Shadow Monarch in DC-Chapter 423: A Servant of Another MonarChapter

The shattered gate had barely finished collapsing when Arthur stepped through first, Kara just half a step behind him, and the moment they crossed the threshold, the chamber revealed itself.

It was vast.

Far larger than the corridors they had passed through. A cathedral of death carved deep beneath the earth. The walls curved upward into darkness, lined not just with bones this time, but piled with them. Mountains of remains stacked into formations, skulls staring outward in silent witness.

A catacomb or a throne room built from slaughter.

Kara slowed instinctively, her eyes scanning the chamber.

"…Yeah, I'm officially done being surprised by how messed up these places are."

Something shifted in the darkness ahead.

A low rumble rolled across the chamber like thunder.

It stepped forward, massive every step it made cracked bones beneath it.

Three heads, each one drooling, dripping between jagged teeth the size of blades. Its body was built like a fortress of muscle and scars, blackened fur matted with dried blood. Chains hung loosely from its sides, broken, dragging behind it with every step.

A Cerberus, and on its back

Sat an orc, clad in heavy armor that looked forged from dark iron and bone. Its skin was a deep red, muscles coiled with unnatural density beneath the armor. Its eyes burned with a dull crimson glow.

A warrior High Orc, not a mindless beast,

Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly. "…A Cerberus." then he added, "And what seems to be a High Orc warrior riding it."

Kara blinked.

"…Well that's new."

Her stance shifted immediately, weight lowering, muscles tensing as she sized them up.

"And I've fought many creatures…"

Her lips curved slightly, something almost excited flashing through her expression.

"But I've never fought that."

Arthur glanced at her.

"I have."

Kara looked at him.

"You have?"

Arthur nodded faintly.

"I've got High Orcs among my shadow soldiers."

His gaze returned to the beast.

"…Though I've never fought a Cerberus before."

For a brief moment something almost like interest flickered in his eyes.

Then it faded.

Arthur exhaled quietly. "…Shame."

Kara raised a brow. "What is?"

Arthur's expression stilled.

"I won't be able to enjoy this."

The Cerberus roared.

All three heads at once.

The sound slammed into the chamber like a shockwave, shaking loose dust and fragments of bone from the walls.

The High Orc raised its weapon, a massive, brutal axe and let out a roar of its own.

A pulse of energy burst from its body, its muscles swelled, veins bulging unnaturally as a reddish aura ignited around it.

[Fortify]

Its armor thickened, glowing faintly.

[Rage]

The Cerberus responded instantly.

All three heads lunged forward,

And the monster charged, the ground exploded beneath its weight as it surged toward them. Its jaws opened wide, three sets of fangs aiming to tear them apart in a single motion.

Kara braced herself, ready to move, ready to strike.

But Arthur didn't move.

He simply stood there calmly.

Watching. And at the last possible second,

He raised one hand, his eyes ignited.

Violet and sharp.

And then, he pushed.

A single release, made the air collapse.

A shockwave detonated from his palm, invisible yet crushing, distorting the space in front of him as it surged forward with overwhelming force.

It hit them head-on, the Cerberus didn't even get to react.

Its charge stopped, Then reversed violently,

Its massive body was hurled backward like it weighed nothing, the High Orc on its back roaring in shock as both were launched across the chamber.

The impact was catastrophic.

They slammed into the far wall with a deafening crash, stone fracturing outward as the force carved a crater into the surface.

The Cerberus let out a distorted howl, then one of its heads simply… snapped.

Gone.

Torn from its body by the sheer force of the impact.

It hit the ground separately with a wet, heavy thud.

Silence followed, Kara blinked.

Slowly, she turned her head toward Arthur.

"…Okay.."

A pause.

"I see why you said you wouldn't enjoy this."

Arthur lowered his hand, completely unfazed.

"That thing would've been a disaster if it got out."

His voice was calm. "It's stronger than my Generals."

Kara's eyes widened slightly.

"…Seriously?"

Arthur nodded once.

