Again, same disclaimer as before, gang: I don't own anything of the Onimusha series of games; Capcom does. Nor do I own anything within DC (Detective Comics) or Young Justice, for that matter. Only my OCs belong to my mind. Enjoy.

(''): Mental thoughts

("CAPS"): Council thoughts

XXXXXX

Onimusha: The Return

4. Team Meetings, Future Ideals

One week after the Genma attack in Philadelphia...

High in orbit around the planet Earth, the Justice League's Watchtower silently spun on its axis, keeping watch on its home world below. Aboard the massive station, a few of the founding members of the League were meeting with the majority of the covert 'Team' of younger heroes - led by Aqualad and Robin - and one other: Cyborg. The senior members present at the moment - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, and Zatanna - were all seated at one table, while the 'Team' were all seated across from their for this emergency session.

The 'Team' members there - Robin Aqualad, Miss Martian, Superboy, Beast Boy, Blue Beetle, Impulse, and Wonder Girl - and Cyborg were all there to here with the League to evaluate their newest contact from the incident in Philly. After reacquainting himself with Beast Boy and Aqualad, and shaking hands with the new Robin (Tim Drake), Cyborg had begun to describe the young man he had met in downtown Philadelphia, as well as supplying visual images from his data banks of what he looked like.

Batman's hands were flying across a holographic screen before him, searching for anything relevant on this 'Obari' character. "I've found no basic profile information on this person, Cyborg, and as to how he may have metahuman abilities, his electronic trail is literally non-existent." The Dark Knight commented, prompting Aqualad to speak up as Batman continued his search.

"Could he be someone that the Reach experimented on, Batman, but escaped before any type of indoctrination could be done?" Cyborg shook his head at the Atlantean's insight into his 'ally.'

"Doubt it, AQ." Cyborg pulled up an image of Obari's motorcycle from his memory banks, displaying it before them. "That hi-tech Harley of his had absolutely no similarities to any Reach tech that I've got on record. In fact, I'll bet that two-wheeled curb-stomper was equipped with its own A.I., from the way it acted."

"A sentient machine, you say?" Wonder Woman asked. "Is that not something that only Amazo's creator and Professor Morrow were capable of?" Superman rubbed his chin at that, then spoke to Cyborg.

"Did your audio sensors pick up any telltale signs of that fact, Cyborg?" Cyborg's jaw just dropped as his mind processed Superman's words.

"No, it didn't, Big Blue. I mean, my sensors did pick up several energy wavelengths that were surrounding it, almost as if... whoa!" Cyborg cried. "Of course!"

"What, Cyborg?" The Last Son of Krypton inquired as Cyborg reviewed his data banks, his cybernetic eye glowing.

"The energy streams, Big Blue!" Cyborg exclaimed. "They were moving like a circulatory system around the bike!" Everyone looked surprised at that revelation, but Zatanna and Dr. Fate appeared very intrigued instead. The Helmet of Nabu glowed before Fate spoke up to the group.

"A living mystical construct, my colleagues." The avatar of the Lord of Order stated to everyone. "That is what you saw and fought alongside, Cyborg, and it was of an ancient power that the human race has not seen for many generations on this world. That much is certain."

"You're sure of this, Fate? How do we track it down?" Dr. Fate looked over at Batman, and the Dark Knight immediately understood, as did Robin.

"We don't, huh, guys?" Batman nodded at Robin's observation.

"What about those words he told you to research, Cyborg?" Miss Martian asked, even as the hands of the Dark Knight kept working on his console.

"Oh, yeah." Cyborg chuckled to himself as he recalled what Obari had told him before leaving the area after the battle. "Let's see... 'Genma,' 'Oni,'... 'Onimusha,' 'Buraitou,'... monsters, which is self-explanatory here, and... oh, I also heard him say 'Kyoto,' and the year 1598."

"We'll get to work on that intel on our end, Team." Batman stated to them. "For now, keep your communicators at the ready for new intel on this individual. That's all. See you all at next check-in." With that, the younger heroes nodded, and dispersed back to the main areas of the Tower, leaving the senior members to their discussions about this new person.

