Shadow Monarch in DC-Chapter 128: Even Gods Bleed

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Fists cracked the air like thunderclaps.

Arthur twisted mid-air, sword flashing in a silver arc, but Superman deflected it with a forearm hardened like steel. The shockwave from the impact blew chunks of debris across the chamber.

Doom came in from the side, massive, relentless. His fists slammed into Superman's ribs, the floor beneath fracturing like glass. But the Man of Steel didn't flinch. He drove his elbow into Doom's face, then spun mid-air and delivered a hammering blow to Arthur that sent him skidding across the stone.

Arthur grunted, catching himself with one knee down, Kryptonite blade dragging a thin green line into the ground.

"He hits harder than Ultraman..." he muttered, blood on his lip. "Recklessly attacking won't work."

He lunged again, sword raised.

Superman met him with fury, heat vision flashing but Arthur dipped under the beam and countered. Sparks flew with every clash. His blade met fists, elbows, shoulders but the Kryptonite didn't seem to slow Superman down much.

Arthur ducked another punch and gritted his teeth.

'He's moving too well... too clean for someone who should be on his knees by this much Kryptonite.'

Doom lunged again, swinging wide. Superman met him mid-air, their blows colliding with the force of tectonic plates. Arthur blurred behind them with Speed Step, vanishing from sight, reappearing above, slashing downward with his Kryptonite blade.

Superman twisted barely catching Arthur's wrist mid-strike and hurling him through a wall.

Stone shattered. Arthur rolled back to his feet, coughing dust, his ribs aching. "Okay... that's bad," he muttered, cracking his neck.

Doom didn't wait he tackled Superman through a pillar, the two of them exchanging a flurry of thunderous punches. Superman drove a knee into Doom's gut, then lifted the shadow monster by the neck and slammed him down with enough force to quake the entire place.

Arthur reappeared behind him in a whirl of black mist, sword sweeping horizontally. Superman ducked, fired heat vision backward, forcing Arthur to slide under the beam, sparks flying everywhere.

'He's too fast,' Arthur thought, dodging a backhand that would've crushed his skull. 'And not just fast, precise. Even possessed, totally different from The Flash... he is not sloppy at all.'

Arthur danced away, blade flashing in defensive arcs. Superman came at him again two punches, a spinning elbow, then a kick that launched Arthur into the air.

Mid-flight, Arthur gritted his teeth. "Okay. Too close."

He teleported midair with Speed Step, flickering beside Doom as the shadow beast pulled himself back up.

"He's not reacting to the Kryptonite the way I thought," Arthur muttered. "He's resisting it... or the possession's compensating."

Superman flew at them again Doom roared and met him head-on, grappling with all his monstrous strength. They locked in a dead man's struggle.

Arthur's eyes narrowed, glowing blue.

"Maybe on the outside it isn't enough..."

He didn't finish the sentence...Doom heard it. Understood.

The monster shifted, snarled, and drove Superman against a wall, pinning him with both arms. It wasn't going to last.

One second.

That's all Arthur needed.

[Speed Step].

He vanished then reappeared inches from Superman's side, blade already drawn back.

The Kryptonite sword plunged into Superman's shoulder, a sickening hiss echoing through the air. Superman roared, his body convulsing. He twisted at the last moment Arthur missed the heart.

Still, green energy surged through the blade. Smoke curled from the wound.

Arthur met his eyes.

"Still hurts, doesn't it?" he whispered. "Even for you."

Superman snarled, teeth gritted, one hand still restrained by Doom.

His four red eyes however, they burned red.

BOOM.

A beam of pure heat exploded from his eyes, point-blank Arthur was blasted across the room, crashing through debris and tumbling across stone, cloak singed, armor cracked.

He groaned, rolling to his side, spitting blood. "Okay... Definitely not doing that again," he muttered.

Doom was thrown aside next, crashing into a support pillar, which crumbled and collapsed around him.

Superman appeared in a blur.

His fist plunged into Doom's torso with such force it echoed through the underground cavern like thunder. The punch tore through dark matter, piercing Doom's chest.

Arthur froze for half a second, his expression darkening. "You actually... got him?"

The shadow trembled. For the first time, Arthur saw Doom falter.

The silence was brief.

A violent pulse of darkness rippled from Doom's wound. His head jerked back, and then his body surged upright regenerating at terrifying speed. Spikes burst from his arms and shoulders like jagged obsidian. His eyes now glowing violet .

The System interface flickered before Arthur's eyes:

[Shadow General: Doom – RANK UPGRADED → Marshall]

Arthur grinned, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "Bad news for you, Man of Steel."

