Ashley had not gone far. She had barely taken two steps when deafening crashes rang out one after another from the office, accompanied by the roar of collapsing walls.
Still shaken, she turned back just in time to witness the entire sequence: lightning pierced Homelander, sent him crashing through a wall, and slammed him into the rubble.
The sight completely overturned everything she knew.
The world's strongest man, who stood high above everyone, whose moods were unpredictable, and whom no one dared provoke, had actually been crushed this easily.
The enormous shock left her body rigid, her hands and feet ice-cold, and her teeth chattering nonstop. Nothing remained in her heart but utter shock and terror.
Solomon slowly gathered his thoughts, recovering from his daze, and cast an indifferent glance at the terrified, distracted Ashley by the door.
He raised a hand and waved lightly, and an invisible, blood-red force instantly spread out.
The blood from Homelander's wounds scattered throughout the rubble rose into the air and gathered into fine, supple crimson ribbons. They wound around his body in layer after layer, lifting him steadily into the air.
With his current abilities, he could theoretically draw directly on the blood inside Homelander's body and manipulate his body through the air.
But he knew his Blood Manipulation was not yet precise enough. If he rashly manipulated the blood inside Homelander, the slightest mistake could send it out of control and cause Homelander's body to burst, killing him outright.
To be safe, using external strands of blood to wrap around him and pull him along was the safest, most controllable method.
The crimson ribbons supported Homelander gently but firmly, slowly carrying him back into the office and lowering him steadily onto a leather sofa, settling him securely.
Once that was done, Solomon