Batman: Locked-In

In the blood-soaked darkness of Crime Alley, eight-year-old Bruce Wayne watches his world end. The gunshots echo. His parents fall. And in that moment of ultimate despair, something impossible happens—a soul from another reality crashes into his dying consciousness. Two minds. Two lifetimes. One body. The child's raw grief merges with an adult's strategic brilliance and meta-knowledge of the DC Universe. Bruce Wayne gains something no hero in this world has ever possessed: perfect awareness of what's coming. Every villain's origin. Every crisis. Every tragedy that will unfold across the years. But knowledge alone won't save Gotham. It won't stop Darkseid. It won't put him on equal footing with Superman or Wonder Woman. That's where the Lock-In System changes everything. **[LOCK-IN SYSTEM ACTIVATED]** A mysterious power awakens within him, granting three absolute advantages: First, intelligence enhanced to 2.5 times normal human capacity—a genius mind that will only grow sharper. Second, a Proficiency Panel that guarantees progress in any skill with dedicated effort—no talent required, no limits imposed, only inevitable mastery through work. Third, a Pocket Dimension offering an extra twenty-four hours every single day—time enough to train, study, and prepare while the rest of the world sleeps. Bruce Wayne will not become the broken, self-destructive Batman of the original timeline. He will not limit himself to peak human ability. He will not throw himself at gods and monsters with nothing but gadgets and grit. Instead, he'll take ten years to plan. To train. To acquire power through every possible means—technology, genetics, magic, and beyond. He'll manipulate timelines, recruit heroes before they fully form, and position himself not as Gotham's Dark Knight, but as Earth's unquestioned strategic leader. The Justice League will form. But this time, it will be built on his terms. His rise will be legendary. His power will rival gods. His control absolute. By the time Superman arrives. By the time Darkseid looks toward Earth. By the time the universe notices this backwater planet—Bruce Wayne will be ready. Not as Batman. As something far more dangerous. The only question remaining: How far can one man ascend when given infinite time, guaranteed progress, and perfect knowledge of what's coming? **Welcome to a DC Universe where Bruce Wayne refuses to play by the rules.** **Welcome to Batman: Locked-In.**