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What surprised Roger most was that, over such a long ti, Thor's best skill in gaming wasn't in fighting or shooting gas. Instead, it was in the complex and often frustrating genre of RTS gas—Real-Ti Strategy.
Gas like Red Alert and StarCraft fell into this category, a genre Roger personally disliked playing.
Watching Thor, who was deeply engrossed in the ga, Roger rubbed his head in frustration.
An impulsive brute excelling in RTS gas? It made Roger wonder if he was still dreaming.
Regardless, Roger had already agreed to settle their disagreent with a gaming match. There was no way he'd go back on his word now.
"Let's just get it over with," he thought.
....
Half an Hour Later.
"This… this is impossible!"
Staring at the glaring "DEFEAT" on the screen, Roger was in disbelief, his worldview seemingly shattered.
He had actually lost!
And it wasn't just a loss—it was a crushing defeat. Though Roger wasn't a fan of RTS gas, his superhuman reflexes and vision should have given him a significant edge. There was no way he should have lost this badly.
But reality slapped him hard in the face. Not only had he lost, but he hadn't even put up a fight.
"Well, that's two out of three. I win."
Thor took a big gulp of soda and leaned back in his chair with a smug, satisfied expression, as if he hadn't even exerted much effort.
"…Did you cheat?!"
Roger glared at Thor in disbelief.
How could this Couch Potato, who had been indulging in a sedentary lifestyle, be so dominant in RTS gas? Was this really the Thor he knew?
Thor tossed Roger a cold soda and said, "I'm the mighty Thor, the God of Thunder. Why would I stoop so low as to cheat?"
"Then how…"
"Simple. I'm the King of Asgard, rember? You think I didn't have any leadership experience before becoming king?"
"…You an charging recklessly into battle and leaving Odin to clean up your ss?"
"…"
Thor nearly choked on his drink at Roger's jab. After coughing several tis, he defensively replied, "That's different. Either way, you lost."
"Fine…"
Roger opened the soda Thor had thrown at him, took a sip, and stared at the ceiling of Thor's gaming room, pondering how he could convince Thor to leave.
Losing the ga didn't an he'd given up on persuading Thor. It only ant he wouldn't forcibly take him away.
As he gazed at the patterned ceiling, an idea suddenly ca to Roger.
"Wow, I didn't expect you to be so good at gaming. In that case, I guess gas from other worlds wouldn't interest you."
"Hm?"
Thor looked at Roger suspiciously.
"I an, all gas are fundantally the sa. Across parallel worlds, you're bound to find gas with different nas but similar chanics. It's understandable if they don't excite you."
Roger sighed and stood up, pretending to leave.
"Alright, a deal's a deal. I won't bother you anymore. I'm leaving."
"Wait."
Clap.
Thor placed a firm hand on Roger's shoulder.
"Don't go."
"?"
"Ahem. Did you just say… gas from other worlds?"
"Hmm? Did I?"
Roger played coy.
Thor, however, wasn't having it. "You did. I'm sure you did. My mory isn't so bad that I'd forget what you said three seconds ago."
"Alright, fine. Let's say I did. So what? Are you coming with ?"
Roger smirked knowingly.
Thor seed conflicted, caught between his love for his gaming room and the allure of experiencing gas from other worlds.
Roger was confident in the magnetic pull of the phrase "otherworldly gas" for a true gar.
If soone had approached pre-travel Roger with an offer to explore other worlds and watch never-before-seen ani or movies, he would have agreed without hesitation.
So he understood Thor's dilemma. Now, it was just a matter of how long Thor could hold out.
....
After what felt like ages—so long that Roger managed to play through an entire level of a side-scrolling ga on Thor's PS5—Thor finally gave in.
"Fine… but only because I want to try gas from other worlds. Let be clear: I'm not interested in fighting any weird enemies. The most I'll do is help soone if they're in danger. But that's it!"
"Deal!"
Roger imdiately shook Thor's hand with a grin.
