My Life in Wednesday With a Vampire System

The information they got from Translucent before his death eventually pointed them toward A-Train.

After digging through his personal life, they discovered he regularly visited Popclaw's apartment. The Boys hacked into the smart devices inside while monitoring everything from a surveillance van parked nearby.

The plan worked. Several recorded conversations between Popclaw and A-Train revealed the existence of something called Compound V.

Neither of them openly explained what it was, but the way they talked about it made one thing clear — it was important.

Considering A-Train had been acting strangely around the time he turned Hughie's girlfriend into red mist, suspecting it was some kind of drug wasn't a stretch.

That suspicion was what brought Butcher to the race today.

Vought had turned the event into a massive spectacle. Thousands of fans packed the stadium while giant screens displayed advertisements and interviews.

Reporters hyped up the upcoming race between A-Train and Shockwave as if the outcome would somehow affect world peace.

Butcher sat among the crowd looking thoroughly unimpressed. The two speedsters were so fast that nobody could actually see them run.

By the time a normal person registered movement, the race would already be finished. Yet somehow people paid good money for this.

"Fucking hell," Butcher muttered. "You lot paid for this?"

The crowd erupted into cheers. A-Train appeared on the giant screen and people started screaming louder.

"Can't even see the bastard run and they're carryin' on like he's the second coming of Christ."

A man sitting nearby shot him an annoyed look. Butcher ignored him.

"Oi, run faster than the speed of sound but still need a bloody sponsorship deal. Modern superheroes are somethin' else."

"Yeah. Give people enough marketing and they'll start worshipping anyone."

The voice came from beside him. A man with white hair and red eyes was sitting in the next seat. He hadn't been there a moment ago.

Most people would've been startled. Butcher had spent too long dealing with supes for that. He looked Ethan up and down. "Is this some kind of cosplay nerd thing?"

"No. Real." Ethan's eyes stayed on the racetrack.

"Most of the public only see what's past the screen — interviews, advertisements, carefully edited videos — and convince themselves that's the real person. After that, they build the rest in their heads."

Another wave of cheers rolled through the audience. A-Train smiled for the cameras. Ethan smiled for a different reason.

"People are surprisingly good at falling in love with a version of someone that doesn't exist."

Butcher snorted. "Now there's a sentence I can get behind. Bunch of bloody celebrities

wearin' capes. That's all they are."

"Pretty much."

***

The attempt to steal some Compound V ended in failure. By the time the Boys got close enough to confirm its existence, the bottle was already empty. A-Train had used the entire thing.

Butcher watched the race preparations for a moment before clicking his tongue. No Compound V. No sample. No answers.

Just more questions. His eyes drifted toward Homelander standing high above the stadium with the rest of the Seven, smiling for cameras.

"Fucking supes." He stood and headed toward the exit.

A short distance away, Ethan watched him leave before something blocked his vision entirely. A bucket of popcorn had been shoved directly into his face.

"It's over. Bring me some."

Aqua was standing beside him in normal clothes, looking completely serious.

Ethan grabbed her by the face. "Ahhhh!" His hand pushed her away before she could climb onto him. "You useless excuse for a goddess, don't annoy me when I'm thinking."

"Unhand me!" Aqua protested. "You shouldn't treat a goddess like this!"

"You haven't done a single godly thing since I met you."

"I got stranded in another world!"

"That isn't a skill."

"It is if you're talented enough!"

Ethan felt a headache coming. Aqua was still staring longingly at the popcorn. "Are you going to buy me some?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't reward bad behavior."

Aqua pointed at the bucket she had already stolen from somebody. "Then I'll just take theirs."

"You already did."

"Good."

Then the race began.

A-Train and Shockwave exploded forward the moment the signal sounded. To the spectators they vanished almost instantly, leaving behind nothing but streaks of motion disappearing around the track. The whole thing was over in seconds.

The crowd erupted. People jumped from their seats while giant screens replayed the race from multiple angles so everyone could actually see what happened.

Aqua watched the celebration with a confused expression. She looked at the crowd, then at the screen, then back at the crowd. "These people are stupid."

Ethan immediately felt annoyed.

"They have a goddess right here, yet they're cheering for humans who run fast."

A second later his hand landed on her head. Thud.

"Ow!"

"Don't call other people stupid."

Aqua rubbed her head angrily. "Why not?"

"Because you're the most qualified person alive to speak on the subject."

***

A/N: And on Patreon, The Boys arc started.

The Patreon version is already updated with 46 advanced chapters. If you'd like to read ahead of the public release schedule, you can join here:

👉 /JamesA211