American Comics: Multiverse of Madness

475. ‘The Sword of Michael’

After Alex revealed the plan, everyone sprang into action, preparing for their overseas mission.

While the others were busy, Butcher approached Alex with a bag of food and a six-pack of beer. After placing the food on the table, he opened a bottle and set it in front of Alex.

"You know," Butcher began as he popped open another beer for himself, taking a swig, "you're becoming harder and harder to figure out."

"What do you mean?" Alex asked, picking up a pair of chopsticks and glancing at the food on the table.

"You're not some run-of-the-mill mercenary, are you? At first, I thought you were just some rookie, but now… you're full of surprises, mate. You're like a bloody enigma," Butcher muttered. Lowering his voice to avoid being overheard by the others, he continued, "Every time I think I've got you pegged, you throw out something new that shatters my assumptions."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"What's the matter? Are you falling for me or something?" Alex mocked, glancing at him with disdain.

"You know what I mean. Ever since I brought you into this fight against Vought, we've been following your plans. I've got to admit, they work. But because of that, some people in the team have started grumbling."

"Oh? Are they grumbling, or is it just you not trusting me?" Alex asked, taking a swig from the beer bottle.

"That depends on how you look at it." Butcher clinked his bottle against Alex's with a knowing smirk. After taking another sip, he continued, "You're not just skilled—you've put the other supes in the ICU. That's no small feat. What's your endgame?"

"Good question," Alex chuckled lightly, his gaze turning distant. "I'm still searching for that answer."

Breaking this world's cycle wouldn't be easy. Simply killing all the superheroes wasn't the solution. Even if Alex went full Deadpool, slaughtering every supe in sight, it wouldn't necessarily improve things. His actions might even trigger a deeper corruption.

So, to cure a sick world, he needed drastic measures. To solve the mess in The Boys universe, Alex had to forge a new path, one that shattered the darkness lurking in people's hearts.

"You don't care about innocent lives, do you?" Butcher asked, recalling Alex's earlier words to MM, grinning darkly.

"Neither do you," Alex replied casually. "I know what you want, Butcher. From the moment we met, I've been digging into your past. Just like you don't trust me, I don't trust you either."

Butcher frowned, feeling an unsettling sensation of being seen through. It was unnerving but didn't show on his face.

"You seem to know me well. Then tell me, what do you know?"

"Becca," Alex said, his tone calm.

Hearing that name, Butcher's grip on the beer bottle tightened, his hand trembling slightly. He glanced at Alex and, after a brief pause, took a swig of beer.

"Go on."

"She's not dead. Vought is holding her captive. She even gave birth to Homelander's son. And that kid might just be Vought's ultimate weapon against Homelander."

Alex knew exactly what Butcher cared about. Ten years ago, Butcher's wife, Becca, had been assaulted by Homelander and subsequently disappeared without a trace. Both Butcher and his sister-in-law believed she had been secretly killed. This tragedy was the driving force behind Butcher's crusade against superheroes.

Over the years, Butcher had been gathering evidence of Vought's crimes while also searching for any trace of his wife. Deep down, he'd always believed she was still alive.

Now, hearing Alex confirm this, Butcher's emotions were in turmoil. Still, he wasn't one to let his emotions dictate his actions. After an initial shock, he quickly steadied himself, forcing down his inner turmoil.

"Are you sure?" Butcher asked, his reddened eyes glinting faintly in the dimly lit room.

"I'm certain. I can even tell you where she's being held," Alex replied, extending a finger before pausing. "But…"

After a moment's silence, Alex continued, "You know how dangerous our next move is. MM is right. This operation will cost lives—many of them innocent. Do you really want to involve Becca in this chaos right now?"

Grinding his teeth, Butcher clenched his jaw tightly. He stayed silent for a long while before exhaling deeply. As much as he hated to admit it, Alex was right. Their next mission would deal a significant blow to Vought, but the company's retaliation would be equally ferocious. A cornered beast was the most dangerous.

Contacting Becca now would only drag her into the crossfire. And in his current position, Butcher lacked the power to protect her.

"…You're right. As long as Vought controls her, she's safe for now. I can't risk her life at a time like this," he admitted reluctantly.

After a pause, another thought struck Butcher. Turning to Alex, he asked, "Wait a minute. Did you say she had a son?"

"Mhm," Alex hummed, nodding slightly as he noticed the faint, greenish tint in Butcher's expression.

