Chronos in DC

The meeting was supposed to take place at some special location, and of course, they didn't tell me where. Oh, this security and paranoia. No, I have nothing against it. I myself sometimes see a hidden agenda where there isn't one. I was invited to a private meeting, and a girl between the ages of twenty and thirty even decided to accompany me in a dark car with tinted windows. The funny thing is that I felt like I had seen her somewhere before, but I couldn't remember where. She had long brown hair, an Asian face, a red vest, which Chinese people like to wear on holidays, and a wide, loose brown coat with long sleeves. Black gloves and boots. A knife in a leather sheath at her waist. Despite her relaxed posture, I sensed a cold concentration emanating from her. It was as if she was assessing my every move.

"Ah, you're the silent type, aren't you?

Her completely emotionless expression and silence confirmed my theory. Fine, if you don't want to play nice, we'll do it differently.

Name: Lady Shiva

Real name: Sandra Wu-San

Age: 28

Titles: Executor of Her Master's Will, Flawless Assassin.Race: Human

Class: Assassin

Level: 67

Special Abilities: Member of the League of Shadows, Highly Developed Sixth Sense, Master of Hand-to-Hand Combat...

I had to quickly stop my curious examination of her characteristics because she sensed something. I didn't want to reveal my abilities before meeting her boss. And her boss was none other than a dark horse named Ras Al Ghul. Although I was somewhat interested in comics, I had no idea who he was. All I knew was that he had his own secret organisation of assassins called the League of Shadows and that he was, in a sense, obsessed with Batman. More precisely, obsessed with the idea of making him his successor. It's a little strange, though, that he seems to have some kind of "Lazarus Pit" that can prolong life and even resurrect people, and it's unclear why he needs Batman/Bruce Wayne as his replacement. "Old age is no joy"?

I even dressed up for such a momentous occasion, putting on my official white shirt with a black jacket and trousers, and my favourite Fedora hat. We drove for quite a long time and left the territory of civilisation, finding ourselves somewhere in the Canadian Forest. After some time, we passed a guard post and I saw... a fort? A brick building protected by a high wall with four watchtowers. The massive gates opened and let the car inside. There I found their young generation training and several adult teachers. I calmly continued on with my escorts to the main building, which was cone-shaped and resembled Chinese architecture. Inside was a huge network of corridors in which it was easy to get lost. Apparently, it was designed to make it as difficult as possible for enemies to find their opponents. Also, judging by some of the indentations and holes in the ceilings, this place was also used as a deadly training ground that could be used against invaders. Finally, after so much time, I met him — a middle-aged man sitting on a kind of throne and dressed in a black hood. The only remarkable things about him were his ash-coloured hair, well-groomed beard and emerald eyes, which seemed to glow in the dim light of the torches in the spacious hall.

"So we meet, Snake, or should I call you Alex?" He rose from his throne and walked slowly towards me. I took off my hat, placed it on my chest and bowed slightly in respect.

"As you wish. I am very pleased to meet such a legendary figure.

"You consider me... a 'figure'?" he asked, slightly intrigued.

"Of course. Every figure proves their significance and value through their achievements.

"And to what figure can you compare me?

"A card game or chess?

"It doesn't matter.

"I think that if we look at it from a chess perspective, I would definitely give you the title of 'King'.

"Why?" He was clearly amused by our dialogue. He was probably trying to understand why I could communicate so freely with him, even in such a situation, as if he were a friend or "grandfather."

"You make exactly one move in any direction. Insignificant, but at the same time important for the whole game. It's all about secrecy and clean work. Seeing how it all looks from the outside... I won't wait for you to ask me again, I'll try to explain. Let's suppose that there is a mysterious large organisation of assassins in the world that has been fulfilling its duty of maintaining balance in the world for a long time. Let's call it that, yes," he put his hand inside his hat and began to slowly spin it in front of him, curiously looking around the room. There were mannequins and training equipment everywhere. "... And the only way to remain as powerful and mysterious is to stay in the shadows and leave the dirty work to ordinary mercenaries who are willing to do it. The only exceptions are when a more... delicate approach is needed to complete a mission. We've started this conversation rather strangely, don't you think? You seem to know me very well, but I don't know you at all.

"Ras Al Ghul is my name.

"What a strange name. Has no one ever told you that?

"No one. At least no one who's alive. We didn't invite you here to make small talk. I'll get straight to the point. I'm interested in your... "special" abilities, and I would like to offer you a place in our order called the League of Shadows.

I was expecting something like this. The thing is, this kind of offer is very, very lucrative, and it would be extremely unpleasant to turn it down. But I don't like it when someone wants to control me. After the day I left the place where I was born and became a new person, I decided that no one would ever control me again. I will do what I want and what I think is necessary. If I accept his offer, I will only be playing the role of a "subordinate" and eventually, at some point, on a whim, I will not want to do what he wants or asks. This will automatically make me a traitor and make him my enemy, and I don't really need such influential enemies.

