Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman

When fueled by money, humanity's efficiency knows no bounds.

In less than a day, young Master Wayne had everything he needed:

A state-of-the-art chemical laboratory, top-tier researchers, and a specialized team to help guide lightning strikes.

"No need for pleasantries," Bruce addressed the assembled researchers. "I won't interfere with your existing projects or disrupt your organizational structure. All I need is for you to accomplish one task."

He displayed the chemical formulas to the group.

"Prepare these compounds as quickly as possible," Bruce instructed firmly. "No mistakes. If anything goes wrong, trust me, you don't want to see me angry."

Though only thirteen, Bruce's commanding presence silenced the room.

The team's lead researcher, an older man, took the paper from Bruce with trembling hands. He braced himself, expecting to find some outlandish, fantastical project—perhaps an elixir for immortality.

Instead, he froze in shock.

"This is…" The man hesitated. "Luminol reagent?"

His surprise didn't stem from the formulas being overly ambitious. It was the opposite: the requested chemicals were startlingly mundane.

Luminol, also known as blood-detection reagent, was a common tool in forensic science.

The other compounds on the list were similarly standard fare for crime scene investigations.

This billionaire prodigy had bought a cutting-edge laboratory… to produce basic forensic chemicals?

"What are you standing around for?" Bruce snapped. "Don't tell me you can't understand the formulas!"

"N-no, we understand them!" the lead researcher stammered. "Rest assured, we'll prepare reagents that meet the highest standards!"

He hurriedly gathered his team and dove into the work.

Bruce's stern expression softened slightly.

This wasn't his first such performance.

Before acquiring this lab, Bruce had purchased two others in different countries, tasking each with preparing specific reagents. Some were unrelated compounds meant to mislead anyone who might try to reconstruct his process.

He wasn't about to let his formula leak and create other speedsters.

"Now, all that's left is to wait for the preparations to be completed," Bruce thought. Afterward, they would induce artificial rain and storms to summon the Speed Force.

---

Despite Bruce's meticulous efficiency, it took until the following day for everything to be ready.

In a small town in the American West, storm clouds covered the sky. Thunder rumbled through the heavens as lightning streaked between roiling clouds.

Rain was imminent.

A kite hovered in the air, its string trailing down to an abandoned factory.

Inside, Bruce and Kathoom were fully suited in insulated protective gear—Kathoom's was custom-made in an owl design.

"We've done all we can," Kathoom said through his muffled helmet. "Now we wait for the lightning to strike."

In front of them, an egg sat on a pedestal.

Behind it stood rows of chemical reagents, carefully placed on a rack connected to the kite's string.

Rain began to pour, its steady rhythm interspersed with the distant rumble of thunder. Lightning was drawing closer.

The atmosphere was tense, broken only by the sound of rain, rolling thunder, and their own breathing.

"This reminds me of that night in the Old Man Logan universe," Bruce said suddenly. "The rain, the thunder—it was just like this."

"Don't jinx it," Kathoom retorted. "That was the end of the world. You want to tempt fate?"

"I take it back," Bruce said quickly.

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, a silver dragon connecting heaven and earth. It struck the kite in midair.

"It's here!"

Bruce and Kathoom's eyes lit up as the lightning raced down the string toward the factory.

In mere moments, it struck the row of chemicals.

The sound of shattering glass echoed as the compounds, electrified by the lightning, spilled into the air.

Everything unfolded as designed. The mixture was splashed onto the egg.

Bruce held his breath, waiting for what would come next.

Zzzzzzt.

Faint red lightning began to dance across the egg's surface.

Hope flickered in Bruce's eyes. Was it working?

But as the red lightning crackled, the egg remained still—no sign of life within.

"We're missing something!" Kathoom declared, acting immediately. With a flick of his wing, he produced an Nth metal dagger.

Without hesitation, he snapped the blade, separating a piece of the mysterious, physics-defying metal.

Kathoom flew to the egg and placed the fragment on its shell.

Nth metal quickly melted into the egg, absorbed completely.

"Now, for a drop of the Demon King's blood," Kathoom muttered. Transforming the dagger back into its original form, he carefully nicked his wing and squeezed out a drop of blood onto the egg.

The moment blood met shell—

Thump!

A powerful heartbeat reverberated through the factory.

Illuminated by flashes of lightning, Bruce and Kathoom could see a shadow stirring within the egg.

It was coming to life.

Red lightning grew denser around the shell, reacting to the movements of the creature inside.

"It's happening!" Kathoom exclaimed.

CRACK.

In a blink, the egg's shell was covered in fractures.

