**"Ding!"**
"Combat detected, drop reward: Super Hearing (Homelander)"
**"Ding!"**
"Combat detected, drop reward: Super Endurance (Queen Maeve)"
For the first time, Jonny Blaze felt that the world was unbearably noisy.
The sound of shells bouncing off the ground echoed like drums and gongs beating in his ears. Homelander, Queen Maeve, and his own heartbeat pounded like a balloon about to burst.
The gentle breeze, the murmurs of people, and the noise of traffic—all sounds became distinctly audible, as if amplified beyond comprehension.
It was as though he stood amidst a field of flowers, surrounded by a swarm of bees, their incessant buzzing filling his mind.
Calming his hearing to a more normal level, Jonny glanced at Homelander, who was pale but too terrified to speak. With a sly smile, Jonny pointed to his own eyes, then gestured towards him—**I'm watching you.**
Homelander's face darkened further. He opened his mouth, ready to say something, but Jonny merely nodded towards Queen Maeve and, with a flash, disappeared into the air.
"Shit!" Homelander muttered under his breath, relieved but furious at the same time.
Queen Maeve shot him a sideways glance. Twice now, Homelander had faltered in front of Jonny Blaze, completely shattering the godlike image she'd once held of him.
Jonny could do everything Homelander could, and more.
Homelander was no match. In the face of absolute power, even he, like everyone else, was forced to lower his head in submission.
"Don't think you can look down on me just because you're aligning with him," Homelander warned Queen Maeve, his voice tight with rage. "You don't have the right. A b**** is always a b****."
Queen Maeve silently looked behind him. Homelander's face froze. Was Jonny back again?
He spun around, but there was no one there.
Realizing he'd been tricked, Homelander's anger boiled over as he glared at Queen Maeve.
"How dare you mess with me!"
Queen Maeve sneered. "And what if I did?"
Would Homelander dare to strike her?
No. He wouldn't.
Because even Homelander knew—**a dog doesn't bite without its master's permission**.
Queen Maeve didn't care what Homelander thought of her anymore. To her, everyone in this world was like a dog, bound by invisible chains around their necks.
Whether it was money, work, or life itself, these chains had long since stripped people of their true free will.
And Homelander was no exception. His chain was his superhero identity, a shackle like any other.
Perhaps only the mysterious and powerful Jonny Blaze had true freedom.
---
**Nightfall.**
The city lights flickered dimly.
In the depths of a dark, secluded alley, behind an unremarkable iron door, lay a lavish nightclub.
Most of the patrons were superheroes—sanctimonious paragons by day but indulging their darkest desires here, safe from prying eyes and paparazzi.
Nearly all the male members of the Seven had visited at least once.
Jonny Blaze now sat in a corner booth, a drink in hand, while Starlight—visibly uncomfortable—sat beside him, her eyes darting to the wild debauchery unfolding around them.
"Why did you want to meet here?" Starlight asked, disgust evident in her voice. "This place is worse than hell. I can't believe those superheroes, who put on such a good face in public, are such... bastards in private."
Jonny wrapped an arm around her shoulders, directing her gaze to a man nearby.
"See Ezekiel over there? The guy who's always preaching nationwide to 'pray the gay away'? Now look at him, cozying up with two men."
"Disgusting hypocrite," Starlight muttered, quickly turning away. "Let's leave. Please."
Jonny leaned back in the sofa, smiling as he sipped his drink. "What do you think superheroes really are, Starlight?"
"Protectors of the weak, saving people in danger, bringing hope and light to the world," she answered without hesitation.
"Innocent."
Jonny scoffed. "Superheroes in this world are nothing but cash cows for Vought. They make money, they expand influence."
He raised his hand before she could protest. "Don't be naive. Most people become superheroes for the fame and the money. Helping others, spreading love, peace—that's just part of the job description."
"You're no different."
Starlight's expression hardened. "I joined the Seven to help more people. It's my dream."
"Is that so?"
Jonny gestured to two men who had just entered the club. One was ordinary-looking, nervous, his eyes wide as he took in the depravity. The other was a bearded man in a black trench coat, calm and composed.
"The scared one's name is Hughie. You've heard the story, right? A-Train killed a girl while chasing a criminal. Said she ran out into the street."
"That girl was his girlfriend. She wasn't in the middle of the street. She was standing at the curb. A-Train was high, and she exploded when he hit her. Her blood and pieces of her body were everywhere."
"And do you know what Vought offered him? Forty-five thousand dollars. To keep his mouth shut."
Jonny looked at Starlight. "Are you going to help him get justice?"
Starlight opened her mouth but couldn't find the words.
"And the other guy? His name's Billy Butcher. Used to be in the CIA. His wife was raped by Homelander, then she disappeared. Do you want to help him too?"
Starlight stood there, speechless. Finally, she whispered, "How do I know if any of this is true?"
"You don't need to convince me," Jonny said, standing up. "You need to convince yourself."
Starlight hesitated, but before she could respond, a small man—no bigger than a thumb—suddenly appeared beside her, growing to normal size in an instant and blocking her path.
"Hey, gorgeous. Wanna play?" he asked, his voice full of sleaze.
Before he could blink, a hole burned through his chest. His expression froze in disbelief as he looked down at the wound, glowing and smoldering.
He collapsed to the floor, lifeless, at Starlight's feet.
She stared in shock at the man's body, then screamed in terror.
The scream caught the attention of everyone in the club. They all saw the terrified Starlight, the dead man, and Jonny Blaze standing there, his red eyes slowly fading back to normal.
But no one said a word. No one moved.
In just a few seconds, the club returned to its usual noise and chaos, as though nothing had happened at all.