Everyone has heard the infamous name of Arkham Asylum. This place evokes madness and terror, a prison for the most deranged criminals and villains.
Inside and outside the DC universe, the name carries weight, drawn from the fictional city of Arkham, created by horror master H.P. Lovecraft.
....
In a dimly lit office, heavy with the sterile scent of metal, a woman with glasses and a mechanical gaze reviewed reports from her subordinates.
It was routine work, reviewing experiment results, but this time something caught the attention of ArkM's overseer, her eyes widening slightly with interest.
– Unidentified objects from Subject 28: a trench coat. –
The trench coat, made of an unknown material, proved indestructible under tests: temperatures from 3000°C to –147°C, corrosive acids, and a laser cutter—all failed.
The investigation will continue...
The mysterious woman lowered the report before turning her attention to the screen in front of her. She observed the moment both Subjects managed to escape.
Her indifferent eyes had a gleam of expectation. Both she and the Supreme were awaiting a successful outcome.
"Log update: Subjects 27 and 28 breached security... again"
"Subject 27 created a potent substance from guano and urine... fascinating."
"Subject 28, despite suffering progressive weakening during the investigations showed no signs of diminished capabilities."
"Based on the results, the previous predictions were correct. Subject 28 waited until he was with Subject 27 to escape... end of log."
While the woman silently observed the events, she received a call from "The Supreme."
"Subjects 27 and 28 are free and heading north... they're probably going to the Isley Biome. I'll intercept them," came the deep, raspy voice of Bane over the radio.
The woman tapped her finger on the table. "None of the last twenty-six subjects achieved compatibility like Subject 27, but it's time to test his limits... as for Subject 28, it would be a shame to lose him..."
"I'll try not to kill him, Dr. Arkham."
In this world, the nightmare was not a madhouse but a person.
....
It was the second time they had escaped.
"..." Allen looked at Bruce.
The man had grown paler, perhaps due to poor nutrition and the surgeries he had undergone. He also had a tube connected to his stomach, likely for feeding since he refused to eat.
"Man, you look terrible..." Allen mocked.
"I'll survive..." Bruce replied, his bloodshot eyes burning with determination. In this place, he was constantly pushing both his mind and body to the limit. "You look tired yourself."
Allen couldn't afford to sleep, since he wouldn't be able to defend himself. He had stayed awake for the last two weeks. Anyone else would already be dead or insane from something like that, but Allen, even after sealing most of his power, still had a body incomparable to an ordinary man.
Both decided not to waste more time and began running, this time in a different direction than before.
....
The Chat buzzed with tension. Many noticed that time had passed since Allen closed the broadcast—not only because of Bruce's appearance, but also because of the wear on Allen's clothing.
Zatanna – Allen, didn't you keep any ability for flight or teleportation?
Zatanna still felt guilty, so she usually kept her comments brief. Allen assured her that it was inevitable Lucifer would take notice of him sooner or later, but she couldn't help feeling that way.
Gwen – It's true, with that you wouldn't have had to run aimlessly through this maze.
Albedo – Allen-sama, if you're tired I can carry you, or better yet, transform into your mount ❤️~
Nokotan – Hey! If Master's going to ride someone, it should be the fastest and most superior animal—the deer! So you should ride me instead!
Rebecca – Haha, I don't think you're getting the double meaning, you silly deer!
Nokotan – Nun?...
Allen – *Cough* It's true what you're all saying, and I did think of that, but I had a limit and prioritized other abilities.
Allen had anticipated he might need displacement abilities, so he also chose to keep the "Apparition" spell. But to use it, he needed to know exactly where he was going.
Other abilities, like Space God Slayer Magic, his flight magic, wind magic, or the various superpowers he had stolen, would have been more useful for movement. However, since Apparition was only a spell and not magic per se, it only cost five points. Considering he had to face unknown obstacles, he preferred to keep "attack power" in case it became necessary.
Without wasting any more time they both started to run.
Minutes passed as both ran north. Bruce, as usual, was fully focused on memorizing his surroundings, searching for traps, exits, enemies, and preparing for Bane's inevitable appearance. Meanwhile, Allen was less tense—he even chatted with the viewers—but soon he had to shift his attention.
Ahead of them.
The metal floor ended, giving way to a row of leafless trees bordering a sinister forest. Such a forest shouldn't exist without sunlight; clearly, another experiment.
There were no sounds, no wind, and strangest of all, the trees had a disturbing red color.
Allen scanned the area, spotting a sign on the wall.
Level 246 – Isley Biome
The name identified it as a biome, so they had no choice but to trust it was true.
Bruce hesitated only for a moment before stepping in. Allen stopped briefly, lowering his head so his hair hid his face, then murmured a word.
"..."
Dr. Arkham noted Allen's odd behavior, but the sensors failed to capture his words. However, in the cell where Allen had spent the last two weeks, a scarlet circle appeared, glowing faintly without making a sound.
....
Allen and Bruce advanced through the forest, surrounded by unpleasant silence and an air of tension.
