An anti-hero with Rimuru's abilities in dc

The underground station hummed with an uneasy silence, the low chatter of survivors now replaced by the tense atmosphere that followed Marcus's disappearance. Elena paced back and forth, her eyes darting nervously between the group as Rimuru stepped inside the base.

"What happened?" Rimuru asked, his voice steady, cutting through the tension. 

Elena stopped pacing, her face tight with worry. "Marcus went out for supplies a few hours ago. He's supposed to be back by now, but he hasn't contacted us. We've checked the usual routes, but there's no sign of him." 

Rimuru's eyes narrowed, his senses extending out to the streets above them. "You're sure he didn't run into trouble with the Regime?" 

"No," Elena said, shaking her head. "He knew the city better than anyone. He would've avoided Regime patrols. Something's off. This isn't like him." 

Rimuru considered the situation for a moment, then made a decision. "I'll find him. Stay here and make sure no one panics. I'll be back before too long."

---

Rimuru slipped through the streets of Gotham, his body shifting and blending with the shadows. His magical senses were heightened, his mind sifting through the surrounding noise for any trace of Marcus. The city's pulse seemed to quicken the further he traveled from the safehouse—an unfamiliar chill settling over him as he neared a disused warehouse near the outskirts of the city.

The area was deserted, the buildings crumbling and dark, but Rimuru could feel something was off. His senses were tingling, warning him of danger. As he approached the warehouse, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. A faint trace of magic lingered in the air, as though someone had used a power—one he didn't recognize.

He entered the warehouse cautiously, his body shifting into a liquid form, making him nearly invisible to the naked eye. Every footstep was silent as he moved deeper into the cavernous building. His eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he finally spotted a figure huddled in the shadows. 

Marcus.

The survivor was crouched low, his eyes wide with fear. His breathing was shallow, and he flinched when Rimuru's shadow fell across him. "Who's there?" Marcus asked, his voice shaking.

"It's me," Rimuru said, stepping into the dim light, his body solidifying as he reappeared before Marcus. "Are you alright?"

Marcus looked up, confusion flooding his eyes. "You… you're the one they sent, aren't you? You're the one who's been helping us."

Rimuru nodded. "Yes, and I've been sent to find you. What happened?"

Marcus took a shaky breath, glancing around nervously. "I was ambushed. They came out of nowhere—people with powers. I don't know who they are, but they're not from the Regime. They wanted me to lead them to your group." He paused, his voice trembling with fear. "I barely escaped."

"Who are they?" Rimuru pressed, sensing something deeper was going on. 

"I don't know. I've never seen them before. They wear masks—cloaks. But they were strong. Too strong." Marcus clenched his fists, his expression bitter. "I thought I could get the supplies we needed and get back before anyone noticed. But they were waiting for me. They knew exactly where I'd be."

Rimuru's eyes glinted with resolve. "We'll get to the bottom of this. You're safe now. Let's head back."

As Rimuru began to lead Marcus toward the exit, his senses flared again. There was something lurking in the shadows—something just beyond the reach of his detection. 

The moment they stepped into the open, a figure emerged from the darkness. Tall, hooded, their face obscured by a mask. 

"You shouldn't have come back," the figure said, their voice cold and metallic, echoing through the warehouse. 

Rimuru instinctively stepped in front of Marcus, his aura flaring with a quiet intensity. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice controlled, but laced with a simmering edge of authority. 

The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, they raised their hand, and a surge of energy filled the air, crackling with a strange, chaotic power that Rimuru couldn't quite place.

"Move," Rimuru said, his tone darkening, as he readied his magic. "You're in the wrong place." 

The figure's eyes flashed with amusement as they took a step forward, their cloak swirling ominously. "I am the wrong place. And you—are a problem we need to eliminate."

Without warning, the figure lunged forward, faster than Rimuru could track. Rimuru reacted instantly, his form dissolving into liquid, sidestepping the attack, but the figure was already gone, vanishing into the shadows again.

Rimuru's eyes narrowed. "So, you're a teleporter. Interesting." He reached out with his magic, sensing the lingering trace of energy from the teleportation. 

The figure appeared again—this time behind him, aiming a strange energy pulse directly at Marcus. Rimuru spun on his heel in an instant, conjuring a barrier of shimmering magic just in time to absorb the blast. The figure's attack ricocheted off, causing a crackling explosion that shook the ground beneath them.

The figure laughed darkly, stepping back and raising their hands. "Impressive. But you won't stop us. Not with that power." 

Rimuru's face was unreadable. "You're not in control here. Not anymore." 

With a snap of his fingers, Rimuru sent out a wave of his magic. The ground beneath the figure cracked open, tendrils of magic swirling around them, binding them in place. The figure's eyes widened in shock as they tried to teleport once more, but Rimuru's grip on their magic was absolute.

"Tell me who you are," Rimuru demanded. "Or I'll start ripping apart your power, piece by piece."

The figure struggled, their mask rattling slightly as they glared at Rimuru. "You have no idea who you're dealing with, creature. We are the Aegis. And we are going to cleanse this world, starting with you."

Rimuru studied them carefully, his mind processing the cryptic statement. "Aegis? I've heard of them, but not enough to make sense of it. Why target Marcus and the resistance?"

The figure smirked beneath their mask. "Because you're a threat. And threats must be eradicated."

Before Rimuru could respond, the figure's body flickered with strange energy, and in an instant, they vanished once again, leaving only the lingering trace of their power.

Rimuru stood still for a moment, his gaze locked on the empty space where the figure had been. The name "Aegis" resonated in his mind—an organization with a singular purpose: to wipe out any force that could challenge the Regime. This was more than just a random attack. This was deliberate.

Rimuru turned to Marcus, who was still shaken but unharmed. "We need to get back to the others. This is bigger than we thought." 

---

Back at the subway base, Rimuru wasted no time sharing what he had learned. "There's a new player in Gotham, and they call themselves the Aegis. They're not just after supplies or information—they're hunting anyone who poses a threat to the Regime." 

Elena stepped forward, her expression hardening. "We can't let them get away with this." 

"No," Rimuru said, his voice calm but filled with resolve. "We're going to make sure they regret ever crossing us."