The Summoner of Legends

In a single second, many things can change: from the death of a person to the complete disappearance of a nation.

Some people underestimate the importance of a second, but those who understand the flow of time know just how crucial a fleeting moment can be.

In that brief span, everything can shift. No one understood this better than the man known as the fastest in the world.

And in moments like this, Flash was grateful for that power.

Thanks to his speed, he could now prevent the death of someone he considered not just a teammate, but a friend. Without his ability, and the timely warning from Batman's butler, by dawn he might have received the worst news imaginable: the Gotham vigilante had died.

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In front of him, Batman was about to be impaled by a strange creature—a shadow-clad being with blades attached to its forearms. To anyone else, the scene would have been utterly implausible, something ripped straight from a nightmare. But Flash had seen enough in his life to no longer be surprised.

Demons, gods, time travelers, aliens, maniacs with absurd schemes, or flamboyant henchmen... in this line of work, normal days were a rarity. And Flash wasn't complaining. After all, he was an oddity himself in this world.

Still, something about this creature unsettled him. It wasn't just its appearance or those bloodied blades—it was the feeling it radiated. There was something profoundly unnatural about it. Something that didn't belong.

"No time to dwell on that now," he told himself as he focused on the scene.

Pushing his thoughts aside, he felt a wave of relief that he had arrived just in time. A second later, and the creature's blades would have pierced Batman's body. And judging by the look of those weapons, they wouldn't have left mere scratches.

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It was time to act.

Wasting no time, Flash sprinted along the wall, moving faster than any human eye could follow. Each step on the vertical surface seemed to defy the laws of physics, but for him, it was as natural as walking on solid ground.

In mere milliseconds, he reached Batman's position. With pinpoint precision, he lunged toward his ally and grabbed him firmly. Before the creature could react, Flash had already moved to the lower floor, safely taking Batman out of the enemy's reach.

He carefully set the Dark Knight down, making sure not to aggravate his injuries. At a glance, Flash noted several cuts across his body, but it was the ones on his abdomen and back that worried him most. They were deep but not yet fatal… for now.

"Hang in there, Bruce," he murmured as he glanced at his friend. "He's tougher than this."

After ensuring his friend was stable for the moment, Flash let time flow naturally again. The world resumed its movement, and with it, both Batman and the creature reacted to the sudden change in their positions.

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Batman, disoriented by the sudden relocation, stumbled and braced himself heavily against a wall. His gaze, typically sharp and calculating, now reflected a mix of surprise and exhaustion.

The creature, on the other hand, floated a little farther forward before coming to a complete stop. Despite the abrupt shift in position, it didn't appear fazed. Everything about its demeanor exuded a dangerous calm, as if it were already calculating its next move.

Flash made a mental note of this. "Quick reflexes, perfect spatial awareness... this won't be easy," he thought as he positioned himself in front of the enemy, placing his body between it and Batman.

—"You're late," Batman growled, his tone sharp despite his weakened state.

Flash couldn't help but smirk.

—"I'd say I'm right on time," he replied with a touch of humor, keeping his eyes fixed on the creature.

—"What is this thing we're dealing with?" Batman asked, straightening his posture as much as his injuries allowed, leaning against the wall for support.

—"I have no clue." Flash frowned, studying the floating entity. "It showed up and started killing people indiscriminately. For now, let's just call it 'a killer.'"

Batman nodded slowly, processing the information while pressing a hand against his abdomen, where one of his wounds still bled.

—"And that killer did a number on you, from the looks of it," Flash quipped with an ironic smile.

—"I wasn't prepared," Batman replied curtly. His tone made it clear there was no room for argument.

—"Then we'll just have to end this quickly." Flash's expression hardened as he flexed his fingers, ready to spring into action at any moment.

Before either of them could make a move, the creature spoke.

—"I'd love to stay and play with you two, but that'll have to wait for another time," it said, its voice laced with mockery and distorted like a twisted echo.

Flash narrowed his eyes.

—"And you think we're just going to let you walk away?" he challenged, his tone firm and unyielding.

The creature let out a short, mocking laugh.

—"Try me."

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The tension in the air was palpable.

