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"Superman..."
"He's Superman!"
"He saved us!!"
In the crowd, a child's shout ignited everyone.
"Superman!!!"
"Superman!!!"
"Superman!!!"
The cheers crashed like an avalanche and tsunami.
Vargas could almost feel his system panel being flooded by an ocean of numbers.
Global popularity exploding… Ding! Popularity +2450!
Ding! Popularity +3832!
Ding! Popularity +1109!
...Current popularity: 2,215,232!
Template upgrading… 'Steel Body' enhanced!
Template upgrading… 'Super Speed' enhanced!
Template upgrading… 'Heat Vision' enhanced!
...Mission complete! 'Homelander' exclusive set obtained!
The Avengers landed beside him.
Captain America looked at him, eyes complicated but grateful: "...Mr. Superman?"
Vargas didn't answer.
He walked to the life-support pod and, under the gaze of the world, slowly tore the container open with his bare hands.
Shhk—!
Inside, over a hundred dazed twelve- and thirteen-year-old children rubbed their eyes and stepped out.
"Where's my mom...?" a little girl asked timidly.
All of New York fell silent.
Tony Stark's faceplate snapped open with a clank; he stood speechless.
Steve Rogers's shield slipped from his hand and hit the ground.
Thor's eyes widened. "By Odin..."
The next second—
"—!!!!!!!!"
An indescribable roar of cheers erupted from every corner of the city!
Screams, sobs, shouts!
Ding! Popularity skyrocketing!
Ding! Popularity +3011!
Ding! Popularity +4840!
Ding! Popularity +5526!
...NYC popularity index: Fanatic!
U.S. popularity index: Reverent!
Global popularity rank: Rising Star!
Vargas felt his strength, speed, and defense surge several times over!
The plain blue fabric on his chest began to glow with golden light.
Moments later, a majestic, fierce eagle emblem materialized, shining against the golden epaulettes on his shoulders!
"Hero!!"
"Superman!"
"Hero!!!"
"Superman! Hero—!!!"
The crowd spontaneously chanted "hero" and the name that, in comics, symbolized hope.
Homelander stood there, bathed in the thunderous ovation.
He spread his arms, savoring every second.
After a moment he lifted a hand, signaling for quiet.
Miraculously, noisy New York gradually stilled.
Everyone looked up at him, waiting for his words.
He cleared his throat, turned to the nearest news-helicopter camera, and flashed a brilliant smile.
"Thank you, but..." He wagged a gentle finger, his golden hair unmoved by the wind.
"I'm not Superman."
He paused, enjoying the collective breath held around him.
"I am... Homelander."
"And you..." His smile turned warmer, more neighborly, as though the slaughterer of aliens had never existed, "...you are the real heroes!"
"Homelander."
The name left Vargas's lips and rang across Central Station Square.
Through countless mics and cameras it circled the globe in 0.1 seconds.
The crowd stilled for an instant.
Then came a tidal roar.
"Homelander!!!"
"Homelander!!"
"Homelander—!!!"
The word seemed to carry magic.
After the terror of the alien invasion, people needed a symbol.
Vargas gave them the perfect one.
He basked in the cheers, arms wide, his face the picture of humble grace—flawless.
"Son of a..." Tony Stark muttered a few meters behind him, faceplate up.
"Show stealer, huh?"
"Tony!" Steve Rogers frowned, yet couldn't deny Stark had voiced his own thoughts.
The guy reminded him of his own war-bond tour during WWII—interviews finally over.
"...So, you guys ever had shawarma?" Tony broke the silence, struggling out of his battered armor.
"I'm starving. Know a place nearby—hope it's still open."
Dr. Bruce Banner, back to normal and sitting weakly nearby, gave a wry smile.
Soon the mightiest heroes on Earth learned what "one bite, no words" meant.
Ten minutes later they sat in a circle, silently eating... shawarma.
"So," Tony swallowed first, breaking the hush, "Homelander? Seriously? You pick that yourself or your agent?"
Vargas offered a perfect smile.
"Just a codename, Mr. Stark. Like Iron Man—people need a symbol."
"Wow," Tony raised an eyebrow, "straight out of a press release. I like it."
"Tony." Steve set down his wrap. "Now's not the time."
He looked toward Thor.
"Thor," Steve said gravely, "that... Tesseract."
Thor nodded, wiping his mouth. "Yes. The Tesseract. My father Odin left it on Earth centuries ago for safekeeping. It must return to Asgard."
"Hold up, Thunder Boy," Tony cut in.
"That thing nearly leveled my city. You're just taking it—no paperwork?"
"It doesn't belong here, Tony," Thor said firmly.
"He's right, Tony." Steve rested a hand on Stark. "Better off-world than with S.H.I.E.L.D."
Black Widow and Hawkeye chewed silently; Banner nodded agreement.
"Fine, Popsicle. Your call," Stark shrugged.
With the meal over, next came handling Loki, god of mischief.
He now enjoyed special treatment—an Asgardian muzzle that finally shut his silver tongue.
Having been planted into the floor by Vargas and later yanked out by Hulk, he now sat slumped, glaring hate at everyone in sight.