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Risk It All: Last Hand (ch. 12)
🕑 Added 2021-05-25 14:59:09 +0000 UTCA dislocated arm hurt. A lot. The pain was almost enough to mask the fact that my fingers felt a bit funny, my grip a little less firm than it had been before. Fighting with a dislocated arm was a neat thought, but in practice, I didn't like my chances as Grundy slammed his fists into the ground out of frustration. So far, the only casualty was property damage since the bonus objective was still applicable.
'Miss Martian? Can you hook us up telepathically?' I questioned mentally, continuing my stride forward. Grundy growled, sounding more like a rabid animal than a man, before he began to rush forward to meet me halfway. For all of his strength, Grundy was fairly slow. I wasn't exactly sure how that worked given that he was flinging cars around like cotton balls, but I wasn't going to start complaining. That was the only reason I wasn't dead yet.
'Of course!' Megan answered quickly, staying out of sight. Zatanna continued to evacuate civilians, making sure that they were a safe distance away while I continued to distract Grundy.
I felt other minds touch mine as I flash stepped out of range, narrowly avoiding Grundy's fingers. Pivoting, I flashed stepped to the side, then again to deliver a Soul Crushing Strike to Grundy's ribs with my bokken in hand. My fist slammed against his ribs, a loud bang ringing out, but his ribs remained firm. There was just no comparing him to all the enemies I've faced until now.
"Get out of my head!" I heard someone scream nearby, a snarl in his voice. I could feel Zatanna's shock and Megan flinch back from the sheer vitriol in Superboy's voice. My gaze darted to the source to see him perched on a building, clutching his head while a snarl twisted at his face.
He had issues with telepathy. That would have been good to know before we were in a combat zone and I was down an arm. Any other time I think I would have been vastly more understanding. Superboy clearly had some issues and a chip on his shoulder about the size of a small house.
But, right now, I didn't care. I couldn't have cared less if I tried.
'Then fuck off, Superboy.' I snarled right back at him as I flash stepped out of range of a blind swipe that could have taken my head off. 'Deal with your shit when people aren't in danger.' I shouldn't have said that. Or thought it, rather. But, at the moment, I was one of those people in danger.
Grundy lunged for me, forcing me to flash step back. I darted forward, punching him in the nose with a Soul Crushing Strike, but my body tensed with the action. Moon Breathing really didn't agree with anything that wasn't a swing, I was starting to realize, but this time I backed off in time to avoid being splattered over the concrete.
'Can anyone pop my arm back into place? I don't know how,' I continued, deciding to pretend I just hadn't told Superboy to fuck off. If he did, then he did. Couldn't do anything about that now. What I did know was that I couldn't count on him taking down Grundy even though between the two of us, he was the only one that stood a chance. I just couldn't deal enough damage to Grundy.
There was a beat of silence and I felt a pang of panic, worried that the others were just going to leave me here. However, Zatanna answered me a moment later. 'I can, but I heard that it hurts a lot. Just tell me when you're ready.'
I flashed stepped back a few times, giving myself room. Grundy growled, stomping his feet in frustration before he began to chase after me. 'Now,' I ordered.
"Erotser s'neR tfel mra!" I heard Zatanna announce, and there was a flash of pure hellish pain in my shoulder as it was forced back into place. Immediately after, the pain was replaced with a dull ache that was much easier to manage. I gripped my bokken with both hands before I flashed stepped to Grundy, reinforcing my bokken as I slammed it into his gut before flash stepping away.
'Thanks,' I told her. Behind Grundy, I saw Zatanna flash me a smile as she turned to face him. I was taking that as a sign that the civilians were evacuated.
Then I heard Superboy scoff in my head, 'You aren't going to beat him.' He pointed out, his tone curt, but I was starting to think that was him just being him. And I guess he got over his telepathy hangups. Good for him.
'You're absolutely right, but can you be seen? Me and Zatanna are two unknowns, Megan is invisible. People aren't going to mistake that S on your chest.' I told Superboy, eyeing Grundy. Yellow sap dripped from his destroyed eye -- I could destroy the other one, but that would make him more chaotic. A blind Grundy wasn’t one that I could control.
