"So there are worlds out there with there with their own heroes?" Tareo asked as a few others crowded around Zack.
"That's right." Zack answered before holding his palms open, dozens of little figures shining in his palms. "And they live in worlds where nobody in your universe even exists."
"Fascinating." Bofoi said before Zack closes his hands.
"To be continued." he said before everyone returned to their seats. "We all ready?!"
"Are we going to see Mr. Saitama and Mr. Genos take the Hero exam?" Tareo asked with a smile.
"Yep!" Zack nodded with a grin before the lights dimmed.
The viewing starts with a view of a city, the words 'City A-Hero Association Headquarters' are on the front.
"So that's the Hero Association?" Saitama asked.
"The main branch, yes. It is the central hub for the entire Hero Association." Amai Mask explained.
"It is here that the major decisions of the Hero Association take place, along with monitoring the other cities, communication, and other such functions." Sekingar added.
"Huh...alright." was all Saitama said.
"It's decided. Mumen Rider will remain the top ranked Class-C hero." said a man as the scene fades to show a gathering of Hero Association executives inside an office of the Hero Association.
"Understood. I will inform him of our decision." another responded.
"It's baffling. I don't know why he has no desire to move up to Class-B." a balding executive said.
"And once again, he turns down the offer to rise to Class-B." the same executive said with a sigh.
"Maybe he doesn't feel confident enough to move up to Class-B?" Darkshine suggested.
"After that encounter with the Paradisers, he should stay in Class-C." said Tornado.
"Whatever the reason, it is his choice." Bang answered.
"Our next item on the agenda for this meeting: The 55th Hero Certification Exam and the circumstances surrounding it. Currently, the total number of candidates is..." an executive began before looking at a female executive.
"11,684, with the exam offered at six different venues. That is an increase of more than 22% over the previous exam." she said, earning smiles from most of the executives.
Most of the executives watching share in their enthusiasm, especially the ones that weren't there on the screen.
"Over 11,000 potential heroes." an executive muttered with a grin.
"It's a shame that not all of them will have what it takes to become heroes, but there must be some who will pass." another stated before glancing at Saitama and Genos. "And if not, there's always these two."
"Indeed. From what we've seen, they've more than earned their spots in Class-S." Sitch said with a smile, with all the other executives nodding.
Zack gave a quiet sigh and shake of his head before the viewing continued.
"We mustn't be happy with simple quantity." said the balding executive, making most of them look at him while the Bespectacled Worker continued to look at the papers. Scene then shifts over to the executive speaking. "Even with more candidates, if the quality of the heroes is reduced, then the numbers are meaningless."
"Indeed. Many of the candidates that do actually manage to make it in end up in Class-C. A few are lucky to have what it takes to be Class-B, but rarely do any make it to Class-A." said the Bearded Worker.
"Whatever. They're just a bunch of nobodies anyway." Tornado scoffed.
"What's with her?" Saitama asked the others.
"She's just an annoying little brat." Metal Bat answered.
"What did you just call me?!" she yelled, her power flaring up.
"You heard me! You wanna go?!" Metal Bat snapped, his grip tightening on his bat.
"Could you two please quiet down? I'm trying to watch this." Flash asked in a calm sigh.
"Stay out of it!" they snapped.
"Come on, you guys! Cut it out already!" Child Emperor said while waving his arms, trying his best to calm them down.
"Child Emperor's right. Let's not fight." Darkshine added.
"Shut up!" Tornado yelled.
"Tornado, can't we-" Fubuki began before Tornado glared at her, immediately shutting her up before she and the other heroes continued to argue.
"It's times like these that make me glad I don't attend any meetings." Blast said while rubbing his temples.
"Yeah. They're like powder kegs, and each one attending just shortens the fuse." Zack said to him before shifting back to their dimension. He then stood up, cleared his throat, then took a tiny Moai statue from his pocket and aimed it at them all. "If you please." he said to it.
"QUIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEET!"
Everyone waited a moment before slowly uncovering their ears, then looked at Zack as he put the little head away.
"If you don't knock it off and settle down right now, I'm going to nail you to your seats and make you all holds hands for the rest of the current viewing! Understand?!" he snarled, his eyes shining. Half of them growled while the other half sighed in relief before they all sat down. "Good choice." he said before sitting back down himself and resumed the viewing.
"Therefore, we must be even more critical during evaluations." he declared before looking off screen. "Also, it's my understanding that a certain person of interest is taking the exam this time."
Scene shifts to the Bearded Worker.
"Yes, sir. It hasn't been confirmed yet, but I'm confident that his participation will indeed occur." the Bearded Worker says as the scene shifts to the paper he's holding, a photo of Genos printed on it.
"That's right. They were talking about you after that whole thing with the House of Evolution." Puri Puri Prisoner said in remembrance.
"You have been looking for me? Why?" Genos asked. The executives all began to whisper before Amai Mask stood up.
"To recruit you, of course." he said, gaining everyone's attention. "We've been hearing about your deeds of justice and believed you would be an excellent addition to the ranks of the Hero Association."
"You all want Mr. Genos to be a hero too?" Tareo asked.
"Indeed. With his capabilities and our communication network, it would be a major boon against crime and monsters." Sekingar spoke up before looking at Genos. "How about it, Mr. Genos? Want to be an official hero? And if you join, we'll use our network to keep an eye out for that rogue cyborg you've wanted to find." He then turned to Saitama. "And if you join as well, Mr. Saitama, we will make sure that the people will know you to prevent any further misunderstandings like with what happened because of the Paradisers."
"Eh, sure. Why not?" Saitama answered with a shrug.
"Excellent. When we get out, we'll have you two immediately signed up as heroes." Sekingar said while the executives smiled.
"Welcome to the team." Amai Mask said.
"Woohoo! New heroes!" Tareo cheered.
"Tch. Hero Association. Worthless garbage." Sonic grumbled, earning glares from the others.
"Yes! Yes! Excitement! Now let's settle down and watch. The good stuff is finally showing up." Zack told them, making them sit down and watch.
Scene returns to show people gathering around and entering the testing location from the Hero Association.
"Candidates! Please form two lines for registration! Each line, single file! Thank you!" a worker said in a loud voice to be heard as the scene shifts around, showing many different people, young and old, in different costumes and going through different physical tests.
"I remember this when I applied." Metal Bat said with a small smile.
"Indeed. It all feels like it was such a long time ago." Bang reminisced, with Darkshine smiling as well while Watchdog Man simply scratched behind his ear with his hind leg.
"So all of these people will try and become heroes?" Tareo asked.
"That's right. And if they pass, then they're in." Tank-Top Master answered with a smile.
Scene changes to Saitama as it pans up, showing off his muscular physique and blank face while he scratches his back.
"Oh my~" Prisoner whispered, looking on the verge of drooling.
Scene then shows other candidates looking at Saitama and chuckling at him.
"Why are they laughing?" Tareo asked.
"It's probably because they think he's weak, or that his face looks so bland." Flashy Flash answered.
"Plus, his muscles aren't as big as the ones that some of them have." Darkshine added.
"One shouldn't judge another on appearance." Bang wisely said. "After all, without the Hero Association, many of us would just be random strangers."
"You mean we'd all be like Mr. Saitama since he doesn't know any of you?" Tareo asked.
"Indeed." Sitch nodded as they all watched the screen.
"Next, side-to-side jumps for 30 seconds! Ready?!" a worker called out before Saitama hunched over. His face then changed into a sharp and focused expression. "GO!"
Saitama then begins to hop left and right so fast that he was a blur, shocking all the candidates that were laughing at him.
"HA! Who's laughing now?!" Metal Bat called out while Tareo blinked after trying to follow Saitama.
Scene changes to Saitama squatting down next to two other candidates that were in runner positions.
"Next, the 1500 meter run! GO!"
Saitama takes off before the scene changes to two other candidates running. He runs past them, then again a moment later, startling them and the workers. One looking at his stopwatch in shock while the other hastily brings out the white ribbon just before Saitama runs through.
