"You understand conquest, you understand destruction, you think you've seen through the laws of the Universe..."
The gaze he directed at Harley was filled with endless affection.
"...But you will never understand what kind of miracle a person can unleash when there are people behind them they want to protect."
"Love is not weakness."
Homelander's voice grew louder and more resonant.
"Love is the courage of a mother who dares to swing her fists at a wild beast to protect her child."
"Love is the faith of a warrior who is willing to be smashed to pieces for the sake of the myriad lights behind him."
"Love is my determination to stand here and protect the one I love, even if I burn the last drop of my blood!!"
As these words were spoken, the entire World seemed to come to a standstill.
What kind of hero was this?
For humanity, for his lover, he crawled back from hell with unimaginable willpower.
"Homelander!"
"Homelander!!"
Cheers like mountain torrents and tsunamis spontaneously erupted in every corner of the World.
Popularity gathered into a torrent and poured into the system.
Harley's tears had already burst forth like a broken dam. She pressed her hands tightly against her heart, for its beating was so violent it almost burst through her chest.
Prompt! Gained special popularity value +20,000! (From Harley Quinn)
"Your persistence is meaningless. Vanish!"
Darkseid's eyes glowed red again, and Omega Energy converged frantically.
Facing the impending killing blow.
Homelander suppressed the corners of his mouth, withdrew his affectionate gaze from Harley, and turned back to glare at Darkseid.
"You monster who only knows destruction and enslavement, you will never understand what love is!!"
"Today, I will let you know—!"
Homelander took a step forward. There were no flashy moves or complex actions; it seemed like a simple, ordinary straight punch.
"What the greatest power in the World is!!" Homelander roared to the heavens.
"Love—Infinite—!!!"
The attention of heaven and Earth seemed focused on his right fist, which was pulled back at his waist.
A white light that seemed capable of lighting up the Universe erupted from Homelander's fist.
This light was more dazzling than a supernova explosion.
All viewers lost their sight at this moment, leaving only a vast expanse of white before their eyes.
In this endless light, a terrifying torrent of World-destroying energy collided head-on with Darkseid.
"No! This is impossible!! Ah—!!"
Darkseid's terrified roar rang clearly in everyone's ears.
The thick clouds over Metropolis were forcibly split open by this force. The punch's wind broke through the sky, even turning several meteors outside the atmosphere into cosmic dust.
Between heaven and Earth, the continuous roar triggered by this punch echoed for a long time.
*Click.* The master ball retracted into the magic pocket; everything happened silently and unnoticed.
A full half-minute passed.
Only then did the white light of vengeance gradually recede, and everyone's vision began to return.
When all eyes returned to the center of the battlefield, they saw a scene they would never forget.
The ruins were still ruins, but the arrogant tyrant of Apokolips, Darkseid...
...had disappeared.
Not even a speck of ash remained.
It was as if he had never existed in this World.
Only that red and blue figure remained, still holding the posture of the punch, standing silently in place.
"Mr. Milk Candy—!"
A scream pierced the silence.
Harley Quinn, holding the hem of her tattered wedding dress, ran frantically across the rubble, rushing toward Homelander regardless of everything.
Homelander retracted his fist and turned to face her.
Harley lunged into his arms, the momentum causing them both to fall to the ground.
"You won! You won!"
Harley buried her head in his chest and wailed. Her hands locked onto him tightly, as if he would disappear if she let go.
"You bastard! You scared me! I really thought you were going to die!"
Homelander held Harley's trembling body, gently wrapping his arms around her back and patting her softly.
"How could I die, Little Pumpkin?"
"I said I would come back to marry you."
Bruce, Barry, Mera, and the others also came over, supporting each other.
They looked at the two embracing on the ground and didn't step forward to disturb them, just standing silently to the side.
No one knew who started it.
Crisp applause began to ring out in Metropolis Plaza.
Then ten, a hundred, ten thousand.
The applause spread like a virus, from the plaza to all of Metropolis, and then through the live broadcast signal to every corner of the Earth.
A billion people worldwide clapped at the same time, their cheers shattering the clouds.
Darkseid was dead.
The threat of Apokolips was completely eliminated.
Earth finally welcomed the true dawn.
"You did it, Homelander. No, I mean... Federal Leader." Bruce's tone carried a respect he had never felt before.
Homelander forced the corners of his mouth up, showing a weak smile.
"Isn't this... what I should do?"
"Now that Darkseid is dead, Earth is finally safe."
"So, now..."
Homelander took Harley's hand and raised it into the air.
"I want to ask everyone for a favor. I'm going to have our wedding... with my Little Pumpkin."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience was stunned.
Even Harley was dazed.
"Are you crazy, darling?!" she hurriedly squeezed Homelander's hand back, her tone anxious. "You're hurt like this. Although I really want to, there's no rush! Go get treated first, go rest! When you're better, we'll have the biggest wedding in the World! Okay?"
"Yeah, Homelander," Barry also hurriedly advised, "You're seriously injured. Let's go to the medical pod first..."
"No."
Homelander shook his head and decisively interrupted them, as stubborn as a child.
"Right now."
He reached out his trembling hand, and in his palm lay a blood-stained velvet box.
"The rings... I have them all ready."
The box opened, and inside lay a pair of exquisite platinum rings.
"I never break my word, Harley."
"Will you marry me?"
Harley looked at the rings, deeply moved, but she still wanted to force him onto a stretcher.
"Fine, we'll hold it right now!"
It was Batman, Bruce Wayne, who stepped forward.
He walked up and took a deep look at Homelander.
As the World's keenest detective, Bruce had already sensed something was wrong.
He looked at Homelander's scarred and battered body.
He remembered the power beyond limits that Homelander had just released, and there was no way that came without a price.
All these signs pointed to a terrifying thought forming in his mind.
terminal lucidity.
He was using his last breath to fulfill his promise to this woman.
Bruce lowered his eyelids, hiding the sadness rising in his eyes.
When he looked up again, his face had returned to its stern, solemn expression.
"I will be the wedding officiant," Bruce said in a deep voice.