DC: Rise of the Kryptonian Tyrant

Day 6.

This is already the sixth day since Bardi took on the identity of Batman.

From this day onward, Batman's final wish was fulfilled. Gotham, once a city of sin, began its transformation into a city of light.

With lightning speed, Gotham's entire network of criminal forces, gangs, and mercenaries—including those led by the Court of Owls and Deathstroke that Bardi could detect—was brought under control.

That evening, when Bardi returned to Gotham, he issued an order to send all detained criminal gangs to court in accordance with New Jersey law.

That day, Gotham descended into chaos.

At the same time, it began to change.

Day 7.

The U.S. government officially recognized Batman as the superhero stationed in Gotham, granting him authority equivalent to that of the FBI and the police to apprehend criminals.

Batman had now officially become Gotham's protector, in a more formal capacity than any previous superhero.

This shocked the world.

It marked the first time a nation formally acknowledged a superhero and allowed them to enforce the law.

Around the world, although many individuals with superpowers were hailed as superheroes, none had been formally recognized by any government. Governments had neither trusted nor acknowledged them as true heroes.

In fact, when these so-called superheroes found themselves in trouble or vulnerable, they were more likely to be captured for research and dissection than granted legal status.

The official recognition of Batman in Gotham led to a series of superhero bills. Originally drafted by Batman himself, these bills also led to the creation of the Superhero League, gathering a large number of heroes into a unified alliance.

Of course, Bardi wasn't aiming to replicate the Justice League to maintain global justice. Rather, he used a similar structure to organize a team early on, so they could more consciously protect the world.

More importantly, it allowed them to resist interference from the U.S. government during Gotham's reformation.

In particular, regarding Superman, Bardi provided Sam Lane with the spectrum of red solar radiation, and now intense negotiations were underway between them.

Day 8.

More than 30,000 U.S. troops entered Gotham, under Bardi's command, to assist with tight control of the city.

Additionally, many judges were dispatched from other cities to handle the large number of criminal cases stemming from Gotham's recent purges.

The entire city was undergoing a fiery transformation.

Crimes were eradicated almost overnight. However, this overwhelmed the already corrupt and understaffed judiciary. Judges had to be brought in from other cities, and the courts were plunged into utter chaos and overwork.

In nearly every case, Bardi personally ordered arrests and oversaw evidence collection. The evidence was conclusive.

The darkness accumulated over the years in Gotham erupted all at once. With the Court of Owls and mercenaries subdued by Bardi, and 30,000 soldiers maintaining order, Gotham began to take on an entirely new appearance.

One month later.

Bardi successfully developed an environmental regulator that adjusted atmospheric conditions and magnetic fields, and installed it around Gotham.

At night, the perpetually dark skies over Gotham began to clear, revealing a starry night sky.

Two months later.

Gotham shifted from a bleak and cold city to one with a gentle sense of serenity, like the soft chill of an autumn sunrise—subtle warmth spreading across the city.

At night, the skies sparkled with stars.

Three months later.

Wayne Enterprises partnered with nearly 90% of Gotham's businesses to raise funds and establish a new cold fusion energy company.

Gotham officially began its transformation into the capital of clean energy, with widespread industries built around cold fusion: power generation, cold fusion vehicles, ocean-going vessels, large ships, machinery, healthcare, automation, manufacturing, transportation…

The entire city seemed to glow with light pulled from the shadows. And emerging from that darkness and fog stood Batman—a figure bringing light, leading reform, and purging sin from the city.

Six months later.

The energy reform brought by the new industry led to the creation of more than one million jobs under Wayne Enterprises. For a time, Gotham held the lowest unemployment rate in the country.

Following that, the U.S. government enacted the Super City Act, designating Gotham as a special district and the first superhero-led new energy city.

This marked the first time that superheroes directly transformed an entire city—turning what had been the most crime-ridden place in America into a hub of hope, energy, and light under Batman's leadership.

This city, no longer consumed by darkness and sin, now stood as a beacon of hope.

One year later.

Gotham Grand Plaza.

A towering statue was draped in a red cloth.

Reporters from around the world crowded the square, and camera flashes lit up the mayor standing on the podium.

"Today, on behalf of the people of Gotham, I want to say thank you to Batman—Bruce Wayne!"

"For over ten years, he hid his identity in Gotham. For more than a decade, he lived as an urban legend, and he changed our lives!"

"Gotham is no longer in despair!"

"He turned our city into a capital of light and new energy, filled with hope."

"This is just a small token of appreciation from the people of Gotham in his honor."

The mayor bowed as he finished.

Amid a sea of camera flashes, he pulled down the large red cloth.

Beneath it stood a bronze statue of Batman in the square, facing the distance. His gaze seemed to look into the future, as though all the darkness lay behind him, transformed by his hand.

The sun cast a golden glow on the gleaming statue.

Thunderous applause erupted throughout the plaza.

At Wayne Enterprises, warm sunlight bathed the building.

Bardi stood by the window, gazing out over Gotham.

Behind him, Nightwing said with excitement, "Bruce, we did it. In just one year, we changed Gotham."

His eyes brimmed with admiration, awe, reverence, and deep respect.

He had once thought that after training with Bruce, he was ready to be a superhero on his own.

But everything Bruce had done made him feel small in comparison.

After more than ten years of secretly investigating Gotham's systemic corruption, Bruce had, in a single year, used his own power and thunderous momentum to transform the city of evil into a city of new energy, a city of light.

This was what it meant to be a superhero.

To change an entire city and turn a den of sin into a beacon of light.

Nightwing looked at Bardi's back, unable to hide the admiration in his heart. Under the sunlight, Bardi's figure loomed in his eyes like a towering mountain.

"Dick, from today on, you are Batman."

(To be continued.)