"...Simple. Too simple."
The man in black couldn't hide his unease.
The Hero Association's standards had only grown stricter over the years—especially for S-Class. Normally, even someone with proven monster-level strength would still need to pass both the written and physical exams.
And yet—
Yunze had walked straight through.
Of course, there was a reason.
Sato Haruko.
An ordinary employee on paper—but her family's influence ran deep within the Hero Association. Enough that her recommendation couldn't simply be ignored.
"If everything's settled," Yunze said casually, "adjust my salary, and make sure the residence and staff are ready. I don't plan on waiting."
The man in black stiffened.
This… was supposed to be a hero?
"Your arrangements will be handled through Miss Haruko," he replied quickly. "You don't need to worry about anything."
"Good."
Yunze waved a hand dismissively.
A sharp crack of electricity split the air—
—and he vanished.
The man in black froze.
"What… was that?"
No afterimage. No detectable movement.
In less than a blink, Yunze had crossed nearly a kilometer and disappeared beyond every sensor in the facility.
Even among S-Class…
Could anyone replicate that so effortlessly?
He glanced down at the file in his hands, fingers tightening slightly.
"The Hero Association… might be changing."
Outside the testing facility—
Saitama stood in line, staring blankly ahead.
"Genos… didn't someone just leave from the back?"
Genos turned his head slightly.
"I detected no one, Sensei."
His sensors had already swept the area—thermal, motion, electromagnetic.
Nothing.
Saitama scratched his head.
"Huh. Must've imagined it then."
Genos remained silent, but a faint trace of doubt lingered.
For just a moment—
he thought he sensed something fast.
Very fast.
Meanwhile—
Yunze was already home.
He dropped onto the couch, flipping through channels before settling on a random variety show.
A box of snacks cracked open in his hands.
"Not bad."
Crunch.
A-City, TV Station — Makeup Room.
Sweet Mask sat calmly as staff moved around him.
Perfect posture. Perfect expression.
Perfect image.
"Sir… there's an update from the Hero Association."
The assistant leaned in, voice low.
Sweet Mask didn't move.
"Let me see it."
The paper was handed over.
A slight pause.
Then—
his smile didn't fade.
But it stopped reaching his eyes.
"…S-Class."
The assistant swallowed.
"It was an internal decision. If you oppose it, they may reconsider—"
"Leave."
The word was soft.
Too soft.
The assistant immediately stepped back, not daring to say another word.
Sweet Mask lowered the paper slowly.
"S-Class 9th … Yunze."
No record.
No public evaluation.
No standard screening.
Someone like that—
placed above countless proven heroes?
His grip tightened slightly, the paper crumpling in his hand.
"…They're lowering the standard."
His expression remained composed.
But the air around him grew cold.
"I won't allow it."