The burning battlefield vanished, the screams of dragons disappeared, the crimson skies dissolved. And suddenly everyone found themselves back inside Arthur’s underground meeting chamber beneath the estate.

The polished black floors returned, the floating screens reignited softly.

The long table stood exactly where it had been moments ago.

Yet despite reality returning to normal, the atmosphere in the room had completely changed, Nobody sat down immediately.

Clark remained standing silently, his eyes still fixed on the place where the illusion had been moments ago as if part of him still heard the war echoing in his ears.

Diana slowly exhaled, even she looked unsettled.

Kara crossed her arms tightly, visibly disturbed despite trying not to show it.

Raven remained quiet beside Arthur.

Bruce finally asked, "Why did you stop the memory?"

Arthur stood near the table with his hands in his pockets.

"It would’ve been pointless to continue."

His glowing violet eyes dimmed slightly.

"That memory doesn’t even show the Dragon Monarch."

That answer alone made Clark look toward him sharply.

Arthur continued calmly.

"He never set foot on that battlefield himself."

Kara frowned.

"...What?"

Arthur glanced toward her.

"He simply let his army do the work for him, the fight itself was... beneath him."

Diana slowly shook her head.

"Their power is incredible..." her voice carried genuine concern now.

"And there were so many of them."

Arthur nodded once.

"That was one perspective." Then his expression darkened slightly.

"But understand this..." he gestured lightly toward where the battlefield had been.

"That world was bigger than Earth, and it no longer exists."

Even Bruce’s eyes narrowed slightly at that.

Arthur continued quietly.

"It was destroyed during the war between the Monarchs and the Rulers."

Kara looked genuinely disturbed now.

"So that’s Earth’s future if we fail."

Arthur didn’t sugarcoat it.

"Yes."

Clark folded his arms tighter.

"The Rulers..."

He looked toward Arthur carefully.

"You mentioned them several times now. What exactly are they, and what they are trying to do here?"

Arthur leaned lightly against the table before answering.

"The Monarchs and the Rulers already selected our world as the battlefield for their next great war."

Bruce immediately spoke.

"And humanity is caught in the middle."

Arthur nodded.

"The Rulers at least attempted to give humanity a chance."

Diana frowned slightly.

"A chance?"

Arthur’s eyes drifted toward the floating holograms around the room.

"The Gates."

Everyone focused immediately.

"They were never random."

Arthur’s tone remained steady.

"The Gates were introduced to flood Earth with mana gradually. To force humanity to adapt to magical energy before the true war begins."

Kara blinked.

"So, the Hunters..."

Arthur nodded again.

"They awakened because of mana exposure."

Then his voice grew slightly colder.

"The magical beasts inside Gates are fragments of the armies controlled by Monarchs."

Clark slowly processed everything.

"So the Rulers intentionally allowed this..."

Arthur gave a humorless smile.

"They are the ones that enabled it, and considered it mercy." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Bruce’s jaw tightened slightly.

"And the stronger Hunters? Those that we failed to evaluate, there are two of them now, I’ve wanted to ask you about them."

Arthur crossed his arms.

"I’m surprised you noticed... The Rulers likely selected certain humans as vessels or avatars."

That immediately caught Diana’s attention.

"Avatars?"

Arthur nodded.

"The Rulers themselves probably won’t descend directly into this conflict."

His glowing eyes sharpened slightly.

"So they empower chosen humans instead."

Clark immediately understood.

"The ones we can’t evaluate."

"Yes."

Arthur looked toward him.

"Those significantly above the standard scale."

Bruce finally spoke again.

"You kept all of this from us." but his tone wasn’t angry. "Why?"

Then Bruce’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"And there’s something else."

The room quieted again.

"You speak about these wars like you were truly part of them."

Kara slowly looked toward Arthur too.

"...Yeah."

Clark remained silent.

So did Raven.

Arthur closed his eyes briefly before exhaling softly.

"I suppose..."

His voice became quieter.

"...I owe Kara and Raven more than anyone a proper explanation."

Raven raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Only now?"

Arthur almost smiled faintly.

"You already knew half the truth."

Then his eyes opened again, violet light glowed within them softly.

"I am the Monarch of Shadows."

Nobody interrupted.

"The Ninth Monarch, and King of the Dead."

Bruce stared at him carefully.

Clark listened without moving.

Arthur continued.

"You already knew that, but this power..."

His eyes darkened slightly.

"...did not originally belong to me."

That drew immediate reactions.

Kara blinked in confusion, Diana’s expression sharpened.

Bruce remained perfectly still.

Arthur’s voice echoed quietly through the room.

"The original owner of this power was a being called Ashborn and he carried the same title I do now."

Arthur looked at his own hand briefly.

