King of the Sea! Dying Abin-Sur?!

(~˘▾˘)~~(˘▾˘~)

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Ding!!

Orm was unwilling to give up the throne without a fight, and brandished his trident and charged straight at David. David swept his trident with one hand, and the two tridents collided.

A massive wave erupted beneath the sea, like a small shrimp caught under the tail of the ocean's dominant killer whale. Orm's body was violently sent flying, crashing into a corner of the palace.

The boundless divine power displayed left everyone in shock.

In the clash just now, there had been no golden brilliance emanating from the Trident of Neptune, and the surrounding seawater had not shown any disturbance. Was this blow powered by his own strength?

Orm possessed the strongest Atlantean bloodline within the Seven Seas, he attacked him in anger but still couldn't block his move. How was this possible?!

"Surface dweller, I am the true ruler of the Seven Seas!"

In the ruins of the palace, the silver trident had been bent, Orm's hands were trembling, his palms were bleeding, and blood spilled into the sea from his mouth.

In his embarrassed state, in front of everyone's eyes, he realized the vast gap between himself and David. Filled with anger, he let out a loud roar in anger and unexpectedly burst out with power, gripped the trident, and charged again.

"Orm, stop!"

Moving to stand in front of David, Mera shouted and manipulated the water flow to block Orm and make him cease his useless actions.

The queen had taught her while growing up, and if possible, she hoped to save the life of the queen's younger son. Moreover, she was afraid that Orm's actions would cause David to implicate the whole of Atlanteans.

"You betrayed your people, and you betrayed me, just like my mother who was sacrificed to the trench tribe!"

The water, which easily shattered rocks, rushed towards Orm, but he swung his trident and exploded it. Facing his former fiancée and the woman who was now helping his enemies, his eyes turned bloodshot as he aimed the sharp trident at her snow-white neck, radiating a murderous intent.

The sharp trident tip approached in an instant.

Mera hastily manipulated the water to form a whirlpool, wrapping the silver trident hoping to divert it away.

However, Orm's deadly strike was not so easily deflected. After a brief moment of stalemate, the water dispersed, and the trident's tip pierced towards Mera's vital spot.

"Daughter!"

Nereus shouted loudly, his eyes widening in shock and anger.

Mera felt the breath of death coming towards her face; as if facing the gaping jaws of a shark. A trace of fear appeared in her eyes.

In the next moment, the water suddenly changed, becoming as solid as steel. Orm's trident seemed to be thrust against an immovable wall of copper and iron, unable to advance even an inch.

Orm exerted all his strength, his face turning crimson with effort, and he let out a mighty roar. However, it still couldn't push his trident forward another inch.

He stared wide-eyed as David raised his palm, manipulating the water flow through the gravity field, compressing it upward.

Orm quickly realized that it wasn't just his trident in his hand; his entire body felt like it was embedded in high-density alloy, as if mountain peaks from all sides were squeezing him, rendering him immobile, and his bones groaned under the unbearable weight.

Mera swiftly retreated, looking at David with a slight lingering fear.

She hadn't expected David to intervene and save her.

"Your little tricks end here," David said.

Having shown his power to the Atlanteans, it was time for Orm, this supporting character, to exit the stage. David's gaze shifted, controlling the gravity to twist Orm's head to the side, with increasing force.

Orm seemed to realize something, his eyes widening in shock and anger. He tried to resist the force, exerting a force that surpassed tens of thousands of tons, enough to sink a submarine.

But like a mantis trying to use its arms as a cart, accompanied by a light cracking sound, Orm's neck snapped like fragile straw, and the trident in his hand fell, sinking to the seabed, turning the whole person a lifeless corpse.

Orm's strength was not bad, especially in the water, which was his home field. Even Wonder Woman, a descendant of Zeus, would have struggled underwater. 

Even if David didn't have the power to manipulate gravity and lift mountain peaks, dealing with Orm in the sea would have taken a lot of effort.

"From now on, the Atlantis family will be under the rule of David. 

Those who disagree can step forward."

No longer looking at the body falling to the seabed, David's gaze swept dominantly, causing the Atlanteans to bow their heads in awe, afraid to meet his eyes.

"Your Majesty! You have been acknowledged by the Trident of Neptune. You are the undisputed King of the Seas!" The King of the Fisher Kingdom said solemnly, placing a hand on his chest.

Nereus, who was once only in a slightly weaker position than Orm, awkwardly bowed his head, avoiding eye contact. 

With the power David had displayed, he had no confidence in opposing him.

However, there was still one thing he still had doubts about. Up to this point, David had never been in contact with the sea, and his behavior didn't resemble that of an Atlantean. 

If he wasn't Atlantean, how did the other party gain the recognition of the Trident?

David scanned the crowd and saw hesitation in the eyes of many who looked at him, many began to doubt his identity, but at this moment, they were frightened by the overwhelming power he had just displayed in defeating the previous ruler of the Seven Seas and didn't dare to speak.