Then, with a burst of red and silver light, a figure shot out of the egg, piercing the dark clouds above.

Thunder roared louder than ever.

The storm clouds churned, drawn toward a single point where lightning gathered.

Bruce and Kathoom watched as the lightning turned red, consuming all other colors in the sky.

Then, the rain stopped abruptly.

From the sky, a small silver figure descended, leaving two streaks of red in its wake.

"Holy—"

Kathoom, wings akimbo in pride, gazed at the descending creature.

But as the silver figure hurtled toward them, he realized something was wrong.

It wasn't slowing down.

And its target was unmistakable: the owl himself.

"This isn't good! Run!" Kathoom yelled, leaping to the side.

But the silver creature reached him in an instant.

"Rawr!"

With a sound like a playful growl, the creature latched onto Kathoom's head, biting down.

"Get it off! Get it off!"

Kathoom flailed wildly, hopping around the factory while muffled screams escaped his helmet.

Though protected by his suit, he could feel the creature's razor-sharp teeth digging into him.

Bruce, wide-eyed, finally got a good look at their creation.

From the egg had emerged a four-legged, silver-scaled dragon.

Its body was sleek and aerodynamic, with wings that defied traditional design. Instead of leathery membranes, its wings were composed of layered talons, each capable of retracting or reshaping.

At times, its wings resembled jet engines, emitting bursts of red energy.

Other times, they transformed into cannon-like structures.

But despite its imposing features, the dragon was unmistakably a hatchling.

Like all baby animals, its oversized head made it appear more adorable than threatening.

It clung stubbornly to Kathoom's head, jaws locked in place.

"Are you just going to stand there?!" Kathoom shouted. "Get this thing off me!"

Snapping out of his stupor—or perhaps simply satisfied with the show—Bruce hurried over.

He pried the baby dragon off Kathoom's head, holding it up as it let out a triumphant, babyish roar.

"Rawr!"

The tiny silver dragon writhed and thrashed in Bruce's hands, struggling to break free.

But it was so small—no larger than Bruce's palm—that escape was impossible.

Nearby, Kathoom crouched on the floor, clutching his head and groaning. After several moments, the pain began to subside, and the owl let out a long sigh.

"I need to toughen up my head," Kathoom muttered. "If this thing keeps biting me every chance it gets, I won't survive."

At last, he managed to get a proper look at the creature.

And when he did, Kathoom let out a squawk of disbelief.

"Is that a… Valstrax?!"

The owl flapped over to Bruce, eyes wide with astonishment. "Why isn't it an owl?"

"It wasn't an owl egg," Bruce replied for what felt like the hundredth time.

Kathoom ignored him, scrutinizing the dragon's features. The more he looked, the more it resembled Valstrax—a mythical elder dragon from Monster Hunter.

"Could it be… because of the stories I told it?"

Kathoom recalled the nights he spent narrating tales of fantastical creatures to the egg.

Among those stories was the Valstrax—a dragon from a distant land capable of emitting bursts of crimson energy from its wings to propel itself at incredible speeds.

Its flight was so unique, so terrifying, that those who witnessed it likened it to a fiery comet streaking across the sky.

The dragon earned the ominous moniker of the "Crimson Glow."

Kathoom glanced at the little dragon in Bruce's hands.

It hiccupped, emitting a tiny puff of lightning-infused red gas.

"Rawr!"

The fledgling Valstrax gazed at Kathoom with wide, pleading eyes.

"What kind of ridiculous sound is that?" Kathoom shook his head in exasperation. "It sounds like a puppy barking."

Bruce couldn't help but laugh. "It seems to like you. It keeps trying to leap toward you."

"Don't let it go!" Kathoom warned, flapping his wings nervously. "At least wait until I find a helmet."

The owl rummaged through his feathers but came up empty-handed—except for the Hellbat armor.

"Oh, fine."

Kathoom transformed the armor into a more owl-friendly design and donned it.

The moment he was ready, Bruce loosened his grip.

The tiny Valstrax let out a triumphant cry, its wings unfurling as crimson energy flared around it.

With a burst of lightning-infused dragonfire, it launched itself from Bruce's hand at blinding speed.

Its trajectory was unmistakable: straight toward Kathoom.

The fledgling's flight was so fast, so fiery, it truly resembled a streaking red comet.

"Rawr!"

Just as expected, the Valstrax latched onto Kathoom's helmet.

This time, however, the owl was spared the pain thanks to his armor.

The dragon clung to his head, purring contentedly.

Kathoom sighed. "This is my karma, isn't it?"

He thought back to the days when he perched imperiously on Bruce's head, reveling in his dominance.

Now the tables had turned.