I heard Superboy growl in my head, but I was just going to take that as a no.
'And I'm not an unknown!' Zatanna remarked, sounding unhappy.
Okay. Leaving that alone, what could I do? Buy something from the market? A heavy explosive, maybe? Or should I invest in a skill? I had some points left, not very many, but… as I flashed step back, I eyed my prestige counter. It was going up a few points a second. Someone was streaming this, I think. People were watching it, giving me more points to worth with.
Which rules out the Market. That was an ace that was better off left up my sleeve for as long as I could keep it there.
Grundy darted forward, attempting to bear hug me. I flash stepped out of the way before I was forced to do so again when he hurled a moped at me. It crashed down the street, tearing up the road, but it landed a ways away from Zatanna. A trajectory I didn't think was completely natural.
I had to invest in a skill if I wanted to deal any damage. Soul Crushing Strike was my first pick -- it might let me break his bones. The only issue was that it was out of my price range. I couldn't afford it unless I wanted to spend a couple of hours with Grundy. My second pick was cheaper, and it would take me to my first Tier 4 skill.
Biting the bullet, I invested the points, taking my total Prestige dangerously close to zero. It was worth it, however.
Breathing: Moon Style
T4R1
The Moon Breathing combat and breathing style mimics the ethereal mystique of the crescent moon, specifically the shape of classical crescent moons, and replicates it with the user's movements, techniques, and abilities.
All Moon Breathing techniques manifest Crescent Moon Blades. Each Crescent Moon Blade deals additional.
I had absolutely no clue what that meant, but I liked the sound of additional damage. Taking in a slow breath, I felt air expand my lungs far beyond what the threshold should be. New strength swelled in my body, which ebbed and flowed like the tide. I followed that flow, flash stepping forward towards Grundy before I swung.
It wasn't lying about the visuals, I noticed. From the tip of my blade, a hazy inky black darkness emerged from the tip, following the path of my swing. Twinkling stars could be seen for a brief moment before the crescent moons took shape spinning like tops. My reinforced blade sliced through Grundy's stomach, the cut was anything but clean, but I forced it through. The crescent moons sliced at his body as my blade emerged on the other side in a perfect arc.
The crescent moons didn't manage to do much. They broke against his skin, chipping and breaking until they faded from view a moment later. Grundy threw back his head and screamed at the top of his lungs, sounding more enraged than in pain.
'What was that?' Megan wondered as I flash stepped back, my chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm that the Moon Style demanded.
'No clue, but I don't think he liked it. Superboy, I don't suppose you could just change shirts?' I asked, facing off against a snarling Grundy. Oh, he really did not like that.
"You hurt Grundy! Grundy is going to hurt you back! Fair is fair!" He roared before he lunged at me, the ground breaking under his oversized feet. And it was then that I realized that Grundy wasn't as slow as I thought he was. He just didn't have a reason to put any pep in his step.
Pivoting to flash step, the action cost me a critical second that would have sealed my fate if Superboy hadn't come to the rescue. He landed directly on top of Grundy, having leaped from his perch on a nearby building. The bottoms of his shoes forced Grundy to face plant as he landed on the back of his head. I heard Grundy groan before he started to get up, but I used the moment to put some distance between us.
My gaze darted to Superboy to find him shirtless. Well, not exactly considering that his face was now covered by his shirt, having been tied around his head in a makeshift balaclava. As far as superhero costumes, it wasn't much, but at that moment, he was every bit as heroic as Superman to me.
A very angry Superman, I noted when Superboy curb-stomped Grundy before kicking the zombie in the ribs and sending him flying into a car. He smashed through it, causing the worst sound of screeching metal and glass breaking that grated on my ears. It was worse than nails on a chalkboard.
'Superboy and I can handle Grundy, but can either of you two restrain him?' it was an honest question because Grundy just got up, effortlessly crushing metal in his grip. He glared at Superboy, who unleashed a war cry every bit as furious as Grundy's before launching himself at him. So, it was more Superboy could handle Grundy.
