A Hero's Journey Chapter 1: Answer to a Prayer, a X-overs + DC Superheroes Crossover fanfic

I always wanted to write a story from a first-person point of view. Let's see how it goes.

For the new readers, I hope you enjoy the story. For the old readers, I made tons of changes. If you want to know what they are, you can read it in the author's note in chapter 03.

Disclaimer: I do not own DC or any other characters from other franchise

Chapter 1

The Answer to a Prayer

Everything hurt.

A silent scream left my lips.

The pain was unbearable.

There was a myth that in one's final moments, glimpses of their life would flash before their eyes. But for me, there was nothing. No flashes, no visions, no recalls. Perhaps the myth was incorrect, or perhaps my bleak life had very little to show me, even in my last moments. Or maybe it hurt so much that surviving was all I could think of.

I struggled for another breath.

Why was I still alive?

Why was it not ending?

Make it stop!

Just, make it stop!

Please!

At least the scene before me was a satisfyingly pleasing one – the shooter, who took many lives including mine, was choking on his own blood. He was clutching his neck trying to stop the bleeding caused by the knife wound that I gave him.

I tried to chuckle when I noticed the fear in his eyes, but only a garbled sound came out of my mouth. I guess the bastard finally understood. He was not going to make it either.

And neither was I.

Why did I try to be a hero?

I tried to take another breath.

Why?!

Our world had no place for heroes.

I knew people were surrounding me, calling out to me, telling me something. But I couldn't understand them.

My vision was getting blurrier…

Breathing was becoming more painful…

Everything hurt!

Make it stop!

Please…

…

...

And, it stopped.

"What?"

I blinked a few times.

Just a second ago, every inch of my body hurt. The pain was unimaginable, something that I had never felt before. But now, I felt… fine?

But when my vision adjusted, I realized something very crucial.

"What the fuck!"

I was not in the shopping mall. I was… honestly, I had no idea where I was. Open clear sky with nothing in sight while the land beneath my feet appeared as if it was made of clouds.

I slowly stood up, trying my best not to make any sudden movements. When I was fully standing, I tapped the ground lightly.

The clouds were solid. At least the one I am standing on.

One less thing to worry about I suppose.

Next was the self-checkup. I gave myself a few pat downs, making sure everything was intact. No wounds, no blood, my clothes were clean and mended, and I was not missing any important bits from my body.

With that out of the way, I stood straighter.

Was I dreaming? I never smoked anything weird or drank myself to oblivion. It had nothing to do with virtue, I was just plain broke. So those were out of the equation. Then, the only plausible explanation was that I had exhausted myself into sleep.

Or was I dead? And this is the afterworld. Honestly, this would make more sense considering a dream cannot be this vivid. The details, the sensations, and the emotions.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.

"Does it mean I get to see my family again?"

"Quite the sentimental one, aren't you?"

"What the fuck?!"

Screaming my lungs out, I jump away from the sound while raising my hands and taking a lousy defensive stance.

Even though the voice was gentle and calming, I didn't get my hopes up. I just wished that it did not belong to one of the angels from the Bible. What I saw in various sources, their appearances, scared the shit out of me.

To my relief, it was not.

The person in front of me looked ordinary, too ordinary in fact – an elderly man with a long white beard, dressed in simple, flowing robes.

Suddenly, images started to flash before my eyes. Random images of comic books and blog posts. For the first few seconds, I had no idea what the hell was going on but then, I saw the pattern. And a few more seconds later, I finally saw the full picture.

When I realized who was in front of me, I couldn't shake the nervousness away, "Forgive me if I'm being rude, but are you...?"

"Yes, James, I am Presence," the person replied.

I opened my mouth, then closed it as my mind completely stopped working for a few seconds. Or was it a minute? And when the gears finally started turning, I started blabbering, "Wait! Stop! Stop! You're the Presence? As in the Big G from the DC universe?!"

"Big G, now that is something new," The Presence chuckled. "Deep breaths, James. At this rate, I would not be surprised if you pass out."

He was right. I was hyperventilating.

I closed my eyes and started to take deep breaths. Yes, I was having a meltdown. Being the nerd that I was, I was passionate about comics, manga, games, and novels. And the DC universe was one of my favorites. I watched the majority of the movies and series, and tried to get my hands on as many comics as I could. So of course, I was having a breakdown now.

Who wouldn't?

But was this real?

My excitement dissipated instantly as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over me. After all, this was too good to be true.

"Is this a dream?" I blurted out.

Presence smiled.

And then the ground beneath me disappeared.

"What the fu~ck?!"

But instead of falling from the sky, I realized that I was standing on solid ground. It took my brain a few seconds to process that my entire surroundings changed, not just the ground.

Still, I tapped the ground with my hand, feeling the concrete, "Don't do that! Seriously! I almost shat myself!"

And when I looked up and the saw building in front of me, I realized where I was now.

It was the Daily Planet building with its iconic globe at the top.

Then someone pushed past me.

An ordinary man with a muscular build which was hard to notice over his conservative clothing. And then there was that thick-rimmed glasses…

"Sorry."

I blinked a few times.

"Was that…"

Out of nowhere, Presence appeared beside me making me scream again, "Jesus Christ!"

He gave me an amused look, "Wrong world, young one."

I turned away, hiding my embarrassment by coughing into my hands.

The embarrassment disappeared when I heard the sound of people chattering as they walked past me, the smell of hotdogs coming from the nearby food stand, and the feeling of strong wind hitting my skin.

"This is real."

"Apologies for spooking you but at certain times, actions speak louder than words," Presence said.

I couldn't refute it. He was right.

Suddenly, something came to my mind, and I started to freak out even more. "Alright, deep breaths, James, deep breaths," I cleared my throat and tried to look at Presence but I could not meet his eyes directly, not sure if was it because I was fangirling or scared shitless. Still, I needed to say this piece, "Okay, so umm," I coughed into my hands to stop stuttering, "I hope I'm not jumping the gun, but is this one of those scenarios where I get to reincarnate in another world?"

"This is why it is always a pleasure to chat with people like you, James," Presence looked amused. I did not know why, but I was not going to question it. "Yes, if you wish, you have the choice to reincarnate into the DC universe," He finished his sentence while pointing at the city around him.

It was hard to describe how I felt at that moment. I was going to the world of DC, the birthplace of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Supergirl, Zatanna, Poison Ivy, Joker, Trigon, Darkseid, Anti-Monitor...

