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Chapter 214: Ultimate Batman?
After a brief moment of surprise upon entering, Alfred quickly accepted the fact that there was an alien in the Batcave.
Ultraman was no longer a rarity on Earth. In this new age where superhumans were popping out of the woodwork, an invincible alien giant didn't seem all that hard to accept. Advertisers had even started releasing Ultraman dolls.
Batman had crossed paths with Orin Vale during an operation and had even created a dedicated file to study him. Therefore, Alfred was not entirely unfamiliar with him.
In fact, Alfred was much more friendly than Batman. This was because Batman himself labeled nearly every superpowered individual in his files as "dangerous," "relatively dangerous," or "extremely dangerous." If The Butler Knight had his way, he would have always advocated for the Young Master to make more friends.
Previously, Alfred had hoped Bruce would socialize more at high-society banquets; even dating more women would have been good—at least it would make him seem like a normal person. Later, he was forced to accept that his Young Master's only interest was dressing up as a bat and flying out at night to beat people up. He had to settle for the next best thing, hoping he would at least befriend some other costumed individuals.
It was a bit like a Halloween freak show, but at least it was a form of socializing.
However, Batman had no interest in that either. He insisted that no one could be trusted, and those with flashy abilities were even more dangerous. So, Alfred had to regrettably accept this new reality: his Young Master was probably the biggest nonconformist even among the costumed lunatics.
"Care for some coffee? I blend it myself."
Alfred said, tilting his head to look over Orin Vale's armor.
"If I recall correctly, you're called Ultraman? The Young Master has always said your name is a bit of an overstatement."
Orin Vale smiled. "The person saying that calls himself Batman."
"But he didn't call himself Ultimate Batman."
Orin Vale waved his hand, declining the coffee, and didn't dwell on the issue of his title. "The case he's been investigating recently overlaps with some clues we're pursuing. I have a few things I'd like to ask him."
"Then you might be disappointed. The Young Master isn't home right now," Alfred said. "He's busy with something. But you can leave a phone number, and I'll have him call you when he gets back."
"Busy with what?"
"I'm sorry, I can't say."
"Can't say, or don't know?"
Alfred didn't answer. The two looked at each other in silence for a couple of seconds before Orin Vale smiled.
"I knew it."
Alfred raised an eyebrow, his expression seeming to ask, "How did you do that?"
"Ultra Lie Detection. There's a lie detection scanning device built into the armor." Orin Vale pointed to his helmet. "I can tell when you're not telling the truth."
"Alright," Alfred sighed softly. "If the Young Master found out, he'd surely say I shouldn't be revealing this to an outsider... but so be it."
"Yes, I don't know where he is either. I only know that he was investigating a case involving an alien weapon, which started in Metropolis. Now those dangerous toys are starting to appear on the streets of Gotham, too."
"He said he'd found some clues but wouldn't tell me what they were. He went to investigate, and then..."
"He never came back," Orin Vale said. "I figured as much. That's what Superman in Metropolis said, too."
In other words, the key was likely hidden in the case Batman was following. Whether the mastermind was an Apokoliptian, where they were hiding if they were on Earth, their purpose for distributing the alien weapons, and where Batman had gone—the answers to all these questions were probably hidden here.
If they could follow the trail Batman left behind, all these answers might come to light.
Orin Vale narrowed his eyes and looked up toward a pitch-black spot high up in the Batcave.
"The Bat-Signal has been lit again," he said. "This is the fourth time Batman hasn't responded to its call."
Alfred followed his gaze but only saw a dark cave opening. He couldn't help but look surprised. "You can see it from here...?"
"Ultra Vision. I can see all the way to Metropolis from here with no problem," Orin Vale said.
Alfred pondered for a moment, then the snarky spirit of The Butler Knight could no longer be suppressed.
"You know, before this, I thought only the Young Master had this peculiar habit of prefixing all his equipment with 'Bat-.'"
"Uh..."
Orin Vale instinctively wanted to retort, but before he could even open his mouth, he realized The Butler Knight's jab was so on point that it left him speechless.
In this respect, Batman truly had something in common with the people of the Land of Light. Orin Vale didn't know why, but everyone just loved naming things in the "Ultra-XX" format, just like Batman was fond of the "Bat-XX" format.
Alfred glanced at him sideways. "Don't tell me you have something called 'Ultra Shark Repellent' in that armor of yours?"
"No," Orin Vale said dryly. "But I do have a move called the Ultra Water Jet. Want me to perform it for you?"
Alfred was astonished. "From where... uh, you know what? Never mind, let's get back to the case... Yes, this week, not only has Bruce Wayne been absent, but so has Batman."
"But regarding this case, if there's anyone besides the Young Master who might have a clue, it's most likely Commissioner Gordon of Gotham. They were working on this case together, and the Young Master had previously asked him to use the Gotham City Police Department's channels to investigate some things."
