Chapter 26 - Jason vs Batman

The knowledge and skills engrained into him had Jason look at Batman with a new sense of respect. Bruce studied every field of science, mastered almost every form of violence and combat, and learned as many skills and disciplines as he could just so he would be prepared for his crusade against crime.

Now, Jason had all of it without having to go through years and years of training and learning, and then some.

'I feel like a cheat, but there's nothing I can do about it anymore.'

Jason closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and entering a fighting stance. This time, he was going to change things up a bit. There was only three meters between them.

"Wheatley, don't make him hold back. Make him go for the kill and remove his gadgets."

Wheatley sputtered in surprise. [R-really? Well suit yourself, then.] Following Jason's order, Batman's utility belt vanished. [This is gonna be painful for you, but I guess you already knew that.]

That was fine with him. Jason had become a vessel of formidable power, infused with a potent fusion of knowledge and skills, and he knew that to train effectively, he had to give it his all. Both Batman and him in his current state were almost equal in physicality, approaching the very limit of human potential, but in terms of skill, he had the advantage. He only needed to train until he could integrate all their skills and call them his own.

Their eyes locked, the tension palpable in the air. Jason raised his fists, his heart pounding in his chest, fueled by a mixture of determination and a desire to improve. Batman entered his own stance, his expression hardening beneath the mask. Though it was a mere projection, it radiated an aura of strength and determination that was all too familiar.

Now that he had Cassandra's ability to read and predict people's actions before they even make them, he could tell what Batman was about to do based on subtle hints and his intuition.

Jason wasn't about to let him take the initiative.

In a blur of motion, Jason launched himself at the simulated Batman.

The clash began, a flurry of blurry strikes and evasions. All of their parries accompanied a lethal strike that the other dodged or a faint that lead to a brutal blow. If a single one made direct contact, it would at least cripple a limb or shatter bones. They both anticipated and predicted each other's moves, with Batman being less accurate.

Jason used that to his advantage, dodging a lethal elbow strike he saw from a mile away and staggering Batman with a palm heel strike below the chin. Batman seemed to have prepared himself as he used the upward momentum of the strike to counter with an upward kick. Jason leaned back just in time, and the kick missed him by a hair's breadth, but he could still feel the gust of wind it created.

'Fast as always!'

The fight went on with both masters of hand-to-combat parrying, dodging, and countering each other's blows.

Jason continued to adapt to the unrestrained Batman, who kept switching styles. And like a true martial artist, the longer the fight went on, the more he learned and improved. His moves became more refined, each movement seamlessly transitioning from offense to defense and vice verse. The skills infused into his soul slowly became integrated and fused into a fighting style he could call his own.

Adaptive. Efficient. Fluid. Precise. Versatile.

Ruthless.

'So this is Batman not holding back? He doesn't disappoint.' Jason frowned as he caught a kick that would've crushed his rib cage. 'But I'm done warming up!'

Adrenaline surged in Jason's veins, pushing his body and mind to the limit. Tightening his grip on Batman's leg, he tugged Batman towards him. With his other hand, he delivered a lightning-fast punch aimed at Batman's exposed abdomen. The impact reverberated through the air. But Batman, a master of resilience, absorbed the blow with a pained groan.

With a swift twist of his body, Batman freed his leg from Jason's grasp, retaliating with a rapid succession of strikes. His fists blurred with precision, targeting vital points with each calculated blow. But with his reflexes honed by years of combat and his new ability to predict his opponent's moves, Jason expertly dodged, deflected, and counterattacked with equal ferocity.

He would've never been able to do this before, because while he was strong enough to contend and sometimes beat Batman, that was when both of them held back. And he knew that if they both went for the kill, Batman would win eight out of ten times simply because he was better and more experienced.

Now, the opposite rang true. He now had far more experience ingrained into his soul. He could tell by how he intuitively and instinctively fought and moved in a way he had never done before.

But the biggest factor that helped him the most was Cassandra's ability.

