The Search...

~Omniscient Pov, 2 weeks later...~

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Shrouded in shadows, a lone man sat with his hands clasped together, intently analyzing the looping images before him. He observed as two figures fought—one small, standing about 5'6", and the other towering at 6'8". He watched their battle unfold, noting how they clashed fists, automatically assuming both were men...

He watched as the larger one threw multiple heavy punches, at first they were somewhat coordinated. Likely a kickboxing practitioner, or beginner. The man could tell from a glance that the larger one relied mostly on his physique and strength, not so much technique.

However, the same can't be said for the smaller fighter. He took note of the smaller one's name, Asura. He fought like the complete opposite of his opponent, a recent veteran in the field of striking and kicking. He wasn't perfect, but he was very good at what he did...

"Master, Bruce?" An elderly, yet polite voice called.

The man continued looking at the screen, but answered, "Yes Alfred?" He said, his eyes not moving from the fight.

"...I just came to check how you were doing... You've been here for over 5 hours just looking at the same type of footage. Thuggish brutes fighting..." Alfred assessed.

Bruce sighed, still focused on the screen. "They're not just thuggish brutes, Alfred. There's something different about this Asura. His technique, his precision—it's like he's had years of training."

Alfred stepped closer, his concern evident. "I understand, Master Bruce. But surely, even the greatest detective needs a break now and then."

Bruce finally tore his gaze from the screen, looking at Alfred, "You're right, Alfred. But if this Asura is as dangerous as he's named... He isn't like the rest of these idiots roaming in these fights. I can't afford to miss any details either."

Alfred nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation, "Very well, sir. I'll have some refreshments brought in. And perhaps a short rest might help you see things more clearly."

Bruce managed a small smile. "Thanks, Alfred. I'll take a break soon. But first, I need to finish analyzing this footage..."

Alfred bowed slightly and left the room, leaving Bruce to his work. As Bruce continued to watch, he couldn't shake the feeling that this Asura was more than just a skilled fighter—there was something deeper here, something that warranted his full attention.

He watched the footage again, this time, analyzing the smaller fighter's movements.

'There...' Bruce said in his mind. When the taller fighter was winding up a kick, instead of dodging, the smaller one just blocked it with his right hand easily. A kick being swung with an arc like that would shatter even a professional fighter's arms. 

Yet this Asura person took the blow like it was nothing...

'The more I watch how he fights, the more I feel like he's just testing himself.' Bruce pondered. 

'And again, here...' Bruce analyzed how each punch thrown by the brute was seen before it was thrown. He skipped through the footage again, this time the strike being a kick. He waited until his opponent was in the wind-up, and then he already moved past where the kick was going to land.

Bruce realized that this person was reading his muscle moments, or just predicting where the larger one would strike. Maybe, it was a bit of both. And his mind was settled on it being both at the same time... It was too big of an anticipation to be either one. Or, he was simply that good at doing either one. Bruce at this point wasn't entirely sure.

He sighed to himself, 'What's a fighter like him doing here with these people?' Bruce asked himself. Before he decided to continue any further, he rubbed his temples and then got up to take a well-needed break...

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~Omniscient Pov~

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Fwish!

Fwoosh!!

Swish!!!

Swush!!!!

Ear-piercing sounds were thrown in rapid succession... The cause of them stood a young man with black, neck-length disheveled hair. With piercing icy-blue eyes. He continued to throw punches and kicks with lethal accuracy.

The young man Ezra, was deep in his training, pushing his limits as he executed a series of intricate combinations. Both his fists and feet moved in a relentless dance, every motion calculated and controlled. Sweat glistened on his skin, but his focus never diminished...

[Your form has improved significantly, Master Ezra,] ECHO's voice echoed in his mind, [But there's always room for enhancement. Let's increase the resistance and speed of your training.]

He grabbed two 15-kg dumbells with both his hands and two 25-kg weighted leg wraps around his ankles...

"Right..." Ezra muttered, adjusting his stance. He could feel his muscles burning, but the pain only fueled him.

With the added weight, Ezra's movements became more deliberate and powerful. He swung the dumbbells with the same precision, incorporating them into his strikes. Each punch and kick now carried the added resistance, forcing his muscles to work harder.

ECHO monitored his progress, adjusting the training parameters in real time, [Remember to maintain your form, Master Ezra. The added weight should not compromise your technique.]

"Easy for you to say..." Ezra grunted, feeling the strain but refusing to let it break his focus. He continued his routine, pushing through the fatigue, knowing that this was necessary to elevate his skills to the next level.