XXXXXX

As the Team and Cyborg departed from the Watchtower via Zeta Beam, Superman, Batman, and the others remained to review their findings. Wonder Woman, Zatanna and Fate were the ones most intrigued by the level of mystical energies that were present when the young man, now classified as 'Obari, the Onimusha' in their databases, had displayed to Cyborg.

"Where would you and Zatanna classify these energy wavelengths, Fate?" The Dark Knight asked, still in detective mode as he worked on the holographic screen, updating and quantifying Obari's profile further. The two magic-users looked at each other, then at the Amazon Princess nearby.

"Far older than the mystical signatures of the Olympians, Batman." Fate replied, prompting Diana to gasp at the implication.

"By Hera!" The Amazon ambassador exclaimed. "The boy wields powers as great as that of the Greek gods themselves!?" Zatanna nodded at Diana's retort.

"Yes, Princess; the best word to describe the energies that Cyborg recorded, and that we can still sense from that area now, is primordial." The lovely Homo Magi replied as she rubbed her temples. "Those energies are likely as old as the Earth itself, if our guess is correct. He could likely equal the powers of the Titans themselves."

Batman arched an eyebrow, his eyes already having determined new intel from what they now knew. "From what I've been able to gather, the Genma scourge were indeed a historical blight back in Japan, around the end of the 1500's. But, as to how they were finally defeated in the past, and by whom, only one word comes up to describe the force that destroyed them in the end." Superman spoke up at that.

"'Oni'..." The Kryptonian said. "... the Japanese word for 'demon.'"

"And, their chosen champion: 'Onimusha,' the 'Demon Warrior.'" Batman replied, tapping a few holo-keys to bring up a grainy image from an old history book. It depicted a being with glowing white eyes, flowing white hair reaching down his back, a shimmering grey gauntlet upon his right forearm, and a powerful-looking Japanese broadsword in his grasp. All the League members present gasped, including Diana.

"Athena, be merciful..." Diana murmured. "... he looks like an avenging demon who tore his way free from Tartarus."

"Many people likely thought the same thing, Diana, but the historical records I've been able to access clearly portray the Oni as benevolent to humanity." Batman stated from his console. "The instances of rogue Oni attacking humans are limited to only a small few. The Genma, however, are the ones who continually sought to destroy, consume, and subjugate humans." The League nodded at that before Batman continued on.

"Still, without solid evidence to support all this, it's best to remain vigilant when Obari pops up again on our radar." Zatanna half-frowned at the Dark Knight.

"Ever the pragmatist, Bats?" Zatanna grinned as Batman glared at her.

"Ever the realist, 'Zana. Expect the best, but always plan for the worst." Both Zatanna and Diana sighed exasperatedly at the Dark Knight's reply.

"All done, Bruce?" Superman commented as Batman dispelled his holo-screen, and stood up from his seat.

"The file on Obari is loaded, encrypted, and waiting for updates, Kent." Batman said as he checked his gauntlet-computer. "I have patrols to begin in Gotham. Keep me posted if anything comes up on your end." As the emotionless Dark Knight headed off, Zatanna and Diana rolled their eyes at their comrade's abrupt departure.

"Some things never change." Zatanna said to the air as she and the rest of the League got up and headed out of the meeting room.

XXXXXX

A short while later, back at the fully rebuilt Mount Justice base in Happy Harbor, Rhode Island, the 'Team' was up and congregating: both to acclimate themselves more with the new surroundings, and to induct yet another new - but seasoned - hero into their growing ranks.

"Bee!" Cyborg called out as he saw the yellow and black striped heroine. "Been way too long, girl!"

"Stone!" Bumblebee replied, flitting over to happily hug Cyborg as he stepped out and off of the Zeta Beam platforms. "Where you been hiding, Sparky?" Cyborg chuckled at her old nickname for him.

"Dad's been servicing and upgrading all my systems, and the chassis, girl." Flexing his armored arms, Cyborg struck a pose. "I can even hack a few more alien OS's from last time, and my neural matrix is ten times more extensive, and faster than before. Really helps me use all the new weapons systems Dad invented."

"Any new games under the hood, Cy?" Beast Boy quipped toward Cyborg, to which the cybernetic hero glared at the shape-shifter.

"You try that again, grass-stain...!" Beast Boy quickly darted away and under the nearest counter at the intense glare Cyborg gave him. The entire piece began shaking as Beast Boy hid from Cyborg's potential wrath.