"It's certainly very nice to be valued and respected for your abilities, but I think I'll pass.

"What is the reason for your answer?" he asks me calmly, without a single muscle twitching on his face at my refusal.

Attention!!! If you fail to explain your point of view, the Head of the League of Shadows will consider you a threat!

"I'm quite a free-spirited person and don't want to attend any serious and gloomy meetings. I'm also very undisciplined and do things my own way. The only positive qualities I can say about myself are that I'm very open, polite and courteous," I shrug.

"I noticed that. Are you afraid we'll restrict your 'freedom'?

"Yes, that's what I mean. Can I just be a valuable mercenary for you?

"That's a pity. To be honest, I was expecting something like that, and for the sake of improving our relationship, I'd like to clarify something with you..." There was a gloomy pause, and I had to ask him what he meant exactly.

"What is it?

"What is your ability? We've been watching you for the last month and couldn't figure out what your special power is. We had some theories, but unfortunately, we had no way of verifying them. It all boiled down to the fact that one moment everything was "normal," and the next moment only the "aftermath" remained. No traces. This power... is frightening, you know, boy.

Should I tell you or not...? Essentially, anyone who encounters an unknown and frightening power wants to understand it, harness it and control it. If I refuse, it will damage our relationship, and I don't want to risk that.

"Come on. It's not that scary. I'm just learning to understand it myself. Time is my strength.

I gave him some time to think, as he allowed himself to be surprised and thoughtfully scratched his chin with his right hand.

"Time... you say. Quite a dangerous and impressive power. Do you even realise what possibilities are open to you?

"Not yet? I told you I'm just a beginner at this.

"Alex T. Keeper." Ha ha ha, "Alex who keeps time"? At one time, I considered time to be my greatest enemy, because there wasn't enough of it to carry out my plans. Now, I fear only for the preservation of my legacy.

—...Preserving your legacy? But isn't time no longer in control of you? So why do you talk as if you could die at any moment?

"It's all about our 'soul', boy. Let's say you've been alive for thirty years. You've fallen in love, started a family, and created a clan that follows your every word. More time passes, and you realise that your family and love will eventually disappear before you can even comprehend it. Perhaps they will die at the hands of your enemies? You will kill your enemies, and then what? They will all meet the same end anyway. I realised what is truly important in this world. I found my purpose. I can raise my hand and wrap it around the entire world," he demonstrated with a gesture.

"But that won't change him. People will resist and hate me because that's human nature, so I decided to change him slightly and imperceptibly. Like a shadow... I once met a man who also understood my goal and motives, so we quickly became 'friends'. There is nothing better in this world than sharing common ideals with someone else. True, to him I was like a boy, because he had been doing what I had never noticed in my entire life for a very, very long time. In a sense, he even envied me because I could "take a break" at any moment and stop chasing my dream, but he couldn't. He fell silent and, judging by his gentle smile, seemed to be lost in pleasant memories.

"Where am I going with this, Alex? You will learn not to grow old, because it's only a matter of time before you learn it. Even now, I can see how you're just playing with your life and enjoying it. What will happen when everyone you know dies sooner or later? Will you prefer to be alone forever? Will you prefer to save them always and everywhere, or will you give in to inaction? It will all depend on you. While you can still not think about it, I am just giving you... let's say... a friendly warning. Your inevitable fate.

I looked at him and saw not just a man, but a man who had accumulated the experience of a true sage over several hundred years. Before me was a man who had reached his "limit." Perhaps that was the reason for his obsession with Batman? Was he tired and wanted to pass on his knowledge to someone worthy? And then there was his warning... I know that day will come, and I know I will be ready for it. I will make a decision that will change me forever, but until then, I still want to be human. Why did he decide to open up to me? Why is he acting as if I am a close friend? Maybe he wants to set me on the right path? So that I will think deeply about his words and recognise him as my mentor? Perhaps that is the case.

"Thank you for your wisdom, Ras Al Ghul," I bowed respectfully and put my hat back on. "Under different circumstances, I might have recognised you as my master, but...

"The wounds of the past prevent me. I understand. Perhaps in time you will change your mind, but for now you are free to go. Do as you see fit.

I didn't expect to be let go so easily. Lady Shiva was completely confused, and I noticed contempt and hostility in her gaze. Apparently, she didn't like the fact that in just one meeting, I had become almost a kindred spirit to her master. And when I was leaving the fort, I noticed a boy with beautiful emerald eyes practising his katana moves. He reminded me of someone, and out of curiosity, I looked to see who he was.

Damian Wayne was his name. Ha ha, it seems that Bats was very busy with his daughter, "Rasa," since he managed to screw up so badly at such a young age. Why mess up? Because I would never, ever allow my child to become a weapon and be raised the way they see fit. I remember that in the future, he will grow up to be an ungrateful little shit with a very inflated ego.

"I am the son of Batman himself!" — you may be Batman's son, but first and foremost, you are a child who does not appreciate the pure kindness of people.

