Arthur's glowing violet eyes rested on him calmly.
"Tell me everything you know about the Giant Monarch."
Malith immediately obeyed.
"Our monarch was captured long ago by the Rulers during the ancient war."
His deep voice echoed across the courtyard.
"The prison realms humans call dungeons were originally meant to contain large portions of his armies… alongside the other captured armies of the Monarchs."
Arthur listened silently.
"Entire battalions of giant warriors were sealed across countless dimensions."
Arthur nodded faintly.
"So I guessed correctly."
Malith lowered his head further.
"Yes, my King."
The giant's glowing eyes dimmed slightly before continuing.
"But… our monarch escaped their capture."
That made Arthur raise an eyebrow.
Malith continued carefully.
"However… he returned recently."
The shadow giant's expression shifted subtly.
"He was changed."
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"Changed? You mean a different person, that can only be his successor then."
Malith hesitated for the briefest moment.
"He was wounded in spirit," he answered. "Distrustful. Obsessed with reclaiming his full strength."
Arthur remained silent.
The description sounded familiar, all monarchs shared that trait.
"The Giant Monarch attempted to contact us… his commanders to return and gather once more… but he failed."
Malith looked around the ruined fortress.
"A curse binds us to this place. We are chained inside these dungeons with a single purpose."
His voice deepened bitterly.
"To kill humans… or become their prey if we fail."
Arthur spoke again.
"Did your monarch say anything else?"
Malith nodded slowly.
"Even in this prison, his command reached us."
The giant's glowing eyes flickered faintly.
"But… his ally constantly pressured him."
Arthur immediately understood.
"The Giant Monarch lacks manpower," Malith explained. "Most of us were captured alongside him."
Arthur crossed his arms thoughtfully.
"Interesting."
His violet eyes glowed faintly brighter.
"So this ally must be the Dragon Monarch."
He exhaled slowly.
"I don't see anyone else daring to nag Legia other than Antares' successor."
Arthur looked back toward Malith.
"I assume you know nothing else regarding the other Monarchs."
The giant bowed deeply again.
"I am sorry for being useless, my King."
His voice carried genuine shame now.
"I have said all I know."
Arthur looked at him for a few seconds.
Then he spoke calmly.
"It was useful."
Malith slowly looked up.
"At least now I know the Giant Monarch is alive and free… lacking manpower… and allied with the Dragon Monarch."
Arthur's gaze drifted toward the skies of the dungeon.
"That alone is valuable information to me."
Then, unexpectedly Arthur said quietly,
"Thank you."
Malith froze slightly.
Arthur simply raised one hand afterward.
The shadow giants immediately dissolved into darkness.
Massive bodies collapsed into black smoke before flowing directly into Arthur's shadow beneath his feet.
An entire army vanished in seconds.
The ruined courtyard became silent once more.
Arthur exhaled softly.
"Well… that was both useful and eventful."
He turned and began walking back toward the Titans.
They had gathered near the broken outer walls of the fortress after the battle ended.
Most of them looked exhausted.
Beast Boy was lying flat on his back against a giant broken stone while breathing heavily.
Cyborg sat nearby with visible scorch marks across his body.
Blue Beetle looked like he had mentally checked out of reality entirely.
Robin was reviewing tactical data on one of his holographic displays despite clearly being tired himself.
Starfire floated quietly nearby.
And Galatea stood beside them with crossed arms looking entirely unimpressed by everyone's condition.
Arthur approached them casually.
"Really?" he asked. "Already exhausted?"
Jaime looked up immediately.
"Sorry we're not exactly a death god like a certain someone."
Arthur almost smiled.
"Fair point."
Raven walked over and grabbed Arthur's hand naturally, not even seeming aware she did it.
"Did you learn anything useful?" she asked. "You said you were going to question the giants."
Arthur glanced down at her hand briefly before answering.
"I just did."
His tone became more serious.
"And yes… I learned something useful."
That immediately got Robin's attention.
Before he could ask,
Arthur continued.
"This dungeon will close soon. The exit is no longer sealed since I killed the boss."
Beast Boy blinked tiredly.
"Good…"
Robin narrowed his eyes slightly.
"It's a massive dimension," he pointed out. "How did you even find the boss that quickly?"
Arthur answered simply.
"I used my presence to draw him toward me."
The Titans stared.
Arthur continued walking while speaking.
"There are multiple giant keeps scattered throughout this dimension. While you were fighting, I secretly sent Beru and H'El ahead to scout."
Robin sighed immediately.
"Of course..."
Arthur nodded.
"They cleared the other keeps already."
Cyborg nearly choked.
"They WHAT?"
Arthur looked entirely unbothered.
"They killed the giants stationed there and I added them to my army, simple."
He paused briefly.
"So overall… it was a good raid."
Jaime stared at him in disbelief.
"You conquered what can be considered an entire civilization in like… an hour."
Arthur tilted his head slightly.
"When you say it like that, it sounds excessive, they were many but not enough to populate a planet."
"It WAS excessive!"
Arthur ignored him completely.
"And I collected all the loot worth taking."
Robin immediately groaned.
"You looted the dungeon too?"
Arthur looked at him calmly.
"Obviously."
Then he added,
"Take everything to Hephaestus back in the Watchtower. He'll know what to do with it."
Robin and Cyborg exchanged a long look.
Neither even questioned it anymore.
"…Okay," Cyborg finally said weakly.
Arthur nodded once.
"One more thing."
The tone in his voice became noticeably firmer.
Robin straightened slightly.
Arthur's glowing eyes swept across them all.
