American Comics: The Strongest Villain

Bane stood in the center of the gathering, his presence alone enough to silence the laughter that had filled the air moments before. The wild and insolent grins that had spread across the faces of his men faded quickly, replaced by a serious, almost reverent calm. Bane didn't need to speak to command their attention; his mere presence was enough. Those who followed Bane knew well that he had no qualms about killing his own if they failed him or stepped out of line.

"You wanted to see me?" Bane's sharp eyes swept across the group, lingering briefly on Talia al Ghul and Barbara Gordon before settling on Su Sheng. His voice was hoarse and cold, sending a shiver through everyone who heard it.

Talia al Ghul looked as delicate as a lotus flower, standing beside Su Sheng with an expression of restrained composure. Barbara Gordon, on the other hand, trembled slightly, though it was unclear whether it was from despair or anger. In the distance, James Gordon raised his gun several times, each time hesitating before lowering it again. As much as he wanted to save his daughter, he knew this was not a personal matter. He couldn't afford to sacrifice Gotham for Barbara, no matter how much it pained him.

"What's it like under that mask of yours?" Su Sheng asked, his tone casual, almost teasing. "Do you have to take it off every time you eat or drink? What about if you want to kiss someone? Why don't you take it off and let me see?"

A deathly silence fell over the area.

Although many were curious about what Bane looked like under his mask, no one had ever dared to ask him directly, let alone suggest he remove it. Such a request was akin to a death wish. The crowd stared at Su Sheng with wide eyes, as if he were already a dead man. Even Barbara Gordon couldn't help but glance at him in disbelief. Was he crazy? Why provoke Bane after seemingly betraying them?

"Humph," Bane let out a low, rumbling noise that could have been a laugh or a grunt. He raised a hand to touch his mask, his voice even more menacing as he spoke. "If you want to see it, you'll have to take it off yourself—if you have the ability."

"Do I really have to do it myself? That's such a hassle," Su Sheng muttered, seemingly unfazed. He released his grip on Talia and Barbara, and to everyone's shock, began to walk toward Bane as if he didn't comprehend the danger he was in.

"Is he insane? This is suicide!" someone in the crowd whispered excitedly. While some people eagerly awaited the spectacle of Su Sheng's imminent demise, others couldn't bear to watch and turned their heads away.

Step by step, Su Sheng approached Bane with a leisurely, relaxed gait. He stopped in front of the hulking figure and smiled politely. "So, here I am."

Bane's eyes narrowed, his gaze shifting briefly to Talia al Ghul. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment before Talia quickly averted her gaze, lowering her head as if in submission. It was a small gesture, but enough for Bane to understand. He wasn't sure why Talia was choosing to protect Su Sheng's identity at this moment, but he knew what needed to be done.

As Su Sheng reached out as if to grab Bane's mask, the giant's expression turned dark and violent. His thick muscles tensed, veins bulging as his massive fist clenched tightly. The air around him seemed to thicken with raw power as he prepared to strike. He was confident that with such close proximity and speed, he could easily crush Su Sheng's skull with a single blow.

Even Batman, trained by the League of Assassins like Bane, had fallen to his might, his back broken by the sheer force of Bane's strength. What chance did Su Sheng stand? Bane didn't even consider him a worthy opponent—just another fool to be crushed under his fist.

But just as Bane's fist was about to make contact, Su Sheng vanished from his sight. Bane's eyes widened in surprise as a sharp pain exploded in his chest. Su Sheng had reappeared, delivering a powerful kick that forced Bane to stagger back several steps.

"How is this possible?" Bane's mind raced in disbelief. "How can someone with such a slender frame possess so much power?"

Bane's left foot stomped down to steady himself, and he prepared to strike back in fury, only to find that Su Sheng had disappeared once again.

Where had he gone?

As Bane scanned the area, searching for his elusive opponent, the onlookers were left in stunned silence.

How... how is this possible? Did we just see that?

He had kicked Bane back?

And then—had he leaped into the air?

The height Su Sheng had reached was far beyond what any normal person could achieve.

"Above?"

Bane's instincts kicked in, and he looked up just in time to see Su Sheng descending from the sky, a silhouette against the dazzling sunlight.

Su Sheng had anticipated Bane's every move. With the skills he had acquired—Catwoman's agility, Batgirl's combat techniques, and Talia al Ghul's assassin training—he was more than prepared. While many of Bane's fighting skills overlapped with those from the League of Assassins, Su Sheng's focus was not on mastering countless techniques like Batman but on amplifying his physical attributes.

The power of Bane.

Twenty times over.

Using his amplified strength, Su Sheng had propelled himself into the air. Now, as he descended, he looked down at Bane, who had raised his fists in a futile attempt to defend himself.

"Bane, do you recognize a palm strike from the heavens?" Su Sheng called out, his voice laced with amusement.

The sunlight bathed Su Sheng in a golden glow as he plummeted toward Bane. The ground trembled as Su Sheng's palm connected with Bane's fist.

Bane's legs buckled, the stone pavement beneath him cracking from the immense force. The pressure shattered his bones in an instant. Unable to support his weight, Bane collapsed forward, his fists crushed, his arms twisted and broken.

With a resounding crash, Bane's face hit the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

The wind blew softly, carrying away the dust. Under the scorching sun, the sight of Bane's broken body lying twisted on the ground, with Su Sheng standing tall beside him, sent a chill through the crowd.

As Su Sheng's gaze swept over the assembled forces, everyone averted their eyes, heads bowing in submission or fear.

Leaning down, Su Sheng grabbed the back of Bane's neck and lifted him effortlessly. Bane's eyes were unfocused, his expression one of disbelief and incomprehension. He was Bane! How could this be happening to him? How could his entire body be shattered with just one blow?

"The moment you decided to shoot at me, you lost," Su Sheng whispered, his voice barely audible. With a swift motion, he grabbed Bane's mask and yanked it off.

The sound of tearing flesh and splattering blood filled the air.

The brutal scene caused many to close their eyes, their bodies twitching in empathy as if they could feel Bane's pain.

"Seems like I pulled a bit too hard… No point in looking now," Su Sheng muttered, glancing at Bane, whose body was convulsing as blood poured from his wounds like a fountain. Casually, he placed the mask back on Bane's face and released him.

With a sickening thud, Bane fell to the ground once more.

His body twitched, then stilled, lying motionless under the unforgiving sun.

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