Though I had to admit, it was a humbling sight to see Grundy just get bodied by Superboy, as if the difference in strength between them was every bit as vast as the difference between me and Grundy. Superboy wailed on him, effortlessly crushing bone as if it were glass, before he planted a fist in Gundy's gut that launched him in the air.
I saw the move coming. Flash stepping forward, I built up momentum that I used to launch myself upwards after him. Breathing in, I reinforced my bokken that I readied to my side. As Gundy began to fall, I leaped using Double Jump to take me above him as I slashed with my sword. Darkness and moons followed my swing as it cut into Grundy's side, making him cry out before both of us hit the ground. He landed in a heap, but I managed to roll to my feet.
"Latem dnib ydnurG! Latem dnib ydnurG! Latem dnib ydnurG!" Zatanna shouted, causing pipes to rip free of the ground to bind themselves around Grundy. And… there went water and power for the block. Sorry, Mom and Dad. Even still, Grundy began to escape, not needing the leverage a regular person would to tear through the metal pipes, but that was put to an end when Superboy grabbed the truck that Grundy had totaled and parked it on him.
A few magic words from Zatanna and Grundy was bound. He threw his head back and shouted, screaming in frustration.
Superboy looked down at him, his chest rising and falling -- I couldn't see his face, but his hands were curled into fists. He looked pissed that the fight was already over.
A quest has been completed!
Defeat Solomon Grundy.
Reward: 25,000 prestige
Bonus Reward: 1 Item roll, 1 Summon roll.
I approached them both, looking down at Grundy, letting go of my breathing style. "Do we stick around for the cops to show up?" I asked him, looking down at Grundy, who looked like he was trying to bite my feet.
'Dad usually ties them up and leaves them,' Zatanna offered. 'Why?'
'Grundy takes longer to reform if you kill him,' I pointed out. 'It takes him out for around a season to half a year. If you let him rot, then he comes back sooner. But, I guess we'll know when he comes back.'
'Don’t care,' Superboy decided before he turned and leaped up. He easily cleared the buildings of Chinatown and he was gone, ending the telepathic connection between us all.
I looked down at Grundy for a moment longer, considering my options. With him like this, it would be simple to skewer his brain. Batman killed Grundy more often than not, especially in his stronger incarnations. But, killing him now… felt too much like an execution for my taste. Shaking my head, I turned around to see Zatanna. I offered her a nod as I began walking away, 'Let's get out of here.'
Zatanna offered a hesitant smile, 'We… should go back to the mountain. My Dad kinda wants to yell at us. It's better to get it out of the way.' Zatanna said with a wince.
That didn't sound good.
Still, I nodded. ‘Go ahead. I’ll stick around until the cops show up,’ I told her and Megan. I couldn’t see when the latter left, but I did feel when the telepathic communication ended. Like someone stopped touching my brain. It was weird, but I think I was getting used to weird.
Crossing my arms, I took a seat on the sidewalk edge, just outside of Grundy’s view. When there wasn’t a target, he just began muttering that poem to himself like a mantra. I imagine it would have been grating eventually, but it didn’t take long for the cops to show up. A siren warned me that they were incoming, but when they pulled up, I was shocked to see familiar faces.
Detectives Renee Montoya and Harvey Bullock. They got out of their SUV that had a flashing red and blue bar in the gill, straightening themselves out before they approached.
“You’re definitely not Batman. He doesn’t stick around after bagging one of these guys,” Renee greeted, using the same tone that she had used on me back in the hospital. I was really regretting sticking around now. It felt like she was on the verge of discovering my secret identity at any second. Like she would just suddenly realize who I was just because she’s seen me in and out of costume.
I offered a stiff shrug, my shoulder flaring up with pain. “I wanted to make sure that no one messed with him and lost some toes,” I answered, trying to deepen my voice so I would be a little less identifiable. Based on the amused look Harvey wore, I think I only managed to make myself sound like an idiot. Better to sound like an idiot than be one.