"Perhaps he's made some progress, which is why he keeps calling for Batman. But..."
Alfred trailed off, a worried expression on his face.
Bruce Wayne was always late or absent; there was nothing strange about that. But Batman was never late. This anomaly made him even more worried about the Young Master's situation.
"If that's the case, I might have an idea."
Orin Vale thought for a moment and said.
"It might be a way to get Gordon to cooperate, continue investigating the truth along Batman's trail, and give us a good chance of finding out where he's gone."
"What is it?"
Orin Vale said nothing. A flash of light emanated from within the Mobile Battle Armor, shining out through the cracks in the armor plates. Inside the battlesuit, his physical body instantly dissolved into a sea of photons, as if broken down and reassembled, reforming into a physical form within a second.
The next moment, the armor opened with a *klak*. The plates popped open, and Orin Vale calmly stepped out. Alfred's eyes widened, so shocked he was momentarily speechless.
"You're... You're...?!"
He could clearly see that the person who had stepped out of the Mobile Ultraman armor was none other than his own Young Master.
Bruce Wayne, impeccably dressed in a suit and standing tall.
"A simple little technique," Orin Vale said with a straight face. "It's just basic muscle control. Most people have very little control over their own muscles, but with training, you can achieve an extremely high degree of control. It's not even impossible to intentionally distort your muscles to change your face into someone else's."
Alfred listened, completely baffled.
At first, it sounded ridiculous, but considering all the recent supernatural events on Earth, including the existence of aliens, something like this didn't seem entirely impossible to accept.
"Really?" he asked, half-convinced.
"Of course I made it up," Orin Vale laughed. "That was pure nonsense. It's a superpower; an ordinary person can't learn it."
After a pause, he glanced around the Batcave.
"And I'm guessing there's a spare Batsuit he hasn't worn out yet, right? Let me try one on."
A moment later, Orin Vale's "Bruce Wayne" form had changed into the full equipment: the iconic, pointed-eared cowl, the bat symbol, the electrically-hardened glider cape, and the utility belt laden with all sorts of high-tech gadgets.
He stepped to the edge of a high platform, facing a pitch-black abyss. Countless bats danced around him, his black cape fluttering like a battle standard in the unique light and shadow of the Batcave.
Alfred looked at the figure, a perfect imitation of the Young Master with no discernible flaws, and couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
"Now he's definitely 'Ultraman Batman'."
(end of chapter)
After a brief moment of surprise upon entering, Alfred quickly accepted the fact that there was an alien in the Batcave.
Ultraman was no longer a rarity on Earth. In this new age where superhumans were popping out of the woodwork, an invincible alien giant didn't seem all that hard to accept. Advertisers had even started releasing Ultraman dolls.
Batman had crossed paths with Orin Vale during an operation and had even created a dedicated file to study him. Therefore, Alfred was not entirely unfamiliar with him.
In fact, Alfred was much more friendly than Batman. This was because Batman himself labeled nearly every superpowered individual in his files as "dangerous," "relatively dangerous," or "extremely dangerous." If The Butler Knight had his way, he would have always advocated for the Young Master to make more friends.
Previously, Alfred had hoped Bruce would socialize more at high-society banquets; even dating more women would have been good—at least it would make him seem like a normal person. Later, he was forced to accept that his Young Master's only interest was dressing up as a bat and flying out at night to beat people up. He had to settle for the next best thing, hoping he would at least befriend some other costumed individuals.
It was a bit like a Halloween freak show, but at least it was a form of socializing.
However, Batman had no interest in that either. He insisted that no one could be trusted, and those with flashy abilities were even more dangerous. So, Alfred had to regrettably accept this new reality: his Young Master was probably the biggest nonconformist even among the costumed lunatics.
"Care for some coffee? I blend it myself."
Alfred said, tilting his head to look over Orin Vale's armor.
"If I recall correctly, you're called Ultraman? The Young Master has always said your name is a bit of an overstatement."
Orin Vale smiled. "The person saying that calls himself Batman."
"But he didn't call himself Ultimate Batman."
Orin Vale waved his hand, declining the coffee, and didn't dwell on the issue of his title. "The case he's been investigating recently overlaps with some clues we're pursuing. I have a few things I'd like to ask him."
"Then you might be disappointed. The Young Master isn't home right now," Alfred said. "He's busy with something. But you can leave a phone number, and I'll have him call you when he gets back."
"Busy with what?"
"I'm sorry, I can't say."
"Can't say, or don't know?"
Alfred didn't answer. The two looked at each other in silence for a couple of seconds before Orin Vale smiled.
"I knew it."
Alfred raised an eyebrow, his expression seeming to ask, "How did you do that?"
"Ultra Lie Detection. There's a lie detection scanning device built into the armor." Orin Vale pointed to his helmet. "I can tell when you're not telling the truth."
