Jigsaw in dc comics

**Chapter 5: Into the Abyss**

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*The rain had not stopped. It fell like tears from a city that had long since forgotten what it meant to be innocent. The streets of Gotham were flooded, its heart beating with a rhythm of fear and corruption. The game was no longer just a game. It had become a test of everything Batman believed in. And with every passing hour, the stakes grew higher.*

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### **The Cost of Salvation**

Batman had spent the night searching for Jigsaw's next move, but each lead turned into a dead end, each clue seemed more cryptic than the last. The game was becoming a twisted game of cat and mouse, and Batman was beginning to understand just how far Jigsaw's reach extended. This was no longer just about saving lives; this was about pushing Batman to the brink.

In a darkened alley, a familiar figure appeared—**Detective James Gordon**. The weight of the city seemed to hang on the shoulders of Gotham's finest, but it was a burden that had only grown heavier since Jigsaw entered the scene.

"Any progress?" Gordon asked, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

Batman shook his head. "Nothing solid. Jigsaw's patterns are unpredictable. He's getting more dangerous, more personal. This time... it's not just about criminals. He's targeting the heart of Gotham itself."

Gordon nodded grimly. "I've been hearing whispers. People in the force... former officers, civilians… they're starting to ask questions. Some are starting to wonder if Gotham's too far gone to be saved."

Batman's jaw tightened. "That's exactly what Jigsaw wants—chaos. Doubt. If he can make Gotham lose faith in the very idea of justice, then we're all doomed."

Gordon turned his gaze toward the horizon. "And what if he's right? What if Gotham is beyond saving? How long can we keep pretending we're in control?"

Batman's mind reeled. Gordon's words weren't just reflective—they were *tempting*. Gotham had always been a fractured city, one that had broken him long ago, but to hear those doubts voiced aloud by someone he trusted? It was a dangerous thing.

"We can't give up," Batman said firmly, though a small part of him questioned whether he was still talking to Gordon—or to himself.

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### **The Broken Mask**

Later that night, Batman found himself alone in the Batcave once more, staring at the shattered reflection in the glass. His mind was a battlefield, torn between the things he believed and the dark seed Jigsaw had planted deep within him.

The latest video from Jigsaw had been disturbing, even by his standards. The victims were no longer random criminals—they were people Batman had protected, people he had trusted. Officers. Politicians. Ordinary citizens. Each was placed in a position where they had to choose between life and death, facing the consequences of their past sins. Each one forced to confront the very darkness Batman had fought against his entire life.

Jigsaw's latest message played again, this time on a loop:

*"You still think you're the one in control, don't you, Batman? You think that by saving them, you're making Gotham a better place. But you're wrong. The truth is, you've been playing my game all along. You, too, are a part of the puzzle. You just don't want to face it."*

The words sent a chill down Batman's spine. Was Jigsaw right? Was Gotham truly beyond redemption? Had he been clinging to an ideal for so long that he had become blind to the truth? A truth that seemed to be unraveling with each new victim.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Alfred, who stepped into the Batcave with quiet urgency. "Master Wayne, you're needed."

Batman's heart raced as he turned to face Alfred. "What is it?"

"Commissioner Gordon has been found. He's been taken."

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### **The Final Choice**

The warehouse where Gordon was being held was a decaying monument to the city's crumbling foundations. A single flickering light illuminated the room, casting long, twisted shadows across the walls. In the center of the room stood **James Gordon**, shackled to a chair, bloodied but alive. The flickering light above him buzzed ominously, and a camera was positioned nearby, recording everything.

Jigsaw's voice echoed through hidden speakers, distorted but clear.

*"Batman... welcome to your final test. You've fought so long to save the people of Gotham, but now, you must face the ultimate choice. In front of you stands someone you've sworn to protect. The question is: How much of your own soul are you willing to sacrifice for him? Will you break your code to save him? Will you kill to stop the game?"*

Gordon's eyes were filled with both relief and fear as he looked at Batman. "Don't listen to him, Bruce. You don't have to do this."

Batman's chest tightened. He could hear Jigsaw's words in his head, louder than ever before.

*"You've always believed that you were better than them, Batman. But now, you'll have to prove it. If you want Gordon to live, if you want to stop this madness—*you will have to cross that line*."*

Batman's mind raced. He could feel the familiar pulse of adrenaline surge through his veins, his heart pounding against his ribs. He had been pushed to the edge before, but this was different. This was no longer about stopping a criminal—it was about confronting everything he believed in.

He had to make a choice.

Gordon was alive, but barely. The bomb that was strapped to his chest would go off in minutes unless Batman did something. There were no puzzles left to solve. No time for clever tricks. Only one thing would stop Jigsaw's game—and it was something Batman had sworn he would never do.

The mask. His moral code. His promise to Gotham.

"Bruce, please," Gordon pleaded. "Don't do this."

For a long moment, Batman stood still, the weight of his choices pressing down on him. His hands hovered over the detonator, the tool that could save Gordon's life—but also end it.

A surge of rage filled Batman, but it wasn't for Jigsaw. It was for the very idea that he might have to break his code to protect the few people he had left in Gotham.

His fingers tightened around the detonator. He could feel the choice like a physical wound—a wound that could never be healed.

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### **The Fall**

But then something shifted. A voice echoed in his mind—*Alfred's voice, soft but firm*.

*"The true test is not whether you can save them, Master Wayne, but whether you can save yourself."*

Batman stepped back, his breath shallow, his heart racing. The room seemed to grow colder, the shadows stretching further, until he was no longer sure if he was facing his enemy—or himself.

*"You have chosen,"* Jigsaw's voice hummed, almost delighted. *"But let's see if you can live with it."*

The bomb on Gordon's chest clicked and beeped once, then fell silent.

Gordon was free.

Batman's heart slowed as he stepped forward, helping Gordon to his feet. They didn't speak. The game had ended for now, but the scars remained. Batman's hand hovered over the detonator, but it had already been rendered irrelevant.

Jigsaw's final message flickered on the screen:

*"The game isn't over, Batman. It has only just begun. You have made your choice, but I wonder... will you still be able to face the consequences of that choice?"*

Batman didn't answer. He didn't need to.

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**To Be Continued...**