Chapter 426: The King of Atlantis!
Prince Orm's Fury
The ocean covers seventy percent of Earth's total area. This seventy percent is divided among the seven sea kingdoms, with Atlantis claiming two of those parts. The entire Atlantic Ocean, including most of the Pacific, is Atlantean territory.
The ruler of this vast territory is Prince Orm of Atlantis.
His full name is Orm Marius. His mother is the former Queen of Atlantis, Atlanna, and his father is Orvax, Captain of the Royal Guard, who held the title of the Undefeated Warrior.
He possesses noble blood and a revered status. He was groomed for greatness from birth as the one and only King.
He is handsome, tall, and robust, possessing immense power and a wise mind, satisfying the fantasy of a husband for most Atlantean women.
He is a public darling, with a massive number of female admirers across the seven sea nations.
And now, this esteemed Prince is facing the greatest challenge of his life.
A surface-dweller stole his fiancée and brazenly announced a Sacred Challenge, threatening to make Princess Mera bear him a dozen children if Orm didn't show up.
What kind of audacity, what kind of shamelessness is this!
All his male compatriots loudly denounced the surface-dweller, wishing they could take his place.
If Orm was the public darling of Atlantean women, Mera was the fantasy object for all the men.
After all, in this generation of the royal family, Mera was the only legitimate princess (excluding the Fisherman Kingdom). Not only was she beautiful, but she was also the sole heir to Xebel. Marrying her was equivalent to turning a new leaf, leaping through the dragon gate, and soaring to the Ninth Heaven!
The Challenge Accepted
Inside the Royal Palace of Atlantis, the dark-faced Orm sat upon the throne, his left hand supporting his forehead, his eyes flashing with extreme malice.
The servants' chatter made him irritable. Even more hateful was Atenel, that cursed Fish Man, who had publicly leaked the scandal concerning his mother and father. Now everyone knew he had an illegitimate half-brother, who, according to the bloodline laws, also had a right to the succession, potentially even placing him above Orm.
"Damn it!"
Orm slammed his fist onto the armrest. With his anger finding no outlet, he even entertained the terrible thought of creating a massive tidal wave to drown the surface world.
Mera was his forbidden topic; the bastard son was his nemesis.
Nuidis Vulko, the court scholar and chief strategist, approached the throne and presented a set of coordinates.
"This was found by His Majesty Nereus on the surface-dweller's yacht. It specifies the exact time and location of the challenge."
Orm looked up suddenly. "That surface-dweller, does he really dare?"
Vulko did not answer the question, continuing matter-of-factly.
"I have already sent men to surround the island listed on the coordinates, but no one has been found. Perhaps he will only appear when the time comes."
Orm rose to his feet, his voice sharp.
"Do you think I would accept a challenge from a mere surface-dweller?"
Vulko remained silent, showing no emotional fluctuation despite the Prince's anger.
"The surface-dweller has only given us four hours. Half the time has already passed. We cannot deploy too much. The best solution is to stabilize the opponent and seize an opportunity to take action." He paused, then continued,
"With all due respect, if you refuse the challenge, even if you ultimately rescue Princess Mera, it will not leave a good impression on her."
Orm's expression froze. This was his biggest worry.
He had grown up with Mera and knew her personality too well. Beneath her seemingly gentle exterior was an extremely stubborn heart. Once she made up her mind about something, it was almost impossible for her to turn back.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Could it be a trap?"
"The challenge location is an isolated island within Atlantean territory. It has been checked. There are no suspicious targets for a hundred miles around."
Orm curved his lips, his handsome face slightly contorted into a sneer.
"In other words, he is challenging me single-handedly."
"Ha ha ha ha!!!"
Orm suddenly burst into laughter. "A surface-dweller actually dares to challenge the King of the noble Atlantean bloodline?"
Vulko hesitated. "That man's power is extraordinary. Maria, Kamils, and..."
"Don't compare them to me."
Orm looked forward, his eyes radiating powerful confidence. "I am the King of Atlantis, with the blood of the royalty flowing through my veins. How could any ordinary person compare?"
Vulko immediately fell silent, acknowledging this statement.
The reason the Atlantean royal line continued for generations was the power of their bloodline. They were the true darlings of the ocean. Rumor had it that the first king was the son of the Sea God Poseidon, and it was this divine blood that gave the royal family various unimaginable super-abilities.
The rumors were half-true and half-false. Some believed it, others did not. What was undeniable was that the royalty was indeed powerful. If the combat strength of an ordinary Atlantean was one, then the royal family's was a thousand, or even more.
The military rankings of the sea nations never included the royal family. For instance, while Orm's father, Orvax, had the legend of the Undefeated Warrior, he was merely a punching bag in front of his wife, Atlanna.
This was the power that came with the bloodline.
Vulko bowed. "Your Highness, what do you plan to do?"
"The King does not fear any challenge."
Orm walked to the weapons rack, put on his armor, and picked up the weapon left by his father. "Notify the Western forces to assemble at the coastline. Be ready to attack at any time."
Vulko was shocked. "Your Highness, that is not advisable!"
Orm raised his head and spoke every word deliberately.
"The majesty of Atlantis will not permit provocation. Since the surface-dweller dared to kidnap Mera, he must be prepared to be swallowed by a giant wave. The war has already begun."
"The surface-dwellers must pay the price."
The Hostage's Demand
East of Hawaii, thousands of miles away, a black jet plane cut through the clouds, rapidly traveling from west to east.
Inside the cabin, Luke Shaw lay on a soft, comfortable sofa, crossing one leg over the other and yawning lazily.
Across from him sat the anxious Mera and the speechless Carol Ferris.
"I really don't know what you're thinking, kidnapping me! I'm the Princess of Xebel! Do you know what kidnapping me means? Aren't you afraid of starting a war between the ocean and the surface?"
Luke Shaw dug out some earwax and casually replied, "Relax, it'll be fine. I know what I'm doing."
"You know what you're doing? Bullshit!"
Mera, rarely using profanity, showed the extent of her foul mood. "Orm has been looking for an excuse to attack the surface. Your actions play right into his hands! If he starts the war regardless of the consequences, what will you do then?"
"Then we'll replace the King."
"Replace the King?"
Mera frowned, then suddenly realized something, her eyes widening. "You know about that illegitimate son?"
Luke Shaw nodded.
"I didn't know before, but after circling the seabed, I have a definite target."
"Who is he? Where is he? Tell me quickly!"
Luke Shaw flipped his eyelids up and yawned lengthily.
"Your Highness, you are a hostage, understand? A hostage must have the awareness of a hostage. I've been treating you well and feeding you. What more do you want?"
"A ghost would rather be your hostage!"
Mera scoffed. Thinking of the coming consequences, she couldn't help but say,
"Luke, tell me, what exactly are you planning? I truly don't want to see a war break out between our two races."
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