Doom roared, the sound like the cry of an ancient titan, and lunged forward.

Superman met him without hesitation two monsters crashing together in a fury of fists and blows that bent the very air around them. Each punch from Doom cracked the ground. Each strike from Superman dented the very shadows.

Arthur didn't wait.

He turned just enough to see the rest of the battlefield. Ultra stood there grabbing Aquaman by his throat. Quick and Empress had knocked out Hawkgirl. Galatea stood over Black Canary.

Galatea smirked, using nothing but her legs to keep Black Canary pinned as the woman thrashed beneath her. "My king," she called out, mockingly formal. "Shall I crush this one's throat?"

Arthur chuckled, clenching his fist as the Doomsday bone gauntlets materialized over his arms, his Kryptonite sword still pulsing in his grip. "No. Just keep them restrained."

He turned back and flew.

Doom and Superman collided again. Arthur joined the chaos like a crashing meteor.

[Speed Step] 

Arthur blurred into view beside Superman and launched a brutal combination left gauntlet punch to the jaw, knee to the ribs, right-hand slash with the Kryptonite blade. Superman blocked, parried, countered his blows coming with explosive power, enough to send shockwaves through the cavern. Arthur grit his teeth, each impact rattling his bones.

He's still fast. Still sharp. Arthur dodged a beam of heat vision, eyes narrowing.

Arthur laughed, "You're holding up better than I expected, Clark."

Together, Doom and Arthur fought in perfect rhythm. One punch opened an opening, the other delivered the strike. Superman blocked and parried, but he couldn't keep up. Not anymore.

Arthur shouted as his gauntlet smashed into Superman's gut, forcing the Man of Steel down to one knee. Doom's fist came down next, cracking against his spine and pinning him.

Arthur leapt forward.

His blade shone with violet lightning as he activated his skill.

[MUTILATION]

In a blur, the Kryptonite sword slashed again

Once. Twice. Ten times.

Each slash left glowing green gashes on Superman's body, cutting through flesh, Blood and sparks fell to the ground.

Superman groaned, the last of the energy draining from his limbs. He collapsed to his knees, breathing hard, skin pale, blood dripping.

Across the battlefield, Raven watched with wide eyes, her breath caught in her throat. Her lips trembled.

Arthur stood over the Man of Steel, sword still glowing. He raised it.

Raven whispered, "No... not like this.."

And then

A pulse of energy. A portal ripped through the air.

From it stepped Robin, followed closely by Cyborg, Constantine, Zatanna, Starfire, Blue Beetle, and Beast Boy each battle-worn but resolute.

Robin's eyes scanned the battlefield, widening at the sight of Arthur's shadow generals standing over the subdued Justice League members. Superman knelt, battered and scarred, with Doom and Arthur looming beside him.

'Possessed or not... he actually reduced Superman to that state...' Robin murmured to himself, awe evident in his voice.

Constantine's gaze shifted between Arthur and the fallen Man of Steel. "Bloody hell, is Clark even alive?"

Arthur lowered his sword, its glow dimming. "Good thing you're here, and yes he is, You don't really fight someone like him without going for the kill. Otherwise I'd just die instead." he said, addressing Robin and Constantine. "Now. Just give them that injection or perform an exorcism ..whatever."

"Also, Trigon is free," he added grimly.

Cyborg stepped forward, urgency in his voice. "We know. He ascended into the sky, and it looks like he's preparing to unleash something catastrophic. We need to move fast."

Robin nodded, swiftly injecting Superman, then moving on to the others.

Constantine approached Raven, who remained bound by fiery chains. "Hello, halfwit," he greeted, his tone a mix of sarcasm and concern.

Raven couldn't meet his eyes.

"Did your plan fail eh? Daddy Trigon proved too strong once he became whole?" he asked mockingly, casting a spell to break her bindings.

Arthur interjected, his tone sharp. "Enough, John. You've had your fair share of fuck ups too."

Caught off guard, Constantine had no retort.

Arthur knelt beside Raven, gently lifting her chin to meet his gaze. "I trust you won't make the same mistake twice."

"There is no second time, I've already doomed the world.. Arthur," Raven whispered.

"I'm not talking about releasing Trigon," Arthur said, his eyes locking with hers. Raven's breath hitched. Her eyes lit up. "I'm talking about a sealing spell. Can you do it again? Focus this time. I believe only you can do it, you are his daughter afterall, and we'll do whatever we can to hold him off."

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If you Like this story! Check out my other stories! Solo leveling in Westeros.

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If you wish to read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at

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You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want