“Hm. In that case, I’m going to assume that you aren’t the same vigilante that’s been running around Little Asia shattering bones since there are orders to drag you in for questioning,” Renee continued, making me go very still. That… I hadn’t known about. I never stuck around before and the cops didn’t exactly broadcast that I was wanted for questioning. About Black Mask?
“Oh… well, this is a little awkward, but on a completely unrelated note, I think I left the stove on. See ya’,” I said, quickly flash stepping away, and rounding the block with a few more before disappearing from sight. That had been… fine. Still didn’t trust the cops, especially not Gotham’s cops, but it seemed that Renee and Harvey were willing to throw me a bone so long as I did their job for them.
In a minute, I was back in the phone booth after rounding the block to throw off the trail. Dialing in the code, I saw a bright light as I was teleported back to the mountain. Walking forward, as the hum of the Zeta Tube died down, I heard yelling.
“-Not a five-year-old girl! I don’t need a babysitter!” Zatanna yelled, making me freeze midstep. Looking out, I saw Megan hovering nearby, clearly not sure what to do. Superboy lingered, similarly uncertain, though much less obvious.
“It is not a babysitter, Zatanna. It’s a golem meant to protect you.” Zatara retorted, his voice firm with a harsh edge to it. I’ve heard that tone before. Every parent had it on instinct, it gave them the ability to yell without actually yelling.
“I don’t need protection, Dad,” Zatanna argued.
“Evidently, you do. We’re going home, Zatanna. Where we can discuss this in private- I,” Zatara continued when Zatanna opened her mouth to argue, “Am doing this for your sake. I doubt you want your new friends to hear what I’m about to say,” he said, his tone sharp enough to cut. Zatanna wilted ever so slightly as if just realizing that there was an audience. Her eyes met mine for a moment before she quickly looked away.
Zatara let out a breath before he turned around, marching in my direction. I walked by him, feeling intensely awkward. A feeling that only grew when I saw Zatanna’s shoulders slump. Should I say anything? It felt like I should say something, but I didn’t want to make things worse for her. It also didn’t feel right trying to come between them -- I didn’t know either of them well enough.
So, I settled with, “Zatanna? Thanks,” I said, catching her attention as her dad began to input commands into the Zeta Tube. “For the arm. I probably would have been sporting worse if you hadn’t helped me, so thanks.”
Zatanna smiled back, “Any time,” she returned. Zatara looked at me, his expression distinctly not happy as the Zeta Tube came to life. I ducked my head and offered a small wave goodbye before the two of them vanished in a flash of light.
The Zeta Tube whirled down and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized that I had been holding. That was… distinctly uncomfortable. And I felt bad about Zatanna. She had made her own choice, but it left a bad taste in my mouth that she was getting in trouble for going out with us.
Turning to Megan, who had touched down on the ground and was frowning at the Zeta Tube, I asked, “Did we get in trouble for going out as a group?” I asked, wondering if I just missed the first half of a short dress down.
Megan looked a bit surprised while Superboy walked off, “No, we didn’t. I guess it’s okay so long as we’re careful?”
Guess? I glanced back at the Zeta Tube, half expecting another Leaguer to come down to rip into us for going out, but the Zeta Tube didn’t start back up again. I didn’t think we broke any rules, but I also didn’t know that we hadn’t either. It wasn’t like anyone gave me a convenient pamphlet telling me everything I needed to know about being on a superhero black ops team. I guess I would just have to ask for clarification the next time I saw Red Tornado or something.
“That was exciting! I mean, I didn’t do very much, but fighting crime is really different than I thought it would be,” Megan noted, earning a look from me.
“You did plenty,” I corrected, before I glanced at the door that Superboy went to. “The telepathic link helped a lot. It let us coordinate without revealing anything. All I managed to do was distract Grundy. Superboy manhandled him like it was nothing,” I remarked. Now that the adrenaline was beginning to fade, that fact really started to sink in. It had been absolutely no contest between Grundy and Superboy. The latter could have beaten Grundy with both hands and a foot tied behind his back.