"I was kidding, Cyborg! Just kidding! Honest!" Beast Boy wailed. "I learned my lesson not to mess with your systems, especially any of your onboard tech!" As the table kept shaking, Cyborg shook his head, prompting Aqualad to step forth and gently haul Beast Boy back to his feet.

"Are you done, Gar? We do have patrols to more out on." The Atlantean's tone quickly snapped Beast Boy back to reality, especially when Superboy and Miss Martian came in from the ops room.

"Batman finished uploading the data profile on Cyborg's new friend to us." The cloned Kryptonian stated. "Let's move."

XXXXXX

The patrols were quickly broken out to everyone there: Unit One was composed of Robin, Tigress, Blue Beetle, and Beast Boy, tasked to check on the city proper. Unit Two had Aqualad, Kid Flash (Bart Allen), Wonder Girl, and Batgirl, who were scouting out the coastlines. Unit Three held the remaining members - Miss Martian, Superboy, Cyborg, and Bumblebee, - who set off to listen for any silent alarms in the financial district.

The 'Team' had been deployed for less than an hour, but no one spotted a lone figure hidden on a warehouse rooftop, a pair of stealth binoculars in his grasp. For Obari - the figure in question - he was glad he was here tonight, since it allowed him to see the younger heroes who would one day soon be his allies. Next to him, a second person stood in silence, cloaked from view like Obari, but with platinum-colored lightning bolts on the side of his covered head under his hood.

The second figure smiled fondly as his own goggle optics recognized the lithe form of Tigress following Robin's lead. "She's still alive, thank God." Obari easily smiled when he heard his companion speak up.

"Then, my brother in arms, I will be honored to have the opportunity to reunite you with your heart's treasure... but in due time." Obari replied. "We shall maintain our distance from them for now. The temporal resonance is moving ahead of the first group, the one with your 'Tigress,' but their own movements are driving the resonance right toward the coastline." Obari's companion nodded.

"Then, judging by that, and from what I've learned hanging out with you..." The hooded person said, getting a huff from Obari. "... they're planning a perfect pincer move on those monsters. Either the Genma haven't noticed it yet... "

"... or they're planning on testing our friends." Obari finished. Packing away his binocs, he rose to his feet, checking his sheathed katana and holstered crossbow before turning to look at his friend.

"Well then, let's show them what happens when uninvited guests crash our patrols, eh, Kyo?" Obari smiled again at his companion.

"Fine by me... West." Obari said, and the two companions headed off.

Meanwhile, Unit One was quickly following Blue Beetle's lead, his scanners picking up on the very strange temporal distortions the moment they spiked. Robin was not one to waste time; he quickly alerted the other two teams of it. With all other sectors of the city confirmed to be clear, the 'Team' moved in to complete their evaluation, remaining on guard against attacks, but never suspecting that two more allies were waiting to aid them in the fight to come.

Over their communicators, even as they approached the rendezvous point, Robin checked in with Cyborg. "Hey, Cy, these distortions reading like the ones you and 'Obari' ran into down in Philly?"

"Affirmative, Boy Wonder, right down to their movements." Cyborg replied, confirming his scans over a separate channel with Blue Beetle. "It's building up, likely about to form a stable portal pretty soon, and that worries me."

"Why, amigo?" Blue Beetle called back, refining his scans through his Scarab armor to be sure of their position.

"Because what Obari and I fought against in Philly, Beetle, were only the foot soldiers of these 'Genma' creatures." Cyborg replied. "He took down those three enhanced beasties; 'Three-Eyes,' he called them, and he did not like them at all."

"No kidding." Blue Beetle called in again as Robin checked their position in relation to the approaching rendezvous. " I saw those scans, hermano. He was not happy to see those diablos. Que?... Un momento, amigos!... Got it! Cyborg! Tu tambien!?"

"Yep! Sending coördinates now!" Cyborg replied. "All Units, prepare to move in on my count! Standard holding pattern, Team, and full alert status! These things are seriously nasty! Rob, Tigress, BB, Batgirl: keep moving if we engage, and hit them until they stay down! Everyone else: your powers should affect them well enough to put them out of the fight! Go!"

