◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews.
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones. or 500 Collections
◇ You can read 40 chapter ahead on P@treon. if you're interested: patreon.com/Heroicverse
------------------------------------------------
Homelander felt he had finally had a satisfying fight. Although this Superman's brain had been washed out, he was indeed durable and his strength was powerful enough.
"What's wrong? Tired?"
He tilted his chin at Superman, revealing a provocative smile.
"Is this all the endurance the son of krypton has? I haven't even warmed up yet."
Superman remained silent.
This was the first time since Zod that he had encountered an opponent of this caliber.
Not only were his strength and speed on par with his own, but his combat skills were far superior.
Not to mention the eerie Lightning Magic and that seemingly inexhaustible stamina.
In that case... he would use the asset Kryptonians were most proud of.
Having made up his mind, Superman charged forward once again.
This time, he completely abandoned defense, allowing Homelander's fists to land on his body.
He would use absolute defensive power in exchange for an offensive opportunity!
"Crack-Thoom—!!"
Homelander threw a charged Lightning Fist into Superman's shoulder. Gritting his teeth, Superman endured the discomfort of the lightning coursing through him and grabbed Homelander's wrist with his backhand.
"Got you."
Superman gave a sinister grin, clenched his other hand into a fist, and smashed it hard toward Homelander's face.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three consecutive punches, each one hitting home.
Homelander's meticulously styled hair was blasted into a complete mess.
"How does that feel? Imitation," Superman taunted triumphantly. "How much longer can you hold out?"
Homelander didn't break free; instead, he grabbed Superman's arms and slammed his forehead violently into Superman's brow.
"I can do this all day!"
"Dong—!"
Superman was sent flying back dozens of meters by this headbutt, his head ringing.
Homelander didn't press the attack. Instead, he reached out and touched his own hair.
That originally well-groomed blonde hair had now fallen down completely, hanging messily over his forehead.
Homelander's movements froze.
He slowly raised his head. His eyes, which had been calm and composed, now turned incredibly dark.
The air seemed to freeze at this moment.
"You... are good!"
Homelander growled in a low voice, carrying the suppressed tension of an impending volcanic eruption.
"You've finally found a way to piss me off..."
"Fist of Bonds... Activate."
Prompt! Consumed 10,000 special popularity value!
Fist of Bonds charge complete! Multiplier: 2000%!
By now, Superman had recovered from the daze. He looked up to see a furious Homelander brandishing a Lightning Fist, flying toward him.
He didn't choose to dodge; instead, he puffed out his chest to meet it.
He intended to tank the blow and repeat his previous trick.
"Dong!!!"
This punch, carrying Homelander's heaven-shaking fury, slammed solidly into Superman's abdomen.
"Urgh—!"
In the next second, Superman's eyeballs bulged out, and his whole body curled up like a shrimp.
The uniform on his back instantly exploded. A visible Impact burst through his body, punching a hundred-meter-long hole through the clouds in the sky behind him.
Superman's body seemed to lose all support, falling powerlessly to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust.
He tried to stand up, but his body went limp uncontrollably.
He propped himself up with one hand on the ground, clutching his stomach and gasping for air.
A drop of bright red liquid dripped from the corner of his mouth onto the back of his hand.
It was blood.
In disbelief, Superman extended his thumb to wipe the corner of his mouth. Looking at the smear of crimson on his finger, a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes.
How long had it been?
Since he gained his Steel Body, nothing except Kryptonite could make him bleed.
And now... with just one punch, he was bleeding?
The cognitive shock of this realization was even greater than the physical damage he had sustained.
"What? Never seen your own blood before?"
Homelander slowly flew over, hovering before him and looking down from above.
This punch had not only wounded Superman's flesh but had also scattered the fury in his heart.
Fear.
It was an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time.
As his physical strength lost its advantage, Superman's super-brain finally began to think.
He began to examine his own condition.
Since Earth had been terraformed, the atmosphere had been shrouded in thick haze, and sunlight could not penetrate it.
He hadn't been exposed to the yellow Sun for a long time.
"I've grown weak..."
Superman realized this.
Without the replenishment of sunlight, he would grow weaker and weaker.
But that man... was still full of energy.
If he continued to fight this freak head-on here, he would lose, or even die.
He needed power.
He needed... the Sun, the yellow Sun.
Superman looked up at the murky sky.
Only by breaking through this damned haze and entering space could he bathe in true sunlight and restore the power he should have.
"Boom—!"
He kicked off the ground with both feet, turning into a red-and-blue arrow and shooting straight toward the sky.
"Eh?"
Harley, who was preparing to watch Homelander beat a dead dog, was stunned.
She held the camera, tracking the figure until it disappeared into the clouds.
"He... he ran away?"
Harley jumped up and gave the sky the middle finger.
"Mr. Milk Candy! You beat that big blue guy so hard he ran away?!"
"Coward! Sissy! You're running already?!"
"Hahahaha! We won! We won!!"
Meanwhile, survivors hidden in every corner of Earth watched the red-and-blue figure fleeing in panic on their screens.
Deafening cheers erupted.
Months of suppressed fear were released in this moment.
"He ran! That tyrant ran!"
"Long live Homelander!!"
"We're saved!!"
"Finally, someone can defeat him!!"
"Kill him! Chase him and kill him!"
People hugged each other, weeping with joy.
The shadow hanging over their heads was finally pierced by the light of hope.
Prompt! Gained popularity value + 523,366!
Prompt! Gained popularity value + 658,820!
Prompt! Gained popularity value + 899,554!
...Homelander listened to the numbers jumping wildly in his mind, beaming with joy.
Then, he looked up at the figure disappearing into the clouds, feeling suspicious.
"Running?"
"No..." Homelander rubbed his chin.
"This guy probably wants to go back to the fountain to replenish his status."
As the world's most famous superhero, Homelander knew exactly what Superman wanted to do.
"Since you want to see the Sun so badly..."
"...then I'll let you have one last look."
Homelander turned and winked at Harley.
"Little Pumpkin, wait for me here."
"I'll be right back."
With that said.
"Boom—!"
Homelander bent his legs slightly and, with a shining lightning trail, chased after the figure fleeing into space at high speed.
The two figures, one after the other, broke through the thick dust clouds and charged into the vast Universe.
Watching Homelander disappear into the depths of the clouds.
Harley lowered her camera, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the sky.
In her eyes, the murky, dead sky became colorful... Outer space.
Silent, profound.
Superman hovered outside Earth's orbit, arms spread wide, facing that massive star.
Golden sunlight bathed his body.
The injuries on his body healed in an instant, his tired cells were refilled with vitality, and his parched energy rose rapidly.
Even his skin began to take on a faint golden luster, and the red light in his eyes grew stronger and stronger.