Suddenly, I did not feel so enthusiastic.

The DC universe was where many of my favorite heroes lived and so did quite a few of my fantasy crushes. But DC was also quite infamous for housing some of the worst villains ever, both in terms of power and cruelty.

"Of course, I will not be sending you there empty-handed."

My eyebrows shot up. "Really?" Seeing the knowing look on Presence's face, I cleared my throat again. Either he was reading my mind or I was an open book to him. Not that I had a problem with it, far from it. After all, this was making the conversation easier, "I apologize if I'm being forward, but may I know what powers I'll receive?"

Presence chuckled. "Let us make this interesting, shall we? Since you are a fan of various worlds, you can choose any fictional character or item, and I will grant you similar powers. Of course, your choice is limited to one ability and they cannot be from the DC universe."

I felt my shoulders sag, "Seriously?"

"One, it makes things interesting. And two, it gives you an upper hand, no?"

"Upper-hand?" That part confused me, "May I know how?"

"Any power you choose from this universe," A golden orb materialized above Presence's palm, "Even if they are created directly by me, will be connected or monitored by, let's say, higher beings," Multiple chains appeared from beneath his palm before reaching out to the golden orb and binding it, "But a power from outside will be untethered," The orb changed its color from golden to purple and the chains retreated.

"That was cool," I blurted out earning a light chuckle from Presence.

Then something hit me. If this was actually happening, then did it mean there were other universes? Other realities? If so, then where was our world in this? Or our world was always a part of…

I shook my head to clear my mind. The questions were valid, very much so, but I couldn't be distracted. Not when I was in the middle of choosing my ability. This step was beyond crucial since my life depended on this. If I could get this right, then my journey in DC would be filled with fun adventures. And if I mess this up then the genre would turn into a horror one.

One of the safest choices was Goku or any Saiyans from the Dragon Ball universe. Their raw power and the ability to grow were unmatched, something that would be incredibly useful in DC. Yes, I was biased since Dragon Ball was my favorite series. Still, I knew for a fact that I shouldn't rush this.

After all, I only had one shot.

I closed my eyes and tried to think of all the possible scenarios. And within a minute, I found a major issue.

I cleared my throat once more, "I have a question."

"No, you will not receive any end-level powers right from the start. And yes, your powers will have almost similar restrictions to their original counterparts. And no," the Presence was evidently enjoying this, "there will be no plot armor to support you in your, let's say, journey."

"Shit."

So much for the DB universe. Goku's rate of growth was no joke. But his powers, or any of the Saiyans', required constant, grueling training and numerous life-or-death battle situations to evolve. And if there was no plot armor, I was not sure how I would obtain 'Ultra Instinct.' There was one exception, Broly, but his power-up forms were uncontrollable just like Hulk's. And I could not recall any theories on how to control the Legendary Super Saiyan form. It would be counter-productive to have so much power with no control over it. Plus, I didn't know how well a Saiyan would fare against magic and mind control. What if Saiyans had zero resistance against them? Then I was fucked.

A better alternative was the Marvel Universe, but unfortunately, I could not use anything from there. I loved the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I could not say the same about the Marvel universe itself. I was aware that there were numerous characters in the Marvel universe, particularly mutants, who possessed some crazy hax powers. There were many, if I was not mistaken, who could easily match the strongest DC characters, but I did not know their names or the intricate details of their abilities.

I should have watched some Marvel series. I cursed, in my head of course, since I did not want to display more of my foul language to the Presence.

Still, I could try for Magneto's powers, but there was a theory that his strength came from his intelligence. While I was not stupid, I was not double Ph.D. smart either.

I needed real hax powers if I wanted to survive in the DC universe. Hax powers that I could fully utilize from the start and abuse whenever it was possible. Let's just say watching 'Justice League Dark: Apokolips War' left me scarred, in a lying-in-bed-questioning-the-existence-of-the-world kind of way.

Then, it hit me.

Many of the most powerful characters I knew had to endure tragic, often brutal life events to evolve their powers. I realized that the struggles, hardships, and losses they faced were what shaped them and why we, as audiences, loved them so much. However, some unique cases also came with undesirable consequences.

For instance, in the manhwa 'Solo Leveling' the protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo, had to kill living beings and turn their corpses into his minions. He also had to train and fight constantly to level up. Unlike the world of 'Solo Leveling' the DC universe did not have dungeons for me to exploit. Even if I were to get access to dungeons, Necromancy was not an ability I was comfortable with.

As I was considering these characters, I suddenly realized something. Why was I focusing only on the popular mainstream series? What if I expanded my options beyond that? It can be games, silly series, or even folklore. For example:

The physique of Doomguy from the Doom games.

Abilities of Simon from the Gurren Lagann series.

And it did not take long for me to remember a particular anime that had quite a few unique hax abilities.

This was it! This could be my trump card for the DC universe.

I faced Presence again, "Well, you see, there is this anime, not a popular one. But in that world, humans possess, how do I say, divine tools? And the strongest of them have some, let's say, eccentric powers. I wish to have one particular divine tool from here."

"If you do not mind, will you share the memory with me?"

This was unexpected.

I felt my face burning. Could I really show Presence the anime I was talking about? After all, the anime in question would raise a lot of eyebrows. And let's not mention the primary focus of the anime.

"I have no problem explaining…"

"It can take quite some time."

"I am in no rush…"

"I may get the details of the tool wrong."

The presence was definitely enjoying this.

I squeezed my eyes shut and bit my lower lip. The internal struggle was quite strong. But in the end, I relented since my goddamn future depended on this.

With a stiff smile, I nodded.

Presence just blinked once, and then his eyebrows shot up just as I expected, "Well… that was new."

I felt like burying myself.

"You are a healthy young man, it is understandable," the grin and the tone were not helping, "And, if I am not mistaken, you want the tool with the 'Creation' power, correct?"

I nodded again.

There was a silence for a brief moment before Presence let out a small smile, "Very well," his smile widened, "It is done."

I blinked once, twice, and then looked down. I started patting myself, gently of course, "I don't feel any different though."

"That never gets old," Presence chuckled, "There are no special effects for that. But rest assured, you have received the ability."

His words made me smile shyly. I looked at my hands as I kept clenching and unclenching my fists. When was the last time I was filled with such excitement and a sense of renewed hope? I was given a new beginning… a second chance.

