Just as Fang Li and Sylvia finished the Hero Association's test, another limousine pulled up to the entrance of the Association headquarters.
At the same time, Sitch came out to greet it.
"Haa..."
With a light sigh, the man who stepped out of the car brushed back his bangs and lifted his head. He was extraordinarily handsome, the sort of man who seemed to exist only in young girls' dreams, a true prince charming.
Seeing him, Sitch immediately walked over.
"Welcome, Sweet Mask."
…Sweet Mask.
Despite the somewhat strange name, this handsome man was a consultant to the Hero Association's executive committee, the Number 1 hero of A-Class, and a famous idol who held considerable influence and decision-making authority regarding hero affairs.
Sweet Mask wasted no time on pleasantries. As he headed toward the Hero Association building, he asked Sitch, who followed beside him, in a calm and gentle voice.
"That Diva should have already completed the Hero certification test, correct?"
The reason Sweet Mask had canceled all of his work and come to the Hero Association headquarters was naturally because of Sylvia.
Sitch knew this as well, so he answered directly.
"She's already passed. A perfect score on the written exam, a perfect score on the physical test, and a perfect score overall. It's the first perfect result we've seen in nearly two years, so she was immediately evaluated as S-Class."
Sweet Mask's footsteps paused slightly. A moment later, however, he regained his composure.
"S-Class?"
A flawless smile appeared on his face, the kind that could make girls scream with excitement.
"That's a bit unexpected. I've never heard that the Diva possessed combat ability worthy of S-Class."
Although Sweet Mask was only A-Class, that was entirely because he refused promotion. As the Number 1 hero in A-Class, he already had the qualifications to apply for S-Class status. If he wanted to, he could become an S-Class hero at any time.
In terms of strength, Sweet Mask was in no way inferior to most S-Class heroes. So while Sylvia's becoming S-Class surprised him, that was all it amounted to.
In terms of status, Sweet Mask's position as an Association consultant actually placed him far above ordinary S-Class heroes. Of course, Sweet Mask understood something: starting today, he would no longer be the only Hero within the Association who possessed significant influence and authority.
Still, that wasn't why he had come.
"A once-in-a-generation Diva becoming a Hero, and starting out as S-Class at that. That should be world-shaking news, shouldn't it?"
As Sweet Mask entered the Hero Association building, a faint smile remained on his face.
"But becoming famous doesn't automatically make someone a qualified Hero."
"Sylvia Lyyneheym."
In truth, Sweet Mask had only one purpose in coming here. He wanted to see Sylvia with his own eyes. He wanted to determine whether this world-famous superstar idol truly possessed the qualifications to become a Hero.
After all, the Hero Association desperately wanted to recruit her. In order to bring the Diva into their ranks, they had undoubtedly lowered their standards. Sweet Mask wanted to know whether Sylvia actually had what it took to be a Hero. That was why he had come.
What Sweet Mask didn't know, however, was that there was another matter Sitch was just about to report to him.
"Besides the Diva, there was another person who took the Hero certification test alongside her," Sitch said to Sweet Mask as they stepped into the elevator. "That gentleman also passed the test. With a score of 92 points, he was evaluated as an A-Class Hero."
"Oh?" This time, Sweet Mask was genuinely surprised. "There's someone that capable by the Diva's side?"
"Yes." Sitch's voice unconsciously lowered, as though he were dealing with a troublesome matter. "However, that person has now submitted an application to the committee, requesting a promotion to S-Class."
"Hm?" Sweet Mask immediately frowned and turned his attention fully to Sitch. "What do you mean?"
"Because he scored full marks on the physical test. The points he lost were all from the written exam. As a result, he has expressed doubts about his A-Class evaluation." Sitch smiled bitterly. "To quote him directly: 'Are all S-Class Heroes straight-A geniuses or something?'"
Of course, that was impossible.
In fact, among the S-Class Heroes, academically gifted honor students were practically as rare as mythical creatures. Most S-Class Heroes had earned their positions through overwhelming combat ability and extraordinary achievements, eventually becoming part of the elite group of only sixteen top heroes.
In other words, their written exam scores hardly mattered at all. They were S-Class simply because they possessed exceptional strength.
Fang Li's reasoning was actually easy enough to understand: as long as your combat ability is up to standard, isn't that enough? That was essentially what he meant.
"However, being a Hero isn't just about being strong," Sitch sighed. "If you lack the judgment to handle unexpected situations, the flexibility to respond to crises, and a strong sense of justice against evil, then you can't resolve incidents independently. That's a major reason why the Hero Association includes a written exam in its evaluation process."
Even so, the reality was that most S-Class Heroes were monsters with overwhelming combat power. Those who truly relied on intellect rather than strength were relatively rare.
Fang Li had achieved a perfect score on the physical test; his written results were still excellent, and he happened to be the companion of the Diva herself. As a result, the committee was still debating the matter, uncertain whether they should grant the request.
As mentioned before, becoming S-Class required proving one's strength, and Fang Li had already proven that strength through the examination. A perfect score on the physical test was enough to show everyone that his combat ability was extraordinary.
In that case, with the Diva's recommendation and as a special exception, allowing him to join the ranks of the S-Class Heroes wasn't entirely impossible.
The problem was that no such exception had ever been made before. Ordinarily, the right to apply for promotion belonged only to the top-ranked hero of a class. Once this precedent was set, the consequences that might follow could not be ignored.
That was why the committee, composed of the Hero Association's executives, was still discussing the issue.
If his recommender hadn't been the Diva herself, if he hadn't scored perfectly on the physical test, and if his written score hadn't been so high, the committee probably wouldn't even be discussing it. They would have simply rejected the application outright.
At that point, Sweet Mask couldn't help but smile.
"Now that's interesting." His voice slowly echoed through the elevator. "Then let me see for myself whether this person truly has what it takes to be an S-Class Hero."
(End Of This Chapter)
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