Sure enough, in an empty parking lot, several groups of hissing Genma foot soldiers and Genma archers had appeared through forming portals, looking around for any humans to slaughter. However, these Genma had also been joined by FIVE fearsome Genma axemen moments later, as well as three Three-Eye, and two Dark Crows, more powerful and more agile versions of the Three-Eyes. The enhanced Three-Eyes were already flapping their wings, getting used to the lower air pressures before taking to the skies above to wreak havoc.

Unfortunately for those two Dark Crows, they were abruptly blasted out of the air by energy blasts and sonic disruptor bolts before they could even react! The other present Genma quickly turned to see Blue Beetle and Cyborg hovering nearby, and many of the undead creatures growled and hissed fiercely at them. They knew that the enhanced technology of the two heroes made them much harder to sense.

"If I were any of you, ya ugly mothers, I'd go back to where you came from, before we send you back there, on the end of an ass-whuppin'." Cyborg said coldly, the hum of his armed Sonic Disruptor loud and proud.

"You heard him, diablos. Vamos!" Blue Beetle followed by snapping out crackling blades on his left arm, to complement his right arm, which was still morphed into its beam cannon mode.

Even as the Genma hissed and screeched in response over the 'deaths' of their two decaying brethren, the rest of the Team took up their positions. Superboy smacked his fists together, creating a small sonic boom, while Miss Martian flexed her telekinetic energies in her hands, the air twisting as she viewed her opponents.

"Sounds like they wanna' rumble, eh, M?" Kon-El stated out loud.

"Fine by me; bring it on, you zombies!" Miss Martian answered. And so, the newest battle in Happy Harbor began.

XXXXXX

The Genma foot soldiers rushed first at the 'Team,' while the archers unleashed a hail of flaming arrows into the air. Robin, Batgirl, and Tigress met the foot soldiers in earnest, their combat training and fighting skills allowing them to hold their own against the reanimated creatures. Beast Boy, meanwhile, morphed himself into a green-hued, silverback gorilla, and promptly laid the smack down on any Genma who came his way.

Aqualad formed his water-bearers into curved short axes, chopping down any Genma who dared attack the Atlantean, while Wonder Girl took turns blocking away flaming arrows and sword stabs with her bracelets. She then went on the offensive, returning the favor with devastating punches and kicks. Kid Flash dashed into their midst, Genma soldiers falling left and right to his momentum-enhanced blows. The inherent strength of the Speed Force within Kid Flash felled the Genma like hay in the fire.

Bumblebee covered Kid Flash, her stingers flaring again and again with severe and precise bio-electric blasts, turning charging Genma soldiers and archers to quivering heaps of stunned corpses. Blue Beetle and Cyborg remained airborne, their targeting systems and weaponry easily repelling the fusillade of flaming arrows, while launching aerial assaults of their own upon the assembled Genma.

Meanwhile, Miss Martian watched Superboy's back, who charged at the Genma axemen holding back, and leveled one of them with a wicked haymaker. She, in turn, used her TK to repel away two of the approaching Three-Eyes, before catching a third one of them and crushing it into powder.

Obari and his companion 'West' had already moved closer to the fight, waiting for the right moment to join in and aid them against the Genma. Obari discreetly used his absorption ability to collect the huge amount of swirling red, yellow, and blue energies in their midst, and was rewarded for his patience when he also gathered up two very large purple-hued energy masses.

Those violet masses were the catalyst for his more powerful transformation, but he needed three more of them for that, so he would have to wait and see. Presently, as they saw Superboy slam down another Genma axeman, with Miss Martian using her TK as a shield to block attacks from the remaining Three-Eyes, Obari felt it: more Genma were coming through in seconds, and right then and there, Tigress was being crowded to where the portal would appear.

"West, get down there and guard your heart's treasure; they're trying to box her in near the portal." West nodded at his comrade's order.

"Got it." Obari then quickly added an important detail to his command.

"And, for both our sakes, goggles down, mask on, and don't say anything that she'll remember belongs to your memory." The hooded West frowned, but quickly pulled down his combat goggles over his eyes, and slid up his face guard, completely obscuring his features from view. "Go, Red Ghost: full throttle." Obari finished, and after a quick nod from West, the hooded hero sped away from Obari's position like a lightning bolt.