And I was determined not to waste it.

I looked back up to meet the Presence's gaze. He gave me a reassuring smile before extending his arm, "Next, I would like you to have this."

A translucent palm-sized orb appeared in front of me. And in the very middle of it, there was another orb, tiny and flickering. I refrained from going along with my first instinct which was to poke it.

"You should be quite familiar with this."

"Okay," I replied uncertainly since I was not sure what he meant.

Presence pointed at me, "If I may."

The moment I nodded back, the orb disappeared. Not a second later, I felt a shiver running through my whole body, "Okay, I definitely felt that one."

In the next second, a transparent screen appeared in front of me. Needless to say, I flinched and took a step back.

…

Status Window

Name: James Bryan

Title: N/A

Class: Gamer

Race: Human

Level: 1 (Next level: 0 / 1000)

HP: 100

MP: 50

STR: 5

STA: 7

DEX: 4

INT: 9

WIS: 9

LUK: Updating

Attribute points: Updating

Gears: Updating

Specialties: Reader's Knowledge (Level 82), Gamer's Mind (Level max), Gamer's Body (Level max)

…

I blinked a few times. The screen was still there. I rubbed my eyes. The outcome was still the same.

"Are you serious?! A Gamer's ability?! In DC?!"

"Let's calm down a bit, shall we?" Presence waved his hand, and instantly I calmed down and felt pieces of information rushing inside my head; fortunately, not in a way that would have given me a migraine.

"Yes, to all of your questions," Presence chuckled, his warm and gentle tone helped me to calm down, "Why not you give it a go?"

"Umm," I looked at the status window which was still hovering in front of me, "Details?"

…

[Specialty] Unique abilities that no other beings from the Source can possess.

[Reader's Knowledge] Grants the user the knowledge of events from the past, present, and future as well as restricted information on many beings from the Source.

[Gamer's Mind] Allows the user to remain calm and in control of his/herself at all times. The user will not be affected or manipulated by outer influence or beings.

[Gamer's Body] Allows the user to view and live his/her life as though it is a game. HP represents life force, status point represents physical and mental capabilities. The user can grow by gaining 'Experience' and by obtaining 'Attribute Points'.

…

Would you like to view the details of the Game attributes?

[Yes] [No]

…

The infamous 'Gamer' ability. Who would have guessed?

Of course, I felt beyond ecstatic at the beginning. But now that the initial shock died down? I was conflicted.

I closed my eyes to focus and recall my memories.

The concept of gaining a 'Gamer' ability and having the world react like a game-like environment was appealing. But the biggest plus point was that this ability, without a doubt, would greatly aid me in my growth. Considering the world I was about to enter, this was a no-brainer.

It was supposed to be a no-brainer.

But I read enough manga and fictions, and watched enough anime to know the pitfall of this ability.

But the intense internal struggle stilled when a question popped up in my head, "Do I wish to treat my next life as a game?"

I turned around and looked at the Daily Planet building. Somehow, looking at that iconic structure gave me the strength. Then, without making eye contact with Presence, I blurted out, "Can I not have this ability?"

"You... do not want this?"

Hearing his tone, I met Presence's gaze but I could not decipher the emotion on his face, "Please don't take this the wrong way. This is a great ability, and I know for certain that it will help me grow rapidly. And I would love to see certain stats, for example, Health and a variation of Level? Maybe even specialties. But..."

My eyes went to the floating screen, fixating on certain details.

…

[Gamer's Mind] Allows the user to remain calm and in control of his/herself at all times. The user will not be affected or manipulated by outer influence or beings.

…

Yes, it felt good and was extremely useful to see the concrete proof of one's growth. This numbering system was perfect for this. And in numerous situations, it would choose what was the best for you as well as would create an optimal path for your growth.

But, there was a pattern I had seen in almost every Gamer series and fictions. In exchange for overwhelming power, the system would slowly destroy your humanity.

Feeling no emotions regardless of the situation, consistently doing missions and repetitive tasks to upgrade my stats, and viewing the inhabitants of a world as nothing but an experience container – was it truly living? Because real life was not like that. There were no checkpoints or numbers. Life was precious and fleeting, and I learned this lesson the hard way today.

And I knew myself more than anyone. Without a doubt, I would fall for this. It might take a while but after a certain point, I would blindly follow the system and the numbers, disregarding the world and the people around me.

I didn't want that.

I took a deep breath and met Presence's gaze once more, resolutely this time, "I want to appreciate and cherish not just my life but everyone else around me. I want to experience the world as a real human being, not see it through the lens of numbers and points. I don't want to lose my emotions and," I cleared my dry throat, "I don't want this life to be a game."

For a moment, Presence remained silent, with an unreadable expression. But then, he smiled. This smile felt different to me, but I could not explain why. Then his expression became regretful, "This system is designed not only to assist you to navigate through our world but also to protect you from higher beings and their mechanisms," He paused before giving me a knowing look, "I have a feeling you know some of them."

Oh shit!

"Okay, that changes things…" There was no way I was going to give up that protection but should I bet my humanity for that?

I felt like my brain was going to melt from overthinking. And then, it hit him.

"Will you hear a request of mine, Presence?" I asked. And when I saw him nodding, I continued, "Will you read my mind?"

It seemed I was able to catch him off guard yet again. But I didn't stop since I wanted to finish this in one breath, "You see, there are certain features of 'Gamer's System' that I hate and some that I need. Can you read through my mind and if possible, adjust the system? You can also check all the games I played if you need some reference. I know there are quite a few games and stories where the game system focuses on skills rather than levels, but I am having a hard time remembering the details. So, can you help me out here? Please?"

I cringed when I realized what I just said. But it was done. All I could do was hope with all my heart that I didn't sound like a pushover there. Or worse, blew this whole thing up.

Out of nowhere, I felt a shiver. Then the hovering screen flickered twice, catching my attention. And a second later, the words changed.

…

[Status]

Name: James Bryan

Title: Outsider

Race: Human

Class: [Relic Evoker]

Threat Level: Updating…

Health: 100%

Energy: 100%

Offense: I

Defense: I

Speed: I

Intellect: IX

Traits & Abilities:

· Gamer's System Lite [OA]

· Annihilation Maker [OA] [Level I]

· Reader's Knowledge [OA]

…

I blinked a few times to make sure I was seeing it right, "Okay… this is awesome!"

