Fenric wasn't surprised that Batman knew his name.
He had read the original story, after all. Of course, he knew that Batman wielded the ultimate energy in a capitalist society—money.
And in such a world, money was synonymous with omnipotence.
Facing Batman's invitation, Fenric laughed, nodded, and agreed without hesitation.
"Alright."
He had his own reasons for agreeing.
Batman, however, seemed slightly taken aback by how readily Fenric accepted. But since he had already extended the invitation, it wasn't something he could retract so easily.
Looking at Fenric, Batman spoke with meaning behind his words.
"I hope you'll be a reliable partner."
He deliberately stressed the word reliable.
Fenric immediately understood. Batman was warning him—don't drag the team down, and don't cross the line of law.
"Bruce," Fenric said evenly, "the next enemy you face may have to be dealt with by me."
Batman froze, his expression tightening.
"Ronan… do you know something?"
Fenric nodded. "I only know this much—the enemy will come from Apokolips. A New God. He's coming to Earth for the Mother Box."
"Mother Box?"
Batman frowned. It was the first time he'd heard of such a thing.
Fenric explained patiently.
"The Mother Box is an artifact of immense power. Right now, it's split into three and hidden across the Earth. If the enemy unites them, Earth will be destroyed."
Batman's face grew grim at once.
"Then how do you know all this?"
Fenric's expression didn't waver.
"I have a short-term ability that lets me glimpse the future. Whenever Earth is in danger, that ability manifests."
In truth, it was nothing but a well-crafted lie.
Batman frowned, clearly unconvinced.
Fenric had no interest in trying to persuade him further. His body slowly began to lift off the ground.
Seeing him rise into the air, Batman quickly called out, "Ronan, where are you going?"
"Before disaster strikes, I still have matters to attend to."
With that, Fenric controlled his mind and flew into the distance, vanishing from sight.
Batman stood in silence, watching his retreating figure.
"Al," he said suddenly into his comms, "do you think this man's words are credible?"
Alfred's steady voice came through the headset.
"The enemy he mentioned may exist. As for the rest,please remain cautious."
Batman was silent for a long moment. He trusted no one more than his butler.
"…Either way, the plan begins now. Al, ready the plane. I'm heading north."
According to the intelligence he'd gathered, the man known as Aquaman often lingered around the northern coasts of Iceland.
—--
Meanwhile, after leaving Batman, Fenric began preparing for his true objective.
But before that—
He intended to dive into the vast ocean to claim the Sea God's Trident.
In the DC world, there existed a divine weapon known as Bernadette's Trident, forged by Poseidon himself as an imitation of his own. He later gifted it to the underwater kingdom.
Though not the original Sea God's Trident, it was still a weapon of the demigods, imbued with their might.
A semi-artifact on par with Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth, the Silver Bracelets of Protection, and the God Killer Sword.
It carried the authority to command the seas, as well as dominion over the Seven Kingdoms beneath the ocean.
Since Fenric was already here, how could he not seek it out?
His imitation trident had the ability to absorb the essence of true divine weapons. If it absorbed the trident of this world, it might not make him the Sea God outright—but at the very least, it would dramatically amplify its power.
The timeline was still set during the formation of the Justice League.
Aquaman's tale of reclaiming the throne and obtaining the trident would not take place until a year after Steppenwolf's invasion failed.
That meant the trident was still lying hidden in the ocean, waiting.
"In the Aquaman movie," Fenric recalled, "the trident was sealed in the Hidden Sea—an underground ocean deep in the Earth's core."
His memory grew clearer. Once he remembered something, every detail came back flawlessly.
"Then let's start with Hoh Xil."
Decision made, Fenric turned and flew toward the sea.
—--
Half a day later…
Fenric arrived at Hoh Xil.
It was, in truth, an island of stunning beauty.
But Fenric had no interest in admiring the scenery.
He pulled out his trident and dove straight into the ocean.
Under its control, the waters parted naturally, forming a clear path. He sank easily into the depths without the slightest resistance.
The Trench territory lay hidden deep beneath the waves—it would not be easy to find.
Fenric searched tirelessly around the waters of Hoh Xil Island.
Finally, he felt it.
Not the tribe itself, but his trident suddenly trembled when facing a certain part of the sea.
Fenric's heart stirred.
"Could it be… my trident is resonating with the presence of another?"
His eyes lit up.
Guided by the weapon's vibration, he steered the waters and advanced deeper. The closer he drew, the stronger the resonance became, confirming his suspicions.
Then, without warning—
A monster emerged from the darkness ahead.
Its body was like a fish, yet it bore human-like limbs. Its mouth split wide, lined with razor-sharp teeth like those of a great white shark.
Fenric recognized it instantly.
The Trench tribe—the vicious trench-dwellers from the Aquaman movie.
In the original story, they had caused Arthur great trouble.
But to Fenric, they were nothing more than small fry.
With the trident in his hand, he was invincible beneath the sea.
One of the creatures spotted him and lunged.
Fenric had no interest in wasting time on such weaklings. With a flick of the trident, he commanded the water to surge, easily swatting away the attacking Trenches.
The path opened before him.
And with it, Fenric found the entrance to the Hidden Sea.