DC: Chapter 134/135

Chapter 134

New York.

The dark clouds were as thick as ink, heavy and oppressive, spreading rapidly. In an instant, they expanded from Manhattan, swallowing the entire city.

The sun vanished, unable to penetrate even the faintest ray of light. New York was plunged into pitch-black darkness beneath the suffocating clouds.

Night had come—sudden, unnatural.

There had been no warning, no sign. The darkness simply appeared, looming over the city like an omen.

A chilling, malevolent aura radiated from the clouds, weighing heavily on the entire metropolis.

The oppressive presence felt like a massive hand pressing down, making hearts race with unease. People instinctively looked up, shivering as an inexplicable cold ran through them.

The once-bustling roads, filled with endless streams of traffic, flickered to life with headlights, illuminating the darkened streets.

A continuous stream of glowing headlights reflected against the city's towering steel structures, forming an unbroken line of light that stretched endlessly like a dragon slithering through the night.

If it had been after midnight, perhaps some would have admired the dazzling spectacle of lights, the unique beauty of New York's vibrant nightlife.

But it was still daytime.

And the terror creeping into people's hearts was indescribable.

"What the hell is this?"

"Is it the end of the world?"

A driver, unable to contain his fear, stuck his head out of his car window, staring up at the sky. The dark clouds stretched beyond sight, seemingly endless. From a distance, they appeared fused with the towering buildings, as if the city itself was being crushed beneath their weight.

Office workers inside skyscrapers stood frozen at their windows, staring up at the unnatural darkness. Sweat beaded on their foreheads, soaking through their expensive suits.

It was the unmistakable sensation of facing something vastly beyond their own existence.

Like a helpless creature staring into the eyes of a predator, body trembling, limbs weakening under the sheer magnitude of its power.

Even without understanding the source of the dark clouds, every instinct in their bodies screamed in fear.

The winter breeze had turned into something unnatural—no longer just cold, but carrying an eerie, spectral chill. People shuddered involuntarily, goosebumps rising as sweat poured from their skin.

The city was drowning in an inescapable sense of dread.

Just looking at the clouds made it feel like something was constricting their chests, blocking their breath.

It was suffocating.

As if the oxygen had been drained from the air itself, leaving them gasping, clutching their chests, struggling to draw even the smallest breath.

The panic was overwhelming.

Streetlights, office buildings, homes—one by one, they all began flickering on.

Dengdengdengdengdeng…

Lights surged to life in rapid succession, illuminating the streets, the skyscrapers, the entire city.

It was as if New York itself was fighting against the encroaching darkness.

A desperate attempt to resist the unknown horror in the sky.

But the light did not last.

Something even more terrifying soon followed, plunging the city into absolute despair.

The dark clouds twisted.

Swirling slowly at first, ripples forming as they contorted above the city's heart.

Then, in the very center of the storm, a vortex began to take shape.

A churning, bottomless black void.

It was as if a hole had been torn into the sky itself, revealing the abyss beyond—an endless whirlpool of corruption, filth, and absolute evil.

From within that vortex, a majestic, sinister, and suffocating presence seeped out, washing over all of New York.

Like a category 20 hurricane, an unseen force swept across the city.

Like a giant, idly waving its hand, sending a tidal wave of destruction upon the helpless creatures below.

The mere presence of this aura was enough to break the city's resistance.

One by one, every light in New York exploded.

Bulbs shattered, sparks flew, and the city that had just ignited in defiance was extinguished in an instant.

Darkness swallowed New York whole.

Flames flickered in the distance, small explosions breaking the silence. Black smoke curled into the sky, twisting into the air, carrying with it something sinister, something that stirred the very souls of those below.

The darkness did not just exist—it corrupted.

It sank into the hearts of every person in the city, feeding on their worst impulses, amplifying their bloodlust, their hatred, their greed.

New York erupted into madness.

Eyes turned red with rage.

Faces contorted with jealousy and hatred.

People screamed.

People attacked.

People killed.

