Underwater Palace.
In the massive white jade shell structure, pearls scattered everywhere gleamed with the glow of wealth.
"Sir, where exactly are you taking me?"
Under Charlie's "escort," Atlanna found herself back in her own palace.
Yes, she'd just left, only to be brought back home by this strange human.
Her home.
She glanced at the young human man, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
She was certain this human lacked the sea folk's underwater breathing organs and the special magnetic field to withstand deep-sea pressure.
Yet, strangely, he ignored these factors, breaking human limits to reach the underwater world, breathing freely without being crushed by the immense pressure.
So…
A thought struck her, recalling the evil Spider-Man who'd invaded Atlantis.
It had to be him.
No wonder! Without his suit—er, battle armor—this Spider-Man was such a young human. Unbelievable.
Before this, Atlanna imagined an evil Spider-Man would be hideously ugly.
In her mind, evil guys were always ugly.
But if they were good-looking…
Maybe Spider-Man wasn't that evil.
Charlie noticed Atlanna's odd gaze.
He glanced at her. "You seem to recognize me."
Atlanna quickly looked away. "No, I don't know you're Spider-Man."
Charlie: "…"
He studied the sea folk woman, feeling she fit perfectly in this opulent, sinfully wealthy palace.
But her clothes…
She must be a maid in the Atlantis palace!
Ha, woman, I've seen through you!
Charlie's lips curled, but he quickly rubbed his face.
Close call—lately, he kept slipping into that villainous smirk. Scary.
He scanned the empty palace, stopping as searing web proteins gathered in his palm.
Sensing the rising water temperature, Atlanna startled.
"What are you doing?" she asked nervously.
Charlie grinned. "Your Queen and I have a score to settle, so I'm thinking of trashing this place."
"No way!" Atlanna blurted.
Charlie's smile widened. "Then take me to your Queen. I'm here to negotiate."
"You think I'll believe you?"
"You know where Atlantis's Queen is."
"Jerk, you tricked me!"
"I never deceive women, especially about feelings."
Charlie dispersed the hot webbing, clapping his hands. "I've learned through some channels that your Queen is troubled by her marriage. If you take me to her, I might help."
If he guessed right, Atlantis's current ruler was Atlanna, the future Aquaman's mother.
She'd later flee Atlantis, fall for a human, and give birth to Arthur Curry, Aquaman.
A cliché, tacky runaway-bride plot. Poor Orvax, the jilted fiancé, was the ultimate loser.
Charlie couldn't help but scoff.
Atlanna, at least a few thousand years old, pulling a Mary-Sue runaway-bride stunt and marrying a decades-old kid? Shameless cougar.
But thinking of Diana, also thousands of years old, Charlie figured it wasn't unacceptable.
It's called no choice.
His words made Atlanna tremble.
"You can really fix my—er, our Queen's troubles?" she asked, hopeful.
Charlie nodded. "Of course. Take out that guy, and it's all good."
"Orvax is strong…"
Charlie cut in. "Anyone who's been Spider-Man's friend knows: in front of the invincible Spider-Man, no one dares claim strength."
"I've never been your friend."
Atlanna muttered, then hesitated. "Killing Orvax for this isn't fair to him."
Charlie smirked.
If you don't take him out now, your Queen will get dragged back and do it later.
So naive, this maid!
If it were your Queen, she'd be itching to take him out now.
After a moment's thought, he said, "Better if your Queen talks to me directly."
"No, I can decide for Her Majesty."
"You?"
"Yes, me."
Atlanna was resolute. Charlie's look turned odd.
"You're not Atlanna, are you?"
"No, I'm not," she denied quickly.
Charlie grinned, satisfied. "Good, I get it. You are. Lucky me."
Atlanna: "…"
"Just from that, you're sure it's me?"
She tried to stay calm, internally freaking out.
This wasn't like the storybooks!
The hero's identity shouldn't be exposed until the end.
Guess I'm not the protagonist.
Seeing her expression, Charlie was delighted.
"You don't get a transmigrator's logic."
He didn't elaborate, cutting to the chase. "One sentence: I take out Orvax, you do me a favor."
"No, I said it's unfair to him."
"You are Atlanna."
Atlanna: "…"
Her face froze.
Fine, this damn human tricked her feelings again.
Fully exposed, Atlanna took a deep breath.
"Evil Spider-Man, we can find another way."
Charlie grinned. "No problem. I'll neuter the guy."
Atlanna's face darkened. "I just want to call off the engagement."
"Call it off?"
Charlie's face turned horrified.
"No way, that'll get us killed in three years!" he exclaimed.
Atlanna blinked, then sighed. "What are you talking about?"
"Uh, sorry, I overthought it."
Charlie scratched his head awkwardly. "Your plan works. I'm ready to help."
"I've got it figured out."
"You are Atlanna."
"Shut up!"
…
Soon, in the underwater city.
The vibrant sea trench glowed with colorful anemones illuminating the mysterious city.
Gurgle gurgle~
A dazzling seahorse carriage soared overhead, trailing colorful bubbles in its wake, drawing worship from countless sea folk.
The Queen's carriage, heading toward Captain Orvax's military camp.
Inside, Charlie peeked at the radiant city below, then ducked back.
Does calling off an engagement need to be this dramatic?
He swallowed hard.
This felt ominous.
If he recalled, the last woman to make a big show of breaking an engagement ended tragically.
Atlanna, now in a silver-armored dress, her snow-white hair cascading like a waterfall, exuded regal majesty.
