BOOM!

A swirling portal opened above the dark alleys of Gotham City, and out stepped Madara Uchiha, the unfathomable shinobi. He observed the towering skyscrapers and seedy streets with mild interest.

"Hm, another cesspool of crime and violence it seems. These poor souls desperately need my guidance."

Suddenly, panicked screams rang out as a deranged clown-faced maniac fired a machine gun wildly into a crowded restaurant across the street.

"Ahaahaahaa! Run in terror, sheeple!" the crazed criminal cackled maniacally. "This is Joker town now!"

Madara watched impassively as the police cruisers raced to the scene. But their pistols were useless against the lunatic's superior firepower.

"Enough of this pointless madness," said Madara. With a burst of speed, he instantly closed the distance and chopped the back of the Joker's neck, knocking him out cold before he could get off another shot.

"Wh-who the hell are you supposed to be, ninja man?" exclaimed a startled police officer.

"Do not concern yourself with my identity," Madara replied cryptically before vanishing in a swirl of leaves.

By nightfall, word had spread throughout Gotham's seedy underworld of the mysterious shinobi who had taken down the Clown Prince of Crime with ease. In the shadows, eight deadly assassins received a new contract.

Madara sat meditating atop Wayne Tower when he sensed the incoming projectiles. With lightning-fast reflexes, he unsheathed his gunbai war fan and deflected the barrage of shuriken.

"Impressive...you detected our ambush," said a sultry female voice. Out of the darkness emerged eight figures - Deadshot, Deathstroke, Copperhead, Firefly, Killer Croc, KGBeast, Electrocutioner, and Lady Shiva.

"Hmm...and who might you be?" Madara asked, regarding the colourful assortment of villains.

"We're the Eight Deadly Assassins, hired to take you out!" Deathstroke declared.

Madara smirked. "You are welcome to try."

BAM!

With a shout, the assassins attacked from all sides. But Madara was simply toying with them. He ducked under Deadshot's wrist cannons and redirected the bullets back with expert swings of his gunbai, forcing the marksman to take cover.

Lady Shiva rushed in with blindingly fast martial arts moves, but each strike was effortlessly blocked by Madara's gunbai. Growing frustrated, she shouted "Your weapon is useless against my fist!" and shattered the iron fan with a powerful palm strike.

"Do not rely on weapons. True power comes from within," Madara stated calmly. To prove his point, he launched a harmless-looking chop, but the force generated a shockwave that blasted Shiva clear across the rooftop.

"Damn freak...go back to hell where you belong!" shouted Electrocutioner. He slammed his electrified fists down, but Madara Absorbed the currents into his body.

"Thanks for the recharge," smirked Madara before blasting the villain off the roof with a lightning-enhanced kick.

The remaining assassins exchanged nervous glances as Madara demolished them with contemptuous ease, dodging Firefly's flames and turning Killer Croc's jaws against him using Universal Pull. Soon only Deathstroke remained.

"Admit defeat. You cannot comprehend my power," said Madara, looming over the terrified assassin.

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But Deathstroke had one last trick - he threw down an explosive flash bang, blinding Madara temporarily while he made his escape on a zip line.

After pausing to reflect on the battle, Madara decided he had given Gotham's criminals enough warning. It was time to send a stronger message.

As midnight struck, an eerie red moon loomed over Gotham City. Madara had trapped the entire metropolis in a massive genjutsu!

"Hear me, denizens of Gotham," Madara's voice boomed out telepathically. "Your city is beset by evil and sin. But I have come to save your twisted souls."

His invisible chakra suppressed free will citywide as Madara seized control of the populace's minds. Police dropped their guns, criminals walked out of banks empty-handed, and civilians stopped in their tracks.

"From now on you will live as one people under my guidance. There shall be order," commanded Madara. "Now bow before your saviour!"

Like puppets on strings, the entire city immediately knelt before the imposing astral projection of Madara hovering above. He had conquered Gotham in mere minutes!

Or so it seemed...