"Nice speed." Flash commented.
"Wow. You're complimenting another's speed?" Atomic Samurai joked, earning a glance from Flash.
"Next, weightlifting!"
Saitama lifts a massive dumbbell far larger than what the other candidates had over his head with one hand.
"Nice! I wonder if you could handle any of my weights?" Darkshine said with a smile.
"You got something bigger than that?" Saitama asked, earning a nod from Darkshine.
"Next, shot put!"
The ball goes flying up through the roof, making the workers look while Saitama moves his arm and heads for the next test.
"I hope they don't fine me for that." Saitama said, worried they'd make him pay for the ball and ceiling.
"Vertical jumping!"
Saitama jumps all the way to the ceiling, then gets his head stuck and just dangles there while the workers look up in astonishment.
Many burst into laughter at the sight, with the most stoic either silently grinning or doing their best to hold it in. Even Saitama was chuckling.
"Whoops. Too high." the bald hero snickered
"You got your head stuck in the ceiling!" Tareo laughed.
"You...You..." Fubuki got out, the rest lost in her laughter.
"I think we're gonna need a bigger testing site." Bearded Worker chuckled, making a few others laugh harder.
"That never gets old!" Zack howled as he fell out of his seat.
"*pfft* Idiot!" Tatsumaki snickered as she hid a big grin under her hands.
"Ho-Hold the-Hold the movie! I gotta piss!" Metal Bat wheezed, tears of laughter in his eyes as he got up and headed for the bathroom, followed by a few others. A minute later had them all calming down and getting out of the bathroom and returning to their seats.
"Whack-a-Mole!"
Saitama smashes the moles at the exact moment they come out with such speed and force that it both exceeds 999 and starts to break the machine.
"One trip to an arcade and you'd win every ticket just from Whack-a-Mole." King said with a smile.
"Punching machine!"
Workers are gathering around the destroyed machine before the scene zooms out, showing Saitama standing there with a smoking fist while more workers gather at the wall the machine went through as well.
"I'm not gonna have to pay for those either, am I?" Saitama asks.
"No. We don't make the other hero candidates pay when they break something during testing." the Bespectacled Worker answered.
"That's good. I don't think I have enough to pay for it." Saitama says in relief.
Scene goes back to the group of candidates, who had trickled down to just three men. The short one was trembling with an uneasy smile. The tall one with a blue mask just turned and walked away. The last one just stood there sweating.
"I'm leaving." he says.
"Pathetic." Tatsumaki huffed. "They see Saitama dominate the tests and just run with their tails between their legs?"
"They and all the other heroes at the site. In fact, the others never finished the physical tests after seeing Saitama do them." Zack explained.
"You mean that all the other candidates left?!" McCoy asked in stunned surprise.
"Perhaps they thought that what Saitama did was what the other heroes in the field do as well." Zombieman guessed.
"I didn't mean to scare them." Saitama said before blinking. "Oh wait. This hasn't happened yet. Guess that means they'll have a chance if I don't go all out." A bunch of executives liked the sound of that.
The Ultimate Master
"Ultimate Master? Who's that?" Saitama asked.
"I believe it to be you, Master Saitama." Genos said without hesitation.
"Of course he'd say that. He's his disciple." an executive stated.
Scene changes to the changing room of the testing site, the camera panning over before stopping at Saitama.
"Finally. Done with all the tests." Saitama says as the camera shifts, showing a close-up of Saitama's body as it pans up to his face. "Now I just wait for the results."
A wolf-whistle came from within the audience, making everyone perk up.
"Knock it off, Prisoner." Atomic Samurai groaned.
"That wasn't me." the homosexual hero denied.
"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Metal Bat asked.
"Have you forgotten that there are women here too?" Zack asked. That got the men to look at the women in the crowd, including Fubuki and Tornado.
"What are you idiots looking at?" Tornado asked with a glare before turning to her sister. "And that better not have been you."
"It wasn't!" Fubuki hastily answered, not wanting her older sister to get angry at her.
"You sure?" Zack asked from right behind her, making her jump out of her chair before glaring at his retreating form.
Saitama then looks to the left before turning his head.
"Hey." he says before the scene shifts, showing Genos approaching, his cyborg body no longer covered in clothing. "Are you done too?"
"Yes." Genos answers.
"Say, uh, what's the point of you taking fitness tests?" Saitama asks, earning a confused "Huh?" from Genos. "Well, I mean can't you just give them the data on your specs or something?" That just got another grunt out of Genos.
"He's got a point. Why make a cyborg do fitness tests?" Metal Bat asked.
"We could, but we'd rather see their abilities in action, to make sure that they can function and to see how well they perform." said the Bespectacled Worker.
"Indeed. I had to go through the same process as well." Drive Knight answered.
"Oh...okay." the bat wielding hero said with a shrug.
"Never mind. So, how did it go?" Saitama asks.
"The challenges were far too simple. Both the written and fitness exams." Genos answered with a confident smile.
"I know, right? Is that really all there is to becoming a hero?" Saitama asked with a smile of his own.
"We should get our results soon. 70 points is a passing grade." Genos stated before giving off an amused chuckle. "The written test was so easy. Anyone could get full points on it. That just leaves the fitness test, which for us poses no problem."
"No shit." an executive chuckled.
The scene changes to a white background, the words -ONE HOUR LATER- in bold in the center.
"We have to wait an hour?" Saitama asked with a frown. "Why does it take that long?"
"It takes time to review the results and judge where you will be placed if you get a good enough score to be considered a hero." explained an executive named Guiches.
"I got 100 points." Genos stated as the scene focused on his test results, showing that he got a 50 on both the physical and written exams.
"Very impressive." Bang complimented.
"That will get you in the upper ranks of Class-A, no doubt." Tank-Top Master added.
"You're kidding, right? The guy's Class-S material, hands down." said Metal Bat.
"Seriously?" Saitama asks.
"Yes." Genos answers before reading more of his test results. "It says that I am now fully certified as a Class-S hero."
"Told ya." Metal Bat smirked while the executives all smiled at the results.
"Class-S? What's that mean?" Saitama asks in confusion.
"When it comes down to it, I am sure that these rankings mean very little." Genos answered.
"Actually, they're very important in determining the appropriate placement of heroes." an executive stated. "Without it, we might put the wrong hero in the wrong class by mistake, or even let a normal civilian become a hero."
*COUGH* *COUGH*
Everyone turned to King as he starting hacking before taking a drink from his cup.
"...popcorn...wrong tube..." he got out after a moment.
"Make sure not to bite of more than you can chew." Pig God told him.
"Like you have any room to talk." Tornado scoffed.
"So how did you do?" Genos asked. Saitama blinks before he begins to take his results out, stopping halfway.
"Oh! The letter says I'm also-"
"Class-S" Genos finished as he viewed the paper over Saitama's shoulder. "I am not surprised." he said, making Saitama look back at him. "On top of that, the font size is bigger than mine." he added before Saitama smiled at the results again.
"Bigger font size?" an executive asked before their eyes widened. "But...no, it can't be..."
"Just as I expected. By the way, what did they ask you at the interview?" Genos asked.
"Interview?" Saitama said in confusion.
"Yes." said Genos. Scene suddenly changes to show the Bespectacled Worker, the Bearder Worker, and the overweight executive with a small mustache all sitting at a table, with Genos sitting in a seat by himself.
"Just one final question, Genos." said the Bespectacled Worker before he shows Genos a picture of the House of Evolution's Headquarters on a tablet. "Does this building look familiar to you?" We've been secretly investigating a group of troublemakers that call themselves the 'House of Evolution.' Just when we identified it's center of operations, we found the building had been mysteriously destroyed."
"Obliterated by intense firepower." the Bearded Worker added as the Bespectacled Worker changed the picture on the tablet, showing the destruction caused by Genos.
"Are you responsible for this?" the Bespectacled Worker asked.
"I am. Why?" Genos answered. The three executives quietly gasped before the Bearded and Bespectacled Workers smiled at each other while the overweight executive pushed a stamp onto Genos's papers, leaving the words CERTIFIED CLASS S on them.