She glanced at Charlie. "Relax. Orvax is strong but loves his pride. My plan will work."
Charlie scoffed. "Your plan? That's sabotage."
Sitting beside her, he thought for a moment.
"Just a guard captain—how does he have the clout to make the elders back him marrying the Queen?"
Atlanna shook her head. "He's a captain in name, but he's backed by the Marius family, Atlantis's most powerful clan. They control all sea soldiers, with power surpassing even me, the nominal Queen."
Charlie nodded thoughtfully. "Got it. You're just a mascot."
"That's a dirty insult," Atlanna snapped.
Charlie grinned. "No worries. Soon, the invincible Spider-Man will help you reclaim military power."
Atlanna's eyes lit up, and she handed him an underwater pearl.
"Swallow it. It'll temporarily give you a sea folk aura, so no one will know you're human."
"Wow, eating this feels like a waste."
Charlie admired the egg-sized pearl, then fell silent.
"Got a smaller one?"
Atlanna was surprised. "Humans can't swallow something this small?"
Charlie's face darkened. "I see. You can handle big ones. I'm thrilled."
"Thrilled about what?"
Atlanna didn't get his humor.
She swapped for a smaller pearl but didn't take back the big one.
Because Charlie had stuffed it in his crotch.
Atlanna was speechless.
She rubbed her forehead. "Spider-Man doesn't have pockets?"
"Nope, just a crotch."
Charlie patted his "treasure" happily, then swallowed the small pearl.
Buzz~
A soft, moonlight-like glow enveloped him, transforming his body.
His ears itched.
Touching them, he found new gills.
Charlie's eyes gleamed. "New form: Aquaman Spider-Man!"
Though he had gills, he couldn't breathe underwater.
It was just an illusion.
He was still burning stored stellar energy.
Atlanna squinted. "To become Aquaman, you'd need to be my child—or my husband."
Charlie: "…"
"You're flirting with me."
"You can think that."
"Tch, cheap love!" Charlie sighed.
"You should believe in your charm," Atlanna said seriously.
Charlie rolled his eyes. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You can't have a guy like me—strong, good-looking, gentle, domesticated, and able to reclaim your military power."
"Such a pity," Atlanna said, still smiling.
She was confident no one could resist the temptation of being the man behind the Queen!
Not even Spider-Man!
Soon, at the edge of the underwater city, endless reefs formed uniform structures. Sea soldiers moved in and out, vigilant for the evil Spider-Man.
Seeing the seahorse carriage, they cheered.
At the camp's center, a massive shell building stood.
A burly man with a double trident emerged, eagerly greeting his future wife.
"Oh, my Queen, thank you for visiting—"
His words cut off as the carriage stopped. A scrawny sea folk man stepped out first.
Yes, here, Charlie was the scrawny guy.
At least he looked it.
Orvax's face soured, anger flashing in his eyes.
Riding the same carriage as the Queen? Unforgivable!!
Then, Atlanna stepped out gracefully, offering Orvax a standard smile.
"Captain Orvax, found the evil Spider-Man yet?" she asked.
Orvax gave her a cold look, glaring at Charlie. "Who's he?"
Atlanna, unfazed, smiled. "This is Atlantis's strongest man."
The soldiers booed, and Orvax sneered openly.
"Him?"
"Yes, me."
Charlie stepped forward, looking up at Orvax's… pecs.
Two-meter giant. Nice.
He grinned. "Allow me to introduce—"
"No need. I don't care to know a dead man."
Orvax smirked, turning to Atlanna.
"My Queen, you think this pathetic guy can undermine the Marius family?"
His eyes chilled as he leaned in. "You're too naive. You can't escape."
Atlanna's expression didn't waver. "You misunderstand. I simply believe only Atlantis's strongest man deserves its most beautiful, noble Queen. Don't you agree?"
"Of course," Orvax laughed. "Everyone thinks so."
"Good." Atlanna's smile deepened.
"All the soldiers can bear witness."
"No problem."
Orvax raised his trident, shouting to the crowd, "Come, watch this pathetic guy die by my—"
Halfway through, a fist the size of a sandbag slammed into his gut.
Boom!!
The force exploded the air.
Orvax's eyes widened, and he collapsed, vomiting bile.
"Urgh~~ You damn sneak… attacking while I wasn't ready—"
Orvax struggled to look up, his face grim, but the gut-wrenching pain kept him down.
The soldiers, ready to jeer, were stunned as the fight ended.
Atlanna was dumbfounded.
"What did you do?" she asked Charlie.
Charlie blinked. "Didn't it start?"
"Not yet," Atlanna said, falling silent.
This unreliable guy had wrecked her unreliable plan with an unreliable fight.
Charlie felt sorry but wouldn't admit fault.
He couldn't wait to be mocked before acting.
Squatting in front of Orvax, he smiled. "Want a redo?"
Orvax gritted his teeth, trying to speak, but his gut churned, and he vomited again.
That punch packed a punch.
He was certain he was no match.
Neither speed nor strength compared.
Damn Atlanna, where'd she find this sea folk powerhouse?
He cursed inwardly.
Charlie turned to Atlanna. "How about my way?"
Atlanna closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Fine, it's the only way."
This wasn't a formal duel, so Orvax wouldn't concede.
Having seen Charlie's strength, he'd never agree to a second fight.
Orvax cared about face, but he wasn't stupid.
His leverage over the Queen came from the Marius family, not personal strength.
Atlanna sighed inwardly.
Her plan was too naive.
She'd have to use the evil Spider-Man's evil plan to deal with the evil Marius family.