"I am merely his successor."

Clark frowned slightly.

"Successor?"

Arthur nodded.

"A chosen one."

Then his eyes glowed brighter.

"The inheritor of the power belonging to the Greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light."

They all got silent, even Bruce looked momentarily caught off guard by that statement.

Kara stared at Arthur.

"...Wait wait wait."

She pointed at him immediately.

"You’re telling me there was another Shadow Monarch before you?"

Arthur nodded.

"The other Monarchs are successors as well."

That shocked everyone again.

"Humans from different Earths."

Diana slowly straightened.

"Different Earths..."

Arthur continued.

"They inherited the wills and powers of previous Monarchs after their worlds were destroyed."

Clark’s expression hardened.

"And then they destroyed their own world."

Arthur nodded once.

"They raise armies endlessly in preparation for war."

Kara looked disturbed now.

"But you said you and the Dragon Monarch are different."

Arthur’s expression darkened slightly.

"Yes."

His voice lowered.

"Our powers are too complete, too powerful and that’s why we are not consumed by inherited wills the same way the others are."

Bruce immediately caught onto it.

"You retained your identity."

Arthur looked toward him.

"Yes."

Then his expression grew colder.

"The Dragon Monarch did as well."

Raven finally spoke. "And that’s why you two will inevitably try to kill each other."

Arthur nodded slowly.

"He doesn’t trust me, and I certainly don’t trust him."

Kara looked between everyone before blurting out,

"Hold on."

She pointed at Arthur again.

"Are you saying this Ashborn guy originally expected you to destroy your Earth too?"

Arthur immediately answered.

"No."

Then for the first time since this conversation began, something softer appeared in his eyes.

"Ashborn was once a Ruler."

Everyone froze again.

"What?"

Arthur nodded slowly. "He was betrayed by the Rulers long ago, then he chose to fall. And became a Monarch."

Arthur’s gaze lowered briefly.

"He fought for millennia, and eventually..." Arthur’s tone softened slightly. "...he grew tired."

Kara watched him carefully now.

Arthur continued. "He slowly transferred his power to me."

Then he looked at them all directly.

"He taught me and guided me. Shared his knowledge. Helped me understand what kind of power I carried."

Arthur smiled faintly afterward. "And when I finally gained full control of my powers... Ashborn disappeared completely."

Clark looked at him carefully.

"So you’re still yourself."

Arthur nodded.

"Yes of course."

Then his expression hardened again.

"Unlike the others."

Bruce folded his arms.

"The other Monarchs became slaves to inherited purpose."

Arthur looked toward him.

"Exactly."

Kara rubbed her forehead.

"I still don’t fully get it."

Raven immediately snorted softly.

"I’ll explain it to you later in simpler words."

Kara shot her a betrayed look.

"I hate when you do that."

Clark suddenly smiled slightly.

"I think I understand."

Everyone looked toward him.

Clark met Arthur’s gaze.

"You inherited overwhelming power and the others did too."

Arthur nodded.

"But unlike them..."

Clark continued calmly.

"You chose your own purpose."

Arthur smiled faintly at that.

"Yes."

Clark crossed his arms again and looked around the room briefly.

"And honestly? I don’t particularly care what the Monarchs or Rulers ultimately want."

Bruce glanced toward him.

Clark’s eyes sharpened.

"If they bring armies here and if they threaten this planet..."

Then he looked directly at Arthur.

"They’re enemies."

Arthur stared at him for a second before smiling slightly.

"That’s exactly how I see it."

Then he looked around the room.

"Our origins don’t matter."

His violet eyes glowed softly.

"The only thing that matters now is protecting this world together."

Diana finally spoke after remaining silent for so long.

"There is greatness in that choice."

Everyone looked toward her and she met Arthur’s gaze calmly.

"You inherited the power of a being shaped by endless war..."

Then her expression softened slightly.

"...yet you chose compassion instead of conquest."

Arthur gave a quiet chuckle.

"Don’t make me sound too noble."

Diana smiled faintly and Bruce finally stepped away from the table afterward.

"Thank you for your honesty. I’ll take my leave now."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"Already planning countermeasures?"

Bruce grabbed his coat calmly.

"For the remaining Monarchs?"

A smirk appeared.

"Maybe."

Then his expression flattened again.

"But the Dragon Monarch... That one is beyond preparation."

His eyes shifted toward Arthur.

"I’m afraid he’s your problem."

Then toward Clark.

"And probably yours too."

Clark sighed.

"Great."

Kara immediately pointed at herself.

"Excuse me? I’m strong too."

Raven smirked slightly.

"Sure."

Bruce stared at all of them for a moment.

Then surprisingly, he smiled faintly.

"Good, we can all count on you."

/-\

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