Sol and Genos were patrolling the streets when a loud, passionate voice echoed from around the corner ahead.
"Why must people work?"
"Why can't everyone just eat without money? Wouldn't the world be better if people simply shared their food?"
Sol and Genos followed the noise and soon found the source. A group of bald, muscular men stood in formation outside a department store called Picassa. Each of them wore identical black battle suits that made them look like a strange private army.
The man standing in front of them appeared to be their leader. His suit was slightly different from the others, painted with dark red flame patterns and built a size larger than the rest. He raised his hand dramatically while shouting to the crowd.
"The rich live comfortably while the poor starve and freeze. What kind of freedom is that?"
"I will change this world. Those who want to work can work and support everyone else. Under my leadership, the Paradise Group will build a true utopia!"
The man, Hammerhead, raised his fist with fiery enthusiasm.
Unfortunately for him, nobody on the street cared.
Pedestrians passed by without even glancing at the speech. Some people casually checked their phones, others simply walked past as if the entire group did not exist. To most of them, it looked like a gathering of strange men who had escaped from a hospital.
One of Hammerhead's followers leaned closer and whispered.
"Boss, it looks like nobody is listening."
"What?" Hammerhead snapped, glaring at the indifferent crowd. "These ignorant masses."
After a brief moment of irritation, he quickly regained his composure.
"Fine. If words won't work, actions will."
He pointed forward.
"We will start by destroying the mansion of the richest man in the city, Zeniru. That will show everyone we are serious."
The Paradise Group marched forward in unison, their heavy steps echoing along the pavement as they headed toward Zeniru's estate.
Despite the unusual sight of identical battle suits marching down the street, the pedestrians still ignored them.
Sol stood among the crowd with his hands in his pockets, watching with mild curiosity.
Genos turned toward him.
"Senpai, should we stop them?"
Sol observed the group carefully before shaking his head.
"Not yet. They are just ordinary people wearing reinforced suits. That does not qualify as a monster level disaster."
There was another reason as well.
Sol still needed them to stir things up. If things went as expected, someone very fast might show up later.
Just then, a bald man in a yellow jumpsuit walked out of the supermarket holding a bag of groceries. He glanced briefly at the marching group before continuing down the street like nothing unusual had happened.
Hammerhead suddenly stopped.
"Hey, you, the bald one!"
Saitama turned his head slowly.
"Hm?"
Hammerhead pointed directly at him.
"Are you also someone who refuses to work? If so, you should join our Paradise Group."
Saitama blinked.
"Huh? I just came to buy discounted eggs."
"Stop pretending!" Hammerhead shouted while stepping closer. He pointed at Saitama's head again.
"A bald guy wandering around in the middle of the day clearly does not have a job. You are exactly the kind of person we want."
Sol and Genos exchanged a glance before stepping forward.
"Hey," Sol said casually, placing himself in front of Saitama, "revolution all you want, but leave my friend out of it."
Hammerhead looked Sol up and down, noticing the combat suit he was wearing.
"Hmph. Another busybody. With clothes like that, are you some kind of Hero?"
Sol casually pointed his thumb toward Saitama behind him.
"What makes you think he isn't the Hero?"
Hammerhead paused for a second before bursting into laughter.
"That guy? A Hero? Don't make me laugh."
Saitama scratched his head awkwardly.
"Well... I actually am one."
"Quiet!" Hammerhead waved his hand angrily. "Stop fooling around. Brothers, take them down!"
The Paradise Group members rushed forward immediately.
Sol sighed lightly.
A bright green light flickered in his eyes.
A surge of powerful psychokinesis exploded outward. The charging men were instantly lifted off their feet and slammed into the ground.
Groans echoed across the street.
"What happened?"
"My back!"
"It hurts!"
The Paradise Group members lay scattered across the pavement, clutching their bodies in pain.
Hammerhead stared in shock.
"Who are you?"
Sol clapped his hands lightly.
"I warned you not to bother my friend."
He glanced toward Genos.
"Genos, tie them up."
"Understood, Senpai."
Several metal cables shot out from Genos's arm and wrapped tightly around the fallen members of the Paradise Group.
Behind them, Saitama held his grocery bag and scratched his head.
"I could have handled it myself."
Sol smiled and patted Saitama's shoulder.
"I know. But since we were already here, helping out saved you some effort."
Hammerhead suddenly pushed himself off the ground.
"Damn it! You forced my hand!"
He pressed a button on his battle suit.
The armor expanded instantly. His arms swelled into two massive metallic spheres.
Hammerhead began laughing wildly.
"This is the latest reinforced battle suit! Now you are finished!"
He charged forward, swinging the enormous metal spheres toward Sol and the others.
Sol did not move. His expression looked mildly bored.
Before the attack could reach him, Genos stepped forward. His mechanical arm ignited with blazing heat and collided directly with the spinning metal spheres.
A violent metallic impact echoed across the street.
Hammerhead was blasted backward and slammed into a nearby wall.
His armor sparked and smoked, the metal spheres on his arms bent and twisted.
"Impossible," Hammerhead groaned while struggling to stand.
Genos calmly lowered his arm.
"Senpai, should we continue the pursuit?"
Sol shook his head.
"No. The police can deal with the rest."
As they prepared to leave, Hammerhead staggered out from the cracked wall.
"This isn't over!" he shouted. "Do you know how hard I worked to get this suit?"
"You fools have no idea how valuable it is!"
The flame patterns on his armor began to glow faintly as his muscles tensed.
Hammerhead spun his arms rapidly, generating powerful wind pressure.
"Spinning Attack! Witness true power!"
He rushed toward them again.
Saitama looked at the move with a blank expression.
"I used to play like this when I was a kid."
He stepped forward casually and grabbed Hammerhead's spinning arms.
Then he threw a single punch.
The reinforced battle suit shattered instantly.
Sol walked over and crouched beside the defeated man.
"Feeling calm enough to talk now?"
Hammerhead clenched his teeth.
"You Heroes don't understand. This society is unfair."
"Some people are born with everything, while others struggle their whole lives and still have nothing."
Sol looked at him quietly.
"I understand what you are saying."
He paused briefly.
"But your strength is nowhere near enough to change the world."
Hammerhead glared at him with resentment.
"You Heroes are just tools for the rich. Nothing more than guard dogs for those capitalists."
Sol sighed and stood up.
"Genos, call the police."
"Understood, Senpai."
As Genos contacted the authorities, Sol glanced down at Hammerhead again.
The man was not completely wrong.
The Hero Association had plenty of corruption. Some officials used Heroes for profit, influence, and even personal grudges.
But just because Hammerhead lacked the power to change things did not mean Sol lacked it as well.
When the time came, Sol Mirek intended to clean those parasites out of the system himself.
One by one.
===
Powerstones?? (´ε｀ )
____
Patreon = _Zeph