Bruce reads through everything carefully.
The Proficiency Panel catches his attention. Progress includes automatic insights and understanding.
Even failed attempts generate advancement.
'That's the key,' he thinks. 'I don't need to understand a martial art perfectly before practicing it. The system will give me insights as I progress. I just need to make the attempt and the understanding will come.'
A knock sounds at the door. Bruce dismisses the screens with a thought.
"Master Bruce?" Alfred's voice comes through the door. "Are you alright?"
Bruce walks to the door and unlocks it. Alfred stands in the hallway, his face lined with worry and exhaustion.
"I'm fine, Alfred," Bruce says quietly. His voice cracks slightly and he lets it. Tears well up in his eyes on command.
Alfred's face crumples. He kneels down to Bruce's level, pulling the boy into a gentle hug. "Oh, Master Bruce. It's alright to cry. It's alright to not be fine."
Bruce lets the tears flow, lets himself be held. The grief is real even if he's choosing when to show it. He cries into Alfred's shoulder while part of his mind continues to plan.
After a few minutes, Bruce pulls back and wipes his eyes. "I just... I want to be alone for a while. Is that okay?"
"Of course," Alfred says immediately. "Take all the time you need. I'll bring you some dinner later. You need to eat, even if you don't feel like it."
Bruce nods. Alfred squeezes his shoulder once more, then stands and leaves, closing the door softly behind him.
Alone again, Bruce walks to his bed and sits on the edge. His feet don't quite reach the floor.
'Alright,' he thinks. 'Before I start training mindlessly, I need to plan. I have twelve to fifteen years before the Justice League needs to form. That's twenty-four to thirty years of actual training time with the Pocket Dimension. I need to use that time intelligently.'
He closes his eyes and focuses on the system again. 'Enter Pocket Dimension.'
Reality shifts. One moment he's in his bedroom, the next he's in an identical but empty version of it. Complete silence surrounds him.
*[POCKET DIMENSION: ACTIVE]*
*[TIME REMAINING: 23:59:52]*
Bruce makes his way downstairs to his father's study. The room is exactly as Thomas Wayne left it, lined with bookshelves and dominated by a large mahogany desk. Bruce climbs into the leather chair behind the desk, his small body barely visible over the desktop.
He pulls out a notebook and pen from the drawer. Time to plan properly.
'First, I need to set goals in tiers,' Bruce thinks, writing at the top of the page. 'What do I want to achieve and by when?'
*TIER 1 GOALS - BY AGE 18*
Bruce writes carefully, his enhanced mind organizing thoughts with crystal clarity.
Physical Development:
- Surpass original Batman's peak human capabilities
- Master every major martial art in existence
- Achieve Physique stat above 100 (beyond normal human limits)
- Perfect muscle memory and combat instincts
Mental Development:
- Increase Mind stat to genius levels that rival Brainiac
- Master multiple scientific fields: physics, chemistry, biology, engineering
- Learn every major language
- Develop strategic thinking beyond any human tactician
Power Acquisition:
- Research and acquire safe superhuman enhancements
- Study magic and mystical arts
- Understand alien technology
- Map out power sources: Lazarus Pits, Speed Force connection possibilities, genetic enhancement
Influence & Resources:
- Maintain control of Wayne Enterprises
- Build secret information networks globally
- Establish hidden identities and accounts
- Create technology that rivals or exceeds anything in DC Universe
Bruce stares at what he's written. It's ambitious, maybe insane, but with the system's advantages it's actually achievable.
'Now, how do I get there?' he thinks, turning to a new page.
*MARTIAL ARTS MASTERY PLAN*
'The original Batman knew 127 martial arts according to some continuities,' Bruce writes. 'I'm going to learn every single one that exists. But how do I access them all?'
His mind races through possibilities.
'The League of Assassins. Ra's al Ghul's organization has masters of virtually every fighting style on Earth. In the original timeline, Bruce trained with them. But I don't want to be indebted to Ra's. I don't want him to see me as a potential heir or target for manipulation.'
Bruce taps the pen against the notebook.
'Alternative approach: I use Wayne wealth to bring the masters to me. Private tutors. Hire them under false pretenses. Use the Pocket Dimension to train for 24 hours, then show up to real lessons having already practiced. They'll think I'm a prodigy, which will motivate them to teach me more.'
He writes this down, then continues thinking.
'But some martial arts are secret. Hidden. The League of Assassins won't send their masters for hire. So I need to infiltrate them eventually, but not as Bruce Wayne. A secret identity. Years from now when I'm older and more capable.'
Bruce turns to another page.
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