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Forty minutes earlier.
Vought International's latest product launch.
Lights blazing, celebrities everywhere.
It was the global unveiling of Vought Biotech's newest creation—the "V-Care" regenerative beauty technology.
Anthony, in his iconic uniform, stood center-stage flashing that winning smile at the hundred-plus reporters and guests below.
"...Time should never be beauty's enemy. With V-Care, even at eighty you can have the skin of an eighteen-year-old..."
Right then—
Ashley hurried onstage, her face flushed.
She didn't dodge the cameras; every step she took was under the spotlights.
"Excuse me, Mr. Anthony."
Her voice was urgent, and she "happened" to lean into the podium mic, letting the whole hall hear every word.
"Mr. Starr! Sorry to interrupt—but this is an emergency! The Sokovian head of state's hotline!"
Gasps rippled through the room.
Reporters swiveled like sharks smelling blood; lenses and mics locked on Ashley.
"Sorry, everyone—give me a moment."
Anthony's smile vanished; grim-faced, he stepped aside to take the call.
A moment later the call ended.
Anthony was silent for two beats.
When he looked up again, his eyes brimmed with compassionate sorrow.
"My apologies, ladies and gentlemen."
His steady, resonant voice reached every corner.
"The launch is cancelled."
"As you know, I've received an urgent plea from the Sokovian government. As a citizen of the World, I cannot stand idly by."
"Business can wait; life... cannot."
Anthony gazed straight into the camera—into the eyes of the entire World.
"Even if it isn't the United States, life... is equal."
"We must let them know: Vought stands forever with the innocent."
With that he strode to the balcony's edge, back to the crowd, Stars-and-Stripes cape unfurling.
BOOM—!!!
The red-and-blue streak vanished into the sky.
"Ashley, is the advance camera crew in place?"
Anthony asked via the micro bone-conduction earpiece.
"Ready, sir! The drone swarm is positioned; every air corridor preset!"
"Excellent."
...Back to the present.
Above the ruins of Sokovia.
Anthony catching Hulk's punch one-handed was beamed in 360° 4K by Hummingbird Drones to hundreds of millions of screens worldwide.
"My God—he caught it!!"
"That pose—so hot!"
"Look at that silhouette—those lines—I'm dying! Ahh! Ahh!"
"Tip: Popularity +5 452!"
"Tip: Popularity +6 682!"
Anthony glanced sideways at the stunned Wanda behind him.
Perfect tenderness slipped from his lips.
"Don't be scared, sweetheart. Step back a bit."
"This isn't pressure a pretty girl like you should bear..."
He turned to the dumbfounded Hulk.
Hulk was, indeed, dumbfounded.
He tried to yank his fist back, but it might as well have been cast in Vibranium.
"Huh?"
Hulk growled, confusion giving way to rage.
He swung his other hand for Anthony's head.
Homelander was faster.
BOOM—!!
A casual straight jab to Hulk's cheek.
The green giant's feet left the ground; he arced through the air and slammed into the distant riverbed, sending up a geyser of water.
Homelander dusted his glove, turned, and looked at the girl still straining to hold the concrete slab.
Wanda stared, her pale face stunned into silence.
Homelander's lips curled; he stroked her hair with paternal warmth.
His other hand effortlessly took the slab's weight.
"Alright, girl," he murmured. "You can rest now."
"I've got this..."
With a single effortless heave—
WHOOSH—
the massive slab Wanda had barely lifted was flung aside like Styrofoam.
Pietro was finally free.
Lying amid the rubble, he gazed at the man in the sunlight, then at his riveted sister.
"Well..." Pietro gave a wry chuckle. "Looks like big brother's out of a job today."
"Special Popularity +15 000! (from Wanda Maximoff)"
"Special Popularity +10 000! (from Pietro Maximoff)"
...On the distant riverbank.
"GRAAAH—!!!"
Hulk burst from the mud.
He hadn't lost yet!
Anger drowned pain; it only made him stronger.
He locked on the golden figure, legs coiled, and launched into a devastating aerial piledriver.
Anthony didn't even dodge.
BAM!
The instant Hulk closed in, Homelander's right fist shot out like lightning.
"Vought Rising Dragon Fist—!"
A textbook uppercut smashed into Hulk's jaw.
CRACK—!
The green goliath was rocketed skyward, feet flailing above the ground.
Next moment—
Homelander vanished.
He reappeared above Hulk.
"Vought Meteor Drop—!"
BOOM!!
A hammer-fist cratered Hulk's chest.
The green meteor plummeted toward earth.
Homelander wouldn't let him land.
"Heat Vision!"
He streaked beneath Hulk.
ZZZZZ—!!
Twin ruby heat-vision beams lanced into Hulk's chest, slamming him higher into the air.
Hulk howled in agony, skin charring black.
"Not done yet, big guy."
Anthony flickered again—
left hook, right hook, knee, elbow.
Hulk became a green volleyball, batted through the sky, never touching ground.
Scores of Hummingbird Drones captured every second in flawless 4K cinema angles.
Slow-motion replays showed every flex of muscle, every cape-snap, every flash of resolve.
And Hulk... was dazed.
Before Homelander's absurd might, rage turned to helpless fury.
"Finisher!"
Homelander hovered high above the falling Hulk.
"Vought Supreme Fist!!"
He wound back and delivered a flying Superman punch straight to Hulk's temple.
THUD!
Hulk's eyes rolled white; consciousness snapped, body going limp.
Victory decided.
Hulk shrank rapidly, green skin fading into the gentle, scholarly Bruce Banner.
Homelander descended, hovering above the city.
Sunlight broke through the clouds, gilding his golden hair.
"Dear God..."
Wanda clasped her hands, stars practically spilling from her eyes.
Even Tony Stark, watching from cracked armor, couldn't help looking up.
"Fine... have to admit, this guy really knows how to play it."
"But does he have to shout every move name?"