40 Slow And Steady

(Nathan POV)

Do you know what the problem is with clones?

It's the fact that while they may all be physically identical, that does not apply to the spiritual or mental realms. A clone that could be physically the same as another person could be entirely different in other senses.

Take the multiple Billy numerous clones I keep seeing as well. They all may be physically the same as clones, like his spiritual presence, as they are quite literally just meat suits with brains.

I could see Billy Numerous himself through the force as well. He could hide amongst his clones physically, but you can't hide from the force that quite literally binds the emotional spectrum. The brainwashed man had already gone to the back and was spawning endless amounts of clones.

While they all had the strength of a regular man, it still took a lot of strength not to drown in a sea of flesh and bodies. Seeing as only Kid Flash and Superboy were missing, I phased through the bottom of the sewer and walked forward, kind of like no clipping in a video game.

I typically can't see because I don't actually have eyes when I'm phasing, so I use the force to direct myself through its extra sensory perception.

Running right under the real Billy Numerous, I reach my arms up and grab him by his legs before pulling him down. Due to the man's trance-like state, he wasn't even able to fight back, and in a couple of seconds, his entire body was devoured.

Thankfully, he had sent out enough clones that once they disappeared, I would already be gone. Returning to the sewer opposite the Titans, I jumped up, grabbed the ceiling, and then, using my upwards momentum, I flipped myself upwards through the sewer ceiling back to the street.

At top speed, I run into a nearby alley and change back into my normal form, not wearing the same face. I wanted to test out how the clones worked now that I'd integrated the power, but that will have to come later as it looks like I have company.

Beast boy, probably smelling Billy Numerous, hopped out of the hole in the street nearby and sniffed the air. I just calmly started walking away from the area, making myself look as innocent as possible.

Checking my body for any blood or other odor residue, I did find a small amount on my shoes, so I used my black light virus. I absorbed them into me to throw them off the trail.

It was almost funny how easy it was to escape the Teen Titans, but they didn't precisely exactly have a Superman on their team, and super boy he could barely be but be considered a Kryptonian.

That and as an effect of feather falling, each step I take is unnaturally quiet, so he can't hear me running away. As I made it three blocks down the street, I hopped into a nearby clothing store and checked my template progress.

[Sheev Palpatine: 65%]

[Emiya(Archer): 60%]

[Alex Mercer: 92%]

That's a good amount of progress right there. My Alex Mercer template increased by 3% by absorbing Psimon and Billy Numerous. Not to mention, getting access to psychic abilities increased my Palpatine template by a decent amount as well.

As I said, on a bench in the clothing store, I looked outside and saw the Titans walking away with the remaining fearsome five, and with only Jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo left, they should separate soon enough.

That, or they would head back to some hive bases that were near the city. I do appreciate the psychic sacrifice, as he provided me with a decent number of usable biomass. Indeed, your sacrifice will be appreciated, Psimon.

It really does put into perspective how powerful the black light virus would be if given to someone in the DC universe because as long as their powers did not come from an external source, like the speed force or the emotional spectrum, he could absorb them, and quite literally take on the best parts of them.

I was tempted to try to get a little bit of Superboy's blood, but I didn't have the means to pierce his skin, yet I needed some kryptonite for that. While he probably still had little resistance to magic, I would have to get close to him to do that, and they were still faster than me, even if he was only half Kryptonian.

Well, as the same goes, slow and steady wins the race. I don't need to rush after all. Although speaking of kryptonite, it seems that some of the hive bases have some small stores of it.

"Perfect." I thought to myself as I waited for a few minutes before walking out of the store. I did find some designs that I could use for other clothing as I technically don't even need clothes anymore, and I could just copy designs using my black light virus.

Even then, I could just trace and project the clothing eventually using that form of mage craft. I have noticed that projections don't have that same feeling that Archer described in the fate universe, where he could see and feel every single one of his constructs being erased by the world.

Maybe it's because this world already has magic like that, or the world can't recognize my foreign magic. Regardless of my findings, I need to find a space to test this power, so it looks like I'm heading to the docks.

(Nightwing POV)

This was way too easy.

The fearsome five, all being B-list villains, shouldn't have gone down this easily. Their aggression, as well as their willingness to just jump in without a plan, is odd.

Raven even noticed an increase in their aggression as the fight went on, not to mention their resident psychic, quite literally mind-breaking their cloning guy.

It was desperate, but it was also stupid.

Psimon, while being a selfish egotist, was not stupid, or at least not this foolish and kid flash and Superboy was still baffled at how he disappeared so quickly, not to mention how we couldn't find the real Billy, after all of his clones, had disappeared.

Right now, though, I'm looking over the medical readings. A few of those suicide Billies hit Beast Boy and Cyborg. Starfire and Raven had already left the tower again to do more patrols, while Superboy and Kid Flash had been hanging out here.

But what is really stumping me is how or what affected them so much to make such reckless moves. And if Raven noticed them not acting normally, it meant something was manipulating them or someone.

Sighing to myself, I sat down in the medical office and wondered what was going on. Raven said before the battle, she saw someone who could've been in contact with the demon, but before she could ask more questions, the fearsome five had already begun to rob that bank.

He could be a lead. I should ask Raven for a description when she gets back.

(Started a new jump chain story called "When The Facade Breaks (A Jumpchain Story") feel free to check it out.)