Ding!
Combat detected. Reward dropped: 2 points.
Ding!
Combat detected. Reward dropped: Super Speed (A-Train).
The sudden and completely unexpected reward drop made Fenris snap his eyes open in surprise. He immediately told Queen Maeve to pull over.
She stopped the car in confusion and looked back, only to see Fenris staring outside with a faint smirk. Curious, she followed his gaze.
And just one look made her freeze.
On the curb in front of an electronics store stood a dazed man, covered in blood and flesh. His outstretched hands still held two severed arms.
In front of him, blood and gore were splattered everywhere.
Not far off, a black man in a blue suit, also drenched in blood, was frantically trying to explain himself.
"I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop. I couldn't stop…"
As he repeated the words in panic, he fumbled to put on his blood-stained sunglasses, turned around, and fled the scene.
Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, he vanished at lightning speed.
"Damn it. That was A-Train. God, what did that guy just do…? Bastard!" Queen Maeve cursed in a low voice, anger rising as she realized what had happened.
Fenris glanced at Hughie, who was only now starting to scream his girlfriend's name, and signaled for Maeve to drive away.
A-Train's power was super speed, like the Flash or Quicksilver.
That scene just now was one of the show's most infamous moments and marked the beginning of Hughie's journey from an ordinary man to a member of The Boys, taking on the Seven and Vought International.
Hughie was a huge fan of A-Train, and yet his girlfriend was obliterated by A-Train's careless sprint. Talk about cruel irony.
Getting A-Train's super speed as a free reward was definitely a pleasant surprise. It was a powerful and highly practical ability, but Fenris wasn't exactly thrilled.
Not because he was feeling sorrowful or sentimental about the tragedy, he simply thought of one line: "Everything is fate. We control so little."
If you want to break the shackles of destiny and take control of your life, you must possess overwhelming power.
The next morning.
The weather was gloomy. The sky was a dull, steel gray.
Fenris pushed his super speed to the limit, running freely. The unmatched velocity and rush of adrenaline gave him a sense of exhilaration that words couldn't describe.
Running triggers dopamine release, a neurotransmitter associated with emotions and sensations. It carries messages of excitement and happiness. It is also linked to addictive behaviors, which is why some say running can become addictive.
For Fenris, there was one unique bonus to super speed: he could rapidly farm combat reward drops just by witnessing fights.
Although it was still early and most lowlifes who spent their days fighting, stealing, and causing trouble hadn't started their nonsense yet, he still managed to rake in a decent amount of rewards.
He didn't gain any new abilities, which was slightly disappointing, but nearly a hundred points were added to his balance, more than enough to satisfy him.
Points could be used to upgrade the detection radius for combat events. The wider the range, the more opportunities to earn drops, and the more options he would have.
He spent 100 points to increase the detection range from 100 meters to 200 meters. If his guess was correct, the next upgrade would likely cost 200 points.
Duang!
A loud thud drew Fenris's attention.
Across the street, in the yard of a house, a car's front end wobbled as it was lowered gently to the ground, then slowly lifted again by a girl in a hoodie with a ponytail.
"That's… Starlight?" Fenris's eyes lit up as he recognized her.
Starlight's powers included emitting intense light, absorbing electricity and energy, as well as enhanced strength and durability far beyond that of a normal person.
She hadn't yet joined the Seven as Lamplighter's replacement, and she still saw the team as her heroic idols. She was full of justice and dreams, but soon, her illusions would be shattered after being manipulated and coerced by The Deep.
The reality of what lay beneath the Seven's glamorous surface would soon hit her hard.
Her disillusionment would lead her to cross paths with Hughie, who had just lost his girlfriend and joined The Boys. Their shared bitterness would bring them together as a couple.
Starlight paid a price to join the Seven. Though she felt angry and heartbroken afterward, she still quietly accepted what had happened.
Meanwhile, Hughie, who had just lost his girlfriend and joined the vigilante team for revenge, met Starlight a few times and ended up dating her instead.
These two, the only relatively normal people in the entire show, were… quite realistic.
Because in the real world, there's no such thing as true purity or unwavering ideals. All that exists are power dynamics and what's on the bargaining table.
Duang!
Noticing Fenris watching her, Starlight set the car down and walked over.
"Hey, is there something I can help you with?"
Fenris raised an eyebrow and said with a warm smile, "Thanks for the gift."
"The gift I gave you? Sorry, I think you've got the wrong person. I don't know you, and I haven't given you any gifts." Starlight looked confused.
"You made my heart race. That was your first gift to me." Fenris smiled and extended his hand. Starlight, catching on, gave a shy smile and reached out her own.
"Annie January. You can call me Starlight."
"Fenris."
"You say I gave you a gift. So, what about you? Got a gift for me?" Starlight smiled sweetly. She had a good first impression of this handsome and charming guy.
"I do, but it depends on how you behave." Fenris spread his arms playfully. "If you want the gift, don't complain. Hug me."
Starlight giggled. "Do you use this line on every girl?"
"I love all things in this world. No favorites, no exceptions."
Fenris moved in. Starlight raised a hand and stepped back with a smile. "Alright, I admit you're funny and charming, but I'm not the kind of girl who gives in so easily."
"What if the gift is you joining the Seven?" Fenris's smile was gentle, but his tone turned serious.
Starlight's expression gradually sobered. She furrowed her brows slightly. "Are you serious?"
"That was the second most serious thing I've said since we met."
"What was the first?"