Thor's declarations were just words to Roger. Once they reached another world, it wouldn't matter what Thor had promised himself.
Watching Roger's triumphant smile, Thor's lips twitched as he forced out a laugh.
He felt tricked... no, he knew he'd been tricked.
Roger had exploited Thor's love of gaming to rope him into his plans.
But it was too late to back out now. Thor might have fallen far from his forr glory, but he still understood the importance of keeping his word.
Moreover, Thor was now reliant on Roger for food, resources, and even the funds to build his gaming room—all of which ca from Roger's "pocket money" in the world of The Boys.
Feeling resigned, Thor gave Roger a heavy pat on the shoulder.
"You're good at this."
"It's more that you're too obsessed with gas. Even I didn't expect gas to hold such sway over you."
Roger returned the pat with a playful punch.
Thor said nothing in response.
Whether it was truly the gas that drew him in, or rely an escape from his past, only Thor himself knew.
Not wanting to dwell on the subject, Thor changed the topic.
"When are you planning to leave?"
"Wow, you really can't wait to play those gas, huh?"
"…Maybe I should just stay here."
"Wait, I was joking. I plan to leave once I've dealt with Ryan's situation."
"Ryan?"
Thor furrowed his brows in thought before realizing, "Oh, the kid in this world, right? Wait, isn't he Holander's son?"
"He's partly related to . His abilities are growing, and if no one guides him, I'm afraid he might go astray."
"You're worried he'll turn into another Holander?"
Thor asked.
Roger nodded. "Pretty much. I've t a few friends in other worlds who could ntor Ryan. With their help, he won't go down the wrong path."
"And what about Ryan's opinion?"
"He's still deciding."
Roger recalled his last conversation with Ryan, answering Thor's question softly.
Out of the blue, Roger had proposed taking Ryan to another world to learn how to control his abilities. For a child like Ryan, the idea was both bewildering and frightening.
Roger wouldn't force him. The choice was entirely Ryan's. If Ryan chose to co, great. If not, Roger would leave him with a promise to beco a true hero.
Thor, after hearing Roger's plans, offered his thoughts.
"You know, I've never been a father, but I have been a son. I know what it feels like to lose both parents."
"What's your point?"
"I an… from your perspective, taking Ryan to another world might be for his own good. But have you considered how it'll feel for him to leave behind his mother, who's been with him for years? Can you guarantee he'll be okay and return safely?"
"…"
Thor's question left Roger speechless.
Thor didn't push further, saying, "Anyway, it's your call. I'm just offering advice. Like I said, I've never been a father."
"…Neither have I."
As if Thor's words needed clarification—Roger was still a single man, after all.
After discussing the tiline for their departure, Roger reached out to others in the world of The Boys.
Since he was back, Roger decided to host a private party near the company headquarters that evening—a chance to reconnect with old friends and mbers of the Boys.
Though there had been so conflicts with the Boys in the past, those were long behind them. Now, they were allies, and there was no need to keep any animosity alive.
After all, the more, the rrier at a party.
Roger's plans seed solid, and Tek Knight even notified the active superheroes about the evening gathering.
Normally, all they'd need to do was wait for nightfall and let the festivities begin.
But Roger hadn't anticipated the sudden news that would derail everything.
Queen Maeve contacted him with alarming news: Starlight had gone missing during a mission and hadn't been heard from since.
Maeve suspected the remnants of Vought International were behind it. She suggested canceling the party and asked for Roger's help.
The news of Starlight's disappearance made Roger frown.
The tiline of events in The Boys had already deviated so much that Starlight's disappearance was entirely unexpected.
Based on the current situation, Maeve's suspicion seed plausible—it could very well be Vought's doing.
But Roger was puzzled.
If it truly was Vought, what would they gain by kidnapping Starlight? Were they trying to lure him out?
Roger hadn't made many public appearances since returning, so how could Vought have known he was back?
"No matter what, I need to check it out."
Standing idly and speculating wouldn't solve anything. Roger decided to investigate the location where Starlight went missing—there might be clues waiting for him.
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