"It's official. Welcome to the team, Genos." Amai Mask said with a smile while the executives and a few of the other heroes clapped.
"You'll probably be at the bottom, but if you work hard your rank shall increase." Tank-Top Master said.
"Doesn't matter what rank you are. If you're in Class-S, you're seen as one of the strongest." Atomic Samurai stated.
"I see. I shall remember that." Genos said as he wrote into his notebook.
"Wonder if I'm at the bottom as well." Saitama said out loud in thought.
"Probably, but with your strength, it won't be long until you climb the ranks." King said with a confident smile.
"He's right, you know." Zack said as he put something into his ears.
"What are you doing?" Child Emperor asked.
"Preparing." was all he said before they turned back to the screen.
Scene fades back to Genos in thought.
"I see. I suppose it must be that they felt no need to go through the trouble of interviewing you." Genos said after a moment. The scene changes to show Saitama looking away towards the window. "Master?"
"Oh you better not have been rejected!" Metal Bat snapped.
Saitama turns to Genos, a strained smile and dead look in his eyes.
"Maybe. Or it's because I'm a Class-C hero with a score of 71 points." he got out in a tight voice before holding up his results, showing that he was in Class-C. "Maybe that?"
"WHAAAAT?!"
Zack winced after the majority of the room yelled in outrage.
"Next time, remove ears from head." he muttered while removing his earplugs while everyone in the room were beginning to rant.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
"A powerhouse like Saitama in Class-C?!"
"This is ridiculous!"
"Guess I do poorly on the written test."
"Which one of you assholes decided to put him in Class-C?! I'm gonna smash their head in!"
BANG!
Everyone either jumped or got ready to attack before they saw Zombieman put his gun away.
"We can all agree that putting Saitama in Class-C is wrong in many ways, but yelling and griping about it won't do any good." he said. "Besides, these events haven't happened yet, so this mistake can be rectified."
"Indeed." Flashy Flash said with a nod before turning to glance at the executives. "However, that will only be if those in charge of such decisions don't make the same mistake."
"Now hold on! There must be a reason for this to have happened!" Sekingar said before pointing at Saitama's results. "Look at his written test results."
"Fuck the written test! Half of us in Class-S probably couldn't get a full 50 on that shit!" Metal Bat snapped. "You're gonna make Saitama a Class-C hero because of that?!"
"That's not the only reason." Zack spoke up, gaining their attention. "There are two other factors which lead to Saitama being placed in Class-C."
"Really? What are they?" Pig God asked.
"First is that, despite his impressive displays of strength and speed, nobody knows who Saitama is, nor of any of his accomplishments." Zack explained.
"Even if nobody knows him, that kind of power would certainly catch the Hero Association's eye." Child Emperor stated.
"And it does, but the second reason throws that argument out the window." Zack said with a sigh and a shrug.
"What's the second reason?" Sitch asked.
"This." Zack said before pushing his head down before pulling it back up, his face now looking like the overweight executive. "We must be even more critical during evaluations." he said in the executives voice.
Everyone stared at Zack before giving the executive blank looks, making him tug at his collar and sweat.
"So Saitama got put in Class-C because you opened your big mouth." Tornado said before sighing in frustration. "The Association is run by idiots."
"I'll say." Sonic muttered.
"And this is another reason I brought you all here." Zack said in the executive's voice before he poked his head, making it pop before his normal head came out of his shirt. "To see the consequences of your decisions."
"Rest assured, we'll make this right and place Saitama as a Class-S hero when we return." Guichess declared.
"I don't know about that." Zack said, to everyone's great confusion. "I said that there would be consequences. I didn't say if they were good or bad."
"I've got nothing against the lower ranks, but what exactly would be considered good from putting Saitama in Class-C?" Watchdog Man asked.
"Just watch. You'll see." Zack said. Everyone either groaned or sighed at their lack of answers before turning back to the screen.
Genos gasps at the news before his eyes start to analyze the paper. "I see." he says before the scene changes to his P.O.V, showing the lower half of an S appearing near the C on the page. "So I mistakenly thought the top half of the 'C' was an 'S.'"
"STOP ANAYLZING IT, JERK!" Saitama snapped.
"It must be a mistake. I will talk to the person in charge." said Genos.
"No, don't! You'll just embarrass me!" pleaded Saitama before a voice came over the intercom inside the room.
"Mr. Genos, Mr. Saitama, there will be a seminar for successful candidates at 4:00 PM. Please come to lecture hall #3."said the man.
"Alright, come on. All that really matters is we passed." Saitama said while gently waving his results about before he walked towards the exit. "Let's get it over with and go home."
"So I become an official hero." Saitama said.
"Yeah, but for Class-C." Tatsumaki reminded him.
"What's the difference?" the bald hero asked.
"Class-C heroes aren't called to take care of monsters unless they're of threat level of Wolf, and only in groups." Sitch explained.
"Meaning that you won't be called to take care of anything super dangerous, like Demon or Dragon level threats." McCoy added.
"What if I go if I hear about a monster anyway?" Saitama asked.
"After seeing your strength, we wouldn't stop you." an executive stated.
"And if the people were to see your strength in action, then moving you up in the ranks will be quite easy." said a female executive.
"Though that may cause some problems." Sitch said with a grimace.
"What do you mean?" Saitama asked.
"You'll find out later on. Now shush!" Zack snapped before grinning. "I wanna get to the good part."
"We've finally found the cyborg we've been looking for." came the Bearded Worker's voice as the scene changed to that of a television film set.
"Where's this?" Tareo asked. "Is this at the Hero Association?"
"So I've heard." came Amai Mask's voice off screen.
"In consideration of his past accomplishments, we made an exception and certified him as a Class-S hero." the Bearded Worker continued as the scene shifted to show two women attending to a man on his phone before they bowed while he waved his thanks at them. "I just wanted to make sure you were notified of this." he continues as the scene shifts, showing it is Amai Mask on the phone.
"Yes, and I approve." he says with a smile before looking down at Genos's confidential file. "Hmm...Genos, huh?"
"And not a word about Saitama." said Flashy Flash.
"Yeah. You'd think that a guy going through all the tests like that would be something they'd think you'd be interested in." Watchdog Man added.
"Actually, it's my fault on that." Amai Mask answered with a sigh, earning all of their attention. "I only like to be involved with matters with new heroes if they make it to Class-A and above since they have an impact on society."
"So that means Saitama here will continue to fly under your radar until he makes it to Class-A?" Tank-Top Master asked.
"If not for this viewing into the future, then yes." the handsome hero answered.
Scene changes to a close up of a sign that read LECTURE HALL #3 before changing again to show Saitama and Genos sitting at the front, a man in a snakeskin suit standing at the podium.
"Oh cool! It's 'Snakebite' Snek!" Tareo exclaimed with a big smile.
"Is he a hero?" Saitama asked.
"Correct. Class-A, Rank 38." Sitch explained.
"They say that when he fights, people sees visions of snakes attacking his opponents." Tareo said, reading some of what was written inside his Hero Almanac. "I wish I could see it myself." His eyes suddenly widened before he turned to Zack, who looked back for a moment before grinning.
"First, congratulations on passing." Snek said before the scene shifted, showing a stoic Genos sitting quietly while Saitama slouched in his chair and loudly chewed some bubblegum.
"Alright, stop the viewing." a female executive suddenly said.
"What's wrong?" another executive asked.
"It's...that hoodie that Saitama's wearing!" she answered with a blush.
"What's wrong with my hoodie?" Saitama asked.
"What's wrong with it?! Look at it!" she snapped, pointing at the word OPPAI on it with a pair of breasts underneath. "How can you wear something like that?!"
"Because it was cheap, it's comfortable, and it made me laugh a little when I first saw it." Saitama answered, making the woman glare at him.
"Can you question him about his clothing choices after the viewing?" Flashy Flash asked with a slight glare.
Scene shifts to Snek looking a little irked at Saitama.
