Three months into his intensive training, James made a decision.
He needed to expand beyond pure martial arts. Batman wasn't just a fighter. He was a detective. A tactician. A scientist. An engineer.
James already had enhanced intellect, which helped with the mental aspects. But he needed practical skills. Needed to know how to investigate crimes. How to analyze evidence. How to build equipment. How to hack computer systems. How to infiltrate secure locations.
He couldn't use the Neural Interface for all of these. Some skills required hands-on experience that couldn't be simulated in VR.
So he started diversifying his training schedule.
Mornings: Physical training and martial arts practice. Four hours.
Midday: Detective work and investigation skills. Two hours studying forensics, criminal psychology, interrogation techniques.
Afternoon: Engineering and technology. Three hours in his machine shop, building equipment, learning to work with advanced materials.
Evening: Computer science and hacking. Two hours learning programming languages, network security, penetration testing.
Night: Underground fighting twice per week for real combat experience.
The schedule was even more brutal than before. Eighteen to twenty hours of focused work every day. But his enhanced intellect handled it. He could context-switch between skills without loss of efficiency. Could maintain focus for longer periods without mental fatigue.
The progress across all domains was steady.
His fighting skills continued improving through the underground circuit. He fought every Friday and sometimes on Tuesdays. Won most of his matches. Lost a few deliberately to avoid suspicion. Built a reputation as a skilled but not unbeatable fighter.
His detective skills developed through theoretical study and practical application. He started solving cold cases from Gotham PD files he accessed through less-than-legal means. Nothing he could turn over to police, but the practice was valuable. Learning to reconstruct events from limited evidence. To think like criminals. To identify patterns.
His engineering skills grew through hands-on projects. He built custom equipment for himself. A grappling gun prototype. Expandable batons. Throwing weapons. Body armor. Each project taught him more about materials, mechanics, and design.
His hacking skills expanded rapidly. His enhanced intellect made programming intuitive. He learned to write exploits.
To bypass security systems. To navigate computer networks invisibly. By the end of the month, he could access most corporate networks and many government databases.
Everything was coming together. All the pieces needed to become a true vigilante. Not just a good fighter, but a complete operator.
Five months after arriving in Gotham. Nine months until his estimated deadline.
James reviewed his capabilities one evening, making an honest assessment.
*Combat Skills*: Advanced level now. Could defeat multiple untrained opponents easily. Could hold his own against trained fighters. Still would lose to elite martial artists or enhanced individuals. Maybe sixty-fifth percentile compared to DC Universe fighters.
*Physical Capability*: High-end normal human. Bench press two twenty-five. Six-minute mile. Excellent cardiovascular endurance. Maybe seventy-fifth percentile for baseline humans. Nothing superhuman yet.
*Detective Skills*: Intermediate. Could solve relatively simple cases. Still lacked the intuition and experience of veteran detectives. Maybe fiftieth percentile.
*Technical Skills*: Advanced for his age. Could build functional equipment. Could hack most systems. Could understand complex technology. Maybe seventieth percentile.
*Overall Assessment*: Competent street-level vigilante. Could operate in Gotham without being immediate liability. Could assist Batman if needed. Could survive against normal criminals.
But nowhere near Batman's level yet. Batman was ninety-ninth percentile in every category. Peak human in strength, speed, intellect, detective work, combat, technology. True mastery across the board.
James had reached competence. Still needed mastery.
And he still had no superhuman enhancements. Everything so far was technically achievable by normal humans, just accelerated through his training methods.
The next phase would change that. The next phase would push him beyond human limits entirely.
But that required resources he was still gathering. Research he was still conducting. Time he was still investing.
For now, he'd continue the current trajectory. Build his skills to true mastery. Make himself Batman-level capable as a baseline human.
Then enhance that baseline to something more.
James stood on his factory roof, looking at Gotham's skyline. The Bat-signal was visible again. Batman responding to Gordon's call. Out there making a difference while James trained in private.
'Soon,' James thought. 'A few more months and I'll be ready. Ready to step out of the shadows. Ready to matter.'
He turned and went back inside. Still had three hours of hacking practice scheduled before sleep.
The grind continued.
The foundation was being built properly.
And when it was complete, he'd enhance it beyond anything Gotham had seen.
One step at a time. One skill at a time. One day at a time.
Until he became something more than human.
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