"I am thrilled that you appreciate it," Presence beamed at me with his usual smile, "I adjusted the setting based on your preferences," He paused for a moment before adding, "And this game, Dungeons and Dragons, gave me some novel ideas. My thanks."

I did nothing other than nodding back enthusiastically. Now I know why this 'Lite' version looked familiar. I could see the similarities with Dungeons and Dragons but I was glad that it was not a full copy-paste of the board game. To me, the gamer's system that I received felt like a simplified version of an already simple game design.

And this is exactly what I wanted.

A gamer's system that would allow me to prioritize the world, the people, and the events rather than the numbers. And the best part was that if the system followed DnD's design…

"With this, I think we are ready."

His words woke me up from my trance.

My eyes widened when I noticed the surroundings – a colorless still world, "Whoa!"

The sound of sparks made me flinch as I turned toward the source of it.

A portal appeared beside me. And through it, I could see various cities and areas, those that until now only existed in the pages of comic books and behind the screen of a television.

I felt goosebumps all over my body, "This is real!"

"Are you ready?"

I grinned from ear to ear, "You bet!"

"Before you leave," Presence's tone caught my attention, "Do you wish to ask me anything? Any questions? After all, this is our first and last encounter."

Just like that, I felt my blood freezing. The happiness I was feeling, the excitement… it all just vanished. Because I had a question. The same question that came to me when I realized all this was real.

"Why?" I took a deep breath to muster up the courage to finish the question, "Why me?"

The strength it took to utter those two simple words was unimaginable.

"You know why," An ambiguous answer, one that I didn't like.

"No, I don't. I had nothing. I achieved nothing. And I died a dog's death! So, no. I don't see why I was chosen," I said through gritted teeth before calming myself down by taking a few deep breaths, "But you know what, I don't care. I am getting a second chance and I get to experience the world of DC. Even if it is a dream, I wouldn't mind never waking up."

Presence gave me that elderly serene smile, "You are here because I deemed you worthy," His gaze shifted toward the portal, "Maybe in your next journey, somewhere down the line, you will find out what I saw in you."

I didn't comment anymore and avoided his gaze. If Presence was hoping that I would wear a skintight costume, start putting criminals behind bars, fight the villains twenty-four-seven, and follow the laws blindly, then he would be quite disappointed.

"James, if you do not mind, would you like to take on a challenge?"

I turned to him, confused since this came out of nowhere. He chuckled as our gazes met and a mischievous gleam shone in his eyes.

"Your mission, James, should you choose to accept it..." he said, completing the famous line.

I could not believe it. My jaw dropped as I pointed a shaking finger at him.

"You just said that line!" I exclaimed.

"I did," he chuckled again, "It is quite memorable, isn't it?" Presence's expression then softened, "But, I want to offer you a special quest. Do not fret, it is completely optional and will not change anything if you decline."

Regardless of the reassurance, I felt nervous. I asked cautiously, "May I know what is the quest?"

"Of course," he replied and a large screen appeared in front of me.

…

Paths bestowed by the Source

Create the future you want with your own hands

Presence will choose the starting point of your journey. The beginning will not be what you desire. You will be forced to make tough decisions because of the harsh challenges you will face.

Reward: Based on the outcome

Failure: You will be given another chance to reincarnate (You can choose where and how you want to reincarnate)

…

I blinked a few times, almost asking Presence if he was joking. All my life I had been receiving the shortest end of the stick. Heck, just a few minutes ago, I had been shot and killed by a lunatic. Now, he wanted me to undertake a quest that seemed like a recipe for disaster.

But then, the last line of the quest made me pause.

"Excuse me, Mr. Presence," I cleared my throat for what felt like the hundredth time, "I just want to make sure we are aligned here, but the 'Failure' part of the quest, does that mean if I fail, I can just restart?"

Presence shook his head, "Not a restart, James. I will just give you another chance in a different world."

I formed an 'O' with my mouth, not really understanding the difference, and looked at the floating screen again, "Okay, my second question, and I don't mean to be disrespectful, but what exactly is my task?"

The Presence smiled, "That, too, is part of the quest."

I opened and closed my mouth, now realizing this was one of those mysterious quests. The funny part was that even the reward was not specified. There was a possibility that the reward...

I shook my head and took a deep breath, patting my chest where the wounds should have been. Did it even matter? Why was I hesitating when there was a clear escape route?

But something was telling me that I would regret this one way or another.

"Sure, why not? I'll give it a shot."

Presence smiled, his eyes twinkling with delight.

"Excellent!"

The floating screen disappeared, as did the portal. But before I could say anything, my vision blurred and my body weakened.

"I hope you..."

And then I felt it again, the agonizing pain, the desperate desire to take the next breath.

And the unmistakable cold touch that followed...

Unknown location

The child, who had a nasty cut on his head, ran to his father. The father took one look, picked up the child, and ran out of the house. He ran all the way to the clinic, wearing only an undershirt, shorts, and slippers.

The child, who was now a boy, was lying down on the bed. It was winter, and the heater in the house was not working properly. Yet, the mother stayed awake the whole night to take care of the sick boy.

The boy, slightly older, ran toward his father and mother and showed the paper in his hand. It was just a result sheet showing that he had aced the exams. And his parents smiled as if they had won the lottery.

There were tough times…

The father's business failing,

The mother getting into an accident,

The boy's friends leaving the country for good,

Yet, they were content with what they had.

They were happy to have each other.

But they were in Gotham.

So, it did not take long to lose that small bits of happiness.

The boy was trying to move. But the seatbelt and the fact that he was upside down was making it hard for him. But he could clearly see the blood below. The blood of his parents.

And then the boy turned to face him… exact same face with his hollowed eyes...

"Fuck!" I screamed my lungs out, "What the…!"

And then it came – the pain, the headache, and the memories – all of it. I might not be the smartest person around, but I was not dumb enough not to make the connection.

I was in the body of DC's James Bryan.

A boy from a middle-class family living in Gotham, just trying to live their simple life.

Unlike me, this James still had his parents. Unlike me, he was content and happy with what he had. Unlike me, he accepted his position in the world.

But in reality, he was afraid. Anyone who knew about Gotham could easily understand his fear. Unfortunately for people like him and his family, it was not easy to leave the city for good.

And then, what he had feared for so long finally happened.