"Now one of you only made it on a fluke, so unless you want your luck to go to waste, I better see you giving it your all." said Snek.
"You can't say he's wrong." Atomic Samurai spoke up. "If Saitama had gotten an ever worse score on his written exam, he wouldn't have passed at all."
"Still, he can work his way up through the ranks if he does hero work." Puri Puri Prisoner commented.
Scene shifts back to Genos and Saitama, then back to Snek as he points at them.
"And don't get all puffed up! From here on, keep your hero status in mind and act modestly! After all, your faces will be placed on the Hero Association website." he says as the scene shifts back to Genos and Saitama, the latter of which begins to blow a bubble.
"You really just don't give a shit, do you?" Metal Bat asked with a smirk.
"Well just from watching this, I can tell that the seminar's pretty boring." Saitama answered.
"Whether they're boring or not, they're necessary for new heroes so that they learn what is expected of them." said Guiches as he took a drink, which had transformed into a shot glass.
Scene goes back to Snek, who was now giving Saitama an enraged smile.
"Did you hear me? That goofball head of yours is gonna be shown to the whole world. If you don't want to humiliate yourselves..." he began before he suddenly jumped onto the podium and began to throw out strike at the air, finishing with a pose. "Aspire to be a fine hero like me!"
Everyone just stared at the screen, each of them wondering if what they saw just happened. The only ones who weren't staring were Amai Mask, who was covering his eyes with one hand while shaking his head in embarrassment, Tareo, who was watching in awe, and Zack, who was giving off a silent laugh in his seat.
"So...you guys want me to be a hero like him?" Saitama asked.
"NO!" the majority of the heroes yelled.
"What he meant was to not do anything to hurt the Hero Association's image." Sekingar explained.
"No committing crimes and other stuff like that." Child Emperor summed up.
"Oh, okay." Saitama said with a nod.
Saitama and Genos are silent as Saitama blows the bubble bigger before it pops, covering his entire face.
"Master!" Genos cried out in concern as Saitama starts pulling it off his face.
The audience chuckled at that.
"That's one perk about not having hair. You can't get gum stuck in it." Fubuki commented.
Scene shifts back to Snek
"As a Class-A hero, I have some influence over the Association. I'll make sure those who behave irresponsibly..." he began before the scene shifted again, showing a close-up of him as he finally snaps. "LOSE POINTS AND GET DEMOTED! DON'T YOU FORGET IT!"
Scene shifts to Saitama lounging and staring at the ceiling while tugging at the last bit of gum stuck to his face.
'What should I have for dinner?' he thought.
"Once again, no shits given." Metal Bat chuckled.
Scene changes to later in the day. Saitama and Genos are walking while Saitama is reading a pamphlet about the Hero Association.
"Apparently, the Hero Association was formed about three years ago." said Genos.
"So it's only been three years?" Saitama asked, his eyes still on the pamphlet.
"It was after the grandchild of a millionaire called Agoni was attacked by a monster. The child was saved by a passerby. When Agoni heard what had happened, he came up with this system and used his fortune to establish the Hero Association." Genos continued as the scene shifted, showing a picture of a man with a big chin inside the pamphlet.
"Well that was nice of that guy to save Agoni's kid, whoever he was." Saitama said with a smile. He frowned when the viewing didn't continue and turned to Zack to ask why, only to that everyone in the room was now staring at him. "What?"
"The Hero Association was started three years ago." Child Emperor said.
"Okay." Saitama said with a nod.
"Agoni's grandson was saved three years ago." Flash added.
"Uh huh." Saitama nodded again.
"Are you that dense?" Sonic muttered while facepalming.
"What?" Saitama asked.
"Oh for crying out loud! Don't you get it, you bald moron?!" Tatsumaki snapped before flying over and getting in Saitama's face, poking his chest with her finger. "Agoni's grandkid was the kid you saved three years ago! YOU ARE REASON THE HERO ASSOCIATION EXISTS IN THE FIRST PLACE!"
Saitama just sat there as the words rattled in his head before his eyes slightly widened.
"Oooh...Okay." was all he said.
"Okay? OKAY?!" she yelled, making him wince.
"What's the big deal?" he asked.
"The 'big deal' is that you don't seem to care much about the fact that you saving Agoni's grandchild started the Hero Association." said Zack. "If you had just kept on walking that day, the kid would be dead, and the Hero Association may have never been started. Meaning there would be no organization to properly and efficiently handle the monsters."
"If not for the Hero Association, many of the cities would be nothing ruins now. And the death toll over the last three years would have skyrocketed." Metal Knight added.
"Oh. Okay, cool." Saitama said with a small smile.
"For...you...rrrgh!" Tornado growled, veins popping up on her forehead at Saitama's attitude to such critical information.
"Just like Metal Bat said. No shits given." Zack spoke up. "Now kindly sit down so we can see the rest. We're not even halfway done with this viewing."
"Tch. Whatever." she huffed before flying back to her seat.
"Well, they put on some pretty boring seminars." said Saitama.
"In any case, as new heroes, we'll be known around the world." Genos said with a smile before slowing down a bit. "Now we can work with our heads held high."
"As all heroes should." said Amai Mask.
Genos stops walking.
"Master." he says, making Saitama stop and turn to him. Genos is smiling, but his eyes are shadowed. "Now I am officially your disciple." he says, making Saitama look at him with his mouth slightly agape.
"Oh yeah. My future self said that." Saitama said before sighing. "I haven't the first clue about teaching anyone anything."
"It's not all that hard. If the student works hard and follows your teachings, then you'll have done fine as a teacher." Bang said with a smile.
"Yeah, but all I know is strength training. How's that supposed to help a cyborg?" Saitama asked.
"Hmmm...That's a good question." Bang admitted.
"Please continue to guide me as my mentor." Genos said as he stood straight, arms at his sides.
"Yeah..." Saitama responded.
"All right, Master. Good night." Genos said while giving a light bow.
"Yeah, see you." said Saitama while waving his new disciple goodbye. Genos turns and walks away. 'Crap. My I shouldn't have been so quick to say I'd take a disciple.' Saitama thought as the scene shifted, showing a face that said he was in over in head. 'Especially this guy.'
"Good luck." Atomic Samurai chuckled, making Saitama rub his forehead in frustration.
Scene changes to outside a room inside the Hero Association Testing Facility.
"Those two newcomers today. Did they really pass the exam?" Snek asked before the scene shifted to two cups of coffee sitting on a table. "Their attitudes were awful! I'm Class-A, Rank 38 damn it, and they had no idea who I was." he continued as he picked up a cup. "Plus they don't know the first thing about how the world works. They're a couple of amateurs! They'll be dead in no time." he says before he brings the cup close to his lips, the scene shifting to show the Bespectacled Worker staring out the window.
"That's what he thinks." Zombieman said after blowing some more smoke out of his mouth.
"No." the Bespectacled Worker said, causing Snek to look at him. "Genos got perfect scores on both the written and physical exams. He's a phenomenal rookie who gained a Class-S ranking right off the bat. The other one, Saitama, had terrible scores on the essay, but scored a perfect 50 on the physical. That's how he was able to pass at all."
"Still, seems like a load of crap to put him in Class-C." Metal Bat said with a frown.
"Cheer up. You, me, and Watchdog Man were in Class-C before they made Class-S, so Saitama will get there if people see how strong he is." Darkshine said with a confident smile.
Scene changes to a montage of scenes from the testing grounds, showing the aftermath of Saitama's physical test, with many people being astounded.
"But in practically every activity on the fitness exam, he broke the Hero Association's test records by inconceivable margins." the Bespectacled Worker continued, the last scene showing Saitama's footprint in the floor. "Frankly, it's as if there's a god residing in that body."
"Aw come on. That's a little much, don't you think?" Saitama asked. "I'm just an ordinary guy."
"With the strength to kill Dragon level threats like they're nothing." Child Emperor added.
Scene changes back to Snek, who is looking shocked after hearing about Saitama's physical test results.