The entire city descended into a riot of destruction, driven by an insatiable hunger to tear everything apart.

And yet, this was merely the smallest fraction of Trigon's power, nothing more than a whisper from beyond the veil.

And already, a single city had begun to devour itself.

"He found me."

Raven's voice was cold, her nails sharp like blades, their crimson tips dripping with blood.

She cut into Bardi's chest, slicing through veins, arteries, and muscle with surgical precision.

Her demonic blood seeped into him, mingling with his own, embedding a magic circle deep into his very cells, down to the molecular level.

By altering his blood, his essence, she made him into something else.

Something that could deceive Trigon.

A perfect copy of her presence.

At the exact moment she felt Trigon's aura descend upon the city, she froze.

Her pale face stiffened, her breath caught, and her four eyes narrowed, sharp as daggers.

"Focus."

Bardi's voice was steady.

He was standing tall, his chest split open by Raven's claws—yet already, his Kryptonian body was regenerating, sealing the wounds.

But something was different.

The veins beneath his skin turned black, a dark energy crawling through his bloodstream.

A monstrous texture spread across his body, warping the once-pristine perfection of his Kryptonian physique.

Now, he exuded pure evil—an aura darker than Raven's own.

More demonic than the demon herself.

His transformation was complete.

And the pain was unbearable.

Every second was agony, his nerves screamed, his very genes rebelling against the corruption being forced upon them.

A lesser man would have been driven insane.

His body trembled, fighting against itself. His mind resisted, forcing him to maintain the demonic transformation.

The sheer willpower it took would have broken anyone else.

But Bardi endured.

Raven, shaken for only a moment, quickly returned her focus, completing the final inscriptions.

Her sharp nails dug into his flesh one last time, cutting through his aorta, allowing the final drops of her demon blood to enter.

The spell was complete.

Bardi's entire body was now covered in dark blue veins, spreading like an intricate web beneath his skin.

Then, suddenly—

His body twisted.

His eyes widened.

A silent scream burned in his throat, his jaw clenched as his entire form contorted in pain.

Every cell in his body broke apart.

This was not physical pain.

This was spiritual destruction.

His cellular force field shattered, his Kryptonian body tearing itself apart at the seams.

This was a pain beyond flesh, beyond anything the body could endure.

Half-kneeling on the ground, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, he roared.

Low, guttural, inhuman.

Dark veins slithered across his body like living creatures.

Sweat dripped from him, melting holes into the carpet.

And in the thick, swirling black smoke that rose from his body.

Two blood-red eyes snapped open.

The magic circle inscribed on his body began to take effect. His skin, head, and forehead started to shift, his form gradually shrinking. A second pair of eyes opened on his forehead, his chest flattened, his limbs grew slender and pale—his entire body transforming into an exact replica of Raven.

The process was excruciating. Raven's heart clenched as she watched.

But in the end, Bardi endured.

When he finally stood up, Raven's face twisted with discomfort.

She was staring at herself—or rather, at a naked version of herself. A thin frame, pale crystal-like skin, a completely flat chest… The sight was far too embarrassing.

Her cheeks flushed red, but she quickly forced the feeling aside and hurriedly helped Bardi put on clothes.

Once the transformation was complete, Raven shifted into her giant raven form, merging her body and soul in perfect harmony.

She fused into the body that Bardi had just transformed into.

It was a true union, a complete integration of two beings.

This was only possible due to the half-dimensional effect of the magic circle altering Bardi's body, combined with his ironclad willpower.

Simple transfiguration magic wouldn't be enough to fool Trigon.

Only through complete fusion, exuding Raven's true presence, could they deceive him.

Inside the suite, an overwhelming evil aura spread outward.

Bardi was now indistinguishable from Raven.

He donned a cloak—now fully transformed.

Shortly after.

A sharp knock echoed from the door.

Zatara stood outside, his face tense with anxiety.

The entire city of New York was in chaos, driven mad by Trigon's presence.

And then—

A brilliant stream of light shot upward from the rooftop of the Four Seasons Hotel.

