Homelander: New Legacy

Chapter 194: [193] : Mark or Hulk?



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Screech—

The warehouse door creaked open as Roger entered with Luna and a masked, baseball cap-wearing Spider-Man in tow.

He glanced around at the enormous two-story warehouse and said to the two, "I've rented this place. For the next few months, this will be our base of operations."

Surveying the largely untouched interior, Luna blinked in amazement. "Renting such a large warehouse at a time like this—how much did it cost?"

"Not much," Roger replied with a smile, though his face showed a hint of pain. "I just spent all the reward money I earned for my recent good deeds."

By the end of his explanation, Roger's expression was one of heartbreak.

This wasn't 'The Boys' universe where he was a billionaire shareholder holding hundreds of millions in stocks. Here, he was just a broke nobody who barely managed to scrape together his rent.

He had thought his reward money from recent heroics would let him enjoy a comfortable period of leisure, but it had all vanished in the blink of an eye.

Still, Roger considered it worth it.

Even though he didn't know how long he would remain in this reality, having a secret base was a necessity before leaving. Spider-Man felt the same way.

But Luna soon raised a critical question:

"What happens when the lease is up? Finding work now isn't easy."

"..." Roger went silent before responding, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"So, you haven't actually thought about it, huh?"

"There'll be a way! I just need to find Athena!" Roger said with determination.

If he could locate Athena—a repository of technology far beyond this world—he could do something akin to what Cyborg does: quietly reroute some unused or forgotten funds from dormant accounts.

Of course, such actions were technically illegal... but as long as he targeted unclaimed foreign accounts, it shouldn't be a problem.

But first, he needed to find Athena.

"Do you have any leads?" Luna asked.

"Not yet, but like I said, we'll figure it out."

Roger was someone who lived day by day. While his experiences had changed him somewhat, his lazy nature meant he still avoided thinking too far ahead.

And honestly, even if he did plan ahead, there weren't many viable options. He couldn't exactly rob a bank just because he was bulletproof—that would make him a criminal!

Besides, he was Superman. If Superman robbed a bank, he'd just become Super-Villain. Roger wasn't about to cross that line.

For now, the warehouse issue was set aside. What they really needed to focus on was how to handle the sudden appearance of movie characters in the real world.

With Venom-like creatures and Spider-Man already here, it was clear that characters emerging from films wasn't a coincidence but an inevitability.

More characters—whether directly or indirectly connected to Roger—would undoubtedly appear.

Roger and Spider-Man needed to establish a team akin to the Justice League or Avengers in this reality, locate these characters in advance, and bring them here.

If they were villains, they'd be subdued. If they were heroes, they'd be brought here to explain the situation.

Luna could upload new character profiles for future reference. If Spider-Man wanted to gain new abilities or had other ideas, Roger could accompany him to Marvel's writers.

To monitor global events, a single warehouse wouldn't suffice.

Roger and Luna purchased a few decently equipped computers online, added some beds to the warehouse, and set up partitions.

Roger even hired someone to build a small bathroom, so members staying at the base could shower.

Spider-Man transferred part of his suit's AI system into the warehouse computers, boosting their processing power and fortifying the firewalls.

With Marvel's advanced technology, they didn't need to worry about anyone hacking into their systems.

After ten days of hard work, the once-empty warehouse had been completely transformed.

Several computer towers and six or seven large monitors were set up in the center. One side of the warehouse had been partitioned into several "rooms," each with a large bed for resting.

To the right stood a transparent freezer and an upright refrigerator. The freezer held emergency food supplies, while the fridge was stocked with snacks and drinks.

Not far from the fridge was a makeshift kitchen equipped with an induction cooker, a microwave, and various utensils.

The rest of the warehouse had been repurposed by Spider-Man as a workshop for crafting equipment.

Roger's new Superman-inspired suit and Luna's self-defense gadgets were all created here, with Spider-Man acting as the craftsman.

Though Spider-Man didn't say it outright, it was clear he was becoming more like Iron Man. Whether this was due to Tony Stark's influence or Peter imitating him was uncertain.

The Iron Spider suit was also stored in the workshop, its AI connected to the central computer, constantly scanning for unusual events worldwide.

"This really feels like a proper secret base, even if it's just the three of us for now," Roger said with a sense of accomplishment.

For some reason, watching their secret base take shape bit by bit filled Roger with an inexplicable sense of pride.

Perhaps it was because this was reality.

