The main square of Atlantis had been transformed into a stage of humiliation.
Dozens of warriors loyal to Queen Atlanna were bound and forced to kneel in rows across the stone plaza. Behind each prisoner stood an executioner gripping a massive blade, waiting silently for the order to strike.
Black Manta lounged in a high chair placed at the center of the square. He sat there like a conquering king, staring down at the prisoners and the countless Atlantean citizens gathered around the plaza.
A smug smile slowly crept across his face.
To his left sat King Nereus, ruler of Xebel. To his right stood the Ocean Master, the traitorous ruler who had betrayed his own homeland.
The man responsible for helping them seize the kingdom, Loki, was nowhere to be seen.
Black Manta glanced toward the Ocean Master with an amused expression before shifting his gaze toward Queen Atlanna.
The former queen stood under heavy guard, flanked by two warriors. Even as a prisoner, she held her head high and her shoulders straight, refusing to show the slightest hint of fear.
"Let's begin," Black Manta announced lazily.
Ocean Master glanced briefly at his mother before giving a quiet nod to the execution officer.
Steel flashed.
"Slash."
The blades fell.
The heads of Atlanna's loyal guards rolled across the plaza floor.
Queen Atlanna's eyelids lowered slightly when she saw the bodies collapse, but her posture never changed.
The corpses were not removed.
Instead, another group was dragged forward.
The queen's personal maids were forced to kneel in the same place, trembling violently as they awaited their fate.
Black Manta leaned forward in his chair, enjoying the moment.
"This is your last chance," he said with a grin. "Hand over the Mother Box, or these innocent people die because of you."
Queen Atlanna didn't respond.
Instead, she turned her gaze toward her son.
Ocean Master.
When she saw him look away, the disappointment in her eyes deepened.
She could tolerate betrayal.
But cowardice was another matter entirely.
Black Manta's smile slowly faded as his patience wore thin.
He raised his hand.
"Do it."
"Slash."
Another wave of blades fell.
Dozens of heads hit the ground.
Queen Atlanna sighed quietly.
"Just kill me."
Ocean Master suddenly stood up.
"Mother!" he shouted anxiously. "Why are you being so stubborn?"
He gestured wildly as he spoke.
"If you hand over the Mother Box and we open the Boom Tube, Steppenwolf and the Parademon army will descend on Earth. Atlantis won't just rule the oceans anymore—the entire planet will belong to us!"
"Shut up!" Atlanna roared.
Her voice echoed across the square.
"You've already disappointed me enough."
She stared directly at him.
"Even if I die, I will never hand over the Mother Box."
Black Manta's patience finally snapped.
He walked down from his chair, sword already drawn.
"Atlanna," he said coldly, "do you really think I wouldn't kill you?"
"Wait!"
Ocean Master rushed forward and stepped between them.
"Give me another chance," he pleaded. "I'll convince her to hand it over."
Atlanna snorted in disgust.
Black Manta kicked Ocean Master aside without hesitation and raised his sword again.
Just as the blade began to fall—
Clang.
A trident shot across the square and blocked the strike.
Moments later, Loki appeared with a group of mutated superheroes behind him.
Black Manta scowled immediately.
"Why are you stopping me?"
Loki chuckled lightly.
"She's still useful," he said. "You can't kill her yet."
Black Manta frowned.
"It's just a Mother Box. Kill her and I'll search every corner of Atlantis until we find it."
Loki simply smiled.
Then he flipped his wrist.
A small, intricately designed cube appeared in his palm.
"If you're talking about this," Loki said casually, "I already found it."
Black Manta's eyes widened.
"The Mother Box?"
"Where did you get it?"
Queen Atlanna also reacted instantly. She tried to rush forward to grab the cube but was held firmly by the guards behind her.
"How I found it isn't important," Loki said calmly. "What matters is that Atlanna cannot die yet."
Black Manta frowned.
"Why?"
"We already have the Mother Box," he said. "What use is she now?"
Loki raised an eyebrow.
"Don't you know that opening a Boom Tube requires three Mother Boxes?"
Black Manta nodded.
"One controlled by humans, one by the Amazons, and one by Atlantis."
He crossed his arms.
"But we only have this one."
Loki tilted his head.
"Do you know who has the other two?"
Black Manta shook his head.
Loki sighed dramatically.
"Then you probably don't know who Jack Lee is either."
Black Manta frowned.
"Who's that?"
Loki's expression darkened slightly.
"He's our biggest obstacle."
"Not only did he take the other two Mother Boxes, he's also resurrected several superheroes."
Loki paused before adding another detail.
"One of them is your old enemy—Aquaman."
Black Manta stiffened.
"Arthur Curry?"
"Exactly," Loki replied. "Atlanna's other son."
He gestured toward the crowd surrounding the square.
"If I'm not mistaken, Jack Lee is probably already here with Aquaman. They're likely hiding somewhere and watching us right now."
Loki held up the Mother Box.
"They want this one."
"And I want the other two."
He glanced toward Atlanna.
"Now do you understand why she can't die?"
Black Manta's eyes narrowed.
"You plan to threaten Arthur with her."
Atlanna straightened slightly.
Hearing that Arthur was alive restored some of her confidence.
Loki shook his head.
"No."
"I plan to exchange her for the other two Mother Boxes."
Meanwhile, far from the center of the plaza, Li Jie and his allies watched the scene unfold.
Guided through a secret passage by Vulko, they had entered Atlantis without being detected.
Aquaman had used his telepathic ability to communicate with nearby marine life and learned that his mother was being held in the square.
He was now hiding among the crowd.
Behind him, Li Jie, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman stood disguised in Black Manta armor.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the Mother Box in Loki's hand.
But none of them moved.
