God Of The Omniverse

Noon passed, and evening soon came. Arias had spent the day cementing his reputation and attending to business-related matters with Roulette. He was currently seated in a luxurious limousine, just one of the many assets he had supposedly "bought" during the auction. Opposite him sat Roulette, a digital tablet in hand as she continued to carry out various tasks for Arias. Normally, one wouldn't trust their secretary to such an extent, but Arias wasn't worried about his assets or wealth being stolen. He still had the final say before anything was implemented, and given her intelligence, Roulette saw the benefits of staying with him—at least for a while longer.

The two were on their way to the Iceberg Lounge, an infamous hotspot for criminals, formerly owned by The Penguin. On paper, the Iceberg Lounge was considered by some as the hottest spot in Gotham. Before the raids, The Penguin had used the posh nightclub as a front to run his illegal activities, secretly trading stolen goods and information. The two-story, 12,800-square-foot restaurant and lounge included a large pool for pet seals and penguins in the center dining area, an iceberg-like sculpture in the pool, a casino, a ship-themed dance floor, and polar decor. A tuxedoed jazz band on the sculpture was often seen playing tunes.

It also held some more private rooms, such as an office, armory, and hidden back rooms, which served various criminal purposes and still do. Arias kept the lounge's theme as it was since it generated a considerable amount of income. He went as far as to make it a place the general public could visit during the day, only becoming adult-themed past 10 PM. This made it quite the hotspot for regular families who could afford the daytime prices. Kids loved the decor and seeing exotic pets as they ate, while adults enjoyed experiencing a form of luxury at an affordable price.

Whenever Roulette wasn't handling direct business for Arias, she would be at the lounge, ensuring it was running perfectly. Although it was empty after the raids, it had since been revitalized by Arias, with many of Gotham's elite promoting it, mostly to gain favor from him.

…

The duo arrived at the lounge just a little past 8 PM, before adult time began. Because of that, a long line of patrons could be seen outside, waiting for a chance to enter. They, of course, didn't have to stand in line, as it was an equally luxurious outdoor area. Furthermore, the fact that it was built on a single artificial island, connected to the rest of Gotham by a single bridge, meant it had its own independent harbor.

On that harbor were many yachts, a few belonging to Arias. This was where some adults would wait or even have dinner under the starry deck. It was truly a top-class place like no other.

…

Arias's arrival was met with applause and camera flashes, which wasn't surprising considering he was now more or less a big celebrity in Gotham. He smiled and waved as he made his way inside, where even more people applauded and took pictures as he interacted with other patrons and even their children like every other cliché public figure. After spending thirty minutes of his time doing this, he left for the private back rooms, which were initially used to store stolen or illegal goods.

There, seated on crates below a flight of stairs, were a few familiar faces from Gotham's criminal scene. The most noticeable ones were the ones Roulette had mentioned beforehand to Arias: Giganta, Harley Quinn, and Shade.

Giganta, who they had the least information on, was new to the criminal scene. No background, no family, or traces of identity could be found when Roulette attempted a background check. The only clear thing was that she wasn't wanted, which was strange because rumors reported her clashing with Batman months prior. Although she already looked like a giant at first glance, she had the ability to drastically increase her size even further. Her reason for crime was simple—without an identity and given her appearance, she had no choice. She resembled a wild primal woman and wore ripped leopard hides for a top and skirt.

Shade was more clear-cut. He was simply a common thief with the power to manipulate shadows and even teleport. Despite this, Shade's background showed that he had been caught numerous times and had served many sentences in prison, yet he hadn't aged a single day. Rumors suggested he was immortal due to a track record dating back to England's 1700s, though he had never confirmed it. His reasons for remaining a petty criminal were that he found joy and excitement in stealing, calling it thrilling and lively. His attire was classic, sporting a dark suit and matching top hat with a cane in hand.

Lastly was Harley Quinn, perhaps the most infamous among the three. She was well-known as the Joker's adoring sidekick. Though their last encounter with Batman showed he held her in little regard, as it became general knowledge that he attempted to save his own life using hers without hesitation. Unsurprisingly, this shocked no one except her. Regardless, the Joker was captured and sentenced, but Harley was acquitted on all counts. This was because her former colleagues during her time as a psychiatric doctor pleaded that she had been pushed to insanity and was a victim herself. This was proven due to another incident where Gotham saw firsthand what Joker gas could do, driving many victims to uncontrollable hysteria. Although freed, she was put in a treatment center, where she escaped and now roamed Gotham. No one really knew what she wanted or what her goal was, though her usual bubbly personality didn't seem changed by her circumstances. She wore tiny red and blue shorts with ripped leggings underneath and a ripped white top with a red and white jacket above.

The rest of the criminals present were mostly just former henchmen without a boss or source of income anymore.

Arias descended the stairs with Roulette at his side while looking at the many faces present without any particular emotion. The back rooms were glum and rather empty, so it was a sorry sight seeing so many people present just sitting on crates or the floor. When the majority noticed Arias descending, they quickly got attentive and stood upright, clearly disciplined by their former sadistic bosses.

Giganta stood confidently, puffing her enormous chest out. Shade simply tipped his hat and stood straight with both hands on his cane. Harley put the bat she had brought under her armpit and proceeded to stand at attention, saluting while still blowing gum.

Arias showed a brief smirk and came to a stop about five meters away from them.

"This should be interesting," he thought.