"Hellish Blizzard... what's the deal with this woman you mentioned?"
Bai Ye asked expressionlessly.
He was actually asking a question he already knew the answer to. He knew all about Hellish Blizzard; he just wanted to look like an inexperienced newcomer.
"Oh, there's plenty to say about her. That woman is terrifying. She suppresses newcomers who've just made it to B-Class and forces higher-ranked B-Class Heroes to join the Blizzard Group. If they refuse, they face threats and retaliation."
"The two of us had to pay our respects to Hellish Blizzard because of the Blizzard Group's intimidation. Otherwise, they'd suppress us and ruin our prospects. Aside from a few B-Class Heroes already protected by the Tank-Top Army, the Blizzard Group has basically monopolized the B-Class rankings."
The two B-Class Heroes told Bai Ye about Fubuki.
"I understand. Thanks for the warning."
Bai Ye nodded.
He said he understood, but he really didn't care about any of it.
He was confident in his strength, so he had nothing to fear.
"Good, as long as you understand. You've only just been promoted to Class B, so the Blizzard Group probably hasn't noticed you yet. Find some time over the next couple of days to pay her a visit while you still can. If you wait until they start targeting you, it'll be too late."
The other hero continued trying to persuade Bai Ye.
Yet Bai Ye never took the Blizzard Group seriously.
"All right, I'll head home, then."
Bai Ye nodded slightly, turned, and left.
"Looks like he took our advice. That's one fewer newcomer who'll suffer because he doesn't know the rules."
"But the real problem is the Blizzard Group throwing their weight around. Still, nobody can keep them in check. Even the Tank-Top Army has always stayed out of their way, and vice versa."
"Well... come a little closer... I heard that the second-ranked S-Class Hero, Tatsumaki the Terrible, is apparently Hellish Blizzard's older sister. And Fubuki herself is pretty strong, too, so almost nobody dares cross her..."
"Seriously? She's related to Tatsumaki the Terrible? No wonder..."
They chatted for a while, then instinctively turned to look, only to discover that Bai Ye had already vanished.
"He left that fast? He was gone in the blink of an eye."
Meanwhile, Bai Ye had already teleported home.
For simply getting from one place to another, he still preferred the Flying Thunder God Technique, provided he had already placed a Flying Thunder God Mark at his destination.
Its side effects were milder than Dual Kamui's, and it only consumed his mental energy.
That evening, Saitama came over to Bai Ye's place to mooch a meal, just as he always did.
While they ate, the two returned to the subject of heroes.
"I became a hero as a hobby, but I keep feeling like something's not quite right...?"
Saitama had vaguely sensed it for some time, but just as he said, being a "hero" was only a hobby to him, so he hadn't given it much thought.
As time passed, though, he couldn't help becoming a little concerned.
"Something's not right? Do you think the pay's too low? Come to think of it, you really are having some financial trouble, Saitama."
Bai Ye pretended to be an ordinary hero employed by the Hero Association. Speaking to Saitama from that perspective wouldn't arouse suspicion.
An ordinary person who didn't know Saitama very well certainly wouldn't know that he had never even heard of the Hero Association. They would naturally assume that Saitama, who called himself a hero, was also a member.
"Pay? Where would I get that? At most, some kind people give me food now and then."
Saitama suddenly looked utterly bewildered.
"Wait... don't all professional heroes working for the Hero Association get paid? Though lower-class heroes don't earn much."
Bai Ye put on a surprised expression.
"Professional heroes? What's that?"
Saitama asked with a blank, puzzled look.
"Okay, I think I get it... Saitama, don't tell me you've never even heard of the Hero Association?"
Bai Ye promptly asked.
Saitama fell silent for a moment at that. "...Never heard of it!"
"A little over three years ago, a man who called himself a hero saved the wealthy Agoni's grandson from a monster. To thank that unknown hero, Agoni founded the Hero Association out of his own pocket. He also came up with many of its original policies."
Bai Ye briefly explained the Hero Association's origins.
"I see..."
Saitama nodded, completely unaware that the unknown hero was actually him. "So, Bai Ye, you're already a professional hero with the Hero Association?"
"Yes. I'm already registered on the Hero Roster, too. That makes me an officially recognized hero. I get a base salary, and I can also receive additional compensation based on my contributions."
Bai Ye continued, "There are also strength rankings, popularity rankings, and other lists. Plenty of popular heroes even have their own fan clubs."
"Also... these days, when people talk about heroes, they generally mean professional heroes-people registered on the Hero Roster. If you just call yourself a hero without registering, people are likely to see you as an idiot making wild claims. So, Saitama..."
Bai Ye had made his point quite clear.
"..."
Saitama's expression darkened.
After hearing Bai Ye's explanation, he finally realized what had felt wrong...
He was far too obscure. Nobody knew who he was. Only now did he understand that he had to register on the Hero Roster at the Hero Association to become known.
As for the pay, he didn't really care. His attitude toward money had always been that he only needed enough to cover his daily expenses. When he was short on cash, he could pick up some work, so he was usually quite laid-back about it.
Of course, if someone wanted to give him money, he wouldn't refuse.
"Bai Ye, let's go to the Hero Association together tomorrow..."
Saitama made the request with a serious expression.
The reason was simple. Not only did he have a terrible sense of direction, he had no idea where the Hero Association was, so he needed Bai Ye to show him the way.
"Sure."
Bai Ye agreed without hesitation.
[Ding! The host has received a request from Saitama. Reward obtained: 10 points!]
Bai Ye wasn't surprised to hear the system award him another reward.
The system had already told him that interacting with major characters could also trigger point rewards. That was one reason he was happy to stay on friendly terms with both Saitama and Bang.
The other reason was that he had a very good impression of people like Saitama, Bang, and Mumen Rider.
Before you continue