Chương 16: White
(Third-person POV)
As the Justice League arrived, their eyes were met with a scene straight out of a nightmare. Carcasses and mangled body parts littered the beach, and the mechanical remains of Skeletron Prime were strewn across the sand.
The robot's head was dissected lengthwise, its four arms twisted and broken. In the midst of this hellish landscape stood Katsuo, gripping his Adamantine Tachi in his right hand and the Threaded Cane in his left. His expression was one of surreal satisfaction.
Superman approached cautiously, his concern evident. "You okay there, bud?"
Katsuo turned to face him, a twisted smile forming. "You know, I always admired you guys, fighting bad guys and all that jazz. And a thought came to me, what if I was a bad guy?"
He sheathed his Tachi and retracted his Threaded Cane, a manic glint in his eye. The Justice League, initially concerned, tensed up as they realized the gravity of his words. They braced themselves, unsure of what he might do next.
"Guess we'll find out," Katsuo said, before suddenly dashing forward with blinding speed. He punched Superman in the gut, sending the Man of Steel flying across the beach and into the ocean with a massive splash.
Wonder Woman drew her sword and shield, her eyes narrowing. "We need to subdue him, now!"
Green Lantern created a massive energy construct, attempting to ensnare Katsuo. "Hold still, Katsuo. We don't want to hurt you."
Katsuo laughed maniacally as he evaded the construct with a swift Shunpo, appearing behind Green Lantern and delivering a powerful kick that sent him crashing into a nearby rock formation. "You'll have to do better than that, Lantern."
Flash zipped around Katsuo at super-speed, creating a whirlwind to disorient him. "Time to slow you down, buddy!"
With a burst of lightning manipulation, Katsuo disrupted Flash's speed, causing him to stumble and crash to the ground. "Not so fast, Speedy."
Martian Manhunter phased through the ground, emerging behind Katsuo to try and restrain him telepathically. "Enough, Katsuo. This isn't you."
Katsuo's mind fought back against the telepathic intrusion, his willpower proving too strong for even the Martian. "Stay out of my head!"
He unleashed a rapid flurry of Judgement Cuts, forcing Martian Manhunter to retreat and phase out of harm's way. "Nice try, Martian. But you're out of your league!"
Wonder Woman and Aquaman charged simultaneously, their combined might a formidable force.
Katsuo met Wonder Woman's sword with his Tachi, sparks flying from their clash. He parried her strikes with ease while using his Threaded Cane to fend off Aquaman's trident.
Superman returned to the fray, his eyes glowing with determination. "Katsuo, stand down!"
But Katsuo only grinned wider. "Bring it on, Supes."
As the battle raged on, Katsuo began to incorporate earth manipulation into his attacks, catching the heroes off guard. He raised walls of earth to block projectiles and created spikes that shot up from the ground, forcing the Justice League to stay on their toes.
"Didn't see that coming, did you?" Katsuo taunted, slamming a pillar of rock into Green Lantern, sending him flying back.
Green Lantern groaned, struggling to his feet. "We need to coordinate better. He's too strong."
The Justice League regrouped, preparing for a coordinated assault. Wonder Woman and Aquaman flanked Katsuo while Superman charged head-on. Flash and Green Lantern provided support, their combined attacks aiming to overwhelm him.
Katsuo fought back with everything he had, his Tachi and Threaded Cane a blur of deadly precision.
He summoned swords and unleashed Judgement Cuts, his manic laughter echoing across the battlefield. The Justice League's attacks landed, but Katsuo's sheer resilience kept him standing.
Finally, Batman, who had been observing from a distance, stepped forward. He held up a device, his voice calm but commanding. "Katsuo, it's time to stop this."
Katsuo paused, his eyes narrowing. "What's that, Bats?"
"A failsafe," Batman said, pressing a button on the device.
Katsuo felt a sharp jolt of electricity course through his body, but instead of incapacitating him, he absorbed the shock, his grin widening. "Nice try, but I can manipulate lightning, remember?"
Batman's eyes widened in surprise. "Damn it. Plan B, everyone!"
As the battle reached its peak, Batman threw a smoke bomb, creating a momentary distraction. In that split second, he fired a tranquilizer dart infused with a powerful sedative, aiming for Katsuo's neck.
As Batman threw the smoke bomb, creating a momentary distraction, Katsuo's heightened senses detected the incoming threat.
With a swift movement, Katsuo deflected the dart with his Threaded Cane, sending it ricocheting harmlessly into the sand. Before Batman could react, Katsuo lunged forward, his Tachi aimed directly at the Caped Crusader.
Batman barely had time to react as Katsuo's blade came crashing down, but years of training and instinct kicked in. He dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike, but Katsuo's ferocious attack left a deep gouge in the rocky terrain.
