Chapter 22: Blood of the man of Steel...
~Ezra's Pov, A few weeks later...~
.
.
.
"As I thought... These fuckers have been practically hoarding that area for the past 3 weeks. Don't they get tired?" I kept looking at the cameras I had access to in certain areas. And with each one, a hero was lurking by. Specifically the ones from the Justice League.
They didn't come by specific parts of the city often, probably trying not to look too suspicious, but their presence was enough to be annoying. It was clear they were monitoring the areas I frequented, hoping to catch me in action again.
"Urgh... Persistent, aren't they?" I sighed to myself, rubbing the back of my neck. "But they're not going to find anything if I just keep my head low a bit, but if they don't leave; I'm thoroughly fucked."
I folded my arms, and slightly leaned back in my chair, contemplating my next move. It was only a matter of time before they either confronted me directly or lost their interest in me. I wasn't sure which I preferred.
In the meantime, I had other things to focus on. I don't know if I should be happy or not, but because of their little escapades around my districts, my training had been progressing very well, and I was eager to test my new limits, which I couldn't do so because of them... The time I spent patrolling for fun, just turned into raw training time.
And, then there was Amber. Our date which was almost two months ago had gone surprisingly well, and we had texted each other regularly since that time. And, she was becoming a bright spot in my otherwise chaotic life at this point... I have plans to visit her shortly since my 17th birthday is just a few months away at this point.
But first, I needed to deal with this Justice League situation... They were too close for comfort, and I couldn't afford to have them interfering with any of my plans. I had to find a way to throw them off my trail, at least for a while. A part of me wants to just leave this city and start over fresh in another. That could help. But a part of me didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing me leave...
'Or...'
I glanced back at the screens, formulating a plan, "Let's see how well they handle a little misdirection," I smirked, already typing away on my computer, setting up a series of false leads and decoys.
If they wanted to play this game, I was more than ready. They wouldn't find me unless I wanted to be found. And by the time they realized that. It would be too late...
Other than that... "ECHO, could you show my stats?"
[Of course master...
Physical Age: 16 years / 682.33 Years
Height: 5'9" --> 5'10.2" / 6'9.5"
Weight: 221.24 kg (Effectively 87.89 kg)
Physical Strength: 3.92 Kilotons --> 39.2 / 39.2 Kilotons
Physicality: 115.1 --> 243.23 / 311.1
Perception/Reaction speeds: Mach 8,421.2 --> Mach 24,551 / Mach 24,551
Movement-Speed: Mach 94.21 --> Mach 341.2 / Mach 341.2
Intelligence: Low Genius / Mid Genius]
.
.
.
I maxed out everything I could for most of my stats, except for Physicallity. It's the only physical stat that I was sure was already many times higher than what I can dish out in pure raw force. At least on paper that is.
I guess I underestimated my toughness yet again. Not to mention that I can fight at full strength for months now according to ECHO. Still, I need more abilities than the ones I have now, or specific ones. I still can't use my full speed when I fight at all, specifically when it comes to my movements.
I didn't have the Speed-Force to protect either me or my suit from certain velocities before physics kicks me in the ass; Much less a Bio-Electric forcefield that doesn't rip the environment and others around me to shreds with my sheer speed alone either.
In essence, I was fucked in that regard. This meant that I needed to get the blood of high-powered beings like Superman or Omni-man, or even somehow figure out the speed formula... There was another option, which was to create a Bio-Electric forcefield myself, but I was not that skilled in my electricity manipulation. The most I can accomplish now is flight.
'And that was still a work in progress...' I sighed to myself.
Furthermore, flight was essential for me now, but without the proper control and those forcefields, it was more of a liability than an advantage. I couldn't afford to cause collateral damage every time I tried to move at high speeds on the ground. The heroes patrolling the city were already suspicious enough without me giving them more reasons to hunt me down or scout me out...
Even though ECHO had been invaluable, constantly monitoring and providing data on my progress. But even with her advanced capabilities, there were limits to what I could achieve without the right enhancements. And most of the persons who did have them had said abilities passively.
Superman, Omni-Man, or the Flash for the speed Speed-Force—any of these would significantly increase my capabilities. But obtaining said power was easier said than done. The risks were astronomically higher, and failure wasn't an option I could afford right now.
For now, I just had to continue refining my current abilities and push the boundaries of what I could achieve with my existing skills. The pursuit of greater power would come of course, but it had to be calculated, and precise...
In the meantime, I would keep an eye on the Justice League and their movements. They were already a formidable force as is, but I still somewhat had the advantage of being underestimated. They didn't fully grasp what I was capable of, and I intended to keep it that way for now...
I let out a deep breath, "Well, at least I grew another inch on my frame..." That must have been the second positive for me here, other than Amber of course. For now, I need another genetic sample. Something relatively easy to get, yet powerful. But who?
'Still, which other being could help me level up at this point?' I couldn't just waltz up to supes, and ask for blood, and I didn't know much of anything about Omni-man's side of the planet. Most citizens don't go there, nor do they have information on that side either...
"Wait... Doesn't Clarke give his blood away on some occasions?" There are instances of him giving his blood to others to help them in the earlier comics... Wouldn't it be possible for them to still have some left over? They had to make Superboy out of something as well too, since he existed in this universe...