"Snek, you've already been outranked by Genos. And Saitama may catch up with you soon enough." the Bespectacled Worker said. Snek's face drops after hearing that before an image of Saitama still messing with his gum appears on screen.
'That jackass?'
"That was uncalled for." Saitama said with an angry frown while Genos's eyes glowed in rage.
"I will make sure he pays for his insult, Master Saitama." Genos declares.
"And that's going too far!" Saitama snaps. "You can't go around attacking people just because they insult you!"
"I am not. I am going to do it because he insulted you, Master." Genos corrected.
"DON'T DO THAT!" Saitama yelled.
"He's right." Bang spoke up. "If anyone was punished for merely uttering an insult about someone else, humanity would die quicker than any monster attack could accomplish."
"Indeed. Even Miss Tornado wouldn't do something like that if someone commented on her height." Puri Puri Prisoner added before a green aura surrounded him.
"What was that about me?" she asked in a dangerous tone before she herself was surrounding in a white aura.
"He said you need to attend Anger Management. Now quit it." Zack warned. Tatsumaki glared at him before reluctantly relenting, which made Zack release his hold on her.
Scene changes to show the sky as the sun sets, the camera panning down to show Saitama walking.
'If I get to the top of Class-C, then I'll get promoted to Class-B, with Class-A above that, and Class-S even above that.' he thought before the scene shifts to a side view of him. 'I guess Genos is actually pretty amazing.'
"No." Genos denied. "Compared to you, Master, I am nothing."
"What are you talking about? You got a perfect score on both tests while I bombed the written part." Saitama argued.
"I find that such tests are a waste of time if they put someone as great as you in Class-C." Genos firmly declared before glaring at the executive who opened his mouth and sparked the whole thing with his 'quality over quantity' part earlier. "Especially when they're made by people like you." he finished, making the executive sweat in his seat.
"W-Well that's because the written test also helps us gauge the applicants state of mind!" the executive said in his defense.
"He's right." Amai Mask spoke up. "There have been plenty of hero applicants that met the physical standards, but were rejected due to their questionable answers on the written exam."
"What?" Saitama asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"He means that they wanted to be heroes for the wrong reasons." Atomic Samurai explained.
"Oh, okay." Saitama nodded.
Saitama suddenly stops walking and looks out over the lake that was nearby.
'I don't know...but maybe this isn't the kind of hero I wanted to be.' he thought.
A few of the executives looked horrified, scared at the thought that the current Saitama may change his mind about joining the Hero Association.
Saitama suddenly looks down the hill when he hears footsteps rapidly approaching, only to see Snek jumping up into the air.
"THE NEWCOMER SEMINAR ISN'T OVER YET!" he yells as he flips in the air before landing before Saitama and striking a battle pose.
"It's not? What else is there?" Tareo asked.
"Oh no." Sitch moaned.
"He's not..." Sekingar began.
"In this business, there's a thing called rookie crushing." Snek said.
"He is." Tank-Top Master sighed while most of the room groaned or rolled their eyes at Snek.
"Idiot." Tatsumaki huffed.
"...Rookie crushing?" Tareo asked, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"A lot of us heroes hate to be outranked. So we crush newbies early on...LIKE THIS!" he roared before throwing out a strike, an image of a snake following it, before he struck Saitama in the face. The scene suddenly blacks out as a loud crash is heard before it fades back. Snek was now lying unconscious in a small crater, his left cheek caved in and his legs sticking up, all while Saitama calmly walks on while a bird caws in the distance.
Most of the heroes laughed at the sight.
"You can't say he didn't deserve that." Child Emperor said with a smile.
"This is..." Amai Mask began before sighing and shaking his head while pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation.
"How many other heroes do you think will try to crush Saitama?" Metal Bat asked.
"Don't know, but it'll be funny to watch them try." Atomic Samurai answered with a grin.
Tornado was silent as she turned to give Fubuki a blank look. The younger Esper looked worried as she sank into her seat.
"...Rookie crushing?" Tareo repeated, his mind unable to comprehend such a concept.
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Tareo, but I'm afraid that it is indeed something that happens on occasion." Bang said with a solemn look.
"But...you're all heroes. You're supposed to fight the bad guys and monsters! Not each other!" he said.
"We do fight monsters and bad guys. Some, however, don't like to be outranked by others. Especially by new heroes." Zombieman explained.
"We really need to address this issue." an executive whispered to the other executives.
"If not for Saitama, then for the people who want to be heroes in the future." another executive added.
"You do and there may be hope for you dumbbells." Zack whispered as he floated above them, making them all jump while Zack flew back to his seat.
Scene fades in to a wide open area in the middle of nowhere. The area is barren and surrounded by high walls of rock. Genos and Saitama are the only two people there.
"Where are they now?" Puri Puri Prisoner asked, earning some shrugs from some of the others.
"Hero Registry?" Saitama asks.
"Yes." Genos answers as the scene shifts to his phone, the Hero Registry being displayed as Genos looks through it. "I am a Class-S hero and your are a Class-C hero. We are both ranked last in our classes."
"Last?" Watchdog Man asked in stoic surprise.
"Are you kidding me?! Bad written test result or not, his strength should've gotten him into a higher spot in Class-C!" Metal Bat yelled. All the heroes present nodded and spoke their agreement to his words while the executives either looked nervous or as outraged as the heroes. The worst of it was Genos, who looked ready to start attacking anyone.
"Cool it." Zack spoke up before Genos suddenly slumped in his seat. "I know you're angry, but you don't need to go ballistic. Remember that you're all here to correct yourselves and make sure certain things do and do not happen."
"You...are correct." Genos agreed after thinking it over, his body's functions being restored as he sat up in his seat before the viewing continued.
"Right now, were are still listed as Genos and Saitama, but as we perform more heroic acts, we will acquire hero names." Genos explained.
"Hero names? What are those?" Saitama asked.
"I believe they are like nicknames that capture's a hero's characteristics." Genos explained before looking back at his phone. "For example, I might be the 'Blond Cyborg.'"
"Original." Flashy Flash said with a hint of sarcasm.
Saitama lifts up his cape with a slight frown.
"Wait. If that's how it works, won't I be like the 'Caped Baldy.'"
"Caped Baldy?!" Darkshine yelped while many in the room started to crack up with laughter.
"Yeah, I don't think a name like that is for me." Saitama said, his expression more bland than usual.
"I don't know. I think it suits you, baldy." Tornado said with a small smile, earning a slight grunt from Saitama.
"Do you all just look at the hero and decide names like that?" Tareo asked the executives.
"No...well, not all the time." said an executive that was squinting.
"Well do us a favor and put some thought into Saitama's hero name when he gets one." Metal Bat said with a glare. "It's the least you can do after putting him at the bottom of Class-C."
"Why not name him One Punch Man?" Tareo asked, making them all look at him. He was sweating from all the sudden attention but kept speaking. "W-Well, I mean...that's the title that keeps showing up at the beginning, right? Plus, he...he does take out everything with one punch."
"One Punch Man...I like it." Zombieman said after a moment of thought.
"It certainly fits him, seeing as he can destroy anything with one punch." Prisoner added.
"Hmm..." Saitama hummed in thought.
"You don't like it?" Amai Mask asked.
"I just don't like being reminded about taking out anyone I fight with just one punch." he replied.
"You prefer Caped Baldy?" Tornado asked.
"One Punch Man doesn't sound so bad." Saitama answered.
"Aside from being ranked by ability, you can also be ranked by popularity. There are some heroes that have fan clubs." Genos explained, making Saitama gasp in slight excitement. Genos then puts his cellphone away. "Well, no one cares about that."
"Wha-?!" Saitama slightly yelped.
"You're definitely wrong about that." said Fubuki.
"Yeah. There's tons of heroes out there who like having fan clubs." Darkshine explained.
"Some people even try to become heroes just for the chance to have a fan club." King added.
"As long as they fight for justice and work hard to stamp out evil, then I have no problem with any hero having a fan club." Amai Mask spoke up.
"Cool." Saitama replied.
