Hero Association Headquarters.
Physical Testing Area.
Boom!
A deafening crash rang out.
The force-testing plate, forged from ultra-high-strength alloy and nearly twenty centimeters thick, split open with a thin line.
Then—crash!
It broke cleanly in two and fell to the ground, the platform shaking violently.
On the testing stage stood a young man in silver battle armor, with light-colored short hair and razor-sharp eyes, slowly sheathing his katana.
A-Class Rank 2, Iaian.
Disciple of Atomic Samurai!
The professional heroes around him all gasped in shock.
"As expected of Lord Iaian! He actually cut through the test plate!"
"They say he has at least half of Atomic Samurai's strength, and was evenly matched with Sweet Mask back then!"
"Yeah, if Lord Iaian had taken the test earlier, he would have been promoted to S-Class long ago!"
"A great master produces great disciples! I'm so jealous!"
The heroes whispered among themselves, their gazes filled with envy and jealousy.
Iaian calmly sheathed his blade, expression neither happy nor angry.
Boom!
Just as Iaian finished, a loud crash erupted from the next area.
A huge one-meter-wide hole burst open in the testing plate, a giant spinning drill still screeching inside it.
"Whoa! Senior Iaian, yours is still better. I just can't grasp Master's Iai Giri (Quick-Draw Slash)."
The one speaking was a burly, muscular man with a massive drill attached to his right wrist. His appearance was quite exaggerated.
A-Class Rank 4, Bushidrill!
Another disciple of Atomic Samurai!
"These two monsters!"
"The four tiger generals of Atomic Samurai's school!"
"I'm so jealous. If I could be Atomic Samurai's disciple, I'd at least make it to A-Class!"
"Stop dreaming, he'd never look at your talent!"
The crowd muttered in awe.
Both Iaian and Bushidrill had scored perfect marks in the physical test!
Yet Iaian did not look pleased.
"How far off from the record?" he asked coldly.
"Record? You… you mean the one Lord Saitama left?"
"Who else?" Iaian snapped. Bushidrill's face also grew serious.
Ever since that monster Saitama had taken the test here, the Hero Association's physical assessments had become a nightmare.
Every pro hero was haunted by the terrifying shadow of Saitama's unmatched record.
No one had been able to surpass it!
"This…"
The staff hesitated before stammering, "S-still a long way off… but Lord Iaian and Lord Bushidrill are already incredible!"
Seeing their reluctance, Iaian grabbed the records himself.
When he and Bushidrill saw Saitama's insane results, their faces darkened.
With just one punch, Saitama had almost destroyed the entire testing area—despite the equipment being reinforced to the maximum.
"Freak…" Iaian muttered bitterly, face grim.
At that moment, noise erupted at the entrance.
A young bespectacled man led the way, his eyes wide with nervousness.
"Lord Saitama, this is the enhanced exam area… Let's start with the basic test first."
A bald head.
Saitama and Bruce Banner walked casually into the testing zone.
"That baldy?"
"He's back? Didn't he already take the test?"
"Damn it! Nobody's broken Saitama's record yet!"
"Why is he here again?"
Saitama's arrival immediately drew attention.
After all, the Bald Demon King had shattered every single test record in the association!
"We're here, Lord Saitama, Mr. Bruce," the bespectacled staffer said nervously, bowing. "Ah, I'm Sekis. Please take care of me!"
"So the test is… smashing these things? Do we have to pay if we break them?" Bruce asked curiously, tapping the thick testing plate.
The metallic clang revealed just how tightly packed its molecular structure was.
"Smash it? Don't be ridiculous! That's super alloy, developed by Metal Doctor. Three times stronger than ordinary steel!" Bushidrill sneered.
"Newbies should start with a one-centimeter steel plate," Iaian added flatly, though his eyes stayed locked on Saitama.
His grip on his katana tightened.
From Atomic Samurai, he had learned that Saitama was a monster-level powerhouse—even his master wasn't sure of victory against him.
Same age…
Yet this baldy had already far surpassed him.
Iaian's chest burned with frustration.
"Newbies are always too arrogant these days, thinking they're invincible."
"Outside, you might be called a genius, but in the Association, geniuses are everywhere!"
"What, Saitama's bringing this useless weakling in as a hero? What a joke!"
"They won't even give him a C-rank license, haha!"
The pro heroes sneered at Bruce while whispering about Saitama.
Clearly, they preferred picking on the newcomer to show their own superiority.
Bruce frowned, glancing at Iaian and Bushidrill, then at Saitama who looked utterly unconcerned.
So it seemed no matter where he went, rejection and exclusion existed.
"The higher your test scores, the higher your ranking, and the better your pay and benefits later," Saitama reminded him.
"Fine…" Bruce sighed, shrugging. He turned to Sekis.
"Well, for a newcomer, maybe… you could try something thinner, or maybe a different material…" Sekis said carefully, blinking nervously.
Even a one-centimeter steel plate was extremely difficult for most B-Class heroes.
And this middle-aged, slightly chubby man before her hardly looked like someone with great strength.
In fact, he looked like he'd have trouble getting out of bed without wheezing.
Though one centimeter was the bare minimum for C-Class heroes…
"Well, double the hardness of ordinary steel… guess there's no helping it." Bruce sighed.
"Bring me the thickest, hardest testing plate you've got."
(End of Chapter)
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