As his session progressed, Ezra's focus intensified. Each movement was now a test of strength and precision, instead of the latter...

'Fucking hell...' Ezra grunted in his mind.

His muscles were straining against the added resistance. With each strike, he felt the weight pushing back, but he was quickly adapting to it, using the resistance to build more power and control...

After another few hours, his breathing slowly became rhythmic, syncing with his movements as he pushed through the burns. The sweat poured down his face, but he ignored it, focusing solely on perfecting his technique. Every punch and kick was a calculated effort, aimed at honing his combat skills to perfection.

ECHO's guidance kept him on track, ensuring that he maintained proper form and didn't compromise his technique under the added weight. The session was grueling, but even Ezra had a limit, and he was reaching it soon...

[You may now rest...] ECHO said.

Thud!

Thud!

He instantly dropped the weights after what felt like an eternity of hell-like intense training. After finally dropping the weights and removing the weighted leg wraps. He stood there, breathing heavily, but satisfied with his progress for the day...

"Phew..." He said, exhausted. Ever since he told ECHO when to let him stop training, his training paid off in spades. His progress shot up by a decent margin as well.

"Thanks, ECHO..." he said, wiping the sweat from his brow, "I needed that challenge."

[No problem master... You handled it quite well. Your perseverance is very commendable.] ECHO replied, her voice conveying clear pride.

"Yeah~ Yeah~ Thanks for that..." Ezra said, grabbing a bottle of water and downing it instantly...

Now, it's been a month since he was sent to this world. He fought, trained, adapted and overcame. Over the past few weeks, he managed to sell some of the drugs he held for a decent amount of cash. Through that whole process, he got the forger he needed, getting an identity too.

With that money, he bought a cheap faraway place to hunker down in and train himself...

However, after his third week here... He saw them. The thing he hoped didn't exist, existed. And it's been haunting him for the past week few weeks. Beings he thought were left in books and on posters alone.

Even now he couldn't believe it... Heroes; Flying heroes, men or women that shot lasers out of their eyes, and breathed fire...

Because a villain had terrorized a city south from this one back then. And since then, he wasn't sure how he was going to go about his path now... And that wasn't all, he now knew that he was in the D.C universe... He saw Superman, Flash, Supergirl, and even the damn Batman himself working together when taking down a villain. That show was enough for him.

Hell, he even saw another guy with a mustache who wore a red and white suit.

With that thought, he placed down his 5th bottle of water, his thirst somewhat quenched...

He sighed, "Hey ECHO, could you bring up my statistics please..."

[Affirmative master Ezra;

Physical Age: 15 years

Height: 5'6" --> 5'7" / 6'6"

Weight: 81.3 kg --> 94.21 kg (Effectively 65.55kg)

Physical Strength: 120.2 kg --> 321.24 kg / 1002.2 kg

Endurance --> Physicality: 4.1 --> 7.52 / 26.42

Perception/reaction speeds: 121.2 mph --> 254.11 mph (Subsonic) / 3,833.5 mph

Speed: 9.12 mph --> 21.74 mph / 73.61 mph

Intelligence: Relatively smart --> Very intelligent / Extremely Intelligent - low Genius]

Proficiencies;

Hyper-focus: You can dilate your perception by approximately 121.33% for 25 seconds, per 4 seconds.

Knife Proficiency: Easily high master level.

Hand-to-hand proficiency: You are extremely skilled in the ways of hand-to-hand combat.

6th Sense: Via intuition and experience, you can make out danger extremely well before it heads your way.

Muscle-Reading: You can see where someone will attack based on their muscles easily.]

"It... This isn't enough..." he said in a low murmur, clenching his fists tightly.

Ever since seeing those heroes. He's gotten a bit demotivated... How was he possibly going to compete with those guys if he didn't have anything going for him other than being a fairly strong superhuman?

He was excited that he could get some competition in strength, however, said the competition was way out of his league... He'd get thrashed by most heroes in raw power, except in the technique aspect.

"How am I gonna do this, ECHO?... I can't just settle for being human anymore... I've got to go beyond just this." He said. He wouldn't be complaining if he didn't have biological limits restraining him, but that wasn't given to him when he was brought here.

[Analysis: Master... Your concerns over inadequate capabilities to compete with enhanced operatives are, valid. However, total physical transcendence towards metahuman levels may be possible with further. Enhancements... Remember those chances of yours being stronger were next to absolute zero?] ECHO asked.

