Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [47]

Kathoom was quite pleased with the dramatic entrance he’d crafted, though Bruce wouldn’t stop questioning him internally.

“How are you flying?”

“Bruce, think creatively.”

Kathoom replied, “Just cast a Levitation Charm on your shoes, and voilà—you can fly.”

The wind-blown cape effect? Same principle.

“Now, watch closely and take notes on how I strike terror without lifting a finger.”

In his current form, Batman was no longer a teenage boy but a full-grown adult, thanks to an Aging Charm Kathoom had cast. All of this was to give Jason the Batman he’d dreamed of meeting.

And it was working.

“Bruce!!!”

Jason tightened his grip on his twin guns, pointing them at Batman. “So you finally decided to show yourself!”

His mind was in turmoil.

By all logic, if Quirrell’s trap had succeeded, Bruce should still be locked in the basement, meaning Batman shouldn’t be here.

And this Batman wasn’t a child.

So many red flags were there, if Jason would just take a second to think, he’d realize something was wrong.

But Jason wasn’t interested in thinking.

He had come to this world for revenge on Batman, and if his enemy was a child, he might have hesitated.

Now that Batman was an adult, he could fight without restraint!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Jason fired without hesitation, aiming for his mentor’s heart with the intent of a wounded beast.

Yet Kathoom didn’t move, letting the barrage of bullets fly toward him.

At the very last second, he raised his hand.

An invisible wall seemed to materialize in front of him, and the bullets halted mid-air.

With a flick of his fingers, Kathoom turned the bullets around, aiming them back at Jason.

The bullets Jason had fired shot back at him with renewed energy, and he barely managed to dive out of the way.

“Is there a point to the hand gesture?” Bruce asked curiously, observing from within. “You don’t need arm motions for wandless magic.”

There was no doubt Kathoom had used an advanced application of Levitation to stop the bullets.

But why the extra theatrics?

“No real reason,” Kathoom replied breezily. “It just looks cooler.”

“…Got it.”

Back in reality, Jason broke into a hysterical laugh.

“I knew it! I knew it!”

He spoke as if trying to convince himself, listing off Bruce’s “crimes.” “When you trained me, you must’ve held back! You never showed me these magical abilities—you never even hinted at them!”

Jason was a natural Robin, a student of Bruce Wayne, and his mind now twisted this into a belief that Bruce had intentionally favored others.

Maybe he never cared about Jason at all!

Kathoom remarked to Bruce, “See? You’ll need to change your teaching approach unless you want all your protégés to end up this way.”

Then, he turned his attention back to Jason.

“I don’t see why you’re so surprised.”

Batman’s voice was cold. “There are things in this world you know nothing about.”

With that, he pointed one finger to the sky, another to the ground.

“Weapons are forbidden here.”

Batman’s words seemed like an edict to the world itself.

Jason’s guns were suddenly yanked from his grip, clattering to the ground. Each time he tried to retrieve them, they’d slip from his hands again.

Just as Batman had decreed—no weapons were permitted here.

Watching from within, Bruce was astounded. “How are you doing that?”

The power to declare rules that the world obeys—it was astonishing.

“Don’t underestimate the Demon King!”

Kathoom reveled in the moment before admitting the truth.

“It’s just the Disarming Charm.”

The Disarming Charm—the simplest “Expelliarmus” in the magical world.

“A Disarming Charm?” Bruce was incredulous. “But every time Jason picks up his guns, they fall from his hands again.”

“That’s because I used the Disarming Charm multiple times.”

If Jason had heard this, he’d probably choke on his own rage.

“Bruce, I told you to think outside the box.”

Kathoom explained, “Never underestimate any spell. Mastery transforms magic beyond recognition.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. Kathoom had long believed that in the world of magic, spells had hidden potential waiting to be unlocked through sheer expertise.

For instance, in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Nicolas Flamel had used an ordinary spell to block Grindelwald’s flames from consuming Paris, his expertise elevating a simple spell into something formidable.

Kathoom operated similarly; he had practiced the art of silent casting to perfection.

Wandless casting combined with silent casting could yield surprising results.

Like right now—

“Jason.”

Batman’s voice held a note of regret. “I know you’ve been through a lot of pain, but that’s all in the past. It’s time to look forward.”

“Never!”

Jason’s clenched fists shook as he refused to yield.

After enduring so much suffering, he wasn’t about to forgive and forget. Even without weapons, he’d fight Batman with his bare hands if he had to.

He had a deep-seated hatred, and it fueled his strength.

Batman sighed. “Then you leave me no choice.”

Suddenly, he reached out with an open palm.

Whoosh!

Jason felt his body lift off the ground, drawn towards Batman against his will.