"Thank you for agreeing to my unreasonable request today." Genos spoke before the scene shifted to Saitama, showing him walking away.
"Yeah, well I did promise to make you my disciple." he says before he stops and turns back towards Genos. "Is right here good?"
"Yes." Genos answers.
"What's going on?" Tareo asked.
"You'll see~" Zack said with a big grin.
"So we're just having a practice bout, right?" Saitama asked.
"Yes, that's what I have in mind. But I want you to go all out, so I too will give it my all." Genos answers, his weapon system charging up as he gets into a battle position. "Please grant my request."
"I see now. A teacher and his student sparring." Bang said with a small smile.
"This should be good." Atomic Samurai smirked.
"Are those arms new?" Prisoner asked, looking at Genos's arms.
"They are. I believe they are the prototype set that Dr. Kuseno was working on." Genos answered. "Perhaps my future self wished to test them out."
"Who cares? We're about to see some serious fighting!" Metal Bat grinned.
Saitama just stands there as Genos activates the rocket boosters behind his shoulders, launching him at Saitama. The scene slows down just after Saitama bends backwards at the knee, avoiding Genos's kick. Genos then uses the thrusters in his hands to both reverse his direction and spin. Saitama bends forward to avoid another kick before Genos speeds away. The scene then shifts to show Saitama smiling before zooming out, showing Genos zooming around before flying in the air. He raises his leg high before using his shoulder thrusters to blast himself towards Saitama. Saitama speeds away to dodge just before Genos slams his foot into the ground, breaking it and leaving a small crater. Saitama watches from where he was in midair before noticing a bright light in the dust cloud. Scene shifts to Genos firing his Incineration cannon at Saitama, who quickly dodges, causing Genos's attack to blast part of the top of the canyon wall to bits, leaving scorched earth in front of the cyborg and near the area that Genos hit.
"That was close." Saitama comments after landing on his feet and looking where Genos hit. "My clothes could have got burnt up again."
Most of the audience was getting excited, with a few watching with an analytical eye.
"Very impressive." Bofoi commented, causing Drive Knight's eye to glance at him before going back to the screen.
"You've got power, but it's nothing if you can't hit your target." Sonic commented with a stoic expression.
"Indeed." Flash agreed.
Genos's arm returns to normal before he exhales a puff of smoke.
"I need more speed!" he says before he slams his palms onto the ground. Power runs through his arms before he begins to levitate. Scene shifts to Saitama as he looks back at Genos, who is slowly floating out of the crater before he speeds away with enough force that it tears the ground apart. Saitama then speeds off as well as both combatants begin to zoom around on the ground and in the air, leaving streams of smoke and craters everywhere.
"GO, MR. GENOS! GO MR. SAITAMA!" Tareo cheered while the others watched, their excitement far more concealed.
"I honestly don't know who to root for." Metal Bat laughed.
"It doesn't matter. Both are very powerful and fight for justice." Amai Mask answered as he watched the fight with a critical eye.
Scene then shifts, showing Genos pummeling Saitama with hundreds of punches, all while tearing up the canyon wall before stopping when he noticed Saitama disappeared.
'He's gone? Have I been chasing his afterimage this whole time?' Genos thought.
Flash and Sonic's eyes narrowed at that, both knowing that Saitama would have to be as fast as them to leave an afterimage.
Genos then looks back at the area before his eyes change, the scene shifting to his P.O.V as he tries to locate Saitama.
"There!" he says after locking onto Saitama running across the ground. The scene then shifts to show Saitama still running before Genos flies in and lands ahead of Saitama. Saitama skids to stop while Genos slams and locks his arms together before every weapon port opens up.
"INCINERATE!" Genos roars before a massive beam of energy shoots out in front of him.
"Impressive display of firepower." Bofoi commented while Child Emperor took a few notes of his own.
"Dr. Kuseno is always working on upgrades for me. It appears that my power has increased tremendously from the latest upgrade." Genos answered.
"Still, we have yet to see if it was effective against Saitama." Tank-Top Master spoke up.
'I got him this time. Master will have to take me more seriously now.' Genos thought before Saitama tapped his shoulder from behind. 'What the-?!' he thought as he looked over his left shoulder, with Saitama pressing his forefinger against Genos's cheek.
"Okay, I win." Saitama declared with a smile.
Most of the audience laughed at the scene, with Atomic Samurai and Silverfang sporting nostalgic grins. As Masters with their own disciples, they too had been in similar situations. Their students pulling out all the stops in an attempt to fight them, only for the Masters to flawlessly knock them down without even trying.
Genos then attempts to punch Saitama, who jumps out of the way and lands a good distance away, flailing a bit to keep from falling over after landing.
"Master."
"Yeah?"
"Have you forgotten the rules of the bout?" Genos asks before the scene shifts, showing an aerial view of the battleground. "Dodge any attack you are able to dodge. Take is seriously and no fooling around. Do not hold back. And...keep fighting until I am no longer able to fight." Genos reminded him before the scene changes to a few flashbacks of Saitama defeating Mosquito Girl and Carnage Kabuto.
'Even Master Saitama himself cannot explain. The secret to his power...' Genos thought before the scene shifted back to the present, showing Saitama standing there with his usual blank look, arms crossed over his chest. 'This fight may give me some insight into it.'
"Come on. You're overthinking it. You heard how I got so strong." Saitama complained.
"If doing what you did was all it took, there'd be thousands of people as strong as you out there." Child Emperor countered.
"Don't forget. Zack did say that your strength training was but a small piece of how you became so strong. Perhaps the fight will indeed give Genos, and all of us watching, another clue." said Puri Puri Prisoner.
"Well alright, but I still think you're all overthinking it." Saitama sighed before they all turned back to the screen.
Scene shifts back to Genos as he faces Saitama, his systems charging as he readies himself for Round 2.
"Show me no mercy."
"You have a death wish?" Tornado asked with a raised eyebrow.
Scene shifts to Saitama's face before shifting to his feet, his boots shifting as Saitama prepared to move.
Everyone tensed as they wondered what Saitama would do. Some were so far on the edge of their seat that they were practically nonexistent. In fact...
"What the-?! Where's my seat?!" Sitch suddenly yelped.
"Mine's gone too!"
"And mine!"
All of the seats were gone, along with the room. All that was around them was the battlefield that Genos and Saitama were sparring in.
"What happened?" King asked while Watchdog Man sniffed the air.
"I can smell the air. It's different from earlier." he said before sniffing the ground. "The ground as well."
"Not only that, but I can feel the ground." Darkshine added as he tapped his bare foot on the rocky surface.
"Yo Zack! What gives?" Metal Bat asked before looking around for him. "Where'd he go?"
Everyone turned when they heard a whistle, showing Zack smiling and waving before disappearing just as the Saitama and Genos that had been on screen started to move.
"Those were the rules, Master-" Genos began before Saitama suddenly appeared right in front of him. Genos gasped in shock before delivering a spin kick, which Saitama avoided by appearing behind Genos, fist cocked back. "No way!"
"Why are we seeing it like-?"
DEATH
That was most of them saw, most of them felt, as they all saw what looked like a giant version of Saitama throwing his punch. They could only stand and watch as Saitama stopped his punch just short of hitting Genos, a large gust of wind kicking up enough dust to cloud the area before it quickly began to settle. When it did, the area had been replaced with the movie theater they were in earlier. The screen was frozen as everyone tried to register what they had just seen.
"...w...what happened?" Tareo asked, his voice trembling as much as he was, his hands frantically shaking his book.
"I don't know...but I believe my heart stopped for a moment." an old executive answered.
"Yours and a few others." Zack answered with a smile. "Luckily, I brought you back a moment later."
"What...What exactly was that?!" Sitch demanded.
"That, director Sitch, was what one experiences when Saitama gets serious." Zack answers.
"How'd we end up on the battlefield?!" Sonic asked with a glare, his hands gripping themselves as used all his willpower not to shake from the lingering feeling of terror he felt at seeing that fist of Saitama's coming towards him.
