Sol Mirek tapped his finger lightly against the windowsill, eyes calm as he considered his next move.
Among the S Class heroes, Tanktop Master was the most suitable starting point. A fighter who relied purely on physical strength would be perfect for testing the limits of Sol's current body.
With a single thought, the black and red armor covering him receded like flowing liquid, sinking back beneath his skin.
The next morning, Sol woke early to handle the investigation assigned by the Hero Association.
After all, he himself was the Dragon Level threat they were searching for. There was no need to rush. In a few days, he planned to report that nothing unusual had been discovered and request the mission's closure.
Standing by the window, Sol watched the sunrise creep over Z City. He stretched his shoulders casually before taking out his communicator and sending a message to the Hero Association.
"Investigation of the No Man's Land has begun. No abnormalities detected so far."
After sending the report, he changed into a black combat suit and headed out, ready to make his patrol look convincing.
Sunlight filtered through broken buildings as Sol stepped into the ruins of the No Man's Land. Dust drifted through the air while silence ruled the abandoned district.
He casually kicked aside loose stones when his communicator suddenly rang.
"Mr. Watchman, this is the Association Monitoring Center." The female operator's voice came through with heavy static caused by poor reception.
"A faint energy signature has been detected southeast of your location. Please proceed to investigate."
"Received. And just call me Sol. Watchman sounds weird," he replied before ending the call and moving toward the marked location.
Fifteen minutes later, Sol arrived in front of an abandoned department store.
He inhaled slowly. A faint scent lingered in the air, an odd mixture of different perfumes.
Judging from its strength, the monster had left roughly thirty minutes earlier. Muddy footprints clearly led toward the clothing section, standing out against the dusty floor.
Following the trail, Sol entered the underground parking lot. Torn fashion magazines and scattered cosmetics covered the ground. The enclosed space intensified the overwhelming fragrance.
He crouched and picked up half of a torn magazine cover.
A model wearing an elegant gown stared upward from the page, though her head had been violently ripped off.
"So, a beauty obsessed type. Sounds like Do-S," Sol muttered while examining the mess.
If he kept tracking this trail, there was a real chance he might stumble upon the Monster Association's base.
At that moment, static crackled through his communicator again.
"Mr. Sol, this is the Association Monitoring Center. Have you discovered anything?"
Sol tossed the magazine aside and stood up, scanning the area.
"I found traces of monster activity, but the target already moved on."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"The scene doesn't match the source of the abnormal energy reading, but there's heavy monster presence throughout the No Man's Land. If the Monster Association truly exists, they may be preparing something big."
He intentionally planted the idea ahead of time.
Later, anything suspicious could conveniently be blamed on the Monster Association instead of him.
"Understood. The information has been recorded," the operator replied. "Please continue the investigation and report immediately if anything changes."
She continued after a short pause.
"Also, Tornado of Terror is currently heading toward the outskirts of Z City for investigation. Keep communications open in case support is required."
"Got it."
Sol ended the call, a faint smile forming on his lips. She could search all she wanted. There was nothing there anymore.
He left the parking lot and continued patrolling the No Man's Land.
Deliberately slowing his pace, Sol occasionally stopped to inspect debris or examine tracks, making sure his actions looked thorough from the Association's perspective.
His communicator rang again later.
"Mr. Sol, Tornado has arrived at the outskirts of Z City and begun a detailed scan of the energy fluctuation zone."
"Understood," Sol replied simply.
No matter how carefully she searched, she would find nothing. The massive crater there had been created during his strength test the previous night.
He wandered through the ruins for the rest of the day, encountering only minor threats. Several Wolf Level monsters foolish enough to attack were dealt with effortlessly, and he reported the encounters honestly.
By evening, the communicator activated once more.
"Mr. Sol, Tornado has completed her investigation," the operator said, her voice sounding exhausted. "She reported no abnormalities and believes the target may have moved toward the No Man's Land."
Sol answered after a brief pause.
"Other than a few small pests, nothing unusual here either. The target likely left the Z City No Man's Land already."
He allowed a moment of hesitation to make his conclusion sound more convincing.
"I suspect the target may have entered Z City itself. A monster with that level of power wouldn't disappear without a reason. It might be planning something."
"Understood. The Association will raise Z City's alert level and deploy additional heroes."
Perfect.
Sol kept his expression neutral.
"This situation is urgent. Please treat it seriously."
He ended the call, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly once communication cut off. Everything was progressing exactly as planned.
All that remained was nightfall.
As the sun disappeared beyond the ruined skyline, Sol stood atop an abandoned building, watching darkness slowly claim the city.
Tornado's irritated voice suddenly came through the communicator.
"Rookie, looks like your investigation hasn't achieved much either."
Sol pressed the button calmly.
"At least I found actual monster traces. Some people traveled all this way for nothing."
"What did you just say?!"
Her anger flared instantly.
"Please maintain cooperation," the operator quickly interrupted. "The Association recommends expanding the search tomorrow and conducting a joint investigation of the No Man's Land."
"Who wants to team up with her?"
Both voices spoke at the same time.
Harsh static burst through the communicator before the connection abruptly ended.
"That's enough work for today," Sol said to himself.
He stretched lazily and jumped down from the rooftop.
Time to begin.
Returning to his rented room, Sol casually tossed the communicator onto the table and stood by the window as night settled over Z City.
When darkness fully arrived, he moved through the shadows of another abandoned structure. Black and red biological armor silently spread across his body once again.
He rolled his neck, joints cracking softly.
"I'll start with Tanktop Master."
===
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