The three figures seemed frozen in place, as if any movement could ignite the next battle. But neither hero expected what happened next: the creature slowly began retreating into the shadows of the upper floor.

Before disappearing entirely, it delivered a final warning.

—"Next time, no one will save you."

Its laughter echoed throughout the building as it vanished into the darkness. Flash wasted no time and sped toward the upper level, moving faster than the eye could follow.

But he was too late. When he arrived, all he saw was the enemy sinking slowly into the floor, as though merging with the shadows themselves.

"This isn't normal," Flash thought, gritting his teeth in frustration. "This isn't just a killer. It's something else."

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Forgetting about the enemy for the moment, Flash quickly returned to Batman. The most important thing right now was treating the Dark Knight's wounds before he lost any more blood.

—"Did you catch him?" —Batman asked in his deep, gravelly voice, still leaning against the wall, struggling to stay upright.

—"No, he got away," —Flash replied, frustration clear in his tone.

Batman exhaled heavily and slid down the wall, using it to support himself as he sat on the ground. Exhaustion was finally catching up to him. What a night it had been.

—"I need to get you somewhere to treat those wounds," —Flash said, glancing at him while making sure he was stable enough to move.

—"Take me to the Batcave. Alfred will take care of them there," —Batman replied, his voice as steady as his weakened body would allow. He tried to stand, but his legs wavered slightly.

Flash helped him up, a teasing smile breaking through despite the situation.

—"Whatever you say, Bats." —He held Batman securely, and with a quick burst of speed, they vanished in the direction of the Dark Knight's base.

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Everything had gone wrong for Naruto from the moment he woke up that morning.

He'd woken with a pounding headache, tense muscles, and a bone-deep exhaustion that made him feel like he'd run a marathon in his sleep. It was as if his body had gone through an intense workout without giving him a single moment of rest.

So, yeah, his day had started as pure garbage.

To make matters worse, the overwhelming fatigue had kept him from spending any time in his usual refuge: the school library. That irritated him deeply. He hated it when his routine was disrupted—especially after what had happened the last time.

Pushing those thoughts aside, he forced himself to focus on the lesson, though his mind struggled to stay alert. That was when he heard his teacher call his name.

—"Naruto, I need you to stay after class," —the teacher said, looking at him with a serious expression.

Naruto frowned, confused.

—"Am I in trouble?" —he asked cautiously.

—"No, but there's something that concerns me a little. Class is almost over anyway, and this won't take more than a few minutes," —the teacher explained.

Naruto nodded and turned his attention back to the notebook in front of him. But the unease lingered.

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When class ended and everyone else had left, Naruto stayed in his seat, waiting for the teacher. Something didn't feel right, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

—"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about, sir?" —he asked once they were alone.

The man sighed before answering.

—"We're giving special notices to our students because of the killer on the loose."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, intrigued. That wasn't what he had expected to hear. He leaned forward slightly toward the teacher's desk.

—"Wouldn't it have been better to make this announcement to the whole class?" —he asked, crossing his arms.

The teacher observed him for a moment, as if carefully considering his words. Finally, he sighed again.

—"We're doing that tomorrow, with a school-wide announcement. But we're paying special attention to students we know live alone."

Naruto frowned, confused.

—"Why?" —he asked, trying to ignore the faint chill that ran down his spine at the mention of this.

The teacher averted his gaze for a moment before speaking again.

—"The police reports indicate that most of the attacks happen when the victims are alone."

Naruto nodded slowly, starting to piece things together.

—"So you're keeping an eye on students without parents, since they're more likely to... die."

The teacher lowered his gaze, visibly uncomfortable.

—"I wish I could say no, but I'd be lying. Yes, we've reached out to you and other students in similar situations to warn you not to stay out too late at night."

Naruto let out a long sigh. "As if I didn't already have enough to deal with after what happened a few days ago," he thought bitterly.

—"Understood, sir. I'll try to avoid going out at night to stay safe," —he replied at last, making an effort to keep calm.

The teacher nodded, relieved by his response, and began gathering his things.

—"That's all, kid. Be careful on your way home, and make sure to stay as safe as possible."

Naruto followed the teacher to the classroom door. Before leaving, he tried to ease the tension with a reassuring smile.

