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SM/DC Chapter 18 : First Mission
🕑 Added 2025-02-02 20:54:11 +0000 UTCRobin stood at the center of the room, arms crossed, his gaze sharp. “Well, you’re in luck, Arthur. We’ve got something to do tomorrow.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”
Robin nodded. “We’ve received intel about a… peculiar shipment heading towards Metropolis. It’s being transported through the Steelpoint Docks here in Jump City before it gets rerouted to LexCorp.”
Arthur sighed, already knowing where this was going. “Of course… had to be Luthor.”
Robin smirked. “Figured you’d say that.” He turned to the team. “Titans, we’ll head out at—”
“Shit.” Arthur suddenly interrupted, rubbing his temple.
The whole room went silent, everyone looking at him.
“I totally forgot about school,” Arthur muttered. “I’ve already missed quite a lot.”
For a moment, there was silence. Then, Beast Boy burst out laughing, and soon, the entire room followed—even Raven, who covered her mouth slightly but still chuckled.
“Dude!” Beast Boy grinned, pointing at Robin. “Who do you think funds that school?”
Arthur blinked, then narrowed his eyes at Robin, realization hitting him like a truck. “Wait a damn minute—”
Robin just smirked, arms crossed.
Beast Boy cackled. “C’mon, man. We all skip. Well, except Raven… ‘cause she’s a nerd.”
Raven shot him a glare, deadpanning, “I can and will teleport you into the sun.”
Arthur, meanwhile, pieced everything together. He sighed, shaking his head. “Of course. Wayne Enterprises. No wonder Raven said I wouldn’t be the first.”
Robin just smirked. “Now you’re catching on.”
Robin folded his arms and gave Arthur a measured look. “We head out at dawn. Get some rest.” He turned slightly, motioning towards the vast interior of the tower. “It’s big enough—make yourself at home. Just don’t go snooping where you shouldn’t.”
Arthur smirked at the implied warning but simply nodded. “Got it. Thanks.”
With that, he turned and left with Raven and Beast Boy, the sound of their footsteps fading as they walked through the tower’s sleek hallways. As soon as they were out of earshot, Cyborg glanced at Robin. “You don’t trust him, do you?”
Robin’s response was immediate. “Nope.”
Arthur took in his surroundings as they moved through the tower. It was a modern marvel—sleek steel and glass, reinforced yet designed for comfort. The dim lighting of the hallway cast elongated shadows along the walls, the soft hum of hidden technology filling the silence. Even without being attuned to it, he could feel the security measures in place. Cameras, motion sensors, maybe even something mystical woven in by Raven. They weren’t careless.
As they walked, Beast Boy shifted forms every few seconds—a hummingbird zipping past Arthur’s face, a snake coiling momentarily around his arm before dropping off, then back to his usual green-skinned self. “So, dude, I hear you’re pretty strong. Maybe we should spar sometime?”
Arthur gave him a side glance. “You heard that, huh?” He turned to Raven, crossing his arms. “So much for not reporting about me to the Titans.”
Raven sighed, unfazed. “I only mentioned a tiny bit about you.”
Beast Boy laughed. “Yeah, well, that tiny bit made Robin put you on his ‘potential threat’ list.” He elbowed Arthur playfully. “That’s kinda impressive, man.”
Arthur smirked but didn’t reply. He had expected as much.
They finally stopped in front of a door, and Raven gestured toward it. “This is your room.”
Arthur stepped inside, taking in the space. It was simple but well-designed—dark walls with neon lighting strips lining the corners, a spacious bed, a desk with a built-in interface, and most importantly, a massive window overlooking Jump City. The city lights twinkled against the night, and the reflection of the T-shaped tower in the water gave a sense of both isolation and dominance over the skyline.
Arthur let out a breath.’ Not bad.’
Beast Boy leaned against the doorframe, still grinning. “Sooo… about that spar—”
Arthur gave him a deadpan stare.
Beast Boy threw up his hands. “Alright, alright. Tomorrow after the mission, then.”
Raven, already turning to leave, glanced back at Arthur one last time. “Get some rest. We have work to do.”
Arthur smirked. “Looking forward to it.”