Even if they ignored Black Manta's forces and the armies under Ocean Master and King Nereus, the mutated superheroes behind Loki were a massive obstacle.
Taking the Mother Box wouldn't be easy.
When Loki mentioned trading Atlanna for the other two cubes, Aquaman instinctively looked toward Li Jie.
Superman and the others followed his gaze.
Li Jie spoke quietly.
"Don't move yet."
"There's no opportunity."
Without another word, he began swimming toward the center of the square.
Ocean Master's guards immediately moved to block him, but Li Jie casually pushed them aside using telekinesis.
"Loki!" he called out loudly.
Then he removed his helmet.
Loki looked genuinely surprised.
But only for a moment.
Soon he began smiling.
"Let him through," Loki said calmly.
Black Manta waved his hand.
The guards stepped aside.
Li Jie walked forward until he stood directly before Loki.
"Jack Lee," Loki said with a friendly grin. "What a pleasant surprise."
"Loki," Li Jie replied calmly, "I heard everything you said."
"But you were wrong about one thing."
"Oh?"
"I didn't come here to take the Mother Box from you."
Li Jie raised his hands.
Two cubes appeared in front of him.
"I came to give you these."
The human Mother Box.
And the Amazon Mother Box.
The entire square fell silent.
Even Loki was stunned.
Behind Li Jie, Aquaman and Superman stared at Wonder Woman.
The Amazon Mother Box was supposed to be with her.
Wonder Woman looked equally confused.
She was certain hers had never been stolen.
Which meant one thing.
The cubes Li Jie produced had to be fake.
Black Manta immediately leaned forward, tempted to grab them.
But Loki didn't move.
Instead, he chuckled thoughtfully.
"Tell me something," Loki said.
"Why would you give them to me?"
Li Jie shrugged.
"If I stop Steppenwolf and the Parademons, what do I gain?"
"An empty superhero title."
He gestured toward the cubes.
"But if I give these to you, I'm sure you'll reward me generously."
Loki laughed.
"A reward?"
"Well said."
He nodded approvingly.
"Don't worry. When Steppenwolf arrives, I'll personally recommend you to him."
"Steppenwolf?"
Li Jie shook his head dismissively.
"I'm not interested in working for him."
Loki raised an eyebrow.
"Then who?"
Li Jie answered calmly.
"Darkseid."
For the first time, Loki looked genuinely surprised.
Then he burst into laughter.
"Jack," Loki said, clearly impressed. "I underestimated you."
"You're right. Someone with your ambition shouldn't waste time under Steppenwolf."
He nodded slowly.
"Darkseid would definitely value you much more."
Darkseid was the ruler of Apokolips.
A cosmic tyrant whose power rivaled the greatest beings in existence.
Some compared him to Thanos, though many believed the two weren't even on the same level.
Steppenwolf might be a terrifying general.
But in truth, he was nothing more than Darkseid's subordinate.
Li Jie handing over two Mother Boxes while declaring loyalty to Darkseid made his ambition perfectly clear.
His goals weren't limited to Earth.
They stretched across the entire universe.
"Here," Li Jie said calmly.
He handed the two cubes to Loki.
Loki accepted them happily.
"No, Jack," he said with a grin. "I should be the one thanking you."
"Once the Boom Tube opens and the Parademon army arrives, I'll personally report your contribution to Darkseid."
Black Manta, Ocean Master, and King Nereus all stared at Li Jie with mixed emotions.
Jealousy.
Envy.
Hatred.
They had fought just to serve Steppenwolf and rule Earth.
Meanwhile, Li Jie had skipped straight to Darkseid.
And he had offered two Mother Boxes to do it.
Black Manta suddenly spoke.
"Now that we have all three Mother Boxes… can I kill Atlanna?"
Loki shot him a cold glance.
"What's the rush?"
"Our priority is opening the Boom Tube."
He turned back to Li Jie.
"Go rest for a moment," Loki said with a smile. "I'll prepare the activation."
"Alright," Li Jie replied.
As he passed Black Manta, he whispered quietly.
"Want to talk for a moment?"
Black Manta hesitated.
Then nodded.
He led Li Jie into a nearby building beside the square.
"What do you want?" he asked bluntly.
Li Jie smiled.
"Black Manta, I know you and I haven't always been on good terms."
"But if you think about it carefully…"
"We're actually on the same side."
Black Manta frowned.
"The same side?"
"Exactly."
Li Jie leaned closer.
"Loki is from Asgard. In his eyes, we're probably less valuable than insects."
He gestured outside.
"And the other two? They're sea creatures."
"They'll never stand with you."
Black Manta considered the words.
Slowly, a smile spread across his face.
"You're right," he said.
"The two of us are the only reliable ones here."
He crossed his arms.
"So what's your plan?"
Li Jie spoke calmly.
"It's not really a plan."
"But if we're going to open the Boom Tube and meet Darkseid…"
"We should make sure our own interests come first."
As he spoke, Li Jie quietly activated Poison Ivy's mind control ability.
Invisible psychic tendrils slipped into Black Manta's consciousness.
Within seconds, the pirate leader was completely under Li Jie's control.
He didn't even realize it.
"Go make the preparations," Li Jie ordered calmly.
"And bring Ocean Master to see me."
"Yes," Black Manta replied obediently.
He rushed away immediately.
Li Jie watched him leave.
One puppet wasn't enough.
He needed another.
A short time later, Ocean Master entered the room.
His expression was dark.
"You wanted to see me?"
Li Jie smiled.
"Ocean Master," he said calmly, "as the ruler of Atlantis, I assume everyone here respects you."
Ocean Master lifted his chin proudly.
"Of course."
"Who would dare disobey me here?"
....
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