"Green Lantern of the cosmos—welcome to the Fisherman Kingdom."
Inside the Fisherman Kingdom's resplendent royal palace, King Ricou hovered before a pearl-sheened conch throne. Clad in golden armor, he held a trident forged of pure gold, his bearing dignified and scholarly all at once.
He greeted the two visitors with unmistakable warmth.
Ever since Atlantis sank beneath the sea, the Atlanteans had long since lost contact with the Green Lanterns. But the Fisherman Kingdom—whose preservation of ancient Atlantean literature and history was the most intact—still retained records of them.
And King Ricou, being both monarch and accomplished academic, naturally knew the Green Lanterns' contributions to peace across the universe.
Hal wore a pleased smile. It was honestly refreshing—on Earth, it had been a long time since anyone outside the League treated the title "Green Lantern" with this kind of reverence.
"Your Majesty," Hal said. "I've heard Atlantis is preparing to go to war with the surface. I came to speak with you about that."
Based on Vulko's explanation, the Fisherman Kingdom was the weakest of the remaining city-states—yet also the one most devoted to peace.
So Hal didn't bother with layers of diplomacy. After a brief greeting, he went straight for the point: where did Ricou stand on the question of war?
"Please, be at ease."
Ricou didn't take offense in the slightest.
Seeing himself as the rightful inheritor of ancient Atlantis's cultural legacy, he'd always regarded war with contempt. And he was genuinely pleased that the surface world had sent a Green Lantern—an interstellar symbol of order and restraint—to speak with them.
"I have always hoped my people could abandon old prejudices," Ricou said, "and, when the time is right, take the initiative to engage with the surface."
Hal exhaled, relieved.
"I'm very glad to hear you say that."
If Ricou stood firmly on the side of peace, then Orm's alliance could never reach the required four kingdoms—meaning Atlantis would be unable to formally declare war on the surface.
From Ben and Hal's perspective, the solution suddenly looked brutally simple:
Protect King Ricou.
Don't let Orm—or Orm's agents—assassinate him.
If Ricou lived, the ocean–surface war could be strangled in its cradle.
Once the immediate danger was addressed, Hal's curiosity kicked in.
"May I ask… what is your view of the surface world?"
Ricou may have despised war, but on the subject of surface humans, his attitude matched that of most Atlanteans.
"Surface humans are an uncivilized people," he said flatly. "They love war. They love making weapons and creating destruction. They dump trash and sewage into the seas without restraint. Their factories spew dangerous toxins into the air."
As Ricou listed one grievance after another, Hal's fist tightened.
Then, slowly, he let it go.
Because… Ricou wasn't inventing anything. He was just describing what humans had actually done.
And even now, as technology advanced, plenty of pollution problems still weren't properly solved.
Hal could only argue on behalf of the people who weren't actively destroying the world—and the many who were trying to protect it.
"Pollution isn't the responsibility of most people," Hal said carefully. "There are many working hard to protect the environment."
Ricou shook his head, unconvinced—and his gaze shifted to Ben, still in Ripjaws form beside Hal.
"I understand what you mean," Ricou said, sighing. "But the ocean's pollution has already become severe. Look at your companion. To escape contaminated waters, his people must have retreated into deeper seas… even evolving bioluminescent organs."
Ben's expression (as much as Ripjaws could manage one) turned distinctly awkward.
Ripjaws looked like this for one reason only:
That's just what his species looked like.
"Uh… actually," Ben said, hesitating, "I'm an alien. I don't look like this because of surface pollution."
Ricou blinked, startled.
Then realization landed: if Green Lantern was an interstellar hero, having off-world companions was perfectly plausible.
He immediately corrected himself.
"My apologies. That analogy was inappropriate."
At the same time, his scholarly curiosity sparked—and he leaned in, genuinely interested.
"But I'm delighted the universe holds a people similar to ours. Does your world share our troubles?"
Ben searched his memory for the relevant details and answered evenly:
"Piscciss is an ocean planet. The only land is a rocky core—less than two percent of the planet."
Ricou couldn't help but marvel at it.
"A blessed world," he murmured. "No need to worry about surface humans polluting the sea."
Even in a kingdom committed to peaceful coexistence, the Fisherman Kingdom's view of humanity was still full of disgust and disappointment.
Hal understood then: repairing relations between the surface and Atlantis would be a long, uphill project.
"Your concerns," Hal said, "I will relay to the United Nations—and I'll push for stronger environmental protections among surface nations."
He tucked the Fisherman Kingdom's demands away mentally, already planning to pass them on to Batman—because if anyone had the influence to force meaningful change at scale, it was Bruce Wayne.
As an ordinary human behind the Green Lantern emblem, Hal had just used his credibility to make a promise.
He could only hope the people with real wealth and power wouldn't waste it.
"I hope surface humans resolve these 'small matters' quickly," Ricou said. "If you cannot, the Fisherman Kingdom will not hesitate to offer the wisdom of ancient Atlantis to assist you."
With Hal's pledge given, Ricou nodded. According to the histories preserved from ancient Atlantis, the Green Lanterns' reputation was not something to doubt.
This encounter, perhaps, would become the first true step toward contact between Atlantis and the surface—
And, in the long run, the direction history would inevitably take.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 90)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 95)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 80)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter70)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter70)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter50)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter60)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 20
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 20
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