Ezra's eyes widened, "Yeah... I remember you mentioning me being able to break my limits, but you didn't specify how that could even be done..." He also remembered her saying his chances were too low to even think about the process too.

However, a series of data files and medical simulations began flickering across Echo's holographic display, each more disturbing than the last in their implications.

[Genomic augmentation protocols... Cellular reconstruction... Experiments that could permanently rewrite you into something... More.]

Now interested, he continued, "What would I even need for this whole process?" He asked.

[That would be the hard part master... Depending on what you want. If you wanted specific abilities that are of high physical prowess, your chances become very slim, depending on how you even go about it... Or, you can aim low for now, and acquire abilities of those who rely more on their powers rather than sheer brawns. The chances of the latter being much higher than the former...]

"Still... What would I even need to do to get their powers?" Ezra asked.

[The answer to that question is simple master... Blood. If I have their blood, I will have full access to their genetic makeup without any hindrances. If you get even a few droplets, that will be enough for me. From there, I will use their DNA to add information to your DNA... However, a process like that would take at least a month to fully synchronize new information for your body to reproduce...]

"Wait-Wait-Wait, so you can just causally alter my genetic makeup? Wouldn't that mean you can also alter my limits then? At least, by technicality?" He asked. Not entirely too sure of how the biology of the process works...

[No... If that could be done, you would not need others for help, nor would you have to ask me. DNA doesn't work like that... Genetic information needs to come from somewhere. It cannot just be rewritten on a whim. Hence the blood of those you will acquire will come in handy. By using their genetic information, I can add what they have to your genes, empowering you and more...] ECHO explained.

"I see... I get where you're coming from. But, how did you allow me to get so strong then? Surely there's some process here I'm missing." He asked.

[I simply rewrote what was already there to its utmost potential. DNA can be faulty, master. Given my specialties, I can correct those mistakes by rearranging certain sequences in said genes so they reach their utmost peak... I wasn't exactly adding, just reshaping what was already there in the first place.] ECHO added.

Ezra nodded, "Now I get it... That's actually, brilliant. If you can just perfect genetic sequences to their utmost... That means that whatever power I potentially get, you're saying there's a chance that you could make it even better, right?"

[Precisely. So if by chance you get an ice ability. And the initial host of it could use only 10% of their ability's effects, with my altering. I can make said effects go up to 100% potency without failure...]

'If that's the case, then that's insane... If she can just make genes more efficient, then...' He wondered.

Ezra thought about it for a bit more... He knew he needed to play this whole thing smart... However, taking powers wasn't even his fancy. The idea of just taking what wasn't his made him a bit annoyed. Still, it would likely get rid of the limitations that his body had at the moment, and that was more than enough for him...

"Alright, I hear you... I think I'll wait it out first. I'll max out my current stats before I start going experimental on myself..."

[That sounds like a suitable approach for the moment, Master Ezra... However, you don't need to do such a thing. At least, if you are aiming for more grounded abilities. Depending on what you get first, you could easily absorb their powers now, and augment them into your genes...] ECHO clarified.

[Still, maximizing your current abilities should provide a strong foundation for any future enhancements or developments. It's essential to proceed with caution and thorough planning when considering significant changes to your physiology...]

"Hmmm, thanks for the reassurance..." Ezra said. Now, he needs to find out what version of D.C he was in. Which would likely be very hard. He isn't sure if he's thrown in an amalgamation of different comics versions in one, or some aspects from others... Nor was he well versed in all their comics either...

'This is going to be a wild one...' He thought.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

~A few days later...~

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It's been a few days since Ezra felt hope in getting stronger than he was. With his decision, it would be best to at least look for potential candidates for power. Absorbing them would likely have to wait...

Still, it's been almost an entire week of hours of searching for something of relevance. However, he realized that powered criminals were very rare. Now, Ezra wondered if he should just call it a day and move on...

'I'm tired of this... Where should I even start?' Ezra thought, walking by the streets. Heroes weren't even common here, nor were the villains. This was Gotham... Superpowered criminals should be more than common enough, but he isn't getting anywhere so far.

Now it makes sense why It took him two weeks to even think they genuinely existed.

"Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places..." he muttered to himself. The usual haunts of the place hadn't yielded any results. He needed to think outside the box, maybe go back to areas where the city's underbelly thrived? No, even then he still didn't get to see any of them.

'Looks like I'll have to risk it for the biscuit...' he thought, turning down an old alley, deciding to head toward the notorious East End of the city. If there were any superpowered individuals to be found, it would be in Gotham's most dangerous and lawless district... As he walked, he kept his senses sharp, ready to pick up any unusual activity.

