Forged in Chaos: A Transmigrator’s Tale in the DC Universe

**Chapter 13: War in Arkham**

The room erupted into chaos as Apex lunged forward, a monstrous blur of speed and raw power. Ethan barely had time to dodge as the creature's clawed hand tore through the reinforced metal flooring like paper. Batman moved with calculated precision, striking at Apex's joints, but the beast barely reacted.

"Adaptive," Batman noted grimly. "It's learning our attacks."

Ethan gritted his teeth. "Then let's see if it can adapt to this."

He grabbed a flashbang and a thermite charge from his belt, fusing them in a single motion. The device pulsed with an unstable energy, crackling in his grip. With a grunt, he hurled it directly at Apex's chest. The explosion rocked the room, a fiery burst of white-hot light and concussive force that sent Apex stumbling back for the first time.

Cipher watched impassively. "Interesting. But not enough."

Apex recovered unnaturally fast, its glowing veins pulsing brighter. With a roar, it slammed a fist into the ground, sending out a shockwave that knocked Ethan and Batman off their feet. Ethan rolled with the impact, using his momentum to pull another fusion—this time merging his grappling hook with a high-powered taser. As Apex lunged at Batman, Ethan fired. The electrified line wrapped around the creature's neck, sending a surge of voltage through its body.

Apex shrieked, convulsing violently. But instead of going down, its muscles bulged further, its eyes glowing brighter. Ethan's heart sank.

"It's absorbing the energy."

The Joker cackled from the sidelines, clapping like a delighted child. "Oh, this is better than cable television!"

Cipher tilted his head slightly. "You don't understand, Mr. Cross. Apex isn't a simple experiment. It's a prototype. A first step. And if you struggle this much against one…" He gestured to the rows of containment pods lining the walls, each one holding a dormant Apex clone. "…how will you fare against an army?"

Ethan's blood ran cold. They had to destroy this place. Now.

Batman's voice was sharp. "We need an exit. Now."

Ethan nodded, his mind racing. Then he saw it—a massive support column behind Cipher's console. If he could bring it down, it might trigger a chain reaction to collapse the lab. He reached for the last explosive in his belt, but Apex was already on him, moving faster than before.

Apex swung wildly, slamming Ethan into the wall. The reinforced steel dented behind him as pain flared through his body. But he pushed through it, using his fusion ability mid-combat—grabbing a nearby pipe and a broken blade from the floor. The makeshift weapon crackled with unstable energy as he drove it into Apex's side. The beast howled, its body rejecting the fusion's volatile effects.

Cipher observed with growing interest. "You're full of surprises, Mr. Cross. But it won't be enough."

The containment pods began to unlock. One by one, more Apex clones twitched awake, their glowing eyes snapping open. 

Batman cursed under his breath. "Ethan, we don't have time. Set the charges."

Ethan wiped blood from his mouth and nodded. He pulled two more explosives from his belt, fusing them into a single high-yield device. With a practiced throw, he sent it sailing toward the central support column. The impact embedded it deep within the structure.

Cipher took a step forward. "You think I'd build this place without fail-safes?" He pressed a button on his gauntlet, and the explosive began to fizzle, its charge deactivating. 

Ethan's eyes widened. "Damn it."

The Apex clones stepped forward, their bodies vibrating with raw, unnatural energy. Batman and Ethan backed into position, ready for the fight of their lives.

Then, from the shadows, an explosion of motion—Nightwing and Batgirl burst into the room, cutting down the nearest clones with calculated efficiency. 

"Sorry we're late," Nightwing called out, flipping over an incoming strike. "But it looks like you needed backup."

Batgirl tossed an EMP grenade toward Cipher's control panel, shorting out several security systems. "Let's even the odds."

The fight escalated, a full-on war in the heart of Arkham. Ethan gritted his teeth, throwing himself into the chaos, knowing that this battle would determine everything. They had one chance to shut Cipher down for good, or the Apex nightmare would spread beyond Arkham—beyond Gotham—beyond anything they could control.

The battle for Arkham had only just begun.