"But it's no Marshal. And certainly, no Monarch."

Before Kara could respond,

Arthur vanished and he made no sound or movement.

He was just gone.

And then

He was there, in front of the Cerberus.

The High Orc barely had time to react before Arthur's hand shot forward,

And grabbed it by the throat.

The impact when he slammed it into the ground cracked the stone beneath them, a shockwave rippling outward as the orc's massive body was pinned like it weighed nothing.

At the same time, Behind Arthur

Shadows rose.

Two massive blades formed from pure darkness, their edges humming with lethal intent.

Without even looking, Arthur moved his fingers slightly.

The blades shot forward.

Clean and precise.

They pierced straight through the remaining two heads of the Cerberus, impaling them into the ground.

Then the beast went still.

Dead.

The High Orc struggled in Arthur's grip, clawing at his arm, its strength immense,

But meaningless in front of an overwhelming strength.

Its eyes locked onto Arthur's.

Violet met red.

And for the first time

It felt real fear.

The orc spoke.

Its voice guttural, harsh, echoing in a language not meant for human tongues.

"You… are the…"

Its breath hitched.

"…Monarch… of Shadows…"

Kara froze.

Her eyes snapped toward them.

"Is it talking?…What is it saying?!"

Arthur's grip tightened slightly.

And when he spoke, he answered in the same language.

Flawlessly.

"You know of me…"

A slight tilt of his head.

"Yet you still raised your blade."

The orc trembled.

"It… is our duty…"

Its voice cracked.

"Our king commands..."

Arthur's fingers tightened.

The ground beneath them creaked under the pressure.

"I can kill you," Arthur said calmly, "and take what I need from your corpse."

A pause.

Then, he added quieter "But I'm giving you a chance."

The orc stilled, hope flickering.

Arthur's eyes sharpened.

"You're a High Orc."

"So you must serve Tarnak."

"The Iron Body Monarch. King of monstrous humanoids."

Kara's breath caught slightly witnessing this strange conversation.

Arthur leaned in just a fraction.

"…Where is he?"

The orc's fear spiked.

"I...I do not know!"

Its voice broke.

"Our king is absent!"

"This place...this is my prison!"

"I was ordered to kill...escape...and slaughter the humans of this world!"

Arthur stared at it.

Unimpressed.

Behind him, Kara stood frozen.

Her thoughts stumbled over themselves.

'He's… talking to it.'

'Not just talking'

'Understanding it...'

Her jaw parted slightly.

'…I didn't think there was room left for him to surprise me.'

Arthur's gaze remained locked on the orc.

"…How useless."

The words fell flat and final.

The orc panicked.

"Please! Monarch...I!"

Arthur didn't listen.

His hand tightened.

A sharp, sickening crack echoed through the chamber.

The orc's body went limp.

Silence returned.

For a moment, and nothing moved.

Then Arthur released the corpse.

And spoke.

"Arise."

The shadows beneath the Cerberus and the High Orc trembled,

Then surged upward.

Darkness consumed their bodies, swallowing them whole before

Two figures rose from their corpses.

A massive three-headed shadow beast, now whole once more, its eyes glowing violet.

And beside it, a High Orc warrior, armor reforged in shadow, its presence no longer wild, but bound to Arthur.

All heads lowered in absolute loyalty.

Arthur watched them for a moment.

Then, with a flicker of thought,

They dissolved. Returning to him.

Arthur turned.

Kara was still standing there.

Staring.

"…Let's go."

He walked past her like nothing had happened.

Kara blinked.

"…Wait.. hold on."

She turned, quickly catching up to him.

"What the hell was that?"

Arthur glanced at her.

"What part?"

"All of it!"

She gestured back toward the chamber.

"You just killed them, interrogated that thing in some alien nightmare language."

Arthur shrugged slightly.

"I asked him about his Monarch."

Kara stared.

"…And considering your expression right now, I assume he wasn't very helpful.."

Arthur's expression didn't change.

"He wasn't helpful."

"…Of course, that explains the neck snapping." Kara said.

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