Poor Butcher. In the original story, he mistakenly dragged his wife into the war against Vought, which led to his son accidentally killing Becca while attacking Stormfront.

After Becca's death, driven by his love for her, Butcher honored her last wish—to protect the child no matter what.

As a result, even when he had the chance to heavily injure or even kill Homelander, Butcher turned against Soldier Boy when the latter attacked his son. Together with Homelander, Butcher fought back against Soldier Boy.

This decision is... hard to evaluate.

To prevent such a scenario from happening again, Alex had preemptively erased the possibility of it occurring. As long as Becca and her child were not brought into the fray, such an outcome could be avoided.

After all, Homelander's son was Vought's trump card against Homelander. Currently, Vought's problem wasn't controlling Homelander but surviving public judgment. There was no reason for them to involve the child.

"I can promise you that once this is all over, I will ensure Becca is safely delivered to you—along with your son," Alex said plainly. "But the key is 'after' this is over."

Watching Alex closely for any change in expression, Butcher remained silent for a long while before breaking the silence.

"So back to the original question, Crow: if you consider us your comrades, I need to know the full extent of your plan, not just be treated like a tool you use at will."

"You already know the plan. You rescue Soldier Boy, and he fulfills his role. When the two most renowned superheroes in history become adversaries, Vought becomes the ultimate battleground."

Alex's smile faded as he spoke calmly.

"This isn't about the war; it's about division. Attempting to kill the Seven or destroy Vought outright will only unite them further.

"What we need is to split the public's support for superheroes. Over the years, Vought has hidden behind the ignorance of the masses, granting them the world's strongest 'umbrella.'

"But now, it's different. Thanks to their long-term efforts, Soldier Boy's heroic reputation is deeply ingrained in people's hearts. When he raises the flag to take revenge on Vought...

"Guess who the public will rally behind?"

"Makes sense." Butcher thought for a moment, his eyes growing brighter.

He finally understood Alex's purpose. The release of Compound V's data and the revelation of the human experimentation scandal didn't just trap Vought in controversy and public backlash. It also sowed the seeds of discord between Vought and their superheroes.

Heroes like Starlight and The Deep weren't the only ones disillusioned. Nearly every superhuman lacked a perfect childhood. From the moment their powers awakened, they lived under the expectations of their parents and the paths paved by Vought.

Now, knowing their powers were the result of Vought's schemes, they wouldn't be inclined to defend the company during public condemnation.

At the same time, the public's outrage against Vought would only intensify. The emergence of Soldier Boy would fan the flames even further, pushing the situation to a breaking point.

When the conflict finally erupts, every superhuman will be swept into the war—no exceptions.

Reflecting on this, Butcher finally grasped Alex's plan, but he couldn't help but ask another question.

"If that's the case, why won't you come with us? With just us, rescuing Soldier Boy won't be easy."

"I know. That's why I've recruited some... 'teammates' for you."

Alex pulled out a phone and placed it on the table.

"This phone has only one number. The person's name is Cindy. Once you're ready, contact her. She'll bring reinforcements to help you rescue Soldier Boy."

"A supe?" Butcher hesitated before touching the phone.

"A supe." Alex confirmed with a nod.

After considering for a moment, Butcher nodded slightly and finally reached for the phone.

In the past, he would never have associated with superhumans under any circumstances, even if they shared a common goal.

Butcher deeply hated all supers, including Alex. However, after working with Alex for so long, Butcher's perspective had begun to shift.

Or perhaps he understood that toppling a massive entity like Vought would be nearly impossible for ordinary people alone. Sometimes, they had to unite with any force available.

Of course, this didn't mean Butcher was enthusiastic about working with supers—it was purely because Alex had recommended them. If it were anyone else, Butcher wouldn't have agreed so easily.

At least Alex's assistance over time and the success of his plans against Vought had earned a measure of Butcher's trust.

"I'll contact her," Butcher muttered, taking a sip of beer and biting into a burger.

"And you? What will you be doing?"

"Me?"

Hearing the question, Alex pursed his lips and replied slowly.

"I'll use this time to search for my 'Sword of Michael.'"

.....

📢30 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
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476. Movements from All Sides.
477. Saving the Soldier Boy!
478. Soldier Boy Breaks Free.
479. Deal Reached!
480. The Kill Intent of Homelander!