Obari then tapped his belt, which dispelled a mystical cloaking spell on himself. Doing so also revealed his streamlined samurai-style combat armor, designed for modern times, and complete with a sleek helmet that hid his eyes from view. His hi-tech katana was strapped to his waist, and his arcane crossbow was slung over his shoulder. "Time to move; come forth! Senpumaru!" Obari shouted, focusing his inner spirit as he had done when he and Cyborg and fought the Genma before.

Below in the fight, Superboy was grappling with one of the last Genma axemen, straining against the supernatural creature due to his innate weakness against magic. But, when his enhanced hearing picked up on a burst of crackling energy coming from the forming portal only a few meters behind Tigress, he shouted out a warning as he did his best to push his way past the growling Genma creäture! "Tigress! Incoming!"

After dispatching a few foot soldiers, Tigress suddenly found herself facing off against a much larger group of Genma on her own, and saw that they were about to be reinforced by a new group of Three-Eyes coming out of the portal. "Tigress! Watch out!" Robin shouted as he tried to hack his way to her, but too many Genma blocked his path, and no one else was close enough.

Tigress braced herself for the rush of ground-sliding Genma coming at her, only for something to snatch her up and out of harm's way, right before a massive cyclone spun into being right before her eyes! The abrupt whirlwind hurled the entire group of shocked Three-Eyes skyward! As the emerald energies within the tornado tore into the Genma inside it, a lone figure landed in their midst, brandishing a double-bladed silver and green naginata staff that swirled with air currents around its length.

"Senpumaru! Gale Saber!" The person shouted before spinning his weapon once, and hurling an emerald-hued spiral of wind currents at the remaining Genma axemen before him! The attack tore into them again and again, until nothing remained but dust and swirling lights. With a flick of his empty hand, the person pulled all those floating lights right into his palm like a vacuüm. The 'Team' instantly knew who this new person among them was.

Only ten Genma soldiers and two axemen remained in the parking lot now, and the 'Team' had them surrounded. Blue Beetle and Cyborg both kept target locks on the dying portal to make sure that no more reinforcements came through, while the others stayed ready for action, thankfully able to catch their breath after the newcomer's prompt arrival to the battle.

XXXXXX

When she got her bearings, Tigress found herself perched on a picnic table, none the worse for wear, but in the distance, she could have sworn that she saw a black and red blur disappearing into the city. ('How...? Who was that?') She mused to herself, and yet in her heart of hearts, she felt something... familiar. ('No, it just couldn't be him... he died during the invasion... right? ... Wally...') Tigress could only wonder as Bumblebee and Batgirl moved in to see if she was okay.

Meanwhile, Superboy, Aqualad, Beast Boy, Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, and Miss Martian, along with the armored man holding the emerald naginata, stared down the last remaining Genma. Then, the newcomer spoke up, his tone firm and fierce to the undead creatures.

"Your time here is finished. Leave now, or be destroyed." The Genma hissed at the bold warrior's words, but his battle stance never wavered an inch. Under his breath, Obari quickly whispered out his plan to Superboy. "Take the axeman on the left with your Martian ally, Kryptonian. I'll take the right one, and your teammates can handle the rest of these vermin. Ready?"

Superboy grinned in response, happy to pound on another one of these disgusting monsters. The Genma roared out their reply and charged, and the 'Team' - with Obari at their side - answered them in kind. Superboy caught the Genma axeman's opening swing by grabbing the handle of the descending weapon, halting it in mid-strike, his teeth gritting as he held his own against the growling Genma.

Miss Martian guarded his back as he faced off against the burly Genma, blasting any foot soldiers with her TK who tried to blind side Superboy. Just then, as Obari began to block away the blows of the last Genma axeman, Superboy roared out in exertion at his opponent, right as a surge of something went through the Kryptonian clone's hands, utterly disintegrating the Genma's hands!

Shocked stiff by what had happened, Superboy missed the limbless Genma kicking him backwards, but Miss Martian quickly TK-blasted the creäture away from Conner, and right into the range of Obari's now-swirling wind tunnel. As the last few Genma foot soldiers and the defeated axemen were crushed into nothingness by Obari's deadly wind attack, the rest of the 'Team' converged on Superboy to see if he was okay.

"Are you all right!?" Miss Martian cried as she quickly levitated down to Conner, while Cyborg and Blue Beetle made sure the area was clear of any other Genma.

