He thought for a long time.
There were no clues in his memory.
"Forget it, if I can't remember, then so be it." Homelander rubbed his brow, simply choosing not to dwell on the issue anymore.
Anyway, Vought is full of talent now; in a while, he'd see who was the most popular and just promote them to fill the vacancy.
After testing their new powers, the heroes in the arena—some happy, others envious—chatted with each other before dispersing back to their posts.
Jessica walked to Homelander's side and naturally took his arm.
"Let's go, busy man," Jessica suggested. "Accompany me for a drink, and I'll report on The Hand's investigation findings during this time."
"Good idea, macallan?" Homelander put his arm around her waist and walked out.
"Boss."
A slightly strained male voice suddenly came from the shadows in the corner.
Homelander and Jessica stopped at the same time and turned to look.
They saw a completely naked man walking out of the corner.
He held an empty cardboard box with both hands, blocking his lower body.
"I used that potion, and then... I seem to have lost my superpowers." The man had a mournful face. "I can't turn invisible anymore."
Looking at the face before him, it was as if something exploded in Homelander's mind for a moment.
All the memories regarding this man flooded back.
Shabi Lowden, Translucent, a member of the original Seven.
"Oh shit! Shabby?!" Homelander blurted out.
Jessica, beside him, also widened her eyes, looking at the naked Shabby with utter disbelief.
"Unbelievable... Anthony, I swear, until I heard him speak just now, I didn't remember this person being in our Seven at all!"
Homelander didn't answer Jessica; he immediately pulled up the system panel.
[Super Seven List: 7/7.]
Full!
Homelander was deeply shocked.
This was the first time he had seen that there was actually some kind of ability in this World that could directly affect and deceive his system's judgment!
Homelander stared thoughtfully at Shabby.
"Jessica, turn around." Homelander suddenly spoke, pulling Jessica's shoulder to make her turn her back with him, facing the wall.
The moment their eyes left Shabby, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
"Where were we?" Homelander held Jessica's waist, continuing the previous topic.
"Talking about going for a drink, macallan 1926." Jessica rolled her eyes at Homelander. "What? Can't bear the cost?"
"No way, it must be arranged," Homelander chimed in, as if there was no one behind them at all.
"Boss! Big Sis! Don't ignore me!" Shabby's anxious voice came from behind.
Homelander and Jessica stopped simultaneously.
The two quickly turned around.
The moment they heard Shabby's voice, all memories of him returned clearly to their minds once more.
Jessica gasped.
"Damn! I really forgot you were here just now."
Homelander now fully understood what Shabby's evolved ability was.
Shabby had lost his invisibility skill but had awakened a more terrifying conceptual ability: Passive Oblivion.
"Jessica, record a video of him with your phone." Homelander said, pointing at Shabby as he remembered something.
Jessica quickly took out her phone and opened the camera, aiming it at Shabby.
"Shabby, say something." Jessica pressed the record button.
"Say what? What's going on?" Shabby looked bewildered.
Ten seconds later, she stopped recording and clicked playback.
In the video, the empty indoor background was clearly visible.
There was no Shabby, only a cardboard box floating in mid-air.
Even the lens could not record him.
"This means that only by seeing you in person or hearing your voice can people perceive your existence and recall everything about you."
Jessica immediately reached a conclusion.
Seeing their shocked reactions, Shabby slumped to the ground, looking extremely dejected.
"I'm finished," Shabby choked out. "I can never be a real hero again! People can't even remember my name; they'll forget me completely the moment they turn around!"
"I've become a total joke. No! I'm not even a joke!"
"Listen, Shabby."
Homelander stepped forward, pulled Shabby up from the ground, and comforted him.
"You're not finished. On the contrary, you're much better now than before. At least you can finally walk up to a mirror and know what you look like, isn't it?"
"But what's the use?" Shabby was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly.
"You'll forget I'm a member of The Seven as soon as you turn around. Vought doesn't need a ghost that doesn't exist."
"No, you're wrong."
Homelander adopted his best leadership aura, his voice low and full of charisma.
"Vought needs you, and the World needs you. You will continue to guard the World from the shadows!"
"Perhaps the World won't know of your existence for the time being, but every action of yours will be etched in my mind."
"And I promise you, Shabby," Homelander's eyes burned brightly, "one day, I will let you stand openly in the center of the crowd and enjoy the boundless glory that belongs to you!"
Looking at Homelander's ardent and expectant gaze, Shabby's dejection vanished, and his blood boiled with passion again!
"Thank you, Boss! I won't let you down."
Prompt! Gained special popularity value +15,000! (From Shabby Lowden)
"Boss, what should I do?" Shabby puffed out his chest.
"From today on, you will temporarily leave The Seven's roster." Homelander issued a new appointment.
"You have a hero team all to yourself: Shadow Vanguard! Hero code name... Forget-Me-Not."
Homelander handed a business card to Shabby.
"This is my private encrypted line. Contact me on the first of every month, and I will assign tasks directly to you, while also providing your salary and bonuses. Your compensation will be twice what it was in The Seven."
Shabby clutched the business card tightly. Seeing that Homelander really hadn't given up on him, he had completely cheered up.
"Thank you, Boss." Shabby nodded heavily.
"Skynet, come to the Area A training ground."
Homelander shouted at the monitor.
Two minutes later, Miss Skynet walked in with elegant steps.
"Take Shabby to the Applied Technology Department," Homelander said, pointing at Shabby. "Customize a new suit with optical stealth for him."
"Also, hand-draw a portrait of him. Once it's finished, place it on my desk."
Skynet nodded slightly and turned to Shabby.
"Please follow me, Mr. Forget-Me-Not."
...
In an abandoned industrial warehouse in Brooklyn, New York.
It was far from the crowds, silent and still.
At this moment, nine people were standing in the warehouse.
They were the Eternal living in seclusion on Earth.
Over the past period, Ikaris had flown all over the World, finding his companions who had been scattered for hundreds of years one by one.