American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

473. Where to Begin?

The character on the card was none other than Namor McKenzie, the King of Atlantis from the Marvel Universe, also known as the Sub-Mariner.

Though Namor was a hybrid of human and Atlantean lineage, he was also a mutant. His mutant ability allowed him to fly using small wings on his ankles.

Namor was a formidable combatant, excelling in land, sea, and air battles. While his fighting techniques were relatively straightforward, his power was far beyond what The Deep could ever hope to match.

Transformed into Namor, Alex charged at The Deep. Faced with Alex's overwhelming assault, The Deep had no will to fight. He didn't even dare to resist and could only cower with his hands over his head, passively taking the beating.

Seeing this pitiful sight, it was hard to believe this man was once considered a member of the legendary Seven.

Grabbing The Deep's wrist, Alex exploited an opening in his defense. Without hesitation, he delivered a punch straight to the gills on The Deep's abdomen—his greatest weakness. The blow left The Deep gasping in agony.

Seizing the moment, Alex followed up with an uppercut, sending The Deep flying three meters before he landed heavily on the ground, unconscious.

After finishing him off, Alex shook his head in disinterest.

"How boring."

Returning to his original form, Alex silently turned his gaze to Starlight.

At this moment, the only person still standing on the lawn within a ten-mile radius was Starlight. Everyone else had been knocked unconscious, except for A-Train, who was still clutching his broken leg and wailing in pain.

Feeling Alex's eyes on her, Starlight shuddered.

"Wait! Don't misunderstand, I'm not your enemy!"

Starlight took two steps back, genuinely terrified. The oppressive presence Alex exuded was even more overwhelming than Homelander's. At least with Homelander, there was some room for negotiation. But with Alex, Starlight couldn't figure out his intentions at all.

She feared he might get carried away and switch to a new form just to beat her up as well.

Starlight had a clear understanding of her own combat capabilities. Among the Seven, she could probably only take on The Deep. Against anyone else, she'd be overpowered.

And this man in front of her? Even Queen Maeve and Black Noir couldn't last more than a few moves against him. With her level of strength, she probably wouldn't survive a single hit.

Thinking of this, Starlight quickly tried to negotiate.

"Believe me, I never intended to fight you. Our goals are the same. I want to expose Vought's crimes to the public, just like you do. Really!"

"I know," Alex replied, crossing his arms.

"You... You know?" Starlight froze mid-explanation, her surprise evident. She stared at Alex in disbelief.

Alex glanced at her calmly.

"I've been watching you for a while—since you first joined the Seven."

"Since I first..." Starlight's words trailed off as memories of her early days in the Seven came flooding back. Those were memories she would never forget. Seeing the meaningful look in Alex's eyes, she was completely stunned.

Alex pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze. He had already figured out the source of this world's corruption. These so-called heroes—created by Vought International—were themselves part of the contamination.

Much like how the super-soldier serum amplified human nature, Compound V did the same.

When people gained immense power without the corresponding maturity to wield it responsibly, that power inevitably brought out the darkest aspects of human nature.

Everyone is inherently hypocritical. They are selfish yet expect others to be generous. They are deeply flawed but hope to see goodness in others. They care little for others' lives yet act as if they are empathetic.

Here, in this world, the darkness of human nature was laid bare for all to see.

These so-called heroes, whether by choice or not, repeatedly committed acts and made decisions that exposed the sins of humanity.

Homelander, desperate for love but unable to trust others, with an overwhelming need for control. Queen Maeve, who wanted to change things but was constantly forced to submit to darkness. The Deep, who inflicted his pain on others to make himself feel better.

A-Train, who only cared about his own gain and showed no regard for anyone else, not even other African-American people. And Black Noir, a tragic figure doomed from the start to a tragic end, whose actions ultimately served only Vought's interests.

The Seven were merely a microcosm of the superpowered individuals in this world.

Perhaps that's why this place was so rife with corruption. This world represented the deepest, most hidden evils in the hearts of superheroes.

People wanted to see it. They enjoyed watching heroes fall from grace.

"Superheroes... what a joke."

Alex sneered, sighing softly as he casually asked,"Do you want to know why I clearly have the power to kill you all, but I haven't?"

Swallowing hard, Starlight furrowed her brows as she looked at Alex. She couldn't grasp his intentions, nor did she know how to respond.

After a brief pause, Alex gave his answer in a calm tone.

"Killing you won't change anything. This world has been twisted for the past seventy years. Under the facade built by Vought International, superhumans have become ingrained in people's lives. Unless this illusion is shattered, there will never be an end to it."

"But haven't you already exposed Vought's true face? Compound V, human experiments—the whole world has seen how dark Vought is," Starlight blurted out.

"Naive."

Alex lifted his head.

"All that's been revealed is the truth about superhumans—nothing more. Do you think that will end anything? Do you think that by making this information public, the world will become a better place?

It won't. If Vought falls, there will be a second Vought, then a third. Once people know that superpowers come from a drug, they won't stop. On the contrary, their desires will consume them.

Everyone wants to be a superhuman. Everyone craves power, wealth, authority—enough to sacrifice their lives for it. That's human nature, and you can't change it."

As he spoke, Alex thought of Stan Edgar, Vought's top executive. He scoffed and continued,

"Vought's original goal was never to create so-called superheroes. They're a pharmaceutical company, not a talent agency. From the beginning, all they wanted was to develop a short-term superhero drug."

"A short-term superhero drug?" Starlight asked, momentarily stunned.

"Is that hard to understand?" Alex gestured with his hand and explained,

"A single dose that can turn anyone into a superhero for twenty-four hours. It could bolster national defense and serve as a deterrent to other nations.

The most crucial part? Purchasing this drug would require long-term contracts. Think about it—a single soldier needing ten doses, an entire battalion requiring how much in a year? This is a perpetual gold mine."

Hearing Alex's explanation, Starlight froze in place, her lips slightly parted, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She had never considered this angle before. She always thought the world was black and white: she was a superhero and thus represented justice. Her mission was to defeat evil villains and make the world a better place.

But her recent experiences had shattered all those beautiful illusions, and Alex's words now revealed the true nature of Vought's capitalist machine.

"That's why I said you're naive. You don't understand Vought at all. Do you think they spend a fortune on PR firms to support you overgrown children, addicts, and disgraces to the name of heroes out of charity?"

Alex tapped his temple with his finger and said,

"Think about it carefully. If Vought perfects that drug, who do you think they'll target first?"

Starlight's heart skipped a beat. The answer didn't require much thought. Vought would never allow uncontrollable individuals to stand against them.

They had already established the "superhero" brand, created a massive platform, and built immense credibility. If their research succeeded, the Vought executives would never let superhumans run amok.

Nothing would be easier to control than short-term superheroes. Not just in the U.S., but nations worldwide would become dependent on Vought's drug.

When that time came, the Seven and all other superhumans would face destruction.

The thought sent a chill through Starlight, making it hard for her to breathe.

Her throat moved slightly as she stared at the man before her and hesitantly asked, "Then... what should we do? How can we stop all of this?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"How about..."

Alex turned away, his back to Starlight.

"Starting with the people losing faith in heroes. What do you think?"

.....

30 advanced chapters on p@treaon
For advance chapters: /Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
474. Soldier Boy.
475. 'The Sword of Michael'
476. Movements from All Sides.
477. Saving the Soldier Boy!
478. Soldier Boy Breaks Free.