Midnight had now settled over Gotham, cloaking this part of the city in a silence that seemed almost serene against the distant sound of protests.
Batman was currently guiding the Batmobile through the winding cave tunnels leading to the Batcave, the dim lights from the vehicle casting jagged shadows on the rocky walls as he navigated through.
As he pulled into the main platform of the cave, the car came to a gentle halt, and the top of the Batmobile hissed open with a soft **whoosh**.
Hovering just above, Superman waited, his arms crossed and his red cape flowing gently as he looked down at the Batmobile.
"You're late," Superman remarked in an easy tone.
Batman stepped out of the car, his expression as steady as ever. "Got stuck in traffic," he replied dryly, shutting the top with a quick press.
Superman tilted his head. "You're kidding, right?"
"Have you seen how badly the protesters have blocked off the roads?" Batman asked, making his way toward the Batcomputer without waiting for a response.
"Fair point, how'd it go with Arias?" Superman conceded, lowering himself to the ground and following Batman to the massive computer console.
Alfred was already standing beside it, hands clasped behind his back, watching the screens with his usual calm attentiveness. "Welcome back, Master Bruce," he greeted.
Batman took his seat in front of the Batcomputer, fingers quickly flying over the keys as the screens displayed various live feeds from across Gotham.
Scenes of ongoing protests filled the monitors, with crowds packed into city squares, streets blocked by makeshift barricades, and officers lined up to prevent the gatherings from spilling into key areas.
Without looking up, Batman responded to Superman, his tone matter-of-fact.
"It didn't exactly go well. If the U.S. wants a proper ceasefire, they'll have to reach out to the Queen of Markovia."
Superman stepped closer, his brows pulling together in a faint frown as he rested a hand on the back of Batman's chair. "Should we take that as a no?"
Batman shook his head, eyes still fixed on the data scrolling across the screens. He started typing, pulling up multiple statistics and analysis reports. "Actually, I think he's more than open to it. But he's angling for a few conditions."
Superman let out a sigh. "I knew it wouldn't be easy." He then glanced at the screens, noticing Batman's gaze intensifying as he continued inputting commands. "What are you doing?" he asked, brow raised.
"Trying to confirm a hunch," Batman replied, fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard.
---
Back at the Leviathan Residential Tower, high above the still-roaring crowds, Arias lay stretched out on a sunbathing chair, the glass edges of the infinity pool glistening nearby.
The moon hung low and heavy in the sky, its silvery glow casting a faint, cold light over the rooftop terrace. The sounds of the crowd below drifted up to him, mingling with the subtle **clink** of ice in his glass as he reached for the bottle of whisky on the small stool beside him.
Arias poured himself a slow refill, watching as the amber liquid settled before taking a small sip, savoring the warmth as it slid down his throat. He leaned back, eyes tracing the half-moon's arc against the starry sky, his thoughts drifting through the night's events.
Then, suddenly, a voice, gentle and familiar, echoed in his mind. [No matter how much you do for humans, there's always a chance they'll turn on you when given the opportunity. A trait no amount of evolution will ever fix, it seems.]
Arias smirked, responding in thought. 'We really are a hopeless species. But I expected this much.'
Apeiro's voice carried a hint of intrigue as she replied, [And how do you plan to deal with it? Personally, I find a single, cleansing explosion effective.]
Arias chuckled softly, looking amused as he took another sip. 'Unfortunately, a dead world is useless to everyone.'
[Everyone who can't survive outside of it,] she countered, her tone almost playful. [These irritating obstacles to your goals will keep arising, you know.]
Arias's gaze drifted back to the horizon, where the city lights flickered like faint embers. 'That can't be helped. For now, all that matters is seeing how the world reacts once they perceive me to be in a weak position.' His lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes hardening. 'Only then will I know who deserves to be erased from existence.'
[I look forward to that part.]
A/N:
Announcement: REDACTED NOVELS Future Plans
Hey everyone, as the month comes to a close, I just want to say thanks for all the support—and also share some updates about future projects (both fanfics and originals).
First, the fanfics:
—"Hey author, what's going on?"
Those who read the original God of the Omniverse already know it was supposed to branch into Marvel eventually. If you didn't know… congratulations, now you do.
I've decided to change plans. Instead of merging it after DC, Marvel will become its own standalone fic. Arias will still be the protagonist, only now it'll follow him as he starts conquering other universes.
Why? Because I want the freedom to really dive into each world without needing duct tape and plot glue. Details? Spoilers.
—"How will it work?"
One story will update chapter-by-chapter (priority series, like GOTO now), while another will be launched in bulk (rotation series), with massive releases of 25–50 chapters at a time.
—"Will it be free?"
Yes. Like GOTO, it'll stay free. Patreon supporters get it first, then free Patreon members, then finally Webnovel (released chapter-by-chapter there because otherwise the Webnovel gods smite my uploads into algorithmic oblivion).
—"When does this start?"
If everything behaves, July. Gives me enough time to refresh on the source material and draft a decent outline you guys deserve.
—"Isn't the workload too much?"
No. If it ever becomes too much, I'll just scale back to the priority story. Rotating between projects actually helps me dodge writer's block. Let me worry about the stress spiral.
—"What do you need from us?"
Nothing, really. If you're fine sticking to Webnovel, cool. If you want early access to the rotating projects, join the Patreon as a free member. Paying readers—you're already supporting me more than enough. Think of all this as my way of showing that your support genuinely pushes me to do better (instead of just buying an extra Red Bull and pretending it does).
Now, the originals:
—"Hey author, my eyes are tired, will this be long?"
No.
For original works, I'm still tinkering with formats. When I figure it out, you'll know.