Batman can't use the excuse that he didn't know he existed. In the end, he didn't care about his safety and let this happen.

Okay, let's forget about Batman's son and get back to the matter at hand. What are my plans for now? Nothing special. Just prepare for the next dungeon. Maybe I'm rushing things, acting recklessly and taking big risks, but if you're always afraid and never take risks, what's the point of living? The system, as luck would have it, doesn't give me any decent quests, and the locals can hardly give me any significant experience to level up. I don't want to depend on anyone for too long. I want to become an important figure as soon as possible, and for that I need Power.

HP: 700/700

OD: 1000/1000

Strength: 64

Agility: 232

Luck: 1 —???

Intuition: 81

Willpower: 45

Wisdom: 50

Physical Constitution: 70

Endurance: 100

Charisma: 62

Intelligence: 65

Mana: 0 (Blocked)

Resilience: 80

+30 to Endurance, +70 to Agility, and +20 to Intuition.

I decided not to level up my physique for the simple reason that I have never been seriously injured. All that remained was to figure out the skill points. I was also surprised that my Charisma, Intelligence, and Wisdom stats had increased without my knowledge. As it turned out, the system itself removed these notifications for the convenience of dialogue/reflection, etc.

At the moment, all the skills I currently have are sufficient to pass the Dungeon. New skills can only make things easier or surprise my opponent in certain situations. For example, I decided to create a new time-related skill, which I decided to use in the basement of a dilapidated and abandoned building in New York.

Learned: REC/Recording Level 1.

You create your previous recorded image in reality. All damage taken by the copy is mentally returned to the original. Currently, only one copy of recorded events can be created. The copy automatically disappears after receiving fatal damage.

OD consumption: 25 units per second. Cooldown: 5 seconds. Activated/Sustained.

Again, I decided to take a hint for creating this skill while still at the beginning, when choosing my starting "bonus". Why would I create a conscious copy of myself if it's so dangerous and carries unknown risks, when I can create a recorded image of myself from the past? Unlike False Time Erasure, this skill is fairly easy to understand. Here's an example:

I lunge forward with a dagger and "remember" exactly every movement I made at that moment. At some point, an identical "copy" of myself may appear in my field of vision and do exactly what I did. In fact, this skill had minor drawbacks in the form of phantom pain and cost, but the very ability to create a memory of oneself is simply amazing! And with the "Shift" and "Record" abilities, I can dodge and attack at the same time! The skill costs three points. Not too much, but not too little either.

The next skill was from the "upper" branch of Assassin skills.

Learned: Death Blow Level: Max.

"An assassin who dares to pass a death sentence on other mortals considers himself a god. The only question is, who are you...?" — Master Assassin Drayve Scarlet before his apprentice's final test©

You deliver a crushing blow to your target, putting all your stamina into it. After the blow, you will be afflicted with the "Weakness" debuff for 5 minutes.

If the target survives this strike, they will be afflicted with Fragility [-100% to target's defence]/Slow [-100% to target's speed]/Weakness [-50% to target's combat stats]. If the target is a living creature, they will also be afflicted with Heavy Bleeding for 2 minutes and the permanent status "Maimed".

This skill can be considered my last resort, in case the enemy is extremely dangerous. This miracle cost me three points. The problem with this strike is that I will lose my Endurance! My main survival stat will be unavailable. In other words, this ability will be my last resort in battle. It's all or nothing. I couldn't test it in the city without attracting attention, so I decided to save it for later. Anyway, my Sprint and Stealth abilities were already reaching their limits, and new perks were coming soon. I decided to save the remaining ability points, of which I only had two left, for later.

Next on the list, I decided to tackle my Talos dagger. The thing was, it could evolve just like me. It could increase damage and even acquire certain features. I didn't attach any importance to the last point because I had no way of controlling or improving the dagger "myself." At some point, the weapon itself could create a new ability. And now, at level 28, I noticed an ability that I hadn't noticed before, namely the ability to teleport its owner to the dagger. So now I'm kind of like Namikaze Minato with his God of Thunder kunai. It looked as if I dissolved into a blue and white flash for a moment and then reappeared where my weapon was stuck or flying along its trajectory. Each "jump" took away a small amount of stamina, ten units to be exact, and... attention... this ability had no cooldown! 

"Well, enough cooling off. It's time to get down to business!" With these words, I transformed the Royal Key into reality and mentally wished to activate it. Two marble white doors appeared out of thin air, slowly opening in front of me and, once fully open, revealing the same thing I saw when I first entered the dungeon. Darkness and a purple singularity in the centre. I transformed my Talos dagger in advance and made a cut on my wrist to activate the Blood Marathon.

I was overcome by a strange premonition. Perhaps it was fear trying to hold me back and prevent me from entering this dark unknown? This is the only place that excites me. It makes me feel excitement and fear, even with my abilities. And with a smile on my lips, I grip the hilt of my dagger a little tighter to enter with confidence...

***

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