It felt as if every single part of my body was protesting as I tried to stand up. Yes, it was not as painful as having one's chest ripped apart by bullets, but that did not mean I could shake it off easily. I looked back and saw the familiar car, flipped over.

I grabbed my head as the recent memories started to flood back. The family had gone out to celebrate the success of the father's business. They went out for lunch. Since regular folks in Gotham never dared to go out at night unless it was an emergency. But it was Gotham; day and night hardly mattered to the villains here. On the way back, something hit them from the side, causing the father to lose control of the car.

"Argh!" I screamed as I realized I was trying to force open the car door. It seemed like the James of this world was not dead yet. He was still here, desperately trying to regain control of his body.

I did not need to ask why.

"Let me help," I said, struggling to speak. "I can help." I felt the restraint over my body lifting, but his presence was still there, waiting and hoping. I needed to act fast. "Status!"

…

[Status]

Name: James Bryan

Title: Outsider

Race: Human

Class: [Relic Evoker]

Threat Level: Universal

Health: 15%

Energy: 30%

Offense: I

Defense: I

Speed: I

Intellect: IX

Traits & Abilities:

· Gamer's System Lite [OA]

· Annihilation Maker [OA] [Level I]

· Reader's Knowledge [OA]

…

"Good, good," I took a deep breath, not sure what 'OA' meant but at least I had it, "Annihilation Maker."

…

Annihilation Maker (Longinus from High School DxD)

Annihilation Maker, also known as Beast Creation, is one of the original thirteen Longinus from the 'High School DxD' universe. The Annihilation Maker grants the user the ability to create any creature that the possessor can imagine.

Status: Sealed

…

"Sealed? What does that…" The corner of my vision started to get blurry. "Fuck!" I shook my head lightly. "Deep breaths, deep breaths."

I had not watched Highschool DxD until the end, but I had read some of the wiki notes. When I learned about Annihilation Maker, I knew it was a broken Longinus, especially for people like us who have watched and read stories about numerous worlds and learned about countless creatures from those places.

I recalled the being I wanted to create – its every expression I had seen in the series, every move I had used in the games, every personality and dialogue I had read in various stories. I recalled it all.

And I knew in my heart that 'Imagination' alone wouldn't be enough to pull off a Balance Breaker. So, I treated Annihilation Maker's ability like a Power Ring, meaning that I would go the extra mile and would provide 'Emotion' to Annihilation Maker.

As for the emotion, I had no reason to hold back. One of the happiest memories of my life, the most hopeful I have ever felt, had occurred just mere moments ago when I met the Presence. I recalled every second of it.

To my surprise, another memory filled with raw emotions hit me. It was the memory of this world's James – the agony he felt when crawling out of the car, the despair when he realized he was powerless to help his parents, the emptiness when he accepted his fate.

And then came the hope, stronger than mine, when my soul entered his body.

"Thank you," I whispered, before raising my hands in a gesture of prayer. Then I screamed, "Balance Breaker!"

Insufficient Power

I froze. "No, no, no!"

What was I missing? What more was needed? I took a deep breath to clear my mind before shouting again, "Balance Breaker!"

Insufficient Power

The same screen appeared once more.

I felt my spirit wavering, and to my horror, I realized that my body was becoming unresponsive. It was not the other James' doing. This body was just giving up on us. And to make matters worse, another window popped up with words tinted in red.

Health: 12%

Energy: 18%

"Think James, think. What am I missing?" I started to breathe through my mouth as I looked to my side. "Annihilation Maker."

…

Annihilation Maker (Longinus from High School DxD)

Status: Sealed

…

The creature I wanted to create, I had been using him in the game for as long as I could remember. I even watched the first movie a few days ago, meaning, the memories were fresh. So, imagination was checked out.

And the emotions I… no, we were feeling were the strongest that we had ever felt. I even questioned if we could ever feel such raw emotions even in the future. So, the emotions shouldn't be an issue.

When my eyes landed on the warning screen again, it hit me.

"Power! I am lacking power." The smile that had started to appear on my face disappeared as I let out a hollow chuckle. "Where the fuck am I supposed to get power?! We are in the middle of fucking nowhere!"

I felt a gentle tug on my consciousness, feeling his desire to use his soul as an alternative. "No!" I refused. It was not because I wanted to be a hero and save everyone. I learned the hard way that doing so would only bring misery and pain to me.

It was a pure selfish desire.

I wanted to save myself through him.

I screamed, not in pain but at my fate.

Turned out, after everything, I was the same powerless boy who could do nothing against the mechanics of the world, no matter where I was or what powers I had, "The only thing I have...," I stopped as the gears in my head started turning again, "is knowledge."

I took a few calming breaths. This was my last shot. If this did not work... I shook my head. "This will work. It has to."

I picked the most valuable information about DC that I know.

The knowledge of the mathematical formula of the Life Equation and the Anti-Life Equation was completely useless in my world. After all, they were just a bunch of words jumbled together which made no sense. But here, numerous Gods and factions waged countless wars for these formulas. I had no idea how to use this knowledge but I knew, without a doubt, what these Equations could do in the hands of someone capable.

"Take it," I raised my right hand towards the warning screen. "My knowledge of the mathematical formula of Life Equation." Then I raised my left hand. "And the mathematical formula of Anti-Life Equation. Take it!" I tried once more, "Balance Breaker!"

Warning: Your 'Reader's Knowledge' will be damaged

"Did I stutter?!" I roared, "Take it all!"

The warning screen changed instantly.

"Balance Breaker: The Answer to a Prayer."

The body finally gave up, but just before I became unconscious, for a flicker of a second, I saw it.

I was in the middle of a rocky road that led to a cozy-looking multi-floor windmill house. A place I had never visited but seen countless times. Anime, games, fanarts. But this beautiful scenery felt like a background image as I could not move my eyes away from the very familiar shape.

Then, I heard that game-like voice once more.

…

Mew

Mew is a creature from the Pokémon universe. In many variants of that universe, this Mythical psychic Pokémon is considered to be one of the strongest Pokémon ever to exist and, according to numerous Pokémon scientists, is believed to be the ancestor of Pokémon.

This formidable psychic was created in the current DC world from the 'Hope' of two extraordinary souls and pieces of forbidden 'Knowledge'.

