Sol's pupils narrowed, his gaze instantly locking onto the source of the fluctuation. At the edge of the battlefield, atop a ruined structure shattered by the earlier fighting, space itself twisted ever so slightly. A faint yet overwhelming presence descended for only a brief moment, far beyond the level of energy this world should possess.
Though it lasted less than a second, Sol immediately recognized it.
The being he had been waiting for had finally taken notice.
God had cast its gaze upon the chaos he had carefully orchestrated.
A faint smirk curved across Sol's lips.
Everything was finally falling into place.
His figure vanished from the cooling tower in a blur, slipping through the shadows like a hunting beast as he moved toward the source of the disturbance.
Below, Tatsumaki ruthlessly crushed a group of fleeing monsters into the ground with her psychic power.
"Worthless trash, all of you! Yet somehow you still know how to run!"
Saitama scratched the back of his head while looking around the devastated battlefield.
"So, is it over now?"
Genos scanned the surroundings carefully, his mechanical eyes glowing red.
"Sensei, Senior Sol's energy signature still hasn't been located. The threat has not ended."
Streams of data flashed through his vision as he analyzed the residual energy left behind on the battlefield.
"Gouketsu and Elder Centipede retreated too suddenly. It resembled a planned tactical withdrawal rather than a defeat."
Bang stroked his beard, his expression grave.
"Genos is correct. Sol will not back down this easily." His gaze shifted toward Drive Knight. "What is the status of the underground seismic readings?"
"The tremor source is rapidly moving toward the Z-City ruins," Drive Knight replied in his cold mechanical voice. "However, numerous smaller underground energy signatures remain active. Precise tracking is currently impossible."
Tatsumaki clicked her tongue irritably as her green curls floated around her.
"Cowards. If they've got the guts, they should come fight me directly."
Her psychic energy flared unintentionally, reducing nearby chunks of concrete to dust.
Inside the Hero Association command center, Sitch's face had completely lost its color.
"Begin immediate battlefield cleanup. All units are to remain on Level Two alert. Medical teams will prioritize the injured. Drive Knight, continue analyzing those underground signals. I want to know exactly what Sol is planning."
Far away, Muzan transmitted a report through their mental connection.
"Lord Sol, the Association executives remain gathered inside the command center. They were not dispersed by the battle's conclusion. As instructed, Kokushibo and Akaza have secured several major routes leading toward the command center under the pretense of supporting the defenses."
Sol slowly emerged from the shadows along the ruined outskirts of the battlefield, crimson eyes calmly sweeping across the destruction.
His perception remained locked onto the faint remnants of God's presence.
"Continue observing. Do not move recklessly," Sol replied evenly.
"God's attention appeared only briefly. To draw its gaze again, we'll need far greater chaos."
His eyes shifted toward the lower-ranked heroes and rescue personnel helping civilians evacuate while treating the wounded.
Then his thoughts reached deep underground.
"Black Sperm."
"Lord Sol~!"
Countless eager voices answered at once.
"Those stupid energy barriers are annoying, but we found several old sewage tunnels. Tight fit, but we can still bypass parts of the underground defenses~"
"Change of plans," Sol ordered.
"Forget the direct assault on the command center. Spread your clones out and launch surprise attacks on A-City's Third Shelter, Seventh Shelter, and the Central Medical Station. Focus entirely on creating panic and confusion. Retreat immediately if you encounter strong resistance, then relocate through the underground tunnels."
"Understood~ We're experts at causing panic!"
Like a black tide, countless Black Sperm clones surged through the ancient pipeline network toward their new targets.
Sol disappeared into the darkness once more, rapidly heading toward Z-City.
He needed to regroup with Gouketsu and Elder Centipede, deal with their injuries, and prepare for the next stage.
Meanwhile, the Hero Association continued its cleanup operations.
"We found another survivor here! Bring a stretcher!"
"Sector B is secure, no remaining monsters detected!"
"Several power lines are down. Engineering teams, begin repairs immediately!"
Metal Bat rested his weapon over his shoulder while staring at the ruined battlefield.
"Tch. What a mess. What the hell is Sol even trying to do?"
Tanktop Master approached him, his body covered in dust and monster blood.
"I believe he has his reasons, but this approach is far too dangerous."
Child Emperor continued operating the device attached to his wrist, brows tightly furrowed.
"The monsters' retreat pattern was far too organized. That wasn't a collapse, it was a coordinated withdrawal. Their regrouping point is most likely somewhere within the Z-City ruins." He turned toward Drive Knight. "Can satellite imaging still track them?"
"There is severe energy interference surrounding Z-City," Drive Knight answered. "Visual observation is unreliable. Attempting infrared and radar-based scans."
Tatsumaki floated down beside Bang, annoyance still clear on her face.
"Old man, why did you stop us earlier? We could've ended everything if we chased those two monsters down."
Bang slowly shook his head.
"Tatsumaki, pursuing a retreating enemy recklessly is dangerous, especially when their formation remains intact. Sol is likely waiting for us to split apart during pursuit so he can eliminate us individually."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"That boy has always possessed exceptional tactical instincts."
Genos stepped beside Saitama again.
"Sensei, we must remain cautious. Senior Sol's true objective is still unclear. The next attack could happen at any moment."
Saitama scratched his bald head lazily.
"Still, he doesn't really seem interested in fighting us, right? Didn't he say he only targets bad people?"
He was referring to Sol's earlier declaration about targeting the Hero Association's corrupt executives.
Genos remained silent for a moment.
"I hope that's true."
Suddenly, a shrill alarm echoed throughout the command center.
"Emergency report! A-City's Third Shelter is currently under attack by large numbers of unidentified black liquid creatures!"
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