"This place smells like fresh meat..." Allen muttered, sending shivers down many in the Chat. The memory of the mass made of fused humans was still fresh.
Allen remembered the appearance of Bane, the monster he had become.

'Last time I underestimated the situation. If I had known this version of Bane wasn't just muscle, I would've acted differently.'
Somewhere, Dr. Arkham and Bane had made their move—but so had Allen.
The suspense deepened with the silence, but it didn't last long.
Out of nowhere, the silence was murdered. Disturbing sounds surrounded them—like old wood creaking and raw flesh being torn.
Amid those noises, whispers began to emerge.
"The green wants to come out..."
"Come out..."
Bruce immediately stood guard, back-to-back with Allen. Humanoid shadows swayed among the trees, but before they could focus, something even more horrifying happened: mouths and eyes began to sprout from the trees.
"What a disgusting hobby..." Allen couldn't help but feel revulsion toward whoever had created this place.
Just like the previous mass, these trees were once people—once human—and now they were this. No one could believe what they were seeing. How many trees were there in this place? Hundreds? Thousands? Each one had been a person?!
"Let us out!"
It only took a moment of distraction before the creatures pounced on them. Their skin was red, their eyes purple, their bodies thin—like demons that had crawled out of hell.
Batman didn't hesitate to punch one, sending it crashing into a tree. Allen also acted, kicking another creature so hard it slammed into two more, knocking them all down. Perhaps these creatures were just victims of deranged scientists obsessed with mutation, but since they were being attacked, they had no choice but to fight back.
Bruce and Allen began battling dozens of these creatures. Their punches sent bodies flying, but the horde seemed endless. They looked like zombies, yet they kept murmuring that they wanted to get out.
Allen grabbed one by the face and slammed it against a tree, then used his telekinesis to lift five more and hurl them away. Despite their terrifying appearance, they weren't that strong—but they weren't alone.
"Urgh!"
Allen turned to see Bruce caught by vines that had sprouted from a tree. A creature took advantage, opening its mouth full of sharp teeth. It no longer had a tongue; instead, thin tentacles writhed out, attaching themselves to Bruce's skin as if trying to burrow inside him.
Allen extended his hand toward Bruce, intending to help him.
"We meet again, Subject 28..."
From the sky, a meteor of flesh fell upon Allen. It was Bane, known in this place as the Supreme. He had taken advantage of a moment of carelessness to attack Allen; however, this time, there was one very important detail.
"That's right... It's been a while..." Allen greeted calmly, looking upward. In a single movement, he bent his knees with enough force to crack the ground and launched himself at Bane.
Bane's eyes widened—that was all he could do before receiving a punch with the strength of Homelander. That's right, Allen's super strength came from Homelander.
'Did you expect that?' thought Bane as he was sent flying backward.
He didn't know that the same trick never works twice against someone like Allen. After dealing with Bane, Allen landed heavily, sending several creatures flying.
Allen pointed at Bruce and, with his telekinesis, tore the tentacles from his face. Once free, Bruce was furious, so he grabbed the creature's head and headbutted it.
Bruce quickly made his way back to Allen, glancing at where Bane had landed.
"Did you defeat him?"
There was a hint of frustration behind Bruce's words, but that was normal. Unlike other Batmen, he was younger and more temperamental, so his desire to beat Bane down still burned in his heart.
"Of course not..." Allen shrugged with a half-mocking smile. "But I'm sure it must've hurt him."
A tree was ripped from the ground with screams of agony and hurled toward them both. Allen used telekinesis to stop it in front of him.
"My turn!" Bane roared, splitting the same tree in half. Allen clenched his fist and smashed it against Bane's.
There was no winner.
Batman took advantage of the distraction and climbed onto Bane's back. Allen used telekinesis to restrain Bane's movements for a moment. This gave Bruce the chance to cut one of the tubes attached to Bane's body.
"Ahhh!"
Dr. Arkham rose from her chair—the Supreme had been injured.
In a furious outburst, Bane broke free of Allen's telekinesis and grabbed Bruce, intent on breaking his back once again.
RAAOOOW!
The roar of a lion interrupted the fight. Bane turned to see something that shouldn't have been there. It was a real lion. The beast roared and attacked, biting into Bane's arm. Bane tried to shake off the 600-pound predator, but the lion clung to his arm, refusing to let go.
Bane threw Batman against a tree, then, filled with rage, grabbed the lion. Because of his massive size, it looked like a mere cat in his grip. Without any mercy, he tore the animal in half. The blood of the King of Beasts drenched him, giving him a terrifying appearance.
Bruce stood up, pain shooting through his body. This was the reality—Bane was a monster of overwhelming power. There was no way to defeat him in hand-to-hand combat.
....
"Log report: A new anomaly appeared but was quickly suppressed by the Supreme. Subject 28 has demonstrated possession of more than one ability—it is believed this may be part of his power..."
"Doctor! We have an emergency situation!"
Dr. Arkham's monologue was interrupted by an emergency channel. Of course, she intended to ignore it—but when she looked at the screen, she was surprised.
"Subject 28's reaction is strange..."
