The Justice League gathered in the vast, high-ceilinged chamber of the Watchtower, bathed in the faint blue glow of Earth as it hung in space just beyond the massive wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor window. The planet's horizon arched elegantly against the black void, casting soft light over the rows of heroes assembled around Batman. This was no ordinary meeting; attendance was at capacity, with every member seated or standing in tense silence, aware of the gravity that had warranted this full-house briefing.
At the front of the room, Batman stood stoically, casting his gaze over the team before clicking his remote. A projection illuminated behind him, displaying a picture of a young figure with striking white hair and a cocky grin.
"Finally, last on the docket," he announced, his voice cutting through the quiet. "Case 115: The Exorcist." He gestured toward the projected image. "Satoru Gojo, aged sixteen. Self-proclaimed strongest of his universe. According to Martian Manhunter's observations, this claim appears to be accurate—at least, as far as the boy believes."
Around the room, murmurs started to rise, until Batman continued, drawing everyone's attention back. "His civilization doesn't appear to have made contact with any extraterrestrial life, so his claim is limited to his Earth. Nevertheless, his integration into our world is designated at priority level omega for the League."
At the term "omega," gasps rippled through the assembly. Few threats reached that level—threats that could potentially shake the world itself.
Hawkman's voice rumbled through the quiet, a low, skeptical tone. "Is he really that dangerous?"
Batman's gaze held steady, his voice unshaken. "Physically, he's powerful, but that's not the biggest threat he poses. The real danger lies in what he knows. When he arrived in our world, as Flash and Superman can both confirm, he brought with him knowledge of things he shouldn't have—things that could endanger all of us."
He took a steadying breath, letting the words sink in. "In his world, our world is… fiction. Stories from comic books. He knows details that are supposed to be top secret, down to the smallest point. He knows Superman's identity and origin. He knows the Flash's name. And he knows mine."
The room fell silent, the assembled heroes looking between each other, unease reflected on their faces.
The last part rankled him more than he would ever care to admit. But he wouldn't waste time feeling angry at the vagaries of the multiverse when he could spend that time preparing for nastier eventualities, like Gojo going rogue, or his powers interacting adversely with something from this world—something that might destabilize reality itself.
Batman felt an ever-greater urgency to find a replacement for Doctor Fate. The world needed him now more than ever.
"Where have you kept him?" Aquaman asked.
"He is with the team," Batman replied.
"The team? You've kept him with Aqualad?" Aquaman asked, shocked.
"Manhunter and I made sure to get a measure of his psyche. Despite his actions, brought forth from desperation and a recent close brush with death, Satoru Gojo can be reasoned with. And he can be put to good use as well. I determined that the team would be good enrichment for his situation. He would have no reason to hide his life or story, as the team would be able to accept anything he tells them, and he could probably relate to them as well. He worked as a hero-analogue in his world, battling arcane forces of evil in defence of those who could not protect themselves, and even though he had the most power in the world, he didn't use it to dominate or subjugate anyone. Although his conception of good works and heroism is flawed, I am confident that he has what it takes to turn his act around.
"Of course, that is if we cannot find a way to send him back where he came from, across the multi-verse." Batman looked pointedly at Green Lantern.
The Lantern crossed his arms, looking mildly exasperated. "Look, Bats, I've already scanned for any known dimensional rifts, wormholes, anomalies—you name it. There's nothing in our data banks that matches the energy signature he showed up with. If we want to send him back, we're going to need a bit more than just a lucky break."
"Keep looking," Batman requested mildly.
"We're shooting in the dark, here," Green Lantern frowned, "Intradimensional travel through wormholes is already complicated enough as it is, but multiversal travel? We know that time travel is already a huge no-no and a headache for the higher-ups—this… this seriously takes the cake. There might be an inquiry on this if they find out. Then it'll be completely out of my hands."
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Any inquiry involving the Lanterns dealing with a potential risk on Gojo's level couldn't end well for the poor boy.
But Batman refused to take this easy road. There was always another way.
"Then the topic of discussion remains on integration," Batman said, "And I would ask that you keep the matter in-planet until we do not have any other choice."
Hal Jordan sighed, "Of course. If he's not a bad kid according to you or Manhunter, I'd hate to see him get put in a stasis pod for a million years, or get poked and prodded by scientists."
Green Arrow hummed, "Well, he did maim one of my rogues. How exactly does that make him not a 'bad kid'?"
Batman pressed a button, revealing an image of Brick, the Star City gangster, missing his entire right arm and a chunk of his chest and shoulder, the missing parts clearly the segment of a circle.
"That blast," Flash began, "Was as fast as the speed of light. The only reason Brick got away was because I pulled him away before Gojo could release it. That's a speed-of-light attack that disintegrates matter on a molecular level. Forget Belle Reve's walls, I don't see anything getting in the way of that unless it's magical. Even if we wanted to put him in the deepest hole we could find, he'd break out, no sweat."
"That's... premature," Superman said.
The Flash folded his arms and gave him a look, "You're invincible, but you can't tank a secret identity leak, Supes. And I don't see why we should trust a guy as unhinged as him. I was the first one on the scene aside from the Juniors."
"Cultural differences must be considered," Batman said, "In his line of work, this level of violence is not uncommon. His powers certainly are, but deadly force is far more commonly used. And as he is a sixteen-year-old, I hesitate to place the responsibility of this act on his shoulders—it was on his elders and teachers, people that gave him leave to act in this capacity, a capacity which he was entirely unapologetic about. While that may seem like a bad sign, it only means that he was acting according to what he's been trained to believe is normal. To him, violence is a tool, and in his world, it's used liberally to handle threats that, by his account, are constant and devastating. His unapologetic attitude doesn't necessarily reflect malice but rather conditioning—a normalization of life-or-death conflict."
Batman's gaze shifted around the room, catching the eyes of the Justice League members, each one quietly processing his words. "While his abilities may seem extreme, I want us to remember that we're dealing with a sixteen-year-old whose worldview and instincts are shaped by relentless combat and survival. That isn't his fault. This boy has known no other way."
Wonder Woman leaned forward, her voice even but laced with concern. "Then it seems we must become his teachers—his mentors in this world—lest he continues down a path that could harm him and others."
Batman nodded in agreement. "Precisely. We have an opportunity here, not just to protect ourselves, but to potentially guide him toward a more measured approach. He's powerful and intelligent enough to pick up our ways quickly if he chooses to. But if left without direction, he could be a liability."
Superman spoke up, his voice calm and reassuring. "So our priority is to integrate him, help him adjust to our rules and values, and show him that violence isn't the only solution. We should offer him a place of stability, maybe even friendship. He needs to see that there are other ways."
As the League nodded in agreement, Batman's face softened just slightly, as though for the briefest moment, he considered the weight of Gojo's burden. "We'll proceed carefully. Keep an eye on him, provide guidance where we can, and monitor his progress." He gave a nod to Black Canary, the team's resident psychologist.
"No pressure," Black Canary chuckled mirthlessly. "Alright, Batman. I'll do my best."
Zatara raised his hand, "I will continue to keep my vigil and ensure that this 'cursed energy' does not spread, in the event that it is contagious. Invisible monsters running around would certainly fill up our schedule."
"Invisible monsters?" Green Arrow asked.
Batman clicked on his remote, putting the projection on the next slide, his primer on Cursed Energy, and he mentally prepared a brief speech on why the Justice League should hope and pray that the world did not become like Satoru Gojo's.