One Punch Man: Heroics Start with Dual Kamui

The next day arrived, and both Shinji and Saitama were up early. They had agreed to head to the Hero Certification Exam venue first thing in the morning. Since the Hero Association's Z Branch wasn't located at the exam site, candidates needed to travel to the designated testing grounds.

Naturally, they went on foot. Saitama couldn't be bothered to fly (that he can't), and Shinji wasn't interested in showing off by using Dual Kamui or Flying Thunder God in front of him.

As they walked, Shinji took the opportunity to explain the exam rules. "The Hero Certification Exam consists of two parts: a written test and a physical fitness test. The total score is 100 points. You need at least 70 to pass and become a professional hero."

"So I just need to get 70, right?" Saitama asked, nodding in his usual laid-back way.

"Seventy is enough, sure, but the higher the score, the better," Shinji replied. "Professional heroes are divided into ranks: C-Class, B-Class, A-Class, and S-Class. S-Class is the highest, C-Class the lowest. If you score a perfect 100, you'll be certified as S-Class immediately. Compared to a C-Class hero who barely passed with 70, an S-Class hero draws way more attention and fame. You'll be an overnight sensation."

"Oh, got it. Then I'll try to score higher," Saitama replied casually, still looking unconcerned, as if scoring high was no big deal to him.

He wasn't particularly interested in the whole C-Class or S-Class label, but he did want to raise his public profile this time. According to Shinji, getting a higher rank at the start would help, so he figured he might as well aim for the top score.

"The physical part is pretty straightforward," Shinji added, "but you should pay more attention to the written exam."

He warned Saitama with an example. "Let's say you're walking down a crowded street and suddenly run into a monster that's much stronger than you. What should you do?"

This kind of question wasn't considered cheating. The written exam was rarely difficult, and even if it wasn't easy, the format hardly ever changed. Genos had mentioned that full marks on the written test were common, and only Saitama-sensei had managed to score just 21 points. Out of those, 1 point was for "sense of justice," and the remaining 20 probably came from default partial credit. Still, an answer like "just chop them up" wasn't technically wrong either.

"Just chop them up," Saitama answered sincerely with a blank but honest smile, without a second thought.

Shinji fell silent. 'Yep, that's exactly the kind of answer I expected from Saitama-sensei.'

For an overpowered character like Saitama, general common sense doesn't even apply to them.

"How was it? Was that the right answer?" Saitama asked, genuinely confident in his response.

"Wrong…" Shinji said, shaking his head.

"Huh? Then what's the right answer?" Saitama asked, puzzled.

"Let me put it this way," Shinji said patiently. "You might be strong, Saitama, but this test isn't designed for people like you. It's made for the general public. Not everyone is a powerhouse, right?"

Saitama tilted his head slightly as Shinji continued. "So you need to answer from the perspective of someone weaker."

"From the perspective of the weak…" Saitama repeated, pausing to think.

But he hadn't always been this strong. He'd been bullied in school and knew what it felt like to be powerless. It was exactly because he had once been weak that he wanted to become strong.

And then he went bald and became invincible.

Remembering how it felt to be weak, Saitama seriously considered how to answer the question. "If it's from the perspective of someone weak, then I suppose the best approach would be to stall the powerful monster as long as possible, buying time for nearby civilians to escape," he said hesitantly. His tone was uncertain, but his expression had shifted into a serious mode, showing genuine thought.

"That is the right answer," Shinji nodded approvingly.

"Oh, so it's actually quite simple, just a bit indirect," Saitama said, returning to his usual blank expression. "Whatever, if answering in a roundabout way gets me a good score, I'll just do it that way."

"That works. Then you should have no problems," Shinji replied.

When it came to the physical tests, Saitama was sure to score full marks. The only variable was how well he would perform on the written portion.

---

The Hero Certification Exam's 6th Special Venue was the testing site for the Z Region. At this moment, Saitama had already entered the examination area. Around him were many others taking the exam, dressed in all sorts of unusual outfits. Since Shinji had already been registered in the Hero Registry, he had the qualification to observe the exam from the stands, though interference was strictly prohibited.

The written test came first. There were only a few questions, and Saitama took them quite seriously. Thanks to Shinji's earlier advice, he answered them using the roundabout thinking expected of weaker individuals rather than his usual straightforward "just punch it" approach. As long as he maintained this mindset, the written test was essentially free points.

Next came the physical fitness tests.

"Next event! Lateral jumps for 30 seconds!"

"Begin!"

Saitama's expression immediately switched to serious mode as he began the side-to-side jumps. Not that he was really trying hard — even with a casual effort, he moved so fast that multiple afterimages followed him, shocking the other examinees waiting behind.

"Next, 1500-meter run!"

"Next, weightlifting!"

"Next, vertical leap!"

Saitama breezed through every event. He shattered the venue's record in the 1500-meter run, maxed out the barbell's capacity during weightlifting, and jumped so high during the vertical leap that his head broke through the ceiling. He did it all as if he were merely messing around, never breaking a sweat.

Meanwhile, the other examinees were drenched in sweat, watching him in despair. Compared to Saitama, their performances felt utterly embarrassing. Some even considered quitting on the spot.

Only Shinji maintained a calm expression throughout.

---

After the exam, Shinji and Saitama met in the waiting room. Saitama had been stripped down to just his underwear during the physical tests, but had now dressed again.

"Looks like we can pick up our score reports in about an hour. Let's wait here for now," Saitama said.

"How do you feel about it?" Shinji asked.

"Way too easy. Only the written test might be a little iffy, but it should be fine," Saitama replied confidently and relaxed.

---

An hour later, Saitama received his results.

"Whoa! A perfect score — 100 points! That's full marks, right?" he exclaimed, looking at the paper in his hand.

At the bottom was a message:

[Mr. Saitama, based on your performance in the Hero Association exam, you have been certified as an S-Class Hero. We look forward to your future contributions as a hero.]

[Ding! The host has successfully assisted Saitama in being ranked as an S-Class Hero. Reward earned: 10 Points, Instant Movement Technique!]

Honestly, in this ranking exam, Shinji was the real MVP, but Saitama just coasted to victory.

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