"Ugh!"
After tearing free from the ropes, Aquaman seized the thick iron chain hanging from the ship. With a powerful motion, he pulled himself upward, using the strength granted by the ocean to launch onto the deck.
The crew stared at Aquaman as he landed like a force of nature. Shock froze them in place. Before anyone could react, Arthur moved. One by one, he struck them down and hurled them into the sea.
Bodies splashed into the water in quick succession.
The deck was cleared almost instantly.
Hearing the chaos, the captain rushed out, only to witness his crew being thrown overboard. Panic filled his face. He turned and ran toward the cabin, desperate to send out a distress call.
He never made it.
Arthur caught him by the collar and slammed him onto the deck. The impact knocked the air from his lungs.
The captain groaned, clutching his back, but before he could recover, the deck beneath him shifted. The entire ship tilted.
Wood creaked under immense strain. Loose cargo, ropes, and sandbags slid across the deck.
A heavy sandbag slammed into the captain, knocking him further down. He slid helplessly toward the edge, barely managing to grab onto a metal railing before falling into the ocean.
Struggling to lift his head, he saw something impossible.
Arthur, clad in golden armor, was lifting the ship.
Even a vessel of this size should have been immovable, yet it rose under his strength.
The captain could only stare, stunned.
---
Far away, the Coast Guard picked up the distress signal.
"All stations, respond. A fleet near Haibao Reef is under attack."
"Repeat, vessels are sinking. All nearby units proceed immediately."
Patrol ships changed course. Aircraft were deployed. Rescue forces surged toward the location.
---
Back at Haibao Reef, Arthur remained unaware of the incoming response.
His anger had taken over.
Behind him, the army of Atlantis gathered, their presence turning the ocean into a battlefield. Raising his hand, Arthur gave the command.
"Crush them."
The Atlanteans charged forward.
Mounted on seahorses and armed with advanced weapons, they overwhelmed the remaining whalers. No one could stand against them. Crew members were thrown into the sea one after another.
Despite their dominance, the Atlanteans did not kill them. They cast them into the water, leaving them to struggle.
One man surfaced, gasping for air. He looked around in terror at the warriors surrounding him.
Before he could swim away, a hand grabbed him and lifted him out of the water.
Arthur.
"Please, have mercy!" the man begged, shaking. "I have a family. They're waiting for me."
Arthur's eyes burned with fury.
"That whale you killed had a family too. Its young are lying dead on your ship."
His grip tightened. He raised his fist.
Then it stopped.
A hand caught his arm.
"Mera?"
Mera stood beside him, her expression firm.
"You are letting anger control you. If you do this, Arthur, you risk starting a war with the surface world."
"I am human," Arthur replied, his voice strained. "I am not declaring war. I am dealing with criminals."
"Others will not see it that way," Mera said. "They will only see you killing humans. And you are not acting alone. You represent Atlantis."
She paused, then added, "And do not forget Adrian."
Arthur's expression shifted.
"You made a promise."
Silence followed.
The anger in his eyes faded. Slowly, he lowered his hand.
"...I lost control."
He released the man.
Mera studied him carefully. "You are troubled."
Arthur let out a breath. "Everything happening on land… it's affecting me more than I expected."
"You are thinking about that promise," she said. "But even if you wanted to hand over Atlantis, it is not entirely your decision."
Arthur gave a faint, conflicted smile. "Maybe I don't even understand what's bothering me."
---
The sound of rotors filled the sky.
Rescue helicopters arrived, their searchlights cutting across the ocean.
The Atlanteans reacted instantly.
Seeing the aircraft approach, they assumed hostility.
Weapons were thrown.
One struck a helicopter directly.
The fuselage tore apart midair.
The aircraft spiraled out of control before crashing into the sea.
A massive explosion followed. Flames spread across the water, waves surging violently from the impact.
Arthur froze.
Then his anger returned, sharper than before.
"Who did that?!"
An Atlantean soldier stepped forward. "It approached us. I thought it was an attack."
Arthur's expression hardened. "I gave a clear order. Do not engage humans unless necessary. Only the whalers were targets."
The soldier lowered his head. "My apologies, Your Majesty."
Arthur clenched his fists, forcing himself to hold back further anger.
Without another word, he dove toward the wreckage.
Mera followed.
They reached the burning remains.
There were no survivors.
Arthur stared at the flames, his voice heavy.
"This is on me."
---
The remaining human forces did not hesitate.
Seeing the attack, they retaliated.
Ships opened fire. Aircraft engaged.
The conflict escalated instantly into open battle between humanity and Atlantis.
---
In Metropolis, Adrian received the report.
Inside the Justice Society headquarters, he sat at the head of the table.
Around him were his allies.
On one side sat Bart, Jenna, the Wonder Twins, Diana, and Rachel. On the other sat Green Lantern and Shazam.
Rachel had insisted on attending despite not being an official member.
Shazam, despite his earlier defeat at Adrian's hands, showed no resentment. Instead, he seemed more interested in understanding Adrian's abilities, frequently asking about the lightning incident.
A large screen displayed live footage of the battle.
Diana leaned forward, her expression serious. "Those are Atlanteans."
Bart frowned. "Atlanteans?"
Jenna answered, "Atlantis is an ancient civilization beneath the ocean, located in the Atlantic. It once held some of the earliest advanced societies on Earth."
Bart shook his head as he watched warriors ride seahorses into battle. "I thought it was just a myth."
Adrian said nothing.
His eyes remained fixed on the screen.
After a long pause, Diana stood.
"I will handle this. My people have dealt with Atlantis before."
"I'm coming with you," Green Lantern added.
Shazam rose as well. "More backup never hurts."
All eyes turned to Adrian, waiting for his decision.