Popclaw's successful enhancement confirmed Fenris's theory: the Super Soldier Serum obtained from battle rewards not only had a one-hundred-percent success rate upon injection but was also compatible with Compound V.
In other words, the reverse was true as well.
That meant the Super Soldier Serum and Compound V could complement each other, allowing the recipient's overall abilities to grow stronger and their potential ceiling to rise even higher.
By the same logic, the serum used by the Red Room to control the Black Widows, as well as the Extremis virus, should work similarly.
This sparked Fenris's interest in returning to the Marvel Universe.
The Marvel world was his main base, his foundation. His plans were just beginning there, so it wasn't ideal to be away for too long. Besides, he could return to this world anytime he wanted, so there was no need to rush.
Fenris glanced at Popclaw, who was clearly waiting for answers. "Life is just one foolish thing after another, and love is two fools chasing each other in circles. You'd better take care of yourself."
"You're leaving?" Popclaw stared in surprise. "You're just going to walk away?"
"What else? You want to kneel and thank me, or are you planning to offer yourself to me?"
Life, whether it's filled with elegance or simplicity, has to be experienced in order to mean something.
Although she had wanted to save her best for her little brother, if Popclaw really did make such an offer, Fenris wouldn't be pretentious about refusing.
After all, it wasn't like he'd be at a loss.
Popclaw blinked in confusion. Whether it was kneeling or offering herself, it didn't matter. She just didn't understand why.
She didn't know what had been injected into her, but it clearly enhanced her body's physical abilities, possibly permanently.
Yet the man didn't intend to take her away for experimentation or silence her. Was he really not worried about others finding out about the serum?
Like A-Train, for example, who probably thought she was already dead?
The thought of A-Train stirred Popclaw's emotions again.
Misfortune always finds those least able to bear it. When luck runs out, courage is your only choice. If you've got nothing to lose, why hesitate?
Popclaw took a deep breath and let go of the questions. She looked steadily at the man who had just changed her fate. "Either stay here, or take me with you."
"You're too small to contain me."
Her expression dimmed immediately. But then he continued, "Pack your things. If you come with me, you may not get the chance to return here again."
"I'll pack right now!"
She lit up with joy and rushed into the bedroom to start packing.
Even if her powers weren't particularly impressive, the Super Soldier Serum had enhanced her overall strength. With her ability to generate new drops of serum and Compound V from battles, she could be quite useful.
Fenris had no reason to refuse her.
He activated his super hearing, and within minutes, he locked onto his next target amid the endless stream of noise.
Behind a metal door in the corner of a supermarket, a dim hallway led to a storage room deep inside.
At the end of the hallway, behind an iron gate, a television played soft music in a small room. A dirty little girl sat curled up under a table, hugging her knees, unmoving, staring at the TV screen.
Outside the gate was a round table. On it sat a pistol and a submachine gun, gleaming under the light. A man was eating noodles while occasionally humming along to the music, completely unaware that someone had silently appeared behind him.
"Done eating?"
A few minutes later, as the man put down his chopsticks, Fenris finally spoke.
After all, you should at least finish your last meal.
"Who's there!"
Startled, the man jumped up, grabbing the pistol from the table and aiming it behind him.
"Who the hell are you? How did you get in here?"
Fenris ignored him entirely, as if the black barrel of the gun pointed at him didn't exist, as if the man's finger wasn't hovering above the trigger.
"Had your fill? Then I'll send you off."
The man wasn't stupid. That kind of talk clearly meant the visitor had come with bad intentions. He immediately pulled the trigger.
Bang bang bang. Bang bang bang.
All the bullets hit Fenris's body.
Smoke filled the air, shell casings clattered to the floor, and the man stared in horror at the bullet holes in Fenris's clothes, but not a single scratch on his body. Panicking, he tossed the pistol aside and grabbed the submachine gun, opening fire again.
"No, this can't be happening! This isn't possible!"
Once the bullets ran out, the man lost it and tried to bash Fenris with the empty gun.
A red-hot beam of heat vision easily pierced through the man's heart.
Whoever found the body might assume Homelander did it.
After all, the wound from heat vision was unmistakable, and everyone knew Homelander was the only one with that power.
Homelander had supplied them with Compound V, so they were technically on the same side. Most likely, people would assume this man had offended him and paid the price.
Tsk, tsk. Homelander's just sitting at home, and now he's taking the blame. No getting out of this one.
In the comics, another member of The Seven, Black Noir, turned out to be Homelander's clone. He used Homelander's identity to commit countless atrocities.
As a result, the real Homelander started to believe he had dissociative identity disorder, thinking the violent crimes were committed by an alternate personality he was unaware of.
Toward the end of the comics, his mental state completely broke down. He went rogue, gathered other supes to form his own private army, and stormed the White House in an attempt to seize power. He lost control and slaughtered everyone inside.
That was when Black Noir appeared, removed his mask, and revealed himself as Homelander's clone. All the evidence, all the past crimes had been committed by him.
Homelander snapped and fought Black Noir in a brutal showdown, but was ultimately killed by his clone.
He spent years taking the blame, went insane, and was finally murdered by a bootleg copy of himself.
Compared to the comics, this version of Homelander has it way easier.