A massive shock and unspeakable emotion washed over everyone's hearts repeatedly like waves.
Countless people sobbed in front of their screens, some even kneeling to pray for that man.
Fanaticism, emotion, awe, and worship.
Countless extreme emotions turned into a surging popularity value, completely submerging Homelander.
"Hint! Harvested popularity value +1,225,421!"
"Hint! Harvested popularity value +1,322,421!"
"Hint! Harvested popularity value +1,584,420!"
...
Bruce Wayne had just recovered from the intense pain.
He leaned weakly to one side, deeply moved.
"He bore all our sins and punishments..."
Hint! Harvested special popularity value +20,000! (From Bruce Wayne)
Mera clutched her chest, tears streaming down her face.
She watched Homelander rolling in pain on the ground, her heart aching as if twisted by a blade.
Atlanteans admire the strong, but they revere noble souls willing to sacrifice everything for the weak even more.
"He is a true king... a king worthy of everyone following with their lives."
"Hint! Harvested special popularity value +20,000! (From YMera Xebella Challa)"
Deathstroke Slade took off his broken mask, his gaze filled with admiration.
As an assassin, he was cold-blooded and ruthless; but as a warrior, he respected the truly strong.
"A real man. I owe you a life, brother."
"Hint! Harvested special popularity value +15,000! (From Slade Wilson)"
Every hero generously contributed their own emotional value.
...
Meanwhile, Homelander was twitching with great effort on the ground while laughing uncontrollably in his heart.
"I've hit the jackpot! I've hit the jackpot!!"
"I'm a freaking genius! The Oscars owe me three statuettes! Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Screenplay!"
However, this grand play was just the beginning.
As an epic hero movie, how could it lack the cruel and ruthless oppression of a villain?
As the co-star of this grand play, Dago understood the Master's intentions perfectly. A villain must show the ultimate cruelty when the hero is at his weakest.
He knew it was time to advance to the next act.
"This is your ridiculous hope." Darkseid walked toward the "defenseless" Homelander with devil-like steps, each one bringing a suffocating pressure.
At this moment, the heroes of the Justice League had just broken free from the boundless pain. The agony still lingered in their nerve endings, and their muscles still spasmed intermittently.
But they still gritted their teeth and stumbled forward.
"Can... Mr. Milk Candy..."
Harley Quinn's situation was the worst. She was already injured and could only move with great difficulty, crawling desperately toward Homelander on all fours, her knees scraped bloody on the sharp rubble.
The only one on the scene still capable of movement was Cyborg Victor.
"Stay away from him! Darkseid!"
Victor let out a roar, the thrusters on his back emitting a blue tail flame as he turned into a silver stream of light, fearlessly standing between Darkseid and Homelander.
The plasma cannon on his left arm was fully charged, its dazzling beam aimed directly at Darkseid's face.
Darkseid didn't even pause his steps.
A hint of contempt flashed in his eyes. Facing the high-energy plasma cannon blast from Cyborg, Darkseid merely waved his hand casually.
The incoming energy turned into light spots dancing in the air.
Before Victor could react further, Darkseid's left hand reached out and grabbed Cyborg by the neck, lifting his heavy mechanical body into the air with ease.
"A crude derivative of the mother box dares to stand before me."
Cyborg's body was as fragile as paper in Darkseid's hands.
With the loud sound of tearing metal, half of Cyborg's body was ripped off and tossed dozens of meters away, crashing heavily into the depths of the ruins.
"Victor!!!" Bruce shouted, his eyes nearly bursting with rage.
Darkseid ignored the wailing of these ants and stopped, standing before Homelander.
"Now, no one can disturb us."
He raised his right foot and stomped down heavily.
Invisible energy spread rapidly outward along the ground from his point of impact.
In the blink of an eye, a hemispherical Omega Force field barrier with a thirty-meter radius rose from the ground, enveloping Darkseid and Homelander while cutting off all the heroes outside attempting to rescue him.
"Let him out! Open it! You coward! Come out and face us!!" Harley frantically pounded on the invisible energy barrier with her hands.
Bruce, Mera, Barry, and the other heroes finally reached the barrier, supporting each other, but they couldn't cross this chasm despite trying everything.
Darkseid stood inside the barrier, deaf to the curses and attacks from the outside.
He looked down at Homelander on the ground with a cruel smile, perfectly executing the planned script.
"You possess a shell beyond the reach of mortals, but your useless emotions make you as fragile as a blank sheet of paper. You have no idea what true pain is, let alone how to endure it."
Darkseid grabbed Homelander by the collar and lifted him off the ground.
"Now, enjoy this endless torment. This is my highest courtesy to you!"
With that, Darkseid raised his massive fist and smashed it hard against Homelander's handsome face.
"Bang!"
Homelander's head was knocked to the side, but he secretly frowned.
"This weak force... something's not right."
Dago was clearly hesitant, afraid that hitting too hard would anger his great Master.
Thus, his punches looked powerful but were actually all bark and no bite.
Using the movement of his head being knocked aside, Homelander quietly opened one eye and glared fiercely at Dago.
The meaning in that look was clear: What the hell are you doing? Hit me harder! Can't you see the cameras are pointed right here?!
Receiving Homelander's murderous warning look, Dago shuddered and immediately understood.
Since his Master had such a special hobby, as a loyal servant, he could only fulfill it completely.
"Accept reality, Homelander!"
Darkseid let out another roar, and this time, he went all out.
Omega Energy enveloped his fists, pushing the terrifying power within him to its absolute limit.
"Bang!!!"
A simple, unadorned uppercut landed squarely on Homelander's chin.
The force of this punch was staggering; Homelander's body was lifted off the ground, flying into the air.
Before he could fly off, Darkseid's other hand grabbed his cape, forcefully pulling him back and slamming him onto the ground.
Then, a barrage of punches rained down like a storm, delivering a brutal beating.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Every strike erupted with a terrifying shockwave. Under the havoc of this power, all surrounding buildings were swept away, and a layer of the ground was literally scraped off.
Meanwhile, the heroes in the plaza and the many cameras at work were unaffected due to the isolation of the Omega barrier, recording everything as it happened.