Herman had no idea.
Tony Stark was still in shock from his display of power, silently swearing to one day create the [Anti-Homelander Armor].
While Tony scoured the news for information, Herman used Raven Teleportation to appear directly at the top floor of Umbrella Biotechnology.
"Rustle—"
A flurry of ravens scattered, then dissolved into black smoke that flowed back into Herman's body.
"My clothes really didn't take any damage this time." After retrieving his battle suit with the ring, Herman glanced down at his clean, casual outfit and felt very satisfied.
He was sick of having to change clothes after every fight. Whether it was from the damage in battle or the lingering scent afterward, he always had to swap out. Now, with Superman's black battle robe, he didn't have to worry about it at all. As long as he wore the robe during both kinds of "fights," he could avoid the hassle.
Crafted with Kryptonian technology, the robe wasn't only incredibly strong with self-repairing abilities—it also cleaned itself and never carried odors.
"Click—"
Herman straightened his clothes and opened the door. Outside, the sultry secretary arranged by [All-Seeing Eye] was idly scrolling through her phone.
"Boss!"
The voluptuous, foxlike secretary quickly set her phone aside, staring at Herman in surprise. She clearly hadn't noticed when he'd entered the chairman's office.
"Carry on."
Herman didn't really know this secretary, but he still had to pretend otherwise. After speaking, he headed toward the elevator.
"Yes, boss!"
Though puzzled, the secretary lowered her head again and returned to her game, Battle of Balls.
Her work was so easy it bordered on boring. And with a boss who didn't seem interested in her, she thought her job was far too relaxed.
Suddenly—
A news pop-up interrupted her game, causing her to be knocked out instantly. Annoyed, she was about to curse.
Then she noticed the headline image.
It was her mysterious boss.
Curious, she immediately clicked on it.
"Oh my god! My boss is a superhero!?"
She gasped, covering her mouth as she stared at the photos of Herman in the report, completely stunned.
"He saved New York!"
Her eyes grew hazy. She suddenly felt that not making a move on her boss earlier had been her biggest mistake.
That was the man who saved all of New York. The secretary found Herman more irresistible than ever and swore that the next time she saw him, she'd make the "contributions" a secretary ought to make... With Captain America's culture, Marvel's Americans held superheroes in the highest regard.
"Ding—"
Herman had no idea he was already being watched.
He rode the elevator down to the artificial intelligence lab.
When he walked in, the staff erupted.
The news had spread fast—his display of power was all over the media. Now, countless researchers shouted excitedly, calling him "Boss, the Homelander!"
Herman's face twitched.
"Superman! Didn't you hear me? You're supposed to call me Superman!" he corrected them with clear irritation.
"Yes, boss!"
The researchers quickly nodded in agreement.
Only then did Herman begin explaining the Jarvis source code.
But his irritation only deepened the impression in their minds—more than ever, the staff felt his presence carried that same domineering aura as Homelander.
"Is this the source code for Tony Stark's artificial intelligence?"
The man leading the AI research was a balding doctor named Professor Charles Ashford—a man still radiating heavy "Biohazard vibes."
"That's right."
Herman nodded.
"Incredible. So many people have been after that AI, and you actually managed to get the source code from him."
Professor Ashford's face lit up with awe.
"Of course the boss could! He just saved that playboy's life not long ago! My god, boss, could you let us study you?"
One scientist, eyes burning with fanaticism, blurted out something that made Herman curse silently. That look wasn't the admiration of a fan for an idol—it was pure scientific obsession.
"What do you think?"
Herman's smile was bright and easy.
His tone wasn't harsh, but the fanatical scientist instantly wilted.
Muttering "I was just saying... I'm only into AI, just curious," he shrank back into the crowd.
Clearly, under Herman's gaze, the man's common sense managed to claw its way back.
"With this source code, the AI project should run smoothly, right?" Herman wasn't well-versed in the technical hurdles of research.
"Absolutely, boss. Please don't worry. Our progress was already steady, but with this source code, we'll have a perfected AI very soon."
"This code is the key piece in the logical framework—it spares us countless headaches along the development path."
Professor Ashford's excitement was palpable. Herman's "Homelander" reputation didn't concern him in the slightest. All he cared about was pushing his research forward.
And it had to be said—to reach the top tier of science, that kind of focus was essential. To him, not even superhumans mattered as much as his project.
"As long as it helps."
Herman smiled and nodded.
"By the way, boss... could I make one small request?" Ashford asked carefully.
"A raise?" Herman raised an eyebrow.
"No, I'd like the design rights and naming rights for the AI," Ashford said with a pleading tone.
"No problem."
Herman agreed without hesitation.
Scientists always treated their creations like children.
He could understand that sentiment.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Ashford nearly shouted with joy, not expecting such an easy yes.
"I've already decided. To honor my daughter, who died of illness and whose body was later stolen, I want the AI modeled after her."
"And I'll give her a name that resounds—Red Queen!" Ashford's voice shook with passion, as if he could already see the AI being born.
Around him, the lab staff buzzed with excitement.
Whispers spread quickly.
Some even shouted to bring up Jarvis's source code right away.
Only Herman's smile froze.
He looked at the excited scientists and felt like a herd of curses stampeded through his head.
Could this "Biohazard" energy be toned down a bit?
Red Queen?
Damn it, should I just rename this building the Hive?
"Boss? What's wrong? Do you... not approve?" Ashford's heart sank when he noticed Herman's expression.
"No, it's fine. As long as you're happy."
Herman wasn't the type to go back on his word. Forcing a smile, he nodded at Ashford and the others.
Then, finding an excuse, he left the lab.