"What happened, man?" Robin inquired as he joined his friends, double-checking his own gauntlet computer's readings.

"I... I don't know..." Superboy replied, his lips moving as he stared down at his hands, and wondered what that was. Then, a calm voice spoke up among them.

"Perhaps... I can help." Obari said as he slowly approached the young heroes, stopping to calmly banish the humming Senpumaru from his grasp.

"You're... Obari, right?" Batgirl asked, her hands hanging loosely by her utility belt as she eyed Obari. He nodded, then responded by tapping the side of his helmet, causing it to quickly retract itself into a simple facial mask, revealing the tall, midnight black top-knot ponytail trailing down the back of his head.

"How goes it, Cyborg?" Obari commented. "Or, would 'Stone' suffice better here, with your friends and allies?" Obari's words rang true to Cyborg, as did his voice patterns when Cyborg compared them to his memory banks. It was the same warrior who had helped Cyborg fight against the Genma in Philadelphia, no doubt about it.

"Man, O, just how many weapons you got on you?" Cyborg asked as Obari checked his sheathed weapons on his back and hip.

"Enough for the long haul, Cy. For now, how about we just check on your friend here and see how he is, hmm?" Obari replied, even though Superboy gave him a half-glare.

"I don't like being poked and prodded." The Kryptonian clone firmly stated, to which Obari shook his head.

"I'm planning on doing nothing of the sort, my good man." Superboy frowned at Obari's reply.

"Kon-El." Superboy said. "That's my name." To that retort, Obari respectfully bowed toward Superboy.

"And I am quite honored to know it, and you, Kon-El." Obari said. "Everyone, Cyborg knows me as Obari. But, after all this, as well as what happened in Philadelphia, it's high time that you know my real name." Obari took up a warrior's stance, and bowed to them all once more. "Kyosuke Tenkai, chosen warrior of the Oni Council, the latest one to be named... Onimusha." Looking over at Miss Martian, the revealed Kyosuke bowed again.

"I am also quite honored to meet one of the Martian people. You do your uncle proud every time you face down evil, my dear." Kyosuke said. "Besides, your talents will help us understand what is occurring with your friend Kon-El here."

"Me? How?" Miss Martian replied, confused at Kyosuke's words. The Oni warrior calmly answered her quick response.

"If I suspect correctly, Miss Martian, in time, your friend here will soon be developing new abilities, and in the very near future." Kyosuke said.

"New abilities?" Robin asked. ""But, both Batman and Atom concluded that Superboy couldn't age any further, not to mention gain new powers." Kyosuke nodded at the new Boy Wonder.

"That may be true, Robin, but human evolution can always have mutations to its own existence." Obari replied. "I suspect that when Superboy here was being 'engineered,' per say, they did not take that into account, nor did they both to see if Kryptonian DNA could benefit from such a mutation. Though now, I would probably call what is going on with Kon-El an evolution of his abilities."

"You're obviously more than you appear to be, Tenkai." Tigress piped in with a slightly insulting tone, prompting Kyosuke to nod.

"A warrior's education leaves nothing overlooked in its scope... Miss Crock." The last two words from Kyosuke were gently said, but the group flinched at what the Oni warrior had revealed to them.

"You... you know...?" Batgirl replied, a Batarang already in hand, and Kyosuke nodded again.

"Yes. And, what have I done with said knowledge...?" The group was silent at Kyosuke's quick reply, allowing him to continue on. "Indeed; nothing. We all have reasons why we do what we do, and the secrets we keep are proof of that." Kyosuke paused after saying that, then calmly gestured toward a thick treeline nearby with his head. "Isn't that right... Batman?"

The whole 'Team' gasped at that bold statement from Kyosuke, but were silenced by the firm, low-toned response from the shadows. "How long were you aware that I was here, Mr. Kyosuke Tenkai?" With those gravelly words, the Dark Knight himself emerged from the darkness to stand before the 'Team' and Kyosuke.

XXXXXX

While the rest of the 'Team' shook off their surprise at Batman's appearance, Robin just facepalmed himself. "You just arrived here, after the Watchtower tracked Kyosuke's own mystical signature, right?" Batman nodded at his newest protegé's deduction, his eyes never wavering from their focus on Kyosuke, who amazingly remained stoic and patient under the Dark Knight's fearsome gaze.