"Alright," Alfred sighed softly. "If the Young Master found out, he'd surely say I shouldn't be revealing this to an outsider... but so be it."
"Yes, I don't know where he is either. I only know that he was investigating a case involving an alien weapon, which started in Metropolis. Now those dangerous toys are starting to appear on the streets of Gotham, too."
"He said he'd found some clues but wouldn't tell me what they were. He went to investigate, and then..."
"He never came back," Orin Vale said. "I figured as much. That's what Superman in Metropolis said, too."
In other words, the key was likely hidden in the case Batman was following. Whether the mastermind was an Apokoliptian, where they were hiding if they were on Earth, their purpose for distributing the alien weapons, and where Batman had gone—the answers to all these questions were probably hidden here.
If they could follow the trail Batman left behind, all these answers might come to light.
Orin Vale narrowed his eyes and looked up toward a pitch-black spot high up in the Batcave.
"The Bat-Signal has been lit again," he said. "This is the fourth time Batman hasn't responded to its call."
Alfred followed his gaze but only saw a dark cave opening. He couldn't help but look surprised. "You can see it from here...?"
"Ultra Vision. I can see all the way to Metropolis from here with no problem," Orin Vale said.
Alfred pondered for a moment, then the snarky spirit of The Butler Knight could no longer be suppressed.
"You know, before this, I thought only the Young Master had this peculiar habit of prefixing all his equipment with 'Bat-.'"
"Uh..."
Orin Vale instinctively wanted to retort, but before he could even open his mouth, he realized The Butler Knight's jab was so on point that it left him speechless.
In this respect, Batman truly had something in common with the people of the Land of Light. Orin Vale didn't know why, but everyone just loved naming things in the "Ultra-XX" format, just like Batman was fond of the "Bat-XX" format.
Alfred glanced at him sideways. "Don't tell me you have something called 'Ultra Shark Repellent' in that armor of yours?"
"No," Orin Vale said dryly. "But I do have a move called the Ultra Water Jet. Want me to perform it for you?"
Alfred was astonished. "From where... uh, you know what? Never mind, let's get back to the case... Yes, this week, not only has Bruce Wayne been absent, but so has Batman."
"But regarding this case, if there's anyone besides the Young Master who might have a clue, it's most likely Commissioner Gordon of Gotham. They were working on this case together, and the Young Master had previously asked him to use the Gotham City Police Department's channels to investigate some things."
"Perhaps he's made some progress, which is why he keeps calling for Batman. But..."
Alfred trailed off, a worried expression on his face.
Bruce Wayne was always late or absent; there was nothing strange about that. But Batman was never late. This anomaly made him even more worried about the Young Master's situation.
"If that's the case, I might have an idea."
Orin Vale thought for a moment and said.
"It might be a way to get Gordon to cooperate, continue investigating the truth along Batman's trail, and give us a good chance of finding out where he's gone."
"What is it?"
Orin Vale said nothing. A flash of light emanated from within the Mobile Battle Armor, shining out through the cracks in the armor plates. Inside the battlesuit, his physical body instantly dissolved into a sea of photons, as if broken down and reassembled, reforming into a physical form within a second.
The next moment, the armor opened with a *klak*. The plates popped open, and Orin Vale calmly stepped out. Alfred's eyes widened, so shocked he was momentarily speechless.
"You're... You're...?!"
He could clearly see that the person who had stepped out of the Mobile Ultraman armor was none other than his own Young Master.
Bruce Wayne, impeccably dressed in a suit and standing tall.
"A simple little technique," Orin Vale said with a straight face. "It's just basic muscle control. Most people have very little control over their own muscles, but with training, you can achieve an extremely high degree of control. It's not even impossible to intentionally distort your muscles to change your face into someone else's."
Alfred listened, completely baffled.
At first, it sounded ridiculous, but considering all the recent supernatural events on Earth, including the existence of aliens, something like this didn't seem entirely impossible to accept.
"Really?" he asked, half-convinced.
"Of course I made it up," Orin Vale laughed. "That was pure nonsense. It's a superpower; an ordinary person can't learn it."
After a pause, he glanced around the Batcave.
"And I'm guessing there's a spare Batsuit he hasn't worn out yet, right? Let me try one on."
A moment later, Orin Vale's "Bruce Wayne" form had changed into the full equipment: the iconic, pointed-eared cowl, the bat symbol, the electrically-hardened glider cape, and the utility belt laden with all sorts of high-tech gadgets.
He stepped to the edge of a high platform, facing a pitch-black abyss. Countless bats danced around him, his black cape fluttering like a battle standard in the unique light and shadow of the Batcave.
Alfred looked at the figure, a perfect imitation of the Young Master with no discernible flaws, and couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
"Now he's definitely 'Ultraman Batman'."
(end of chapter)
