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Gamora watched this scene from the side, seeing an expression on Nebula's face she had never seen before; the mockery she had originally intended to voice could no longer be spoken.
"So, I guess we're friends now?"
Homelander stood up and pulled Nebula up along with him.
Then he looked at Gamora and extended his hand toward her as well.
"And you, Lady Assassin. Although your temper is a bit explosive, I can tell you're protecting her."
"You're a good sister; your way of expressing it is just a bit clumsy."
Gamora looked at the hand, hesitated for a moment, and eventually took it.
She used the leverage to stand up.
"I'm Gamora," she said coolly, but her hostility was gone.
"Pleasure to meet you, Gamora, Nebula."
"My name is Anthony Starr, but you can call me Homelander." Homelander gestured toward Jessica.
"This is my most capable partner—Jessica Jones."
Jessica, who was holding the camera nearby, couldn't help but roll her eyes, her knuckles cracking audibly.
However, she still freed a hand to wave at Nebula and Gamora.
"Hi, alien hotties, I'm Jessica. By the way, don't believe his bullshit; he says that to every pretty girl."
Though jealousy was churning inside her, she was even angrier at herself for actually falling for his act.
Looking at Homelander's seemingly radiant appearance, she couldn't help but curse inwardly.
"...Damn it, why do even I think he looked a bit handsome just now?"
Prompt! Gained 8,000 special popularity value! (From Gamora)
Prompt! Gained 15,000 special popularity value! (From Nebula)
Meanwhile, back on Earth.
The bullet chat in the livestream was spamming frantically.
[Oh my God! Homelander is so gentle!]
[Jessica is jealous! Hahahaha!]
[God, Homelander is such a player! That look, that tone! If he said those things to me, I'd give him my first time!!]
[That blue girl is seriously cool. Is she a Gynoid?]
[I declare that for this minute, I don't want to be human; I want to be that Gynoid!]
["You are unique in this starry sky"—Oh my God, I'm going to tattoo that on my body!]
[This is a true hero—not just powerful, but possessing an inclusive heart!]
The sound of gaining popularity value rang through his mind again, and Homelander was in high spirits.
Looking at these two originally murderous female warriors, one now had a smile at the corner of her eyes while the other's gaze was darting away.
Rocket Raccoon's jaw nearly hit the ground in shock behind them.
"What the fuck..." Rocket poked Yondu next to him. "Does this Homelander have an aphrodisiac launcher installed in his mouth?"
"Take notes, Rocket." Yondu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That's called charisma. Sometimes, it's much more useful than your guns."
Just as the atmosphere turned friendly.
Homelander's expression suddenly changed, and he looked deep into the pitch-black cave.
The switch in expression was extremely natural, shifting from gentle to solemn in an instant.
"What's wrong?" Gamora asked alertly.
"There's something... in there."
Homelander narrowed his eyes, as if seeing something terrifying.
"Something very bad..."
"Follow me."
Homelander flicked his cape and took the lead toward the cave.
The group looked at each other, but infected by Homelander's serious expression, they all followed.
The light inside the cave was dim. The further they went, the stronger the scent of decay became.
Finally.
They reached the end of the cave.
Jessica turned on the high-intensity light on her camera.
Click.
The beam of light illuminated the darkness ahead.
"What the—"
Everyone, in that moment, sucked in a breath of cold air.
Endless skeletons.
It was a mountain of bones, ranging from small to large, in various shapes and from various races.
They were piled layer upon layer, filling the entire massive cavern and extending into the depths of the darkness.
Those hollow eye sockets seemed to be recounting the horrors they had faced before death.
"Oh my God..." Jessica covered her mouth, nearly dropping the camera in her hand.
In the livestream, the previously cheerful bullet chat vanished instantly.
First, there was a dead silence, followed by an explosion of fear and anger.
[God... what is that?]
[Are those skeletons? They're piled into a mountain?]
[My God... are those human bones?]
[So many... how many people must there be?]
[Are those children? I can see the size of those skulls...]
[Why are there children too? Is this Planet hell?!]
[Demon! This is a demon!]
[Homelander! Kill him! You must kill him!]
"Who... who were all these people?"
Rocket's voice was devoid of its usual banter, becoming shaky.
Homelander stood before the pile of skeletons.
He knew who they were.
These were all Ego's "children."
They were the offspring Ego had sired across the Universe in his search for an heir who possessed the Celestial gene.
Ego had hired Yondu to bring them back to test if they possessed divine power.
If they didn't... they were killed and thrown into this pit to become nutrients for the Planet.
This was a massacre of his own flesh and blood that spanned countless years.
Homelander turned his head to look at the grim-faced Yondu.
"Mr. Yondu... do you happen to know something about this?"
All eyes suddenly focused on Yondu.
Yondu's lips trembled.
As he looked at those skeletons, memories he had deliberately buried were unearthed.
One after another... these children had once sat in his ship, curiously asking him, "Where's my dad?"
And he had told them, "Your dad is a God; he's going to give you the best life possible."
Then, he had personally delivered them into this hell.
Every transaction, every time Ego smiled and said "I'll take good care of them," every time he left with the money... he had always told himself it was for the children's own good, to find them a good father.
He had forced himself not to think about what happened to those children afterward.
But now, the truth was laid bare before him.
Those piles of white bones were the vibrant lives he had once personally ushered onto his ship.
"These... are all his children."
"To find a suitable heir, he sowed his seeds across the Universe, then hired people to bring these children back."
"I was one of those he hired..."
"He said... he'd take good care of them."
"I thought... I thought he just..."
"You thought he just wanted to be a good father?" Homelander stepped forward, grabbed Yondu by the collar, and hoisted him up.
"Look at this!!"
"Is this what you call taking good care of them?!!"
Homelander's anger was part act, part real.
Even if it was for the livestream's effect, anyone with a shred of decency would feel rage when faced with such inhuman atrocities.
"Yondu, you're no fool."
"You delivered so many shipments; did you ever see a single child grow up? Did you ever see a single child leave?"
"Did you really... know nothing?"
"Or did you simply choose... not to think about it?"
Yondu closed his eyes in agony.
Yes.
He had sensed something was wrong long ago, but he had been running away from it.
He was afraid that he had truly sent those children to hell.
That was why, when he met Peter Quill, that kid from Earth.
He finally made up his mind and kept Quill by his side.
But he had only saved one Quill.
He had failed to save the hundreds of others he had handed over.