"You said, 'an evolution of Kon-El's abilities.' Why do you suspect that?" Batman stated, to which Kyosuke simply folded his eyes across his chest before responding.

"As in all things created and given life, in any universe, Batman, nature will always find a way. May I?" Batman watched Kyosuke warily as he approached Superboy, with Miss Martian standing by. Slowly raising his right arm up, Kyosuke closed his eyes and spoke out loud in Japanese. Batman quickly translated the words in his mind:

('By the will of the Oni, manifest thyself. Gauntlet of the Oni.')

At that request, energy swirled into being around Kyosuke's right arm, forming into a sleek armored gauntlet moments later, with an curved oval extension over the back of his hand! "This..." Kyosuke began. "... is the physical representation of an ancient and sacred contract between humanity and the Oni, forever vowing to aid them against evil, and against the threat of the Genma." At those words, the oval extension on the gauntlet 'blinked' at all of them!

"Whoa! That thing's alive!?" Tigress exclaimed, only to get twin death-glares from both the Dark Knight and Kyosuke.

"Does not the Helmet of Fate channel the will and spirit of a Lord of Order?" Kyosuke curtly replied, prompting Tigress to quickly button up her lip.

"Go on." Batman said. Looking at Batman once more, Kyosuke continued on.

"You may monitor the scan I'll perform here on Superboy with any of your gadgets, Batman." Kyosuke said before turning to Miss Martian, and speaking again. "Miss Martian, you may follow the scan's intent with your telepathy... but remember this: we are here to help HIM..." Kyosuke pointed at Superboy. "... not for you to attempt to look into my mind, or to try and discern the sacred life-force of the gauntlet. Agreed?"

Miss Martian nodded, her surprise evident on her face at Kyosuke's deduction of her possible actions and intentions.

"Can we get this over with already?" Superboy growled. Kyosuke simply smiled, and nodded at the Kryptonian's irritation.

"As you wish; now, Kon-El, please pass your hand over the eye of the gauntlet. It will not scan your mind, but rather, it will read only the living aura of your body. Then, it will tell us what is going on with you." Nodding at Kyosuke's explanation, Superboy did so, and a moment later, a gold and blue aura came into being around him, while the ancient gauntlet hummed in response.

Batman quickly took out a particular scanning device from his belt to oversee what was going on, while Miss Martian's eyes glowed white. Kyosuke was silent as the gauntlet continued its inspection, and then spoke up. "I see. Display a visual image here, one that only all of us can see." The gauntlet's calm tune changed for a moment, and then, a shimmering orb appeared above it!

The orb replayed images of Superboy's life: from his escape from Cadmus; his joining the others as part of the 'Team'; and a few other moments of his life, including one of the times he made use of the 'shield' boosters he had gotten from Lex Luthor. Superboy quickly frowned at that, mindful of his failures as much as his growth among the others as friends and family.

Then, the orb shifted its shape, becoming a ghostly image of a multi-helical DNA strand, and both Kyosuke and Batman inspected it very closely before the Oni champion spoke up to them all. "I was right. Kon-El, your Kryptonian DNA, through its combination with the human DNA at your germination, with your usage of those shields that were made to suppress your human DNA in your lifetime, has evolved by incorporating the human DNA fragment directly into its own structure."

Batman arched up an eyebrow, silently noting Kyosuke's advanced understanding of biology and genetics. ('He is far more than he has shown us.') The Dark Knight thought to himself as Kyosuke continued to study the image before them all.

"So, how was I able to do what I did to that creäture?" Superboy asked. Kyosuke paused to listen to the gauntlet's humming once more, then answered Kon-El's question.

"As the human DNA is fully melding with your Kryptonian DNA, Kon-El, it is triggering an ongoing evolution in you, one that will allow you to further emulate more of your innate Kryptonian abilities." Batman spoke next at that statement.

"Are you suggesting that Kon-El's body will produce a different phenomenon that will allow him similar abilities to Superman?" Kyosuke nodded at Batman.

