The city of brighthaven had changed in the years since Crimbark, the Dog Man, last prowled its streets. The once gleaming skyscrapers were now worn and battered by time, their glass facades dulled by pollution and neglect. The people, too, had changed. The fear and chaos that gripped the city during Dr. Malvado's reign of terror had faded into memory, replaced by a new kind of darkness—one that crept in slowly, quietly, until it was too late to stop.
Crime had returned, more insidious than before. The gangs that once ruled the underworld had been replaced by something worse: a syndicate of corrupt officials, businessmen, and rogue scientists who pulled the strings behind the scenes. The citizens of metropolis, weary and disillusioned, had lost hope. They had forgotten the hero who once saved them, the man who had become more beast than human, the one they called Dog Man.
But Crimbark had not forgotten.
For years, he had lived in self-imposed exile, retreating to the wilderness where he could live in peace, away from the city that had taken so much from him. The wilderness was harsh, but it was honest, and Crimbark found solace in its simplicity. He had tried to forget the city, to forget the pain of his past, but the beast within him refused to be silenced.
On the outskirts of Brighthaven, in the depths of the forest where few dared to venture, Crimbark had built a home. It was a crude shelter, made of wood and stone, but it was enough. He had learned to live off the land, to hunt and forage like the animals he had become so attuned to. The forest was his sanctuary, and for a time, it seemed enough.
But the city called to him, in whispers at first, then louder, until it was a roar he could no longer ignore. News of the corruption, the rising crime, and the suffering of the people reached him even in the wilderness. The beast within him stirred, restless, sensing the growing danger in the city. Crimbark knew he could not remain hidden forever. The city needed him, even if it had forgotten him.
One night, under the light of a full moon, Crimbark made his decision. He stood at the edge of the forest, looking out over the city that lay in the distance. The skyline was familiar, but different, the once bright lights now dim and flickering. The air was thick with the scent of decay and fear, and Crimbark felt the old instincts returning, the need to protect, to hunt.
He knew what he had to do.
The journey back to Brighthaven was long and treacherous. The roads were overgrown and deserted, and the city seemed to repel all who approached it. But Crimbark was undeterred. His body, though older, was still strong, and his senses were as sharp as ever. He moved through the shadows, unseen and unheard, until he reached the city's outskirts.
Brighthaven had changed, but so had he. The man who had once been Crimbark was gone, replaced by something more primal, more dangerous. The Dog Man had returned, and he was ready to reclaim his city.