"I brought you all into the scene for that moment with my power. As for why, which I know you are all curious about, there are plenty of reasons. However, I'll only be giving you one. Experiencing it first hand had a far larger impact on all of you that simply watching from the screen." Zack explained with a grin before pointing at the screen.
Saitama is the first to move as he lightly taps Genos's forehead with the back of his hand, his face back to normal.
"I'm starving. Time for lunch." he says with a smile before walking off screen. "Let's grab some udon noodles."
"Okay..." Genos finally says after the scene shifts to fully show his stunned look, his hair still swept back from the force of Saitama's punch. The scene then shifts again to show Saitama walking away while Genos stands there.
'I am prepared to do anything in order to become stronger. But...' Genos thought before looked over his shoulder, the camera zooming in on his eyes as they widened slightly, the pupils shrinking as well. 'I can't picture myself even approaching Master's power.'
The scene shifts again, showing the devastation caused by Saitama's attack. Genos could only stare at massive hole in what was once a sheer cliff of pure rock. If one took a closer look, they'd see a matching hole in the cliffside far off in the distance.
'...Not at all.'
Everyone was silent as they tried to register what they were seeing, each having various reactions.
All the executives nearly had their jaws unhinge from how far they'd fallen. Atomic Samurai's blade of grass fell from his slack lips. Metal Bat's weapon slipped from his hand and fell to the floor. Child Emperor's mind stopped functioning. Pig God kept bringing food to his lips, but his lack of eating meant it he was in some sort of autopilot mode, thus causing the food to just drop to the floor. Watchdog Man's expression shifted from stoic to wide-eyed. Blast lifted his shades and blinked at the scene. Even Tornado looked stunned at what she was seeing. The rest of the audience, aside from Saitama, simply stared in utter disbelief. The only sound that could be heard was the 'King Engine' coming from King, who was slightly hunched over, the shadows over his face hiding both his terrified expression and the fact that he just passed out from fear.
After their minds finally clicked, they began to speak.
"In...credible." Genos said in awe.
"I wonder if unleashing my power could match that." Pig God muttered to himself.
"I won't lie. I felt like I was about to be killed." Metal Bat confessed.
"Same." Darkshine added before shuddering. "And I thought I was strong."
"If I'm being honest, and I really hate to say it, I think Saitama may be far more powerful than any of us." Atomic Samurai admitted.
"Maybe all of you, but I'm still stronger." Tatsumaki said in a haughty tone.
"Then why is your hand trembling?" Flash asked, making Tornado's eyes fly open before gripping her right hand, which was slightly trembling, with her left hand and scowl.
"I think I may have to step down as Rank-1." Blast said, though no one could hear him.
"To think that a single being could have so much power.' Metal Knight thought before looking at Saitama. 'This man...is dangerous.'
"Huh. So that's what others see when I attack?" Saitama asked with a smile, excitement running through his calm demeanor at feeling that power against himself. "Man, it'd be cool if I could fight someone else with that much power."
"It may be possible." Zombieman stated before taking a long drag to calm his nerves while the others all turned to him. "If we keep watching, we may see more information into how you got your strength."
"Not only that, but we could do the same for all the heroes here." Puri-Puri Prisoner added with a smile.
"Not just us, but for any hero in the association." Tank-Top Master corrected.
"If that were to happen, there'd be no more need for different ranks and class." Sekingar said in realization. "If all the heroes had that much power, then Dragon level threats would be easier to deal with."
"That may not be the best idea."
Everyone turned to Bang as the elderly hero grimaced at the screen. "If other heroes were to have that kind of power, it would indeed bolster the Hero Association's fighting force. However, there's no guarantee that it wouldn't be misused."
"Ridiculous! No hero in the Association would ever-" an executive began to deny before Bang turned to him, his hardened glare practically daring the executive to continue. The two kept up their little staring contest before the executive reluctantly yielded, making Bang sigh and Tareo stare in shock, horrified that any hero would abuse any power they have.
"Let us continue." Sitch said, hoping to move to a different subject. The room agreed as they all turned back to the screen.
'King! Wake up!'
King was shocked and would've leapt out of his seat had Zack not taken control of his body's movements, making the Class-S hero slowly look up at the screen with a blank stare.
'You can thank me later for keeping you from screaming like a girl.' Zack mentally told him before the viewing continued.
Scene shifts back to Genos as he turns and looks at Saitama.
'He's on a different level.' Genos thought.
"That's an understatement." Fubuki muttered.
Scene shifts to Saitama as he stops and looks back over towards Genos.
"What's the matter? You don't like udon?" Saitama asked.
The scene then changes and pans through a parking garage.
"I see. That's his location? Thanks, I'll head there now." Amai Mask says on his phone while standing outside of his red sports car before the scene zooms in on him. "No, don't worry. I'm just going to let him know what the industry expects of him." he says before he enters his car.
"You're not talking about Saitama, are you?" Tank-Top Master said with a smirk.
"Considering that Saitama was put in Class-C due to a certain group's decision, I'd say you're right." Zombieman answered while the executives sighed.
The scene changes to show the outside of a small noodle shop at night.
"I'm glad you like udon." Saitama says before the scene shifts, showing Saitama and Genos sitting inside, a few other customers at different tables.
"Yes. I'm not very picky." Genos answers.
"Well, I'm also kinda low on funds right now." Saitama confesses before he spots something off screen and points with a smile. "Hey, how about another match, Genos?"
Genos looks before the scene shifts to show an ad for something called the 'SUPER-SPICY MEGA-MONSTER UDON CHALLENGE!' with the prize being 50,000 yen and failure being 10,000 yen.
"Sounds like something you'd enter, Pig God." Atomic Samurai said with a smirk.
"Actually, no." Pig God answered, shocking many in the room.
"Not a fan of udon?" Darkshine asked.
"No, I do. I'm just not allowed to enter eating contests, or restaurants that have all-you-can-eat buffets." the gluttony hero explained with a smile, earning a round of laughter from many in the room.
The scene shifts, showing the customers staring in awe.
"That's insane!"
"No way."
"Goodness, what a handsome young man."
Scene shifts to show a big bucket of udon on the table before Saitama's head smacks onto the surface, his face dazed and covered in sweat with a noodle coming out of his nose.
"...I give." he mutters in defeat before the scene shifts again, showing Genos drinking down the broth from his bucket before putting the bucket down.
"So, do I win?" he asks the chef, who only continues to stare in shock.
"I think you have." Child Emperor answered.
"The winner!" Zack announced while holding Genos's arm in the air.
"Put me down." Genos demanded.
"Killjoy." Zack pouted before dropping Genos and going back to his seat.
"Holy crap, you're awesome!" Saitama said before the scene shifts, showing the door to the udon shop opening, a pair of feet being all that was seen at the moment.
"Welcome. Sit anywhere-" the chef began before a man walked in, causing those who saw him to gasp. The scene shifts to show the man's smiling face as he walked in.
"Oh great. You again." Tornado grumbled.
Scene shifts back to Genos and Saitama.
"You must be Genos." says the man as he approaches them, making the two look up at him. The scene then shifts to show that it is Amai Mask. "I'm Amai Mask, Class-A Rank 1. I'd like to talk to you."
"Is Saitama invisible to you or something?!" Metal Bat snapped in anger.
"Even if he was put in Class-C, the least you could've done was say hi since he's also a hero." Darkshine added.
"He probably doesn't care since no one's heard of Saitama." Flash guessed.
"But Amai Mask is a crucial part of the Hero Association. Surely he'd have heard of Saitama's physical test results." Prisoner said.
"That's a fault on my part." Amai Mask admitted. "I only like to handle matters involving Class-A and above since they have the most impact on society."
"You still could've acknowledged his existence." King said with a frown.
"Class-A, Rank 1?" Saitama parroted after the scene shifted to him looking up at Amai Mask before the scene shifted again, showing three women reacting to Amai Mask.
"It's Amai Mask!"
"He's so gorgeous!"
"AAAAHHH!"
"Does that usually happen around Class-A heroes?" Saitama asked.
