15 Joker and Batman: A toxic relationship

Allen steps on loose ground, not knowing which version of the Joker he's facing, anything can happen.

The system is also inefficient. Due to its current low level, it couldn't even determine where it would send Allen. It merely dispatches him to places with high possibilities of containing fragments of destiny.

Allen looked at Batman, who remained hanging, wondering when he would break free and end the Joker as usual.

"Apologies for my subordinate~ I'll deduct a day's pay for speaking nonsense~," said the Joker while smiling.

'I don't think he cares much...' thought Allen, looking at the corpse. Strangely, Allen could endure this uncensored, bloody scene, never having witnessed anything like it before. 'Damn internet! It must be because of all the content there that corrupted my mind.'

"Don't worry, it doesn't bother me," Allen responded, trying not to break his smile, but remaining on guard and somewhat nervous inside. "By the way, I don't mean to be rude; my name is Allen Walker."

"Ohoho, a young man with manners is rare to see these days..." the Joker smiled broadly, patting Allen's shoulders. "I don't know why, but I like you hehe. You know, I think you'd look good in a clown suit, don't you think?"

"I've never thought about it, Mr. Joker. I don't think being a clown suits me," replied Allen without being rude, declining the villain's clear invitation.

"Nonsense, we'll only know if we try, hehehe."

The Joker lifted the mask from the man he had just killed and handed it to Allen; the mask was covered in blood.

The Joker's smile was amicable, but there was a clear pressure that said 'Put it on.'

Allen paled a bit; he didn't want to be the hero, didn't want to risk his life while fully engaging in this world. He thought to simply report what was happening, but there was a limit; Allen couldn't accept submitting to such a monster and doing something so repugnant.

Allen sighed and looked at the Joker seriously. "I would have preferred to remain on the sidelines, but you're very creepy, Mr. Joker."

Allen disappeared for an instant; it was just for a second. In that second, Allen stopped being a regular guy and obtained super speed.

Time slowed down, and Allen saw the Joker remain still while he could move normally. Although, in reality, it was he who was moving too fast.

The last time he used the Bullet Time, he couldn't appreciate the fantastic scene that allowed him to see this ability. Everything around him was still as he moved his hands; he could feel the air parting.

Allen smiled and walked toward one of the men with a clown mask, snatching his weapon. Allen clenched his fist and struck the man's face. Then he remembered that speed equals weight; moving faster than sound, even a casual blow is very powerful. So, Allen restrained himself before his fist hit the man.

Allen moved toward the second man, disarmed him, and then went to the third man. After a moment's thought, he took the belt off the man's pants with a wicked smile.

Allen knew he wasn't as fast as Flash and that he had to stop playing, or his ability would end.

Without wasting time, he snatched the other men's weapons, including the Joker's, and ran toward the metal stairs that led to the metal bridges across the warehouse.

Above the acid tank where Batman hung, on a platform, there was a clown with a remote control. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it controlled the pulley lowering Batman.

Allen snatched the control from the man and then struck him. Allen felt foolish seeing that the control only had two buttons, one red, and one green; it was too cartoonish.

Without wasting more time, Allen pressed the red button, and the Bullet Time ability ended. Batman began to ascend toward the platform where Allen was.

While this was happening, Allen wondered, 'Why didn't I use the neuralyzer on the Joker while I was in Bullet Time? It would have ended this immediately. I'm so stupid!'

Doing that would have ended the main danger, which was the Joker, and perhaps several of his men who were nearby when Allen activated the neuralyzer.

Allen felt a lot of pressure, and it didn't occur to him, but no one could blame him; it was the first time he was in this situation.

"What?!" shouted the Joker upon seeing Allen disappear.

Some of his men screamed, a couple of them because they were suddenly hit and went flying.

Allen swallowed seeing that his casual blows had so much power. While everyone was in confusion, a clown fell to the ground, his pants down, but that clown pointed to the acid tank. "Boss is on the platform!"

The Joker looked up and smiled with a terrifying look. "So, you're a super... and I thought you were nice for a second." The Joker paused and pointed at Allen. "What are you waiting for?! kill Snow Head!"

"Who are you calling Snow Head, clown?!" yelled an annoyed Allen from above, hating when people gave him nicknames.

"But boss, we don't have weapons," said a man apologetically, seeing their weapons piled up near Allen.

"You're stupid, he's allergic to getting shot. Use your fists or whatever," the Joker shouted while slapping one of his men.

