Chapter 37

The air sizzled with tension as Tyrone's heart raced, his chest heaving. He knew what was coming—he could feel the heat of Homelander's purple-glowing eyes even before the blast hit.

Without a second thought, Tyrone lunged in front of Marvin and Charlotte, his massive frame forming a living shield as the crackling beams of purple energy erupted from Homelander's eyes.

It felt like a thousand suns searing through his body. The smell of burning flesh hit his nostrils, but he bit down on the pain, his vision blurring as the energy scorched through him. A guttural roar ripped from his throat as he fought through the agony.

"Run!!" Tyrone barked, his voice a deep, feral growl as his muscles tensed, ready for what was next. "I'll hold him off, GO!"

"Wait, you can't—!" Charlotte started, her voice trembling, but Tyrone was already moving, sprinting toward Homelander with animalistic speed.

His instincts screamed at him—don't hesitate, don't stop—because this wasn't just another fight. This was a goddamn nightmare. Homelander, with those glowing purple eyes, wasn't the same man anymore. He was something twisted, something far more dangerous.

Charlotte, heart pounding in her chest, had just sent an SOS to Reggie the moment Homelander appeared, praying he would arrive in time to save them.

Homelander's laughter echoed across the battlefield, a manic, high-pitched cackle that sent a chill down Tyrone's spine.

His eyes blazed with chaotic energy, hands twitching as tendrils of purple telekinetic force crackled to life around him. His whole body seemed to shimmer with an unstable, violent power.

"You think you can stop me?!" Homelander's voice cut through the air, pure madness in every syllable. "Hahahaha! Come on! Let's play!"

But Tyrone wasn't thinking about survival anymore. There was no time for fear. With a savage roar, he leaped toward Homelander, his body twisting mid-air, massive hands reaching out.

He felt Homelander's skin under his grip, solid, unyielding, but he didn't care. With all the strength he had, Tyrone yanked Homelander out of the air, slamming him down into the ground with a sickening crunch.

The impact was explosive.

The earth cracked beneath them, the ground quaking as the shockwave rippled outward. Sonic booms tore through the air, flinging debris in every direction. Charlotte and Marvin staggered, trying to find their footing amidst the chaos.

Tyrone didn't stop. He slammed Homelander down again, and again, and again—each hit driving deep craters into the ground, each impact shaking the world around them. He could feel the bones in his arms creak under the strain, but he didn't let up. He couldn't let up.

Homelander, however, was laughing. Laughing through it all.

"Yes!!! Finally, a durable toy to play with!!!" His voice was wild, deranged, and for a fleeting moment, Tyrone felt a chill creep up his spine. He looked into Homelander's glowing eyes, those wide, maniacal eyes filled with unstable energy, and he realized: He's not even trying yet.

In a heartbeat, Homelander's body twisted with a speed Tyrone couldn't match. His grip was ripped away, and suddenly, Homelander was behind him, moving like a phantom. A sharp tug on Tyrone's tail made him yelp in shock as Homelander grinned, viciously yanking him into the air.

"Hope you like heights, doggy!" Homelander's voice was dripping with malice, and before Tyrone could even react, he was launched into the sky with a force that knocked the breath from his lungs.

The world became a blur as he shot upward, faster and faster, the ground shrinking beneath him until he disappeared into the clouds.

"Tyrone!!" Charlotte's scream was raw, desperate. She watched in horror as her teammate vanished into the heavens, his roar of fury and pain echoing faintly behind.

"Shit! He's gone!" Marvin cursed, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He could feel his heart hammering in his chest. Panic threatened to take over.

This was Homelander—enhanced Homelander—and they were hopelessly outmatched. If Tyrone, their heavy hitter, couldn't take him down…what chance did they have?

Homelander hovered a few feet off the ground now, his body surrounded by a shimmering field of purple telekinetic energy. He tilted his head slightly, his eyes locking onto them, glowing with a sinister intensity.

"So…" Homelander said slowly, his voice almost playful. "What's next? You two ready to play?"

Charlotte's mind raced. There's no way out of this. Her fingers flew over her wrist computer as she desperately tried to tap into the facility's defense systems.

Her heart pounded in her chest, every second feeling like a countdown to death. Sweat dripped down her brow. "Come on, come on…" she muttered under her breath. Anything. Give me control of something.

Marvin wasn't waiting. His arms trembled as he raised his hands, forming an energy shield around them both. He could feel exhaustion creeping in—he had absorbed so much energy in this fight, and his body was screaming for rest.

But rest wasn't an option. Not with this psychopath standing in front of them.

A deafening crash split the air. Dust and debris exploded outward as Homelander rocketed into the ground with a sadistic grin. Marvin and Charlotte staggered, barely holding their ground as the earth trembled beneath their feet.

