Chapter 48: A Trip to Kathmandu

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"Love is not necessary, power is the only true necessity."

~Madara Uchiha, (Naruto)

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<(Bruce Wayne POV)>

"My senate position is more or less confirmed in the coming elections this year as my ratings are out of the chart due to the huge budget you allocated for my campaign, so you don't have to worry about that. The main question is if I'll be able to get the Senate majority leader position or not after I get elected because that will be a little difficult since I am new in the field and the party." Jonathan Kent, my newest political muse reported to me.

"Don't worry, I believe in you, Mr. Kent. That's why I invested in you in the first place. However, getting that majority leader position will be an extremely essential strategic achievement if you want to run for vice president position in the next elections and for president after that. It will be the most efficient way for you to show your hard work and priorities to people while also being able to make all the political connections you need to further your career." I said in a neutral voice.

"I understand your worries, Bruce. I'll try my best to win the upcoming elections. In fact, I think I'll be increasing my campaign by attending more public events after this." He nodded, looking really determined.

"Anyway, what about your friend and neighbor, Ross or something? Didn't he want to run for the Senate position as well? I thought that you said he even got a lot of public support. Would he be a problem?" I asked, not realizing how scary I sounded while asking that. 

"What? Of course not. He is a friend, not a threat. Plus, we have decided to team up for our political career. He is running for the position of the governor of Kansas while I go for the Senator post." The older Kent quickly explained.

"Oh, then that's alright I guess." I nodded in appreciation with an awkward smile.

"By the way, don't hesitate to ask if you need more funds or resources. Remember, winning the Senator position is the most important thing for you right now, not saving money." I reminded him.

"Yes, I understand Bruce. Don't worry, I won't let you down..." 

"Darling, you are STILL discussing politics with Bruce? It has been TWO hours. You will bore the marbles out of the kid if you continue like this. Also, you haven't even had your lunch yet. By the way, how are you Bruce, honey? You should visit us at the farm again and bring Vicki and Selina with you as well. We really miss you guys. Even Clark misses you. That's why he tries to get in touch with you at least once a week." Martha Kent interrupted her husband, trying her best to fit into the camera frame in the video cal.

"I will after I come back from this spiritual trip of mine I promise. Anyway, I might not be able to contact you directly for a while after this due to my uhh, soul-searching trip, so I'll say this now, best of luck in the elections. If you need anything, don't hesitate to contact Alfred or Cortana. They would take care of any problems you could possibly have, so don't be shy in asking for their help.

Also, you guys took those vitamin shots I sent you right? They are the newest products from our company and are meant to make people have a longer life and healthier life span. It will restore your bodies to much better states than what they are currently at, so much so that you two of you will be as healthy as horses after taking them." I finished.

The serum that I sent them was a diluted version of the peak-tier serum. It was a lab-tested, commercialized product meant for the public in a few years, the administering of which could help the user live for ten to twenty years longer without suffering any side effects or being affected by most genetic or other diseases that came from old age as long as one took repeated doses of the drug.

This was specifically made to make sure that both members of the Kent couple remained alive despite their old age or the results of their stupid decisions curtsey to some underlying hidden mental problems. After all, I had a lot of investment riding on them and their successes and I'll be damned if I let all of that go to waste. No, I'll even drag the Kent patriarch back from hell if I needed to in order for him to pay me back by subtly manipulating the government to my benefit. I deserved at least that for all the troubles I went through to get the do-gooder advance in his political career while making sure that his family no longer suffered from any monetary or any other problems.

"Okay then Bruce, and once again thank you for everything you did for us. Are you sure you don't want to say hello to Clark and Krypto as well? They might be coming back from their walk any minute." Mrs. Kent asked.

"No, it's okay. I already talked to them yesterday. Plus I'll be reaching my destination soon, so, I'll have to go. Bye." I bid goodbye to them both as I cut the call and closed my new Wayne laptop.

"Wow, that took more time than expected." Cortana's voice suddenly chimed out from my watch.

"Yeah, politics is such a complex topic after all, even more than business. Business is all about profit and loss but politics is completely different. It is a much more complicated subject than what I am comfortable with. It's a good thing that I won't have to be the one playing politics with old men all day since I hired my own old man to do exactly that." I smirked at my own joke as I thought about John Kent who thought that I was actually doing him a favor by helping him pursue his passion in politics while the truth was the complete opposite. 