But he didn't mind.

This was precisely what he wanted.

...

After bringing the Kingdom of Xebel and the Fisher Kingdom back under the rule of Atlantis, David took a journey with the two kings to the territory of the Brine.

The King of the Brine kingdom resembled a crab in appearance, with a volatile and rude temper. However, upon seeing David wielding the long-lost Trident of Neptune and personally experiencing the depths of his unfathomable power and being scared to death, he too submitted to David's throne.

The palace underwent renovations, becoming even grander and more majestic than before.

David moved into the palace and delegated all the troublesome affairs of Atlantis to Mera, appointing her as the consul.

...

"Your Majesty, there have been some rumors circulating recently about you within the palace."

A few days later, inside the Royal Palace, David sat on the throne as Mera entered. After some hesitation, she spoke.

"Oh, really? Let's hear what rumors are circulating."

David rested his chin on his hand, looking completely indifferent.

His tone didn't sound like he was concerned about rumors regarding himself; rather, it was as if he was asking Mera to share some interesting gossip from the kingdom.

"It's rumored within the kingdom that you are not an Atlantean. 

You are from the surface and obtained the Trident through illegitimate means."

After some hesitation, Mera said.

"What do you think, Mera?"

David looked at her with interest.

"These rumors are, of course, false," Mera bit her lip and replied in a slightly harsh tone.

"There are rebels within the kingdom who intend to spread rumors and shake Your Majesty's rule. I suggest that they be arrested and throw them in the dungeons," she continued.

Looking at Mera below the throne, David waved his hand.

"Let them spread their rumors. If they are indeed false, they will crumble on their own."

Mera raised her head in surprise.

She hadn't expected David's reaction to be like this at all.

She wanted to ask David 'This rumor, don't you know it yourself?', but she restrained herself, not daring to provoke this terrible guy on the throne.

Mera thought that David would be angry and order the arrest or even execution of those who threatened the stability of his rule. However, she had never anticipated that he would simply ignore the situation.

'Is he confident in your abilities and not afraid of internal rebellion?'

'Or is it possible that he's waiting for something to happen within the kingdom, so he can intervene with a justifiable reason and unleash a massacre to teach the Atlanteans a painful lesson?'

…

As Mera considered this, she glanced at the man on the throne, secretly feeling agitated, and didn't dare to think any further.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to explain David's abnormal behavior, and the only explanation might be that he was fishing.

Just then,

"By the way, I might have to leave for a while. I'm leaving the kingdom's internal affairs to you!"

David slowly stood up, as if he had remembered something.

"Now?" 

Mera was even more astonished.

It had not been long since David had ascended to the throne of Atlantis, as an outsider, and his power and influence were not yet fully stable. Why would he choose to leave at this crucial moment? And it sounded like he would be gone for a considerable amount of time.

Mera quickly lowered her head, not wanting David to see the confusion on her face.

'A single abnormal move might be a coincidence, but a series of unusual actions undoubtedly have hidden reasons unknown to outsiders.'

While David's ascent to the throne had appeared smooth, in fact, it had always concealed hidden dangers, with many opposing individuals not yet exposed.

Mera was becoming increasingly convinced that David was fishing, allowing internal rebellion to brew within the kingdom. He would then use a bloody massacre to permanently discourage any thoughts of rebellion among her people.

'I absolutely cannot let him succeed', Mera thought to herself, clenching her fists. After David left, she would immediately handle the affairs of the kingdom to prevent any kind of trouble from happening.

'All those who are plotting rebellion and want to oppose will be thrown into the dungeons.'

Mera's speculation actually made a lot of sense. David indeed had unknown reasons for his actions. However, unfortunately, her guess was headed in the wrong direction.

David looked out through the palace window.

He knew that 'rumors' about him questioning the legitimacy of his reign were circulating within the kingdom.

'They directly challenge the legitimacy of my rule.'

These rumors were, in fact, true, but originally, they wouldn't have gained any traction.

'Actually, It's actually an issue with my attitude.'

If David didn't want the people of Atlantis to specifically target his rule, there were many ways he could have mitigated the situation.

'First and foremost, I shouldn't have remained inside a force field before and after ascending to the throne, as if I were a germophobic person in a dirty and messy barnyard in the countryside. 

Acting as if I didn't want a drop of seawater to touch me raised suspicions.'

Secondly, after ascending to the throne, he should have immediately 'discovered' a record in the Atlantean royal family's history proving the outflow of the royal blood to prove the legitimacy and purity of his bloodline.

Lastly, he should have used a firm but fair approach to control and suppress any discourse related to these matters.

'If I had followed these steps, along with the display of the awe-inspiring power I showed earlier, as long as I didn't appear excessively cruel, I believe there would be no further suspicions about me.'

However, David deliberately chose not to do so, as it would contradict his fundamental goal of conquering Atlantis.

