Beneath a black jet, Bruce Wayne was busy working when something stirred in his mind. He turned around and saw a figure slowly descending from the sky.
Blonde hair, blue eyes, a black suit, a red cape, and platinum wrist guards.
Bruce was extremely familiar with all of it.
"Looks like my money was wasted."
"I spent several million installing a security system, and it turned out to be completely useless."
Homelander smiled.
"That's normal. After all, security systems are only meant for ordinary people."
Bruce turned around and continued modifying the jet.
"Then, Your Great Conqueror, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?"
Homelander glanced at the jet.
"There's a problem with your programming."
A stream of information flowed from his fingertip into the jet's system. Using his Information Control ability, he easily adjusted the program for Bruce while also leaving behind a backdoor.
"All done."
Homelander lowered his hand with a smile.
Bruce looked at him, then opened a panel and ran some tests.
The results showed that the jet was now operational.
Bruce turned around and said, "I didn't expect you to be a computer expert too."
He walked over and spread his hands, "Want some coffee?"
"No."
"Bruce, you should know the situation isn't looking good right now," Homelander looked around as he walked.
Bruce poured himself a cup of coffee, "You mean the enemy that's about to arrive?"
"Looks like you've noticed too."
Homelander smiled and shook his head.
"Bruce, they're not about to arrive. They're already here."
"The enemies from another world. I think you know what they're after."
Bruce stopped what he was doing and turned around.
"The Mother Boxes?"
Homelander nodded, then held out a hand.
"Give me the Mother Box. You can't guarantee its safety."
Bruce picked up his coffee.
"Mr. Conqueror, considering what you did last time, I find it hard to trust you and hand the Mother Box over."
The smile gradually disappeared from Homelander's face.
"Listen, Bruce, while we're standing here chatting, the enemy is probably already moving to collect the other Mother Boxes."
"Just before I came here, they arrived on Themyscira."
"You probably don't know what Themyscira is. It's Diana's homeland."
"If I hadn't been there, the Mother Box on the island would've already been taken."
"Do you know how I found this place? Diana told me. She originally wanted to come with me, but now I think it's more important for her to return to Themyscira and protect her home."
Bruce looked surprised, "You mean Diana trusts you?"
That was important.
Homelander spread his hands, "Obviously, doesn't she?"
Bruce took a sip of coffee, "I knew the enemy was coming, but I didn't expect them to arrive this quickly."
"I'm putting together a team. An alliance to fight unknown threats."
Homelander smiled.
"I bet that includes me."
"But today, at least today, I'm not your enemy."
Bruce was hesitating.
Suddenly, he noticed Homelander's expression change.
Then another figure dropped from the sky and slammed into the ground like a meteor.
The figure straightened up.
It was a young woman.
Short platinum-blonde hair, earrings, a red-and-blue combat suit, a stars-and-stripes cape fluttering behind her, a war hammer crackling with electricity in her hand, and boots that tore through the airflow beneath her feet.
Although this was their first meeting, Bruce felt an inexplicable sense of goodwill toward her.
"Hi, Mr. Wayne."
The woman turned around and greeted Bruce casually.
"You'd better not listen to him and hand over the Mother Box."
"Maybe he won't be your enemy today, but after that, who knows."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. His gaze moved back and forth between the woman and Homelander several times as he began guessing what kind of relationship existed between them.
One thing was certain.
The two definitely knew each other.
The corner of Homelander's mouth lifted, "You got here pretty fast."
"Still, Mr. Wayne and I have dealt with each other several times already."
"The friendship between us isn't something you can drive apart with a few words."
"On the other hand, can you honestly say you didn't come for the Mother Box?"
As he spoke, Homelander used Eye of the Truth on the woman.
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[Name: Vera (Homelander)]
[Life Level: Level 6 (Legendary)]
[Status: Normal]
[Favorability: None]
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'As expected, she's about as strong as I am.'
'She's also a Level 6 lifeform. In other words, she must have received some kind of enhancement as well.'
'She's already surpassed the level of the original Homelander.'
'Mm, that's Mjolnir in her hand, an artifact worth twenty Multiverse Crystals.'
'And those boots give me a very different feeling. They should be an artifact too, but I don't know what they are.'
'Can't see her talents because the level of Eye of the Truth isn't high enough?'
'That's fine.'
'That means she probably can't see my talents either. I can keep some trump cards hidden.'
'Though talents are only my smallest trump card.'
At that moment, the female Homelander, Vera, laughed, "That's right. I came for the Mother Box too."
She turned back to Bruce, "But I'm here to protect it."
"We're friends, Mr. Wayne. Aren't you planning to form an alliance?"
"I'm joining."
Homelander suddenly understood.
This woman had probably chosen the Justice League faction.
'Looks like she still doesn't know Superman wasn't part of this faction, or she assumes Superman simply hasn't been revived yet.'
'And Wonder Woman has already returned to Themyscira and isn't with this alliance either.'
'I'm really looking forward to seeing her expression when she learns the truth.'
Bruce Wayne said gladly, "Welcome to the team, ma'am."
He felt a natural fondness toward this woman, and she also appeared to be opposed to the Conqueror.
Bruce knew very well what the Conqueror was capable of, so naturally he wanted heroes on his side who could balance and restrain him.
Homelander knew Bruce was accepting Vera so easily because of the faction favorability bonus. [T/N: I say bullshit. Real Bruce would never.]
Even so, he said, "Isn't this a little too hasty, Bruce? You don't even know her."
"Shut up, my good brother."
Vera raised Mjolnir.
"Now, either you leave."
"Or I'll use this to send you away."
She lifted Mjolnir slightly.
Since this Challenge Mode didn't require fighting to the death, Vera didn't immediately turn hostile toward Homelander.
The objective of this event was for her faction to obtain all three Mother Boxes, so avoiding conflict before securing them was the ideal outcome.
After all, if a conflict occurred, then once a winner and loser were decided, the losing side would either suffer a 10% reduction in overall strength or have to offer one hundred Proficiency Essences, or items of equal value, to the victor.
Vera believed Homelander wouldn't want to fight her right now without gaining anything from it.
But to her surprise, Homelander merely shrugged, "Then let me see what that hammer of yours can do."
Vera froze for a moment, wondering whether Homelander had something wrong with his head.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with Homelander's head. He simply believed there was no way the two of them would part peacefully.
Since conflict was bound to happen sooner or later, they might as well test each other now and decide on their next course of action.