In the cafeteria of the prison's "elite" wing, Sin sat at the head of the table, watching the others as they ate, a glint of disdain in his eyes. The rest of the group sat along the sides, occasionally glancing at him but mostly keeping to themselves. Breaking the silence, Sin spoke, his tone sharp.
"None of you really know how to fight. Sure, you have your fancy powers and your clever tricks, but what happens when you lose them? Who are you without them?"
The others paused mid-bite, exchanging uncertain looks. Echo rolled her eyes, clearing her throat as she set down her fork. She smirked, challenging him.
"Is that fair, Sin?" she taunted. "That's like asking what would happen if you went up against someone superpowered with nothing but your fists."
Laughter rippled through the group, a few of them nodding in agreement. Sin let it die down before responding, leaning back with a casual sip from his drink.
"What about Nightwing? He leads a team of superpowered people, and he doesn't have a single power himself. And guess what? I beat him once."
A hush fell over the table, the laughter fading. The group exchanged glances, a new respect flickering in their eyes, unsure whether to doubt him—or admire him.
Volt leaned back, a sneer tugging at his lips as he crossed his arms. "So, what are you saying, Sin? You want us to downplay our gifts just to make you feel superior? Does my intelligence make you uncomfortable or something?" His voice dripped with mockery, and a few of the others chuckled.
Sin shook his head, unbothered. "Nah, do what you want with what you've got. I get it—I'm something of a scientist myself, after all." He leaned forward, locking eyes with Volt. "But let me tell you something: powers can vanish. Tech can fail. And when that happens, all you'll have left is skill and guts. But if you're so sure you don't need those, then by all means, carry on."
He stood up, dabbing his mouth with a napkin, and with a quick, dismissive glance at the group, he turned and walked away, leaving them in a thoughtful silence.
A few minutes later, he was seated in Bara's office. The room was dimly lit, with walls lined with maps of Gotham and records of infamous villains. Bara looked up, a hint of amusement in his expression.
"Sin, I've been getting complaints about your leadership. Some think you're too blunt, too… unyielding."
Sin raised an eyebrow. "And?"
Bara chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I think you're doing exactly what needs to be done. They're rough around the edges, but under your lead, they're starting to think differently. That's progress." He paused, drumming his fingers on the desk. "But I want you to understand—this place isn't just about creating stronger villains or anti-heroes. It's about discipline, trust, survival. Those are things you're good at instilling. But don't lose them in your push to make your point. Find a balance, Sin."
Sin's gaze hardened. "I'm not here to babysit them, Bara. They want to be in this world; they need to be ready for it. I'll teach them how to handle a real fight."
Bara gave him a steady look. "Just make sure you don't drive them too far. Remember, one day, they'll be your allies—or your enemies."
Sin nodded, then rose, his mind already turning.
"I've got a job for you." Bara slid a thick folder across the desk. Sin picked it up, skimming the file. "At Gotham High?" His expression soured as he threw the folder back on the desk. "No way. Get Travis to handle it."
Bara's eyebrow shot up. He rose, stepping around the desk to stand in front of Sin. Placing a firm hand on Sin's shoulder, he turned him back to face him, eyeing him intently despite the height difference. "You think you get a choice in this? You're going."
Sin's eyes narrowed, and he grabbed Bara's wrist. "And who exactly are you to order me around?"
Bara's lips curved into a smirk. "Care for another test, then? I've always been curious about how you got those Yamazaki eyes of yours." He leaned in, his gaze unwavering, a faint challenge in his tone.
For a long moment, they stared each other down, tension thickening the air. Then, they both took a small step back, easing out of the standoff.
"Forget it. Those invisible attacks of yours are a hassle," Bara muttered, turning away.
Sin let out a low chuckle, reaching for the door handle. "I'd rather not test that old war-torn body of yours."
Bara's voice stopped him just as he turned the knob. "How about this—you take the job, I'll come with you, and we wear masks. Think of it as a little undercover operation."
Sin paused, considering, before giving a slow nod.
At Gotham High, Sin and Bara strolled through the empty hallways, their footsteps echoing as classes went on behind closed doors.
