DC: I am Bruce Wayne

Chapter 69: Echoes of the Demon

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"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
- Rhett Butler, (Gone with the Wind)

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<(Bruce Wayne POV)>

"Seriously, how long is this tunnel? I have passed through three mini-sized Lazarus pits already. Did he store every Lazarus pit he ever found in his life in here?" I wondered aloud as I calmly walked through the dark tunnel, descending deeper into the monastery's massive underground chamber.

'Goddamn it, I should have brought my bat tool. Not only it would have been extremely useful, but using its plasma blade function and pretending like it is a red lightsaber in the dark would have been pretty cool. I am sure that if done well, even Ra's Al Ghul would feel literal chills after seeing me emerge from the dark with a red lightsaber, provided that he hasn't seen the movie yet. Well, next time I guess.'

*Clang* *Clang* *Clang* A sharp metallic sound suddenly began to echo from the darkness, like a metal banging against another metal, painting the eerie atmosphere even more ominous.

"So, it seems that you were waiting for me. Surprised that I came alone without Ubu?" I asked as I saw the silhouette of Ra's Al Ghul calmly standing in the dark with a pair of strange curved swords in his hands.

"No, I knew Ubu wouldn't be able to defeat you. If he was that good, I would have made him my successor, not you. He was only good enough to slightly delay you and serve as a small test to prepare you for what is to come now, but he even failed to do that, I assume. I guess he was more useless than I thought he was." He said without much change in his otherwise impassive expression while looking at my seemingly unhurt self.

"Well, yeah, guess what? I am not that easy to beat up, not even by my potential father-in-law." I joked back as I subtly glanced at our surroundings.

It was dark but with my enhanced sight, I could easily see through the darkness. The entire... underground chamber was an artificial cave with creepy symbols and figures painted all over the walls. The Demon's Head himself was standing in front of the biggest Lazarus pit I had seen till now, one that was almost half the size of an Olympic-sized pool. It was goddamn big. Even the ceiling was shaped weirdly like a big dome just above the center of the pit.

"You like bathing in fresh green chemicals, don't you?" I joked.

*CLINK* A loud shrill noise echoed all over the cave as Ra's Al Ghul struck his swords against each other at a particular angle, immediately lighting up the torch fixed beside him with the sparks generated from the sharp blades hitting each other.

"No, but I will soon. After all, the next bath in there is going to be life-changing... for both of us. And as for my daughters, I never really cared about them. They don't understand the greater good, they don't understand my true purpose and the responsibility that someone in my position has to bear. So, you courting them changes nothing for me. However, that also changes nothing for you because Bruce Wayne won't be leaving this place today, at least not alive." Ra's Al Ghul smiled menacingly.

"You have too many aspirations Ra's Al Ghul, just be careful not to choke on them. Anyway, now can we finally start, if you are done with all your theatrics that is? I am getting bored of having these heartfelt conversations with everyone every time I fight today."

"HAHAHA. Didn't you learn Bruce? The theatrics are part of the show. It's part of the illusion that an expert assassin casts on its target. Haven't you heard of the phrase, If you want to be the best, you must act like it FIRST." Ra's Al Ghul threw a bunch of kunai in my direction even before he completed his words while charging at me the very next second like a mad bull.