Chapter Six: Hatred

The days passed in an orderly fashion, and Arthur felt himself growing ever stronger. Lately, his strength had increased so much that he could effortlessly lift a car with one hand. His vision and hearing were becoming keener as well; he could spot a fly buzzing through the air, his senses reminiscent of Spider-Man’s abilities. In fact, he felt his reflexes now rivaled even Spider-Man’s.

Arthur also noticed a growing, indescribable affinity for water. Wherever there was water, he felt more at home, more connected. In the ocean, it was as if he had returned to his true home, merging with the sea itself, able to sense the emotions of the water in a mysterious way. This feeling had grown stronger with each passing day, until it finally reached a breaking point.

One day, lying on the seabed ten thousand meters below the surface, Arthur suddenly opened his eyes, which began to glow with a golden light. “Ah… ah…” he roared, the light in his eyes shining ever brighter. Suddenly, the water around him seemed to boil and began to swirl, forming a sphere. The water inside the sphere was squeezed outward, creating a five-meter-square area of dry space around him.

This was the bottom of the deep sea, where the water pressure was immense, yet Arthur had managed to create a waterless space under such crushing force. He understood then—he had awakened the power of water magic, the same ability as Mera, the wife of Aquaman in the DC universe. He could control the shape and density of water around him, even generating enormous water pressure.

This was a power belonging to the royal family of Atlantis. Through his training in the depths, Arthur had awakened the Atlantean blood in his veins, and with it, this command over water. The power didn’t last long before he felt exhausted, his head spinning; using such force demanded a tremendous toll on his mind. With his current mental strength, Arthur could sustain this ability for only two minutes, and the power he could exert over water was still limited. Yet this only made him more determined to train, convinced that someday he would fully master this gift.

Arthur kept a close eye on the news every day, waiting for the plot to unfold. Aside from meals, most of his time was spent absorbing energy at the ocean’s bottom. He left the restaurant business to Jack, whom he appointed as manager. Arthur no longer needed to handle ingredient procurement himself; they now had stable supply channels, and he only stepped in when a customer ordered a rare fish. The restaurant ran smoothly and brought him a steady income—Arthur could be considered a wealthy man now.

But money held little interest for him. He had no need for a house or a car, since he lived in the sea and found cars unbearably slow—he could outrun them with ease. Instead, he continued raising his employees’ salaries, earning their deep gratitude. “Where else could you find such a good boss?” they would say, and a few of the girls even hinted at wanting to marry him.

One evening, Arthur decided to take a rare day off from his training to enjoy a good meal. Sitting in a corner, he focused intently on his favorite dishes—spicy chicken, boiled beef slices, stir-fried beef noodles, pickled fish, and a large bowl of rice—devouring his food with relish.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out among the restaurant’s patrons. Arthur looked up to see what had happened and noticed the television on the wall broadcasting breaking news:

“A gigantic monster has appeared in the Broadway district of Manhattan, New York. Its destructive power is enormous. The military has already intervened and is currently engaged in fierce battle with the creature…”

“Oh my God, what is that thing? It’s terrifying! Thank heavens it’s not happening here, right, boss? Boss?” Jack exclaimed at the screen, but turning around, realized the boss had already vanished, leaving only a half-finished bowl of rice on the table.

On the streets of Broadway, Manhattan, flames raged everywhere as panicked crowds fled in terror. Military helicopters circled overhead. At the center of the inferno, an enormous, hideous monster rampaged, heedless of the soldiers’ bullets, which seemed to have no effect on it. Soldiers fell one after another, unable to halt the monster’s advance. Broadway had become a hell on earth.

No one noticed that, not far from Manhattan, towering waves began to swell on the ocean’s surface, the water boiling as if something massive was racing toward the Brooklyn Bridge.

The monster was Abomination, wreaking havoc throughout the city. Although soldiers fired at him relentlessly, it did not faze him in the least. There was no one who could stand up to him. He roared his classic challenge: “Who else wants a piece of me?”

At that moment, Bruce Banner was aboard a military helicopter overhead. Determined to stop the monster, Banner decided to leap from the aircraft and transform into the Hulk. His girlfriend, Betty, clung to his hand, weeping. “You don’t have to do this. You’re insane! Please, I beg you, don’t go!”

“Betty, I have to try. I’m sorry.” Banner kissed her, then leapt from the helicopter.

“No!” Betty screamed in despair as she watched him plunge to the ground. Her father, General Ross, held her tightly. “Look, what is that?” a soldier shouted, pointing ahead.

The general looked and saw that the once-calm sea had erupted into waves hundreds of meters high, rising even above the Brooklyn Bridge. The giant waves churned but did not flood Manhattan’s shores; it was as if they stood there by some invisible force, filling the onlookers with a sense of dread.

Suddenly, a massive water column burst from the waves, shooting toward the blazing heart of the city several kilometers away. The water column struck Abomination squarely, flattening him with its crushing force. He screamed in agony as his bones were shattered by the impact and yellow blood spurted from his mouth.

The surrounding fires were extinguished, but the soldiers could only gape in confusion at the sudden downpour. “Is this a miracle from God?” someone exclaimed.

Soon, people noticed a new figure standing before the monster. “Danger! Get out of there!” a soldier shouted to the lone figure.

The person turned around—it was a young blond man, who smiled gently at the soldiers.

“Look out! Be careful!” the soldiers cried in alarm as the monster staggered to its feet, its formidable regenerative powers rapidly healing its wounds. With a roar, it swung a mighty fist at the boy. The soldiers instinctively closed their eyes, certain the boy would be pulverized.

But to their astonishment, the boy caught the monster’s arm with his small hand. No matter how much the monster struggled, it couldn’t break free. With a casual motion, the boy flung the monster over a hundred meters away. The soldiers stared in utter disbelief, as if turned to stone.