Jessica took the device and fiddled with it for a long time, her face full of impatience.
"How the hell am I supposed to adjust the focus on this thing?"
"You don't."
Rocket jumped down, snatched the device from her hands, and smacked it twice.
"This thing is controlled by brainwave linkage! Wherever you want to look, it records automatically! Idiot!"
"Who are you calling an idiot, you little squirrel?" Jessica shot him a glare.
"Alright, Jessica."
Antony clapped his hands once, cutting off their bickering.
"There are thousands of reporters at the press conference, hundreds of thousands of fans, and seven billion viewers around the world waiting for us."
"Let's go."
-----
New York – Central Park
The entire park had been transformed into a massive open-air press venue.
Hundreds of thousands of people packed the area until it was impossible to move.
Even more filled the streets of Manhattan, staring up at giant screens.
Broadcast vans from media outlets across the globe lined the streets.
Dozens of news helicopters circled overhead.
"Ladies and gentlemen!"
Ashley, freshly returned from vacation, stood at the side of the stage holding a microphone.
Her voice trembled with excitement.
"Raise your heads!"
"Let your voices be heard!"
"Welcome—Homelander—!"
"WOOOOOO—!!!"
"AAAAAAH—!!"
"HOMELANDER! HOMELANDER! HOMELANDER!"
The roar shook New York like a tidal wave.
…
RUMBLE—
A deep mechanical hum echoed from the sky.
The clouds split apart.
A massive spaceship slowly descended.
Its midnight-blue hull reflected sunlight.
Crimson lines glowed along its frame like flowing fire.
At the nose gleamed the golden V emblem.
The anti-gravity engines emitted soft blue-white flames.
They scattered fallen leaves across the grass while precisely controlling airflow so the front-row crowd barely felt a breeze.
"WOOOOOOAH—!!!"
Gasps of amazement rippled through the audience.
Even New Yorkers—who had seen alien ships before—were stunned.
Because this time…
It was a human ship.
A symbol of power.
A milestone marking humanity's first step into the stars.
The ship hovered two meters above the ground before landing smoothly.
HISSS—
The side hatch slid open.
A boarding ramp extended automatically.
Spotlights snapped into focus.
Every camera aimed at the doorway.
A polished red boot stepped onto the ramp.
Then red gloves.
Then the blue suit.
And finally—
The cape of stars and stripes fluttering in the wind.
Homelander.
He emerged.
Golden hair shining under the sunlight like something divine.
His confident smile radiated calm.
The calm humanity needed when facing the unknown.
Behind him walked Jessica Jones.
Though she clearly wanted to flip off the paparazzi blasting flashes in her eyes, Antony's overwhelming presence forced her to maintain the image of the "power couple."
"HOMELANDER! HOMELANDER! HOMELANDER!"
The cheers thundered across the park.
Flags waved.
People screamed his name.
Antony stopped at the top of the ramp.
He didn't descend immediately.
Instead—
He tilted his head back.
Closed his eyes.
Spread his arms.
Embracing the roar of the crowd.
He loved it.
The attention.
The adoration.
The tidal wave of popularity that felt almost tangible.
After a moment, his super hearing noticed the crowd's voices growing hoarse.
He opened his eyes and slowly walked down the ramp.
Then stepped onto the stage.
Both hands rested on the podium.
His blue eyes swept across the sea of faces.
The roaring crowd gradually quieted.
Everyone held their breath.
Waiting.
"My fellow humans."
His voice was gentle.
Yet beneath it lingered a trace of solemn resolve.
"Today, we are not gathered here to celebrate."
"We are here to… say goodbye."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Not long ago, we discovered an alien biological weapon buried beneath our planet."
"It is growing."
"It is beating."
"It is trying to consume our world."
Antony pointed toward the sky.
"If we do nothing…"
"Our children will have no future."
"Our civilization will become cosmic dust."
"Are we afraid?"
"Yes."
"Even I am afraid."
He spoke honestly.
His expression carried just enough humanity to make the moment believable.
"In the endless void of space, there is nothing but cold…"
"…and darkness."
"And within that darkness…"
"Terrible hunters."
Then his voice rose like thunder.
"But fear will not stop us!"
"Because we are humanity!"
"A species born from endless adversity!"
"WOOO—! HUMANITY!"
"HUMANITY FOREVER!"
The crowd erupted again.
After the cheers faded, Antony continued.
"This expedition is not only about destroying that alien abomination."
"And it is not only about protecting Earth."
"It is something far greater."
"For the first time in human history…"
"Humanity will launch an expedition into deep space."
"We are no longer lambs waiting for slaughter."
"We are hunters—with rifles in hand!"
"And I…"
He tapped the eagle emblem on his chest.
"…am honored to represent you."
"To serve as humanity's vanguard."
"To go first."
Some people in the crowd were already crying.
Others were dialing their bosses on the spot to quit their jobs.
Immediately afterward, they submitted applications to the Vought Deep Space Administration.
Antony turned and pulled Jessica beside him, wrapping an arm around her.
"And I won't be alone."
"Jewel—Jessica Jones."
"She will serve as humanity's eyes."
He pointed to the floating orb in her hands.
"This is Vought's latest quantum communication technology."
"There will be no secrets on this journey."
"We will broadcast everything."
"Every moment."
"Victory…"
"…or death."
"I, Homelander…"
"…will face it with you."
He paused.
His expression softened.
Almost sorrowful.
He looked directly into the cameras.
As if saying farewell to someone he loved.
"If I…"
"…do not return."
A wave of gasps and cries erupted.
"No! Homelander!"
"You'll win!"
"You're invincible!"
Antony raised a hand gently, calming them.
"If…"
"If I fall in the void of space…"
"Please do not mourn me."
"Do not lament my fate."
"Do not cry."
"Because I will have been fortunate."
"I am fortunate to have been born human."
"Fortunate to serve my people."
"Fortunate to blaze a path through the stars for humanity."
"That… is enough."
His voice rose again.
"If I fall…"
"Let my body become a signpost."
Antony raised his fist high.
And roared.
"Step over my corpse…"
"…and keep moving forward!"
"For humanity!"
"For Earth!"
--------------
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