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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
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He shoved forward for all he was worth.
"Outta the way, please!"
The guard frowned and reached out to stop the clueless kid.
"Hey! Back off, brat. This isn't your playground."
"Please! I just… I just want to see him!" The boy's face was red; in his fist he clutched a dog-eared copy of The Adventures of Homelander, soaked with sweat.
Just as the guard lost patience and grabbed him by the collar—
"Wait."
A gentle voice cut through the hubbub.
Anthony stopped in his tracks.
He turned. His sapphire eyes landed on the boy.
The guard released the kid at once; Anthony walked over.
The crowd fell silent.
As Anthony approached, the boy felt his lungs forget how to breathe.
The unreachable "god" he'd seen on screens and in comics was now standing before him.
So tall, so dazzling—every star on that cloak seemed to sparkle.
"Did you come to find me, young man?"
Anthony knelt so their eyes met, smiling like a spring breeze.
"I… I…"
The boy stammered; words always deserted him when it mattered.
"Relax, kid. What's your name?"
"Peter, sir." He swallowed.
"Peter Parker."
"…"
Anthony's smile froze for 0.1 second.
Peter… Parker? Spider-Man? Shit.
His X-ray vision swept the boy in an instant.
"Skeleton… normal. No mutation. Heart rate—fast, but that's nerves. Adrenaline… baseline."
"Right, he hasn't been bitten yet."
"Peter Parker…" Anthony rolled the name on his tongue, eyes unreadable.
"Nice name."
He reached out.
"Mind if I see what you've got there, Peter?"
"H-huh? Oh! Sure! H-here!" Peter fumbled the comic over, nearly dropping it.
Anthony caught it smoothly.
It was issue #1 of The Adventures of Homelander, edges frayed from countless rereads.
"Looks like you love it." He smiled, taking a gold fountain-pen from his assistant.
"Where would you like me to sign?"
"The cover! N-no, the title page! A-anywhere's fine!" Peter was on the verge of tears.
Anthony opened the title page.
Instead of the quick scribble he gave everyone, he paused.
The nib hovered.
A heartbeat later, he wrote.
Bold, flowing strokes.
"To my like-minded friend, Peter."
"Never let this World change you."
—Homelander
He closed the comic and handed it back.
"Friend…?"
Peter stared, stunned.
A kindred spirit?
Homelander… called him friend?
"See," Anthony tapped Peter's chest, voice solemn, "I can hear your heartbeat, Peter."
Peter flinched, covering his chest.
"It's fast, strong." Those eyes bored into him. "But I see more than nerves—I see potential."
He laid a hand on the boy's thin shoulder.
"This World is full of power, Peter."
Some wield it to bully the weak."
Some have it and look away."
"But you…" his voice dropped like a benediction, "your eyes tell me if you had power, you'd choose right."
"Like the line—'With great power comes great responsibility.'"
"Remember it. It's our curse and our gift."
BOOM—!!!
The words detonated like a nuke inside Peter Parker's young heart.
Tears spilled at last.
He gazed at the Sun-bright man, blood on fire.
He wasn't a friendless nerd.
He wasn't a punching bag.
Homelander—World-saver—called him kindred! Called him… potential!
"I—I'll remember!"
Peter clutched the comic and shouted with everything he had.
"I swear, Mr. Homelander! I won't let you down!"
"I believe in you, kid."
Anthony ruffled the messy hair and straightened.
"Off you go, Peter Parker." He winked.
"Your folks will worry."
"I… I've only got Aunt May…"
"Then don't keep Aunt May waiting." He smiled, patting his shoulder. "Go."
"Y-yes! Thank you, Mr. Homelander! Thank you!!"
Peter Parker felt like he was dreaming.
"I can see it… one day you'll stand beside me. Together we'll make this World better."
With that, Anthony swirled his cape and vanished into the crowd.
Peter stood alone, hugging the signed comic as if it were the whole World.
Watching the red-blue figure recede, Peter wiped his glasses.
Something in his eyes changed.
A look of faith found.
"Homelander…" he whispered.
"I'll be a hero… just like you."
Ding! Special Popularity +50,000!
Ding! Absolute Bond with 'Spider-Man' detected!
Ding! Hidden reward acquired: Spider-Sense!
In the back of the stretch Lincoln, Anthony almost laughed out loud at the alerts.
"Fifty grand? Just like that?"
"And… Spider-Sense? The legendary Peter-tingle?"
He closed his eyes; the World felt different.
Air currents, a paparazzo's shutter blocks away, even a spilled coffee—every nuance pinged his brain as a faint premonition.
A nice upgrade for someone already super-sensed.
"That little spider… quite the treasure."
In high spirits, he popped the minibar and grabbed champagne.
System panel: Current Special Popularity—87,000.
"Twenty minutes to Beverly Hills." He grinned. "Perfect day—time for two shots to liven things up."
"System, open Super-Hero Box."
"Double draw."
"Spending 60,000 Special Popularity… initiating double Super-Hero Box draw…"