Allen raised his eyebrows seeing that the Joker continued to have regard for his medical condition. He felt uncomfortable because the Joker took his joke seriously.

Allen watched the group of men climbing the stairs with iron bars and chains. "And now what?"

Of course, the idea of picking up an M4 from the ground and shooting them did not cross Allen's mind. He wasn't going from a regular student to a mass murderer.

Allen could have escaped, but instead, he used his trump card in this way. There was no time for regrets. Allen still had options. With the five thousand credits from his live fight and ten thousand more from video views, Allen had five thousand credits to spend in the system store.

"Don't worry..." Batman's deep voice reached his ears.

"Damn, he's free!" shouted the Joker's henchmen.

"Batsy, it was about time!~," Unlike his men, who were frightened, Joker laughed happily and with delight. His illuminated face made Allen and his viewers wonder if he truly wanted to kill Batman or kiss him.

- Everyone knows that the Joker loves Batman XD

- Seeing him in comics and animated series is one thing, but seeing him in reality express his love like that gives me the chills D:

- Well, in the live-action, they make the Joker darker, so it's not that noticeable...

- Love is free, just shut up.

- Allen, you managed to survive, congratulations.

"Yes..." Allen stepped back with a sigh of relief. While he had the means to deal with this situation, the pressure was quite intense because his life was at risk.

Batman advanced alone across the bridge, facing ten men. Ironically, those who were afraid were the men. Although Batman is a superhero, he still had a bad reputation for mercilessly breaking legs and arms when his opponent deserved it.

The first man swallowed but gathered courage and attacked with a metal bar. Batman leaned to dodge and hit the man on the chin; with the sound of a fracture, the man fell to the ground.

- That must have hurt...

- D:

- :D

The second man attacked with a chain; Batman grabbed it and effortlessly pulled him, then hit him, sending him flying into the others and knocking them all down.

- Hey, isn't Batman too strong? He almost seems to have super strength.

"Batman doesn't have super strength, but he trained to reach the pinnacle of human capability," Allen replied calmly, watching the spectacle.

- This Batman looks quite mature, maybe over forty, no wonder.

- Hey, Allen! What the heck! Why do you look like a spectator? Go kick some butts.

"Huh? Do you want me to get killed? I've done enough..."

- Seriously, is nobody going to ask how Allen appeared on the platform?

- Idiots *burp* it's obvious he moved at super speed, snatched weapons from everyone, and pulled down a guy's pants so he would comically fall.

- That makes sense... wait! How the heck did Allen, the geek, do that?!

"You know I can ban you for life, right? Firstly, I have no idea; I can just do it, maybe I awakened superpowers, or some god chose me as their herald... I don't know." Allen shrugged indifferently, leaving his viewers with suspicious looks.

Batman punched the last man and looked at the Joker, who was applauding.

"You're next, clown," Batman jumped off the bridge and landed on the first floor.

"Oh, Batsy, do you think I don't have a plan B?" Joker pulled out a remote from his clothes.

"Fuck!" Allen knew that anything that madman did would only end badly.

"No!" Batman threw a couple of his bat-shaped shurikens at the Joker.

"Hahaha, can't see 'em, Batsy!~" The Joker grinned, and upon pressing the button, an explosion shook the warehouse.

Allen grabbed onto the railing as the bridge began to move; several steel ropes supporting it broke.

[Host needs to get out of there]

"I know!" Allen recovered and ran towards the stairs, but another explosion destroyed them.

'System, I want capsule number 5 and a rock skin potion!'

[As you wish]

Before arriving, Allen checked the system store, mostly finding many generic and unhelpful items. On the system's advice, he decided to invest a fragment of destiny to improve the store, resulting in the appearance of some magical and advanced technological items.

Among them were classic health recovery potions from video games and different potions with temporary enhancements, including the rock skin potion.

Technologically, Allen was surprised to find capsules available in the store, which, in Dragon Ball, are used to store all sorts of things, from houses, cars, and even spaceships.

– 200 credits

A glass test tube and a cylindrical capsule appeared in Allen's hand.

Allen took the glass tube and uncorked it to immediately drink, and like magic, a translucent, barely visible rock layer covered his skin.

Allen jumped through a window, the glass etched into his body, and cut his clothes but did not harm him. He immediately threw the capsule towards the ground. Right where it would land, a huge inflatable mattress appeared in a cloud of white smoke.