And thus, from a realm beyond, the first to grace our world didst appear

…

[Status]

Name: Mew

Title: The Firstborn

Race: Pokémon

Classes: [Psychic]

Threat Level: Updating…

Health: 100%

Energy: 100%

Offense: V

Defense: V

Speed: IV

Intellect: V

Traits & Abilities:

· Updating…

…

I tried, I really did, but no words were coming out of my mouth. In the next second, two more windows appeared.

Reader's Knowledge: Restructuring…

Intelligence: IX Downgrading…

And the other one showed how fucked I was.

Health: 8%

Stamina: 6%

But my mind and focus went toward the soothing voice.

"Don't worry, I will take care of it."

Those words were like the last push as I felt the remaining strength leaving me.

Arkham Asylum

12 months later

This place was scarier than a haunted house.

It was nighttime and the asylum was eerily quiet. Every once in a while, you would hear someone cursing or rambling out of nowhere, or, God forbid, cackling like a madman. It was worse than any jump scares I had ever experienced.

Even though I had Mew with me, my partner in crime, hovering just on my right, I could not help but constantly look all around me. I knew no one here could harm me because of Mew, who could easily complete the task at hand in minutes; no, in seconds. But I had to participate and see the conclusion with my own eyes.

"Just for that damn quest."

I tapped the mask I was wearing.

…

Mask of Silver Sword Assassin

Mask worn by the infamous Silver Sword Assassins, from a world unknown, who are renowned for using shadow and moon magic.

Protects the wearer's identity from the eyes and the minds of the mortals, so long the sun is down.

Status: Active

Price: 200,000 CC

…

"Again?" Mew asked.

"Yes," I replied in a hushed tone. I checked the state of the mask before entering the asylum but I just wanted to be sure.

Finally, we reached our destination. The door looked like all the others we had seen so far, but still to me, it was giving off a menacing feeling. Like, something from beyond the door would…

"Someone out there~"

"Fuck!"

I moved away from the door and faced the other way. I had heard his voice on TV and recordings, but to hear it directly was more chilling than I thought.

"Mew..." I said, looking at him.

He just waved his tiny hand and I heard the door opening. I knew it was safe, but the noisy metallic sound gave me goosebumps.

"Don't worry, he won't be able to speak," Mew said.

I nodded and turned around. And the first thing I noticed was his gaze, it was not by choice. Those crazy eyes just drew me in whether I wanted to or not.

Mustering up my courage, I walked forward but made sure to keep a reasonable distance, "You know, there's a myth, a saying, that if one looks at you in the eyes for too long, they'll lose their sanity." I turned my gaze away and took a deep breath, "And fuck... they were right."

Then I heard his laugh, even though his mouth was shut. His gaze and expression made it seem like I was the one who was locked up with him, as if he was in control of the entire situation.

He froze completely as I heard Mew's voice, "Why are you moving?" It was like a warm blanket, giving me the strength to gather my thoughts. I looked at my hand and saw how stiff it was, even though I was in charge, he still made me afraid.

Taking another deep breath, I looked around the room, anywhere but him, "You killed someone my father cared about. I am here to repay that debt."

From the edge of my vision I noticed that, even in his current frozen state, he looked relaxed, as if he had everything under his control.

I felt anger bubbling inside me. And I could hear a part of me screaming at me. It was telling me to gut him, slowly. To rip his face off… To break him.

But I was not ready to cross that line. And I hoped that I never crossed that line. Then something occurred and I smiled, "Too bad that Batsy isn't here to see your last moment."

His gaze took a dangerous turn. It made me smile wider.

I took out an orb from my inventory belt before passing it to Mew.

…

Flask of Crimson Flame

Contains fire created from Hi-tier blood magic. Break the flask to release the flame.

Status: Pure

Price: 50 CC

…

With a smile, I waved him goodbye, "Burn in hell, you fucking clown."

The moment I went out of the room, Mew positioned the flask above Joker's head before breaking the flask using his telekinesis. Immediately after, he created a barrier to seal off the room.

Then he turned to me, "Do you want to see it to the end?"

I shook my head, "No, I am good," I looked away from the burning cell, "I will just wait here until the quest is complete."

Mew nodded before closing the door of the cell.

It didn't even take a minute before I heard the familiar sound.

Ping!

…

Side Quest: The Last Laugh

You know what Joker is capable of, the chaos that he can bring upon the world, and you know that he is beyond saving. Take care of him in any way you see fit without alerting the Batfamily.

Status: Completed

Reward: 10,000 CC

…

Ten thousand Crimson Coin was a lot but considering how much I had to spend for this mission, I couldn't help but scowl, "Stingy little system."

San Francisco

2 days later

'Who is the mysterious killer? A friend or a foe?'

'Did Batman finally cross the line?'

'Is Joker truly dead? Or is it another of his ploys?'

'Prince of Crime is murdered – is it an independent situation or the start of something big?'

These bizarre headlines made me chuckle.

I knew there would be a storm because of what we did, but this was a genuine typhoon. Almost all news channels, papers, and online articles inside the U.S. were covering the death of the Joker. It even reached international news. I had a feeling that Batman tried to keep it under the radar, but this was an impossible task even for Batman.

I looked at a few more headlines before turning off the tablet.

The mission to kill the Joker took us around ten minutes to complete. Of course, the planning and the preparation took us weeks, two to be exact. Luckily Joker was locked behind bars. Otherwise, finding his location would've taken us months.

After the groundwork was done, we picked the day when Batman was away from Gotham. And rest of the steps were fairly easy.

Mew teleported inside Arkham first, put all the guards to sleep all at once, and then teleported me in. Then we walked to his cell and killed him.

"Burned him to ashes, more like it."

We made sure he was gone for good and that there was nothing left of him that could be used by any sort of plot holes to bring him back. Then, we wiped out all evidence of our presence and used magical items to do so instead of relying purely on Mew's psychic abilities. Honestly, removing our traces was what took the most time.

Now, Batman should be looking for vigilantes of both non-magical and magical origin, someone from Gotham who had a grudge against the Joker, or he could even be looking for Joker thinking that the clown bastard faked his death.

This was one case Batman would not be solving. Ever. Just the thought made me smile. But then, I remembered something and my smile waned. Clicking my tongue, I put down the tablet before waving my hand, "Quests."

A gamer window popped up in front of me.

…

Main Quest: Make your presence known to the world

Unique Quest: Kill the corruption of Gotham

Side Quest: Create your 'Codename'

Side Quest: Find all the merchants in the U.S.

