BANG! BANG! BANG!
Deep in the hidden training room beneath the base.
Sweat-slicked and shirtless, Rorschach's body rippled with power—his muscles chiseled like a statue of bronze. The kind of physique that could turn heads without trying.
He stood in front of a punching bag. Not your average canvas sack—this one was solid metal.
He didn't have a choice. Rorschach's strength had outgrown normal training equipment. Charles had commissioned this custom sandbag just to keep up.
And even that was starting to look worn.
His current strength? Over fourteen times the average human. Not quite bulletproof, but close enough. A bullet might break the skin, maybe, but it'd stop in the muscle. Barely a scratch.
Wrapped fists pounded into the steel with rhythmic fury. The sound echoed off the walls.
It had been a little over a week since the incident at the Springfield playground. Things had been quiet since. Suspiciously quiet.
Rorschach didn't know if Stryker hadn't found anything, was planning something big, or was just too busy with other problems.
Didn't matter.
At this level of strength, unless Stryker rolled up with an entire battalion, Rorschach wasn't losing any sleep.
Right now, his focus was on getting stronger.
"After a few days of this, I've finally adjusted to the speed and strength," he thought, flexing his hand with a satisfied grin.
Then—he paused.
The pounding stopped. He grabbed a towel, casually wiping the sweat from his brow, and walked toward the clothes rack.
He'd heard footsteps.
Super hearing made it easy—by the weight, rhythm, and cadence, he knew exactly who it was.
Raven.
The door creaked open, and she stepped in.
"Cake seller!"
Rorschach had just grabbed his tank top when Raven caught sight of him and let out an exaggerated gasp.
"Damn, Rorschach! You're built like a Greek god. No wonder half the girls here can't stop staring."
He pulled the shirt on without looking at her. "Okay, relax. Your eyes are about to pop out."
Raven smirked, eyes flicking to the dented metal sandbag.
"That your secret? Beating up steel all day?"
"Actually," Rorschach said with a straight face, "I drink a lot of water."
Raven stared. "...What?"
He shrugged. "Hydration is key."
"Right. Anyway, just came to remind you—the party started twenty minutes ago. Everyone's already downstairs."
"Crap. Totally spaced."
"I knew it. Hurry up. Shower and get your ass down there."
"On it."
After a quick rinse and a change of clothes, Rorschach made his way to the lounge on the first floor.
Raven, Hank, Alex, Sean, Armando, and a few others were already there, chatting, laughing, and just being... teenagers. Mutant teenagers.
The kind of easy chaos that made the place feel alive.
Rorschach pushed open the door.
"Sorry I'm late."
"Perfect timing," Raven grinned. "We're coming up with codenames. I'm going with Mystique, and Armando's Darwin!"
Mystique was officially on the board.
"Nice picks," Rorschach said, sliding into a seat. "Darwin, as in the guy with the theory of evolution?"
"Exactly," Armando nodded. "My power is adaptation. Whatever environment I'm in, my body evolves to survive."
"No joke," Alex cut in. "He stuck his head in the fish tank and grew gills. It was insane."
"My codename's Kraken," Sean added, with a proud grin.
"I'm going with Angel. That was already my stage name anyway."
"The Ravager—that's me," Alex smirked, clearly enjoying the vibe. "Sounds badass, right?"
All eyes turned to Rorschach.
"What about you?"
Rorschach paused.
Thought about it.
Then, simply: "Homelander."
Everyone blinked.
"…Homelander?" Raven asked, puzzled. "What does that even mean?"
He gave a smug half-shrug. "Exactly. If people don't get it, it sounds more mysterious."
The others laughed or rolled their eyes. But the moment passed, and soon everyone was lighting up—showing off powers, goofing off, enjoying the downtime.
BZZZ!
Sean—the Kraken—let out a sonic blast that cracked a window.
ZAP!
Alex fired a few energy rings, slicing a statue clean in half.
Rorschach didn't join in. He just sat on the couch, watching.
His thoughts were elsewhere.
According to the timeline, Sebastian Shaw and his crew would be making their move soon.
Any day now.
"What the hell is going on in here?!"
The room froze.
Agent Moira MacTaggert stood in the doorway, furious, Charles and Erik right behind her.
Moira scanned the chaos: broken glass, sliced decor, mutants acting like rowdy kids at summer camp.
She was pissed.
Charles and Erik? Disappointed.
They'd just returned from briefing the CIA. The higher-ups had finally agreed to let them get involved with the Shaw case. It hadn't been easy convincing them.
Moira had promised the agency they weren't dealing with reckless teens—they were bringing in exceptional talent.
And now? That promise was looking shaky.
Except for Rorschach. He was the only one not playing around.
"Who cut the statue in half?!" Moira demanded.
"Alex," someone muttered.
"No—Ravager," Raven corrected, still riding the nickname high. "And we figured you could be Professor X, and you could be Magneto!"
And with that, the legends were named.
Professor X. Magneto. Mystique. Darwin. The Ravager. The Kraken. Angel.
And somewhere in the corner—Homelander, silent and waiting.
--------------
To Read chapter in Advance patreon.com/ihatesakura