"Tell Bruce to add another rule for the hunters, S-rank gates are to be taken by S-ranks alone."
His gaze turned briefly toward the endless giant fortress behind them.
"This dungeon was certain death for regular S-ranks."
Then he looked directly at the Titans.
"And honestly… it probably would've killed you too if I wasn't here or Raven."
Blue Beetle immediately pointed at him.
"See?! That smug face right there!"
Raven actually laughed softly.
Robin shook his head with a tired smile.
"…Annoyingly enough, he's right."
.
.
.
The red gate in the middle of Metropolis had become the center of the entire city.
Police barricades stretched across several streets while Hunter Association officials, military personnel, reporters, drones, and thousands of civilians crowded every possible rooftop and sidewalk around the massive dimensional rupture.
The gate itself pulsed violently now.
Its crimson surface distorted unnaturally like something inside was trying to tear reality apart.
People whispered nervously while cameras remained fixed on it.
An S-rank red gate, even hearing those words was enough to terrify people now.
Especially after Gotham.
And the Titans had entered it.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
One reporter stood near the front lines, speaking rapidly into a microphone while the cameraman focused on the massive gate behind him.
"...still no sign of the Titans or the unidentified masked individual accompanying them. Officials have refused to disclose the exact threat classification of this S rank gate beyond confirming the gate evolved into a red gate shortly before entry..."
Suddenly,
The gate rippled violently and the crowd gasped.
The reporter immediately turned.
"Wait...wait! Something's happening!"
The crimson surface split apart.
Then figures emerged.
Robin stepped out first.
Covered in dust and giant blood.
His cape was torn in several places.
Behind him came Cyborg carrying pieces of broken giant weaponry over one shoulder while muttering,
"I swear I'm never fighting giants again…"
Starfire floated out next with scratches across her uniform but otherwise unharmed.
Beast Boy practically stumbled out afterward looking traumatized.
"I hate wyverns..." he announced immediately to nobody in particular. "I officially hate wyverns..."
Blue Beetle emerged beside him looking equally exhausted.
Then Raven walked out calmly through the red gate, cloak slightly damaged.
The crowd erupted immediately.
"They made it out!"
"Oh my god..."
"The Titans cleared it?!"
"No casualties?!"
"They actually survived a red S-rank gate!"
Cameras flashed everywhere.
Hunter officials immediately rushed forward while reporters nearly lost their minds trying to break through the barricades.
Then, the final figure emerged.
Silence spread strangely through the crowd.
Arthur stepped out of the gate slowly.
Still wearing the black tactical armor Robin gave him.
Dark armored plates covered his body while the black mask concealed most of his face entirely.
Only strands of his ashen white hair remained visible and his glowing violet eyes. In one hand he still carried his sword.
The blade dripped giant blood onto the pavement.
The crowd stared at him.
Everyone suddenly recognized him, even beneath all that.
The mysterious shadow figure from Gotham.
The one from the footage.
Whispers immediately spread across the entire crowd.
"That's him…"
"The shadow man…"
"No way…"
"Is that Arthur Blackwynd?!"
"I thought he attacked someone in Japan!"
"He was the one clearing gates alongside them?!"
"How can we be sure that it's him."
"Look at those eyes… surely that's him!"
Reporters immediately surged forward.
"Sir! Sir! Are you affiliated with the Justice League?!"
"What exactly was the threat level in there?!"
"Did you truly clear multiple gates across the country today?!"
"Is it true you can control monsters?!"
"Did you really attack Hunter Renshiro in Japan?"
"Sir Arthur!"
Robin immediately sighed.
"Oh great, the armor and the mask were useless as I predicted."
Cyborg rubbed his forehead.
"And there it is."
Hunter Association officials quickly intervened, trying to create space while speaking with the Titans.
Several officials approached Robin directly with visibly nervous expressions.
"Report status, sir." one demanded.
Robin handed over a data device calmly.
"S-rank red gate successfully cleared. Dungeon boss eliminated. No casualties, everything is in order."
The official blinked.
"That's it?"
Robin looked exhausted.
"What more do you want?"
Meanwhile, Arthur ignored the reporters entirely.
He simply turned around toward the still-active red gate behind him.
The gigantic dimensional rupture pulsed ominously one last time.
The entire crowd watched carefully.
Then Arthur slowly raised one hand.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Darkness gathered around his fingers.
Violet energy flickered beneath his gloves.
And then, the red gate collapsed inward.
With no dramatic eruption, the massive dimensional tear simply compressed into itself unnaturally before disappearing entirely like it had never existed.
The crowd fell completely silent.
Even the reporters stopped speaking.
The empty space where the gate once stood remained untouched.
A little girl somewhere in the crowd whispered quietly,
"…Cool."
That seemed to snap everyone back to reality, people began clapping somewhere in the distance.
Then more joined in.
Relieved laughter spread through the streets.
One older man shook his head while staring at Arthur.
"…Thank God the Justice League exists!"
Another person nearby muttered nervously,
"I'm still not sure that guy is human."
Arthur overheard it, and he simply walked away saying nothing.
Reporters continued trying desperately to approach him. But every time they got too close, the shadows around Arthur subtly moved, Invisible shadow hands were grabbing the legs of the reporters and keeping them from moving not harshly but just enough to stop them.
Raven noticed and smirked faintly beneath her hood.
"Very subtle my love.."
Arthur glanced at her.
"I'm trying."
"And you're failing." she said with a smile.
Beast Boy pointed toward the crowd.
"Oh they are NEVER leaving you alone now."
Arthur sighed behind the mask.
"I prefer monsters."
Robin actually laughed quietly at that.
/-\
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