Splash!
Mera created a space that allowed her and Arthur to talk.
"I knew you would come back, son of Atlanna."
Mera looked at Aquaman and said expectantly, "Atlantis needs you."
"No! No! No!"
Arthur shook his head.
"I have nothing to do with Atlantis."
Mera frowned, "Atlanna's blood flows through your veins. The blood of Atlantis flows through your veins. How can you say Atlantis has nothing to do with you?"
Arthur shrugged, "Probably because I've always lived on land."
"And because your so-called Queen Atlanna abandoned her husband and child when I was young."
Mera said, "Arthur, you have no idea what Queen Atlanna sacrificed. If she hadn't done that, neither you nor your father would have survived until now."
"You have to come back. Your brother, King Orm, is arrogant and reckless. He's preparing to go to war with the surface world."
"Only you can stop him."
Looking at the shattered pedestal, Arthur said, "Maybe this isn't the time to discuss that. You should go back and tell your king that the Mother Box was taken."
"If he doesn't plan to do something about it, he won't need to start a war with the surface. Doomsday will find him first."
Mera nodded, "I'll report everything that happened here to the king exactly as it happened."
Arthur looked in the direction Steppenwolf had left.
"That guy might have been lying to us."
Mera's chest rose and fell, "You mean Steppenwolf was trying to drive a wedge between us and the Amazons?"
"It's possible," Arthur nodded.
Mera lowered her eyes, "But he has no reason to do that. He's the most powerful being I've ever seen. If he wanted to attack the Amazons, they wouldn't be able to resist."
Arthur did not insist on his opinion, "You have a point. He's so powerful that he doesn't need to deceive us."
Mera said, "Also, he found the Doomsday Watchtower so accurately. If the Amazons didn't betray us, then we have a problem inside our own ranks."
"But I believe our people would never betray their own kind."
Arthur sighed, "Before this, a bat came looking for me and wanted me to join his alliance."
"He warned me that an enemy was coming."
"I didn't believe him at first."
"Now I have no choice but to believe him."
"I'm going to find him. Maybe he has a way to locate Steppenwolf."
"Even though I don't care what happens to Atlantis, Steppenwolf will threaten the surface world, and my father still wants to keep watching over his lighthouse."
"As his son, I can't do much for him. The only thing I can do is protect the surface world for him."
Mera looked at him.
"That's really painful to hear. Even if you won't listen, I still have to say it."
"Arthur, Atlantis needs you."
Arthur looked at the woman and said nothing.
He suddenly leaped out, leaving the waterless space behind, then quickly departed.
———
A silver-white beam of light descended from the sky.
Steppenwolf returned to his temporary base carrying the Mother Box.
He landed heavily on the ground and then walked to the metal monument.
Steppenwolf pressed the Mother Box into the monument. Part of the Mother Box immediately fused into the metal.
The moment it was embedded, the Mother Box changed and caused Steppenwolf's temporary base to change as well.
The Mother Box began modifying the base according to Steppenwolf's wishes.
At the same time, Steppenwolf shouted, "DeSaad, I've obtained a Mother Box."
The metal monument immediately lit up with flames.
Its upper half turned into flowing liquid, then formed a hooded humanoid figure.
"I saw it."
"Steppenwolf, it seems you're not completely useless after all."
"He is pleased with what you've done. You've taken another step forward on the road to redemption."
"Continue. Obtain all three Mother Boxes. Let them become one. Use flames to purify this planet and add it to the other hell worlds."
Steppenwolf knelt on one knee, "I will get it done."
"But as I said before, this world has powerful enemies. I need help, DeSaad."
DeSaad pointed at the Mother Box embedded in the monument.
"The most powerful modification machine is already right before your eyes. What other help do you need?"
"Steppenwolf, let the Mother Box modify you. It will grant you greater power."
"He has permitted this."
"But only this once."
Steppenwolf said excitedly, "Please tell the great overlord, the respected Lord of Darkness, Lord Darkseid, that I will complete this mission even if it costs my life. I will handle this matter for him!"
DeSaad said in a deep voice, "I hope you remember your promise."
The monument then returned to its original form.
Steppenwolf stood up and looked at the Mother Box in the monument.
He looked at his axe.
Then he raised it with a roar, causing lightning to burst across its surface.
He pointed it at the Mother Box.
The lightning from the axe immediately shot into the Mother Box.
The Mother Box began to vibrate. Its surface particles shifted, and light burst out from within.
Then it released a dense mass of blue lightning that moved across Steppenwolf's body.
Steppenwolf immediately screamed.
In an instant, his entire body was changing, from his most basic cells to the spiked armor covering him.
"I want to become stronger!"
"Stronger!"
Steppenwolf let out a huge roar.
His will was extremely firm, and that thought was transmitted to the Mother Box.
His body began trembling and expanding.
His frame grew a full size larger.
His silver-white armor emitted flames. Molten rock flowed from the gaps and continuously dripped to the ground, scattering sparks everywhere.
Straight steel spikes glowing with fire and trailing sparks extended from his shoulders, back, and arms.
"Ah!"
Blue lightning flashed in Steppenwolf's eyes.
With a roar, he slammed his axe into the ground.
At once, electric currents surged outward like waves, sweeping through the surroundings.
After some time, the lightning in his eyes finally disappeared.
He panted and then burst into laughter.
"So powerful."
"After accepting the Mother Box's modifications, I actually possess this kind of strength."
"With this, even if I meet that man again, or a Kryptonian, I have nothing to fear!"
At that moment, a Parademon flew to his side.
Steppenwolf seemed to receive some information. He suddenly grabbed the Parademon.
"What?"
"You captured some humans carrying traces of a Mother Box's aura?"
"Humans were actually able to come into contact with a Mother Box?"
"Where are they? Take me there immediately!"
The next moment, a Boom Tube descended.
Steppenwolf's body slowly rose upward, then vanished into the Boom Tube at tremendous speed.
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