"What the hell—?!" Marvin muttered, shielding his face as the dust began to settle.

Homelander stood in the center of the crater, completely unharmed. His body was radiating with unstable, crackling purple energy, his eyes burning with madness. "Hahahahaha… still wanna play?" he taunted, his voice dripping with venom.

Far above, Tyrone fought to regain control. His body had been thrown so high that he was weightless, disoriented, but his instincts—those primal, beast-like instincts—kicked in. He wasn't going to be taken out like this. Not without a fight. He bared his teeth, using the momentum of his fall to angle himself back toward the ground.

Homelander's head tilted slightly, noticing the change in the wind. "Oh? What's this?" he mused aloud, amused by the spectacle unfolding before him.

Charlotte's wrist computer beeped—a sound of salvation. "I've got it!" she shouted triumphantly, her fingers a blur as the turrets across the facility activated, spinning into position and locking onto Homelander. A flicker of hope surged in her chest.

Homelander's eyes shifted lazily toward the turrets, his lip curling in disdain. "Turrets? Really? You think that'll stop me?"

He raised his hand, the air around them vibrating with the raw power of his telekinesis. The ground beneath their feet began to crack as he prepared to crush them with a single thought. His purple energy flared, distorting the space around him.

But before he could act, a sharp whistle pierced the air.

A massive shadow loomed over the battlefield, descending with terrifying speed—a roaring force from above. Homelander's eyes widened in surprise as Tyrone, now a living missile, plummeted toward him like a meteor.

With a deafening roar, Tyrone collided with Homelander, slamming into him with such force that the ground beneath them exploded.

The impact shattered the earth. Massive cracks tore through the battlefield, and the shockwave blasted outward, sending Charlotte and Marvin flying. The ringing in their ears was deafening as they hit the ground hard, struggling to regain their senses.

Dust and debris choked the air, obscuring everything in a thick, suffocating cloud.

For a long moment, there was silence. A tense, foreboding silence that gripped the battlefield. Charlotte gasped for breath, struggling to pull herself to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest.

And then…

"Hahahahaha!!!"

Homelander's insane laughter cut through the dust, chilling, echoing across the broken land. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!!" His voice was twisted, delighted, as if the chaos only fueled his madness.

Tyrone, his muscles trembling from the strain, had pinned Homelander to the ground, refusing to let go. His breath was ragged, every inch of him screaming in pain, but he dug his claws into the dirt, holding Homelander down with everything he had.

"You're… not getting rid of me… that easy…" Tyrone snarled through gritted teeth, his entire body shaking from the effort.

Homelander's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Oh, but I think I will."

Tyrone's breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles burning with the effort of holding Homelander down. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to move, to fight harder, but his strength was waning. Homelander's purple energy pulsed beneath him like a ticking bomb, building pressure with each passing second.

Homelander grinned beneath Tyrone's crushing weight, his eyes glowing brighter as the purple energy surged around him. "You're strong, doggy…" Homelander mocked, his voice a venomous whisper, "but you're getting tired, aren't you?"

With a sudden, violent jerk, Homelander's entire body flared with telekinetic energy, sending a concussive blast that knocked Tyrone off him like he was nothing. Tyrone tumbled through the air, crashing into the ground several meters away with a heavy thud. The impact cracked the earth beneath him, and he groaned in pain, struggling to get back up.

Homelander floated up from the ground, his body hovering in mid-air, surrounded by a storm of unstable purple energy. His laugh was hollow, unhinged, his eyes wild with power. "Come on! Don't give up now! I'm just getting started!!"

"Tyrone!!" Charlotte screamed, rushing toward him, her mind racing. We're out of time… there's no way we can stop him. Her hands were shaking as she knelt beside Tyrone, her wrist computer useless now. The turrets had been destroyed in Homelander's blast. They were out of options.

Tyrone coughed, blood dripping from his mouth as he tried to push himself up, his body trembling from the effort. "I… I'm not done yet…" he growled, but it was clear he was spent. He couldn't hold off Homelander any longer. They all knew it.

Marvin, his body crackling with energy, stood defiantly between Homelander and his fallen teammates. His hands trembled as he summoned every last bit of power he had left. His eyes narrowed with grim determination, even though he knew what was coming.

"Get out of here," Marvin said through clenched teeth, his voice low and fierce. "I'll buy you some time."

"Marvin, no!" Charlotte's voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. She could see the exhaustion in his face, the way his body swayed from fatigue. He had been using his powers nonstop for hours. He couldn't survive this.

But Marvin didn't flinch. "You go," he said firmly. "Now."

Homelander tilted his head, watching with cruel amusement as Marvin stood his ground. His lips curled into a twisted smile. "You really think you're going to stop me, big man? You can barely even stand."