Megan offered a wan smile, “Thanks… but I don’t think Superboy agrees." And it sounded like his opinion meant a great deal to her. Maybe she had just seen a side of the guy I hadn't so far. They did live here together, after all, and I rarely spent more than a handful of hours here at a time. Mostly to see if there was something I should be doing, or to use the gym.
"I think he does, he just seems to have… hang-ups," I finished somewhat lamely. "But, I should go apologize to him. I was a little rude."
To that, Megan chuckled, "More than a little, I would say." She pointed out, and… fair enough, I guess. I still stood by the point I made, but I could admit that I could have phrased it a little better. And I really didn't want the guy that could break me in two pissed at me. So far, half the team already didn't like me -- Robin avoided me like the plague, Kid Flash was fond of dirty looks, and Kaldur was standoffish at best.
I really didn't need to tip the balance any more against me. At the rate I was going, I'd get booted off the team before we actually did anything.
"Fair," I admitted before I started walking. Megan hovered behind me, apparently going to witness the event. Walking through the halls, they were mostly silent. But there was enough noise to give Suberboy's position away.
Taking in a breath, I pushed down my hood and headband and tousled my hair a bit to hide the sweat indention. I still needed to cut it. I was just so preoccupied with my various Metube careers that it kept slipping my mind. Pushing open the door, I saw Superboy bench pressing what looked to be… fifteen tons worth of weight. With a worrying amount of ease.
It was a humbling sight, that I could admit. I was stronger than I have ever been before, but that amount of weight would crush me like an insect.
"You don't have to," Superboy said, catching me off guard as he continued with his set. The dense plates weighed so much, they hardly jostled with each completed rep.
It was easy enough to guess what he meant, "You heard that?" Superpowers were bullshit.
"Yeah? And you don't have to apologize," Superboy repeated, but he didn't elaborate.
I mulled that over for a moment before I shrugged, "Might not have to, but I'm going to. I'm sorry, Superboy. I snapped at you and you didn't deserve that. I was stressed because Grundy was tearing up my hometown and I took that out on you."
Superboy paused his reps for a moment, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Maybe I should have just left it alone? He pushed up one final time before he sat up, using his shirt to wipe up some sweat on his forehead. He offered a small shrug, "It's fine? I get it. I… should have handled it better."
Huh. That was surprisingly easy.
I anticipated more resistance given how… angry Superboy seemed to be at times. Thankfully, none of that seemed to be directed at me.
"That stuff that started to come out of your sword. What was that?" I was more surprised by the fact that he was continuing the conversation. In the week that I've known him, that was probably the most I've heard him say.
I shrugged, "I have no clue." Superboy cocked an eyebrow and Megan gave me a curious look. "I'm being serious, I have no clue. I got a bit better with my breathing style and then moons and stuff started appearing. I just don't question it anymore." There were no answers in sight and all I knew was that Zatara had lied to me to my face. But I still trusted that the Justice League was acting in my best interest. They were the superheroes that had saved the world countless times.
"So, it just got better all of a sudden?" Megan questioned, earning a nod from me.
I nodded, "It's just how it works. Actually," I said, taking a seat on a bench stand. "I also have this-" I continued, bringing up my rewards. I didn't pay much attention to them on account of Grundy tearing through Chinatown, but I completed the bonus objectives. I had an item roll and a summon roll.
I clicked on the summon roll first. It was the more exciting of the two on account that I just got a stick the last time. A wheel of fortune appeared in front of me, each slice of the circle carrying an emblem -- birds, fish, wolves, dogs, and… a giraffe? Some were a little difficult to identify. Grabbing the wheel, I have it a spin.
"You're seeing something right now?" Superboy questioned, earning a nod as my ears were filled with the sound of the arrow bumping into the spokes, slowing the spinning wheel.
"Yeah, it's a wheel of fortune. The game changes every time," I answered. So far, I haven't gotten a repeat.
The wheel slowed to a stop, ticking by a wolf. Then a giraffe. Then a lizard. Until it finally landed on… a fish?
