Chapter 224: The New Generation 1

The unfolding events surrounding Arias's ascension to power were met with a kaleidoscope of reactions across the globe. A flurry of theories sprouted like wild mushrooms, each one more intriguing or crazier than the last.

The scientific community, with their rational minds and empirical methods, offered their own interpretations, while those with a penchant for the mystical and the occult proposed their own esoteric explanations. Even the religious institutions chimed in, adding their own spiritual perspectives to the growing discourse.

Despite the initial shock and awe, the world quickly regained its equilibrium. The damage, after all, was not catastrophic in most regions, and the human capacity for curiosity soon shifted to other tantalizing stories making waves around the globe, particularly those concerning the justice league.

Back on the yacht, the instigator of all this chaos had retreated to the interior, where he found Cheshire waiting in the hallway leading to his room. Her eyes were filled with curiosity, but she knew better than to probe Arias without caution.

Upon seeing Cheshire stationed outside his quarters, Arias approached her nonchalantly, meeting her inquisitive gaze with a simple instruction: "Let me know when we arrive at the port of Markovia. Until then, don't disturb me."

With his usual stoic demeanor, Arias retreated into his quarters, leaving Cheshire standing in the hallway, her mind swirling with questions. On the surface, Arias appeared unchanged, but Cheshire sensed a subtle shift in his aura, a certain je ne sais quoi that left her feeling perplexed.

Inside his quarters, Arias paused in the center of the room, his attention drawn to the watch on his wrist. He adjusted it slightly, setting an alarm. Then, without any preamble, his figure simply evaporated from the room.

He reappeared in the heart of a bustling metropolis, his identity concealed under a hooded cloak. 'Very interesting, this sensation...' he mused to himself, a small smile playing on his lips as he observed his reflection in a store window.

Embracing his newfound power, Arias felt a surge of exhilaration coursing through his veins, a sensation he could only describe as unadulterated freedom. It was a feeling unlike anything he had ever experienced before—a sense of limitless potential that required minimal effort on his part.

Just then, Apeiro's voice echoed in his mind, resonating with an almost palpable intensity. 'Do you see now the difference between us and them? Do you understand why their existence matters not? How pointless it is to bother with them?'

Although Apeiro's voice lacked its usual disdain for lesser beings, she didn't hesitate to express her thoughts, which she believed to be unassailable truths. Arias, on the other hand, who had been nothing more than a mere human until just a few months ago, held a different perspective, despite the overwhelming power he now possessed.

"If anything, this only serves to strengthen my resolve," he replied.

Apeiro's voice wavered with a mix of concern and curiosity as she asked, 'Resolve for what?'

"If I am to one day ascend to the epitome of existence, it only makes sense for me to unite all lesser beings under my ideology. Isn't that what gods do? You said it yourself: I'm evolving into something far superior, and so is my ambition."

Arias's words, bold and unfiltered, were a sincere reflection of his current state of mind. The concept of God or gods has been around for ages, but ever since he acquired this power, he began to understand that even gods were merely powerful entities imposing their beliefs on those beneath them.

It was only natural for him to desire the same—to mold the world in his image.

The mere thought brought a broad, triumphant smile to Arias's face. Apeiro could see that his mindset was unshakeable.

'If that is your desire, then I fully support you,' her resonating voice added, before fading away as swiftly as it had appeared.

As Apeiro's voice dissipated, Arias pulled out his phone. On the screen, a profile loaded, and the name [Kara Kent] displayed prominently.

…

Meanwhile, at Metropolis's St. Mary's Academy for girls, a visibly shaken Kara sat on the edge of her bed, hugging her knees tightly. Her eyes trembled slightly as she recalled the horrifying encounter she had experienced not too long ago.

Her large window was wide open, allowing the ethereal moonlight to seep in, casting a unique glow in the otherwise dark room. Suddenly, the curtains began to flutter violently, causing her to lift her head in alarm and rush to the window.

As she cautiously peered out, her eyes were instantly greeted by a sight that was all too familiar.

"Clark," she murmured under her breath, a complex expression washing over her face as she took in the sight of Superman's majestic figure hovering just outside her window, unharmed and very much alive. It made her question the authenticity of the video she had seen earlier.

'Was it a lie?' She pondered internally, but on the surface, she managed to muster a smile that Clark saw right through.

"What's wrong?" He inquired, his initial light-hearted smile morphing into a look of concern.

A wave of anxiety surged within Kara's heart. A significant part of her yearned to divulge everything to her cousin, but an even larger part of her knew it was a terrible idea. If the video was indeed real, then what she had witnessed was enough to tell her that even he was powerless against the figure she had encountered.

"The video that was on the news, with you being away so long, I thought..." Thinking on her feet, Kara decided to use the video as a pretext for her current state of unease.

It was a plausible excuse, given the circumstances. After all, who wouldn't be worried if they saw someone they cared about being brutally beaten to near death on live television?

Reflecting on this, Superman felt a pang of guilt, believing he was to blame. However, much like Kara, he chose to conceal his side of the story.

"It's all fake, Kara. It's just some Joker wannabe trying to incite public panic. I was a bit tied up investigating the HS group, but I'm here now, unscathed and cleaning up Metropolis."

Clark struck a heroic pose, hands on his waist and chest puffed out, wearing a slightly forced smile. However, his words and actions only served to confirm Kara's worst fears—that her cousin was indeed the one who had been brutally beaten on live TV.

"I can help too, you know. If you just give me a chance,"

"Absolutely not, Kara." Superman's once gentle tone immediately turned stern, a visible worry etched across his face. How could it not be? He had recently had to look at the lifeless body of a young hero, whose killer was someone even he couldn't match.

In truth, he was terrified of the potential disaster that could befall his cousin, and so his initial hesitation towards her becoming a hero like him had completely transformed into an absolute refusal.

"Why? Metropolis, no, the world needs another hero like you. People are dying every day, and I'm just sitting here forced to listen to these girls gossip when I could be making a difference! Why can't you just let me join those young heroes? I could also be your sidekick, and you can teach-."

"Enough, Kara! I said no, and that's final." Superman gazed sternly at Kara and let out a sigh as Kara angrily shut her window.

He could only afford to give her a fleeting glance as he soon flew away at breakneck speed. But just as he left and Kara returned to the edge of her bed, Arias's voice echoed in the room.

"Unfair, isn't it?"

"W-ha?!" A startled Kara jolted off her bed and looked towards the source of the voice in panic, only to see Arias's figure casually leaning against the wall opposite her bed, his gray eyes glowing in the dark.

"Why so surprised? I did say I would contact you soon, didn't I?"

A/N: Curious, do you guys prefer this more descriptive style of writing I've been doing or the old plain and easy to follow one? Also it's corrupting time. Also bonus scheduled to release in the next 30 minutes or less. Also join my discord, I've started posting the character concept art I make there, both sfw and nsfw. Also if you haven't already add my other works to your library. Also Enjoy.