Marvin's jaw tightened. "Maybe. But I'll damn sure try."

Without warning, Marvin unleashed a massive burst of energy, forming a glowing construct—a shield of pure, radiant power that shimmered in front of him. It was the largest shield he had ever formed, crackling with his final reserves of strength.

Homelander raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. "Hmmm… not bad." He floated forward, his hands pulsing with telekinetic force. "But not good enough."

In an instant, Homelander lashed out, his purple telekinesis smashing into Marvin's shield with incredible force. The air vibrated as the shield buckled under the pressure, cracks forming along its surface. Marvin grunted in pain, pouring every ounce of his willpower into holding it together, but the cracks were spreading too fast.

Charlotte backed away, her heart pounding. "This can't be happening…" she whispered, her voice shaking. We're going to die here.

Homelander pushed harder, his grin widening as the shield began to shatter. "Time to die, heroes!" he shouted, his voice echoing with mad glee as his power surged forward.

The shield exploded.

Marvin was thrown backward, his body tumbling across the ground as the force of the blast overwhelmed him. He groaned, barely conscious, blood trickling down his face.

Homelander laughed, floating above them like a vengeful god. "This is too easy! I was expecting a challenge!"

Charlotte's mind raced, panic gripping her. Tyrone was down. Marvin was barely hanging on. There was no one left to stop Homelander. She was frozen, her body trembling, knowing that in a matter of seconds, it would all be over.

Homelander's eyes locked onto her, glowing with that vicious purple energy. His grin was wide, manic. "Looks like it's your turn, little girl." His voice was a cruel whisper as he raised his hand, the purple energy swirling around his fingers, ready to tear her apart.

Charlotte braced herself, closing her eyes as she awaited the end.

But then…

A pulse. A deep, resonating thunder echoed across the battlefield.

The air around them seemed to shift, the temperature dropping as an unnatural stillness descended. Homelander froze, his eyes narrowing in confusion as he turned his head toward the sky.

A sound—like the hum of a thousand electric currents—began to fill the air. It was faint at first, but growing louder, like the approach of a massive storm.

And then… the sky split open.

A figure streaked through the clouds, moving so fast that he was a blur of motion, trailing an ethereal black and blue lightning behind him. The ground shook with every pulse of his power, and the very air seemed to crackle with anticipation.

Homelander's eyes widened, his grin faltering. "What the hell…?"

The figure descended like a bolt of lightning, slamming into the ground with an explosive impact that sent a shockwave rippling outward. Dust and debris flew into the air as the figure stood tall in the crater, his suit gleaming with dark, obsidian armor, sharp and menacing, etched with glowing blue lines that pulsed with energy.

It was Reggie—VOIDREAVER.

His helmet reflected the chaos around him, but his body language was calm, composed, and utterly terrifying. He stood with purpose, his presence radiating a level of power and authority that even Homelander, in his madness, couldn't ignore.

Homelander's eyes narrowed, recognition flashing in their depths. He felt an icy grip of dread clench his heart. The memories of their last confrontation flooded back—of humiliation and desperation.

"Reaver…" Charlotte whispered, her voice trembling with relief. She could hardly believe it. He had arrived at the perfect moment—just when everything seemed lost.

"You…" Homelander hissed, his voice dripping with venom. "You think you can save them? After what you did to me?" The echoes of Voidreaver's mocking words haunted him, replaying in his mind like a twisted melody. "You're a fraud, Homelander. Just a scared little boy in a god's body."

Reggie didn't respond at first. He simply stared at Homelander through his visor, his entire body tense, his hands glowing with Voidreaver's unmistakable energy. The battlefield was silent for a long, tense moment.

And then, with a voice cold and commanding, Reggie finally spoke.

"You're too far gone, Homelander."

The ground beneath Reggie cracked, blue energy swirling around him as his battle mode fully activated. His power surged, filling the air with a suffocating pressure, and even Homelander, for all his bravado, felt the weight of it.

The purple energy that crackled around Homelander pulsed with fury, distorting the air like a storm brewing. His manic laughter turned to a low growl, tinged with rage. "You're nothing but a blip on my radar, a fleeting moment of weakness! You think you can take this from me?!"

The chaos that enveloped him only served to amplify his madness. He hovered in mid-air, a chaotic whirlwind of purple energy, desperate to reclaim the power he felt slipping away. "I'm stronger now, more powerful than you can imagine! I won't let you take this from me again!"

"Show me." Said VOIDREAVER

With a roar, Homelander unleashed a torrent of telekinetic energy, sending a wave of destruction towards Reggie, fueled by all the fear and anger he had bottled up since their last encounter.

The true battle was just about to begin.

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