"Then, Chief..."
Turning around, Josen looked pleadingly at his immediate superior.
Chief Xiong sighed softly and waved him off impatiently. "Go on, go on. I'm just the middleman. You don't need to worry about my opinion on this."
"Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!"
In the end, Josen signed his name on the documents Bachi had brought.
The Hero Association was still getting off the ground. Besides casting a wide net in its recruitment efforts, it also actively approached people who showed talent, offering them very generous terms.
That was what left Chief Xiong feeling most helpless. Before they had even arrived, his superiors had already ordered him to cooperate fully. Besides, with one of his officers' financial prospects at stake, he had no desire to play the villain.
"Mr. Josen, that completes my assignment!" Bachi put the documents away and handed them to the subordinate behind him. "However, under the association's regulations, you'll still need to visit the Z City branch and take a few simple professional aptitude tests to determine your Hero Rank, Initial Ranking, and so on. Thank you for your understanding!"
A hero test?
Josen nodded. "No problem. That's only fair."
"Thank you! I look forward to working with you!"
"Likewise."
A hero, huh?
Having inherited the Qiao Family's golden spirit, Josen did feel drawn to that group.
Whatever direction it took in the future, the pure and noble souls among its members would never change.
Then I'll join!
That was the thought process he had gone through after speaking with Bachi, the association official.
Before leaving, he had even made a special trip to the chief's office. The somewhat weary Chief Xiong merely patted his shoulder, told him to "do a good job," and sent him packing.
Naturally, Josen obliged.
His first stop after work was the convenience store.
As his physique grew increasingly inhuman, Josen's appetite grew along with it.
A car with a bigger engine naturally burned more fuel, and his body was no different.
After stocking up on household supplies and food for the fridge, he came out carrying so many bags in both hands that they almost swallowed him whole.
Finding a secluded corner, Josen promptly activated his stand ability and sealed everything he was carrying into cards.
The crushing weight of everyday life immediately felt much lighter.
When he turned around, an utterly harmless-looking face greeted him.
"Good evening, officer."
Saitama, whose art style was beginning to simplify, greeted him with a smile and scratched his head, completely oblivious to the two precious black hairs drifting down between his fingers.
"That thing just now..." He tried to gesture with his hands. "Was that the psychic powers you hear about? Are you one of those legendary psychics?"
Josen: "..."
Still pretty curious, huh? Looks like he hasn't trained enough yet.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Fragments] +1
Hmm, another one?
Josen quietly put away the N-rarity card that had inexplicably appeared in his hand and made his decision.
"Good grief. So you've discovered my secret?"
Hearing Josen deliberately lower his voice, Saitama grew serious and clenched his fists, even preparing for a fight. "Ah, if this were a TV show, would this be the part where you kill me to keep me quiet?"
Josen walked over and patted his shoulder. "Of course not! Since you saw it, you might as well join me."
"Huh?"
Bubble, bubble, bubble...
Fiery red chili oil churned furiously as thick slices of discounted veal were tipped into it one after another. After bobbing a few times, the bright red raw meat cooked through in the boiling broth, sending a tantalizing aroma wafting through the air.
Two men, both sweating profusely, sat around the hot pot, their burning gazes locked firmly on the slices of meat tumbling inside.
"Ready!"
"Then I'll dig in!"
At that moment, the two men holding wooden chopsticks were like peerless swordsmen. The instant the meat finished cooking, sparks flew where their gazes crossed, and both swords left their sheaths.
Swish, swish, swish...
A single sword's gleam chilled nineteen provinces. Both combatants claimed their spoils, dipping the scalding slices into specially mixed chili sauce before popping them into their mouths.
"Hah, hah... Whoa! So hot... No, so spicy!"
Compared with Saitama, who had turned bright red from the heat, Josen's movements were far more elegant.
Backed by his powerful base attributes, his iron teeth and bronze jaws tore apart and ground down the scorching meat in moments. While his opponent was still desperately fanning his mouth and searching for beer to ease the burn, he reached in again and scooped up every remaining slice.
"Ah... You cheat!"
Saitama watched in despair as Josen put the remaining beef into his mouth, tears of shame trickling from the corners of his lips.
"Hmph. You still have a long way to go in the art of hot pot, Saitama!" Josen elegantly wiped his mouth and gave him a crooked smile brimming with mockery. "If you want to beat me, try again next time!"
"Next time? Oh, I couldn't impose." Saitama scratched his head, failing to notice another five or six hairs falling out. "Getting invited this time was already a wonderful surprise. Thank you so much for having me, Josen."
"It's nothing. Just one more pair of chopsticks." Josen waved off his thanks, then discreetly put away another Limiter Fragment. "Besides, you don't understand. The true essence of hot pot..."
Saitama blinked. Impressed despite not understanding, he straightened his back and sat up solemnly. "Oh? What is it?"
"It's fighting over the food!" Josen patted Saitama's shoulder. "A hot pot without anyone competing with you for the food has no soul!"
Enlightened, Saitama nodded repeatedly with a serious expression. "I see! I've never heard such a unique perspective before. Thank you for the lesson!"
"Then, as your tuition fee, please wash today's dishes and chopsticks. Thanks."
"...Ah, sure."
Their hot pot meal lasted late into the night. It was almost midnight by the time Josen saw Saitama off.
Summoning his Stand, Josen put the groceries he had bought into the completely emptied fridge, then opened the balcony door and windows to air out the apartment. The slightly cool night breeze swept away the stale air lingering throughout the rooms, leaving him feeling much more alert.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Fragments] ×10 [Fusion available!]
"Hmm?"
Watching the special N-rarity cards spring out of the deck on their own and hover before him, Josen couldn't help raising an eyebrow.
Although his Stand intelligently supplied him with all sorts of information, it had never displayed much emotional fluctuation.
Yet at that moment, he received a response from his Stand charged with intense emotion. What filled it was unmistakably...
Hunger!
Then let's fuse them.
At his command, all ten Limiter Fragments shone at once, overlapping as they began to fuse. When the white light faded, a brand-new fantasy card appeared before Josen.
[Fantasy Card: Limiter Breakthrough ACT1] [Card type: Special card] [Rarity: N] [Description: Fused from unknown fragments. A normally invisible power of concept.] [Effect 1: Limiter Release] [Select any target and break through its species' growth limit once.]
It was still an unremarkable N-rarity card. Even the grinning, dead-eyed bald man on its face remained completely unchanged.
Yet the card's displayed effect was enough to make even Josen's heart race.
Before you continue