Aquaman lowered his head and muttered under his breath, "He should not have done that."
He stayed silent for a moment, then turned to Mera. "Maybe he believes this is what the world needs. Who knows? He has already begun to impose his will on everything. If this continues, he might push things even further and see it as completely justified."
Mera crossed her arms, her expression steady. "Adrian has already terrified countless civilians. Ordinary people do not want gods or aliens deciding what is right or wrong for them."
Aquaman exhaled slowly, trying to steady himself. "So you have finally said what you were holding back, Mera."
She stepped closer, meeting his gaze directly. "It is obvious why you have been so conflicted. You were already thinking about standing against him."
She brushed her burgundy hair back and gave a faint smile. "It makes sense. You have always seen yourself as human, even with everything you are. Your sense of justice is simple, and because of that, you cannot accept what he is doing."
She paused briefly, then continued in a quieter tone. "But the world is not built on simple ideals. Strength decides everything. The strong dominate the weak, and the winner takes control. Arthur, you need to decide how you are going to deal with him."
Aquaman did not answer. His brows tightened as the weight of her words settled in.
Far away, news outlets had already picked up reports of a city appearing in the Mojave Desert. A helicopter from the Daily Planet quickly arrived above the site, hovering over the strange, shimmering structures rising from the sand.
Inside were two reporters who had crossed paths with Adrian before, Chloe Sullivan and Lois Lane.
Lois leaned forward in her seat, camera in hand, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What is this? A whole city? This cannot be real."
She snapped photos rapidly, barely lowering the camera. "A city just appearing out of nowhere. Is this some kind of trick, or something else entirely? This is unbelievable."
Chloe, seated beside her, kept her composure, though her attention was just as sharp. "I do not think any illusion could pull this off. This is not some mirage or staged effect. This is real."
She glanced down at the desert below. "First Atlanteans appearing along the coasts, now this. Today is not normal, not even close."
"Experts are already saying those soldiers were Atlanteans," Lois replied, then leaned toward the pilot. "Tom, take us lower. I need a closer look at the structures."
She turned back to Chloe. "There is a connection here. There has to be."
Chloe gave her a sidelong look. "You always jump to connections."
"That is called doing the job properly," Lois shot back. "You want a Pulitzer someday, right? Then start thinking like this."
Chloe shook her head. "The Pulitzer is not about chasing connections. It is about truth, about believing in what you report."
Lois smirked slightly. "That sounds good on paper, but belief alone does not get results."
Before Chloe could respond, Lois suddenly stiffened. "Wait, did you see that?"
A blur cut across her field of vision. She quickly directed the pilot. "Follow that, now!"
The helicopter shifted course, tracking two figures moving rapidly across the desert sky.
Aquaman and Mera.
They approached the strange city and soon located Adrian and the others waiting below.
Aquaman's expression darkened as he looked at the city, its water already evaporating under the harsh desert sun. The situation was deteriorating fast.
The moment he landed, he stepped forward. "What are you trying to do, Adrian?"
Adrian stood calmly with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. "That depends on you, Arthur. Your people started this. I am not some comic book villain, so stop acting like I am."
Aquaman clenched his jaw. "The Atlantean forces have already withdrawn. I will take responsibility for what happened."
His tone sharpened with urgency. "But the people in this city will not survive like this. Put it back underwater."
Adrian tilted his head slightly. "So now you are asking for my help."
His gaze hardened. "I do not see any sincerity in that."
Aquaman took a step forward. "What do you want?"
"Simple," Adrian replied. "You swear allegiance to me. Atlantis comes under my rule."
His voice remained steady, but the weight behind it was unmistakable. "Ocean or land, anywhere I can reach, there will be order. No exceptions."
Arthur's expression shifted, disbelief turning into anger.
"If you agree," Adrian continued, "kneel and swear it. The details of the treaty will be delivered later."
"You expect me to submit Atlantis to you?" Aquaman demanded.
"You remain its king," Adrian said. "You keep your authority. But you answer to me. Your people will not bear that burden."
Arthur's fists clenched. "I will never agree to that."
"And one more thing," Adrian added, as if it were a minor detail. "As proof of your submission, Mera stays on land as a hostage until everything is finalized."
"You are out of your mind!" Aquaman roared.
He surged forward without hesitation, fist driving straight toward Adrian.
Adrian caught the punch with ease, his grip firm, then countered instantly. His strike landed cleanly against Arthur's face.
The impact sent Aquaman crashing back into the desert, sand erupting around him.
He pushed himself up almost immediately, rage burning in his eyes. With a burst of speed, he charged again, faster than before.
Something deeper within him stirred. His instincts sharpened, his strength surging as his blood boiled.
A trident appeared in his hand, gleaming under the sun. He moved with precision now, each strike aimed with lethal intent.
The weapon cut through the air in rapid arcs, targeting Adrian's head, neck, torso, and legs in a relentless sequence.
Arthur shifted his grip, swinging the trident upward, aiming directly for Adrian's eye.
The strike met resistance.
A sharp clash rang out as Adrian blocked it with his arm. Without pause, he twisted his body and drove a punch into Arthur's chest.
The force sent Aquaman staggering back, blood spilling from his mouth as he was thrown off balance.
Before he could recover, another figure closed in.
Wonder Woman.
With the Vulcan Sword in hand, she struck without hesitation.
Arthur barely managed to raise his trident in time.
The weapons collided with a ringing clang, neither yielding.
She followed through instantly, stepping in and driving her fist forward.
Her movements were precise, controlled, but the power behind them was immense.
Arthur blocked the strike, but the impact exploded through his arm, forcing it back violently.
She pressed forward again, her fist shifting into a palm strike that drove straight into his chest.
The blow landed with a heavy, crushing sound.
Arthur's body was launched backward like a projectile, tearing across the ground before slamming hard into the sand near the edge of the city.