God Of The Omniverse-Chapter 349: Crisis In Gotham (Part 4)

The fortified doors of the bunker loomed ahead, built to withstand nearly anything short of a full-scale assault. Their smooth, reinforced surface was lined with hidden scanners—biometric, retinal, and genetic.

Arias stood before them, allowing the system to scan him.

The scanners completed their process within seconds, verifying his identity against the database. Normally, only students and staff were permitted entry without external authorization. Visitors required temporary registrations.

But Arias was no visitor.

The doors rumbled. Heavy mechanisms shifted, and the entrance began to open with a slow motion.

The sound alone was enough to startle some of the students inside. Nervous murmurs filled the space.

Barbara, who understood the system better than most, wasn't immediately concerned. Still, her gaze drifted toward the doors cautiously. Others near her did the same, watching closely.

It didn't take long for those closest to the entrance to recognize the silhouette stepping through.

Cheshire, who had been alert despite her relaxed demeanor, actually loosened up slightly. Her shoulders dropped the smallest fraction—not out of relief, but simply because it meant she wouldn't have to waste time dealing with whoever else might've walked through.

Tala, however, perked up from her previously dreary stance.

Not out of affection.

But because her new benefactor had returned in one piece. And that meant opportunity.

Her response was immediate.

She moved first, stepping forward without hesitation.

Lois had also been eager—though for entirely different reasons. Even if she hadn't been outside to witness the events firsthand, Arias was still the best source of information.

But before she could take even a step—

Tala shoved her aside.

"Hey!" Lois snapped, stumbling slightly before shooting Tala a glare.

Tala ignored her entirely.

She lowered her head into a slight bow.

"Tala iz glad to see you are not harmed, Master."

Her voice was smooth, but her words were deliberate. She wanted Arias to know she was watching out for his well-being—whether he cared or not.

Cheshire, now standing with her arms crossed, scoffed. "Kiss-ass much?"

Tala's head snapped up, eyes narrowing dangerously toward the assassin.

For a second, it seemed as if she might actually respond—

But before she could, Billy wiggled past her, breaking through the standoff effortlessly.

His eyes were bright, his energy uncontainable.

"You were amazing out there, Mr. Markovic!" he said, grinning. "I mean, it was kinda gross, but those guys deserved it, right?"

The words carried further than he realized.

Given how silent the bunker had become upon Arias's arrival, everyone heard him.

Some of the students nodded faintly in agreement—too nervous to approach but not opposed to Billy's enthusiasm. Others simply kept their distance, watching Arias carefully, their expressions caught somewhere between admiration and fear.

Arias found it impressive.

That Billy, despite his age, could approach him with such fearless conviction—even after witnessing what he had done.

But the boy was still young.

Still naïve, but a good seedling.

Arias's expression shifted, his amused smirk fading as he shook his head.

His voice, when it came, was calm yet weighted with thought.

"No one deserves to be killed so brutally, Billy."

The bunker fell even quieter.

Even Cheshire's smirk faltered slightly.

Arias continued, his words measured. "There is little justification for taking a life."

Billy blinked, confused for a second. "But you—"

"I did what I did because of the circumstances," Arias interrupted. "Because of the danger they presented to you all."

His gaze swept across the room, addressing not just Billy, but everyone listening.

"I wanted whoever attacked this city to understand that I am more than willing to sacrifice my reputation, my beliefs, and my humanity—to protect it."

His words landed heavily.

Barbara, who had remained stoic, found herself staring at Arias, caught between emotions she couldn't fully process.

Lois, still standing slightly to the side, crossed her arms, her usual sharpness dimmed as she absorbed his statement.

The students?

The students were in awe.

Teenagers—many of whom had pulled out their phones the second Arias entered—were now recording.

Some did it openly, holding their devices up, live-streaming the moment. Others tried to be subtle, lowering their screens while pretending not to.

But all of them had their cameras pointed at him.

Arias noticed.

He didn't care. If anything he welcomed it.

Instead, he shifted his focus back to Billy.

"I do this," he said, extending a hand and placing it firmly on Billy's shoulder, "so you hopefully don't have to."

Billy froze. freёnovelkiss.com

His earlier excitement dimmed as the words sank in.

Arias's grip was firm but steady—a weight, not in force, but in meaning.

"So you," Arias continued, "prove to the world that special children like you are the future. That you will bring humanity into a new age—one of peace and better acceptance of one another."

He met Billy's gaze.

"Am I clear?"

For once, Billy had no immediate response.

His usual endless energy had drained away, leaving something else in its place—something heavier.

He could only manage a weak nod.

Arias gave him a slight pat on the shoulder, then let his hand fall away.

Arias's words had done their job.

The students remained quiet, but not out of discomfort—they were moved.

Like Billy, many of them had spent their lives shunned, misunderstood, or feared for being different. The world outside saw them as threats or anomalies, things to be controlled rather than people to be accepted.

But with Arias?

They felt safe.

They felt valued.

It didn't matter how the rest of Gotham currently viewed him. They stood by him.

Arias had expected this. He had already anticipated how easily young minds could be influenced, especially in times of uncertainty.

But seeing it unfold firsthand?

That was still pleasant.

He could see it in their eyes—the way they watched him, the way some recorded him, others whispered among themselves. His reputation was already shifting in this room alone.

And beyond these walls?

Peer pressure was a disease, especially among the youth in the digital age. This moment was already spreading like wildfire. The students of Ark Academies were broadcasting his words, turning him into something larger than a leader—a symbol.

Arias knew when to exit.

Like a good politician, you leave on a high note.

Before any unwanted thoughts could break the spell.

He shifted his gaze to Cheshire and Tala.

"Let's go."

The two immediately responded in their own ways.

Cheshire stretched her arms above her head, letting out an exaggerated yawn before dropping her hands behind her back lazily. "Finally."

Tala, on the other hand, straightened almost too eagerly, stepping forward with her usual sense of purpose.

But before they could leave—

Lois was suddenly in his space.

She moved fast, closing the distance between them in seconds. Hands on her hips, her glare sharp.

"I want to leave." Her voice was firm. "You have no right to keep me here."

Arias tilted his head slightly, "No one is holding Miss Lane." His tone was smooth, almost amused. "You're free to leave if you wish."

Lois's brows knit together for the briefest second.

That was... too easy.

But she quickly smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, you're lucky I've got bigger things to do than sue."

She huffed, then turned toward the cameraman, who had been painfully silent this entire time.

He was done with this.

This wasn't what he signed up for.

Lois, oblivious to his inner turmoil, gestured at him. "Let's go."

But the cameraman shook his head.

"No way, Miss." His voice was flat. "My orders were just to help during your interview. I'm not your personal camera guy."

Lois's smile dropped instantly.

"What?"

The cameraman continued, "The footage will be sent to you once my superiors go over it."

Lois's expression twitched—irritation creeping in.

"Just great," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "Fine, whatever. Just let me out."

Arias gave a knowing smirk, then turned toward the entrance mechanism.

With a casual flick of his fingers, the heavy bunker doors rumbled, their reinforced locks unsealing.

He stepped out first.

Cheshire followed, her footsteps light and unhurried, while Tala moved with purpose, keeping close but not too close.

Behind them, Lois trailed slowly, arms crossed tightly, her annoyance practically radiating off her.

As they walked away from the bunkers, Arias retrieved his phone, unlocking it with a flick of his thumb.

A new message.

[Mercy: Landing soon.]

Arias's smirk widened slightly.

He typed back effortlessly with one hand, the other still in his pocket—

[Good. Here's what I need you to do.]