Demonstration of Power
As the hours stretched on, Bruce found himself immersed in training his various abilities.
Clank!
Clank!
The familiar clank of weights and the sound of his own labored breath filled the air of the expansive gym within the Batcave.
Currently engaged in a bench press, Bruce's determination was palpable as he focused on pushing the boundaries of his physical limits. The steel pole, loaded with an impressive array of plates on each side, challenged him with its imposing weight.
His brow furrowed in concentration, and beads of sweat trickled down his defined yet slim physique, glistening in the dim light of the gym.
Despite the exertion, a wide smile graced Bruce's features, reflecting the satisfaction of seeing extraordinary progress in his training.
Bruce was only wearing simple black pants and a matching t-shirt as his defined yet slim muscles were dripping with sweat as he grunted.
"48."
"49."
"50."
With a final grunt of effort, Bruce completed the set, as he carefully lowered it back into place.
Finally he relaxed, as he smirked, "35 Tons... I've truly became a super-human, with this, my mission's success rate has increased greatly."
It was weird for Bruce, he knew he wasn't the original, but rather a combination of the soul from Hell that was seemingly also aware of the DC Universe from his past life.
Not to mention, it seemed Lucifer had partially erased the memories of his past life, he didn't know who his family was, or even his own name.
When considering all this, he was far from the same Bruce.
Nonetheless, this time he was going to be different, as he grappled with the weight of his newfound resolve. The once steadfast principle against taking a life had been his guiding beacon, a moral compass that had steered him through the darkest of nights, yet now his thoughts seem to disagree.
Not to mention, he was also told by Lucifer he needs to kill the 'wicked', or else he himself will die.
"While I never wanted to kill." He reflected, his low voice echoing in the cavern, "I did so because I believed I would become just like them if I did... But things are different now."
Bruce's words hung in the silent atmosphere.
"I will be the Vengeance," He declared, the words ringing with a solemn resonance, "One that allows the dead to sleep peacefully."
In that moment, Bruce felt the weight of his destiny settle upon his shoulders like a mantle of shadows. He would become the arbiter of justice, the embodiment of retribution for those who had been silenced by the cruelty of the night.
"I will become the Judge, Jury, and Executioner." He proclaimed with a deep yet hoarse voice.
With each word spoken, Bruce felt a sense of clarity wash over him, a clarity born from the unyielding resolve to do whatever it took to protect the innocent and ensure that justice prevailed.
In the crucible of his conscience, he had forged a new path—a path that would lead him into the heart of darkness, where he would confront the evils that lurked in the shadows and emerge victorious, no matter the cost.
Focusing back on the present, he realized he had trained his power enough for combat use.
'I believe it's time to test my powers out in actual combat...'
He went to go change into his Bat Suit, and after a few minutes he was fully clad in it, but this time, he covered his lower face with a black cloth underneath his Cowl.
[Image]
This subtle change of the suit would give him a less humane look, making him look more like a monster, unlike his previous suit which gave criminals the idea that because he was human, they stood a chance. However this simple change would induce fear and uncertainty into those who see him.
Bruce glanced toward the Batmobile, before ignoring it for now, as his figure suddenly transformed into a swarm of bats.
They surged rapidly, flying upward, swiftly heading for the exit of the cave.
Once leaving the cave, the bright moon shined down on them, as their pack quickly flew toward Gotham's crime infested streets.
After a few minutes of flying, the bats converged on a pole atop a tall building, causing Batman's figure to reappear.
His cold gaze swept across the streets below him, as his Echolocation searched for any criminal activity.
Bruce was silent, as he noticed no unusual activity, inciting him to once again contort into the multitude of bats, surveying the streets from above.
Before finally, his eyes narrowed once seeing a suspicious truck behind a building in an alley way, as people around it whispered with hushed voices, his newfound heightened hearing, allowing him to hear.
[Hurry up!]
[Come on, police will be here any moment!]
Bruce indifferently observed the robbery of an Art Gala.
Before finally deciding to take action as his figure disappeared, replaced with the crowd of screeching bats.
****
Down at the scene of the crime.
The masked robbers moved with practiced efficiency, their clown masks concealing their identities as they worked swiftly to load various art pieces into the back of the truck. Dressed in black jumpsuits and armed with guns, they moved with an air of confidence.
"Hey, Tony, be careful with that one," One of them remarked, nodding toward a delicate sculpture as it was hoisted into the truck. "We don't want to scratch it."
Tony chuckled, adjusting his grip on the sculpture with care. "Relax, Mark, I got it under control. Ain't no way I'm letting anything happen to this beauty."
As they continued their work, the sound of fluttering wings caught the attention of one of them, as he tensed, ready for anything.
