Shame, anger, confusion.
Countless emotions churned in the minds of the Homelander, eventually converging into a single thought.
The source of all this is the man in front of us who is holding a cat.
He wasn't the Soldier Boy, nor was he the Human Torch.
He was just an ordinary person.
By what right does an ordinary person judge God?
A final burst of fury.
"Go to hell!"
Homelander roared as he rose and lunged at Lynn!
The Soldier Boy's smile turned to surprise; he hadn't expected this sissy to have the strength to resist.
Flame surged from Human Torch's body, preparing to intercept.
Yasuo's fingers tightened slightly around the sword hilt.
They were all slow.
Or rather, there is someone who is faster than everyone else.
Lynn raised his left hand.
Homelander's fist landed squarely on Lynn's palm.
How could that be?
"Pfft, hahaha!"
The Soldier Boy burst into unrestrained, maniacal the Batman Who Laughs.
"Idiot! Who the hell are you attacking?!"
Lynn gently clenched his fist.
"Snap!"
The palm of the Homelander shattered instantly.
The pain caused the Homelander to cry out in agony. He tried to pull his hand away, but found his arm firmly clamped.
Lynn's gaze fell on Homelander's shocked and bewildered face.
Rule Two.
Lynn's voice remained calm.
"Be obedient."
After saying that, Lynn grabbed his hand and flung him away, sending Homelander crashing into the wall once again.
Before he could get up, Lynn came to his side and raised his right foot to step on Homelander's intact calf.
"No!"
"Snap!"
Lynn broke his shinbone.
"Aaaaaaah!"
Homelander's screams echoed in the training room as he curled up on the floor, clutching his leg and writhing in agony.
Lynn withdrew her foot.
"In Vought, you are not a god, you are just an asset."
He looked down at the Homelander convulsing on the ground.
"Assets should behave like assets; they need to be assessed, priced, used, and maintained. But you have no right to question the owner's decisions."
Lynn, holding Goose, turned and walked out, giving instructions to Tifa behind him without looking back.
"Treat his wound."
"Then, have someone from the General Administration of Scientific Research collect blood and tissue samples. I need a complete genome map and a capability assessment report."
"Clear."
Tifa bowed slightly.
As for you.
Lynn glanced at the Soldier Boy was still replaying the "lesson" in his mind.
"Go to the public relations department. Hans Landa will arrange a new promotional video for you. The theme is 'Old Soldiers Never Die, Legends Return.' Remember, you are now an indispensable part of the Vought hero saga, the image of the 'father.'"
The Soldier Boy's face contorted into a look of disgust.
"A promotional video? Pose like those sissies? I fucking...!"
"That's an order," Lynn interrupted him. "Or would you rather go back to soaking in the hot springs until you're obsolete and then completely forgotten?"
The Soldier Boy's expression changed, but he still walked towards the elevator while cursing.
"Okay, okay, it's just being a dad."
Lynn's gaze finally settled on Jim Hammond.
" Jim, go see Dr. Phineas. He needs your cooperation to finalize Human Torch Project."
"Yes, sir." Jim Hammond bowed, offering no objection, and the Flame on his body completely subsided.
Lynn left with Goose in his arms, having lost all interest in the Homelander who had been utterly defeated behind him.
Behind him, Tifa Lockhart slowly walked toward Homelander curled up on the ground.
She looked down at him, her eyes devoid of sympathy or pity, only displaying a scrutinizing gaze as if he were an object.
Welcome to your new home, Homelander.
Tifa's voice was gentle.
"Starting today, you need to learn the new rules."
"Rule number one: What the boss says goes."
"Article Two: Your emotions, your power, everything about you belongs to the Vought International. Unauthorized use is prohibited."
"The third rule," she crouched down, extending her gloved hand to gently pat Homelander's swollen, bleeding face, "Is to learn to obey, or today's lesson will become your daily routine."
Homelander shuddered; he saw something in that woman's eyes that terrified him more than the Soldier Boy's fist.
It was a kind of absolute control that could completely strip away all his dignity and pride, and then reassemble him into whatever shape they wanted.
Lynn hadn't gone far when Yasuo silently followed.
"A sword that stays in its sheath for too long will only become dull," Yasuo stated his purpose. "I want to go out for a walk."
Lynn stopped and turned to look at the reclusive swordsman.
Yasuo's eyes were pure, devoid of desire or ambition, filled only with unwavering dedication to the way of the sword.
"The world is vast and dangerous," Lynn said. " The Stormfront outside are far more deadly than the punches in the training room."
"I'm going to find the Stormfront."
Lynn certainly understood Yasuo's thoughts.
For a true swordsman, peace without an opponent is the most terrifying prison.
The plight of his Homelander was not seen as strength, but as weakness.
"You want to be the sharpest sword, don't you?" Lynn asked.
Yasuo didn't answer, but his silence was the best answer.
"Alright," Lynn surprisingly agreed. " Vought doesn't need a famous sword that's just sitting on a shelf. I grant you permission to travel and find the whetstone you desire."
A flicker of emotion crossed Yasuo's eyes.
"However," Lynn changed his tone, "There are two conditions."
"First, you must be able to be contacted at any time. Motoko will be your contact person. When you receive an order from the Clock Tower, you must respond within the specified time. You are going there for training, not to defect."
Yasuo nodded; the condition was reasonable.
"Secondly," Lynn's gaze deepened, "Your sword isn't just yours. You are Vought's hero, and your every move represents the company's image. You can slay enemies, but you cannot arbitrarily destroy Vought's commercial value."
"What do you mean?" Yasuo frowned.
"It's very simple."
Lynn pointed to the longsword at Yasuo's waist.
"When this sword is drawn, it must demonstrate Vought's majesty to the world. You can be aloof, you can be indifferent, but you cannot be unknown. Every time it is drawn, it must become an event, a headline story that Hans Landa will include in his press release."
Lynn was telling him that even if you pursue your own path, you must do so within the stage defined by Vought.
Yasuo remained silent for a long time.
This is a transaction.
"I see."
He nodded.
For Yasuo, as long as he can swing his sword, it doesn't matter much where he does it.
"Very good."
Lynn nodded in satisfaction.
"Go forth, seek your Stormfront. I await the arrival of a sword that can truly cleave everything."
Yasuo said no more, nodded slightly to Lynn, and turned to leave.
His back was lonely and resolute, and he quickly disappeared at the end of the corridor.
No matter how high or far an eagle flies after being released from its cage, its feet are still tied to the silken thread of its master.
Yasuo, with his sharpest sword, will carve out a new chapter for Vought worldwide.