Chapter 56: Departure, Conquering the Starry Seas
"Old Deng Jr., keep 'One Blow, Three Thousand Kills' with you for protection."
"Kiba, remember to oil your arm guards for maintenance."
"Kaka, your skin is a bit dry—don't forget to moisturize."
"Gengen, who are you? I don't know you."
After bidding farewell to his strike team members, Allen took Nanaue and set off on his ocean adventure.
On the battlefield, killing Nazi soldiers only earned him ten experience points per person. Moreover, international conventions forbade killing surrendered soldiers, which left him stuck at level fifty.
If he went on a killing spree, Steve and Carter would stop him from acting recklessly.
So, he turned his sights to the ocean, seeking an opportunity.
The Trench Tribe was an inexhaustible farm of experience points.
"The ocean is dangerous. If you get involved, your life will be at risk," Diana warned.
Both Atlantis and Themyscira were formidable forces—either one could easily crush all human nations.
In her eyes, Allen was just a physically strong human, far from being at the level needed to interfere in their affairs.
"I'm so touched."
Allen's eyes welled with emotion. "Your Highness, we're not even married yet, and you're already worrying about me."
"…"
Diana turned to Namor and said, "His life or death is none of my concern."
"I will ensure his safety."
After more than three months together, Namor had already come to see Allen as a friend—at the very least, he wouldn't just leave him to die.
They found a random spot to set sail.
Namor dove headfirst into the water, while Diana and Allen rode on Nanaue, heading straight for the ocean.
Diana could sense the location of Themyscira with her keen instincts.
Their plan was to first set foot on Themyscira, then make contact with Namor's supporters within Atlantis, setting the stage for his triumphant return.
"Pirate King, have you ever considered that you might have been impeached?"
Allen wrapped his arms around Wonder Woman's waist, his expression tinged with coyness.
However, Diana paid him no mind. She had grown up on Themyscira, had barely interacted with men, and was completely ignorant of matters between the sexes.
Of course, since all Amazon warriors were women, none of them had any interest in teaching their princess about relationships—let alone considered that their pure and noble princess might one day get married.
"What belongs to me will always be mine. Any schemes or tricks are worthless in the face of absolute power."
During his time on land, Namor had realized just how powerful he truly was. He believed he could reclaim everything with his own hands.
He never even considered the differences in power between different environments.
"Let's hope we can resolve this crisis smoothly."
Themyscira had no political intrigue or power struggles, so Diana couldn't offer any useful advice.
The Amazons lived simple yet fulfilling lives, training every day in preparation for potential crises.
When Zeus, the King of the Gods, created them, they were designed for war from the very start.
"Your Highness, how old are you this year?"
Allen leaned against her back, asking casually.
"In human years, I just turned five thousand," Diana answered frankly.
Allen smiled sweetly. "That's okay—I don't mind."
Namor's expression froze as if his CPU had short-circuited.
She was five thousand years old. Allen wasn't even twenty yet—he wasn't even a fraction of her age. His appetite was truly insatiable.
Nanaue lifted his head above the water and said, "Nanaue is one hundred years old."
Allen grinned. "Nobody asked you, mount."
Namor, suddenly aware of his own age, started wondering how old he actually was. Given his extraordinary abilities, he figured he must have lived a long time. After all, being a demigod meant having a longer lifespan—it came with the territory of having a high-status father.
"Is he really your pet?"
Diana turned to ask.
Nanaue was a demigod, his bloodline tracing back to the Shark God, Kamo. How could he possibly be someone's pet?
Granted, the Shark God wasn't particularly prominent among the Old Gods—he didn't even qualify for a seat in the Pantheon. But still, he was undeniably a deity.
"Of course."
Allen patted Nanaue. "Nanaue, aren't you my pet?"
"Yes, Nanaue is Master's pet," Nanaue replied, raising his head.
"Such devotion! I'll definitely catch you a pink dolphin."
"Yay! Nanaue loves pink dolphins!"
Diana finally understood—this was just a lunatic conning a simpleton.
They spent a full day and night traveling at sea, still far from their destination.
Then, they encountered Atlanteans.
"Your Majesty! Is it truly you?"
An Atlantean approached Namor, overwhelmed with emotion. He respectfully bowed and burst into tears. "Your Majesty, the Atlantean Council has stripped you of your power! We, your supporters, have been forced into hiding, waiting for your return to reclaim your rightful throne."
"Pirate King, so your government was overthrown, huh?"
Allen's mouth ran as smoothly as a well-oiled machine—his words carried an undeniable urge to make people want to shut him up.
"The Council?"
Namor asked blankly, "I've lost my memory. Can you explain in detail?"
"Your Majesty, let's talk as we go. The people are eagerly awaiting your return to lead us in purging the traitors."
Swimming ahead, the Atlantean continued, "After you went missing, Atlantis fell into chaos. The conservative faction of the Council—who had always opposed you—seized control of the entire kingdom."
"What are the conservatives?" Allen suddenly asked.
"They hold traditionalist views and refuse to acknowledge surface dwellers as an equally intelligent race. They've always used your half-human bloodline to attack you."
The Atlantean went on, "The Council has installed Atlanna as the false ruler and has allied with the Kingdoms of Xebel, the Fishermen, and the Brine to form a united front. They are preparing to launch a great war to conquer the world."
"Holy crab! Atlanna—does she have a daughter named Mera?" Allen asked excitedly.
"How do you know that?"
The Atlantean gave him a puzzled look, astonished that a surface dweller knew so much.
Allen suddenly had an epiphany, his expression lighting up. "Sh*t! I knew it! In this novel's world, the author deliberately created a time discrepancy to reconcile Namor's Marvel background with Aquaman's DC storyline!"
The Atlantean was utterly baffled—he had no idea what Allen was talking about.
"He's mentally ill. Just ignore him." Namor tapped his temple and explained to the Atlantean, looking at Allen with pity. "Ah, so you really are insane."
Of course, the Atlanteans couldn't possibly understand what Allen was implying. Atlanna was Aquaman's mother, but right now, Aquaman himself wasn't even a drop of liquid yet. His mother was busy conspiring with her father to seize the throne—she had no time to visit the surface looking for a broke human to hook up with.
"Pirate King, take my advice—forget about the throne. You can't handle it," Allen said seriously.
Indeed, Atlantis bore deep hostility toward surface dwellers. In the future, Aquaman would constantly run off to help the Justice League save the world, only to return home and find himself impeached—over and over again.