Batman’s fist was ready.

Wham!

A punch, enhanced by magical force, struck Jason squarely, sending him flying like a ragdoll.

With quiet composure, Batman clasped his hands behind his back, subtly shaking them. He had underestimated Jason’s reinforced helmet and now his knuckles ached.

“You’re only winning because of your magic.”

Jason staggered back to his feet, his helmet dented, but still defiant, taunting Batman.

“If you were only using what you taught me, I’d have you beat!”

His challenge was clear: in pure hand-to-hand combat, he believed Batman couldn’t match him.

Kathoom nodded. “Alright, I’ll make sure you’re thoroughly convinced!”

Bruce’s voice held a note of worry. “Are you sure about this? I’m not physically that strong.”

He couldn’t understand why Kathoom would give up his advantages in a fight.

After all, Bruce’s body was still that of an eleven-year-old, even if the spell made it appear older.

But Kathoom was confident. “Relax. I’ve fortified your body with magic. Beating Jason won’t be a problem.”

Bruce: ?

“You just promised not to use magic.”

“That was just talk.”

Kathoom shook his head. “With someone this stubborn, there’s no need for honor.”

Bolstered by Batman’s promise, Jason’s confidence soared.

The fight began in earnest.

Jason threw a powerful straight punch, like a cannonball, but Batman dodged with surprising speed.

In an instant, Kathoom’s countering elbow strike came at Jason, but Jason evaded just as deftly.

They moved rapidly, their blows and blocks accompanied by the dull thud of flesh and the crack of bone.

Their duel was primal, two wild beasts clashing, Jason’s breath coming in heavier gasps as Batman relentlessly pressed him, even managing to tear off his helmet.

Jason’s strength waned, his moves revealing more openings as Batman countered each one effortlessly.

Finally, Batman jumped high, his palms slamming down in a forceful blow against Jason’s neck.

Jason stumbled, unable to fall but clearly shaken.

A momentary lapse in his defense, and Batman’s iron fist connected with his face.

Then came the storm of righteous blows.

“Why won’t you see reason?!”

A crushing punch blurred Jason’s vision with tears.

“Why can’t you feel my care for you?!”

Another punch loosened two of Jason’s teeth.

“Why did you come here to cause trouble for everyone?!”

Each punch was unforgiving, and Jason was soon a bruised mess, his face swollen and battered.

To finish, Batman spun around and delivered a powerful kick, sending Jason flying into a wall.

Jason tried to stand, but Batman was relentless, pinning him down with a final shoulder strike that sapped all of Jason’s strength.

“This can’t be…”

Jason slumped, coughing up blood, his face throbbing with pain.

He couldn’t understand how he’d lost.

And so easily.

“Give it up, Jason.”

Batman loomed over him. “Let go of the past—it’s time to look to the future.”

“I’ll never forgive you.”

Jason’s voice was defiant, though weak, “I’ll destroy everything you care about!”

Sigh…

Kathoom shook his head. It had come to this, then.

If Jason couldn’t be reasoned with, then his heart would need breaking.

Kathoom looked him in the eyes, softening his tone. “You’ll never be able to destroy everything I care about.”

“I can!!!” Jason screamed.

“Then go kill yourself.”

Batman’s response silenced Jason instantly.

He froze, trying to process the meaning behind Batman’s words.

Did he mean… what he thought?

Kathoom went further, lifting Jason by his collar to stare into his eyes, his tone filled with disappointment. “I don’t know how you could be so blind. When did I ever abandon you? I would never abandon you!

“Jason, you are my favorite Robin!”

Boom!

Jason’s mind went blank. What had he just heard?

Did Batman truly say that?

If only he’d said it sooner…

Maybe then, he wouldn’t have chased Bruce to this world in anger.

On the inside, Bruce felt shivers running down his spine.

“I’m your favorite Robin?”

He repeated Kathoom’s words in disbelief, then asked, “How could you even say that?”

“Easy,” Kathoom replied casually. “If I ever meet Dick or Tim, I’ll tell them the same.”

Dick, the first Robin, and Tim, the third, were both essential to Batman.

And it worked.

Jason’s anger melted away, his defiance gone. When Kathoom released him, he sank to the ground, dazed, whispering Batman’s words to himself.

“I’m your favorite Robin… I’m your favorite Robin…”

“Jason…”

Kathoom knelt beside him, patting his shoulder. “If only you’d been a bit smarter, things wouldn’t have had to come to this.”

Then he held out his hand.

“Now, hand over the Dionesium.”

—

T/N: I mean…it works

I also put Bruce and Kathoom’s conversation in Italics! So if it’s in italics they are speaking internally to eachother!