"ROAR——!"
The furious bellow shook the ruins. Saitama had deliberately restrained his strength, choosing not to kill the Minotaur. Now the beast's eyes burned scarlet as it rampaged out of the rubble, its four hooves pounding like a war chariot.
Saitama easily sidestepped.
But License-less Rider, stunned for just a moment, was rammed head-on.
"Pu~~!"
Blood spurted from his mouth. His body was gored forward—yet instead of despair, his heart surged with excitement.
He could still fight! His body no longer felt frail.
Realization struck. Planting a foot on the monster's horned head, he flipped high through the air, narrowly avoiding the beast's charge. Two buildings collapsed with a thunderous crash behind him.
Landing on the side street, his chest heaved with burning pain—but warmth flowed through his limbs. Strength still surged within him.
"My body…!"
Overcome with exhilaration, he turned to Saitama, who remained calm and expressionless. Gratitude welled up.
"I—License-less Rider! Am no coward!!"
His eyes sharpened.
With speed like a gale, he snapped off a steel railing, bounding along the walls in a zig-zag assault. His furious shouts mingled with the beast's roars, rubble falling and dust billowing.
Saitama simply watched, silent.
The clash raged, until finally, with a resounding crash, silence fell.
From the haze emerged License-less Rider, drenched in blood, uniform shredded, bicycle destroyed—but a radiant smile stretched across his face.
"I… I did it! Sai… Saitama…"
And then, spent, he collapsed to the ground.
"…This guy… really troublesome."
With a sigh, Saitama hoisted him onto his back and carried him to the Association's medical wing.
…
Days later, word spread.
"What? That Minotaur that attacked City A was killed by a C-class hero?"
"Yeah! License-less Rider! The C-class Rank 1 who climbed only by sheer points!"
"You're kidding… that thing was demon-level! Even A-class Spring Beard was nearly killed. He actually did it?"
License-less Rider's name spread swiftly.
At Association headquarters, three evaluators discussed and confirmed: his character was flawless, his courage undeniable. Finally, they spoke:
"Congratulations, License-less Rider. The Association has decided to promote you to A-class, Rank 1. You will enjoy the full salary, benefits, and privileges of the A-class."
But to their surprise, he did not look elated.
Instead, his calm was chilling. Like one who had seen through the vanity of the world.
"So this… is what all my years of sacrifice amount to? Promotion to A-class… maybe even S-class one day?"
He whispered, eyes distant.
"Thank you."
He bowed politely. Then lifted his head.
"I refuse."
The room froze.
"You… what?"
Every staff member gawked at him. A youth with such potential—able to reach S-class within years—was refusing?
But License-less Rider understood.
Saitama had told him: the T-type Gene Serum's effects had only just begun to manifest. With his strong willpower, the transformation's power would only deepen over the years.
Months from now—perhaps even sooner—his strength could rival S-class. And not just any S-class. A true powerhouse.
"This is the glory you've given me, Saitama… thank you."
Whispering softly, he smiled.
"I refuse."
He picked up his battered helmet from the table, brushed off the dust, his gaze gentle.
"I am License-less Rider. C-class Rank 1—Li Zhongyan."
With that, he turned and walked away.
…
Meanwhile, others spoke:
"He was the top of the evaluation, he could've been a rising star in A-class!"
"Even defeated a demon-level… If not for seeing the test results myself, I wouldn't believe it."
"This kid… he'll reach S-class eventually. No doubt."
But when they saw his ranking, silence spread. Some sneered, some pitied.
Leaving the Association, License-less Rider stepped into the sunlight. A faint, serene smile touched his face.
"Hey! License-less! You're amazing! Soon you'll be A-class!"
"Awesome! We admire you, big bro License-less!"
"Tonight, let's celebrate with a feast—our brother becoming A-class deserves it!"
Outside the headquarters, nearly a hundred men and women crowded around him.
Yet most were just C-class heroes themselves—heroes even weaker than him.
Their voices were filled with genuine respect, while passing A-class and B-class looked on with scorn.
License-less Rider only smiled faintly, sunlight falling over his bloodied face.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!]
[[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]