Chapter 354: The Insane Plan
In Batman's original world, both Superman and the Flash had experienced power loss at various times.
The causes varied widely: mindset changes leading to returning to Kansas to inherit the farm, future selves creating cascading problems, enemy tactics or external objects causing the loss...
Just as Venom Robin suspected, after Batman discovered his power loss, his decision to actively wear the Spider-Man suit had been an experiment.
In Batman's view, wearing Spider-Man's suit represented a certain symbolism—just as the "S" represented symbolism for Superman.
Regardless of whether powers returned after donning the Spider-Man suit, Batman would gain further understanding of the various abilities Peter Parker's body possessed.
Genetic modification like Hulk. Divine bestowal like Khonshu granted Venom Robin. Or external objects entirely.
As for mindset... Batman's mindset had never changed. From beginning to end, he firmly believed himself to be Batman—Bruce Wayne—not Peter Parker.
During the previous two months, this clear self-recognition hadn't caused this body's abilities to vanish.
Even with the premise that powers returned after wearing the Spider-Man suit, Batman immediately ruled out "identity recognition" as the cause of ability changes.
"Setting aside this body's changes from my training regimen, blood tests, urinalysis, and full-body scans show zero differences from before. I must also exclude physical changes as causing power loss and return."
On Bat Island, after conducting comprehensive internal and external monitoring and analysis on himself, Batman reached this conclusion.
But that wasn't the end. Batman stood in the incomplete underground section of Parker Manor, using every heavy-duty facility available to test his abilities—including but not limited to strength, speed, spider-sense, and enhanced senses.
Through these tests, Batman immediately identified the problem.
Super strength had indeed returned—but strength had dropped from the fifty tons Batman achieved through training to twenty tons. Speed reached only one hundred ninety kilometers per hour at full output. Even spider-sense had reverted from Batman's intensively-trained controllable state back to its original form.
"The regained abilities match exactly—identically—to the untrained state at the moment of crossing over." Batman's expression gradually darkened.
Since arriving in this world, he'd maintained control over nearly every situation. But clearly, developments had spiraled completely beyond Batman's expectations.
This state—where abilities returned with all "values" reset to initialization—even made Batman question the current world's reality.
"Rule out genetic issues. Rule out causes from personal training."
Only possibilities remaining were: external objects, symbolism, deities, future or past versions of himself or others manipulating events, and the lowest probability option—that Peter Parker's soul, which had apparently crossed to Gotham, experienced problems.
Batman reviewed recent events. Among external objects he'd encountered recently, the full-wave projector was technological—unrelated to ability bestowal. At least Batman's research confirmed that.
The prehistoric world likewise contained nothing capable of altering Spider-Man's abilities. Batman had autopsied the giant T-Rex corpse the Lizard Professor killed and dragged back, even understanding its horn-based telepathy mechanism.
Essentially, it used infrasound waves for physiological suppression. The horn's existence slightly elevated its intelligence. Combined, these factors enabled it to become a leader in that primitive world.
"External object influence can be completely ruled out." Batman's gaze sharpened.
"Regarding deities—this world has beliefs related to a Spider God. But Peter Parker and everyone around him aren't its worshippers."
"I lack Peter Parker's memories. I can't rule out the possibility that at some moment, spider-related deities made various forms of contact with Peter Parker."
With this thought, Batman sent a message to Venom Robin at the Manhattan City Hall Batcave:
"Robin, contact moon god Khonshu for me. Meeting at Empire State Building rooftop, midnight tonight."
"Huh?" Venom Robin replied with a single letter.
Batman ignored Robin and continued deducing remaining possibilities.
After eliminating all options, whatever possibility remained—no matter how low the probability—became the inevitable choice. Only "symbolism" remained.
The spider was a symbol of certain power. That power had belonged to Spider-Man Peter Parker. It didn't belong to Batman.
Having always recognized himself as Batman, he'd lost that power. But upon changing into the Spider-Man suit, "spider" as a symbol restored that power.
"This might explain why returned abilities match my pre-training level rather than post-training."
Batman stroked his chin, sensing he was approaching the truth.
But how to contact or defend against this "symbolism"—even get it to withdraw the power—Batman had zero leads.
After all, this was merely his hypothesis.
"Perhaps I can think from another angle... Spider-Man, Lizard Professor, Doctor Octopus, Squid-Man, Goblin, Black Cat, Silver Sable, Hawkeye, Ant-Man..."
"Among most identities I've encountered, regardless of underlying reasons, their abilities or titles relate to animals. Even I'm Batman."
"I have no power-based connection to Barbatos. But he assembled the Dark Knights. Though he doesn't bestow abilities, some connection exists. Perhaps this world similarly has something animal-related influencing reality—deities and symbols, or... totems?"
Whether totems or deities, Batman would investigate thoroughly and find the source.
Chaos reigned aboard the helicarrier sailing unknown waters.
Garrett dead, Hawkeye missing, Black Widow out of contact, Batman unscathed... none of these were the root cause of SHIELD's pandemonium.
The real reason: tonight, for unknown reasons, SHIELD lost control of nearly every satellite capable of adjusting flight trajectories and courses.
These satellites included monitoring satellites, communication satellites, and numerous armed satellites designed to defend against threats from space.
"Sir, we've lost control of all armed satellites. We need NASA support, launching shuttles to reprogram the satellites..."
"Sir, an unknown virus continues wandering SHIELD's internal systems. According to technical analysis, its target appears to be 'Project Skysword'..."
"Director! Project Skysword has been activated! The target is... uh, the moon?"
At the same moment.
Midnight. A crescent moon hung high in the night sky.
Four hundred meters above ground, atop the Empire State Building rooftop, Batman and moon god Khonshu stood face to face. Venom Robin crouched nearby wearing white mummy wrapping cloth armor.
"Why summon me?" Moon god Khonshu appeared with hawk skull head and human body, gripping a crescent staff, addressing Batman.
"I need you to locate deities or powers related to spiders." Batman made his demand without courtesy.
Moon god Khonshu looked down at Batman. Cold flames burned in his empty eye sockets.
"That is not my mission."
"But you'll do it." Batman said. "Weapons capable of significant lunar surface damage now target that location. If their impact isn't sufficient to motivate you, I'll proceed with nuclear bombardment."
Venom Robin had been crouched on the ground, crimson tongue naturally dangling from his mouth, swaying back and forth.
Hearing Batman's insane statement, Venom Robin froze completely. He couldn't understand why the old Bat would deploy nuclear weapons... or where he'd acquired such things.
"You seem confident that damaging the moon will affect me." Moon god Khonshu slowly tightened his grip on the staff. "Why?"
"Because I'm Batman." Batman stared at Khonshu. "Help me. This is my request. The price: in the future, I'll assist you once without crossing my own boundaries."
Moon god Khonshu shook his head.
"I don't believe you're requesting. You're threatening."
"Because I need sufficient leverage to cooperate with you, Khonshu." Batman said.
"This is not heroic behavior." Khonshu raised his staff, aiming the crescent tip at Batman.
"I've never been a hero." Batman retrieved a button from his utility belt. "The moment I press this, the first wave of lunar bombardment begins."
"I never knew you were this insane, Batman." Moon god Khonshu saw the madness flashing in Batman's eyes. He'd never seen Batman like this before. Even as a deity without a heart, Khonshu couldn't help the lurch he felt.
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