"Amai Mask isn't only the top of Class-A. He's also an actor, model, and singer." an executive answered.
"Oh, I see." Saitama nodded.
"Talk?" Genos asks.
"He might be a rookie crusher. Be careful, Genos!" Saitama whispers to his disciple.
"Well that's rude." Amai Mask said with a frown.
"Says the guy who acts like Saitama's not there." Zack countered.
"I see. Please wait here, Master." Genos says before he stands up. "Very well. I was just thinking about taking a walk to digest my food."
Scene shifts to Amai Mask as he smiles at the cyborg.
"How do you still eat?" an executive asked.
"Dr. Kuseno has given me many functions that allow to live as much as any other human." Genos answered. "Food is turned into biofuel."
"Impressive." Bofoi commented.
Scene changes to the side of the noodle shop, with Amai Mask and Genos talking.
"I hear you were certified Class-S by special exception." said Amai Mask.
"What of it?" Genos asks after the scene zooms in on them. Amai Mask only answers with more smiling. The scene then shifts back to inside the shop, where Saitama is chewing on the ice from his drink as he waits for Genos.
"I wonder if he's alright." Saitama said to himself before he sees the door open. Scene shifts to Genos closing the door behind himself before he walks in and sits back down across from Saitama. "Done already?"
"Yes."
"You really are Class-S. To have the top-ranked Class-A hero come to personally crush you." Saitama said with a smile.
"That's not it." Genos denies, making Saitama's smile disappear.
"So he wasn't here to fight? Then what gives?" Saitama asks.
"In short...he came to welcome me." Genos explained.
"Huh? What's that mean?" Saitama asked in confusion.
"Excuse me!" came an excited woman's voice from off screen. Both heroes turned before the scene shifted, showing the three women in the restaurant had gathered near them and were smiling at Genos. "You're friends with Amai Mask, right?" the one with pigtails said before holding her hand out towards Genos. "May I shake your hand?"
Genos stares at her before he holds his hand up, which the women grips and begins to shake, all while Saitama watches.
"Thank you very much!"
"Shake mine too!"
"AAAAHHHH!"
"Don't they care about Mr. Saitama?" Tareo asked.
"Unfortunately, Saitama is Class-C and not well known in the hero world in such a short amount of time." Sitch said, his voice tinged with regret.
"And Genos was put into Class-S, so he'd already have been known shortly after being accepted." Child Emperor spoke next.
"Plus, those three women saw Genos talking to pretty boy over here." Metal Bat said while throwing a glance at Amai Mask, who merely looked at him before looking back at the screen.
The scene changes, showing Saitama and Genos walking together.
"Class-S and Class-C heroes sure get treated differently." Saitama says before the scene shifts, zooming in on them as Saitama points at Genos's prize. "If you think about it, though, isn't that like fraud money?" he asks while Genos holds up the prize. The words 'WELCOME GIFT' in bold is on the top. "I mean, you're a cyborg, right?"
"Yes." Genos answered.
"What are you up to?" Zombieman asked.
"Being human, full of emotions and other things." Zack answered with a chuckle.
Scene shifts back to the two of them walking
"Never mind. In any case, now we're even with a win and a loss apiece. Starting today, we're professional heroes. Let's do our best, okay?" Saitama said with a smile.
"Yes." Genos responds before he looks down in thought, with Amai Mask's voice suddenly being heard.
"A professional hero must always be a beautiful symbol of justice." said the Class-A hero before the scene shows Genos flashing back to his talk with Amai Mask. "That is my philosophy. It's especially true if you're a Class-S hero."
"NOT!" Metal Bat shouted.
"Keep you useless philosophy to yourself." Tornado said to Amai Mask with a glare.
"I'm only speaking my mind." Amai Mask said with a disinterested look.
Scene shifts to show Genos glaring at Amai Mask before shifting back to the Class-A hero.
"Come on, there's no need to glare at me. I came all the way here just to see you." he said before the scene shifted back to Genos. "How was the Certification Exam?"
"It was nothing but rubbish. An exam like that is a waste of time." stated Genos, making Amai Mask blink before smirking. "If you came to fight, get on with it. This, too, is a waste of time." Genos declares as he takes step forward, only to stop when Amai Mask swiftly raises his hand.
"Being hot-blooded is fine, but if you take it too far..." Amai Mask began before the scene shifted to a close-up of him. "...you'll get burnt."
A few of the heroes wanted to see the two clash, if only to see Genos smack Amai Mask one.
The scene shifts back to Genos before returning to Amai Mask.
"I'll forget your criticism of the Association. Thank you for your time." he says before the scene shifts back to Genos, with Amai Mask walking by him, his hand on his shoulder until he's out of reach. "I welcome you to the team. We expect great things from you, Genos."
Genos looks back at Amai Mask as the other hero keeps on walking before the scene transitions back to Genos and Saitama walking until Genos stops.
"Master." Genos calls out, gaining Saitama's attention. He looks at the ground before looking up at Saitama. "I will be back later."
Saitama fully turns towards him with a small smile.
"Oh, okay. I'll see you." Saitama says before he waves him goodbye.
"Yes, goodbye." Genos responds with a bow before he turns and walks back the way he came. Saitama lowers his arm and keeps an eye on Genos before he turns and walks off towards home, the scene shifting to show an aerial view of the two.
"I like this music. It's...calming." an executive muttered.
The scene changes, showing Amai Mask in a bath robe and looking out at the city from his pent house suite.
"A waste of time? Such an interesting fellow." he says with a smile.
"So Saitama and Genos have become heroes." Watchdog Man said.
"Yeah, but Saitama got put in Class-C just because he got a bad score on the written exam." Darkshine reminded them all.
"A mistake we won't be making when we return." Sekingar stated.
"You better not make the same mistake." Metal Bat said with a harsh glare. "Especially after seeing him throw that Death Punch."
"That was scary." Tareo said, his body shuddering at the feeling of such power bearing down on him.
Others were thinking about that punch as well.
'Such immense strength. If he were to properly channel it, he'd become even more powerful. Perhaps he'd be willing to let me train him to hone it.' thought Flash.
'I wonder if Saitama would be interested in taking martial arts?' Bang thought with a hum.
'Able to destroy a mountain without even touching. If I can figure out the secret to that power, I'll be unstoppable.' Sonic thought, a grin forming on his face.
'If I had that strength under me, I could finally defeat my sister.' Fubuki thought, her eyes practically shining as the shadows hid her smile.
'I hope Zack lets me take this bucket home.' Saitama thought as he ate some more food.
Scene comes back to show Saitama at home. He was wearing his pajama pants and enjoying a popsicle, but was staring at something in mild shock.
"What's going on now?" Pig God asked.
"Uh...so when you said, 'I'll be back...', this is what you meant?" Saitama asked. The scene then shifts, showing Genos standing in the room with a very large backpack on his back.
"Yes. I went home to gather my things." Genos explained.
"Why would you do that?" Tareo asked.
Genos drops the bag on the floor before the scene shows a close-up of Genos.
"May I live here?" he requested.
"What?" Saitama said with wide eyes.
"Hmm. That may help me become stronger." Genos muttered before standing and turning to Saitama. "Master Saitama-"
"If you're asking to move in, forget it!" Saitama answers.
"No way. Absolutely not." Saitama answered.
"I have rent money." Genos said after dropping a thick stack of 10,000 yen bills on the table.
Saitama stares at the money just as much as the Saitama on screen was.
"You think he'll go for it?" Tank-Top Master asked no one in particular.
"Did you bring a toothbrush?" Saitama asks after the scene shifts to outside the apartment, showing it was a new day.
"Yes!"
"He went for it." Drive Knight answered.
"Rent money? But Saitama doesn't own the place." Fubuki argued.
"No, but he is living there, and Genos did ask." Bang answered.
"I will also pay rent." Genos told Saitama.
"Don't forget the toothbrush." Saitama answered.
"Idiots." Tatsumaki scoffed.
"Yeah, but it funny." Zack agreed.