"Mr. Mundo, please confirm your fingerprint."
The receptionist's hands trembled as she held out the scanner. Her voice quivered slightly, betraying both awe and nervousness.
Fenric thought for a moment. Three years ago, when he left, Agoni had personally registered his biometric data.
He placed his finger on the scanner.
Beep!
A crisp sound followed by an electronic voice echoed through the hall:
"Authentication complete. Welcome back, Mr. Mundo."
The next instant—
"Ding-ding-ding! Ding-ding-ding!"
The loud chime of an alarm resounded throughout the entire Hero Association headquarters, ringing continuously through the halls.
Fenric blinked, looking puzzled. "What's going on?"
The receptionist, her face flushed and eyes wide with excitement, stammered as she tried to explain.
"P-please don't worry, Mr. Mundo! This… this is the return ringtone President Agoni set specifically for you! You've been gone for so long, and he missed you dearly. So he made sure that if you ever came back, the entire Association would know instantly—so that all departments could come greet you right away!"
"..."
Fenric was speechless.
This Agoni… still as dramatic as ever.
The receptionist composed herself, bowing politely. "Mr. Mundo, please wait here. I'm sure the executives will arrive very soon to welcome you personally."
Fenric nodded. "By the way," he asked casually, "is Agoni still the president?"
She shook her head. "Due to health reasons, Mr. Agoni stepped down two years ago. The new president is his eldest son."
"I see…" Fenric smiled faintly. "So the Buttchin family turned the Hero Association into a family business after all."
…
Moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.
A group of high-ranking officials rushed in, led by a stout, middle-aged man who bore a striking resemblance to the former president.
"Mr. Mundo!" the man called out, his face lighting up with joy. "You're finally back!"
He jogged over quickly, followed by a group of executives who bowed in unison.
"Welcome back, Mr. Mundo!" they chorused.
The commotion stunned everyone in the lobby.
Passersby paused, whispering among themselves.
"Wait… did they say Mundo?"
"The strongest human? The number one S-Class hero!?"
"Three years… after vanishing without a trace… he's finally back?!"
The murmurs spread rapidly through the hall.
A legend had returned.
…
"Mr. Mundo, this isn't the right place to talk," the president said quickly, wiping sweat from his brow. "Please, come with me."
Fenric nodded calmly and followed them into a private elevator leading to the upper floors.
Once they left, the receptionist was still standing in a daze, clutching her hands to her chest.
"Mr. Mundo is so handsome…!"
Her colleagues immediately swarmed her with questions, chattering like birds about every detail of his appearance.
…
In the President's Office
Fenric sat leisurely on the sofa, his expression calm and poised.
"I haven't seen your father in a long time," he said, glancing at the man across from him. "How has President Agoni been lately?"
The new president straightened respectfully. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Mundo. My father's health deteriorated, which is why he resigned. He's been resting these past years."
"I see," Fenric said, nodding thoughtfully. "Please give him my regards. If possible, I'll visit him personally."
The president smiled brightly. "He'll be thrilled to hear that! My father often speaks of you, Mr. Mundo. He always said that without you, there would be no Hero Association today!"
Fenric waved a hand modestly. "He gives me too much credit."
…
Meanwhile, the news of his return spread through the Hero Association like wildfire.
"The strongest human, Mr. Mundo, has returned!"
Within minutes, the entire organization was buzzing with activity.
…
In a luxurious penthouse apartment, a strikingly handsome man set down his phone, a faint smile on his lips.
"Mundo, huh?" he murmured. "You've finally returned… I've been waiting for this."
Deep in a secluded mountain dojo, a swordsman looked at his phone, sharp light flashing in his eyes.
"The named Strongest returns… Mundo."
Elsewhere, in a hidden training hall—
"Master!" a disciple shouted. "We just received word—Mr. Mundo has come back!"
An old man's cloudy eyes cleared instantly, glowing with excitement.
"So the legend lives again…"
And in the depths of a dark underground base, lit only by flickering machinery—
A cold, mechanical voice echoed.
"Mundo, the strongest human? I wonder… how he compares to my ultimate weapon."
…
Back at the Hero Association Headquarters
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Fenric got straight to the point.
"President, I've heard that Kaijin activity has been increasing recently."
The president nodded solemnly. "Yes. But now that you've returned, Mr. Mundo, humanity can finally breathe easy. With you here, those monsters are doomed."
Fenric ignored the flattery, his tone steady. "Have you determined where these monsters come from?"
The president hesitated. "Our investigations so far suggest that most of them originate from the Monster Association. Unfortunately, we still lack precise intelligence on their base of operations."
Fenric frowned slightly. "Then find out. If we can locate their base, I'll destroy it myself."
The president's face turned red with shame. "We've tried, Mr. Mundo. But the Monster Association is incredibly cautious. Their movements are difficult to track."
Fenric sighed quietly. "I see."
Suddenly—
BANG! BANG! BANG!
A series of rapid knocks echoed from the door.
The president frowned, clearly irritated. He had specifically told his staff not to disturb him while he was meeting with Mr. Mundo.
"Come in!" he said sharply.
A nervous secretary burst through the door, her face pale.
"Mr. President, Mr. Mundo—pardon my intrusion, but we have an emergency!"
The president scowled. "What is it this time?"
The secretary took a deep breath, speaking quickly:
"It's Miss Tatsumaki… the Tornado of Terror! She's outside the building right now, demanding that Mr. Mundo give up his position as the number one S-Class hero!"
"What?!"
The president nearly jumped from his seat.
The secretary continued in a panic, "Miss Tatsumaki claims Mr. Mundo isn't worthy of the top spot. She says Blast is the true number one, and unless Mr. Mundo steps down, she'll challenge him directly!"
"She's already on her way here—and no one can stop her!"