With that, I didn't waste any time, and began hacking into some companies that could have samples, even if the chances were nill, it was more than worth a shot. Though, I doubt I'd succeed
[Master Ezra, wait... The chances of someone of Superman's caliber still having even simple drops of DNA are impossibly slim, even slimmer tha-]
After hacking into some shady companies located in this section of the planet, I widened my eyes at it... "There's-there's some left!?" I couldn't believe it. And it's being rotated daily... They must have been testing the limits of his blood. Luckily for me, they have enough for me to get started with.
.
.
.
[H-How...?]
.
.
.
The genetic material was stored in a secure facility, a remnant from one of Superman's charity events a few years ago to help cure potentially incurable diseases... It wasn't much in hindsight, just a few vials to be specific, but for me? It was more than enough to be significant since I only needed a few drops of the thing.
As I accessed the facility's database, I found detailed logs and a list of individuals who had interacted with the samples. A small operation, but promising enough to give me a lead. The blood was stored under strict security, so getting to it would be a challenge, but not an insurmountable one.
I began to formulate a plan. The facility would have high-tech security measures and probably some guards, but nothing I couldn't handle with my current skills. Infiltrating the facility would be tricky, but the potential rewards were too great to ignore.
The next steps would involve reconnaissance, assessing the security systems, and devising a precise plan to retrieve one of the samples. Once I had the genetic material, I or ECHO could start analyzing it and see what enhancements it might offer after.
Until then, I needed to stay under the radar for a few days longer...
.
.
.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
~Ezra's Pov, A few days later...~
.
.
.
'It's now, or never...' I said to myself.
As night fell, I slowly suited up, ensuring every piece of gear was in place. My suit was designed for stealth and flexibility, with some of the most advanced cloaking technology that Earth had at its disposal, some were upgraded by myself too, as well as other integrated tools for hacking and infiltration...
With everything set, I made my way to the facility. The city was quiet, the streets mostly empty. It was the perfect cover for what I needed to do.
Arriving at the facility, I observed the perimeter. Guards patrolled at regular intervals, and surveillance cameras covered almost every angle. Activating my suit's cloaking feature, I moved silently, blending into the shadows...
Carefully, I bypassed the outer defenses, using a combination of agility and technology to avoid detection. Once inside, I navigated through the maze-like corridors, following the schematics both me and ECHO had found a day prior.
Reaching the vault, I encountered the first major obstacle: a biometric scanner. The type that needed a high-ranking employee's fingerprint, and retinal scan. Fortunately for me, I had anticipated this and brought the necessary equipment to create a bypass.
I could tell that these guys weren't playing, normal bozos wouldn't touch this place with a ten-foot poll... It was too high-tech and connected.
Using a holographic interface, I projected the biometric data ECHO helped me gather during our hack. The scanner accepted the false data, and the vault door began to open.
Inside, the security was even tighter. The DNA sample was stored in a cryogenic chamber, protected by a complex locking mechanism. I carefully disabled the alarms and unlocked the chamber...
'So, this is it...' I looked at the thing as if it was rare than any substance known to man...
There it was: a small vial containing a precious amount of Superman's blood. The culmination of my efforts, and my ticket to infinite power... I could almost taste it at this point.
Gently, I retrieved a vial and secured it in a specialized container designed to maintain its integrity. With the sample in hand, I retraced my steps, ensuring no trace of my presence remained.
As I exited the facility, I couldn't help but feel a bit tense... This was the turning point, the moment that could potentially change everything for me.
.
.
.
I quickly removed my mask, "Ok... That was, stressful..." I felt like my feet were made out of lead...
I was back in my bunker, barely escaping detection. Despite the close call, I managed to secure the sample without anyone realizing it. To be honest, the heroes never stood a chance of finding me; they were too preoccupied with searching for me.
With a huff, I sat down, "There's no time to waste..." settling carefully, my gaze fixed on the glowing sample... It was almost mesmerizing—almost as if amber crystals were suspended within it.
[Master, I'm hesitant about using this blood so soon. It might exceed what your body can handle...]
"I... I understand the risks, ECHO." I responded, eyes locked on the vial, "But this is our best chance to even the odds. I've already pushed my body beyond its limits; I can handle this."
[Very well, Ezra. Proceed with caution. I will assess if the blood can integrate with your genes; if not, I will offer an alternative process.]
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. This was the critical moment. I meticulously prepared the infusion device, ensuring every step was sterile and precise. Any error could be catastrophic.
As I inserted the needle and started the infusion, I used only a few droplets. Yet I instantly felt the effects of it just being inside my bloodstream—The blood beneath my skin began to glow, even before it had fully integrated.
[Reading indications of radioactive energy... The host's body shows adequate resistance... Analyzing the host's genetic structure against the sample... Given the sample's advanced nature, it is now classified as class-V...]
'Class-V? I've never heard of that before… This must be highly complex.' I noted, hearing the hum of calibrations over the past ten minutes.
[Fascinating... His genes are potent but far from flawless... Good news, Master Ezra. You can successfully merge his DNA with your own. However, the process might take weeks to complete, as it involves removing Superman's weaknesses and optimizing your own genetics.]
Weeks? That's far longer than expected. I'd anticipated a few hours at most. The prolonged duration suggests significant changes. Given my body's resilience and ability to endure months without food, I knew I could handle it.
"Hmm... I'll proceed with it. It's best to get this over with. You handle your end, ECHO. I just need to remove my suit first." I took off my jacket, as well as my body suit. While doing so, I entered my tub.
I took another deep breath, realizing that if this works, I'll practically become the man of steel himself, if not more... "Alright ECHO... You can start..." Not long after, I felt my consciousness slip away...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
END
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone