Chapter 14
Shadow leaned forward, his interlaced fingers casting long, jagged shadows across the Aramid table.
"I have seen your hearts, and I know your resolve," he began, his voice dropping to a resonant hum that seemed to vibrate in their very bones. "But I do not know those you lead. I must know if you can truly govern your circles—and if those who follow you possess the same iron will."
He paused, the purple glow in his eyes intensifying. "Now, the real test begins. You will return to your factions and select only those truly worthy to serve. If you bring even one unworthy ally into my presence, your entire faction will be judged as a failure. You will be punished for the ultimate sin: slandering my name."
The cold finality of his voice echoed like a thunderclap. The leaders felt the weight of the gamble. This was not a test of strength, but a test of discernment. They had to look into the human heart without the aid of divine telepathy. To choose incorrectly was to invite instant, absolute judgment upon themselves.
Each leader returned to their respective domains, the air around them thick with the gravity of their task. The time for weeding out the pretenders had come.
Elliot summoned his twenty-four elite accomplices. In the Punishers, identities were shielded by masks and codenames; no member knew the true face of the other. Elliot stood before them, his billionaire poise replaced by the grim shadow of the Black Cat.
"Today marks the end of the Punishers and the birth of a new era," Elliot declared. "I only need those who believe in the Sovereign's judgment. If you are here for the thrill, for the fun, or for the power—leave now. If you stay while harboring a lie, you will face the true Karma. And He cannot be deceived. I urge you, as your lives depend on it: leave."
A heavy silence fell. One by one, figures turned and vanished into the night. Elliot had expected fourteen to remain. When the dust settled, fifteen stood firm. It was one more than his calculation—a gamble that made his blood run cold, yet a risk he had to take.
For Glen, the task was different. Her thirty members were not soldiers or specialists; they were obsessed worshippers. Their conviction was a fever, untested and unshaken. To them, the invitation was not a choice, but the fulfillment of their souls. They stood as a monolithic block of zealotry, ready to be consumed by the fire they worshipped.
El Dorado faced the largest challenge: one hundred and fifty-four men. They were loyal to him, but Shadow demanded loyalty to a higher principle.
"If you will walk with me into this alliance and submit your life entirely to Shadow, step forward," El Dorado roared, his voice echoing through the hideout. "But know this: if you step forward without resolve, Shadow will know. And that lie will be your death warrant."
The movement was slow and deliberate. Men looked at one another, weighing their lives against the darkness. By the end, exactly fifty men stood with El Dorado. The remaining hundred departed in silence, destined to form their own path, leaving the core of the League as a sharpened blade.
A day later, the air in the permanent base was suffocating. The chosen members of the three factions stood assembled in a massive, obsidian-clad hall.
Ninety-five souls waited in a silence so profound it felt like the world had stopped breathing. They stood before the throne, their eyes fixed on the shadows at the end of the room, waiting for the God of Karma to emerge and decide if they were worthy to exist in his world—or if they were about to become the very trash his Knights were meant to purge.
The heavy silence of the chamber was shattered as the Seven Knights made their entrance. Each one walked with an aura so immense that the assembled believers felt as though they were witnessing the arrival of ancient deities.
Among the Punishers, a member known as Demon Blade leaned toward Elliot and whispered, "I thought the vigilante was a single man... a human. Why are there seven of them?"
"These are the Knights of Shadow," Elliot whispered back, his voice tight with awe. "The leader is Shadow himself. These are his elite."
"Knights?" Demon Blade muttered in disbelief. "How can beings this godlike be mere knights?"
Elliot began to respond, but his voice was cut short by a terrifying, cold stare from Alpha. The room plunged back into a suffocating silence.
Then, the great doors groaned open once more. Shadow walked in. His eyes burned with a piercing purple light, and a thick, dark aura clung to him like the very scent of death. He moved with a majestic, slow rhythm toward the elevated throne. In that moment, the ninety-five candidates felt they were staring into the face of the abyss. The Shadow they had imagined in their dreams was a flickering candle compared to the sun they now beheld.
As Shadow took his seat, the Seven Knights fanned out—four on his right, three on his left.
"Are you certain you have selected the most devoted?" Shadow's voice boomed like rolling thunder. "Remember... I am not merciful."
The three faction leaders bowed in unison, their hearts racing. They could only hope their intuition hadn't signed their death warrants.
"Look at me," Shadow commanded.
Every member of the crowd lifted their eyes, trembling. Using his telepathy, Shadow swept through the room, peeling back layers of consciousness. He saw their pasts, their resolves, and their deepest terrors. Their convictions were unshaken, though their fear of him was absolute.
Suddenly, the pressure vanished. Shadow's eyes returned to their normal hue, and the crushing aura dissipated. He wore a faint, calm smile beneath his mask. To the gathered factions, the transformation was jarring; the monster of a moment ago now looked almost human.
"The test is over," Shadow announced. "I have seen your resolve. From this day forward, your leaders shall join my Knights, and you shall remain their disciples. You are responsible for your factions. Now, let us begin the Ascension."
Elliot was the first to approach. He knelt before the throne, bowing his head in total submission. Shadow placed a hand upon him. "Henceforth, the name you shall answer to is PUNISHER. You are my Eighth Knight. I grant you ten percent of my abilities—and the power to bestow fragments of that strength onto others."
A torrent of dark energy surged into Elliot. His eyes flared purple as the power rewired his very soul. In that instant, his loyalty became eternal.
Glen followed next, kneeling in the same sacred fashion. Shadow's hand touched her brow. "Henceforth, the name you shall answer to is MISERY. I grant you ten percent of my abilities and the power to share your essence with your flock."
Finally, El Dorado stepped forward. As Shadow's hand made contact, he spoke: "Henceforth, the name you shall answer to is RUIN. I grant you ten percent of my abilities. Do not fail me."
As the energy flooded Ruin's body, his mind could barely comprehend the scale of it. If there is a God, he thought, it is the man standing before me.
Shadow looked out over the ninety-five followers. "Your leaders will now grant you these abilities. Your names shall be numbered according to your house. The first disciple of the Punisher shall be Punisher 001, and so it shall be for the rest of you."
He paused, his gaze shifting to Delta and Nemesis. "Those among you without combat mastery will train under Delta and Nemesis. Those who are already warriors will be tested by them to see if your skills are worthy of my name."
Delta and Nemesis bowed to their Lord, then turned to the factions with looks that promised a grueling road ahead. With the covenant sealed, Shadow rose and vanished, leaving the base for the quiet solitude of the woods to reflect on the army he had just birthed.
As Shadow walked through the quiet woods, his mind was a whirlwind of strategy and logistics for his newly expanded organization. But the peaceful rustle of leaves was suddenly cut short by a chilling sensation—a discordant ripple in the atmosphere. His senses flared, yet he couldn't pinpoint the source of the anomaly. Without hesitation, he forged a jagged blade of Cosmic Aramid and dropped into a low combat stance, bracing for an ambush.
The world didn't just flicker; it shattered.
The emerald green of the forest was replaced by the infinite, swirling void of the cosmos. Shadow stood on nothingness, surrounded by the cold beauty of distant nebulae. He knew this place. He had been here twice before, but this time, he hadn't initiated the journey. If he hadn't summoned her, then she had pulled him across the fabric of reality.
A gargantuan, celestial form manifested before him, her body composed of starlight and ancient nebulae. She reclined amidst the galaxies as if they were a bed of silk.
"Long time no see, Damian," she whispered, her voice vibrating through his very soul. "Or should I call you... Shadow?"
Shadow looked up at the titan, his grip tightening on his blade. He was painfully aware of their contract; he had technically sold his existence to her, a debt she could collect at any moment. "What do you want, Desire?"
"Congratulations on your new little party," Desire said with a playful, cosmic smile. "I know you're wondering why I've brought you here. Don't worry, it isn't as bad as you think."
