By the time Lucas reached the coastline, Gotham City behind him was shrouded in thick columns of smoke rising endlessly into the sky.
The Atlantean army had been utterly crippled. The remaining forces would inevitably retreat back into the sea sooner or later.
Standing at the water's edge, Lucas took out the device Kara had brought him earlier.
After locating the activation switch, he pressed it. With a series of mechanical sounds, the device rapidly transformed, eventually forming a mask-like apparatus. Lucas put it on.
This device allowed its user to extract dissolved oxygen from seawater—much like a fish—preventing suffocation underwater.
It also contained a miniature amplifier. After all, Lucas was not Atlantean.
Holding his breath posed no challenge to him, but speaking underwater was another matter entirely.
Once everything was in place, Lucas dove straight into the ocean.
---
The moment he entered the depths, he found himself surrounded by a dense formation of Sea Bat flyers.
Without hesitation, cannons fired in unison. Countless blasts slammed into Lucas from every direction.
One minute later, when the barrage finally ceased, what remained was an unharmed Lucas standing calmly in the water.
The Atlanteans were stunned beyond belief.
A land-dweller—someone who should have been utterly disadvantaged underwater—suddenly accelerated, surging straight into the Sea Bat flyers.
Yes, water resistance was far greater than air resistance.
And while Lucas lacked the Kryptonian bio-field that allowed Clark and Kara to move freely through any environment…
He possessed something far more versatile.
Ki.
Ki could be shaped into countless forms—sharp needle-like currents in front of him, streamlined contours around his body—reducing water resistance to an absolute minimum.
It could even be molded into spiral propellers behind him, generating tremendous thrust.
As a result, Lucas's underwater speed rapidly climbed, rivaling—if not surpassing—his land-based explosiveness.
He tore into the Sea Bat formation like a living torpedo.
Every time his fist met a ship, a massive dent caved in its hull, followed by sparks—and then an explosion.
Lucas pressed forward relentlessly.
Within moments, the surrounding Sea Bats were reduced to brilliant underwater firebursts.
Any vessel foolish enough to block his path was rammed head-on.
Not a single Sea Bat could withstand his sheer momentum—each one torn open before detonating into debris.
From a distance, Lucas looked like a burning fuse streaking through the depths, explosions blooming wherever he passed.
In just a few minutes, hundreds of Sea Bat aircraft were completely wiped out.
---
Before Lucas could reorient himself, a massive energy cannon struck him head-on.
Looking up, he saw a colossal, whale-like deep-sea warship approaching at high speed, its heavy weapons firing continuously.
Lucas surged forward.
In the next instant, the two collided.
A visible shockwave rippled through the water as the impact halted the vessel instantly.
The warship—over a hundred meters long, with a bow more than twenty meters wide—was stopped cold.
Inside the control room, Atlantean crew members staggered to their feet, clutching their heads.
"Captain! The propulsion system is destroyed—we can't restart the engines!" an operator shouted.
"…It's over," the captain muttered, staring blankly at the screen.
Outside, Lucas formed an energy sphere in his palm.
He casually tossed it toward the warship and turned away, not even glancing back at the violent explosion that followed.
He continued advancing.
Any force that dared attack him—regardless of what it was—was obliterated without exception.
By dismantling reinforcements one after another, Lucas eventually traced their movements back to Atlantis's main city.
Naturally, they were well aware of his approach.
After all, it was impossible to miss someone carving a path of destruction straight toward their capital.
Lucas did not intend to charge in immediately.
He raised his hand as vast amounts of ki converged, rapidly forming a dense energy sphere.
The sheer power caused the surrounding seawater to vibrate violently. Marine life fled instinctively, sensing imminent danger.
"Wait!"
A voice suddenly called out.
Lucas turned and saw a muscular blond man approaching, accompanied by a white-haired woman wearing a fearsome mask.
Seeing that Lucas had paused, they cautiously swam closer.
"Arthur Curry?" Lucas asked.
"You know who I am?" Arthur said in surprise.
Blond hair, blue eyes, dressed in surface-world clothing, capable of breathing and moving freely underwater—and bold enough to approach him—
There was no mistaking it.
"I suppose I am pretty obvious," Arthur admitted.
"Speak," Lucas said calmly, already knowing what was coming.
"Respected champion of the surface," Arthur said firmly,
"Orm was wrong. The Atlanteans who invaded the land deserve punishment."
"But the people inside the city are innocent. They shouldn't suffer for crimes they did not commit."
Lucas shook his head.
"No. By supporting Orm—by supporting the invasion—they share responsibility."
Arthur clenched his teeth.
"No. They're civilians. If you want justice, then punish the one truly responsible."
At that, Lucas laughed.
Though hidden behind the mask, his tone was unmistakable.
"Then how about this," Lucas said.
"I deal with Orm—and you become the King of Atlantis."
Arthur froze, momentarily speechless.
At that moment, the silent woman beside him spoke.
"I accept on his behalf."
She removed her mask, revealing a dignified face still marked by grace.
"My name is Atlanna—former Queen of Atlantis. Mother of both Arthur and Orm."
"I believe I am qualified to make this decision."
"Mother?" Arthur looked at her in shock. Atlanna subtly shook her head, signaling him to stay silent.
"Of course," Lucas said with a shrug.
"What are your terms?" Atlanna asked.
"All Atlantean technology," Lucas replied plainly.
"And when required, the undersea world must obey my commands without condition."
"No problem," Atlanna answered.
"But I have conditions as well."
"Orm must live. And the throne must remain within my bloodline."
"After all, my other son, Arthur, helped you resolve a major problem earlier."
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"You mean the leviathan, Karlsen."
"That creature was injured only because Orm exhausted it with sheer numbers—allowing him to claim the Trident afterward."
Long before the seas stirred, Lucas had already sent deep-sea submarines to monitor the creature's location.
He knew exactly how Orm had seized the Trident.
Lucas nodded.
"Fine. I won't kill Orm."
"But he must go to the surface and be judged under surface-world law."
"That is the price for starting a war."
Atlanna clenched her jaw.
"…Agreed."