"Katsuo, stop!" Batman called out, his voice tinged with urgency.
But Katsuo's eyes burned with a frenzied intensity as he pressed the attack, his movements fueled by a mix of adrenaline and dark impulses.
He swung his Threaded Cane with blinding speed, forcing Batman to retreat and parry the blows with his own martial arts prowess.
The other members of the Justice League watched in shock as the two engaged in a deadly dance, their blows echoing across the beach. Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and the others moved to intervene, but Batman signaled for them to hold back, knowing that any interference could escalate the situation further.
As the battle raged on, Katsuo's taunts and laughter filled the air, a stark contrast to Batman's focused determination. Despite his superior combat skills, Batman found himself pushed to the limit by Katsuo's relentless assault.
"Come on, Bats! Show me what you've got!" Katsuo taunted, his voice laced with a manic edge.
Batman gritted his teeth, his mind racing for a way to subdue Katsuo without causing any serious harm. He knew that the young warrior's mind was clouded by rage and confusion, but he also recognized the immense potential within him.
With a calculated move, Batman feinted left, then ducked low and delivered a swift uppercut to Katsuo's jaw. The blow caught Katsuo off guard, staggering him momentarily and creating an opening for Batman to disarm him.
But Katsuo recovered quickly, his eyes blazing with fury as he retaliated with a barrage of lightning-fast strikes. Batman dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding each blow, but he knew that he couldn't keep up the defensive forever.
Drawing on his years of experience, Batman executed a series of precise counterattacks, targeting Katsuo's pressure points and joints in an attempt to immobilize him. With each strike, he hoped to break through the haze of rage and reach the young warrior beneath.
Finally, after a grueling exchange, Batman saw an opportunity. With a well-timed strike, he disarmed Katsuo and pinned him to the ground, his hand gripping the young warrior's wrist in a vice-like hold.
"It's over, Katsuo," Batman said, his voice firm but compassionate. "You need to calm down and listen to reason."
As Batman's grip tightened around Katsuo's wrist, he felt a surge of resistance unlike anything he had anticipated. Despite his formidable strength and years of combat training, Batman struggled to contain the young warrior's raw power.
With a sudden burst of strength, Katsuo broke free from Batman's grasp, his half-devil physique lending him an unexpected advantage.
Batman's eyes widened in surprise as Katsuo stood up, his muscles tensed and his expression hardened. The other members of the Justice League watched in astonishment, realizing that they were facing a foe unlike any they had encountered before.
Katsuo's eyes blazed with an intense fury as he stared down Batman, his mind consumed by a maelstrom of conflicting emotions. He could feel the darkness within him stirring, threatening to overwhelm his senses and drive him further into madness.
"Stand down, Katsuo," Batman warned, his voice tinged with concern. "You don't want to do this."
But Katsuo's resolve remained unshaken, his determination fueling his every move. With a fierce roar, he charged at Batman, his fists clenched and his Tachi gleaming in the moonlight.
Batman braced himself for the impact, knowing that he would need to rely on all of his skills and training to stand against Katsuo's onslaught. As the two clashed in a flurry of blows, the beach became a battleground, the sound of their struggle echoing across the night sky.
Despite Batman's best efforts, Katsuo's sheer strength and speed proved to be too much to handle. With each strike, he pushed Batman back, his relentless assault wearing down the Dark Knight's defenses.
The other members of the Justice League moved in to assist Batman, their combined efforts aimed at subduing Katsuo and bringing an end to the chaos.
Wonder Woman lashed out with her lasso, attempting to ensnare Katsuo and restrain him.
Aquaman summoned powerful waves to try and immobilize him, while the Flash darted around, delivering rapid-fire punches in an attempt to disorient him.
But Katsuo fought back with a fierce determination, his half-devil physique granting him an almost supernatural resilience. He shrugged off their attacks with ease, his eyes blazing with a dangerous intensity.
As the battle raged on, Batman realized that he needed to find a way to reach Katsuo before it was too late. Drawing on his years of experience, he searched for a weakness, a chink in Katsuo's armor that he could exploit.
"Katsuo, listen to me," Batman called out, his voice firm but compassionate. "You're not a villain. You're a hero – someone with the power to make a difference in this world. Don't let the darkness consume you."
Despite Batman's earnest words, Katsuo's rage was unyielding. The Justice League braced themselves as the fight continued. Superman took the forefront, his powerful form glowing under the moonlight as he traded blows with Katsuo. The clash was intense, the beach becoming a chaotic battlefield.
Superman gritted his teeth, "Katsuo, you need to stop this!"