For Jason, time ran together. The future blending into the moment. A twitch of a muscle and the punch that followed. Both one. He had been calling it prediction, but now he could tell it felt more than that.

He knew.

He knew Batman would feint a jab and a hook before going for a swift thrust to his chest. He knew Batman would shift his weight to his left leg, setting up for a powerful spinning kick. He knew the precise moment when Batman's defenses would momentarily falter, creating the perfect opportunity for a devastating counterstrike.

Jason's body moved with an almost supernatural grace, his movements mirroring the flow of his thoughts. Every action, every strike, was executed with flawless precision. He anticipated Batman's every move, seamlessly evading, parrying, and countering with a combination of speed and lethal accuracy.

As Batman lunged forward with the expected thrust, Jason sidestepped effortlessly, allowing the attack to sail harmlessly past him. With lightning speed, he seized the opening, launching a thunderous uppercut that connected with the Dark Knight's chin, snapping his head back.

The room seemed to freeze for an instant as the impact echoed through the air. Batman staggered, momentarily disoriented by the unexpected blow. Jason didn't relent. He capitalized on the opening, delivering a series of rapid-fire strikes, each one finding its mark with surgical precision.

With the knowledge and skills of Cassandra Cain and others ingrained within him, Jason's instinct and intuition were heightened to an unimaginable level. He read Batman's movements like an open book, predicting his every intention with an almost clairvoyant certainty. It was as if time itself bent to his will, the future merging seamlessly with the present.

Their fight transformed into a mesmerizing display of choreography, an intricate dance of combat. Jason anticipated Batman's feints, dodging and weaving with a supernatural grace. Batman did the same, but to a lesser degree. He countered with a barrage of lightning-fast strikes, exploiting the smallest openings with deadly accuracy.

A newfound confidence radiated from Jason, emanating from the depths of his being. He no longer felt overshadowed by Batman's experience or skill. Instead, he stood as an equal, a force to be reckoned with in his own right. The student had become the master.

The fight reached its climax, both combatants pushing their limits. Their movements became even more of a blur, an amalgamation of skill, intuition, and raw power. With one final, devastating strike, he sent Batman crashing to the ground; the impact reverberating through the room.

As the echoes of their intense confrontation faded, Jason stood over Batman's fallen form, his chest heaving with exertion. He sported two aching bruises beneath his shirt. Two hits he was too slow to dodge.

'It was far from perfect, but I could've never beaten Batman like this in the past, even when he was holding back,' Jason thought to himself as he sat down, groaning. Back then, he needed a cheap trick or two to even the odds.

The battle had proven his newfound prowess, and he could tell that it wouldn't take long before Batman wouldn't be able to provide a true challenge anymore. Maybe fighting two Batmans would even the odds. Who knows?

[Wow. That was incredible!] Wheatley materialized, hovering in front of him. [I never thought a fight could look so… mesmerizing. The way you both went at it, I thought you were a pair of dancing gladiators in some epic battle for the ages. Come to think of it, with how captivating it was, maybe you could become a dancer.]

Jason chuckled. "If Dick or Bruce ever saw me dance, they'd be laughing their assess off. But thanks for the compliment, Wheatley."

[No, I'm serious! Your graceful movements made it seem like a deadly dance instead of a battle.]

"Really?" Jason asked with a raised eyebrow. Perhaps it was Cassandra's style bleeding into his, along with the others.

[I'm not kidding. Though since you seem recovered, do you wanna go for another round?]

Batman's fallen body vanished from the ground and appeared standing in the middle of the arena again.

Jason stood up, stretching his neck and arms.

"Here's something you should know. I'll never reject the chance to punch Bruce in the face."

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Author's Note:

Hey guys!

This chapter took quite a lot of time to finish since it was difficult for me to visualize a fight between two masters of martial arts who knew more ways to hit someone where it hurts than 99% of the population, so I'd appreciate some feedback on the areas I can improve in.

Anyway, that's all I have for now. Thank you for reading and for your support!