"I have a feeling it isn't good, either," Shadow retorted.
"I've made a bet with another being of my stature," Desire replied calmly. "We are holding a game—a battle between representatives. Higher beings aren't allowed to participate directly, so we need champions. I have chosen you."
Shadow let out a cold, cynical breath. "So this is like those robot combat games humans play? We are just pawns for the amusement of gods?"
"If you wish to put it so bluntly, then yes," Desire stated. "And you cannot refuse. It is part of our agreement."
"I knew this debt would come back to haunt me," Shadow muttered, his eyes narrowing. "I just didn't expect it so soon. Fine. When is it, and how long will it take?"
"It is on a different plane of existence, crafted solely for this contest. Since we don't intend to disrupt the time continuum, we predict the battle will last a month at most. Go home and prepare. Tomorrow, I will come for you."
Shadow paused, looking into her infinite eyes. "Three questions before I go. How many opponents? What do you gain from winning? And what happens if I lose?"
Desire chuckled, a sound like stars colliding. "That's three questions, you know. But very well. You will be fighting three others in a 'survival of the fittest' all-out war. As for what I gain? Bragging rights—proof that my creation is superior. If you lose, nothing happens to me... but I wouldn't recommend slacking off."
She leaned in, her gaze turning firm. "The winner acquires a specific skill, but I cannot reveal its nature yet. Everything will be explained once you arrive on the battlefield."
Shadow stood in the silence of the void for a long moment. "Well then. I hope it isn't boring. I'll go prepare; my Knights need to know where I'll be for the next month. Send me back."
Desire smiled, a flash of genuine interest in her expression. "Still as calculated as ever. I'll see you tomorrow, Shadow."
The cosmic imagery faded as quickly as it had appeared. The reality of the woods snapped back into place, leaving Shadow standing alone in the trees, the weight of a divine game now resting on his shoulders.
Shadow hurried back to the main base, his stride purposeful. The weight of his impending departure felt heavy in the air. He summoned the Knights for an emergency summit, the room falling into a respectful silence as he took his place.
"I will be leaving for one month," Shadow announced, his voice brooks no room for argument. "In my absence, Alpha is in command."
To ensure the organization thrived while he was gone, Shadow bestowed a final evolution upon the original Seven: the ability to share their divine essence and initiate new members. "Expand our reach," he urged. "Recruit those who are worthy, for our work is far from finished."
He laid out a strict operational structure to govern the globe in his absence:
Alpha role was Supreme oversight and leadership. Delta & Nemesis were the Absolute authority over the training and indoctrination of all new recruits. Beta was assigned to Intelligence gathering and strategic summaries. Gamma handled Threat assessment and identifying global targets requiring intervention and The other Knights which includes chaos,wrath Punisher, Misery and Ruin were assigned with Support and local faction management.
The following morning, Shadow stood at the threshold of the base. He looked at his circle one last time, a final warning echoing through the hall: "Do not fail."
As he vanished, the streets of the world's major cities remained eerily quiet. The public had begun to realize that their actions carried weight—that Karma was watching. Yet, evil never truly sleeps; it only hides. The Knights knew that with their growing influence came a world that needed both saving and punishing.
Shadow returned to the deep woods, waiting. Suddenly, the fabric of reality tore open like wet paper, pulling him back into the cosmic realm. Desire stood there, her smile wide and predatory. "Are you ready?"
"Let's get this over with," Shadow muttered.
They traveled beyond the boundaries of the known universe, moving past stars and galaxies until they arrived in an endless, terrifying void. Floating in the absolute nothingness was a single landmass of impossible scale.
"Where are we?" Shadow asked, his voice hushed by the sheer magnitude of the emptiness.
"We are in the void beyond the multiverses—the First Void," Desire replied.
"The First Void? How many are there?"
"On a cosmic scale, there are twelve recognized Voids, each completely transcending the one before it," Desire explained, her tone matter-of-fact. "Though if you count the temporary spaces made by lesser beings, the number is infinite. The Grand Design recognizes twelve for this Verse."