Side Quest: Find the 'Villains League'

…

I tapped on the main quest.

…

Main Quest: Make your presence known to the world

You are here. You are in DC. Tell that world that. Make enough noise to attract the attention of the heroes or the villains.

Noise made: 0%

Reward: Location of the special merchant, Mr. X.

…

I would've done the quest ages ago if the quest didn't tell me to paint a bullseye on myself, back and front. And then, there was this other quest that I just received after killing Joker.

…

Unique Quest: Kill the corruption of Gotham

Corruption is rooted in the core of Gotham, neither the Batfamily nor the Justice League can save her using their methods. Only the means and the minds of a [Outsider] can save Gotham.

Are you up for it?

A task that even heroes of the legend failed to accomplish?

Corruption Killed: 15%

Reward: [Customized Batsuit] and [Rune of Class]

…

I furiously scratched my head. This quest just plain told me to put myself at the top of Batman's shitlist, but the rewards were almost worth it.

What truly surprised me was the completion level. I got a full fifteen percent just by killing Joker, "Maybe if I am smart about it…"

Beep Beep.

My musings were interrupted by the alarm.

Releasing an audible breath, I dismissed the screen before standing up. I stopped the alarm and then picked up the mug full of coffee before walking toward the enormous enchanted whiteboard filled with notes.

Well, that was my intention but I stopped and looked at the full-length mirror near the whiteboard.

If I were to compare myself with anyone from DC, appearance-wise, I was a butchered version of Dick Greyson. I might be as tall as him but I did not have his pitch-black hair or chiselled jawline. The shade of my hair was darker brown and I had the face of a 'Regular bloke'.

I couldn't help it. I did a few poses.

"Need to buff up a bit more."

After one last pose, I finally focused on the whiteboard.

Going over what I had done so far would help me prioritize my next action points. Still, I couldn't help but groan as I looked at all the notes, "Here we go again."

It had been twelve months since I had met the Presence, the Big G of the DC universe as I liked to call him. Twelve months since I had created my Balance Breaker summon, Mew. Twelve months since two souls became one.

I called this part of my life my 'Restart'.

I closed my eyes and tried to relive that memory once again.

If I had created someone other than Mew, there was a high possibility that the outcome would've been very different, and not in a good way. Because I needed someone with strong healing and psychic powers. And Mew perfectly fitted the category. Because in many Pokémon games, at least the ones I played, Mew could learn any moves.

I was banking on that. And it paid off.

Mew not only healed my parents but even fixed our car and the environment, making it seem like a minor accident rather than a life-threatening one. So, when the accident was reported to the police, there were no inconsistencies. And he accomplished all of this while I was unconscious.

Of course, at that time, he was fully invisible, making sure no one noticed his presence.

That was the 'Restart', then came the 'Relocation'.

Staying at Gotham, after what had happened, was not an option. With Mew's telekinesis powers, I had won some lottery tickets, just enough to get us out of Gotham but not too much to be in the spotlight.

Our family moved to Opal City, considered one of the safest cities in the DC universe. Not only were the super-criminal activities almost non-existent, but the city had only two heroes – Starman and Elongated Man.

Metropolis could've been a decent option if it wasn't for Superman. I didn't want to risk it considering his heat vision and monstrous hearing. What if I were to slip and blurt out something confidential within his range?

Then came the 'Setup'.

I helped Dad to buy a house and a café. And it didn't take long before we returned to our normal lives. Surprisingly, Mom and Dad got used to the new life and the new location faster than me. It must be because they didn't have to constantly live in fear now.

"Fucking Gotham!"

Mew also helped to extend the basement of our house to create our first hideout.

After settling down, we had our first adventure – 'The Heist'.

We picked some of the crime syndicates in Gotham to get some experience first before moving on to the main target – Lex Luthor. And what did we get from him? 350 million USD and one priceless artifact.

It was amusing to watch Lex throw a fit in the news and blame the Justice League for not paying attention to his issues. I did not need to be a telepath to know that no one believed him as he had cried wolf too many times before.

The next part of the board made me frown.

Killing Joker wasn't part of my big plan. But his latest clash with Batman took the life of someone my father knew. And seeing him sad and depressed…

I gritted my teeth and looked away, "I should've killed the fucker much earlier."

But at least now, he wouldn't be a problem anymore.

I took a few deep breaths to calm myself down before moving to the last section of the whiteboard – 'Suit up' and 'Next Summon'.

"Still stuck?"

I turned around and came face to face with my partner.

Mew's size and appearance closely resembled his canon counterpart, with one notable difference: his color. His fur was a shimmering silver with a barely noticeable blue hue. Even, his irises were a striking silver-blue.

I grinned before saying, "Mew's status."

…

[Status]

Name: Mew

Title: The Firstborn

Race: Pokémon

Classes: [Psychic]

Threat Level: Global

Health: 100%

Energy: 100%

Offense: V

Defense: V

Speed: VI

Intellect: V

Traits & Abilities:

· Barrier Creation [Level V]

· Invisibility [S]

· Mythical Pokémon Physiology [Psychic]

· Power Blasts [Level IV]

· Psionic Healing [Level IV]

· Telekinesis [Level VIII]

· Telekinetic Senses [Level VIII]

· Telepathy [Level VII]

· Teleportation [Level VIII]

· Shapeshifter [S]

…

"You look at my status more than yours."

My grin just widened hearing that, "Seeing your status heals my soul. Just look at these gorgeous states," I pointed at the screen before turning toward Mew, "Come here, give me a hug, my sweet little plot armor!"

Mew giggled but flew out of my reach.

No, I wasn't joking. Mew was my plot armor.

This cute little feline was a beast. From the tests that we had done so far, we concluded that it was quite difficult to learn a new ability all on your own but Mew was learning abilities left and right just by going through my memories. If this wasn't scary enough, he leveled up multiple skills at a lightning-fast speed whereas I had to work my ass off to level up my one single upgradable ability. And to add salt to the wound, Mew kept mentioning that it was taking so long to level up his abilities because he couldn't test some of his abilities in real-life events. According to him, testing those abilities in a training ground wasn't cutting it.

It was not just the strength of the abilities but the versatility of them as well. Just like the Pokémon games, he was a true all-rounder. Heck, with his abilities and a bit of preparation, any heists or even assassinations were possible for us.