The AI's name wasn't important. What mattered was reverse-engineering the Super Soldier Serum as fast as possible. He already had a pile of Identity Exclusive Missions left unfinished.
This media frenzy could be leveraged—The Daily Bugle could be fed some exclusives, and ideally, Stark could be pushed into giving another one-on-one interview.
Herman started laying out the easier tasks.
He himself would never go on camera—that would only deepen the public's misconceptions of him, a price not worth paying.
Stark, on the other hand, was perfect.
Most outlets could never sway Stark.
But Herman was different.
"You don't want Pepper Potts losing her CEO seat, do you?"
Herman wasn't a despicable man—this was just one of his backup plans.
...
Leaving the lab, Herman dropped the act.
Right in front of company staff, he activated Raven Teleportation. Amidst gasps of astonishment, he vanished and reappeared in his office at Stellar Tower.
Herman walked over curiously.
His voice startled everyone.
They turned to him with different expressions, though their shouts carried the same tone of disbelief.
"Boss! Your eyes really can shoot beams!"
"Oh my god! We saw everything! You're a superhero like Skye? Can you really fly into the sky too?"
"Big brother! You're amazing! You beat up all the bad guys!"
...
Herman froze for a moment.
He realized they must have watched the earlier livestream.
And now—
They were also glued to New York TV's news broadcast.
"That was just an accident..."
Herman didn't know how to explain.
Skye, Kara, Quicksilver, and Wanda already knew about his powers, so their reactions were relatively calm.
Cross and Firefox looked shocked but not entirely disbelieving, as if they thought fate had granted Herman extra favor.
Carrie, on the other hand, was bold as ever. She ran over, poked his muscles with wide eyes, exclaimed, "So hard!" then tried to lift him up to test his weight.
Herman dodged her bear hug just in time, flashing over to stand beside Kara. The Kryptonian girl no longer seemed uneasy like she had the day before—maybe she was starting to settle into Stellar Tower's atmosphere.
"I'm so glad you used that suit to do something truly just!" Kara beamed, giving him a big thumbs-up.
She didn't ask about his eye beams. The well-read girl clearly knew the rays from Herman's eyes were very different from a Kryptonian's.
"Who'd have thought our company actually has two superheroes!" Aunt May, the only normal human present, seemed surprisingly unfazed.
"When I get home, I'll tell my nephew—no, I'll bring him here myself. He needs to see you all in action, to learn from your example."
"That little brat..." She started to continue, then stopped abruptly, waving her hand as if deciding to let it go.
No one pressed further.
After all, everyone knew—teenagers always had their troubles. Only Herman gave Aunt May a knowing look.
He understood.
She had probably already noticed something off. Peter Parker was terrible at lying and even worse at hiding secrets.
"Still showing the playboy's news?"
Instead of questioning Aunt May, Herman turned toward the television in the lobby.
The reporter who had once interviewed him—and even tried to sleep with him—was now sitting in the live studio, passionately walking viewers through today's events.
"As you can see, the man in this footage is Homelander. Surrounded by terrifying mechs, he stayed calm and composed."
"The mechs tried to destroy our city, but Homelander stopped a terrorist attack launched by Russia. With overwhelming power, he crushed the mech army that could have leveled New York. Against him, they were nothing but toys."
Reporter Lois spoke with fervor, her voice stirring through the broadcast.
To her left, a replay of the livestream rolled—edited carefully by Lois after she returned to the station.
Onscreen, hundreds of mechs swarmed around Herman.
But the moment he unleashed his power—every last one of them turned to ash.
"He is a god walking among mortals!
He has shown the whole world what happens when someone dares to challenge him..."
Reporter Lois, already a die-hard fan of Herman, now looked completely ecstatic as she shouted into the camera, her words aimed at the countless viewers beyond the screen.
"He... is the only being who can stand in the heavens!"
Her voice was filled with worship, and for those watching, the impact was overwhelming.
Words alone might not convince.
But paired with the footage—
The crushing pressure Herman exuded, that aura of invincibility, had already been burned deep into the minds of countless people.
Some were terrified.
Some were unsettled.
Others felt that with such a being guarding the world, maybe humanity could finally have true peace... The events at Stark Manor had made many around the globe realize the world was not as simple as they had once believed.
"If a god really walked among us, how should we treat Him?"
By now, discussions like this flooded the internet. Skye sat nearby with a tablet, reading aloud as news exploded across every platform. The impact was massive.
Reporters were streaming live.
Even S.H.I.E.L.D. couldn't contain the uproar—it wasn't all-powerful.
"Big brother, it says here you won't let anyone stand beside you in the sky!" Wanda leaned in to read the tablet, her wide eyes full of disbelief as she repeated the comment.
"Not even us?"
The young girl looked hurt.
"What the hell!"
Herman thought that drill-loving reporter really was toxic.
"I never said anything like that!"
Frustration burned inside him, but under Wanda's gaze he could only force a helpless smile, his words edged with gritted teeth—meant entirely for the reporter.
"Oh, and big brother, Ms. Grey said she misses you... and wants to play games with you again." Wanda suddenly remembered the message her teacher had asked her to deliver.
She stared straight at Herman, curiosity in her voice. "What kind of games do you play? Why does Ms. Grey, already so grown-up, still like playing games?"
Hearing that, Herman froze.
The real Jean Grey definitely wasn't this familiar with him.
So... was Dark Phoenix surfacing again? Strange. That persona was supposed to crave destruction—why did it sound more like she wanted to play house?
Herman couldn't make sense of it.
"What game is it?! I wanna play too!"
Skye's curiosity was instantly hooked.
"Count me in! Count me in!"
Carrie, hugging a bag of chips, excitedly jumped into the chatter.
Herman's expression... was priceless.
"...."
...
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