"This Verse?" Shadow thought out loud. "How many 'Verses' exist?"
"That knowledge is reserved for higher beings," Desire said, a hint of mystery in her eyes. "A truth forbidden to mere mortals."
They reached the floating arena—a square mass with a diameter as vast as the planet Jupiter. Desire shifted into a human-sized form, walking beside Shadow toward an invisible doorway that led into a vast, empty white hall.
The doors behind them groaned open. A being draped in a thick, dark robe that looked like a living hole in space walked in, glowing eyes the only feature visible. Behind him stood a champion in a high-tech assassin suit, a mask obscuring his face.
"Hey, Nightmare," Desire called out mockingly. "Is that your avatar?"
"From the looks of it, that must be your puppet," Nightmare hissed back.
"How rude, brother. Mine is definitely going to win," Desire smiled.
Shadow turned to her, stunned. "Brother? You're related?"
Before she could answer, a third being arrived. This one wore robes that shimmered like a captured sun. Behind him followed a human dressed in noble, wealthy attire, his eyes glowing with a sharp blue light.
"Nice choice, Dream," Desire said.
"Same to you, sister," Dream replied.
"Sister? Is this a family game?" Shadow asked, his confusion growing.
"Three of us are siblings," Desire clarified. "I am the eldest, then Dream, then Nightmare. But it isn't entirely a family game."
The final door opened. A woman stepped through who seemed to have the entire night sky contained within her skin. Behind her followed a champion who looked like a demigod ripped from the pages of an ancient epic.
"Who is she?" Shadow asked.
"That is Endless," Desire whispered. "She isn't our sibling; she's simply... interested in the stakes."
Four titanic thrones materialized in the white space. The cosmic beings shed their human forms, growing into massive, celestial giants as they took their seats. Their four champions—Shadow and the three strangers—stood on the floor below, small but lethal, waiting for the rules of the war to begin.
Desire stood from her throne, her voice projecting like a celestial melody that resonated through the white expanse. She began the formal introductions.
"The first is my champion: Shadow," she announced, her eyes shimmering with pride. "He is an anti-hero from Multiverse 003, Universe 3—a candidate of the Void God." She paused, letting the weight of his origin sink in before gesturing toward the noble. "Next is the avatar of Dream: Bravery Michaelson. He is a hero of sorts from Multiverse 003, Universe 5. He is the scion of the Abyss, a son of one of the true Lords of Hell—the child of Satan himself."
She wore a playful, jagged smile as she turned toward the assassin in the dark robe. "Beside him stands the avatar of Nightmare: The Rage Killer. Like Bravery, he is a son of the infernal lords, born of the Morning Star—the son of Lucifer. He hails from the same universe as Bravery. And lastly, the avatar of Endless: Inu Makuhari. He is the child of two Multiverse Creators from Multiverse 010, Universe 1. In his realm, he is effectively the son of God."
Shadow felt a cold ripple of realization. He wasn't just fighting talented mortals; he was locked in a cage with the literal offspring of devils and creators. The stakes had shifted from a mere tournament to a clash of cosmic lineages.
"This won't be easy," Shadow thought, his expression hardening behind his mask, "but I don't intend to lose."
"And now for the rules," Nightmare interrupted, his voice a jagged rasp that seemed to drain the light from the room. "You cannot forfeit. The match ends only when you are dead or unconscious. You cannot call for external help. Any method of slaughter is acceptable. And do not worry about the finality of your wounds—if you die, you will be resurrected when the game concludes. Death is beneath us. But until only one of you is left standing, the battle never ends."
"As for the reward," Dream added, his sun-like robes flaring with brilliance, "the victor shall be granted the Cosmic Bridge. It is a skill that allows the user to travel anywhere in the cosmos instantly. The last one standing claims the prize; the rest get nothing."
"If you have questions, ask them now," Endless commanded.
A heavy silence followed. Finally, Inu Makuhari, the demigod from Multiverse 010, spoke with a calm, resonant tone. "I understand the instructions. I have no questions." The others nodded in grim agreement.
