Black Adam, watching the tattooed man crash onto a rooftop, expected some reaction from Homelander. After all, no matter how flawed or profit-driven the Seven might be, they were still branded as superheroes. Surely, Homelander would rescue the man to maintain appearances.
Yet, to Black Adam's surprise, Homelander didn't even flinch. He didn't glance at the injured man or show the slightest concern. His eyes were locked onto Black Adam, brimming with excitement like a predator spotting its prey.
On the rooftop, the tattooed man lay sprawled and groaning in pain.
"Crack!"
"Ahhh!"
The sound of his bones breaking echoed, followed by his anguished cries. But even as he screamed, Homelander remained entirely indifferent, his focus unwavering.
Homelander's behavior puzzled Black Adam. However, what Homelander saw in Black Adam was more straightforward: an opportunity. For the first time in years, someone strong enough to seem like a challenge had appeared—and Homelander's ego burned with the chance to prove himself.
Homelander's overconfidence stemmed from one thing: he misread Black Adam's earlier caution as fear. In Homelander's mind, Black Adam feared him, making him believe victory was assured.
What fueled Homelander's excitement even more was his abysmal track record. Since his debut, he had almost never won a fight against anyone outside the Seven. His defeats at the hands of Sentry were especially humiliating, leaving him deeply resentful. Even now, after Sentry's departure from Vought, the memory of those beatings loomed large, driving Homelander to keep a low profile.
Yet, those same experiences left him hungry to reclaim his self-worth. Defeating Black Adam—a towering figure with an imposing physique and a thunderbolt symbol—seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Black Adam, however, misread Homelander's confidence as a sign of overwhelming strength. Seeing Homelander so composed, he assumed the man was holding back immense power.
"If he's so sure of himself, perhaps I've underestimated him," Black Adam thought.
As the two faced off, Homelander finally broke the silence. "Where the hell did you come from?" he asked, his voice echoing across the area.
Though itching to attack, Homelander had been instructed by Vought to gather intel before engaging. Black Adam's uniform, particularly the thunderbolt emblem, bore a resemblance to Shazam's. Vought suspected a connection and wanted details before committing fully to conflict.
In truth, Vought now relied less on the Seven as actual fighters. With their advanced Kryptonian mechanical warriors and Doomsday clones, the Seven had become more of a marketing tool. Even Homelander, once their poster child, was now subordinate to these more reliable assets.
Homelander hated this diminished role but knew better than to disobey direct orders. After all, even he feared Vought's wrath and its new toys.
"If I tell you where I'm from, will you spare me?" Black Adam responded, sidestepping the question.
He already knew from Clark, Sentry, and the tattooed man that Vought wouldn't leave him alone. Even if he revealed his origins, it would only embolden them to exploit his power.
Homelander smirked, his irritation bubbling over. "You don't get to call the shots here!" he snapped. His eyes lit up with a fiery glow, and a searing heat beam shot toward Black Adam.
"Swoosh!"
Black Adam dodged effortlessly, moving faster than Homelander anticipated. The beam struck a distant building, causing an explosion that sent debris flying but left the structure standing.
Homelander mistook Black Adam's evasion for weakness. Smiling, he charged forward, intent on grabbing Black Adam to deliver a devastating point-blank heat beam. His confidence soared—until Black Adam made his move.
"Let's see if you can take a hit," Homelander taunted, swinging a powerful punch at Black Adam's head.
"Smack!"
To Homelander's shock, his punch was caught mid-air. Black Adam's massive hand clamped down on Homelander's fist, holding it in an iron grip. No matter how much Homelander struggled, he couldn't free himself.
"Wha—?! How?!" Homelander gasped, disbelief flooding his features.
For years, Homelander had avoided direct confrontations with stronger foes. Now, as Black Adam effortlessly restrained him, a sinking realization set in: he was completely outmatched.
Black Adam's voice broke the silence, calm but cutting. "So, you're not as strong as I thought. I've been overestimating you… all of you."
Homelander's heart sank as Black Adam continued. "A world without gods shouldn't produce warriors worth fearing. Clearly, I was wrong to think otherwise."
"You arrogant—!" Homelander's rage boiled over, his eyes flaring with heat vision. At such close range, he unleashed the full force of his beams at Black Adam's face.
"Buzz!"
But Black Adam was faster. Before the beams could connect, his body erupted with divine lightning, coursing through Homelander like an unstoppable tide.
"Ahhh!" Homelander screamed, writhing in agony. He couldn't escape; Black Adam's grip was unrelenting, and the lightning showed no mercy.
"You're durable, I'll give you that," Black Adam remarked, observing Homelander's resilience. "But it won't be enough."
Homelander's screams subsided into gasping breaths as Black Adam lessened the intensity of his lightning. "Now, you're going to answer my questions," he said, his tone deadly serious.
"I'm looking for an old wizard—one who wields the power of many gods. Do you know anything about him? Or have you seen someone wearing a mark like this?" He pointed to the lightning bolt on his chest.
Homelander, desperate to escape the torment, answered without hesitation. "I've… seen it! It was… on some of the Avengers!"
"The Avengers?" Black Adam's eyes widened, his grip loosening in surprise. "What do you mean?"
Homelander seized the moment to explain. "There were… five or six of them. They had that same symbol. It's… some kind of power they can replicate."
Black Adam froze, his mind reeling. "Replicated? Five or six people? Impossible!" He trembled with anger, his grip faltering.
Homelander, sensing an opening, broke free and bolted toward the horizon. But he didn't get far.
"Swoosh!"
Black Adam's speed eclipsed his own. In the blink of an eye, he intercepted Homelander, seizing him by the throat.
"You think you can escape me?" Black Adam growled, his voice low and menacing. "Was everything you said a lie? Are you trying to divert me toward your enemies?"
"No! I swear, it's true!" Homelander rasped, clawing futilely at Black Adam's hand. "I just… wanted to get away!"
Before Black Adam could respond, he felt a ripple of energy. He turned to see a squadron of Kryptonian mechanical warriors approaching rapidly.
Homelander had unknowingly bought enough time for Vought's reinforcements to arrive. The machines, designed for combat, were more than capable of dealing with rogue superhumans.
Black Adam's eyes narrowed as he released Homelander, letting him drop unceremoniously. "So, this is the extent of your power… relying on machines to do your dirty work."
Unfazed by the arrival of the mechanical warriors, Black Adam readied himself. "Let them come. I'll show them what true power looks like."
______
(≧◡≦) ♡ Support me and read 20 chapters ahead – patreon.com/INNIT
For every 50 Power Stones, one extra chapter will be released on Saturday.