◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews.
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones. or 500 Collections
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon of which 10 Chapters are free. if you're interested: patreon.com/Heroicverse
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Homelander threw a sudden punch. It looked incredibly powerful, but in reality, he held back seventy percent of his strength, only knocking Hulk back a dozen meters without causing any substantial damage.
Then, he deliberately showed a weakness, leaning his body slightly to the right as if his physical strength was failing him.
Hulk stood up and shook his head.
His powerful self-healing ability was rapidly repairing his injuries. The hole in his palm had disappeared, and his nasal bone reset with a series of clicks.
"Puh!"
He swirled his tongue around in his mouth and spat out a mouthful of bloody water mixed with three pearly white teeth.
He stared at the teeth on the ground for a second.
Then he looked up, the green in his eyes almost bursting into flames.
Teeth!
Teeth again!!
Rage!
Humiliation!
The Gamma energy within his body flickered wildly.
Hulk's size expanded once more; his already massive frame grew another half-meter taller, his muscles looking as if they were about to burst through his skin.
"Hulk—!!!"
He let out a World-shaking roar.
Then, he made a shocking move.
He pulled his massive arms back as far as possible, his chest puffing out like a giant bow drawn to its limit.
Immediately after.
His palms slammed together in a thunderous clap!
But this time, it wasn't aimed forward; he had turned around and aimed it in the opposite direction!
Boom!!!
A terrifying shockwave of air exploded behind him like a detonating thruster.
Using this massive thrust, Hulk's speed broke past its limits!
In an instant, he crossed the distance and appeared in front of Homelander.
Bang—!
Homelander didn't even "have time" to react.
Hulk's fist had already slammed into his abdomen.
This punch condensed all of Hulk's current rage and power.
"Ugh..."
Homelander let out a muffled groan.
This time, he didn't use High-Martial Taiji to redirect the force; he took the hit head-on.
The massive impact instantly pierced through his body.
Homelander was sent flying backward.
Like a baseball hit for a home run, he traced a straight trajectory through the air, heading straight for Manhattan.
During the high-speed flight, Homelander did not panic.
Using the cover of the clouds in the night sky, he flicked his right wrist.
The golden Infinity Gauntlet appeared out of thin air on his hand.
The Reality Stone glowed with a faint red light.
"Modify Reality: Conceal the gauntlet's appearance..."
The red light flashed slightly.
The originally shimmering golden gauntlet vanished visually, turning into a red leather glove identical to the one on his uniform... high above Manhattan.
The pilots of a dozen news helicopters were circling and searching.
"That direction just now... something is flying this way!"
"Look! It's Anthony!!"
The cameraman shouted.
The lens quickly captured the figure.
Homelander came whistling in from the horizon, but he seemed to have lost control, as if he had been propelled by a massive force.
Boom!!
Homelander slammed heavily into a classical brick-and-stone building.
The walls collapsed, and dust rose everywhere.
"My God! Anthony was sent flying?!"
"That monster is chasing him!"
At the horizon, a green figure rapidly grew larger.
Using a super jump, Hulk followed closely behind, landing like a predatory giant in the plaza in front of the orphanage with a crash.
"Get the camera on him! Hurry!"
A dozen cameras quickly captured the red and blue figure.
The cameras zoomed in.
Inside that crumbling building.
Homelander was standing there.
His hands were raised high, desperately holding up a floor slab that had collapsed because the impact had snapped a load-bearing pillar.
Hulk also saw Homelander inside the building. Without a moment's pause, he instantly rushed behind Homelander.
He swung his massive fist, smashing it hard against Homelander's back.
Bang!
Homelander let out a muffled groan from the blow, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.
But he didn't fight back, nor did he dodge.
His feet were pinned to the ground like nails, his hands still death-gripping that floor slab.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As if he had found a vent for his anger, Hulk hammered Homelander's body with punch after punch.
Every punch was heavy and powerful.
Homelander's body was trembling, his expression twisted in "agony," and blood stained his teeth red.
But he simply wouldn't let go.
He was like a statue enduring suffering.
This scene was transmitted to screens all over the World via high-definition live broadcast.
"Oh my god... what is he doing?"
"Why isn't he fighting back? Why isn't he dodging?"
"Anthony! Run!!"
Countless people cried out in front of their screens.
Hulk also paused for a moment.
He didn't understand why this little guy wasn't fighting back.
But that didn't make him stop.
"SMASH!! SMASH!!"
Hulk swung his fist again.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
That invincible Anthony now had his chest soaked in blood, beaten down to one knee, but his raised arms remained absolutely motionless.
His eyes, looking through the dust and blood filling the air, stared fixedly ahead.
"That's about enough."
Homelander calculated silently in his heart.
The Stone's special effects were maxed out, and the audience's emotions were also at their peak. It was time to reveal the answer.
He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth as he shouted.
"Get... the... HELL AWAY!!!"
With a roar, it was as if his entire body's strength exploded.
The massive floor slab he had been holding up for so long was suddenly flipped upward and away!
Hulk was also drawn by this scene and stopped his movements.
Boom—!!!
As the upper structure of the building was removed.
The corner that had been hidden in shadows was finally exposed under the helicopter's searchlights and the camera's lens.
There.
An elderly nun was spreading her arms, protecting a dozen shivering children behind her.
Their faces were covered in tears, and their eyes were full of terror.
On the wall behind them hung a slightly crooked cross and a wooden plaque—
St. Agnes Orphanage.
Whoosh—!
At this moment, the air across the entire World seemed to freeze.
The reporter on the helicopter covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face.
The audience in front of their screens stopped breathing.
In this instant, the audience worldwide understood everything.
Why he didn't dodge.
Why he didn't fight back.
Why he had to endure Hulk's heavy punches and hold up that floor slab so desperately.
Because beneath him were a dozen living souls, a dozen children who had lost their parents.
He was using his own flesh and blood to hold up a sky of survival for these helpless orphans.
"Oh God..."
The reporter broadcasting on the screen spoke with a choked voice.
"He... he is a true hero..."
"He is our guardian deity..."
Though Homelander's face was covered in blood, his gaze remained firm.
He reached out and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He gave a weak, yet still gentle smile.
"Children... it's okay now."
"As long as I'm still here..."
"...no one can hurt you."
System notification sounds flooded the screen at this moment.
"Ding! Gained popularity value + 1,514,210!"
"Ding! Gained popularity value + 2,215,002!"
"Ding! Gained popularity value + 2,041,022!"
"..."
Ashley's frantic screaming came through the earpiece in his ear!
"My God! Boss! The concurrent viewers across our multiple live streams have already surpassed 1.2 billion! And it's still rising crazily!!"