"An anonymous student wired us a hundred grand to investigate," Bara said, his voice low. "They claim the faculty's been acting strange—something about new policies, secret meetings, and students going missing after asking too many questions."
Sin paused by a trophy case, his gaze settling on the plaques, certificates, and gleaming trophies—all with his name engraved on them. Headlines labeled him "The All-American Boy," "Future President," "Top Athlete," and "Smartest Student."
He spotted a photo of himself grinning, surrounded by friends—a younger, brighter version of who he once was. But then his reflection caught his eye in the glass, stark and unsettling, a sharp contrast to the cheerful image beside it.
"Hm," Bara commented, studying the photo. "You look almost heroic here. The kind of guy who'd stand up for the underdog. Ironic, isn't it?" Bara moved forward, his tone edged with amusement, and after a moment, Sin followed silently behind him.
As they continued down the hallway, they spotted the science lab up ahead. Bara paused, glancing at Sin with a smirk. "If someone were running a secret operation in a school, wouldn't the science room be the perfect hideout?"
They entered to find yellow tape across the room and a few broken desks, evidence of past chaos. Sin's gaze lingered on the wreckage. "Probably from the time I took down Bane," he murmured, and Bara let out a low whistle.
"You beat Bane? Now that's a story I need to hear," Bara said, hopping onto a table and crossing one leg over the other.
Sin walked over to a wall of lab equipment and picked up a dusty pair of goggles hanging beneath a sign that read Reserved for Sin. He blew off the dust, eyes distant as he recalled his past. "After Professor Pyg and his twisted games when I was a kid, I trained myself—body, mind, and all—to protect people. I got into science because of my friends. Bloodshot's eyes were ruined by Pyg's work, and Casey's hands were… swapped. I needed to understand enough to help them, to try to fix it."
He placed the goggles back with a sigh. "Then Batman showed up here one day, locked in a fight with Bane. I jumped in to help, passed his little 'test' of sorts, then sparred with Nightwing after that. One thing led to another, and… here I am."
Bara chuckled, shaking his head. "Isn't Batman like 70 by now? Maybe he was recruiting his next protégé," he joked, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with a casual flick.
Sin shrugged and walked over. "Maybe," he replied nonchalantly, before reaching out and taking the cigarette from Bara's hand. "But you should know better than to smoke in a lab."
Without hesitation, Sin dropped the cigarette into an open air vent nearby. Almost instantly, the vent started rattling, and after a series of muffled coughs, a figure kicked open the cover and stumbled out, still coughing.
"Are you insane? You knew I was in there!" the man sputtered, glaring at Sin. "That's why you picked up the goggles!"
Sin's mouth twitched in a faint smirk and he raised his mask. "Just wanted to make sure you'd show yourself," he said calmly, crossing his arms as the man brushed off the dust.
"Who's this?" Bara asked, stepping casually in front of Sin.
Sin gave a slight smirk. "Meet Tyler. Back in the day, he'd get busted for sneaking around, trying to spy on girls, and bullying Casey for cross-dressing. That is, until he found out Casey was a friend of mine. Since then, he's spent most of his time hiding in the school's vents, terrified I'd track him down."
Tyler immediately dropped to his knees, looking up at Sin in sheer terror. "I knew you'd come to finish me off! Please don't—I'm begging you!"
Sin waved a dismissive hand. "Relax, I'm not here to kill you. We're following up on a report about the faculty acting strange lately."
Tyler's eyes widened. "Oh, that was me! Things have been off. People are acting like they're… mind-controlled or something," he stammered, still kneeling.
Bara raised an eyebrow and put a casual arm on Sin's shoulder, the other hand resting on his hip. "Mind control, huh? Sounds familiar," he said, giving Sin a knowing look.
Sin shrugged. "We should split up, cover more ground."
Bara crouched down, tilting his head at Tyler. "What about him? Should we silence him? He's seen a little too much already."
Sin glanced at Tyler, who looked like he was on the verge of passing out. "Nah, leave him. He's harmless." With that, Sin turned and walked out, tugging his mask down as he disappeared into the hall.