Sol Mirek and Saitama arrived at the Hero Association's Z-City branch. The spacious hall was bustling with staff attending to heroes registering for certification.
"Are you two here to take the Hero Qualification Test?" a female staff member with black-rimmed glasses asked, smiling politely.
"Yes," Sol replied calmly.
"Please fill out these application forms first." She handed them each a sheet. "Once completed, proceed to the Hero Certification Exam's 6th Special Venue for ability assessment."
Sol and Saitama quickly completed their forms and headed to the testing area. Outside, in front of a semi-circular building, a long line of heroes in various eccentric costumes had formed. A white sign marked the entrance: Hero Certification Exam – 6th Special Venue.
"Heroes, please form two lines and proceed in order," a staff member instructed.
Sol and Saitama joined the line. Despite their arrival, more heroes continued to queue endlessly.
In front of Sol, a hero dressed in a frog mascot suit holding a balloon turned to him. "Wow, you look strong. Becoming a C-Class Hero should be easy for you, right?"
Sol gave a polite smile. "Thank you, I don't have many expectations for rank."
The mascot hero waved dramatically. "You can't be humble! I'm aiming for S-Class!"
Saitama yawned beside Sol. "How much longer do we have to wait?"
"Soon," Sol replied, eyes scanning the line ahead.
A staff member in a dark blue uniform and sunglasses approached. "Next!"
"I'll go first," Sol said, turning to Saitama with a grin. "Wait for me here." He followed the staff member into Test Zone 1, while Saitama was guided to a separate testing area.
The test zone was equipped with strength machines, speed tracks, and reaction devices.
"First, the 1500-meter run," the staff member announced, leading Sol to the track.
"1500 meters, start!"
Sol shot forward like a cannonball. Muscles rippled with explosive power, dust and debris rising with every step. Each stride left shallow impressions on the track.
The other participants could barely see him before he had already crossed the finish line. The timer stopped at 20.03 seconds.
"20 seconds?!" The staff member stared in shock. It had been ages since a hero with such raw speed appeared at Z-City.
Sol glanced at the timer but remained composed. He recalled that in the original timeline, Saitama had finished just as the staff set up the finish line.
Feeling the power surge from his upgraded Hanma Bloodline, Sol knew he had elevated his physical abilities closer to the Demon-level threshold. If he wanted further growth, Monster cells could offer drastic enhancements, though the system would suppress them unless he actively pursued abnormal changes.
"Next is the strength test." The staff member led him to the punching machine.
Sol inhaled deeply, tensed every muscle like compressed springs, and struck with his right fist. His Demon Back glowed with intensity as the fist tore through the air, emitting a sharp, explosive crack.
Boom!
The punching machine shuddered violently; numbers on its display flickered and then went completely black.
"Is the machine… broken?" The staff member wiped sweat from his brow, recording a value beyond the machine's upper limit.
Sol relaxed his arm, satisfied. He hadn't even unleashed his full strength, yet it was enough to secure C-Class. Further exertion wouldn't improve his ranking—it depended on mission contributions, not raw power.
In the reaction tests, Sol achieved a perfect score, his Combat Intuition predicting every target's movement before it appeared. After a dozen assessments, the evaluation concluded. Sol left the testing area to change.
Saitama entered the changing room as Sol finished.
"The tests done? That was easy," Saitama said, raising an eyebrow with a hint of pride.
"Yes, the physical tests were straightforward, but the written section required a bit of thought," Sol admitted, scratching his head. He recalled the odd written question:
What should you do when encountering a crying, young Monster?
A. Cheer it up with a special move
B. Buy it snacks
C. Contact the Child Protection Association
D. Tell it real Monsters never cry
An hour later, results arrived. Sol opened his envelope:
Hero Certification Test Results
Name: Sol Mirek
Final Score: 100 / 100
Written Test: 50 / 50
Physical Test: 50 / 50
Assessed Rank: B-Class Hero, Rank 73
Comments: Keep up the great work!
Saitama leaned over, eyes widening. "B-Class? Sol, that's incredible."
He eagerly opened his own envelope, but his expression froze:
Hero Certification Test Results
Name: Saitama
Final Score: 71 / 100
Written Test: 21 / 50
Physical Test: 50 / 50
Assessed Rank: C-Class Hero, Rank 388
Saitama blinked, deadpan. "How embarrassing…"
Sol smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll treat you to yakiniku tonight, Saitama."
Saitama's eyes lit up instantly. "Really?"
"Of course," Sol replied. "Consider it a celebration for becoming registered heroes."
The announcement system chimed. "Sol Mirek, Saitama, a briefing for successful candidates will be held at 4 PM in Lecture Hall 3."
"Let's go. Now that we've passed, nothing to worry about. Let's finish up quickly and grab that yakiniku," Saitama said, leaving the changing room with Sol.
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Patreon = _Zeph