"Biological weapons? Like Doomsday?" Batman asked, his voice sharp. "If these so-called gods created them, then they're incredibly weak. Their painstakingly engineered biological weapons couldn't even take down one powerful individual in Arkham—just a few security guards."
Shin shook his head.
"They are completely different," he corrected. "If Doomsday is the equivalent of a nuclear bomb or an aircraft carrier, then Parademons are just bullets."
"These creatures are pure cannon fodder. While some may be enhanced through special modifications, their primary strength isn't individual power—it's sheer numbers."
Batman narrowed his eyes. "How many are we talking about?"
Shin sighed.
"More than you can imagine."
"If the entire Earth were covered in them, that wouldn't even account for one-thousandth of Apokolips' total Parademon army."
Batman's jaw tightened.
"Apokolips is the most war-hungry force in the entire universe," Shin continued. "It has conquered countless planets—tens of thousands, maybe even millions."
"And every world they conquer? The population is forcibly transformed into more Parademons."
Batman did a quick calculation in his head. His stomach clenched at the realization.
"At this very moment," Shin added grimly, "while we're having this conversation, millions—maybe even hundreds of millions—of new Parademons are being created."
For a brief moment, Batman felt something he rarely did.
Despair.
The sheer scale of the threat was staggering.
Even if Parademons had been easily killed in Arkham, that was Arkham Asylum—home to some of the most dangerous individuals on the planet.
According to Batman's analysis, the anatomy of these creatures was remarkably durable—their skin was tough, their vitality was inhuman, and standard firearms couldn't kill them.
They could fly, their speed was far beyond human limits, and though their intelligence was limited, their unwavering aggression and fearlessness made them incredibly dangerous in large numbers.
Even with his full arsenal, Batman estimated he could handle four, maybe five of them at most.
A single Parademon could wipe out dozens of regular soldiers.
Conventional military wouldn't stand a chance.
Tanks, fighter jets, missiles—none of it mattered. They were too fast, too mobile.
And if Shin was right, and there were billions of them…
Even a fraction of their total force could wipe Earth out.
For a second, Batman felt his heart rate spike—but he forced the feeling down.
Panic was useless.
He needed a plan.
After taking a deep breath, Batman refocused.
There was only one real answer—Earth's superheroes.
If this were the comic book world, they would have had plenty of other options.
Earth in the comics was filled with gods, aliens, magic, and advanced technology.
If science failed, they could turn to magic. If magic didn't work, they had alien technology. And if all else failed, there were interdimensional beings, parallel universes, and cosmic forces that could step in.
That's why comic book Batman could always find a solution.
But here?
This world was far more grounded.
Without those extraordinary backup plans, his only viable option was gathering the strongest heroes available.
"How much do you know about Apokolips and these demons?" Batman finally asked.
Shin crossed his arms. "Not much, to be honest. I haven't encountered them firsthand—I only recognized their appearance."
"But if these are really Parademons, then Earth has been invaded before. The Amazons and Atlanteans should have records of it."
"If we want more information, we'll need to talk to them."
Batman nodded. "Then our next step should be finding Wonder Woman."
"Diana should know something," Shin agreed. "The Amazons are long-lived species—there must be historical records of past invasions."
Batman frowned slightly as if considering something.
"Where is Themyscira located?" he asked.
Shin sighed. "That's the problem—I don't know."
Even using Den Den Mushi, they couldn't contact Wonder Woman.
"Clearly, the island is surrounded by a barrier or exists in another dimension," Shin explained.
Batman fell silent for a moment. Then, shifting gears, he asked,
"What about Atlantis? You know something about that, don't you?"
Shin smirked.
"Considering you tracked down Aquaman when you formed the Justice League, I'd assume you already have some intel."
Batman didn't respond—but his lack of denial was an answer in itself.
"The most important thing right now," Batman continued, "is understanding how the Parademons got here."
"If we can't trace their entry point, Earth will never be safe."
Shin rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"The first recorded sighting of a Parademon was in Arkham Asylum," he noted.
"That in itself is a clue. There's only one other place on Earth as dark as Arkham."
Batman's jaw tightened. "You think the answer lies in tracing the darkness?"
He didn't like dealing with supernatural threats.
His entire skill set was based on technology, logic, and strategy—but magic? That was outside his expertise.
Shin raised an eyebrow. "You know, I heard that demons are drawn to fear…"
Batman exhaled sharply.
"Even if that's true, Arkham's criminals aren't exactly cooperative. Whatever clues might have been there were probably destroyed."
"Unless," Shin said, "you could interrogate someone who actually witnessed it firsthand."
Batman's expression darkened.
"That's easier said than done," he muttered. "The first person to discover the scene was…"
He trailed off.
Shin tilted his head. "Who?"
Batman's voice dropped into a low growl.
"...The Joker."
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