Ding!
Combat detected. Reward acquired: Super Hearing (Homelander)
Ding!
Combat detected. Reward acquired: Super Endurance (Queen Maeve)
For the first time, Fenris felt just how loud the world could be.
The sound of bullet casings bouncing off the ground was like gongs and drums ringing in his ears. The heartbeats of Homelander, Queen Maeve, and himself sounded like balloons bursting, loud and rapid.
A light breeze swept through, mingling with the bustling sounds of people, traffic, and city life. Every single sound came through crisp and clear.
It felt like standing in the middle of a flower field surrounded by buzzing bees, endless and overwhelming.
He dialed his hearing down to a normal level and glanced at Homelander, whose face had turned an ugly shade of gray from suppressed anger. Fenris gave him a mocking smile, pointed at his own eyes, then pointed back at Homelander.
"I'm watching you."
Homelander's expression grew even darker. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but Fenris had already nodded to Maeve and disappeared with a whoosh.
"Sh*t…" Homelander let out a breath of relief, cursing under his breath.
Maeve shot him a glance. His reactions during these last two encounters had completely shattered the image she once held of him.
Everything Homelander could do, Fenris could do too.
Even more impressively, he could do what Homelander couldn't.
There was no contest.
The cycle of karma and retribution had finally come around. In the face of overwhelming strength, Homelander was no different from anyone else. He could still feel fear, he could still cower, and he could still bow his head.
"Don't think siding with him gives you the right to look down on me. You don't have what it takes for that. A bitch will always be a bitch," Homelander snapped, sensing Maeve's change in attitude.
Maeve didn't reply. She simply looked past him.
Homelander's body froze. Was Fenris back again?
He turned his head. Behind him, nothing but empty space.
Realizing he'd been tricked, Homelander spun back with a furious glare.
"You dare mess with me?!"
Maeve remained unfazed, letting out a cold, mocking laugh. "So what if I did?"
Would he dare hit her?
Of course not.
Even a dog needs to mind the master holding the leash.
Maeve no longer cared what Homelander thought of her. In this world, people were like dogs, each bound by some kind of chain.
Whether it was money, work, or even life itself, different shackles had long since taken away people's true free will.
Homelander was no exception. He was still bound by the leash called the "superhero persona."
Perhaps the only person truly free was Fenris. Mysterious and powerful.
…
Nighttime.
The city lights glimmered in the distance.
Deep within a narrow, dim alley stood an unremarkable iron door. Behind it was an opulent nightclub.
Most of the patrons in this club were so-called superheroes who wore righteous faces during the day.
Here, they could indulge in their filthiest desires without worrying about paparazzi.
Nearly all the male members of the Seven had visited this place.
At that moment, Fenris sat in a private booth tucked into a corner of the club. Across from him, Starlight looked deeply uncomfortable as she sipped her drink. Fenris wore a calm smile, observing the indecent chaos unfolding around them.
"Why did you want to meet here?" Starlight asked. "This place... it's worse than hell. I can't believe those 'noble heroes' look like saints on camera, yet act like such disgusting pigs in private."
The very air in the club reeked of filth and depravity, making her feel nauseous just breathing it in.
Fenris rested his arm on her shoulder and pointed to a man not far away.
"That's Ezekiel, the stretchy guy. He travels the country preaching against homosexuality, saying people should pray to make it disappear. Right now, he's snuggling with two men."
"Disgusting hypocrite." Starlight turned away immediately, her expression disgusted. "Let's go somewhere else."
Fenris shook his head and leaned back on the couch. "What do you think a superhero is?"
"Someone who protects the weak, saves people from disasters, and brings hope and light to ordinary people," Starlight answered without hesitation.
"How naïve."
Fenris scoffed. "In this world, superheroes are nothing but commodities used by Vought to make money and build influence."
"Don't deny it. Most people who become superheroes do it for fame and fortune. Helping the weak and spreading peace is just a small part of the job."
"You're no different."
"If all you wanted to do was help people, why aim to join the Seven? Why reach out to me? Don't tell me you don't understand what that means."
Starlight's expression faltered. "Joining the Seven has always been my dream. I can help more people that way."
"Really?"
Fenris gestured toward two newcomers who had just entered.
One of them looked nervous and out of place, dressed plainly. The other wore a black trench coat, sporting a full beard and a calm demeanor.
"The awkward guy is Hughie. Ever see the news about A-Train killing a girl during a chase?"
"She was his girlfriend."
"She wasn't in the street. She was standing on the sidewalk. A-Train was high, and he ran straight through her. There was nothing left but a mess."
"And Vought? Their lawyers gave Hughie a confidentiality agreement and offered a so-called 'compensation.' Want to know how much? Just forty-five thousand dollars."
"Are you going to help him get justice?"
Starlight was speechless.
"The bearded guy is Billy. He used to work black ops for the CIA. His wife was an admin for Homelander. Homelander assaulted her. She went missing soon after."
"Will you help him too?"
Starlight was at a loss for words. After a long pause, she murmured, "How do I even know you're telling the truth?"
"You're the one who needs answers, not me."
Fenris got up and began to walk out.
Starlight hesitated for a second, then quickly stood to follow him.
Just then, a tiny man the size of a thumb darted out from the side and returned to full size in an instant, blocking her path.
"Hey there, beautiful. Want to have some fun?"
Before he could say another word, a searing hole appeared in his chest. The smile froze on his face as he looked down in disbelief.
Thud.
The lifeless body of the shrunken man dropped to his knees and collapsed at Starlight's feet.
She stared at the body, stunned for a moment, then let out a terrified scream.
Her shriek drew every pair of eyes in the nightclub. People saw her, saw the corpse, saw Fenris's eyes dimming from their glowing red hue.
But not a single person said a word.
No one came over. No one interfered.
The club fell silent for a few seconds, then returned to its usual chaos, people drinking, laughing, partying, as if nothing had ever happened.