"Is there a problem, my consul?" 

David turned to look at Mera, who was still standing there in a trance contemplating something, and spoke slowly.

"Of course not, Your Majesty," Mera replied.

To her surprise, she couldn't discern any intention from the man in front of her to start a massacre. It was as if he truly didn't care about the supreme imperial authority he had painstakingly acquired.

A chill ran down Mera's spine. She quickly lowered her head and forced a smile onto her face.

"That's good," David said, his lips curling into a satisfied smile.

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…

In the cold and boundless universe.

Stars of various colors were scattered across the backdrop of space like a collection of colorful gemstones.

"Sinestro, I'm traveling at maximum speed right now. Tell Vontara that I'll be arriving soon..."

Within a massive interstellar spaceship constantly performing space jumps at high speed,

An alien with purple skin and a solemn expression, dressed in a green suit woven from energy, with a lantern-shaped symbol on his chest, faced the holographic image of a dear friend on the ship's communication console. His tone was serious as he tried to convey to his comrades in the same legion that he would arrive soon and asked them to hold on a little longer.

Abin Sur was not only a renowned member of the Green Lantern Corps in the universe but also a legendary Green Lantern. His incredible strength, exceptional courage, and unyielding have allowed him to overcome many powerful adversaries seeking to disrupt the universal order.

When other members of the Corps encountered enemies they couldn't handle, the Guardians often dispatched him to resolve the situation. Time and time again, he excelled in his missions.

But now, without having encountered an enemy, there was an unease on his face.

"Vontara is dead," said the holographic image of Thaal Sinestro, one of the most outstanding Green Lanterns in the Corps. He spoke calmly, like a silent statue. 

After a few seconds, he asked, "The planet's inhabitants?"

"The entire planet, like Talok, has been annihilated, its life forms destroyed, and its essence absorbed, leaving only silence and traces of yellow energy everywhere," Sinestro said, his expression grim, furrowing his brow.

"That creature is different from when you defeated it before; it has become stronger. 

I requested information about its origin from the Guardians, but..."

The holographic image suddenly distorted and broke apart.

Beep, beep, beep!

Abin Sur quickly turned his head to look out into space from the spaceship. His Green Lantern ring, the source of his power, illuminated and emitted short warning signals, indicating that something dangerous was approaching.

The universe remained silent and pitch-black, as if everything were just an illusion.

"Abin Sur..."

But following a call that sounded in his mind and induced an uncontrollable fear in people,

Intense yellow light erupted as if a sun had collided with the spaceship. The ship's hull shattered, and Abin Sur was thrown off the ship like a piece of paper in the wind, smashing the bulkhead and crashing under the bridge.

During the rapid descent,

A monstrous creature with a grotesque face, its long, ghostly yellow body, swung its lengthy tentacles and attacked. Its piercing shrieks seemed to tap into the deepest fears of one's heart.

Abin Sur manipulated his Lantern ring to fly and fired energy attacks at the creature, but his attacks were no longer as threatening as they once were years ago. 

His green energy strikes landed on the colossal body of the creature, much like feeble candle flames confronting an irresistible storm, and were instantly extinguished.

Abin Sur gritted his teeth and concentrated a considerable amount of Lantern ring energy to form a laser gun. Finally, his attacks were no longer crude and began to have an effect after several shots.

"You can't escape, Abin Sur!"

One of the inconspicuous tentacles of the Parallax creature was severed, and it howled in anger. It could never forget that many years ago, it was this man before it who sealed it inside the interior of a dead planet.

"I will drain your life and make you die in pain and fear."

Inside the broken tentacle, a lantern ring that resembled an emerald carving was revealed.

Abin Sur manipulated energy to remotely retrieve the familiar Lantern ring of his fallen comrade, a fleeting hint of sadness passing through his eyes. He focused on the Parallax creature, squeezing the trigger while engaging in combat.

"Perhaps I am no longer your match. But there is still the Corps that can deal with you."

"When I drain a few more life-bearing planets, all the Lantern rings representing the order of the universe will become my trophies, and I will reduce the Green Lantern Corps to dust in the universe!"

Parallax yelled ferociously, and energy beams fired from its tentacles rained down like a tempest. The energy shield was shattered with a single hit, and Abin Sur was struck in the chest.

He grunted, clutching his chest, and then swiftly retreated into the escape pod that he had finally reached.

He hastily pressed a button.

The escape pod shot out several miles away in an instant.

"Inform the Guardians. The universe is in crisis, and we need to summon the Corps."

Abin Sur, barely clinging to life, looked back at the monstrous Parallax emerging from the spaceship. He operated the escape pod, urgently moving away. His vision was fading, his chest a bloody mess, but he weakly issued his final command to the two Lantern rings.

"Head to the nearest living planet, Initiate the procedure, and select the successor of the Lantern rings..."

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(~˘▾˘)~Don't forget to send your power-stones!~(˘▾˘~)