But Katsuo was relentless, his movements a blur as he utilized his swordsmanship, lightning manipulation, and earth manipulation to keep the Justice League on their toes.
With each swing of his Adamantine Tachi and Threaded Cane, he pushed the heroes back, his face a mask of determined fury.
Suddenly, in the midst of the chaos, Katsuo froze. His body went rigid, his eyes glazing over as if caught in some unseen grip.
Before anyone could react, he collapsed to the ground, his face relaxing into a peaceful expression as if he had just drifted into a deep, serene sleep.
The Justice League stood in stunned silence, their breaths heavy from the exertion of the battle. Superman cautiously approached Katsuo's prone form, scanning him with his x-ray vision to ensure he wasn't faking.
"He's... asleep?" Superman said, bewildered.
Batman, always the detective, knelt beside Katsuo and checked his pulse. "It's as if he's been knocked out by some external force," he muttered, his mind racing to understand what had just happened.
Wonder Woman, her lasso of truth still in hand, frowned. "This is unlike anything we've seen. What could have caused this?"
Martian Manhunter hovered nearby, his psychic senses reaching out. "I sense no external manipulation. It's as if his own mind has shut down."
Green Lantern, his ring glowing brightly, added, "Could it be some kind of failsafe? Something within him that triggers when he loses control?"
Batman nodded slowly, his analytical mind piecing together the possibilities. "It could be. We know he's not entirely human. His hybrid physiology might have safeguards we're unaware of."
As the League debated, Katsuo's body remained still, his face calm and untroubled. The eerie contrast between his earlier ferocity and his current peaceful state left the heroes with more questions than answers.
"Let's get him back to the Watchtower," Batman finally decided. "We need to run some tests and figure out exactly what's going on with him."
Superman carefully lifted Katsuo, cradling him as if he were a fragile child. "Whatever this is, we need to understand it. He could be a powerful ally—or a significant threat."
As they flew back to the Watchtower, the Justice League couldn't shake the feeling that this incident was just the beginning of something much larger. Katsuo's true nature and the mysterious forces at play were enigmas they needed to unravel, not just for their safety, but for the fate of the worlds Katsuo was meant to protect.
.
.
.
.
In the familiar white-themed room, Katsuo blinked as his eyes adjusted to the stark brightness. The seamless walls, the soft hum of nothingness—it was unmistakably the domain of The Old Man, or TOM as Katsuo had come to know him. Sitting in a comfortable chair, TOM observed Katsuo with an amused glint in his eye.
Katsuo's eyes widened in bewilderment, a mix of surprise and embarrassment flooding his features. "TOM," he muttered, looking around the room as if seeking an escape route. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon."
TOM chuckled, his voice echoing in the room with a warm, yet authoritative tone. "You lost control, huh?" He leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlocked fingers. "Mind telling me why, 'Katsuo'?"
Katsuo scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin forming on his lips. "Well, it wasn't exactly part of the plan," he admitted. "Things got a bit... intense out there. The adrenaline, the blood moon, the bosses... I got carried away."
TOM raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. "Carried away? That's quite the understatement. You nearly tore through the Justice League like a hot knife through butter."
Katsuo sighed, dropping into a chair that appeared behind him. "I know, I know. It's just... I've got all this power, and sometimes it's hard to keep it in check. The thrill of the fight, the rush of the kill... it gets overwhelming."
TOM leaned back, crossing his arms. "You think? You had Superman wondering if he needed a vacation. And Batman updating your 'Contingency Protocol' threat level every five minutes."
Katsuo chuckled despite himself. "Yeah, I guess I did go a bit overboard. But in my defense, it was a blood moon! Those things are practically designed to make you lose your head."
TOM nodded, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Fair enough. But next time, try to keep your 'seasoned warrior' act in check. We don't need you auditioning for the role of interdimensional villain."
Katsuo laughed, feeling some of the tension ease. "I'll work on it. Maybe I'll start a meditation routine or something. Channel my inner zen."
TOM smirked. "Might not be a bad idea. Just don't start wearing yoga pants."
Katsuo grinned. "No promises."
TOM stood, placing a reassuring hand on Katsuo's shoulder. "Alright, get yourself together. There are still many worlds that need cleansing, and you're just the man for the job."
Katsuo nodded, determination mixing with a touch of humor in his eyes. "Got it. No more going berserk. I'll keep it cool."
TOM's smile widened as he began to fade from view. "Oh, and Katsuo," he added, voice echoing in the space, "don't you dare go hollow."
Katsuo chuckled, understanding the reference. "Understood, TOM."
With a final nod, the white room dissolved around him, and Katsuo found himself back, ready to face whatever came next with a renewed sense of balance and a slight smirk on his face.
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