After witnessing Bane's brutality and strength, Allen remained calm, with a faint smile on his face. Dr. Arkham was a genius—otherwise, she wouldn't have been capable of creating the ArkM. After analyzing the situation, she raised the radio.
"Report."
"There are beasts! Many of them, they're everywhere!"
"This must be Subject 28's doing..."
Dr. Arkham turned her gaze back to Allen. Her analytical eyes reevaluated the threat level this man represented.
She came to the conclusion that Subject 28 had to be eliminated.
....
Bane threw the two halves of the lion to the ground before looking at them both. This time, more rationality had returned to him after venting part of his fury on the beast.
"Subject 28, Subject 27—do you know which creature I consider the strongest?"
"No philosophical bullshit!" Allen cut off Bane's monologue. "Son of a bitch, it's time you paid your debt from last time!"
Allen made a signal, and the crimson forest filled with the roars of dozens of beasts. Both Bane and Dr. Arkham were taken aback, while Allen mocked them.
"You and that bitch who won't stop stalking us need to understand one thing—you're not the only ones with brains here!"
As if waiting for his signal, several lions emerged from the trees and attacked Bane and the red creatures. Not just lions—tigers, grizzlies, polar bears, wolves. Even a rhinoceros charged at Bane, who struggled to fight back against the lions.
Allen looked toward the scanners that never stopped watching him. "You hide underground playing god, torturing and altering, mixing animals, plants, and humans just to satisfy your perversions. I've known killers and lunatics, but this kind of evil is far too revolting!"
Behind the screen, Dr. Arkham—who had always maintained a facade of indifference, as if she lacked human emotions—showed a crack in her mask for the first time.
It was fear...
The man who seemed to see through her very soul—even without meeting her—made her shiver, as if she had become the enemy of the worst possible existence.
Allen turned his gaze away from the hidden sensors and looked back at Bane. The brute grabbed a lion and threw it with such force that it shattered on impact with the ground. Then he seized another and crushed its skull. He grabbed two more and hurled them into the trees—their roars cut short as they were mangled.
It became a festival of blood and viscera. Many in the Chat left, since not even in the war against the Invincibles had so much gore been shown on-screen.
Allen's feet were stained with blood.
Even a red creature, torn in half, landed beside him. It no longer begged for freedom. It no longer looked terrifying or threatening. It was nothing more than the cruel result of wicked people with too much power. And it could only crawl in its final moments.
"H...help me..."
"..." Allen silently watched before using telekinesis to crush the creature's heart.
His face bore an expression of pity. These creatures had been modified beyond return. The most humane thing was to put an end to them—even if they had once been civilians.
Bruce, who had watched this, remained silent. Soon, however, a bear approached him carrying his full armor. At its side ran a wolf with a bag holding most of his gadgets. Batman began changing rapidly.
For Allen, a wolf approached with clothes, while a hawk dropped a small pouch containing a pendant—the only item Allen wore, since his wallet and phone were always stored in his inventory.
....
"Ahhh!"
Bane was rammed by an elephant and forced to retreat, but only a few steps before he stopped the largest land mammal in the world with his immense strength. Then, absurdly, he punched, breaking one of the elephant's ivory tusks. Without wasting a second, he used that tusk and stabbed the elephant, killing it.
Despite his exhaustion, Bane advanced toward Allen and Batman, who now stood fully dressed.
"The King of the Jungle, the largest land predator, the strongest mammal—you see? They all fell..." Bane said, holding a bear by the head before crushing its skull. "Evolution is slow. Nature is weak. In a world where gods, aliens, beings with abnormal powers, and interdimensional creatures exist—in such a world, humanity is nothing but an insignificant ant. That is why—even if you think this is an abomination—we are searching for a path..."
"And that's how you justify this madness?" Bruce asked coldly.
"If this is the future, I'll pass..." Allen said with disdain.
Dr. Arkham calmed herself. Unexpectedly, Subject 28's actions had allowed the Supreme to test himself against everything natural evolution had to offer, reaffirming that the existence of ArkM—the "Ark of Mutation"—was necessary.
Bane paused before continuing. He didn't care about rejection; his goal was clear. Yet he couldn't help but admire the two men who had not submitted, despite everything they had endured.
"In this world, those who survive are not the smartest or the strongest, they are—"
ROOOOAAAAAWW!
Bane was rammed by a massive creature before he could finish his sentence.
"What was that you said?" Allen mocked, holding a hand to his ear and exaggerating his reaction.
"Impossible!"
Dr. Arkham stood once again, this time throwing all the documents from her desk as she watched a dragon attack Bane. "This... this is also Subject 28's power?!"
Bane gripped the dragon's jaws, but unlike the other predators, he couldn't break them.
"Damn it!" Bane was dragged across the scarlet forest.
"Enjoy my gift—it cost me a liter of blood..." Allen grinned as he watched. Beside him, the remains of the slaughtered animals turned into vapor and vanished.
In Fairy Tail, this magic had never shone—but unexpectedly, it had been a good choice.
Forbidden Magic of Artificial Life: Alive
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