Inumaki Toge remained silent, but his breathing had quickened slightly beneath his raised collar, clearly captivated by the high-tech, combat-oriented environment.
"Salmon..."
He murmured his agreement.
Nanami adjusted his glasses, trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart through sheer reason. However, the constant adjustments to his tie betrayed his restless state.
As a sorcerer who valued efficiency and rules above almost everything else, such advanced training facilities held an almost irresistible appeal for him.
He had even begun mentally calculating how he could make the most efficient use of the facilities to improve the precision and effectiveness of his Ratio Technique, allowing him to eliminate Cursed Spirits more quickly and, most importantly, finish work on time.
Yuta Okkotsu was relatively composed, but when he saw the obvious improvement in Yuji and Megumi's presence and the excitement in their eyes whenever they talked about training, he could not help comparing them to his own largely self-taught development within the Jujutsu world.
A competitive desire to avoid being left behind naturally welled up inside him.
He silently clenched his fist as Rika's power flowed quietly through his body. He wanted nothing more than to test himself against the opponents of this world.
Gojo Satoru took in his students' reactions, a knowing smile playing across his face.
He understood the feeling perfectly. When he had first arrived here, he had visited every area of the Hero Association that he could access and fought against every available simulated opponent.
Leaning lazily against the sofa, he deliberately adopted an exaggerated tone.
"Oh dear, we've been forgotten, haven't we? How boring. Being kept waiting like this is so cruel."
His words struck exactly where intended, further stirring the longing in everyone's hearts.
Itadori Yuji scratched his head and glanced toward the door.
"Did Mr. Sol oversleep?"
"Possibly."
Megumi Fushiguro sighed. He could easily imagine Sol's consistently relaxed and languid demeanor.
Nobara could not hold back any longer and turned toward Child Emperor.
"Um... could you contact Mr. Sol again? Or maybe we could just go to the training ground and wait there?"
Child Emperor looked at the eager visitors from another world and helplessly spread his hands.
"Without Mr. Sol's final permission, I can't grant you access to the training ground on my own."
"As for contacting him..." Child Emperor paused before continuing. "Miss Tatsumaki previously instructed us that Mr. Sol doesn't like being disturbed while he's resting."
He adjusted his glasses.
"Perhaps he's simply handling matters beyond our understanding."
"Mr. Sol's time is very valuable, and he often has to deal with matters of great importance. He is both the ruler and guardian of this world, so I hope you can understand."
Minute after minute passed, and the wait became increasingly agonizing.
The training ground below was like a table covered with the most tempting delicacies, constantly testing the patience of Okkotsu and the others.
They could see Metal Bat training inside, sweat pouring down his body as every powerful swing of his bat sent their fighting spirits soaring.
"I really want to go in..."
Maki Zen'in practically forced the words through clenched teeth.
Yuta Okkotsu took a deep breath, his gaze fixed firmly on the door.
Mr. Sol... please come quickly.
Their desire for an opportunity to become stronger temporarily overshadowed their awe toward divine power, leaving behind only the pure, restless instinct of warriors eager for battle.
Meanwhile...
The sweet aroma of cream and fresh strawberries subtly filled the air.
Sol cut a small piece of cake soaked in red syrup with his fork while Tatsumaki sat across from him, her legs gently swinging beneath the chair as she concentrated on dealing with the enormous strawberry sitting atop her cake.
The room was peaceful. The only sound came from some unimportant midday news playing on the television, while sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and bathed the room in warmth.
After putting the cake into his mouth, Sol picked up the glass of ice water beside him and took a sip.
He had the vague feeling that he had forgotten something.
"Any plans for this afternoon?"
Tatsumaki narrowed her eyes contentedly as she savored the strawberry's sweet and slightly tart flavor. At his question, her spoon paused.
She glanced toward the bright sky outside the window.
"I don't know. How about we just stay home and rest today?"
"Alright."
Sol leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, allowing the warm sunlight to fall across his face.
Meanwhile, at the Hero Association Headquarters, outside the observation corridor of the S-Class reception area...
Nearly two hours had passed.
The initial excitement and anticipation of Yuta Okkotsu, Nanami, and the others had long since been worn away by the seemingly endless wait.
They could still do nothing but peer through the large one-way glass, watching Metal Bat's vigorous training in the facility below and occasionally catching glimpses of other S-Class Heroes entering and leaving for sparring sessions.
The sensation of being able to see everything without being able to participate felt like a hundred claws scratching at their hearts.
"Still no news?"
Maki Zen'in asked for the third time. Her fingers unconsciously tapped against the glass wall, producing faint clicking sounds.
By now, she had already imagined herself fighting through dozens of rounds against powerful opponents inside the training ground.
Nanami glanced at the time displayed on the screen.
"It should be soon. Even a god has to work, right?"
Inumaki Toge leaned against the wall.
"Kelp."
His tone carried unmistakable resignation.
Panda paced back and forth, impatience written across his furry face.
"Ah, I really want to go in and play! It looks like so much fun just watching from here."
Yuta Okkotsu remained comparatively composed. He sat cross-legged on the floor and attempted to meditate, but the fluctuations of energy and sounds of battle coming from the training ground below constantly disturbed his concentration.
Gojo Satoru, on the other hand, was completely at ease.
He had bought a bag of snacks from the lounge and was leisurely munching away, the crisp crunch echoing through the corridor.
"Hmm, these crispy sticks are pretty good. I should bring some back as souvenirs."
He found his students' growing impatience amusing and had absolutely no intention of helping them.