Also, there was the quantity. Until now, I hadn't seen anyone's status who had as many abilities as Mew.

Then, why were we so cautious? Why weren't we out there making a name for ourselves?

Because Superman and Flash were still faster than Mew. So what if Mew knew a shit ton of abilities, it was pointless if his opponents could hit him before he could even blink. And let's not even talk about battle experience.

In addition, we were not sure how Mew's abilities would fare against magic and other unique elements native to DC.

"Have you picked your suit?" Mew asked.

And just like that, I felt my shoulders sagging.

I went toward the nearest chair before flopping down, "You know it's not that easy."

Mew came closer and tilted his head, not really knowing how cute that gesture looked, "I thought we had enough funds to buy the second important piece from the Game Merchant?"

Game Merchant – Every major city had one, hidden from plain sight. After finding the first one, Mew was able to locate the rest using his telepathic scan. But we still missed one according to the side quest. And I knew which one it was.

What surprised me was that most of these merchants weren't human beings, from inanimate objects such as telephone booths, ATMs to even small animals like cats. The only human merchant I had come across was the one in the Coast City.

"Let's have a look, shall we?" I stood up and went toward another board. I used this one to list down the locations of the merchants, which items they sold, the items' category, their prices, and the date they restocked their items. Basically, this was my personalized catalog.

And I wasn't the only one interested in browsing the items. Mew also flew to my side to get a better view.

But what pissed me off was the prices of the items. They were astronomically high! And this was not even the worst part. The price disparity was substantial. The sell-buy ratio of any items was 1:10. For example, the reason I got so much money from Lex Luthor was because I was able to sell his Warsuit for 350 million USD. But if I want to buy the same fucking suit, I needed to spend 2 billion.

What kind of fuckery is this?!

The merchants were ripping me off!

Well technically, to purchase items from the merchants, I needed Crimson Coins – each one valued at 1,000 USD. Fortunately, every merchant had a currency exchange feature available.

"James?"

My internal screaming stopped when I heard Mew's tender voice. Smiling wryly at him, I started interacting with the board, "Sorry about that."

The items of the merchants were divided into four sections.

The 'Basic' category was the largest section, no surprises there. Items here ranged from 1 to 1 thousand Crimson Coin. With that price tag, one would expect to get some good-quality stuff. Instead, the category was filled with generic items – ingredients, ammunition, low to mid-tier potions, common military gadgets, and some simple fantasy weapons and armor. Still, I would always stock up on potions whenever I could. After all, there was no such thing as having too many potions.

The 'Rare' category had the best catalog – high-tier potions of various kinds, advanced military gadgets, enchanted fantasy weapons, armor, and artifacts… it even had Pokémon evolution stones. But it was impossible to buy them in bulk. Why? Prices of the items here started at 1 thousand and the most expensive item was around 1 hundred thousand!

But for me, I often browsed the 'Epic' category. While the quantity was less than half compared to the basic category, each item here was just simply superb. I could already see how some of the items could be abused. But the starting price of a unique item was one hundred thousand Crimson Coins. In USD, that was 100 million. 100 million!

And then there was the 'Legendary' category. Only the merchant in the Coast City had one legendary item. And I could see why it was marked as legendary. But the item didn't have any price tags. I could only get those items using a 'Special Coupon'.

And here was the kicker.

I received one of those 'Special Coupons' as a reward for completing the quest given to me by Presence.

However, one thing remained unanswered. To this day, I still did not know what my quest was actually about. What was I meant to do? And I would never know since when I woke up, there was no trace of the quest. I only knew it was completed because of the reward.

Still, I was holding onto that coupon because I wanted to see if the special merchant, Mr. X, had any legendary items. After all, the 'Special Coupon' I received was from Presence's quest, meaning I wouldn't be getting another one anytime soon.

"Better to use it wisely."

"You already have the mask. You only need that cloak now, no?" Mew asked as he pointed at the item in question.

…

Cloak of the Silver Sword Assassin

Part of an outfit worn by the infamous Silver Sword Assassins, woven in a forgotten kingdom not native to this world.

Blends with the shadow, protecting the wearer from being detected by the mortals.

Status: N/A

Price: 200,000 CC

…

The mask protected my identity and the cloak could help me hide easily, as long as I was out during the night.

Yes, my fighting style would be going out at night, picking a safe spot, and then sending out my knights to do all the dirty work. Was this style similar to a pure necromancer class? Yes, it was. And I knew I was being a hypocrite considering I didn't like that class.

But what choice did I have?

I neither had the stats nor the gears to take the frontline of a battle. Even with Mew, it was a risk.

But there was another option.

"Getting this will dry up our funds," I shook my head, "I still think planning for the next Balance Breaker is the better choice."

"But we are also stuck on that, aren't we?" Mew pointed out.

I turned around, intending to walk to the other side of the room to retrieve some notebooks from a hidden compartment. However, after taking just one step, the compartment opened on its own, and the notebooks flew out and landed on a table that had moved in front of me.

"Thanks, pal," I said to Mew who closed his eyes and smiled in return.

4 notebooks. Each one contained ideas on creating a specific creature using the Balance Breaker from Annihilation Maker. Unfortunately, they were far from being finished, "Let's go over them again, shall we?"

Mew nodded but I could sense the subtle sadness.

I stretched my arm and started to scratch Mew's cheek and smiled when I saw him leaning into my touch.

"I know Mew that you want to explore this world and learn what it and its inhabitants have to offer, without hiding. But," I released an audible breath, "Just give me some time to set up things, ya?"

I had to cover all the grounds. I had to make sure that our identities would be secured once we stepped into the world of heroes and villains. Because once my identity was known, whether it was a hero or a villain, it was over. After all, it always started with a single person. From one to a group, and then my identity would be known by the opposing factions and their grandmas. In the end, all the major players of the world would know who I am, which would definitely put a leash on me and jeopardize the safety of my family.

I would never let that happen.

"Look at the bright side," I smiled, pointing at the four notebooks, "Once we have another ally and all sides are covered, we will be unstoppable!"

Mew returned the smile, "To our future team!"

Ping!

Oh~ How I loved that sound.

Done

It has been a while since I picked up the story. I saw a lot of areas that could be improved and I went for it. Again, for those who are interested in the changes, you will find them in Chapter 03 author's note.

If anyone is interested, here is the invite code to my Discord server.

TnmMJ4qPW5

See you all soon…