The wheel disappeared, condensing into the summon. When I heard the word summon, I had… expectations. Expectations that weren't met in the slightest when a goldfish of all things appeared before me. I reached out, catching it in my hands, only to have it start flopping around. It was the size of a normal goldfish, but it seemed a little stronger than normal? Or was I just imagining that?
"You have a fish!" Megan breathed, blinking in shock as I quickly bought a fishbowl and filled it with water. The goldfish swam around happily, apparently vastly perfering water to dry land. I held the bowl up to my face, eyeing the summon.
Orange scales with whitish undertones on the fins. Though, it also had two whisker-like tendrils that dropped from its mouth like a mustache.
Magikarp
Lvl 1
"It's a Magikarp?" I corrected, continuing to eye the fish. It looked back at me, and… I felt something. Almost like a telepathic connection, but when I tried to open the door, there was no one on the other side.
"What's that?" Superboy questioned, earning a shrug from me.
"No clue. I just know I can summon this little guy for battle," I answered, earning a faintly amused huff of laughter from him. Megan looked absolutely delighted, so I passed the fishbowl to her. I was a little… let down in what I ended up getting as a summon, but it was fine. I liked fish. Eating them mostly, but I'm sure I would enjoy taking care of one about as much.
Hopefully, I would have better luck with the item roll.
This roll, I was able to bet on. The quest and the fight got me a nice chunk of Prestige. One public fight and a quest, and I had the most Prestige I've ever had at twenty-seven thousand. It also made it very apparent how little my Metube accounts were bringing in, but that wasn't the point. Deciding to take the risk, I made a bet. Ten thousand points on a game of… arcade basketball. Three hoops that swayed side to side, the furthest one being worth the most points and the fastest and farthest away.
The high score I had to beat was ten thousand points with a minute on the clock. Grabbing a basketball and throwing it, I sank the ball in the furthest hoop, gaining five hundred points. It was the clear go-to. In twenty shots, I could have the high score beaten if I got them all, and I could toss about two balls a second if I huddled. I knew I looked dumb, but I didn't care as I began chucking balls.
I must have missed most of my shots, but one in three was all that I needed. The balls sank into the hoops, my score climbing up until I had broken the high score needed with fifteen seconds on the clock. I kept chucking balls, hoping for a special reward, but if there was one, I didn't earn it.
A second later, I gained my item. It was both better… and worse than my summon roll.
Gluttony Demon
Rank 5
A demon of Gluttony taken from the depths of hell. Its stomach is an infinite space that can fit all of creation and still have room for more. Simply place your items inside of it for safekeeping then reach inside to retrieve them at your convenience.
At Rank 5, the Gluttony Demon is virtually undetectable. Invisible to the naked eye, impossible to touch, and the contents can not be taken except by the one that placed them inside. Exotic methods can subvert these defenses, so take care.
There was no appropriate reaction to having a worm-like creature wrapping itself around your torso, and presenting a hideous face to you with a mouth wide open that seemed to be as pitch-black as a black hole. I think I did pretty well by not screaming.
I took in a deep breath, shifting ever so slightly to find that I couldn't really feel the demon there. I could see it easily, but I couldn't feel it.
"Is something wrong?" Megan asked me, looking away from the fish. I saw that Superboy was shooting me a look as well.
"I'm fine," I answered a bit stiffly, looking at my bokken, then at the demon thing. Swallowing thickly, I went to feed the bokken to it, and it seemed to sense my intentions. Its mouth opened wide, letting me feed the bokken to it without having to touch it. I glanced at Superboy, "I just gained a pocket dimension to store stuff. Cool, huh?"
It was cool. And useful. And I got an additional five thousand points out of it. But I would have preferred anything other than a Gluttony Demon. And I guess hell existed. That was… fun.
Superboy opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut off when he looked to the door. I did so as well, and a moment later, it was practically kicked down by Robin. He strode into the gym, his hands clenched into fists as he strode towards me. I narrowed my eyes, realizing what was about to happen, but I let it happen anyway. Instinct from school rules -- I wouldn't be starting anything.
