Bang stroked his beard and chuckled.
"Energy Dissipation, muscle relaxation, boneless flexibility, predictive combat instincts, and that inhuman physical strength and recovery. Even with only ten percent of the data, combining those abilities creates an almost unsolvable opponent for newcomers."
He smiled at the three students.
"Still, you've already reached the threshold."
Superalloy Darkshine laughed enthusiastically.
"What an incredible battle! Your fighting spirit is burning brightly!"
Saitama somehow produced a bag of potato chips, casually munching on them.
"Oh, that was a pretty lively fight."
Meanwhile, Genos calmly took out a notebook and began recording his observations.
"Comprehensive evaluation of Simulated Sol. His combat system perfectly combines extreme technique, predictive instincts, overwhelming physical ability, and exceptional regeneration, leaving virtually no obvious weaknesses. It is recommended that Yuji and the others focus on breakthroughs through explosive bursts of power, area control, or long-range attacks."
Child Emperor's voice echoed through the training facility's speakers.
"Analysis complete. After sufficient rest, participants are advised to undergo targeted endurance training or attempt higher-difficulty simulation environments to improve teamwork and survival under extreme conditions."
Zombieman walked over.
"That's enough training for today. The residential area has nutrient supplements and recovery pods prepared for all of you. Go get some rest."
Yuji, Megumi Fushiguro, and Nobara helped one another to their feet.
Although they were completely exhausted, their eyes shone with greater determination than before.
The training was brutally difficult, but every challenge and every defeat exposed their weaknesses while revealing a clear path toward improvement.
The feeling of becoming stronger was addictive.
Following Zombieman out of the training ground, each of them was already thinking about their next challenge.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, Sol and Tatsumaki wandered through the night, completely unaware of everything taking place at the Hero Association headquarters.
Neon lights illuminated the streets.
They walked side by side, leaving a comfortable distance between them, neither too close nor too far apart.
Tatsumaki carried a box containing a matcha mille-crêpe cake, using her telekinesis to keep it perfectly chilled. A faint smile rested on her lips.
Back at the Hero Association headquarters, inside the residential quarters.
Yuji sprawled across an unbelievably soft bed, staring at the softly glowing ceiling lights.
"Megumi, Nobara, do you think Sol went through training like ours before?"
He suddenly sat upright, looking toward Megumi Fushiguro on the neighboring bed and Nobara, who was organizing her new equipment on the sofa.
Megumi paused while trying on the training gloves Child Emperor had given him.
"Considering his fighting style, it was probably even harsher."
"Harsher?" Nobara scoffed. "I'd call it insane."
She admired the high-frequency vibrating hammer in her hands before giving it an experimental swing. It released a low, vibrating hum.
"Still... even though I got completely beaten today, I can already tell how useful this training is."
"Yeah!"
Yuji's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"The power generation technique Superalloy Darkshine-senpai taught me, along with Tanktop Master's advice about concentrating my strength, makes my cursed energy flow much more smoothly."
He instinctively rubbed his abdomen.
The phantom pain from Simulated Sol's strike still lingered, constantly reminding him of how much room he still had to improve.
Megumi set the gloves aside, his expression composed.
"His fighting style is built entirely around maximum efficiency."
"No wasted movement. No emotional interference. Every action exists solely to achieve the objective in the most effective way possible."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"What we need to learn isn't just his strength."
"It's that completely composed mindset during combat."
"Like a machine?" Nobara asked, raising an eyebrow.
Megumi shook his head.
"No."
"Something even more frightening."
"He possesses combat intuition that goes beyond what data alone can reproduce."
The memory of those unmoving crimson eyes returned to him.
Even the simulated version, operating with only ten percent of Sol's data, had been enough to send chills down his spine.
Silence settled over the room as the three reflected on everything they had experienced that day.
"But everyone here is ridiculously strong..." Yuji said with a grin as he scratched his head.
"And they're all really nice. The training's terrifying, but if it helps us get stronger, it's worth it."
"You idiot," Nobara replied with a sigh. "That's because we're here with Sol."
Still, she couldn't deny it.
"As long as we're learning something, that's what matters."
Megumi nodded quietly.
This world and the Hero Association possessed strength beyond anything he had imagined.
And Sol stood at the center of it.
That realization alone was enough to ensure he never allowed himself to slack off during training.
Just then, the room's communicator chimed.
Zombieman's steady voice came through the speaker.
"The three of you, manage your rest wisely. Tomorrow's training begins at seven o'clock. There's a twenty-four-hour nutrient station on the east side of the residential area. Feel free to use it whenever necessary."
Yuji's eyes immediately lit up.
"There's a late-night snack station too?"
He leaped off the bed.
"Come on, Megumi! Nobara! Let's go check it out!"
Elsewhere in the city, inside Saitama's apartment, Genos meticulously washed the dinner dishes in the kitchen while the steady sound of running water filled the room.
In the living room, Saitama sat cross-legged on the floor, completely absorbed in a comedy show playing on television.