The Valstrax nestled against Kathoom, eyes closed as it let out soft snores.

It had fallen asleep.

A second later, its body began to change.

Much like Nth metal, it seemed to melt and fuse into the Hellbat armor.

Suddenly, a pair of wings—glowing with red lightning—unfurled from Kathoom's back.

"What the…?"

Kathoom's eyes widened as he felt a strange power coursing through him.

With a simple thought, he moved—and the world froze.

Time itself stopped.

Bruce stood motionless nearby, raindrops hung suspended in midair, and the very air was still.

But the power was overwhelming.

Kathoom's body shot forward uncontrollably, slamming into a wall.

"OW!"

Reality snapped back into place.

From Bruce's perspective, Kathoom vanished one moment and reappeared against the wall the next.

"What happened?" Bruce asked, feigning concern. "Did you trip?"

"I wasn't ready," Kathoom muttered, shaking his head. "I need to sync my senses with my speed. So this… this is the Speed Force?"

Indeed, it was.

The fused Valstrax had bestowed Speed Force energy upon the Hellbat armor.

Their hard work had paid off.

Kathoom removed the armor, and the tiny dragon emerged, blinking sleepily.

"Good boy, good boy!" Kathoom crooned, cradling the creature in his wings. "I'll give you a name. How about Halley? Like Halley's Comet. It suits you."

"Rawr!"

Halley seemed indifferent but accepted the name.

For Bruce, the acquisition of Speed Force meant freedom from fear.

He no longer had to worry about being helpless against silent, lightning-fast foes.

"Now it's your turn," Kathoom said, turning to Bruce. "Suit up in the Hellbat armor and get used to fighting with Speed Force. You need to keep improving your speed until you can open the Speed Force dimension."

Only then would they stand a chance against Savitar.

Bruce nodded, fully aware of the challenge ahead.

As the two strategized, Halley tilted its head, watching them with curious eyes.

It couldn't speak, but it was far from unintelligent.

It seemed to realize that Kathoom was planning to use it for his own ends.

"Rawr!"

Halley suddenly let out a loud cry, drawing their attention.

The little dragon pointed a claw at its mouth and opened wide.

It was hungry.

---

Meanwhile, at Malfoy Manor…

Though Hogwarts had yet to reopen, Draco Malfoy's summer was anything but pleasant.

The sudden flood of conflicting memories had thrown him into an identity crisis.

Who am I?

Was he Draco Malfoy or Julian Albert?

But his introspection came to an abrupt end with the arrival of a visitor.

Someone who made it clear he was neither.

In Draco's room, a figure in silver armor, crackling with blue lightning, sat slumped on a chair, panting heavily.

It was Savitar.

The God of Speed had barely escaped his battle with the Paradox Batman.

Though his experience with the Speed Force had allowed him to survive, he was still gravely injured.

Draco stared blankly at the intruder, too shocked to react.

"Cedric…"

Savitar growled the name through gritted teeth, clutching his abdomen.

That speedster from the future had come to this timeline for one reason: to hunt him.

What was my future self thinking?

Savitar couldn't fathom why his future incarnation had granted such a monster the Speed Force.

His mission was simple: deliver the Amber Gold to this world and leave.

But no sooner had he arrived than the hunt began—as if someone had been waiting for him.

It was only during their fight that Savitar realized his pursuer had been his own creation.

Suddenly, a chilling thought struck him.

Why was I able to use the Speed Force immediately after arriving in this world?

The Speed Force wasn't supposed to exist outside the DC Universe.

Before he could dwell on the mystery, a deep, bone-chilling voice spoke from the shadows.

"Because in a timeline that no longer exists, you gave this world the Speed Force."

Savitar spun around.

A black-clad figure emerged from the shadows, eyes burning with hatred.

"You… who are you?"

The figure stepped into the light.

"I am vengeance. I am the night."

The black suit shrouded Bruce completely, his glare radiating pure rage.

"I am Batman."

---

Attention, all. I am pleased to announce the release of a new translation, "This Is My Holy Grail War." Your support is acknowledged. Engage with this work at your discretion.

Reader, your presence signifies commitment.

To walk this path is to contribute to the pursuit of eternity.

Should you wish to further fortify our resolve, step forward: [patreon.com/WiseTL].

Each action contributes to the unyielding foundation of our creation. Together, we etch a mark that transcends the fleeting nature of time.

For those who aspire to push the limits further, offering one 'Burger' will unlock an additional 5 chapters: [ko-fi.com/wisetl]. Specify which story your donation pertains to; this offer applies exclusively to stories available on Scribble Hub.

— Raiden Shogun