Robin punched me in the face hard. I tasted blood on my tongue and I was really glad that Megan had telekinesis, because she would have dropped the fishbowl without it when her hands went to her mouth. Kid Flash was behind Robin, looking a bit surprised, but unapologetic. Kaldur looked unhappy, but I couldn't tell with who.
I spat blood on the floor, "Okay," I started, looking at Robin, wondering what set this off. He hit me. He started it if it became a fight. "You're upset, so I'm going to let that go if you have a good reason for it."
Robin looked like he was about to punch me again, "Batman just resigned from the Justice League because of you!" He shouted at me, the words hitting me harder than the punch.
That… was a damn good reason, I had to admit.
...
As a heads up -- this story will be going to an every two-week schedule as the commissioners are looking to scale back a bit. However, we are looking for others. So, if you like the story and you're interested in commissioning chapters, then shoot me a PM. On that note, for transparency's sake, the summon roll was rigged. One of the commissioners wanted a Magikarp and I thought it was fitting for thematic reasons. Ren's Koi. Magikarp is a Koi fish that turns into a dragon. Ren is becoming a metaphorical dragon. Real subtle stuff.
The Gluttony Demon happened because I wanted to give Ren an Inventory because it's pretty much a necessity for Gamer stories. I ended up rolling pretty much the worst option -- there was the bog-standard Inventory, there was the Gates of Babylon, a Bag of Holding, and so on. Instead, you get a freaky worm demon thing to hold Ren's hard-earned loot.
On a final note -- I've done some cleaning up to the story, and I'm in the process of posting the updated chapters to the various sights. The cliff notes version is that I've cleared up some misunderstandings with the Water Rock Smashing Fist -- I thought I made it clear, but apparently not. Ren only got the counter portion of the style with no techniques or offensive moves. That's why when he struck a pose when he got the style, he didn't feel anything when he tried to attack, but when he imagined himself being attacked, he gained options. I should have been more clear, and have since cleared that up.
There was also some bad math in the second chapter I fixed, expanded on the reasoning that Ren didn't sell Thou Shall Not Kill, and cleaned up some spelling errors that slipped through.
Comments
Darge Dakeri
Non that are still going. They are usually left incomplete. Actually, Less Than Zero “ is still going” but at like, 1-3 chapters per year
Killer Pickle
Hey does anyone know any other stories that have a straight male SI, OC etc in the DC universe that does there own thing like in 'Risk it all' and 'See no Evil' and not just follow the original plot but have their own AU spin on things.
VitAnyaNaked
An amazing chapter and so many exciting events there are! I read it in one breath) Thank you for your work!
king dog
I really want to see what he found, love the mystery.
Luigi Egbert
Amazing chapter, I can’t wait to get more!
Wofl Man
I think a translation for Zatanna's spells would be nice, for example "laeh mih!"(Heal him!). It kinda ruins my flow when I have to stop and figure out what she says means.
Eldar Zecore
So I might be wrong, but I’m gonna guess that the reason Batman resigned had to do with what the Magic Man discovered about Ren that freaked out a chunk of the League. On the point of Ren using “Lethal Force” against the immortal Zombie Grundy, I can’t see anyone actually having an issue with that. Superboy honestly had a better chance of killing Grundy then Ren did by accident
Christopher Harris
I bead of lerasium or the shikon jewel could be interesting to see but maybe ren got an honor spen or one of the skills is furycraft(the a single element. Choice between air, earth, fire, water, wood((plants)) or metal) from codex alera each have an internal expression earthcrafters have superstrength when in contact with earth, windcrafters have superspeed, firecrafters can heat themselves in the cold or push emotions onto others through flame, watercrafters aside from being able discern if someone lies to them, woodcrafters seem to get superstealth in its element and metal crafters can ignore pain. The strongest metalcrafter took this to the point his skin and only his skin became metal(tend to be the greatest swordsmen, also metal crafters can make steel about an equal to valieran steel or at least manipulate the chemical bond in such a way that there are no imperfections in the metal. In real life this can only be achieved a places of zero gravity and should make the metal) Reckoners has some interesting stuff maybe he gets a piece of their superpower gear ( get a piece of a super and run a small charge in it and you can use there power in some way.) Or hmmm maybe something from the mcu, an infinity stone doesnt work outside of the universe its from, im not sure if the gamers powers would affect that but like calls to like. Maybe you could mediate flowing chi into the stone then back to yourself and learn to manipulate energy in certain ways. Soul stone might unlock aura/spiritual manipulation(bleach or yuyu hakusho)/the black light of death d.c. or a bunch of other things but I think it might be the best for ren to get and can possibly lead to thematic abilities. The twelve talismans from jackie chan adventures. Each being something that ren internalizes or power he takes into himself over time maybe gaining the glutony skill of you are what you eat and he gain those talisman powers over time.