"Well then," Endless concluded, her form beginning to blur into starlight. "You have one hour to yourselves. When we return, the battle will commence on the floating landmass you saw upon your arrival. Go all out. Do not hold back. This plane was designed to contain the power of gods; you cannot break it."
With those final words, the four gigantic beings and their towering thrones vanished into the void, leaving the four champions alone in the white silence.
In the white silence of the waiting room, Inu Makuhari was the first to speak, his voice carrying the calm arrogance of a demigod.
"You all seem strong, truly," Makuhari remarked, his eyes scanning the others with detached interest. "But you're going to lose. Out of curiosity... how were you even selected for this?"
The Rage Killer shifted. "Nightmare saved me from a fate I don't intend to share. I owe him a debt, and this is the payment. On that note—don't get comfortable. I won't lose to any of you."
"I am here for the prize," Bravery Michaelson added, adjusting his noble attire. "My desperate search to uncover the mysteries of the cosmos led Dream to me. With the Cosmic Bridge, the universe will finally have no secrets left to hide. I am no pushover."
Shadow remained steady, his purple eyes fixed on the group. "Desire is my patron. She is the source of my power, and my service is part of our pact. Like the rest of you, I have a profound dislike for losing."
Makuhari let out a short, dry laugh. "Such confidence. Hate to break it to you, but unlike the rest of you who were 'chosen,' I found Endless and proved I was worthy. To be frank, I don't even need the skill. I'm here to find opponents who can actually make me bleed. The skill is just a means to travel the cosmos and find more of them until I am the strongest there is."
"Aren't you a little cocky?" Rage Killer smirked, a dark energy flickering around his hands. "I'm going to enjoy destroying that confidence."
Shadow stood back, watching the tension escalate. I'm about to fight demons and gods, yet I am just a man, he thought. I wonder how this ends.
"I can tell you're all telepaths," Bravery stated suddenly. "Your mental fortitude is impressive... except for yours, Shadow."
In a blur of motion so fast the air itself shrieked, Bravery appeared inches from Shadow's face, his blue eyes glowing with a piercing, oceanic light.
He's fast, Shadow realized, his heart skipping a beat. I could barely follow that. The other two, however, remained unfazed. If they could track Bravery's movement while he struggled, Shadow knew his speed was currently his greatest weakness.
"You can barely keep up with me," Bravery whispered with a playful, predatory smile. "I can tell... because I can read your mind."
Without a word, Shadow lunged forward, placing his palm against Bravery's chest. A massive surge of Telekinesis erupted, sending the Son of Satan flying miles across the white expanse. "I don't like people in my head," Shadow muttered with pure disgust.
"No fighting yet," Makuhari commanded, his voice turning cold as the air. "Keep your energy for the arena. I won't accept excuses."
A portal rippled behind Shadow, and Bravery stepped out, completely unfazed by the telekinetic blast. A wide, manic grin spread across his face. "Impressive. I can't wait to see what else you're capable of."
He's a complete psycho, Shadow thought.
After a while, the white room began to tremble. The walls shattered like glass into nothingness, revealing the massive landmass floating in the First Void. The four contestants were instantly positioned in a wide square, staring each other down.
High above, the four titanic thrones reappeared. The cosmic siblings and Endless sat in their seats, looking down at the arena like spectators at a gladiator match.
Endless's voice boomed across the void, reminding them of the stakes. "The rules are simple: No forfeit. The match ends only when you are dead or unconscious. No external help. Any method of slaughter is allowed. You will be resurrected at the end, but the battle continues until only one remains."
"There is no time limit," Desire added, her eyes fixed on Shadow. "Your bodies no longer require food or water to survive. Give us the show we desire."
The four champions took their stances. The air grew heavy, thick with killing intent and the clashing of divine auras. The spectators leaned forward in anticipation.
Nightmare's voice roared through the void, echoing like the end of the world:
"BEGIN!"