"Yes, Batman, I am." Kyosuke replied, reaching up over his gauntlet and gently turning the glowing image. "If my assumption is correct - and the Oni Gauntlet's observations are quite dead-on - then Kon-El will likely develop powerful physical-based psychic phenomenons that will approximate the normal powers of a full Kryptonian."

"How so?" Miss Martian asked, her eyes full of wonder at looking at the image before them all, and Kyosuke calmly answered back.

"Advanced telekinetic-based flight capabilities, near equal to Superman, as well as what we all saw: his 'tactile telekinesis,' a disruptive touch that can pulverize most targets that he touches when he wills it." Kyosuke stated. "Also, he should develop a telekinetic bio-energy field that will greatly magnify his strength, endurance, and durability to said near-Kryptonian levels. And, most prominent of all, Kon-El should soon develop a type of telekinetic and concussive force blast ability that he will be able to direct through his eyes, granting him offensive optic skills like Superman."

Hearing all this, Superboy looked up in wonder at Kyosuke. "I... I can truly be, like him, in the future?" Kyosuke smiled as he dispelled the image.

"Kon-El, you will be, just as you already are, a true credit to the House of El, regardless of how you came into being." Kyosuke commented.

XXXXXX

The 'Team' was all congratulating Kon-El on his potential being realized, especially Miss Martian, who hugged him tight. Kyosuke had stepped away from them, dispelling the Oni Gauntlet from his arm, while summoning his sentient motorcycle from a hiding place nearby. Batman remained silent, slowly observing Kyosuke as the Oni champion checked the small display on its chassis.

"Aren't you going to invite me back to your Watchtower, Batman?" Kyosuke asked as he stowed his hi-tech katana back into its saddlebag, but kept his retracted crossbow slung on his back. Batman's eyes narrowed, but in deliberation, not distrust.

"My research indicates that you would pose an unacceptable risk to the safety of the personnel there, and the Watchtower itself, should you be... provoked." Kyosuke turned around, leaning against his motorcycle as he gazed back at the Dark Knight.

"And I know of ancient ninja masters who would be highly jealous of your impressive skills in battle, Batman... and also, how they would be greatly honored to know that you are upholding such a legacy with your actions." Batman arched his eyebrow again behind his cowl as Kyosuke settled into the bike's seat.

"Have your magically adept allies being their preparations for all the non-powered heroes fighting against the Genma, Batman." Kyosuke spoke again as Accelous powered up beneath him. "The next incursion will be larger, and more powerful Genma will come. Do not wait." Batman nodded before Kyosuke drove off into the night.

XXXXXX

Kyosuke drove for a while, until he arrived at an abandoned marina dock. Leaving Accelous in motorcycle mode (and shielded), Kyosuke extended his ethereal senses outward, looking to see if anyone - especially Batman - had followed him. Sensing that he was in the clear, Kyosuke summoned the Oni Gauntlet once more, walked over to an empty building, touched its door, and suddenly vanished from sight!

Kyosuke now found himself in a modest apartment, the rendezvous point for himself and his ally. Walking in, he soon found his friend sitting on the floor by the couch, an empty six-pack of light beer and six empty bags of caramel-covered popcorn strewn out over the floor. Kyosuke smiled gently, as he looked over at the uncovered face of the Red Ghost, revealing him as Wally West, formerly known as the first one on the 'Team' to bear the title of Kid Flash.

Once believed to have died helping to stop the last of the Reach's doomsday devices, the Oni people had found him alive, trapped within a crystal tomb within the timestream itself five years ago. Kyosuke's mother, Lady Tenmara, had freed Wally from his stasis, and welcomed him into their world. Wally had lived those years as Kyosuke's adopted cousin, who had helped him master all of his superspeed abilities - as well as some new and very innovative ones, - while also helping him to craft his new identity as the Red Ghost, preparing him for his return to the human world.

Wally had been crying to himself, his eyes red and his nose runny, and Kyosuke knew full well why. "She was in my arms, Kyo... she was safe again,... with me... my spitfire... she's still hurting..." Wally trailed off as he began to sob anew into his hands. Kyosuke just sat down on the couch, and put a gentle hand on Wally's shoulder, letting him cry for his missing treasure.

"I know, Wally." Kyosuke said. "You'll be back with her soon; I promise you that."

Well, there is chapter four. Hope you all enjoyed it; now, to plan out what comes next... heh heh heh...