"Excuse me, may I have a moment?"
As the atmosphere calmed, Sitch spoke up hesitantly.
He glanced at Yami with some apprehension, but remembering his purpose, he forced himself to step forward with sincerity, though a slight nervousness remained on his face.
Luckily for Sitch, Yami wasn't exuding any pressure.
If he had been, an ordinary person like Sitch, without any power, would have been crushed in an instant.
"Is there something you need?"
"Apologies for interrupting, sir."
"Allow me to introduce myself—my name is Sitch, and I'm one of the managers at the Hero Association."
Seeing that Yami wasn't particularly interested in his introduction, Sitch breathed a sigh of relief, his nerves easing a little.
It was clear that Sitch had experience managing such a large organization. Though he wasn't the true decision-maker, he was well-supported by the highest levels of the Hero Association.
"Sir, you've been to Q City before, right?"
"If you're referring to the Watchdog Man and Tatsumaki, I'll save you the trouble. I defeated them."
"So, is the Hero Association here to pick a fight?"
Yami's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke, his gaze suddenly sharp.
Even if unintentional, the subtle aura of intimidation made Sitch panic.
He was well aware that the man standing before him was a powerhouse—one who surpassed even most S-Class heroes, someone who could easily defeat a dragon-level monster.
If Yami were truly angered, no one would be able to predict the outcome.
The only thing certain was that Sitch would not leave this place alive.
Even if Bang was nearby, he wouldn't be able to stop such a thing.
Realizing this, Sitch quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.
"Sir, please don't misunderstand! I'm not here to cause trouble."
"I represent the Hero Association, and I'd like to formally invite you to join us and become a professional hero.
You won't need to take any tests—we'd immediately grant you the title of S-Class Hero. As for your ranking, we can discuss it, and I'm confident you'll be pleased!"
Sitch spoke quickly, laying all his cards on the table in a rush to avoid any further misunderstanding.
"In addition, the Hero Association provides monthly financial support to its professional heroes—especially S-Class heroes. The compensation is very generous, and I'm sure it would meet your expectations."
"No one will dictate your actions, and there are even extra rewards for taking down powerful monsters."
"So…"
Yami was impressed by Sitch's persuasiveness.
Sitch's words flowed like a machine gun, rapid and relentless.
At first glance, the offer sounded great—especially for an ordinary person. A steady income, with full autonomy over whether or not to fight, seemed like an ideal situation.
It was clear that the Hero Association was being sincere in its offer.
But unfortunately for them, Yami had no interest in joining.
More than that, he wasn't from this world and couldn't stay here for long.
Besides, these enticing conditions didn't appeal to Yami at all, so he remained unmoved.
"Stop."
"I have no interest in joining the Hero Association, so you can drop the idea."
"My goal is simply to challenge strong opponents, whether they be heroes, monsters, or even those who don't fall into either category.
"Ordinarily, I won't harm civilians.
"Consider that my show of mercy."
Yami's blunt refusal caught Sitch off guard.
Such an attractive offer—even among S-Class heroes, very few received such benefits—and yet Yami had turned it down without hesitation.
Sitch was left momentarily stunned.
The overwhelming difference in power left him with no room to argue.
Any thoughts of pressing the matter vanished instantly.
The only thing he could be grateful for was Yami's promise not to harm ordinary people.
As long as such a powerful being didn't side with the monsters, it was a blessing for the Hero Association.
In fact, it wasn't so bad that Yami chose not to join them.
At least in Q City, Yami had taken down that massive monster.
This showed that he wouldn't stand idly by while monsters wreaked havoc, so his absence from the Hero Association might not have much of an impact.
As for the possibility of someone else recruiting Yami…
Sitch couldn't help but smile inwardly.
People of Yami's caliber had their own principles and wouldn't allow anyone to control them.
This was true even for most S-Class heroes—let alone someone more powerful than them.
Feeling reassured, Sitch finally relaxed.
"I understand. My apologies for bothering you, sir."
"If you ever change your mind, the Hero Association's doors are always open to you!"
"And if you ever need anything, the Hero Association will be ready to assist."
Sitch's parting words were measured and polite.
After all, he was a seasoned professional, having navigated the complexities of the Hero Association for decades. He knew when to push and when to pull back, always aiming to maintain good relations.
Even if he couldn't recruit Yami, maintaining a friendly connection was still a win.
This approach had earned Sitch the favor of many S-Class heroes over the years, ensuring their cooperation in times of need.
It was all part of the art of managing relationships.
Yami noticed all of this and simply smiled, choosing not to comment further.
Seeing this, Sitch wisely decided to remain silent as well.