"Not bad!" Saitama laughed as he threw a simple, direct punch.
Sol was ready. He crossed his arms to block and used the impact to push himself backward, letting the force carry him away. When he landed, his feet dragged across the ground, leaving two shallow trails.
"Hoo…" Sol adjusted his breathing, feeling the energy circulate through his body. As he activated Mark Mode, a thought crossed his mind. Unlocking Saitama's evolution conditions mattered, but what he really wanted was a fight where he could go all out.
"Continue?" Saitama tilted his head.
Sol nodded. "Of course."
"This time, I won't defend." He rolled his shoulders, muscles tightening across his body. "Just attack."
Saitama scratched his head. "You sure? I might accidentally…"
"Wouldn't mind." Sol smiled, a sharp excitement flashing in his eyes.
Before he could finish, Saitama vanished.
Sol's pupils shrank as he raised his arms on instinct.
A heavy punch slammed into his chest.
He was launched backward like a projectile, crashing straight through the rooftop water tank. Water burst out, pouring down over him.
"Sol-senpai!" Genos called out.
Under the stream of water, Sol slowly stood up. The dent in his chest began to repair itself at a visible rate. He spat out blood and grinned.
"Again!"
A trace of surprise passed through Saitama's expression. "That recovery is impressive."
Sol didn't wait. He kicked off the ground and surged forward. Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist flowed into Exploding Heart Release Fist, each strike landing cleanly on Saitama.
Impact after impact echoed like rapid thunder.
Saitama stepped back under the relentless assault, a rare look of interest appearing on his face.
"Interesting!" He pulled back his right fist. "I'll put in a bit more effort."
Before the punch even landed, the force of it tore through the air.
Sol didn't move. He crossed his arms and took it head-on.
A violent shockwave spread across the rooftop. Genos grabbed onto the railing to steady himself as the impact shook everything around them. Sol's feet carved deep grooves into the ground before his back slammed into the wall.
He coughed up blood, but his eyes only grew brighter.
"Still going?" Saitama asked.
"Of course." Sol wiped his mouth. His skin began to flush red. "This is just getting started."
Mark Mode intensified. Heat rose from his body, white vapor curling off his skin.
He stepped forward, the concrete beneath his feet cracking as he launched himself at Saitama again.
The rooftop filled with rapid collisions. Each strike sent out small shockwaves as their movements blurred together.
Genos's systems struggled to keep up.
"Incredible…" he muttered. "Sol-senpai can actually fight Master head-on."
He had hoped to learn something from this battle, but it was impossible. Saitama's defense was absolute, and Sol's recovery erased damage instantly. There was nothing to replicate.
Another punch from Saitama slammed into Sol's chest, sending him flying into the water tank again. Metal bent under the impact.
Sol hit the ground hard, coughed, then stood up as his body repaired itself almost immediately.
Saitama blinked. "That recovery is kind of ridiculous."
Sol wiped the blood from his lips, smiling. "We stopping?"
"Of course not." Saitama cracked his knuckles. "It's rare to find someone who can keep up like this."
Genos continued recording, his focus locked. Sol's recovery speed had gone beyond anything reasonable. Even severe injuries vanished almost instantly.
The exchange grew more intense.
Sol stopped defending entirely, pouring everything into offense. Saitama met him head-on, each blow carrying overwhelming force. Their fighting style was raw and direct, like two engines colliding without restraint.
Another strike landed.
Sol's left arm snapped, bone tearing through skin.
A moment later, it reset itself, muscle and bone restoring in seconds.
Genos processed the data rapidly. "Sol-senpai's regeneration is abnormal."
Saitama increased his output. The force of his punches swept debris off the rooftop. Sol was driven back step by step, yet his expression only grew more excited.
"This is great!" Sol laughed. His body glowed a deeper red, heat rising sharply as vapor surrounded him.
Mark Mode pushed further.
He kicked off the ground, sending fragments of concrete flying as he rushed Saitama again.
"Come on!" Saitama's eyes sharpened slightly as he drew back his fist, increasing his strength.
Their fists met.
The impact shattered the remaining guardrails along the rooftop. Genos had to activate his thrusters to stay in place.
When the dust settled, Sol was down on one knee. His arm hung at an unnatural angle.
He shook it once. The bone snapped back into place, healing instantly.
"Amazing…" Sol stood, breathing heavily, his eyes burning with excitement. "Again."
Saitama glanced at him. "You might want to change your clothes first."
Sol looked at his torn outfit and shrugged. "Still warming up."
He stepped forward again.
Their clash resumed, louder and faster than before. Sol immersed himself in the fight, enjoying the rhythm of destruction and recovery, feeling his strength grow with every exchange.
A notification appeared in his mind.
"Invincible Defense evolution condition met."
"Begin evolution?"
Sol grinned and confirmed without hesitation.
"Invincible Defense evolving, current progress 10 percent."
His attacks grew even sharper.
Another punch from Saitama sent him airborne, but Sol twisted mid-air, kicked off the building wall, and launched himself back with even greater speed.
"Interesting." A flicker of real excitement showed in Saitama's eyes. "You're getting stronger. I'll stop holding back."
"Good." Sol's smile widened. "That's what I want."
Their fists collided again.
This time, Sol felt it clearly.
Saitama's punches were no longer completely overwhelming.
"Evolution progress: 11 percent… 15 percent… 21 percent…"
"Again!" Sol called out, his voice filled with energy.
Saitama narrowed his eyes slightly. "Strange… is it just me, or is your defense actually getting stronger?"