The day was fateful, to say the least. It wasn't long after Samuel's father tragically passed away, killed by supervillains seeking advanced tech from Wayne Industries. Bruce Wayne himself came to young Samuel's house to pay his respects, but that didn't change anything. Monthly stipends? High-quality education? Scholarships for Gotham Academy and any university Samuel desired?
The Schulze family had all the wealth they needed. Samuel was a bright kid; scholarships were never a concern. What he yearned for was his dad. His dad, with whom he shared endless conversations about poetry, stars, and the wonders of the universe. His dad, who taught him philosophy and technology. His dad, the wisest person he had ever known.
Bruce Wayne, with a sorrowful gaze, admitted he couldn't help with that. Samuel recognized the sincerity in his eyes. His father had taught him not to waste anger on the unchangeable.
So, Samuel buried himself in various pursuits: gaming, reading, studying—anything to escape the grief.
His mother was a pillar of strength and intellect. Though deeply shaken by the loss of her beloved, she persevered. She worked harder than ever and lavished twice the care on her only son. Samuel's smile began to return, thanks to her unwavering support.
But on a summer night, when rain fell in torrents as if to drown Gotham...Samuel lost his smile once more.
That evening, Samuel was reading a book near the hospital entrance, holding two umbrellas. He waited for his mother, who had forgotten hers. When the time came, she appeared.
As they were about to leave, someone collapsed in front of them. It was the Caped Crusader—the so-called hero of Gotham, Batman. He was grievously wounded, his suit torn and bloodied.
A chill ran down Samuel's spine. If there was a wounded prey, it meant a predator lurked nearby.
"Mom, we need to go," Samuel whispered urgently, trying to pull her away.
His mother shook her head, her eyes fixed on Batman. "No, Samuel. We...we must help him."
"...Mom...!" Samuel's voice trembled with anxiety. "Please...batman, the vigilante got hurt! That means someone...some sort of supervillain is after him...We can't stay here, it's dangerous!"
"I'm a doctor, Samuel." His mother knelt beside Batman, checking his pulse. "I can't just leave a person to die like this. Remember, Samuel. Sometimes, even heroes need saving...Even when others don't, we need to act with humanity."
Samuel swallowed hard, torn between fear and his mother's words. Finally, he nodded, anxiety tightening his chest. Together, they lifted Batman and carried him into the hospital.
The hospital was eerily quiet, the corridors dimly lit. They found an empty room and laid Batman on the gurney. His mother quickly began the emergency procedures, her hands steady and sure.
"Samuel, get me the IV kit and the suture set from the cabinet," she instructed.
Samuel moved swiftly, retrieving the items. His mother started by cleaning Batman's wounds with antiseptic. She inserted an IV catheter into his arm to administer fluids and prevent shock. As she worked, she explained to Samuel.
"His injuries are severe. He has multiple lacerations, likely from a sharp object, and signs of blunt force trauma. We need to stabilize him."
She sutured the deeper wounds with precision, using a curved needle and absorbable sutures. After disinfecting the areas, she dressed the wounds with sterile bandages. Next, she checked for internal injuries, palpating Batman's abdomen for any signs of bleeding or organ damage.
"We'll need to keep an eye on his vitals," she said, attaching a heart monitor. "But he's stable for now."
Just as she finished, the door swung open with a creak. Samuel turned, his blood running cold. Standing there, with a menacing grin and a gun in his hand, was the Joker.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Joker sneered, his eyes glinting with malicious delight. "A little family reunion with Batsy?"
"Step away from him," Joker said, aiming the gun at Samuel's mother. "Or I'll blow your brains out."
His mother stood her ground, her voice unwavering. "No. He needs medical attention."
Joker's smile widened. "Oh, a brave one, aren't we? Last chance, lady. Stop playing doctor, or I'll make you a patient."
She ignored him, focusing on Batman's wounds. With a sudden, swift movement, she grabbed a scalpel from the tray and lunged at Joker, aiming for his arm. Joker dodged, the blade grazing him, and he laughed maniacally.
"You've got some fight in you, I'll give you that," he chuckled, backhanding her across the face. She stumbled but quickly regained her footing, throwing a tray of surgical instruments at him.
The instruments clattered against Joker, distracting him momentarily. His mother used the chance to shove Samuel behind a nearby cabinet, shielding him.
"Stay there," she whispered urgently.
Joker's laughter grew louder as he advanced on her. "You think you can save your boy by playing the hero, do you?"
Without warning, Joker aimed the gun at her and fired. The gunshot echoed through the room as Samuel's mother collapsed to the floor, a pool of blood spreading beneath her.
But Samuel didn't move. He didn't react. He only stared at the lifeless body of his mother, a confused look on his face. What happened afterward was a blur of events.
What Samuel could remember was Batman beating Joker with extreme rage while he saw the last bit of life oozing out of his mother's body. Her face showed no regret and remained brave even in her final moments.
