered him, that alone proved he had accomplished something extraordinary.
The path didn't matter.
Only the achievement.
Tony's expression darkened further.
He clapped sarcastically.
"Fantastic.
"You're so committed to your act that I'm starting to think you're actually insane.
"You're pretending to be Lex Luthor...
"Except Lex Luthor is bald.
"You have hair, buddy.
"And don't tell me you also helped improve these suits.
"And you two, don't tell me you contributed while pretending to be Batman and Superman."
With a scoff, Tony dropped onto a nearby sofa and slouched across it.
"Enough with the games, Axel.
"What exactly do you want from me?
"You're not Loki.
"He never had much influence over me.
"But you...
"I doubt I can resist whatever insane plan you've cooked up.
"So what do you want?
"You want me to play along with your little cosplay?
"Fine.
"But leave Pepper alone.
"And don't make me hold some humiliating press conference where I embarrass myself in front of the entire world.
"Deal?"
He slumped even farther into the sofa.
Bruce's transforming armor alone had already shown Tony something terrifying.
Their technological level had surpassed his own.
This wasn't another Justin Hammer copying Iron Man.
This was genuine technological superiority.
Nanotechnology remained a field Tony himself hadn't fully conquered.
For all his pride, he respected genuine genius.
Unfortunately...
For the first time in his life, someone else's technology had completely outclassed his own.
It was a devastating blow.
Axel watched Tony's defeated expression before grinning.
"Tony.
"What exactly would I have to do to Pepper before you stop looking so depressed?"
"What?!"
Tony shot upright instantly.
"Can you stop using Pepper to threaten me?!
"You think I'm actually afraid of you?
"At worst, you kill her.
"I'll build a bionic Pepper myself.
"You think I can't?"
Axel shrugged.
"You probably could.
"But what if I don't kill Pepper?
"What if I simply sleep with Pepper...
"Or do it right in front of you?"
"AXEL!"
Before Axel could finish speaking, Clark exploded forward like a missile.
Boom!
The impact shook Stark Tower.
Yet Axel didn't move even an inch.
Clark could only let go before sighing helplessly.
"Axel...
"Are you actually trying to become the devil?
"Stop terrifying Tony Stark."
Tony stared blankly at Clark.
"I think your speed and strength are a lot scarier than anything Axel just said!"
He swallowed hard.
Watching Clark casually display such impossible physical power left him speechless.
As Tony struggled to process everything, Bruce stepped beside him.
He nodded seriously.
"For someone as intelligent as you, accepting the existence of another universe is much harder than convincing an ordinary person that angels exist.
"But no matter how unbelievable it seems, the truth remains the same.
"We really are who we claimed to be.
"We all come from Gotham City.
"And those names...
"They belong to us."
Bruce swept a hand across his utility belt.
A dozen beautifully crafted Batarangs appeared between his fingers.
With a casual flick, they flew across the room and embedded themselves into the wall.
Electricity crackled between them.
Moments later, glowing arcs connected every Batarang, forming the unmistakable outline of a bat.
Clark and Lex exchanged glances.
Clark spoke first.
"Bruce has already demonstrated his identity.
"What about us?"
Lex spread his hands toward Axel.
"Simple.
"Let's take Tony to Gotham.
"Seeing is believing.
"A rational person like Tony will trust his own eyes."
Axel nodded immediately.
"Good idea.
"Let's go."
"What?
"Wait, what are you talking about?
"Why can't I hear, ahhh!"
Before Tony could finish, he suddenly found himself floating into the air.
A flash of fire engulfed them.
The next moment...
They appeared high above another city.
Held aloft by Axel's telekinesis, Tony looked down.
His breathing stopped.
"Holy shit!"
He pointed toward the distant ocean.
"What the hell is that?!"
A massive dragon rolled through the sea.
Then his finger shifted toward the enormous Kryptonian scout ship near Axel Manor.
"And what the hell is THAT?!
"How can those two things exist in the same city?
"Is this science fiction or fantasy?
"Did reality take a wrong turn?!
"At this rate, Pikachu is going to start talking with Deadpool's voice!
"Speaking of Deadpool, he showed up on the Helicarrier and kidnapped you!
"I secretly watched the security footage.
"Natasha looked incredibly...
"Wait!
"Why am I talking about that?!
"Where the hell is this place?!
"Even if this really is Gotham City, I've never seen a version with dragons!
"And why are Lex and Clark here?
"They're supposed to belong in Metropolis!
"This is insane!
"You've completely destroyed my worldview!
"Axel...
"If fictional worlds are all real...
"Does that mean I can visit the Caribbean and party with every beautiful woman on a pirate ship?"
After venting nonstop, Tony clutched his head.
His brilliant mind raced through countless scientific theories.
Quantum mechanics.
Higher dimensions.
Multiverse models.
Every possibility collided violently inside his brain.
Eventually...
His eyes lost focus.
Bruce calmly stepped forward.
Without hesitation...
Bang!
He punched Tony square in the face.
Tony's eyes rolled back.
He collapsed unconscious.
Bruce nodded toward Axel.
"That should do it.
"He's seen enough to know we're telling the truth.
"When my worldview collapsed, I reacted similarly.
"A short coma gives the brain time to process everything."
Axel nodded.
"Then we'll wait."
...
Not long afterward...
Tony slowly regained consciousness.
Rubbing his aching jaw, he looked around at the four of them with a complicated expression.
"So...
"What point in your history are you actually from?
"I knew you were strange.
"I just didn't expect this level of strange.
"Bruce...
"How far has your conflict with the Joker progressed?
"Lex...
"How many Supermen have you killed?
"And Superman...
"Do you have any children?
"If you do...
"How many?"
The laboratory fell silent.
Bruce, Clark, and Lex exchanged confused looks.
Finally Bruce frowned.
"Who's Joker?"
Clark scratched his head awkwardly.
"I don't even have a girlfriend."
Lex stared at Clark before looking back at Tony.
"Why would I kill Superman?
"Did he somehow interfere with humanity's evolution?
"And what do you mean by several Supermen?
"Are there multiple Clarks?"
Tony slowly inhaled.
"I think I understand now.
"You're practically living in ancient history.
"But why is early Gotham this exciting?
"Fine.
"Let's start somewhere simpler.
"Who's currently active in Gotham?
"Is Carmine Falcone around?
"What about Selina?
"Scarecrow?
"Two-Face?"
Bruce blinked.
"Oh?
"You know Lady Selina?
"So her codename is Catwoman?"