Bruce stared at the branch in Selena's hand, his expression a mixture of disappointment and analytical fascination. The pulsing energy technique had worked, but not quite as effectively as he'd hoped.
"That's it? Just a repulsion?" he muttered, running his hand through his hair in frustration. "The shock I can generate right now is still too weak. If I could release more than ten consecutive pulses, your branch would have snapped completely."
Despite Bruce's disappointment, Selena found herself genuinely impressed by what they'd accomplished. Their rate of improvement had slowed considerably over the past few months—the easy gains of their early training were long behind them. Any technique that could provide a measurable increase in their power was worth pursuing.
"It's still progress," she pointed out, examining her branch where Bruce's energy had impacted it. "Besides, we're just getting started with this technique. Give us some time to refine it."
The practical possibilities were already spinning through her mind. If they could master this pulsing energy method, it would give them a significant advantage against multiple opponents or when facing enemies with superior equipment.
"Let me try it too," Selena said, her competitive nature asserting itself. She focused intently on the branch in her hand, attempting to replicate the wave-like energy pattern she'd observed in Bruce's technique.
After a moment of concentration, she felt the familiar sensation of void energy flowing into the branch, but this time she tried to modulate it, creating surges rather than a steady flow. The energy began to pulse along the branch in irregular waves—not as smooth as Bruce's attempt, but definitely oscillating.
"Ready?" Bruce asked, raising his own branch.
They both shifted into combat stances, their feet moving lightly as they closed the distance between them. The months of training had given them an intuitive understanding of each other's fighting patterns, but this new technique added an element of unpredictability to their sparring.
The branches collided with a sharp crack, and immediately both students felt something go wrong.
Snap!
The moment their energy-wrapped branches made contact, the pulsing void energy from both weapons surged simultaneously. Instead of one overwhelming the other as they'd expected, the two energy patterns met and violently rejected each other, creating a small explosion that instantly shattered both branches.
"What the hell?" Selena exclaimed, staring at the splintered remains in her hand.
Bruce was equally confused, examining the broken stub of his branch. "I... wasn't expecting that. The energy patterns seemed to actively repel each other."
Both students turned to Marcus, who had been observing their experiment with obvious amusement from his rocking chair.
"Teacher, what exactly happened there?" Bruce asked, his scientific curiosity overriding his disappointment.
Marcus chuckled softly, setting down his book. "Nothing too complicated. While you're both studying the Zenurik school, your individual energy signatures still have subtle but important differences."
He gestured toward the broken branches scattered on the ground. "Think of it like this—you're both speaking the same language, but with different accents. Your energy patterns are similar enough to coexist, but different enough that they don't merge smoothly. When you both tried to use the pulsing technique simultaneously, those differences became amplified."
"So our energies actively repelled each other?" Selena asked, beginning to understand.
"Exactly. Since your energy signatures are incompatible at that level of intensity, they naturally resist merging. Instead, you get repulsion—sometimes violent repulsion. You're both lucky that your energy reserves are still relatively modest, otherwise it wouldn't have been just the branches that got destroyed."
The explanation was both enlightening and slightly concerning. Bruce made a mental note to research energy compatibility and potential safety protocols for future training sessions.
"This is actually valuable information," Bruce said, his analytical mind already processing the implications. "We need to remember that energy interactions aren't always predictable. We should be careful about coordinating techniques in actual combat situations."
Selena nodded in agreement. "Good to know now rather than in the middle of a real fight."
Despite the unexpected results, both students were energized by what they'd learned. The high-frequency oscillation technique was clearly viable, and now they had a better understanding of both its potential and its limitations. More importantly, they'd gained concrete proof that their academic studies could translate directly into combat improvements.
"This changes everything," Bruce said, his excitement building. "We need to approach our training more systematically. If we can discover one useful technique through studying physics, imagine what we might find in other fields."
The experience had sparked something in both of them—a recognition that knowledge and power weren't separate pursuits but complementary aspects of the same goal.
Over the following weeks, their approach to learning became noticeably more focused and intense. What had started as general academic improvement now had a clear practical purpose. They weren't just studying to become more well-rounded individuals; they were researching ways to become more effective fighters.
"You know what?" Selena said one evening, looking up from a physics textbook she would have completely ignored a year ago. "I'm starting to understand why Marcus insisted we hit the books. This scientific knowledge is actually useful for what we're trying to accomplish."
She'd been reading about resonance frequencies and their applications in demolition and construction. The concepts were giving her ideas about how to use her void energy more efficiently when dealing with different materials.
Bruce looked up from his own stack of engineering and materials science books, grinning. "I've been thinking the same thing. I want to focus heavily on mechanical engineering and energy systems. If we can understand the underlying principles, we can probably develop techniques that are way more advanced than just swinging energy-wrapped sticks around."