Christopher Harris
This was a great chapter. I know it will be awhile before magikarp evolves( maybe season two?) But the expression on rens face when it happens will be hilarious. Im not sure where your item roll selections are coming from but if their from cyoa theres a couple interesting magic ring ones. This one has some good choices and then some OP choices http://imgur.com/a/l7jf6 If ren could pick up anything maybe something from popular fiction titles, a ring from lord of the rings or the fake philosophers stone from full metal alchemist. Or a pair of seven league boots, only useful on certain occasions paired with flashstep could allow incredible rate of travel. Maybe he gets a zanpakuto like new soul reapers without shikai or bankai and his soul needs to merge with it over time. Pairing that with an activated aura then ren might be able to make a small difference against dark magic or hell. The most broken skill i think he could gain would be soma cruz's power of dominance, essential after you kill something its soul is absorbed by you and then you can try to ascert dominance on it. If you do you can gain some ability from it or you can choose to be able to summon it as a minion but im not sure you can do both at the same time. The boosted gear is likely a really broken thing that could alter story but maybe in the future a deck of cards for the brave saint system (turning people into angels ) or the evil piece system though that likely binds souls to hell after death. Im glad the team dynamics for those stuck at the mountain and ren are improving. Im curious is ren going to give batman a more thorough debriefing because i would love to see batman deciding to learn the breathing technique and it get passed around the team.
Alex Piskura
To be fair he is what, thirteen? I remember him being the youngest or second youngest on the team. He also hasn't had any positive interactions with Ren yet to counteract his negative opinion. From his perspective his mentor and father figure just took a dive for someone he doesn't think deserves it and has a very reasonable aversion to seeing people he cares about get hurt, even if the pain in this case is more reputational than physical. Did he handle it well? No, not really, but Ren is shockingly understanding and pretty forgiving, and Robin probably will feel bad when Batman explains his reasoning. Don't forget, Batman is a more revenge-driven hero than a lot of the league. He understands why it's important to help people who have reason to seek revenge express it in a way that gives closure while keeping them from going down the Punisher path. That's, I think, why he went to bat for Ren, and why I think he resigned. He's doing it as both a sign of protest and a show that he's willing to defend what he feels is the right thing to the absolute. He believes in Ren, more than Robin or even Ren might realize, because somewhere deep down he knows that Ren is worth it, not because of his infinite power potential, but because Ren is a good person who had a lot of terrible options until recently. He knows that Ren is on the cusp of being capable of great or terrible things, but with the right guidance, he can be the next Superman, instead of the next Darkseid.
TheCynicalOne
Robin is still a child after all.
Christian
I actually like the gluttony demon, it sucks compared to others but it’s got more flavor to it, and the guy who owned it in Jujutsu Kaisen was a badass. On the Batman thing, if he’s resigning my only guess for why would be the lethal force used against Grundy continuing to make Ren look bad, even if the target was reasonable.
FanfictionAddict
I sent a question regarding commission of this story? can you see it in your messages?
Heraclitus
Woof on the inventory roll. That's the kind of thing nightmares are made of.
Kyle Reese
You don’t know how happy I got so see then get a magikarp of all things. Also robins becoming a bit of a bitch his reasoning was understandable at first but now he seems to be going of pure emotion instead of reasoning. I hope he gets back to the asterous version he was the funniest character on the show to me
