Facing Madelyn, Homelander finally let loose all the bitterness and frustration buried deep in his heart.
Madelyn comforted and coaxed him like one would a child, gently soothing his pain.
It was clear that Homelander truly felt wronged. His grievance had been festering so long that he couldn't help but seek her out to confide in.
He felt the entire team was isolating him, excluding him—and that hurt him deeply.
Only when he lay in Madelyn's arms did he finally relax, murmuring with a sigh:
"If it were you, you'd be able to keep them all in line… really, I've missed you so much."
Madelyn softly reassured him with her tender voice.
The audience watching this scene was confused.
"Wait… is Madelyn dead or alive?"
But what shocked them even more was that Homelander actually had a vulnerable side.
This revelation stunned many viewers.
Even his die-hard fans—those who worshipped his violence and dominance—were unsettled. To them, seeing Homelander act like a weak, needy child was disgusting, almost revolting.
On the other hand, more rational viewers saw it differently.
To them, although Homelander was indeed a terrifying madman and a killer, his tragic childhood gave him a shade of tragic depth. It evoked a reluctant sense of pity.
Whatever the case, the scene unfolding on screen was oddly warm and tender.
But suddenly, Madelyn let out a cry of pain. Her stomach made strange, gurgling noises—like someone straining with constipation.
Startled, Homelander lifted his head from her lap, his voice cracking in panic:
"Change back! Change back, now!"
Change back? What does that mean?
The audience was baffled—until, in the blink of an eye, Madelyn transformed from a middle-aged woman into a bald, obese man with a huge belly.
And yes—he was a man!
The man, looking terrified, stammered:
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! If I stay transformed too long, my body starts to ache unbearably. I just couldn't hold it any longer!"
The viewers outside the video were utterly dumbfounded—everyone, that is, except Homelander, who clearly already knew.
Tony, Natasha, Erik, and Bruce Banner all froze, their faces blank—like commuters staring blankly on a subway train. The air grew uncomfortably silent.
Finally, Tony couldn't hold back.
"Shit… I think I'm gonna puke. Alright, fine, I'll admit it—Homelander, you're incredible. Homie, you really know how to play!"
Bruce Banner looked as though he might actually vomit.
"Oh God, oh God! That guy's body was so greasy—and when he transformed, he looked exactly like he was constipated. Honestly, I think he may have shit himself right there on the couch!"
"Stop, stop!" Tony frantically waved his hands.
"Don't say another word! If you keep talking, I swear I will throw up!"
Natasha shook her head.
"This is… beyond insane."
Erik's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"You know what shocks me the most? Homelander knows this is fake—yet he's still enjoying it! God, he actually lay back down again!"
For all his experience, even Erik wished he could gouge his eyes out.
Back in the video, the fat man made a relieved face—like someone who had finally managed to finish in the bathroom—before morphing back into Madelyn.
"It's fine now, it's fine."
Homelander didn't dare look directly at her. Instead, he reached out to touch her, confirming she was back to normal. Once reassured… he actually lay down in her lap again!
His pitiful, insecure expression in that moment was too much. The audience outside the screen couldn't hold it in any longer—they all burst into wild laughter.
In the Eternal Space, Tony doubled over, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"God… Homie, you're unbelievable! You actually lay back down again? Honestly, if it were me, I could never do that!"
Erik, still in shock, shook his head in disbelief.
"Homelander, you've completely redefined my understanding of depravity."
Natasha and Bruce tried to hold back, but soon they were snorting with laughter too.
Homelander's face went pale, then flushed with rage. He clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth nearly cracked. With enormous effort, he suppressed his fury, though the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"I've already said it! It's all fake! These videos are fabricated! If you believe them, you're the real idiots! This is slander—a conspiracy by aliens against me!"
But his words only made everyone laugh harder. The air was filled with joyous laughter at his expense.
Erik smirked.
"Seems like you really do love her. You should be grateful to this quiz game—it gave you a chance to rekindle your romance."
'Damn this stupid quiz game!'
Homelander nearly ground his teeth to dust. Without it, he'd be living comfortably. But under the roof of this "game," he had no choice but to bow his head, gritting his teeth as he repeated again and again that everything was fake.
Meanwhile, the video ended, and a new question appeared on the screen:
[Homelander will never kill which of the following?]
[A: His son
B: His son's mother
C: Himself
D: The CEO of Vought]
Natasha raised a brow.
"Looks like it's Homelander's turn to answer. And going by the order, after him it should be Erik, then Bruce, and then the game ends and we each return to our own worlds, right?"
Tony nodded.
"Correct, at least in theory. But there could be exceptions. For example, in the last round, eliminated players didn't return to their worlds. Instead, they were transported directly into the mission world. Given that this round of the game is far more competitive, it's very likely that eliminated players will also be sent to mission worlds."
Natasha acknowledged with a quiet "thank you," then turned to Homelander.
By now, from the future videos exposed in the quiz game, she had a clear grasp of Homelander's true nature: a man who, once given superpowers, became unrestrained, selfish, and utterly self-centered.
Such a person feared nothing and cared for no one—except himself.
Therefore, the answer had to be C: Himself.
Tony, Erik, and Bruce all agreed.
Homelander glared at the screen with a dark, brooding expression, waiting for the countdown to begin.
Moments later, the timer started. The players, brimming with confidence, all slammed the buzzer at once.
But in the end—the right to answer fell to Homelander.
____
Translator's Note:
Warning: Translator-Sama's energy levels are running critically low!
If you're enjoying the translations and want to keep the chapters flowing, I need your help to refuel. Smash that Power Stone button! It costs you nothing, but it gives me the ultimate motivation buff to keep grinding out these chapters for you all. Let me see those stones!