"Sounds like a plan," Selena agreed. "I'll stick with my geology and chemistry studies, but I'm adding physics to the mix. If we're going to do this, we might as well do it right."
Their renewed enthusiasm for academic work was noticed by everyone in Wayne Manor, particularly Alfred, who had been observing their progress with quiet satisfaction.
While Bruce and Selena threw themselves into their studies, Alfred had been pursuing his own form of practical education. The previous month's operation had revealed several significant flaws in the vehicle he'd designed for their nighttime activities, and he'd been working methodically to address each issue.
The communication system had been unreliable under stress, the armor plating had shown unexpected weak points, and the engine performance had been inconsistent during high-speed pursuits. Alfred approached each problem with the same meticulous attention to detail he brought to everything else.
"Master Bruce," Alfred said one afternoon, finding Bruce in the library, "I wanted to update you on the vehicle modifications."
Bruce looked up from his reading, interested. Alfred's engineering skills had proven invaluable to their operations.
"I've replaced the entire communications array with military-grade equipment," Alfred continued. "The armor has been reinforced with a composite material that should handle small arms fire much more effectively. And I've completely rebuilt the engine with performance modifications that should give us significantly better acceleration and top speed."
"That's incredible work, Alfred," Bruce said, genuinely impressed. "How did you learn to do all that?"
Alfred smiled slightly. "The same way you and Miss Selena are learning to improve your abilities—through study and application. I've been reading extensively about automotive engineering, materials science, and military technology. Knowledge is just as valuable for support operations as it is for direct combat."
The conversation reinforced something that had been growing in Bruce's mind over the past few weeks. Individual physical prowess, no matter how impressive, had inherent limitations. Knowledge, on the other hand, could be leveraged to create force multipliers that extended far beyond personal capability.
"Alfred's right," Bruce said to Selena later that evening. "Teacher and Alfred both keep emphasizing the importance of knowledge because they understand something we're just beginning to grasp. Human civilization has advanced through accumulated knowledge, not just individual strength."
Selena nodded thoughtfully. "The more I read about history, the more I realize how much power can come from understanding systems and technologies."
Bruce's expression grew more serious. "That's what really concerns me. We might be able to handle individual criminals or small groups, but we're still fundamentally limited by our personal capabilities. I can probably fight maybe a dozen people at once, maximum. But the real threats to society operate on a much larger scale."
He'd been reading about military technology and global conflicts, and the scope of modern warfare was sobering. "I've been learning about weapons systems that make our abilities look insignificant. Cluster bombs that can devastate entire city blocks. Nuclear weapons that can level cities. Chemical weapons that can kill thousands."
"And all of those were created through applied knowledge," Selena added. "People who understood chemistry, physics, and engineering."
"Exactly. No matter how skilled we become, we can't punch our way through a nuclear explosion or outrun a chemical weapon. The power that knowledge can create is beyond anything we can achieve through personal enhancement alone."
The realization was both humbling and motivating. They were pursuing the right path, but they needed to think bigger about the applications of what they were learning.
"That's why Marcus emphasizes self-improvement through knowledge," Bruce continued. "He's not just teaching us to be better fighters. He's teaching us to be more capable human beings in every sense."
Selena considered this. "We've actually seen examples of people using knowledge to enhance their personal capabilities. Remember Bane?"
Bruce's expression darkened at the mention of the enhanced criminal. "That's a perfect example. Bane used chemistry and biology to augment his physical strength far beyond human norms. His knowledge of the venom enhancement system made him incredibly dangerous."
"Even with all the side effects, he was stronger than either of us could handle in direct combat," Selena admitted. "That's the power of applied science."
The conversation reinforced their commitment to serious academic study. They weren't just learning for the sake of learning—they were developing the intellectual tools they'd need to face increasingly complex challenges.
As they settled back into their studies that night, both students found themselves approaching their books with renewed purpose. The theoretical knowledge they were absorbing had practical applications that could save lives and change the world.
In their continued learning, they gradually developed new insights into their own abilities and different approaches to energy manipulation. Previously, they had viewed their void energy primarily as a tool for enhancing weapon effectiveness—a way to make their strikes more powerful or their defenses more resilient.
But as their understanding deepened, they began to recognize that these energies could serve much broader purposes. The void energy wasn't just a weapon enhancement; it was a versatile tool that could be used for personal augmentation, environmental manipulation, and complex tactical applications.
In the past, they had all regarded energy as something to enhance the power of weapons, but after in-depth study and understanding, they found that these energies could not only enhance the destructive power of weapons, but also be used to strengthen themselves and enhance their own coping capabilities.
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