An explosive batarang suddenly disrupted the chakra projection, breaking Madara's hold on the people's minds.

"That's enough mind games for tonight," growled a dark figure from the rooftop shadows.

Madara raised an eyebrow. "I was wondering when Gotham's famed vigilante would show himself."

Batman grappled down and approached cautiously. "I don't know what your powers are, but manipulating innocent citizens ends now!"

"Hmph. Bold words from one who lurks in the night," Madara replied. "Tell me vigilante, do you believe you fight for justice?"

"I do what's necessary to protect this city when no one else can." Batman took a fighting stance. "But I won't let anyone, even you, take away people's free will."

Madara nodded. "I acknowledge your noble intentions. But Gotham requires radical change which only I can bring about."

Their philosophies were at an impasse. Both believed utterly in their respective causes.

"I do not wish to be your enemy," said Madara. "Stand aside, and tomorrow this city will be reborn."

Batman hurled a smoke pellet. "That's not how we do things here! The people of Gotham aren't yours to control."

As the smoke cleared, a dozen more figures emerged - Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, Catwoman, Batwing, Huntress, Spoiler, Orphan, Azrael, Batwoman.

"What he said," Batgirl quipped while cracking her knuckles. "We won't let you twist Gotham into your fascist paradise."

Madara surveyed the city's champions arrayed against him. "So be it. I shall liberate you from your own ignorance by force!"

The Battle for Gotham had begun! Batman's squad attacked from all sides, but Madara matched them easily. He caught Huntress' crossbow bolts and redirected them back at her. Batwing was sent crashing into the clock tower by a powerful gust of wind.

"Stand down!" shouted Robin. "We don't have to fight!" The young hero tried appealing to Madara's conscience.

"WARRGGHHH!" Azrael roared and rushed forward, swords swirling. But Madara grabbed the crusader's blades and shattered them with his bare hands. "Still you resist? Admirable, but futile."

Batman coordinated his team to strike in unison. "Now! Hit him from all sides!" Batgirl, Nightwing and the others unleashed exploding pellets and tactics to try overwhelming Madara together.

BOOM! KAPOW! WHAM!

The combined onslaught created a massive dust cloud...but when it settled, Madara stood unharmed inside a glowing ribcage-like aura.

Catwoman's whip and Orphan's staff broke against the strange force field. "His chakra is too powerful!" gasped Batwoman.

"Fools. Did you hope to defeat me with such feeble attacks?" Madara's eyes morphed into the glowing red and purple Rinnegan as he focused his chakra.

Batman realized they only had one last option. "Nightwing! Initiate Plan Cosmic!"

Nodding, Nightwing pressed a hidden button on his gauntlet. In response, a giant object plummeted from orbit on a direct collision course with Gotham!

Seeing the incoming meteor, Madara manifested his Susanoo. The colossal ethereal warrior arose around him.

"Cosmic impact in 3...2..." Nightwing counted down.

BOOOOOOOM!

Batman's squad shielded their eyes from the cataclysmic shockwaves as Susanoo's fist collided with the meteor, obliterating it in a game-changing display of raw power.

When the debris finally cleared, half of Gotham lay in ruins from the impact zone. Batman stared in dismay at the catastrophic damage.

"What have you done?!" he yelled at Madara. "You've destroyed everything we were trying to protect!"

Madara dispelled his Susanoo and walked calmly through the smouldering wreckage. "I merely defended myself from your attack, vigilante. The blame is your own."

Batman clenched his fists in frustration. There was nothing more he could do against Madara's overwhelming abilities.

"Rebuild your city from the ashes. In time, you will understand I acted only for the greater good," said Madara solemnly as he turned to leave.

"This isn't over..." Batman vowed. But the broken buildings and crushed Batmobile were a painful reminder that Madara was beyond anything he'd ever faced before.

As sunlight peeked over the ravaged skyline, the people of Gotham realized they had survived a night like no other. And the mysterious shinobi's words still echoed in the air...

"From darkness, there will be light."