Allen landed on the mattress, which deflated under his weight.

"That was stupid and dangerous, I admit..." murmured Allen; his viewers were silent.

Indeed, it was stupid, dangerous, but at the same time impressive. In a life-or-death situation, and being just an ordinary young man, Allen didn't hesitate to jump out the window. He didn't stop for a moment, even if he was somewhat scared deep down, Allen kept on moving, as his surname implies.

- What do you say?! Hahaha, that's quality content, yeah! At first, I only watched because I'm trapped and had nothing better to do, but damn, murders, superpowers, and action scenes were impossible to perform with CGI, Allen, you're an amazing bastard.

Allen didn't respond to Rick's comment and simply lay there silently. He didn't think it would escalate like this; he was just supposed to report what happened and earn some credits. He didn't have to risk his life; he didn't have to use his trump card like this. He shouldn't have been the hero, just be present.

He just didn't feel comfortable when the Joker gave him the blood-stained mask and refused to submit to a mental patient.

Allen looked expressionless at the shining fragment floating in front of him. Nobody else could see it except himself, the system, and Wednesday. Allen took it and stored it immediately.

What surprised Allen the most was that even now, he was calm. He had seen people die, had been in front of someone as disturbing as the Joker, and had even starred in a series of action scenes that Tom Cruise would envy, all while a warehouse was exploding.

[Host, remember I mentioned that you meet the requirements to use me; don't worry, having such strong mental fortitude is a good thing]

'Mental fortitude... eh,' Allen got up and stopped thinking, shrugging his shoulders.

"People, don't overthink it; there's a saying: People's nature is revealed in life or death situations. I didn't know it was like that, but now you can praise me."

Some people appear to be good but when it comes down to it, are capable of abandoning their loved ones to save themselves. There are criminals who, in times of need, show compassion.

Some people are cowards all their lives and when push comes to shove, face all problems head-on. On the contrary, some heroes break down when they feel their lives are in danger.

"Just accept that even we don't fully know," Allen concluded.

Just then, Batman fell in front of him. The man dressed in a bat suit stared at Allen intently. He had abandoned his pursuit of the Joker to save Allen, but it wasn't necessary, and it only allowed him to see what Allen did.

"Hello..." Allen smiled ironically; Batman had been able to introduce a virus into Cyborg when he met him for fear that he would become dangerous.

This paranoia and obsession are what make Batman so dangerous and also why he can easily deal with the Justice League, but at the same time can't handle a crazy clown because he can't predict what the Joker will do.

Just think for a moment; the Joker put bombs in his warehouse and detonated them with himself inside. If there had been a slight miscalculation, he would have killed himself. No, the Joker never thought of his safety; he ignored a human being's instinct for self-preservation. That chaotic mentality enables him to escape Batman's analytical mind. Because many people don't know that the Joker is not just crazy; he's also very intelligent, a dangerous combination.

"You did something very foolish back there," Batman spoke slowly, narrowing his eyes, "but you helped me, I thank you."

- Batman being thankful?! You're dead, Allen!."

- OMG he considers you a target.

"You're welcome, I'm just a good passerby," Allen replied with a smile. It was the only thing he could do as he already knew Batman's personality.

He understood the chat's words. Batman doesn't express gratitude, and when he does, either you've done something incredibly amazing or he's lying.

"Emergency services are on their way; you can wait for them." Batman used his grappling hook and immediately went to pursue the Joker.

- That bat is so ungrateful.

- We all know how he is. It doesn't surprise me because Allen did so many nonsensical things.

- *Burp* Check your clothes...

- I don't think he's capable, but Kid, do it.

Allen didn't need to hear Rick and Playboy's advice, he checked his clothes and found a tracker.

- Hahaha.

- Batsy is always so adorable.

The whole chat laughed, including Allen, because it's such a Batman thing that it's just funny.

It must be said that Batman is a pain in the a... He doesn't hesitate to doubt his best friend, Superman, and even prepares ways to kill him in secret.

What awaited a mysterious young man with powers and magical artifacts that appeared out of nowhere?

Allen knew that Batman hadn't even gone after the Joker and must be watching from the shadows.

'System'

[Are you sure you want to do it now?]

'Yes, at least I'll let this Batman know that I'm not an enemy.'

[Understood]

Allen disappeared, and immediately Batman appeared from the shadows, picked up the tracker from the ground, and left the place.