Desperate Vigil charge: 68%... 69%... 70%...
As Darkseid unleashed his power without restraint, the epic Unyielding Elegy skin Homelander wore finally began to reveal its breathtaking visual effects.
This was the most spectacular "tragic hero" effect the system had ever produced.
Before the eyes of the entire world, the red-and-blue suit that symbolized hope and justice began to tear apart. The fabric split, exposing the battered muscles beneath.
Then, enhanced by the skin's effects, lifelike "wounds" began spreading across his body.
Blood poured from them, soaking his suit red in an instant.
His cheeks swelled, the corners of his mouth split, and blood matted his golden hair against his forehead. He looked horrific.
Every punch that struck Homelander seemed to show the price he had paid for humanity.
A mother pressed her child's head against her chest to keep the child from seeing the brutality. She kept staring at the screen herself, tears streaming down her face.
A veteran dropped his gun and covered his face with both hands. His shoulders shook as he stifled his sobs.
"God... please open your eyes and look." The priest clutched the cross at his chest, tears running down his aged face. "Don't let this child who saved us suffer such cruelty..."
"Stop! You bastard! Stop!!!"
Outside the barrier, Harley Quinn knelt on the ground, pounding the wall of light with both hands. Her voice had gone completely hoarse, and her tears had carved two clear tracks through her eye makeup.
Each time Darkseid's fist fell, Harley Quinn flinched as though the blow had landed on her.
Bruce clenched his fists. Helplessness and guilt swallowed him whole.
He had founded the Justice League. He was a guardian of Earth. Yet now he could only stand there, useless, and watch someone be beaten