As Homelander felt the energy surging through his body, the powerful beat of his heart, and the rush of exhilaration, he finally understood why A-Train had become addicted to the stuff.
The feeling of wielding such power really was intoxicating.
And now, a sufficiently powerful opponent stood before him, someone he could unleash all that pent-up, violent energy upon.
It felt incredible.
Homelander clenched his fists. Veins bulged beneath his skintight suit like worms, and his swollen muscles held a terrifying force, straining to be released.
"We meet again." Homelander made no move to attack. Instead, he opened with those words.
Luke froze for a moment.
It seemed Homelander had recognized him.
In that case, there was no need to keep hiding it.
Fine.
No more pretending.
I'm the Bald Demon King. There, I said it.
"Long time no see." Luke scratched his head. "Have you eaten?"
Homelander stared at him, baffled.
"If not, have a fistful of this."
The moment the words left his mouth, Luke drove a fist straight into Homelander's stomach.
Homelander's abdomen caved in horribly. His whole body folded like a cooked lobster before shooting backward.
Boom!
A huge crater opened in the ground, sending dust billowing into the air.
Then came another thunderous crash. A blue figure burst from the dust and hovered in midair.
The opening exchange left the audience stunned. Most had favored Homelander; after all, his invincible image was firmly rooted in the public mind. Luke's performance in the arena had been flawless too, so they had expected, at the very least, a fierce contest.
No one had expected Homelander to be sent flying by a single punch from Baldy as soon as the match began.
Fortunately, Homelander charged out of the rubble again, allowing his anxious supporters to breathe a sigh