—"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

But those words weren't just for the teacher. They were also an attempt to calm himself.

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When Naruto got home, he tried to ignore the unease creeping up his spine and focused on his daily routine: finishing his homework, making dinner, and taking some time to relax. Routine was his sanctuary, his anchor in a world that felt increasingly chaotic.

However, that night, something felt off. A strange impulse drove him to turn on the TV, something he rarely did. With a sigh, he placed his plate on the small table in his living room and switched on the television as he began to eat.

What he didn't expect was what he would see on the news.

—"We've just received confirmation that the body of the man we mentioned earlier has been found in a dumpster. Apparently, he was dismembered by the same killer currently terrorizing Gotham."

Naruto felt a chill run down his spine as he recognized the images being displayed on the screen. It was the alley he had been in a few days ago.

—"According to initial reports, this man is believed to be one of the killer's earliest victims, something confirmed by the state of decomposition of the body. What's strange here is that the corpse was hidden in this location," the journalist explained as the camera panned to different angles of the area.

Naruto clenched his jaw as the footage showed the trash bags he himself had used to hide the criminal's remains.

—"As we know, this killer usually doesn't bother to hide their crimes. So the question here is: why hide the body?"

Naruto's body began to tremble.

"They couldn't have figured it out… right?"

—"The only thing authorities can confirm is that the killer is responsible, due to the clean cuts on the body. We hope this gives investigators some clue to stop this string of homicides. Back to you, Jake. Over to you, Emma."

The broadcast shifted back to the newsroom, where a professional-looking news anchor appeared on-screen, her expression a mix of concern and gravity.

—"In other news, an incident was reported early this morning at a building where multiple bodies were found. It appears they were killed by the same criminal who's been terrorizing the city for over a week."

Naruto barely registered the words. The sound of the television grew distant as panic began to consume his mind.

They had found the bags.

The report continued, but every word felt like a far-off echo, fading into the background. The screen displayed shots of the alley and the site where the remains had been discovered—the exact location he had been in just a few days ago.

Naruto's chest tightened painfully.

—"Evidence found at the scene indicates a fight between Batman and the killer. It's unclear who emerged victorious, but this confirms that the Dark Knight is directly engaging this threat…"

His mind stopped processing the words.

"They found it."

Everything he had tried to get rid of, everything he thought he'd left behind, was now in the hands of the police. It was only a matter of time before the investigation began.

Interrogations. Security cameras. Witnesses.

"They won't find me. I'm safe… right?"

Naruto pressed a hand against his forehead, his fingers digging into his skin as he tried to calm the storm of thoughts that had overtaken him.

He had been careful that night. He had worn different clothes, a cap, and a black mask to cover his face. He had even scoped out the alley beforehand. There were no cameras. He had been sure.

"I'm sure. No one will discover me."

And yet, his body wouldn't stop trembling. The certainty he had felt at the time was now crumbling in the face of the images playing on the television.

His chaotic mind kept repeating the same questions over and over:

"What if they find something? What if someone saw me? How far can the investigators go? Can they track me? Did I miss something? Did I make a mistake?"

Naruto clenched his teeth, struggling to steady his breathing. He knew he couldn't panic—not now.

"I'm sure," he thought again, repeating the words like a mantra. "There were no cameras. They can't do anything."

But a small voice in the back of his mind whispered a different truth, one he couldn't ignore no matter how hard he tried.

"What if you're wrong?"

The journalist continued narrating the news, but Naruto barely heard him. The screen kept flashing images: the alley, the black bags, the police cordoning off the area.

Each shot felt like a punch to the gut.

"They won't find me. They can't… right?"

He got up from the table, leaving his dinner half-eaten, and switched off the TV with a sharp motion. The silence that followed was deafening.

Naruto stood there, frozen, staring at the blank screen as if it could somehow give him an answer. His mind kept looping through the same thoughts. "They can't find me. I'm safe. I'm sure."

But the trembling in his hands told a different story.

He knew things were about to get complicated. He was fully aware that the investigation would continue, and with every new discovery, the noose around him could tighten.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, a single, undeniable truth was beginning to form in the back of his mind.

"After this, nothing will ever be the same again."