It pierced straight through the vortex in the sky, splitting the dark clouds apart.

The swirling mass of shadows ripped open, the sky above New York torn in half.

Sunlight poured through.

And with it—the riots began to subside.

Chapter 135

Azarath.

The land stretched out like a crater, the ground fractured by deep cracks. The earth was barren, lifeless. The air hung heavy with murky haze, a poisonous mist smothering everything.

Suspended in the air, fine particles of toxic oxides shimmered faintly, while the trees, long since withered, stood charred and brittle, devoid of the faintest sign of life.

The sky loomed overhead, a burning red, thick with filth, as though the very heavens had been tainted.

The entire scene was a wasteland—scorched, suffocating, uninhabitable.

Suddenly, the space trembled, rippling like disturbed water.

The swirling haze twisted unnaturally, as if drawn toward a central point. In an instant, the air tore open, forming a dark, gaping vortex.

Deep within its depths, two figures emerged,at first mere specks, then growing larger as they neared.

In a blink, they arrived.

Raven and Zatara stepped out of the vortex, their feet landing on the cracked, desolate ground.

This Raven was Bardi, his body transformed, while the real Raven remained hidden within him—merged completely into his form.

"Is this hell?"

Zatara's voice carried unease. He wore an elaborate magician's robe, its intricate embroidery inscribed with countless secret incantations. The ancient garment radiated power, a relic passed down through his family for generations. In his hand, he clutched a wand twisted from withered vines, pulsing with strong magical energy.

He cast an air-shielding spell over himself, his sharp gaze scanning the ruined land, shock flickering in his eyes.

All of this—this devastation—was the work of one demon.

A force so great it had reduced an entire world to this nightmare.

Bardi stood still, his breath steady. Beneath the hood of his cloak, his hidden gaze swept across the ruined landscape.

This place was utterly inhospitable to life.

The nitrogen in the atmosphere had been completely ionized, disrupting the electron sequence and atomic structure of the air itself.

Nitrogen was a fundamental element in amino acids—the very building blocks of life. Without it, existence here was impossible.

Even the oxygen had become a lethal poison. Any ordinary being breathing this air would collapse within moments, suffering convulsions, cardiac arrest, and rapid brain cell death.

Bardi extended an arm from beneath his cloak, exposing his pale skin to the searing environment. The sensation struck instantly.

It was like stepping from an air-conditioned room into the peak of summer.

Every hair on his arm lifted, his pores tightening against the sudden shift in temperature. A scalding heat licked at his skin, reminiscent of boiling water grazing flesh.

The average temperature here exceeded 80 degrees Celsius, bordering the boiling point of water.

Yet, despite the thick smog, Bardi's vision pierced through the distance.

Far away, the sky churned with thick, dark clouds that seemed fused to the horizon. Amidst the gloom, a mountain pierced the heavens, towering and unshaken—a monolith rising into the sky.

It was the peak of Azarath, the very heart of the world.

Bardi's gaze lowered slightly.

Scattered near its base lay the remnants of towns. Strange, dome-shaped and spire-like buildings still stood, ruined yet echoing their former glory.

Once, these cities had thrived.

Now, they were nothing but ruins, blackened, broken, drenched in blood.

Yet strangely, no corpses remained.

A surge of anger and sorrow swelled in Bardi's mind.

It was Raven's grief—the mournful emotions leaking from within him.

"He… bathed himself in the blood of an entire planet."

Her voice trembled, thick with rage.

The moment Trigon arrived, Azarath was doomed.

There had never been a chance to save it.

Once, this place had been brimming with magic, lush forests, towering crystalline trees, golden spires reaching toward the sky. Strange, wondrous magic had flourished here. Birds had sung, the air had carried warmth and harmony. The people had been kind, peaceful, serene.

A world like paradise.

Until she arrived.

Until Trigon followed her here.

Until he erased everything.

Raven clenched inside Bardi's body, her emotions surging uncontrollably.

She felt like a sinner.

