The Justice League had run out of X Metal, which had been consumed during their last contact with humanity's mind to pull Earth back to the Bright Multiverse and subsequently repair the Blood Domain.
Originally, there wasn't much of it, and using it to repair the Blood Domain was like filling a bottomless pit, but fortunately, they succeeded in the end.
Later, Batman somehow managed to obtain some more X Metal and handed it over to Green Lantern Hero John to make a shell as a contingency plan to destroy the Totality.
But everyone voted to let the Totality land on Earth, so this weapon wasn't used. Now John has gone with Ron and Hawk Woman to the Senagang Main Star to find the Mars Prophet for answers about the Totality, and all contact has been cut off.
Even Batman has no way to create more X Metal out of nothing. It's a power used to shape and maintain the Multiverse; taking too much of it might be just as harmful to the Multiverse.
So they could only settle for using a sufficiently large Divine Gold Rocket.
Since they decided to use those ancient rockets from Atlantis, at least one person would be required to go underwater to activate those consoles.
Yet at this moment, Poseidonis was already completely submerged, and the city's outline looked hazy in the deep purple ocean, swaying with the waves.
"This pains me deeply, but our city has long fallen. If its ruins can be used against extraterrestrial enemies, I think... that would be the best outcome," Mera said, rubbing her arms as if she felt cold, her face full of sorrow.
Arthur hugged her, comforting his wife.
"We must activate those high towers quickly, before it's too late..."
However, as they spoke, a sharp scratching sound, like a bear clawing at a chalkboard, echoed from somewhere unknown, even as the sea beneath their feet rose in waves several meters high, as if the entire Earth was shaking like a water-filled cup.
"What's happening? Did any of you notice anything unusual?" Barry looked around, hanging over the ship's railing at the vast, tumultuous purple sea beneath.
Diana also searched back and forth, seeing nothing but feeling something.
"I sense a huge threat that chills me to the bone."
"There, look to the sky!" Mera raised her arm, pointing with an incredulous expression at the sky.
Perhaps when that loud sound came, a terrifying creature had descended on Earth from outer space, and it was currently passing through the shield.
It was the Flood Demon, modified by the Tear of Extinction.
The Alien Sea Gods had summoned it back to Blood Reef, infusing it with the Tear of Extinction—a power of rules—through a magic ceremony, watching it wail continuously and slowly transform into a gigantic physical monster.
The originally purple-green liquid body was gone, replaced instead by an unspeakable terrifying form and the red color symbolizing war and destruction.
It lost its teleportation ability but gained properties similar to the Tear of Extinction; if its tentacles touched Earth's ocean, all life would be instantly killed.
Too powerful, the Bone Ring of Zhen Hai couldn't fully control it, this newborn horrific creature was filled with destruction and hatred, and Zhen Hai could only keep trying to strengthen the control.
Luckily, it worked, with the Death Sea Demon stuck on the barrier, motionless.
The red gigantic tentacles, spanning tens of thousands of meters, were now the only things the Justice League could see in the sky.
"We don't have time, I'll go underwater to activate the equipment!" Diana quickly checked her gear: "If it's ancient equipment from Atlantis, I should be able to understand it."
"Diana..." Arthur had initially planned to go himself, but with the current situation and the arrival of the legendary Death Sea Demon, he had to stay in the sky.
Dealing with sea monsters, after all, was Sea King's forte.
The Justice League had an unspoken division of labor.
Dealing with aliens was usually Superman and Mars Hunter or Green Lantern's task; dealing with mythical creatures was generally Diana's job; dealing with sea creatures was Arthur's duty.
Batman was responsible for dealing with all sorts of mentally unstable individuals or certifying that the aliens or mythical creatures they had to fight were insane...
"Distract the enemy's fleet while I go down to start the rockets. Mera, can your Hard Water Barrier protect me?" Diana started assigning tasks firmly, and Batman remained silent on the side.
"It should be able to." Mera mused, her hand on her chin, considering that controlling the Hard Water Barrier from a distance should be manageable but would require more effort.
Arthur stood bare-handed on the deck, looking tensely at the two women and then up at the massive creature.
He wasn't sure if his suggestion was correct.
Diana already donned the Hard Water Barrier, ready to go down.
"Arthur, listen to me, they haven't taken your true strength from you. Your greatest power lies in your heart as a hero. You're a true sailor, and it's my honor to fight alongside you," Diana said, although even she wasn't fully confident, as everything below was unknown, and it was uncertain if she could return once she went.
Too bad Deathstroke wasn't here; she actually had more to say.
Arthur nodded, his expression calming; the situation had reached a point where there wasn't much left to consider.
Believing in his friends and trusting the Justice League was the best choice.