Oi! Homie: Hmph...

Ryan was already airborne and gone.

All the strength had drained from Becca. Her heart twisted with pain as she slumped limply into her husband Billy's arms.

Billy held his beloved tight, fury and secret delight reverberating in his chest.

That day, Becca had lost her son, Billy had gotten his wife back, and a little farther from the bridge, behind a large tree, Homelander could no longer contain his elation. He laughed aloud without restraint.

His laughter pierced the woods and rang across the bridge, sharp and unhinged, brimming with smugness and boundless joy.

Yes, Homie was the only person present who hadn't understood Ryan's final words.

Homie had sensed something was wrong through the surveillance cameras as soon as Ryan hung up and said he was going out for a quick flight, so he had come over.

And when he arrived, he happened to catch the whole show from beginning to end.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

"Homelander!"

Billy tried to shield his wife again, but this time Becca bravely stepped forward to face Homelander.

"Homelander, you absolutely mustn't hurt Ryan!"

Becca's voice trembled, but her resolve was desperate and unshakable. "And I'll get him back!"

"I promise!"

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm..."

Homie nodded repeatedly, listening patiently and looking very much in agreement.

Only after Becca had finished did he slowly say, "Tell me, if I kill you two right now, will my son find out?"

"Boom—"

The air exploded again.

But this time, it wasn't Ryan's casual burst of speed. In an instant, Homie zipped through the air, covering the distance between them as if it were nothing.

Billy and Becca had no chance of defending themselves against Homie's speed. Their pupils had only just begun to contract when a terrifying force clamped around their necks.

But!

This married couple weren't helpless victims, either.

Even Becca, after a brief moment of stunned confusion, immediately reacted.

With a turn of her wrist, she drew the dagger hidden in her pocket and stabbed at Homelander's eye without hesitation.

At the same time, Billy pressed his gun to Homelander's forehead and pulled the trigger again and again. Gunshots erupted in rapid succession.

Homie shut his left eye. The dagger snapped.

Homie opened his right eye. The gun's muzzle melted.

"Boom—"

Another explosive flight rang out, but this time it was much slower.

In the end, Homie had thought of Ryan and refrained from actually killing them. Instead, he gripped them by the neck and slammed them onto a car parked in the middle of the bridge.

A muffled thud and groan sounded from either side. Billy and Becca had taken a hard hit, and it felt like every bone in their bodies was protesting.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... You're going to get Ryan back? You two?"

Homie let go, leaving them sprawled on the ground.

He stepped back a couple of paces, then bent down toward Becca and mocked her to the utmost.

"I used to think you were an interesting woman, and I even found myself reminiscing about you. I secretly smelled the panties you'd left in your drawer, too. But now..."

He turned to look at Billy. "Hahaha! Be grateful. I'm letting you and this mad dog that's been biting at me for years off the hook."

"But listen up!"

Homie's expression turned vicious in an instant, revealing his mercurial nature.

With an overwhelming air of menace, he delivered his final warning. "I'm sparing you for the sake of my adorable son. This is your one and only chance to escape with your lives."

"Remember, just this once!"

"Hmph."

Homie gave a soft snort and let the anger fade from his face. He straightened up and casually swept his cape back with both hands.

His posture was composed and elegant, but no matter how Billy looked at it, Homelander seemed completely nuts. Who struck a pose in the middle of nowhere?

Who was he posing for?

"Oi..."

Billy raised one corner of his mouth and called Homelander.

Then, struggling to his feet, he stared at Homelander contemptuously. "I'm guessing you didn't understand what Ryan meant at the end."

Homie tilted his head.

Billy finally stood up and met Homelander's gaze. "I've only met Ryan twice, but I believe his mother raised him well. He's nothing like a pervert like you."

"Homelander, you won today."

"It doesn't matter. Ryan said he'd try to change you, but I have a lot of faith in you. You're a rotten bastard through and through, an unchangeable monster!"

"I'll be waiting for the day you and Ryan fall out!"

Homie's eye twitched a few times as he glanced down at Becca.

Billy's words had reignited Becca's confidence. She met Homelander's gaze, eyes shining. "I believe in Ryan, and I'll never give up!"

Homie: "Hmph..."

"Ridiculous..."

With that, Homelander turned around, flung out his arms, twisted his hips, and shot into the sky.

For New York, tonight was just another perfectly ordinary night.

The superheroes were still standing guard over the city in all their flashy finery. Vought International's Compound V had been exposed, but what did that have to do with them?

It wasn't as if they'd seen their own kids—or themselves—turn into Supes.

Life was still a mess.

Those who were about to fall below the poverty line kept sliding, while those already at the top remained firmly perched above the clouds, looking down on everyone.

"Sigh..."

On the rooftop of an empty building, a tall, goth girl leaned against the edge and sighed in melancholy.

She swung her legs and stared at Vought International's official statement about the Compound V leak, displayed on a huge billboard nearby. "So what's the point of injecting Compound V and becoming a Supe? You still have to beg for money!"

"Am I right, Russell? Cameron?"

"Caw! Caw!"

Two handsome-looking crows stood on either side of the girl. They chirped softly in reply, as if they understood what she'd said.

"I know, I know. You don't have to remind me, and don't rush me."

The girl picked up her phone and stared at the glaring five-dollar earnings on the screen, close to tears. "I'll definitely save enough to buy you unsalted peanuts. I won't skimp on you."

As soon as she finished speaking, the crows called out twice more, their cries sharper this time.

"You want mealworms, too?"

The girl's pretty face tightened as she refused outright. "No! They're too expensive. I can't afford them!"

The crow drooped its wings and let out a plaintive caw.

Seeing that, the girl softened her tone. She gently stroked their sleek feathers and made a rather unconvincing promise.

"Don't worry, I'm the Countess of Crows. Once I'm famous, I'll feed you mealworms every day, along with the best imported bird food. Made in China, and there'll be plenty. How's that?"

"Caw."

The crows nodded in satisfaction. Then, imagining all the mealworms and high-quality bird food they'd get in the future, they immediately took flight in excitement.

They circled above the rooftop in the dark around the girl who called herself the Countess of Crows.

In the background were the brightly lit billboard in the distance and the full moon overhead. The dark, goth-style selfie came out just the way she liked it.

"Eh, wait. What's that?"

The girl enlarged the picture in surprise.

In the round moon, besides her crows Russell and Cameron, there was actually someone else... a person?!

No, wait. Why did it look like that person was flying toward her?