If she had never come here, the billions of lives on this world would still exist.

But she had.

And because of her, all of them died.

Their blood became the bathwater for Trigon's flesh.

Her heart twisted painfully.

Bardi took a step forward, his boot pressing into the cracked earth. His cloak billowed slightly, revealing the slender leg of Raven's form beneath it.

His footsteps were steady, unwavering.

Though his frame was delicate, his presence was colossal, a figure standing against the sky itself, ready to tear it apart with his own hands.

Behind him, Zatara hesitated, his voice quiet but firm.

"Be careful. If you succeed… come back."

He could not fight Trigon alongside Bardi.

He simply wasn't capable of it.

The task given to him by the entire magical world was to cover Earth's presence, to sever the connection between this world and his own.

If Bardi and Raven failed, if Trigon saw through their deception, then Zatara's only purpose would be to conceal Earth from his sight.

To stop him from bringing this same destruction to their world.

They were not qualified to face a demon like Trigon. Their only option was to attempt self-preservation—to hide Earth, to protect it.

Zatara watched as Bardi moved further away, his gaze filled with conflicting emotions.

Bardi had fully assumed Raven's form.

Under the cloak, the slender, frail figure of the Raven seemed small and insignificant.

A dark silhouette moving alone through the haze.

The cloak billowed slightly as he advanced, his face partially concealed. A pale chin peeked from beneath the hood, and in the depths of the shadows, his eyes remained clear and unwavering, without a trace of hesitation.

Inside Bardi's body, the real Raven wept silently, her sorrow echoing within him, a wail of utter despair.

Everything had been destroyed by Trigon.

Bardi did not offer comfort.

He simply walked.

Through the ruins of what was once a thriving world.

The ground beneath his feet was uneven, littered with broken stone and shattered remnants of civilization.

The air was thick with the acrid stench of burnt structures, an unbearable mix of charred debris and smoldering dust. The scent clung to the back of his throat, irritating his nose, making him want to sneeze.

These were the remains of a world.

His gaze gradually synchronized with Raven's, his expression shifting to reflect her grief—to embody the abyss of despair.

He brushed his fingers against a crumbling wall, feeling the rough edges of devastation beneath his touch.

His forehead split open, revealing a second pair of weeping eyes.

Tears fell, hissing as they hit the scorched ground, corroding deep into the earth.

At this moment—

He had become Raven.

Completely.

Their hearts were one.

And the depths of Raven's sorrow were now his own.

He moved through the ruined town, his cloaked figure wavering with each step, blending into the desolate wasteland.

The skeletal remains of a forest stretched before him—once lush, full of life, where birds had once sung soft melodies.

Now, the trees stood blackened and brittle, their bark peeled away by fire, their trunks hollowed by decay.

The streams, once clear and shimmering, had turned into poisoned pools of filth.

'She' looked up at the sky.

And then—

He arrived at the mountain's base.

The sacred peak of Azarath.

Once, this place had been the most holy site of the realm.

Once, light had bathed the land, warmth had filled the air, and peace had been absolute.

Now, all that remained was fear.

The stench of despair thickened the air.

The towering mountain pierced the heavens, its summit lost within the swirling abyss above.

Dark clouds churned restlessly, the sky itself heavy with malice.

A sickly red light pulsed from within the storm.

The thick veil of darkness shifted like living flesh, inflating and contracting as if the sky itself were breathing.

A monstrous presence lurked above—an evil beyond comprehension, resting atop the storm, overlooking the entire world.

A supreme will.

As though a colossal eye had opened in the sky, staring down with infinite malice.

Countless whispers of darkness and corruption hissed from the clouds, a wicked grin stretching across the unseen presence.

The weight of its gaze alone made the planet tremble.

Bardi took a step forward, his cloak trailing behind him like the remnants of a dying shadow.

An aura of despair seeped from his being.

His form—small, lonely, insignificant—was swallowed by the vastness of the landscape.

Yet, with silent determination, he climbed.

Upward.

Toward the peak of Azarath.