[Understood, Master Ezra. Scanning for any unusual energy signatures or activity.]

As he made his way deeper into the East End, he could feel the atmosphere growing more tense... It was a stark contrast to the quieter streets he'd been combing before. Here, he might just find what he was looking for...

He quickly took out his mask, placing it over his face...

Moving deeper into the East End, he noticed the streets becoming narrower and more cluttered with debris. The buildings were run-down and graffiti-covered, and the air was thick with a sense of the usual Gotham's impending danger.

[Vital signatures detected...] ECHO's voice echoed in his mind, [Approximately 200 meters ahead. It appears to be a concentrated source, likely multiple individuals.]

His eyes widened, "Really?" Ezra mumbled under his breath, picking up his pace. He navigated through the alleys, every step bringing him closer to his target. Playing it wisely, he opted towards the rooftops for the high ground...

As he jumped to another building, he saw a small crowd gathered outside a dilapidated building. The people looked rough... In the center of the crowd stood a relatively tall figure, cloaked in darkness, with faint arcs of electricity crackling around his hands.

'Huh? I haven't seen this guy before...' Ezra thought. Thinking back on his comic reading days. A guy using electricity like this person was, was interesting... Maybe he was random cannon fodder...

Regardless, Ezra left from the rooftops, and quickly positioned himself at the edge of the crowd, observing. He needed to assess the situation and find the right moment to make his move. If he played his cards right, he could gain an actual ability.

He watched the figure carefully, noting the man's movements and the reactions of the crowd.

The figure was speaking, his voice booming over the crowd, "Tonight, we show Gotham what real power looks like! No more hiding in the fucking shadows!" He yelled.

Ezra watched the figure closely, his eyes scanning every detail. The man, who appeared to be in his late thirties, had an aura of confidence and power. His dark cloak billowed slightly with the energy emanating from him, and his eyes glowed faintly with electric blue light.

The crowd murmured in awe, clearly captivated by the display of power. Ezra knew he had to act soon, but he needed to wait for the right moment—Especially when the man's guard was down.

Ezra could tell when someone was stronger than himself or even on par, but the feeling wasn't there for the man in front of him. Instead, the man was giving off the same aura the rest of the idiots around himself had of being weaker...

Suddenly, the figure raised his hands, and bolts of electricity shot into the air, creating a display of his power, likely to hype up his own cause. The crowd of fools gasped and cheered, completely enthralled. While Ezra...

Ezra saw his chance.

Slipping through the crowd with practiced ease, he approached the edge of the circle closest to the figure. As the man's attention was focused on his display, Ezra darted forward, moving with the speed and precision of a trained fighter...

The crowd parted in surprise as Ezra launched himself at the man, aiming a powerful punch at his midsection. The figure barely had time to react, his eyes widening in shock as Ezra's fist connected, sending a jolt of energy through his body...

'He's weaker than I thought...' Ezra thought.

The man staggered back, but quickly regained his footing, electricity crackling around him in a defensive aura, "You piece of... Who DARES to challenge me!?" he roared, his voice filled with both anger and disbelief.

Ezra didn't waste time with words. He pressed his attack, using a combination of strikes and evasive maneuvers to keep the man off balance.

'Shit!' Ezra thought, the electricity was a hassle... The electric aura made it difficult to land any decently clean hits, but Ezra's training and determination pushed him forward.

"DIE!!!!!" The man shouted.

The figure retaliated with powerful bolts of electricity, but Ezra was quick, dodging and weaving through the attacks. He could feel the heat and static in the air, but he remained focused, looking for an opening...

Finally, he saw it. The man's electric aura flickered for a brief moment, a sign of his growing fatigue, something now foreign to Ezra in normal circumstances... Ezra seized the opportunity, delivering a swift kick to the man's knee, causing him to buckle. As the figure fell, Ezra landed a decisive blow to his temple, knocking him unconscious...

Thud!...

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The crowd was stunned into silence, watching as Ezra stood over the fallen figure. He looked around, making sure no one else was going to challenge him.

'Heh!... Cowards...' Ezra shrugged. He grabbed the syringe from his pocket he got a few days ago. And quickly injected the man with it, easily filling it up to the max. One would think the lackeys would gang him, but maybe his bloodlust was holding them back...

Either way, he got what he wanted. Without a moment's notice, he ran as fast as his legs could possible go...

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END