But when he glanced up and noticed a swarm of what seemed to be birds heading their way, a sense of unease settled over him.
"Hey, guys, you see that?" The robber named Dave exclaimed, pointing toward the darkening sky. "Why are there a swarm of birds heading right at us?"
"Wait!- Those aren't birds-!"
Before they could react, the bats descended upon them, causing them to raise their hands in fright.
"What the fuck!?"
"The hell is going on!?"
Panic rippled through their ranks, but it was too late. Innumerable bats surrounded them, their fluttering wings casting eerie shadows in the moonlight.
Amidst the chaos, one of the masked men's eyes widened in shock as he caught sight of a dark figure looming behind his unsuspecting partner. His hands trembled as he pointed a shaking finger, his voice barely more than a choked whisper.
"B-Behind you—" he managed to gasp out, his words lost in the turmoil of fluttering wings and panicked shouts.
His warning came too late.
With a slow, deliberate movement, the masked man turned around, only to find himself face to face with the towering figure of the Caped Crusader.
His breath caught in his throat as he gazed up at the imposing silhouette of the Dark Knight.
In that moment, all semblance of composure shattered.
"Batman!" He screamed, his voice echoing through the night as he stumbled backward in terror.
The other robbers turned to see the source of the sudden commotion, their eyes widening in shock and disbelief at the sudden sight of Batman standing before them.
For a moment, silence hung heavy in the air, broken only by the sound of their ragged breaths and the fluttering of bat wings.
But then, as if awoken from a trance, chaos erupted once more.
"Shoot the bastard!"
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
And an instant later, a rain of fire erupted from each of their SMG's.
However, to their dismay, his figure abruptly vanished before any bullets could touch him.
"How the hell is he disappearing!?"
"Did he just disappear in our faces?"
"Damn it! I knew the Bat had super powers!"
"Just look for him!"
As the chaos unfolded around them, one of the robbers glanced around frantically, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow in search of the mysterious figure that had appeared out of nowhere.
Unbeknownst to him, a pair of pure white eyes suddenly appeared on the dark wall next to him, gleaming with a predatory glint.
It was one of Batman's abilities, a supernatural stealth, where in the cover of darkness, he could blend seamlessly with his surroundings, practically invisible to the blind eye.
Before the robber could react, Bruce's arms materialized behind him with preternatural swiftness, his form emerging from the shadows like a specter of vengeance.
In one fluid motion, he grabbed the man in a rear neck chokehold, his other hand clamping firmly over the robber's mouth to stifle any screams of terror.
"Hmhhh!"
The robber's eyes widened in sheer terror as he struggled against Bruce's iron grip, his muffled cries lost in the darkness of the night.
But Bruce remained indifferent, his movements swift and decisive as he slowly submerged back into the shadows, his presence fading into nothingness, like a ghostly figure.
He could have easily defeated the robbers with brute force if he wanted to, but his main goal was to test the effectiveness of his newfound stealth abilities.
As he watched the chaos unfold before him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The supernatural stealth had served him well, and he knew that it would be a formidable weapon in his arsenal.
Meanwhile, another robber approached cautiously to check the scene, finding the body of his comrade lying unconscious on the ground, seemingly lifeless.
His eyes widened in horror as he backed away, his heart pounding in his chest.
But suddenly, it felt as though he had bumped into something solid behind him, prompting him to glance back with wide eyes, only to come face to face with the imposing figure of Batman.
"Boo."
Batman muttered, his voice a low growl that sent a chill down the robber's spine.
Before the robber could react, a fist crashed against his cheek with bone-crushing force.
Crash!
Sending his body hurtling through the air until it slammed through the brick wall behind him.
Bruce raised a brow at the unintended display of strength.
'I'll need to be more careful about my strength.' He thought to himself, a hint of amusement tugging at the corners of his lips.
But the commotion had attracted the attention of the other robbers, who opened fire once again, causing bullets to tear through the air with deadly accuracy.
Bang!
Bang!
With his newfound agility, Batman dashed forward with the speed of a blur, closing the distance between himself and the last two gunmen in the blink of an eye.
Before they could react, he seized their weapons, effortlessly bending them downward until they were rendered useless.
The gunmen stood no chance, as with a swift and precise motion, Batman grabbed both of their heads and brought them crashing together with bone-jarring force.
Bam!
The sound of impact echoed through the night as the gunmen slumped to the ground, unconscious and defeated.
As the dust settled, Batman stood tall amidst the lifeless bodies, the sound of approaching sirens filled the air.
A police car screeched to a halt at the end of the alley, officers spilling out with guns drawn.
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