Hero Association Examination

"Look, that bald guy. He's so scrawny, yet he actually dared to take the hero examination."

"Yeah. The quality of people taking the exam has really been getting worse these past few years. Everyone wants to be a hero."

"I'm different. After years of hellish training, I believe I'm strong enough to instantly kill ordinary monsters. I'd even dare to fight a Dragon-level one!"

Because there were so many applicants, Wu Di and Saitama were in the same examination hall but had not been assigned to the same group. That made him breathe a sigh of relief.

"With my current physical abilities, this examination will be a piece of cake."

Wu Di (Seventh S-Class Hero KING)

Talent: Immortality (max), Ultimate Summoning Technique (max), Intimidation (talent growth value 0%)

Skill: Savage Tornado

Physical Strength: Mid B-Class

Wu Di was now brimming with confidence in his physical strength. He had also discovered that using experience cards could continually enhance his body. Before he knew it, his physical strength had risen from low B-Class to mid B-Class.

"Next group, prepare to begin!"

As the staff member spoke, Wu Di officially stepped into the examination area. The applicants came in all shapes and forms; some wore capes, while quite a few, like him, covered their faces with masks.

So, with a mask on his head, he did not stand out much. Besides, the Hero Association did not care about such minor details.

"First test: continuous lateral jumps for thirty seconds."

"Whew~"

Swish, swish, swish~ Wu Di's body began swaying wildly from side to side, growing faster and faster until afterimages gradually formed around him.

"Hiss~ What's wrong with this guy?"

The others assigned to Wu Di's group were dumbfounded, though some remained dismissive.

"Hmph~ He's only a little faster. That's meaningless against monsters. It just means he can run away faster."

Wu Di's performance surprised even the examiner, and he naturally took first place in the group for this event.

"Second test: 1,500-meter run. On your marks, go!"

Swish~ The moment the examiner finished speaking, Wu Di shot forward like an arrow released from its bow.

The others went all out as well, but they were still left far behind. By the time they had just completed their first lap, Wu Di had already lapped them again and reached the finish line.

"That bastard sure runs fast."

"Hmph~ If he passes the examination, he'll definitely become the fastest runaway hero in the Hero Association."

Most of the other examinees wore mocking expressions, thoroughly unconvinced by Wu Di's effortless second first-place finish.

"The strength test is what really matters. Then he'll understand the gap between him and us."

Wu Di calmed his breathing. Because of his unusual body, once he became too tense, the sound of his heartbeat—dozens of times louder than that of an ordinary person—would emerge.

That was KING's exclusive King Engine. If it happened, there would be no way for him to hide his identity.

"Third test: weightlifting."

"I'll go first!"

A brawny man stepped forward. Facing the heavy barbell, he wore a confident smile, exerted force with both hands, and sank his breath into his abdomen.

With a roar, he lifted the 200-kilogram barbell. Veins bulged across his face as he barely held it for ten seconds before putting it down.

"Impressive. That definitely isn't his limit."

The crowd around him exclaimed in admiration, but the man did not raise the weight further. With a smug expression, he walked over to Wu Di.

"See that? For a hero, strength is the foundation."

"I'll let you in on a secret. That wasn't even my limit."

The man patted Wu Di's shoulder meaningfully, then crossed his arms and stood at the back, waiting to watch the show.

The other group members then began their tests one after another, but none broke the record. The staff members nearby exchanged glances and lightly shook their heads.

"The quality of this batch is just too poor."

After all, Superalloy Darkshine, the eleventh-ranked S-Class Hero in the Hero Association, could lift a two-ton barbell. These applicants were clearly far too lacking in comparison.

No matter how hard these people worked, they would probably struggle to catch up to an S-Class Hero in their entire lives. That was talent.

But S-Class Heroes themselves were one in ten thousand. How could they possibly be found so easily?

The staff member cast aside his impractical thoughts and continued the examination.

"Wu Di, please begin your test."

"Four hundred kilograms."

Wu Di looked at the barbell before him and raised an eyebrow. He also wanted to know where his current limit lay.

"Are you sure?"

The staff member frowned. In past examinations, there had been plenty of people who deliberately sought attention in hopes of attracting the Association's notice, but most of them had no real ability.

Wu Di had not even tried the 200-kilogram barbell, yet he was directly asking for 400 kilograms. Naturally, that drew suspicion.

"Hahaha, did you hear that? He wants to lift 400 kilograms right away."

"I'm dying. Then I want to lift 1,000 kilograms. Since I can't lift it anyway, why not claim an even bigger number?"

"What a clown. Does he think this will get the Association's attention?"

The man who had just moved to the back of the crowd shook his head slightly, a mocking smile on his face.

"I really don't know what I was thinking, actually treating someone like this as an opponent. He doesn't even have the most basic sense of shame."

Kubos sighed. He was firmly in first place for the weightlifting event, and the following tests would be easy as well. After all, 200 kilograms was not his limit.

However, since he had only just arrived at the Hero Association, it was better to conceal some of his strength. After all, he had his own goals.

"If you fail, you'll be judged to have failed the examination outright. You should think carefully. I suggest you first try the current record—200 kilograms!"

The staff member gave Wu Di a hint. His results in the first two tests had been quite good, but most people who came to take the Hero Association examination were young and hot-blooded. Giving them a proper warning was not a bad thing.

"Two hundred kilograms? That's a little too easy for me."

Wu Di scratched his head. Before anyone else could mock him, he casually lifted the barbell over his head with one hand.

"This..."

The surroundings instantly fell silent. Even the staff member looked shocked. Kubos, who had already been preparing to leave, stared in disbelief as a wave of shame surged through him.

"Damn it, this guy was hiding his strength too."

Kubos's expression instantly turned ugly. He knew that even if he gave it everything he had, he could not possibly lift a 200-kilogram barbell one-handed as easily as Wu Di had.

"Four hundred kilograms."

Seeing this, the staff member no longer hesitated and immediately had someone bring over a 400-kilogram barbell.

Everyone held their breath. This was 400 kilograms; even some registered heroes in the Hero Association might not be able to lift it.

"This is 400 kilograms? It seems my limit is far beyond this."

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Wu Di easily lifted the barbell again. Several group members who had mocked him earlier had already begun slipping away quietly.

"What kind of monster is he..." Kubos stood there frozen, utterly dumbfounded...