NOVEL NEXT Chapter 48 – The Result
Hero Test Location
3rd POV
In the midst of the bustling crowd, comprised mostly of hero candidates gathering for registration, the staff were the hardest-working individuals of all.
"Candidates, please form two lines for registration," announced a young man, capturing the attention of the aspiring heroes.
Observing the scene, it seemed the exam would take several hours to complete. Amidst the crowd, one figure stood out, garnering the attention of all the hero candidates and staff alike. His name was Saitama. He had shattered all previous records, achieving feats deemed impossible to surpass.
Meanwhile, in the women's section...
'Oh no... I broke the machine,' thought a certain black-haired girl, Rena, after inadvertently damaging the punching machine. She turned to the exam proctor with a wry expression.
"A-a..." The proctor was at a loss for words, rushing to inspect the machine. To her surprise, the machine appeared undamaged, except for its current state. She turned to Rena and simply said, "Pass. Next!"
Rena breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to the next test area. As she reached the entrance, beads of sweat began to form on her brow. Among all the tests she had faced, this one promised to be the most challenging yet—a true nightmare.
"A paper test, huh," remarked a fellow hero candidate beside her confidently. "Should be easy."
The candidate confidently took a seat and began the test, while Rena couldn't help but gulp at the daunting task ahead. Summoning her courage, she reassured herself inwardly.
'You can do it, Rena. Believe in yourself! It's not like they will include math or english inside the test, right? This isn't school—it's a hero test. Yes, believe in yourself!'
With newfound determination, Rena took her seat and examined the paper. To her dismay, there was a math question in the test. In that moment, Rena felt as though her soul was about to leave her body.
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Few Hours Later
In the waiting room, several hero candidates stood anxiously awaiting the results. Among them were Saitama and Genos, with Rena slowly making her way toward them, her expression pale.
"Yo Rena, how did the test go?" Saitama inquired, followed by his characteristic candor. "Honestly, those tests were a breeze. Is that really all it takes to become a hero?"
"Indeed, both the written and fitness exams seemed rather simplistic. Rena-sama's power and intelligence should have easily surpassed the requirements," Genos chimed in, unaware of Rena's subtle flinch at the mention of "written" and "intelligence."
"Haha, hahaha..." Rena threw a small unmotivated giggle. Then continued with a different tone, "Well, considering my power and intelligence, those were a walk in the park," Rena replied, attempting to exude confidence with her hands on her hips.
"Ooo..." Both Saitama and Genos clapped their hands.
"Fufufu~ you can praise me more you know~" Rena winked.
"Anyway, when will we get the results?" Saitama swiftly changed the subject, eager for an update.
"We should get our result soon. 70 is a passing grade. The written test was so easy anyone could get full points on it. That just leaves the fitness test, which for us should not have posed any problems," Genos explained matter-of-factly, causing Rena to flinch once more at the mention of the test's ease.
"Exactly! They were a piece of cake. I could have done them blindfolded!" Rena interjected, her voice tinged with a hint of defensiveness.
"I-I see," Saitama responded, sensing Rena's unease but opting not to dwell on it.
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Few Moment After
"I scored 100 points," Genos announced.
"Seriously?" Saitama sought confirmation.
"Yes, it confirms I'm certified as a Class S Hero," Genos replied.
"S Class?! No way..." Saitama peered at Genos's result in disbelief.
"Wow, it really is S Class... What about you, Rena?" Saitama turned his attention to Rena.
"Fueh- M-Me?! Um... Just give me a minute!" Rena dashed to the corner, her nerves palpable. With trembling hands, she gingerly unfolded her result paper, closing her eyes tightly. Upon opening them, her demeanor underwent a complete transformation.
"Fufu~ fufufu~ Like I said before, the test was a breeze for me," Rena declared confidently, extending her right hand to reveal her result.
"Whoa! You got S Class with 100 points too!" Saitama exclaimed, taken aback.
"Naturally. And what about you, Saitama?" Rena inquired.
"Me? I haven't checked yet," Saitama replied.
"Let's see it!" Rena urged, joining Saitama's side with Genos on the other. While waiting for Saitama to show his result paper, Genos can't help but ask, "By the way, what did they ask you at the interview?"
"Ah, the interview..." Rena replied.
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A Few Moments Ago
In a sparsely furnished room, three elegantly dressed individuals sat alongside a girl positioned slightly apart from them.
"Mrs. Amanozako Rena, we have a few questions we'd like to ask you. Is that acceptable?" inquired a man clad in a suit.
"Certainly, feel free to ask," Rena replied politely.
"Firstly, do you recognize these three individuals?" The man presented certain figures displayed on a tablet screen.
"Yes, I'm familiar with Silver Fang-Sama, Tornado of Terror-Sama, and Blast-Sama," Rena confirmed.
"What is your relationship with them?" the man queried further.
"Silver Fang-Sama has often invited me to become his disciple, but I've respectfully declined. Tornado of Terror-Sama and I are... you could say we're close. As for Blast-Sama, I've only met him once," Rena explained. Upon hearing this, the three individuals exchanged glances and nodded in unison.
"Now, Mrs. Amanozako, for the final question, could you demonstrate your abilities?" the man requested.
"Of course. How would you like me to demonstrate?" Rena inquired. The man nodded and gestured with his hand. Soon after, a robot figure materialized beside them.
"Please defeat this prototype using your abilities," the man instructed.
"Understood. Well then," Rena replied, extending her hands confidently. The robot became enveloped in a dark aura as Rena closed her palm swiftly, causing the robot to crumple under the force of the aura. Simultaneously, Rena sensed another robot attempting a sneak attack from behind. With lightning reflexes, she evaded the attack and obliterated the second robot using the well-known techniques she got from Silver Fang.
*boom*
The robot exploded, leaving behind only the remnants of its failed assault. The three elegantly dressed individuals couldn't help but gasp, sweat beading on their brows. The man who had been asking questions exchanged a meaningful glance with his colleague, who promptly stamped a document on the desk.
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Back To Now
"Like that..." Rena explained.
"I see..." Genos replied, then continued, "What about you, Saitama-Sensei? What did they ask you in the interview?" Both Rena and Genos turned their attention to Saitama, who appeared lost in thought while gazing out the window.
"Interview? I didn't have one. After all..." Saitama slowly turned to face them. "After all, I'm just a class C hero with a score of 71 points," he explained, offering them a wry smile.
"PFFT-" Rena burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! C CLASS! C CLASS! HAHAHA!"
"C Class, 71 points..." Saitama muttered incredulously, a hint of frustration creeping into his expression as he fought the urge to swat at Rena.
"This must be a mistake. I'll speak to the person in charge," Genos declared.
"No, don't! You'll just embarrass me!" Saitama protested.
"*whistle* *whistle* Hey, C Class over there, this S CLASS's shoulder is feeling a bit sore. Care to give this S CLASS's shoulder a massage?" Rena taunted, provoking Saitama's ire.
"COME HERE, YOU LITTLE SHEET!" Saitama roared, ready to chase after Rena.
*ding* *dong*
"[Mr. Genos, Mr. Saitama, Mrs. Amanozako, there will be a seminar for successful candidates at 4:00 PM. Please proceed to lecture hall number 3.]" A voice announced over the speaker.
"*cough* *cough* Let's just go... All that matters is we all passed. Let's get this over with and go home," Saitama suggested, heading towards the designated location.
"Un!" Rena chimed in, following closely behind.
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