As the door slid shut, he exhaled, running a hand through his hair. His body still thrummed with residual power from Limbo. Arthur leaned against the edge of his bed, rolling his shoulders as he exhaled. The faint glow of the city lights outside his window flickered in his peripheral vision, but his mind was elsewhere. Can’t let Robin see what I can truly do… especially while I’m still not strong enough. He knew how people like Robin operated—analyzing, calculating, preparing countermeasures. If the Titan leader saw too much too soon, Arthur would become a liability rather than an ally.
Not yet. Let them underestimate me for now.
With that thought, he pulled up his system interface. A transparent blue screen materialized before him, casting an ethereal glow across the dimly lit room. His stats unfolded in neat lines of text.
[Name: Arthur Blackwynd]
[Job: Soulwarden]
[Title: Bane of the Unworthy] (+20% attack against those who harbor evil intent)
[Level: 46]
[Fatigue: 0]
[HP: 3950]
[MP: 5800]
[Strength: 101 → 104]
[Health: 85 → 88]
[Agility: 51 → 54]
[Intelligence: 110 → 122]
[Sense: 51 → 54]
[Available Ability Points: 9 → 0]
[Passive Skill: Tenacity (Level 1)]
[Job-Specific Skill: Shadow Extraction]
[Skills: Bloodlust (Level 1)]
Equipment : Azarath Knight Armor Set
Abyssforged Necklace
[Inventory:]
Greatsword of the Lowborn
Arthur flexed his fingers as he felt the subtle shift in his body—his muscles tightening, his reflexes sharpening, and his mind becoming even more attuned to the shadows. The added intelligence gave his magic more weight, and the increased agility would make him more fluid in battle.
A slow smirk crossed his lips. ‘This should be good enough… for now.’
Closing the interface with a mental command, Arthur leaned back against the headboard, arms folded behind his head. Arthur said to himself "i can’t wait to go all out."
****
Arthur stirred as something—or rather, someone—shook him violently. A voice pierced through the veil of sleep, dragging him back to the waking world.
"Yo, wake up, dude! We’re rolling out!"
He cracked one eye open to see Beast Boy’s grinning face looming over him. The green-skinned shapeshifter was practically bouncing with energy, shifting between different forms—a dog, a cat, a monkey—before settling back into his usual self.
Arthur groaned, running a hand down his face. "What time is it?"
"Time to go kick some bad guy ass," Beast Boy chirped. "C’mon, man, everyone’s waiting."
Arthur exhaled sharply, sitting up sluggishly. He was still groggy, his body resisting movement. Even with his enhanced stats, waking up like this was still a pain in the ass. His hair was a mess, his shirt was half-off his shoulder, and he was pretty sure he looked like he’d been hit by a truck.
Beast Boy gave him a once-over and snickered. "Dude, you look like death."
Arthur shot him a glare. "Yeah? I mean you are not far from the truth."
Beast Boy just laughed and shifted into a bird, flapping away before Arthur could swat at him.
Mumbling under his breath, Arthur rolled out of bed and got dressed. His armor—the minor demon-forged set he had earned from Limbo—felt comfortably light on his body, yet he could tell it had decent protection. He threw on a long coat over it, its dark material flowing as he walked toward the common area.
By the time he arrived, the rest of the Titans were already assembled. Robin stood at the forefront, arms crossed, radiating that usual brooding leader energy. Starfire hovered nearby, her hair like a cascade of fire against the morning sky. Cyborg was calibrating his arm cannon, while Blue Beetle adjusted the settings on his suit.
And then there was Raven, standing slightly apart from the group, her arms folded. She flicked her gaze at him, her expression unreadable.
Robin turned to him as he approached. "Took you long enough."
Arthur ran a hand through his messy hair. "Woke up to a zoo animal shaking me like an earthquake. Not exactly a peaceful morning."
Beast Boy grinned. "Hey, at least you’re up!"
Robin ignored their banter and got straight to business. "We’re moving now. The shipment is being transported through the Jump City Docks. Our intel says it’s for LexCorp, but something about this feels off. We’ll intercept it before it leaves port."
Arthur smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Lex Luthor, huh? I can’t wait." His eyes gleamed with something dangerous. ‘Finally, a real fight.’