Then Batman took him to the police, where he listened to all sorts of legal discussions that he couldn't easily understand. He didn't want to listen either. He just sat there, not eating or drinking, lost in his thoughts. Wondering. Questioning himself again and again.
Things started to make sense when Bruce Wayne arrived. He was wounded and patched up... just like Batman. But Samuel didn't care. He watched as Bruce Wayne dealt with the police and adults, accompanied by his old butler.
Bruce Wayne then looked at Samuel and asked if he wanted to be adopted. Samuel ignored him and just pointed at his house keys. Wayne seemed conflicted, but after some discussions, Samuel was allowed to live in his old house. All alone.
Name: Bruce Thomas Wayne
Type: Normal/Fighting
Level: 54
Ability: Intimidate
When the person enters a battle, it intimidates opposing Person and makes them cower, lowering their Attack stats.
Samuel watched in mild surprise as he saw the status screen of Batman. Batman was Bruce Wayne. He glanced at Batman's sidekick, Robin, who was eyeing Samuel with concern.
Name: Richard John Grayson
Type: Normal/Fighting
Level: 19
Ability: Technician
Powers up weak moves so the Person can deal more damage with them.
"..."
Samuel thought to himself that he was seeing a lot of familiar faces today. He had already met the Joker. Now he met Batman... who was somehow Bruce Wayne, and also Dick Grayson from school.
"Are you hurt?" Batman asked in a low voice. Samuel shook his head and backed away as Batman approached.
"You're scaring him, Batman," Robin said softly.
"Samuel," Batman continued, "what are your powers? How did you protect yourself?"
Samuel remained silent, his expression unreadable. He felt no obligation to talk to them. Even though Batman had once saved him, it didn't mean he should be thankful. After all, he disagreed with vigilantes.
Without a word, Samuel turned and moved toward the door. Batman quickly stepped in front of him, pointing at the unconscious Joker.
"You can't just walk out," Batman said firmly. Robin watched with concern.
Robin knew who the mysterious meta-human who fought and saved Batgirl was now. Batman seemed especially bothered by this revelation. Dick had known Samuel from school and was surprised that a quiet, silent kid like him had acted so bravely. However, he wasn't as troubled as Batman, who had been more aggressive than usual when fighting Joker's goons today.
Samuel ignored Batman and reached for his phone to contact the GCPD.
"They're already alerted about this place," Batman said, his voice steady. "There's no need to call them. This is important. You need to tell me about your powers."
Samuel looked at Batman and saw Bruce Wayne behind the mask. He did worry about him when he became an orphan, that's for sure. But Samuel shook his head. "I want no relation with you," he said, starting to walk away.
"Your powers might harm you and attract others. It's dangerous," Batman insisted.
Robin approached with a friendly, light gesture. "Hey, Samuel, we just want to help. We need to understand what's going on."
Samuel sighed, looked them both in the eyes one last time, and then ran toward a corner. When Batman and Robin pursued him, he disappeared, vanishing as if into thin air.
"...He can teleport?" Robin muttered, surprised. It seemed his quiet friend had a significant skill set. "Do you think this is magic, not Meta genes?"
"Maybe. We can't be sure for now... But I don't feel this is magic. No incantations, no symbols..." Batman said, observing the scene where Samuel had vanished. "...But it's dangerous. If he's trying to seek revenge... or worse, trying to enforce his own version of justice... it could cause serious trouble."
"Why? What revenge? What happened to him? Do you know him?" Dick asked. Batman remained silent, his jaw set. He shot his grappling hook to a nearby building, preparing to leave.
"I have to track him... If Joker is after Samuel, it means Gotham isn't safe for him," Batman finally said, his voice low and determined.
"...Ouch."
Samuel stood up from the ground, disoriented. He looked around and found himself in his own home. A status screen floated in front of him, displaying one of his new skills, Teleport. Its description read: "The user switches places with another party person. It may also be used to warp to the last healing spot visited." He realized that even though he didn't know where the healing spot was, it had to be better than being questioned by those vigilantes. It turned out the healing spot was his home. He had expected to end up in a hospital or somewhere else, but no.
His home was completely destroyed by the goons. Windows were broken, glass shards littered the floor, and furniture was overturned and smashed.
He had tried so hard. Samuel had worked tirelessly to create an illusion of normalcy after his mother left. All the furniture, all the hygiene measures, everything was meticulously maintained to recreate the home he once knew before his parents were gone.
Now it was all ruined. Samuel didn't know where to start or what to do. He felt... tired. His head was still throbbing as he had used the last of his recovery skills.
He crawled up to his bed and closed his eyes.
New skill
Psychic|Teleport 19/20
"So... he can enhance his physical abilities. Fascinante..." Within the shadows, a muscular figure muttered while reading a report that was sent to him. He thought for a while and then smiled.
"Tráiganmelo," he commanded.
"Yes, Sir!" his subordinate responded, ready to follow orders.
The report he dropped on the table, showed a picture of Samuel, fighting desperately against the Joker's goons.
