Maeve did not actually lose control of herself, but she did shiver.
She turned stiffly and faced Axel, forcing her voice to remain steady.
"What's the matter?"
Axel looked at her as if the answer were obvious.
"What else could it be? Go notify The Seven to come and welcome me. I'm your future colleague. Shouldn't there be some kind of ceremony? Even if it's not grand, at least show some effort."
He waved his hand impatiently.
"Call everyone over. No, forget that. Tell them to wait where you usually hold meetings."
"Okay."
Maeve nodded and quickly left Madelyn's office.
As the door closed behind her, Axel lifted his foot and kicked Madelyn in the chest.
"Hey," he said casually, "is serving these supes exhausting?"
Madelyn hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"It is my honor to serve someone as powerful as you."
Axel raised an eyebrow.
"That sounded a little too sincere. Trying to get on my good side?"
He kicked her to the floor without warning, then shook his foot twice before resting it back on the desk. He gestured for her to come closer.
Madelyn stood up slowly and approached him, her expression tense.
Axel leaned forward slightly.
"I don't care how you lived before, but from now on, you need to be sharper. Don't just stand around waiting for orders. Use your initiative."
He glanced down at himself.
"Look at me. Torn clothes, just shorts. Does that look appropriate to you? Think, Madelyn. Get someone to bring me proper clothes."
Madelyn took a breath.
"Understood. So, Mr. Axel, are you truly joining The Seven?"
Axel gave her a flat look.
"What do you think? Does this look like a joke? Move. Unless you want your child growing up without a mother."
"Okay!"
Her expression tightened as she quickly made a call.
The line connected, and Ashley's panicked voice came through.
"Oh God, Homelander was almost beaten to death. That guy and Maeve both went at him..."
"Shut up, Ashley!"
Madelyn cut her off sharply.
"Mr. Axel is officially joining The Seven. No more nonsense. Immediately call the Risk Assessment Department, Crisis Management, and Legal to my office. Now."
She paused, then glanced at Axel.
"And Ashley, bring a set of..."
Madelyn hesitated before speaking again.
"Mr. Axel, you arrived suddenly, and I failed to prepare clothing for you. Would you mind wearing Soldier Boy's suit for now? He was the company's former symbol, and the suit was made with the best materials. Even the collector's edition version is comparable to Homelander's."
"No problem."
Axel agreed without hesitation.
Madelyn exhaled and continued into the phone.
"Ashley, did you hear me? Bring Soldier Boy's collector's edition suit. Have the head of Logistics and Equipment come with you to tailor it. I want everything done immediately."
"I understand!"
Ashley hung up and rushed to carry out the orders.
Madelyn continued making calls, coordinating multiple departments. Within a short time, she managed to suppress the chaos Axel had caused inside Vought. For those who had been killed, she authorized compensation worth several times the standard payout, prioritizing speed over cost.
Vought was powerful, but it still had competitors. Public opinion could not be completely controlled, and any delay could escalate the situation.
Not long after, Ashley returned with the suit.
She stepped into the office, then froze. Her body trembled uncontrollably as she looked at Axel.
Axel chuckled.
"Ashley, right?"
"Yes… yes…"
"Good. Where are my clothes?"
"Behind me."
She swallowed hard as the equipment team brought the suit forward.
The department head stepped closer, visibly nervous.
"Sir, you are slightly taller than Soldier Boy, so we will need to make small adjustments. Fortunately, this is not his personal suit but a collector's edition. It was designed with flexibility in mind, so resizing will not be difficult."
Before he could continue, Ashley spoke again.
"Mr. Axel, are you planning to use Soldier Boy's name?"
She quickly pulled in the head of the promotion department from outside.
"We are handling the situation you caused, so we need a reasonable explanation for the public. If you debut as Soldier Boy, we can create a suitable background story..."
"Wait."
Axel cut her off.
The room went silent.
"When did I say I wanted that name?"
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"Still, you're right about one thing. I need a name. Makes your job easier."
He looked up, a faint smile forming.
"How about this. My codename is Ancestor. Dope, right?"
"Ancestor?"
The head of promotion immediately dropped to his knees.
"That's perfect!"
He looked up at Axel, trembling with excitement.
"If you use Ancestor as your codename, we can present you as the world's first superhero. Your appearance supports it, and it adds global appeal. We can say you lived thousands of years ago, grew tired of war, and sealed yourself away in Antarctic ice."
He spoke faster as his ideas poured out.
"With climate change, the ice melted, forcing your return. That explains everything, including the footage already circulating online. People will accept it easily. They are always fascinated by figures from the distant past."
He gave an eager nod.
"This solves all our promotional problems. And if someone like you defeats Homelander, it elevates your image even further."
He lowered his head.
"So, you've decided. Your codename is Ancestor?"
Axel leaned back slightly, satisfied.
"That's right."
He smiled faintly.
"Your previous symbol was Homelander. Naturally, I have to be above him."
He tapped the desk once.
"From today onward, I am Ancestor."
"Yes, Ancestor."
The head of promotion bowed deeply.
===
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