Black Noir's identity

Ryan's foot stopped in midair.

Of course he knew, but that didn't stop him from hearing it from the man himself.

In the ravine, Black Noir roared as though using the last of his strength.

"Because you're not Homelander's child. You're my child—mine and Becca's. Come on, kill your father, you coward."

"Then I'll grant your wish."

Ryan spoke and was just about to bring his foot down when the roar of helicopters came from the horizon. There were two, both bearing Vought International's logo.

They had probably located him by satellite.

Unsure what they wanted, Ryan watched the helicopters and saw their cannons turn toward him.

"Madelyn."

Ryan spat out the name. That woman had to have been watching his fight with Black Noir from afar.

Seeing the fight drawing to a close, she had decided to swoop in and reap the spoils.

Her means of doing so were right before Ryan's eyes: the helicopters' cannons, and the man flying across the sky in his superhero costume.

Ryan looked up at Homelander, bitterness welling inside him. He could feel his body gradually weakening.

The consequences of overdosing on compound V had already set in. Ryan could clearly feel the superpowers in his body slowly fading.

While the mantis stalked the cicada, the oriole waited behind it.

He hadn't expected Vought International to be preparing to finish him off while he was preparing to finish off Black Noir.

In the ravine, Ryan sank weakly onto Black Noir's chest, making more red liquid spill from his mouth.

Drained of strength, he pointed at the sky.

"Black Noir, look at the Vought International you've been so loyal to. They're planning to kill you too."

"Get off me first."

Black Noir felt worse than he ever had. With every passing second, pain radiated