"Connected!"
Just as Okamoto prepared to forward the report, the operator in charge of contacting Sol suddenly shouted, relief flooding his voice.
"Mr. Sol! Are you alright?"
A lazy voice answered through the communicator, muffled by the sound of sheets shifting.
"Ah, sorry. I was asleep."
Sol Mirek yawned without restraint, his voice rough with sleep. "What's going on?"
The operator nearly sagged with relief. "Mr. Sol, your prediction may have been correct. Tanktop Master was attacked by an unknown monster."
"What?" Sol's tone sharpened just enough to sound properly concerned. "Is he alright?"
"He sustained minor injuries, nothing critical," the operator replied. "But the monster was unusual. It only came for a spar."
"A spar?" Sol echoed, as if hearing something absurd for the first time. "That's new. Sounds like we have a very confident creature."
"It declared it was testing the strength of S Class heroes and said it would visit the others one by one."
Sol fell silent for a moment, as if thinking carefully. "Send me the location. I'll examine the scene myself."
The coordinates were transmitted immediately.
"Please be careful, Mr. Sol. According to Tanktop Master, the monster is extremely powerful."
"Got it."
He ended the call, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Unhurried, he changed out of his pajamas, then deliberately tousled his hair to look freshly awakened before heading toward the gym.
By the time Sol arrived, the area had already been sealed off by the Hero Association. Civilians were kept behind yellow tape, whispering anxiously.
As he stepped past the barrier, a staff member hurried over. "Mr. Sol, you're here."
"How bad is it?" Sol asked, stifling another yawn as his eyes drifted toward the gaping hole in the wall. His gaze lifted to the missing ceiling, and he paused.
He did not remember tearing off the roof.
The staff member followed his line of sight and coughed awkwardly. "When Miss Tornado arrived, she was… emotional."
Sol nodded slowly. That explained everything.
He crouched near the deepest fractures in the concrete, brushing his fingers along the cracks he himself had made.
"The monster's strength is considerable," he said calmly. "But the destruction was controlled."
Tanktop Master approached, chest wrapped in bandages applied by the Tank Topper Army. "He said he only came for a spar. I can't understand why a monster would do that."
"Interesting," Sol murmured, rising to his feet.
A familiar presence descended from above.
Tatsumaki floated down, arms crossed, chin tilted upward. "You're late, Rookie. The monster's already gone."
Sol brushed dust from his palms. "Miss Tatsumaki, I was gathering evidence. Investigation first, pride later."
She hovered closer, emerald eyes narrowing. "Oh? And what brilliant conclusion have you reached?"
Sol rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I have a theory."
"Out with it," Tatsumaki snapped, though she drifted closer despite herself.
Tanktop Master folded his arms carefully over his bandages. "Let's hear it."
"I suspect this monster was deployed by the Monster Association to assess our weaknesses."
A brief silence followed.
"Monster Association?" Tanktop Master frowned. "That's still considered a rumor."
Tatsumaki moved closer, her voice lowering. "And your proof?"
Sol spread his hands. "No concrete proof yet. But consider this. A Dragon level threat appears, avoids killing civilians, limits destruction, and targets S Class heroes specifically for sparring."
He gestured toward the shattered wall. "That's not chaos. That's reconnaissance."
Tatsumaki clicked her tongue, though she did not refute him.
"And what about the abnormal energy fluctuations outside Z City earlier?" Sol continued. "Why would it expose itself so openly?"
"You're suggesting it wanted attention," Tanktop Master said slowly.
Sol snapped his fingers. "Exactly. Draw powerful heroes into Z City. If it fails, reinforcements from the Monster Association are already positioned nearby. Controlled risk, guaranteed extraction."
Tatsumaki's hair stirred in the air around her. "Even if that's true, I'll crush every one of them."
Sol gave her a sideways glance, amused. "You? They've probably finished gathering your data already."
The air tightened.
"What did you say?" Tatsumaki's eyes flashed.
Sol met her gaze evenly, hands resting in his pockets. "You're strong. But subtle isn't your brand. Any organized enemy would have studied you thoroughly by now."
Tanktop Master nodded reluctantly. "He has a point."
Tatsumaki shot him a glare. "Stay out of this."
Then she turned back to Sol, green energy flickering faintly around her. "So, genius, what do you suggest?"
"Simple," Sol replied. "Leave Z City."
Her expression darkened. "Are you giving me orders?"
"A strategic suggestion," he corrected smoothly. "If you stay, they adjust. If you relocate, you disrupt their expectations."
He stepped slightly closer, lowering his voice just enough to carry only to her. "Besides, it would be a shame if they avoided you. I'd hate for all that power to go unused."
The corner of his mouth curved faintly, playful but measured.
Tatsumaki held his gaze. For a brief moment, neither moved.
The tension in the air grew heavy enough to feel.
Tanktop Master instinctively shifted back half a step. The staff members remained frozen, afraid to interrupt.
After several long seconds, Tatsumaki scoffed and looked away.
"Hmph. Don't mistake strategy for authority, Rookie."
But she did not immediately reject his proposal.
Sol simply smiled, relaxed and unbothered.
The board had been set. Now it was a matter of who moved next.
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