"Vought's most valuable asset isn't you — it's Compound V!"
Stan Edgar didn't hold back in the slightest as he criticized Homelander.
He also accused him of leaking Compound V without authorization, causing the company enormous losses and damages.
Those words were like a slap in Homelander's face — loud, sharp, and merciless.
Homelander's expression darkened. "I don't like your tone."
He stepped closer, eyes locked on Edgar at point-blank range, looking as though he might unleash his heat vision and blow the man's head apart at any second.
Stan Edgar, however, didn't flinch. Meeting Homelander's gaze head-on, he replied firmly,
"I don't like yours either… And whether it's recruiting Stormfront or making any other decision, I don't need your permission! Don't you have a movie premiere to attend?"
Edgar wasn't giving Homelander the slightest bit of face; this was practically a public falling out.
It was obvious Homelander was seething.
Outside the video, Tony fanned the flames.
"Do it! Blast him with your laser eyes! Come on, Homie, you're the big bad — don't tell me you're scared?"
Natasha shook her head. "He's been boxed in. He doesn't know if the guy has another card up his sleeve."
Sure enough, just as she said, by the end of the video, Homelander didn't make a move. He stormed out of Vought Tower in fury, and the clip ended there.
Tony waved dismissively.
"Pathetic. Where's the fire you had when you fried Madelyn Stillwell? This guy just humiliated you and you took it?"
That little jab nearly broke Homelander's composure again. He glared at Tony.
"You'll pay for this. All of you will pay. Every last one of you!"
And "all of you" certainly included Stan Edgar.
Homelander was already bitter about Vought abandoning him — now, after seeing how Edgar treated him in the video, he vowed to settle both old and new grudges at once.
Just then, the light screen displayed a new question:
[Question: Will Homelander regret killing Madelyn Stillwell?]
[A: Yes
B: No]
After the question appeared, the system replayed the footage of Homelander killing Madelyn, letting both players and viewers feel the ruthlessness in his actions.
When Bruce Banner saw Homelander's heat vision melt through Madelyn's skull, he nearly threw up.
"Jesus, what kind of monster does that?" Bruce snapped. "The hostage was alive, and you — the so-called rescuer — killed her before the kidnappers could? You're insane. Completely insane!"
Natasha, seeing it for the first time, shook her head. "He doesn't look the least bit remorseful. He's utterly unhinged."
Tony looked over at the silent Homelander. "Hey, you're the one who did it. No one here should know the answer better than you. How about a little hint?"
Homelander's face remained stony. Even without his mutual hostility with Tony, there was no way he'd dignify that question with a response.
Truthfully, when the video revealing his future self killing Madelyn first played, Homelander had been shocked.
He'd felt both rage at Madelyn's manipulation and PUA tactics, and a bitter sadness at realizing his "true love" had never existed — it had all been in his head.
Madelyn had only ever feared him, treating him like a job to be managed.
When he saw the footage, his rage had boiled over. He was certain that, if it were this version of himself in that moment, he'd have killed her without hesitation.
Would he regret it later?
Homelander's answer was no. He'd once needed Madelyn as an emotional anchor, but now he had a child to fill that role. He didn't need her anymore.
The countdown began. Though this was another simple multiple-choice question, after the near-total wipeout from the previous round, the players had become more cautious.
Even Homelander — stubborn as ever — didn't rush to hit the buzzer. He had just clawed his way back to -2 points, almost out of the red, and wasn't about to risk another wrong answer and an electric shock.
Erik glanced around, then hit the buzzer first. "If none of you are going for it, I will. I choose A."
Natasha shook her head. "I don't think he'd regret it. He's pure evil. My answer's B."
Homelander pressed the button next — and also chose B.
Tony went right after him, but he deliberately picked A, smirking. "I was going to pick B, but then I saw you pick it — so I switched. I don't need your bad luck rubbing off on me."
Bruce Banner, halfway to saying "B," immediately changed his mind after hearing that. "I'll take A too."
Tony shot him a hand gesture — great minds think alike.
The countdown ended, and the system announced the results:
[Congratulations to Player Erik Lehnsherr for answering correctly and earning 4 points. Player Tony Stark and Player Bruce Banner also answered correctly, earning 1 point each]
[Player Homelander and Player Natasha Romanoff answered incorrectly, losing 1 point each]
"See? I told you so! Natasha, you should just pick the opposite of whatever Homelander says," Tony said with mock sympathy.
Homelander's face twisted. Regret? Him? Never. That would shatter the hard-edged image he'd built.
Erik studied him, his tone thoughtful.
"Homelander's a complicated man — in other words, his mind isn't right. In moments of extreme rage, he'll do something drastic. And people like that often regret it afterward."
Tony shrugged. "Sounds like you really understand this brand of obsessive psycho."
___
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