The battle on the lawn outside the villa was over.
Soldier Boy, once a symbol of the United States, lay sprawled on the ground like a broken doll, his limbs twisted at grotesque angles, meaningless rasping sounds coming from his throat.
Homelander knelt before Soldier Boy, his chest heaving as he gasped for breath.
He had won, but it had not been an easy victory.
Pero slowly walked out of the villa.
He looked at the panting Homelander, then glanced at the utterly wrecked old relic on the ground, his face expressionless.
"I'll root out any future trouble."
His voice was flat.
Before his words had faded, without waiting for Homelander's reply, he floated into the air. His eyes lit up, turning all the Vought agents lying in ambush nearby to ash.
Then his entire body became a streak of golden light, tearing across the sky in an instant toward downtown New York.
His terrifying speed left a white trail in the air that lingered for a long time.
Cold sweat covered Homelander's forehead as he watched the golden light disappear into the distance, his taut nerves finally relaxing completely.
The exhaustion and mental shock caused by the neurotoxin engulfed him like a tide. His eyes rolled back, and he too lost consciousness, collapsing stiffly onto the ground.
Vought International, 99th floor, CEO's office.
"Oh no!"
Edgar shot up from his executive chair, a look of panic appearing on his face.
Just moments ago, through the highest-grade surveillance equipment hidden in the suburbs, he had witnessed a battle that overturned everything he knew.
His trump card, along with the BCL Red that had once brought down Soldier Boy, and even the upgraded neurotoxin-
In a single encounter, the man named Pero had blown them away with one breath, leaving