"Sir, we are going to land soon. I advise getting your seatbelt on." A beautiful air hostess came up to me and informed me before leaving while letting her bubble butt slightly brush my hands in a seductive manner.

She had been making eyes at me from the very beginning of the journey, probably trying to seduce the immature and young heir of the Wayne family but unfortunately for her, I was not interested in her at all. I was too paranoid to just sleep with an unknown stranger who could be a psychotic criminal or assassin in disguise for all I knew, and thus not stupid enough to let myself be at my weakest point in their presence while also giving them access to my DNA to make some evil clone that could be destined to one day destroy the world or something. Nope, I was at least smarter than that.

'Plus, I knew girls much much hotter than her.' I thought as I sighed, already missing the pseudo-family that I had made in this world.

Tightening my seat belt, I leaned on the sofa, hoping to get a quick shut-eye till the plane landed.

There was almost no jerking in the air even when the plane was traveling at the speed of Mach 1 or when it went through the clouds. The entire inside of the plane seemed so stable that it was almost like it wasn't even moving.

That was of course because this was my own private jet. A Bombardier Global 8000, heavily customized by Wayne Solutions which basically meant I was the one who had customized the entire plane from head to toe. Its outer appearance was still the same as before but its specs were now completely on another level.

[{Image}]

"Being rich does have its perks, doesn't it?" I muttered to myself as I took a deep breath and closed my eyes after taking one last sip of my mocktail.

"It sure does," Cortana replied almost immediately.

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<(Omniscient POV) >

A sprawling city surrounded by mountains. Numerous people went about their business, traders ran their small shops, and a few animals walked on the streets trying to search for food while nature played its part and wrapped its unimaginable beauty all around the city. This was the wonderful city of Kathmandu.

"Excuse me, have you heard of a place called Kamar Taj?... No?... Okay, thank you for your time." A handsome boy in his mid-teens was currently walking the roads of the city in search of something that only he knew about but unfortunately, he had found nothing but disappointment for the last half an hour.

"It seems it doesn't exist in this world after all. Well, I already knew that but I could not help but try a last-ditch effort after coming to the city. However, it would have been quite fun if it had actually existed. Maybe then, I could have found a way to access sorcery without getting affected or corrupted by its power." He muttered to himself as he went towards the direction of a particular monastery in the city.

 He didn't have to walk a lot and soon reached his destination in just a little over ten minutes. It was a huge beautiful golden monastery on the outskirts of the main city of Kathmandu called Kopan Monastery. The very landmark seemed to emit an aura of peace and tranquility as the entire area around it seemed to be in a state of absolute serenity like it was the ultimate symbol of absolute peace and calm.

'So how the fuck am I going to reach the League of Assassins? I am positive that this is the address I was supposed to come to. Would somebody pick me up or do I have to find out about their HQ myself? Is this supposed to be a test? Also, if they think that I am gonna wait here outside in the cold like in those Shaolin martial arts movies, they have got another thing coming.' Bruce thought annoyed, unaffected by the peace and serenity all around him.

However, he still waited for about an hour outside the monastery but no one approached him, hell no one was even nearby to approach him.

Just when Bruce was debating on whether to go inside the monastery and start asking people if they had heard of an assassin group called the League of Assassins living around this area, a man in usual local attire suddenly appeared out of thin air and came towards him with a basket full of fruits in his hands.

"Take a fruit." The man only said as he inched the fruit basket towards Bruce.

"..." Bruce didn't say anything as he just took an apple from the basket after which the man silently left without saying a single more word.

After the man left, Bruce however didn't eat the apple, nor did he throw it away. Instead, he carefully cut it open and as he had suspected, he was right. The inside of the apple was hollowed out in which there was a small piece of paper.

He took out the paper piece from inside the apple and opened it. There was a single address inside the paper which was more like the name of a mountain peak instead of a specific address. But the moment he read it, Bruce knew what was expected of him.

He was supposed to find the place on his own by spending days or even weeks mountain trekking in the cold, getting lost in the snow, and being attacked by dangerous animals of the wild until he would finally reach his destination where he would then be applauded for his willpower and at last trained by them like they were doing him a favor by teaching him.

The entire thing was just a fricking mind game, one that Bruce had no wish to play. So cheat he would. After all, he was a devout believer in working smart rather than working hard.

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(A/N: A major Batman villain appears in the next chapter. I am sure you all can guess whom.)

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