In the comic world, no matter how much he gained, Roger always felt like those things didn't truly belong to him—he was just an outsider.

But in reality, this base was Roger's creation, built piece by piece. Naturally, it brought him a sense of fulfillment.

...Of course, technically, the warehouse didn't belong to Roger either.

"Guys, lunchtime!"

As Roger and Spider-Man worked, Luna returned with lunch and called out to them.

Seeing the transformed base, she exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! This place looks like a secret base from a TV show!"

"...."

"Well… secret bases aren't usually this... basic," Luna hesitated before delivering the rather blunt observation.

Due to budget constraints, the base was as good as it could get. Even so, Roger had emptied all his savings—both recent and past.

In other words, Roger was now completely broke and would need to find a job soon.

Scratching his head, Roger decided not to dwell on those depressing thoughts. Turning to Spider-Man, he said, "Peter, this place is yours now. I'll leave you a phone. If anything happens, contact me."

"Alright," Spider-Man replied with a smile.

....

"By the way, Mr. Roger," Spider-Man said, "There's a rumor online about someone resembling Mark Ruffalo appearing near San Francisco."

Roger frowned slightly. "When was he spotted?"

"About two days ago? News from San Francisco. is locked down, so updates are scarce."

"Got it. I'll go check it out. Let's hope it's just Mark... and not Banner."

Roger knew this was serious and prepared to leave immediately.

"What's going on?" Luna asked, confused.

"Spider-Man says someone resembling Mark Ruffalo was seen near San Francisco."

"Who?"

"The actor who plays the Hulk in the Marvel movies. Don't you know the actors' names?"

"Uh… I like the movies, but besides Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, I don't really pay attention to the actors."

Luna loved the characters, not the actors, so it made sense she didn't remember their names.

Roger didn't press further. Honestly, if he hadn't personally experienced the Marvel world, he wouldn't have bothered remembering the actors' names either.

Now, knowing characters might emerge from films, keeping track of the actors' names was essential.

That way, if an actor inexplicably showed up dead, Roger could deduce who might be responsible.

Like... Deadpool.

"If it really is Banner," Luna asked, "what will you do?"

Roger fell silent for a moment before answering, "Then we pray."

"?"

"Pray that no one makes him angry."

"..."

Judging by Spider-Man's arrival, if this Bruce Banner really had crossed over, he likely came from the What If...? zombie universe.

In that world, Banner's story diverged from the MCU's main timeline. He likely hadn't perfectly merged with the Hulk persona to become Professor Hulk, meaning he could still transform into the Hulk when enraged.

If anyone provoked him—or if Banner learned he was just a fictional character—he might lose control and Hulk out.

That could spell disaster.

Or, being the brilliant mind he was, Banner might find a way to rationalize the situation and calm himself.

But first, Roger needed to find him.

If it turned out to be just Mark Ruffalo, all this worry would be for nothing.

But if it really was Banner—

....

....

"What the hell...?!"

When Roger arrived in San Francisco, he found a section of the city's park surrounded by the U.S. military. Inside, a rampaging Hulk was demolishing tanks and armored vehicles.

Setting aside how things had escalated this far, the military had cut off all electronic signals and launched an assault on Banner without evacuating civilians from the park. Roger's blood boiled at their recklessness.

Taking a deep breath, Roger watched as the Hulk—despite being attacked—shielded innocent bystanders. Without hesitation, he descended from the sky, flipping a firing armored vehicle and stepping between the Hulk and the military.

Roger's new Superman-inspired suit, designed by Spider-Man, included a mask covering most of his face.

This mask concealed his identity, allowing him to act openly.

Roger's sudden appearance didn't stop the military. Instead, seeing him destroy one of their vehicles, they assumed he was an enemy and opened fire on him as well.

Meanwhile, the enraged Hulk—failing to recognize Roger—charged at him with a massive fist raised!

Boom!

Roger caught the Hulk's punch with his right hand and said, "Hulk! Calm down! It's me, Roger!"

Roar!!!

Hearing Roger's name, the Hulk hesitated briefly but didn't stop. Instead, he swung his other fist, sending Roger flying and charging back toward the military.

Roger, deliberately not resisting, allowed the Hulk's punch to launch him into a tank, causing a fiery explosion.

Moments later, Roger emerged unscathed from the flames, watching as the Hulk tore through the military forces.

He wasn't bothered. He was intentionally letting the Hulk vent his anger. Once the rage subsided, the Hulk might calm down and listen.

And if not? Well, Roger wouldn't hold back then.

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