Licenseless Rider leaned against the wall, mouth agape, hands trembling as he straightened his crooked helmet. "O-one… one punch?"
On the street, Sol Mirek flicked the blood from his hands, a faint look of distaste crossing his face.
Licenseless Rider's eyes shone. "That's… incredible! Are you an A-Class Hero?"
"B-Class, rank 102. Just registered today, no hero name yet," Sol replied, glancing at his phone to check the time.
"I need to get back quickly. I'm off now," he said, waving at Licenseless Rider before dragging the Minotaur Monster's body away.
In the Hero Association's monitoring room, the blond supervisor's glasses had slipped to the tip of his nose. "Raise Sol's rank to B-Class 30 immediately."
The operator hesitated. "Supervisor… wouldn't that break the rules?"
"Rules! Always rules! Sol is only B-Class because of rules, and Saitama is only C-Class because of rules!" the supervisor barked, frustrated. Anyone could see the disparity between real strength and official rankings.
"Promote Sol! I have the authority to adjust a hero's ranking!" he continued, pushing up his glasses, eyes locked on Sol's image on the screen. "I'm certain both Sol and Saitama will become pillars of the Hero Association, even of humanity!"
Sol muttered to himself, eyeing the Minotaur's corpse. "I wonder if eating this meat can enhance my abilities…"
Grinning, he dragged the body back to the supermarket.
When he returned, Saitama was seated on a bench at the entrance, a bag of groceries in hand. "Sol!" his eyes lit up at the sight of the Minotaur behind him.
"This is…" Saitama pointed at the corpse, swallowing instinctively.
"Our extra meal for tonight," Sol said with a mischievous smile. He hoisted the Minotaur onto his shoulder.
Saitama poked its muscles with a finger. "The meat looks amazing."
They returned to Saitama's apartment. Saitama expertly butchered the Minotaur, while Sol assisted, preparing sauces and setting up the grill. Soon, a rich aroma filled the room.
"This cut is especially good when grilled," Saitama said, pointing to the tenderloin, never missing a slice.
"You can tell from the marbling," Sol nodded, impressed.
They gathered around a low table with an iron griddle. The meat sizzled, fat bubbling, aroma enticing.
Sol picked up a perfectly grilled slice, tasting it. Juices burst in his mouth, tenderness beyond expectation.
After a few bites, he checked his system panel. Eating Monster meat was enhancing his Hanma Bloodline—progress had jumped to 89%!
Saitama stuffed a piece of beef tongue in his mouth, eyes narrowing in satisfaction. "This is way better than supermarket beef."
"Mm-hmm," Sol agreed, savoring the meat, feeling energy surge through him.
Saitama dipped a golden-brown pork belly in Sol's sauce. "Perfect match for Monster meat!"
Sol checked his panel: 93% Hanma Bloodline progress. He added a few more ribs to the grill. "Saitama, what do you think is the difference between Monster meat and normal beef?"
Saitama considered seriously. "Monster meat tastes better, and I feel warm all over after eating it."
"Same here," Sol nodded. The higher the Monster level, the richer the energy.
They devoured every bit. Saitama lay sprawled halfway through, holding his belly. Sol finished the last piece, reaching 100% Hanma Bloodline upgrade.
Ding! Hanma Bloodline 100% complete. Demon Back upgraded. Derived talents gained: Toxin Resistance, Combat Instinct.
Sol cleaned up, stretched, and waved to Saitama. "Thanks for the meal. See you tomorrow," he said, patting his satisfied belly.
Saitama, still sprawled, muttered, "Goodbye…"
Later, Sol tested his new power. His Demon Back patterns were deeper, more ferocious. Muscle lines sharper, fitness improved across the board. His destructive power now reached Demon-level thresholds. He could surprise heroes with a human appearance and strike at mid-Demon level.
Shaking away intrusive thoughts, he lay down, drifting to sleep.
Elsewhere, in a luxurious villa, Hellish Blizzard stood by French windows, fingers tapping a wine glass, dressed in a sleek green gown. She studied the latest hero ranking update, pausing at B-Class rank 27.
"That should have been Chainsaw Man. Why a young Rookie now?" Her dark green eyes narrowed.
Jumping from rank 102 to 27? Unprecedented. She leaned forward, tucking her hair behind her ear, tracing the name with a fingertip.
"Defeated a Tiger-level Monster alone… intriguing." She set the glass down and called Matsuge, her aide.
"Find the location of B-Class rank 27, Sol Mirek, and get his combat footage," she instructed.
"Understood, Blizzard-sama. Is he a new member?"
"Yes," she replied, pausing, "and check his combat footage thoroughly."
After hanging up, she stared at the city lights, interest flashing in her eyes. "Directly from 102 to 27… abnormal promotion speed. This Rookie likely dominated the Tiger-level Monster alone, maybe even one-shot."