Deep within a hidden base, a stark environment of black metal constructs and ominous red lights, a scene of grim accountability unfolded. Lady Gorgon, Toxic Skull, and Dr. Psych knelt on a black platform, a harsh spotlight illuminating their bowed figures. Steel Titan stood nearby, his expression a mask of contempt, while beside him sat the true power in the room: an elderly man in a massive, technologically advanced robotic chair. Despite his frail appearance, the man radiated an aura of authority and power that dwarfed even Steel Titan.
He was dressed in a pristine black business suit with a white undershirt and a black tie fastened tightly around his chest. His long, gray hair reached his shoulders, and his unnatural, pitch-black eyes, with irises that seemed to absorb all light, held a chilling intensity.
He elder, addressed Lady Gorgon, his voice a low, grating rasp that commanded absolute obedience. "Lady Gorgon, you were given a simple mission… to analyze and discover the mysterious powers of this Josh Miller… yet you failed, despite all the resources at your disposal."
Lady Gorgon, still kneeling, pleaded her case, her voice trembling slightly. "It wasn't my fault, my lord. The child was… delusional. We couldn't get anything coherent out of him."
The elder's gaze intensified, his eyes turning completely pitch black, while his irises and pupils glowed with an eerie, pale white light. Then the gravity around Lady Gorgon intensified drastically, pinning her harshly against the metal platform, making it difficult for her to even breathe. "Delusions deemed by your own biases… not fact," he criticized, his voice a low, menacing growl. Then, just as suddenly, his eyes returned to normal, and the oppressive gravity lifted
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The elder turned his attention to Dr. Psych. "And does his recollection match the data you gathered from the boy so far?"
Dr. Psych stammered, his usual cool demeanor shaken. "Well… technically, it aligns with what we have experienced from Josh beforehand. However, there are still… missing gaps in the memories we have recorded, due to…" he hesistently avoid his master'ss gaze "recent interference."
The elder regarded the scientist for a long moment, then sighed, a sound that carried more weariness than disappointment. "I see… Well, no matter." He pressed a button on his chair, and a holographic map of the entire Earth sprang to life, shimmering in the dimly lit chamber ."This boy's unique abilities are but a side project, something we can address at another time. Operation Blight is now nearly ready to deploy, and all we need is to stall the heroes for the time being before we can finally take over this entire planet… as intended.”
Steel Titan, his usual arrogance tempered by the elder's presence, looked at him with a hint of concern. "Are you sure it is wise not to eliminate this child now, given his power?"
The elder closed his eyes, his expression suggesting a vast, ancient patience. "He is just one of many that will be dealt with in time," he said, his voice a quiet promise of future destruction. "Hence why I didn't punish you for your failure in killing Blue Lock… twice."
Steel Titan lowered his head in shame and fear, while the dark master opened his eyes and gazed out into the deep abyss of the darkness that shrouded his chamber, the pitch-black depths promising a dark future. "No… he… and everyone else will be brought to heel once the operation is completed. And they will either kneel before Black-Hold… or they will lose everything they hold dear in this wretched world."
Steel Titan bowed his head, accepting the decree.
“As you wish… Lord Umbra."
