"Mike, the situation doesn't look good. Some of our teammates might not make it."
A young man, his hands chilled and exuding an intense cold aura, stared at the battlefield. His face was flushed, chest heaving heavily, and it was unclear whether the moisture running down his forehead was sweat or melted ice.
Their original objective had been to follow The Flash's plan and intercept him at the scene. With Captain Cold's ice abilities, several Kryptonian genetic warriors using freeze breath, a gravity manipulator, and a person capable of nullifying weight, they had been confident in subduing The Flash.
Unexpectedly, The Flash never appeared.
Even so, they had been able to control the battlefield, suppress Ocean Master Orm, and potentially kill him without any losses.
However, the sudden earthquake from an unknown source caused their momentum to collapse. Coupled with Hal's radiant light grenade, the Kryptonian genetic warriors were severely weakened, leaving them at a major disadvantage against the massive wave magic Orm summoned.
Mike's eyes shifted slightly as he glanced at Leonard Snart, who was gasping beside him. A slight chill passed over his skin, carried by Snart's cold aura.
Once The Flash's enemy and leader of the Rogues, Captain Cold had chosen to ally with them after Bardi cured his sister and freed them from a life of suffering. He was no longer a villain.
"Mike, I can't hold out much longer. Every drop of that seawater feels like a thousand pounds, and it's hard to freeze."
Captain Cold narrowed his eyes as he spoke. Cold mist emanated from his hands, forming an ice wall that blocked the impact of Orm's water magic. This bought time for nearby teammates to evade the blast.
Ocean Master Orm's water magic wasn't like regular water. It had the piercing force of bullets. Enhanced by magic, it instantly pierced two muscle-enhanced warriors, sending blood spraying in jets.
But that wasn't the end. As blood flowed, Orm raised his magical trident and used fresh blood as a medium to launch another attack. In an instant, Orm, who had regained the upper hand, summoned a massive wave. The tide surged, and their original plan had completely fallen apart. The situation was now dire.
"Rescue the Kryptonian genetic warriors first. Get them out of here and have them return once they've recovered. We'll fall back for now."
Mike's gaze flickered as he looked at the deep blue waves, now rolling and surging ten meters high, shimmering under the sunlight.
Almost instantly, Mike understood—Ocean Master Orm could not be killed.
They could not trigger a war between Atlantis and the surface world. They could not spark hatred between the two sides.
Arthur's entire goal was peaceful coexistence between Atlanteans and surface dwellers. At this moment, Orm must not die. If he did, it could lead to open war and catastrophic consequences.
Everything Arthur was working for would be ruined.
Mike thought silently.
Captain Cold was briefly stunned. He glanced at Mike from the corner of his eye. He remembered that His Majesty's original orders had been clear—kill Ocean Master Orm.
Even though they were at a disadvantage, they weren't completely out of options.
This dry terrain had been chosen specifically to limit Orm's ability to manipulate water.
Now that Orm had used up a vast amount of magic to create this massive current, if they could just hold out through this attack, they still had the strength to eliminate him.
Retreating now seemed questionable.
However, that thought only flashed briefly in Captain Cold's mind. He had no objection. Mike was the field commander, and his orders would not be defied.
In the Barmulodi faction, the military hierarchy was strict. Suggestions were allowed, but orders were absolute.
Everything depended on Mike's decision.
"There's no need to force it. We're 300 kilometers from the sea, and this valley is bone-dry. The nearest city is over 120 kilometers away. He can't keep up this level of magic output over such a distance. Besides, our recovery rate is faster than his magic drain."
Seeing Captain Cold hesitate slightly, Mike added more explanation to quell any doubts about the sudden retreat.
Captain Cold immediately understood. With the rapid recovery rate of the Kryptonian genetic warriors, just a few moments under the sun outside the battlefield would be enough for them to regain their strength. They could then resume support with heat vision and freeze breath from a distance.
With sustained pressure and numbers on their side, there would be no need for unnecessary casualties. Ocean Master Orm, cornered and exhausted, would eventually fall.
Without delay, Captain Cold sent a coded signal through their communication system, initiating tactical retreat under cover.
High above the ten-meter wave, Orm stood with a savage smile. His eyes were grim as he watched several enemies attempting to retreat and rescue their injured allies.
"Trying to escape?!"
He raised the magical trident, its brilliant blue glow glinting in the sun. The waves at his feet surged, splitting and crashing outward, forming towering walls of current that rapidly encircled his enemies.
The blue tide curled and twisted like a giant serpent, its body glowing under the sunlight—a breathtaking but deadly beauty.
Those inside the circle weren't panicking. Surrounded as they were, they knew the water pressure wouldn't be enough to kill them outright. Still, it would make escape extremely difficult.
"Surface dwellers, are you declaring war on Atlantis?"
"Good. I've always hated you filthy insects."
Orm stood tall atop the wave, his black cloak flapping wildly. Holding the trident high, he looked down with deep contempt.
Captain Cold continued transmitting orders. Various team members with different abilities began coordinating efforts to retrieve the fallen Kryptonian genetic warriors, preparing for a breakout per Mike's command.
Boom!
Suddenly.
A tremendous sonic boom echoed from the sky, like a supersonic jet breaking the sound barrier during a dive, shaking the air with its roar.
The sound seemed to arrive slowly.
As it reached them, a white figure plummeted from the sky, landing with crushing force on Orm's back and slamming him into the ground.
The impact instantly destroyed Orm's internal organs. Taken by surprise, he couldn't react in time before Bardi's stomp shattered his insides and drove him deep into the earth, leaving behind a massive crater.
The moment the wave lost its magical support, it collapsed like a lifeless serpent. Water splashed and crashed around the scene.
As the others turned toward the source of the sound, they saw the wave crumbling. At its center stood Bardi, clad in white, stepping on Orm's unmoving body.
In Bardi's arms was The Flash. His legs had been frozen and broken at the roots, and he was unconscious.
Mike's breath hitched. He clenched his fists, lowered his head tightly, and dropped to one knee along with the others.
"Your Majesty!"
Everyone immediately knelt.
Bardi nodded slightly. His gaze shifted to the ground, where Batman's dark figure lay in the dirt.
"Batman?"
Is he dead?
A flicker of doubt crossed Bardi's eyes. He sensed no life signs from Batman—no heartbeat, no breathing, no brain activity.
How could such a fragile life have evaded his forces for so many years?
The doubt lingered. He had only seen Batman once, back when Bruce Wayne's parents had been killed.
Everything else he knew came from satellite surveillance and field reports.
It was hard for him to believe Batman would die like this.
But on the road to conquest, death could come to anyone, even himself. Life was always fragile.
Bardi's gaze shifted away from Batman's body. Though the doubts remained, he buried them deep inside.
His eyes swept over Captain Cold and the rest of the team, finally landing on Mike.
"Proceed with the plan."
"Yes."
Mike lowered his head and answered.
(To be continued.)
***
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