After Sol Mirek left the dojo, he used psychokinesis to fly toward City A.
An hour later, Sol arrived in front of the Hero Association headquarters. The setting sun bathed the towering structure in gold, its glass exterior reflecting sharp, dazzling light.
"Mr. Mirek."
A female staff member in a fitted business suit approached him briskly. "Please follow me. Chairman Sitch of the Disaster Countermeasures Committee is waiting for you on the top floor."
Sol followed her into the elevator. When the doors opened and he stepped inside the office, Chairman Sitch stood with his back to him, gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling window.
"You're here?"
Sitch turned around, adjusted his glasses, and gestured toward the seating area. "Please, have a seat."
Sol sat down on the black leather sofa. A folder labeled Top Secret was already placed neatly on the table in front of him.
"Recently, an abnormal energy fluctuation appeared on the outskirts of Z City," Sitch said without preamble, his expression grave. "You must have sensed it as well."
An abnormal energy fluctuation? Sol felt a flicker of confusion, but his face remained calm as he nodded.
"According to our analysis, the energy level meets the criteria for a Dragon-Level disaster. We suspect it may be connected to the Monster Association."
Sitch pushed the file toward Sol. "That's why we're asking you to investigate No Man's Land in Z City. Given the risk, the Association will assign another S-Class hero to work with you."
"These documents contain everything we've gathered so far. You may review them."
The Monster Association.
Sol felt a spark of excitement. This mission could bring him closer to things he wanted, abilities he had his own interest in. Still, having a partner would only slow him down.
He did not open the file. Instead, he looked directly at Sitch. "Just give me the location. I'll handle it."
Sitch frowned. "This is not a game. A Dragon-Level threat is extremely dangerous. It is not something one person should deal with alone."
"You are required to follow protocol."
Sol nodded in agreement, though inwardly he was already considering how to separate from his assigned partner once the mission began. As long as it was not someone troublesome like Tornado or Flashy Flash, it would be manageable.
---
Meanwhile, inside the Hero Association's main control room, dozens of holographic screens hovered in the air, streams of data flashing across them.
"How is the progress on assigning investigators for the No Man's Land operation?" a black-haired man asked in a low voice.
"A formal mission order has been issued," a female operator replied while pulling up the relevant files. "S-Class Hero Sol Mirek has arrived and is currently meeting with Chairman Sitch. A second candidate is still under review."
"Good."
The man let out a quiet sigh of relief.
His name was Okamoto, Hero Association employee number 001, and the most experienced operator on staff. He specialized in dealing with difficult S-Class heroes. The fact that a certain troublesome individual had not visited the headquarters lately had made his job far easier.
"What are you all whispering about?"
A young, sharp voice suddenly rang out, causing several operators to flinch.
A petite figure floated above the floor, emerald green curls drifting as if moved by an invisible current. A pale green aura surrounded her body.
"What investigation mission?" she asked with mild curiosity. "Why don't I go too?"
"Tornado, Miss Tornado!"
Okamoto's relief vanished instantly. Sweat beaded across his forehead as he gripped the armrests of his chair.
The second-ranked S-Class hero, Tornado of Terror, was the one person he least wanted to deal with.
"When did you arrive?" he asked, forcing a stiff smile.
"What, I'm not allowed to be here?" Tornado hovered with her hands on her hips, displeasure evident in her eyes.
"N-no, that's not it," Okamoto replied quickly. "This is just a routine investigation in No Man's Land, Z City. There's no need for you to trouble yourself."
Her gaze sharpened. The green aura around her flared slightly, and nearby objects began to rise into the air.
"You're unhappy about me going?" she said coldly.
As Okamoto stared at the floating equipment, an idea formed. The investigation team was still missing one member. If Tornado joined, even the worst-case scenario would be under control. Sol Mirek was a newly promoted S-Class hero with a solid reputation among veterans like Snake and Silver Fang. Pairing him with Tornado could solve multiple problems at once.
"No, Miss Tornado," Okamoto said quickly. "We're simply concerned for your safety. That said, this mission truly does require someone of your strength to oversee it."
Tornado snorted, but her expression softened. The green light faded, and the floating objects dropped back into place.
She crossed her arms and looked down at him. "What danger could there be in a simple investigation? Let me see."
Success.
Okamoto hid his excitement and pretended to hesitate, glancing toward a report on the desk.
Tornado noticed and smirked. With a flick of her psychokinesis, the document floated into her hands.
"Hmph."
She skimmed the contents. "An investigation in No Man's Land? I could handle this alone."
Okamoto waved his hands hurriedly. "The mission has already been assigned to S-Class Hero Sol Mirek, and—"
"Enough," Tornado cut in impatiently. "I'd be faster by myself. Why do I need a rookie?"
Her eyes flicked back to the report. "Suspected Dragon-Level threat? Sending him alone would be suicide."
"A Dragon-Level threat is nothing to me," she added dismissively.
Okamoto wiped his brow. "You're right, Miss Tornado. However, No Man's Land is a special case."
He pointed to the map. "The area has been abandoned for over a year. The underground infrastructure is complex, and many entrances are buried beneath rubble."
"Sol Mirek lived in No Man's Land for a long time," he continued. "He knows the terrain better than anyone. Without him, the investigation would take far longer."
Tornado floated in a slow circle. "So?"
"So, for efficiency and safety, we're requesting that you work together," Okamoto said carefully. "He can guide you, and your psychokinesis can clear obstacles easily. The mission would be completed much faster."
Tornado pouted. "So he's just a guide."
"You could put it that way," Okamoto replied. "Naturally, the main workload would still fall to you. The Association wouldn't dare waste your time."
She considered it for a moment, then clicked her tongue. "Fine. I'll take him along."
"But if he slows me down," she added coldly, "I'm not waiting."
"Of course," Okamoto said at once. "He's still with Chairman Sitch. I'll take you there now."
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