Chương 13: Homelander
Niklaus, fully immersed in his role as Homelander, phased through the fuselage of the hijacked plane, unseen by both passengers and the mutants of the Brotherhood.
He entered the dimly lit cabin with a predatory calm, his blue eyes scanning the scene.
Avalanche, Mortis, and Frog were standing near the cockpit, anticipating their arrival at their destination.
Niklaus allowed himself a small, almost mocking smile as he approached them silently.
Without warning, he struck.
Avalanche was the first to feel the blow.
Before the mutant could react, Homelander appeared in front of him and, with a quick motion, slapped both sides of his head simultaneously.
The impact caused a sickening crack, and blood began to trickle from Avalanche's ears.
He collapsed to the floor, unconscious and unable to continue the fight.
Mortis, realizing what had just happened, grabbed a nearby passenger and held him tightly.
"Take another step, and I'll kill him!" she threatened, her voice trembling with fear and rage.
Niklaus tilted his head slightly, unimpressed.
His eyes began to glow red, and with a single glance, Mortis's hands began to melt under the heat of his laser vision.
She screamed in pain, releasing the hostage, who scrambled away.
Mortis fell to the ground, clutching her ruined hands, unable to continue.
Frog, startled by the sudden turn of events, tried to leap towards the emergency exit to escape.
But before he could make his move, Niklaus locked eyes with him.
Frog's body froze, his muscles refusing to cooperate, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
The plane cabin fell silent. The passengers, who had been watching in terror, were now stunned by what had just unfolded.
One by one, they began to realize that they were safe.
Whispers of disbelief echoed throughout the cabin.
A child, standing near the aisle, looked up at Niklaus with wide, innocent eyes.
"Who are you?" the child asked softly, their voice filled with awe.
Niklaus stopped for a moment, the corners of his mouth lifting into a smirk. "Homelander," he replied smoothly.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then, the passengers erupted into loud cheers and applause.
They clapped and shouted their gratitude, overwhelmed by the display of raw power and heroism they had just witnessed.
Niklaus stood there, basking in their admiration.
Penélope's voice crackled through his earpiece, calm and unbothered.
"Master, there are still two more flights to take care of," she reminded him in that reverent tone that had become oddly familiar.
He raised an eyebrow at the word "Master" but said nothing, too focused on the task at hand to dwell on the strange devotion Penélope seemed to have developed for him.
He knew better than anyone that revealing his true power to people sometimes elicited worship-like behavior.
Is it just the power? Or am I influencing this too?
He mused briefly before turning his attention back to the plane.
With a focused gaze, Niklaus scanned every corner of the aircraft, his X-ray vision cutting through metal and upholstery like paper.
He searched meticulously for any defects or hidden explosives that might still pose a danger to the passengers.
When he found none, he sighed in relief, knowing the plane was secure.
He then looked down at the three mutants lying unconscious before him: Mortimer Toynbee, better known as Toad; Lois London, who went by Mortis; and Dominikos Ioannis Petrakis, a.k.a. Avalanche.
Each one of them had been incapacitated in the fight, their powers neutralized by his brutal efficiency.
Niklaus stood over them, considering his next move.
His connection to his internal cosmic AI—"Cortana," as he jokingly named it—brought him their full profiles, flooding his mind with information about their abilities and past actions.
He felt a moment of hesitation before deciding what to do.
He wasn't a monster, but he wasn't going to let them off lightly, either.
"I'll make sure you think twice next time," Niklaus murmured to himself as he silently issued a life-long New Order:
'As long as these three individuals ally themselves against what's right, they'll lose their mutations completely.'
---
Niklaus, now fully embraced in his role as Homelander, hovered in the sky after dispatching the hijackers and saving the last plane.
His eyes scanned the horizon as he enjoyed the moment of triumph.
But then, he felt it—the presence of someone powerful approaching.
He turned, expecting to see a new threat, but instead, there was Magneto hovering calmly in the air, his expression unreadable.
"Homelander," Magneto began, his voice carrying over the distance.
Niklaus raised an eyebrow, already growing impatient with the theatrics.
Magneto continued to float forward, his tone smooth but filled with purpose.
"You have incredible power. Power that could reshape the future for mutants and humanity alike. I offer you the chance to join us, to be a part of something greater than yourself."
Niklaus simply smirked at the older man's words. "Right, let me guess—mutants are the next step in evolution? You're fighting for a world where you're on top?"
Magneto narrowed his gaze but didn't break stride. "It's not just about being on top. It's survival. The world fears us—people like you and me. They'll never accept us unless we take control."
Niklaus rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh. "Honestly, I don't give a damn about your mutant revolution. I'm not here to pick sides."
Magneto's expression hardened, but Niklaus could already feel the presence of other mutants closing in.
Niklaus quickly weighed his options. He could fight—he'd likely win against Magneto and his cronies, but was it worth it?
He didn't need this fight, not now.
He had already done what he set out to do: save the passengers, crush the hijackers, and make a statement.
With a smirk, he decided against engaging further.
"You know what? I don't have time for this," he muttered to himself. His form shimmered as he cloaked himself, hiding his presence.
He wasn't going to waste time on Magneto's power games, not when he had bigger plans to focus on.
Magneto glanced around in confusion, sensing something off as Niklaus completely vanished from sight.
He was gone before he could react, slipping away without another word.
As he soared through the sky, hidden from any detection, he couldn't help but feel a strange satisfaction.
He had the power of a god, yet he chose to avoid a pointless fight.
"Let them play their games," he thought to himself. "I've got bigger things in mind."
After all, he'll take care of him when he becomes a real threat to him.
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