After Hammerhead was subdued, the sound of sirens grew louder in the distance. Several police cars soon arrived, surrounding the scene as officers escorted the restrained members of the Paradise Group into the vehicles one by one.
The leading officer approached Sol Mirek and gave a respectful salute.
"Mr. Sol Mirek, thank you for your assistance. Z-City's public order has improved greatly because of your recent efforts."
Sol waved his hand casually.
"It is just part of the job. They were not classified as a monster level threat, but people wearing reinforced battle suits can still cause serious damage."
The officer nodded in agreement, then lowered his voice slightly.
"Oh, right. I heard Tanktop Master was attacked last night. The Hero Association sealed the information, but we..."
Sol cut him off before he could finish.
"I do not know the full details either. The matter is still under investigation, so there is no need to worry."
He gave the officer a light pat on the shoulder, signaling that the conversation should end there.
The officer understood immediately and chose not to ask further questions. After giving a final nod, he returned to the police cars and soon left the area with the captured criminals.
Genos watched the vehicles disappear down the street. A trace of confusion appeared in his mechanical eyes.
"Senpai, why did you not tell them the truth?"
Sol shrugged slightly.
"If the police get involved, they will only interfere with my investigation. It is better if they stay out of it."
He casually patted Genos on the shoulder.
Nearby, Saitama stood holding his shopping bag and let out a lazy yawn.
"Well, I should head back too. I am running low on groceries."
"Hold on," Sol called out.
Saitama stopped and looked back.
"Try not to go out at night for a while. Just stay home and watch TV."
Saitama scratched his bald head.
"Oh? Something going on?"
Sol nodded.
"Some individuals suspected to be connected to the Monster Association have appeared in Z-City recently. We are trying to draw out the one pulling the strings. If you run into them first, you might accidentally kill them."
Saitama thought about it for a moment and simply nodded.
"Alright."
After Saitama left, Genos turned back to Sol.
"Senpai, where should we patrol next?"
Sol checked the time.
"You can head back for now. Today's patrol is basically finished."
He stretched his shoulders lazily.
"I still need to report today's situation to the Hero Association."
Although Genos seemed a little reluctant, he nodded.
"Understood, Senpai. Contact me anytime if you need assistance."
Sol gave a casual wave as Genos departed.
Afterward, Sol checked the time again. There were still several hours before nightfall. Once he finished submitting his report, he returned to his rented apartment and continued studying the martial art Bang had shown him, the Exploding Heart Release Fist.
Night eventually fell over Z-City.
Sol stood alone on a rooftop, gazing across the city lights.
"It is about time the mysterious monster makes an appearance."
He clapped his hands once.
A layer of black and red bio armor spread across his body, covering him completely. Sol twisted his neck, producing a series of sharp cracking sounds.
With a powerful leap, he jumped from the rooftop and moved swiftly through the shadows. His movements were fast enough that ordinary pedestrians never noticed him.
Zeniru's mansion stood near the center of Z-City. It was the tallest and most extravagant building in the entire district. The structure was nicknamed the Golden Poop Building because a sculpture of golden feces sat proudly at the very top.
According to the information Sol knew, Zeniru had hired a personal bodyguard.
That bodyguard was the infamous ninja, Speed o Sound Sonic.
Based on Sonic's reputation, the ninja often handled Zeniru's dirty work and removed troublesome rivals.
On the rooftop of the building, Sonic stood directly on top of the golden statue while casually spinning a shuriken between his fingers.
Moonlight reflected faintly off his black ninja suit. His purple scarf stretched behind him in the wind, fluttering loudly in the night air.
"Boring."
He yawned lazily.
There were rarely any opponents in Z-City that could excite him. Most of Sonic's daily work involved eliminating low level targets or dealing with criminals who were already far beneath his skill.
"Feeling lonely?"
A deep voice suddenly spoke from behind him.
Sonic spun around instantly.
A figure clad entirely in black and red armor stood behind him, only a short distance away. The crimson eyes within the helmet glowed faintly under the moonlight.
"Who are you?" Sonic demanded.
"What do you want?"
He instantly shifted into a combat stance, several shurikens already held between his fingers.
The armored figure seemed completely relaxed. Sol simply crossed his arms and waited.
Sweat slowly formed on Sonic's forehead.
The man had appeared behind him without making the slightest sound. That had never happened before.
Suppressing the unease in his mind, Sonic forced a confident smirk.
"So you came to challenge the greatest ninja alive?"
Before his words finished, his body had already vanished.
Several spinning shurikens sliced through the air, flying toward Sol from difficult angles.
"Oh?" Sol said calmly. "You are attacking instead of running. I like that confidence."
He did not move.
The shurikens struck the armor directly.
Clink.
Each blade bounced off harmlessly without leaving a single mark.
"Interesting little toys."
Sol casually caught one of the shurikens and spun it between his fingers.
Sonic suddenly appeared behind him. A sharp kunai stabbed toward Sol's back.
"Too slow."
Without even turning his head, Sol flicked the shuriken backward. It struck Sonic's weapon and knocked the kunai out of his hand.
Sonic's pupils shrank slightly.
He jumped back instantly, landing on top of the golden statue again before launching forward once more.
His body moved rapidly around Sol in a circular pattern.
Speed o Sound Sonic was searching for an opening.
"How about this speed?" Sonic laughed. "Faster than sound itself. Can you even see me?"
His movements multiplied into dozens of afterimages under the moonlight. The air pressure from his speed kicked up dust across the rooftop as his voice echoed from multiple directions.
Sol remained standing calmly in the center.
Inside the armor, his eyes narrowed slightly.
Then his right fist tightened.
A faint red glow appeared.
"Exploding Heart Release Fist."
The punch itself looked simple.
But the air compressed violently as the attack launched forward, releasing a deafening sonic boom. A powerful shockwave tore across the rooftop toward Sonic.
Sonic's eyes widened.
He immediately tried to change direction, but it was too late.
The edge of the shockwave grazed his left shoulder.
Bang.
Sonic was blasted backward and crashed onto the rooftop.
He grabbed his shoulder tightly. The fabric of his ninja suit had torn open, revealing bleeding skin underneath.
"What kind of power is that?" Sonic demanded through clenched teeth.
"If you have any other tricks, use them now," Sol replied calmly.
Otherwise, this ends here.
White vapor still drifted from Sol's fist after the previous strike.
Sonic slowly rose to his feet.
A grin appeared on his face despite the pain.
"Interesting."
"It has been a long time since someone actually hurt me."
He stepped forward again and launched himself at Sol.
"Wind Blade Kick!"
His body spun rapidly like a blade, his leg swinging downward like an axe while cutting through the air with tremendous force.
"Checkmate."
Sol did not dodge.
He simply raised his armored fist in front of his chest.
The moment Sonic's attack connected, the outcome was decided.
Thud.
Sonic's lower body slammed directly into Sol's fist.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
Sonic's expression shifted rapidly from red to green, then pale white.
His legs clamped together instinctively.
Slowly, the ninja dropped to his knees.
His forehead pressed against the cold golden statue as both hands trembled while clutching his crotch.
"You... you cowardly..." Sonic forced out through gritted teeth.
A sharp hiss escaped his mouth as waves of pain spread through his body. Cold sweat soaked the back of his suit.
Sol withdrew his fist and crouched beside him.
He looked at the struggling ninja with mild amusement.
"Your attack has a very obvious weakness."
He tilted his head slightly.
"You should avoid using it again next time."
---