Hero - Exam ( 1 )

"First, I'll go and take the hero exam, and then we can talk more," Isamu said as he packed his bag.

[ Well, good timing. With this, I could assess your strength, ] the system commented.

The janitor observed Isamu picking up a weapon and placing it in his bag. He wasn't puzzled by this but still curiously asked, '[ Why choose that weapon instead of your 'true' weapon? ]'

''Well, that's overkill, don't you think? I wasn't planning on bringing a gun, but just in case something happens. However, bringing the other three is not necessary. It's just an exam, after all.''

….

After Isamu arrived at the building, he entered and approached a man behind a counter. ''I'm here for the Hero-exam,'' he said, wearing a black suit that concealed his face and identity.

The man examined him for a few seconds before asking, ''May I have your name and preferred Hero Name?''

A preferred hero name is the name you'd like to be called during the hero exam. ''Isamu, and hmm… Preferred hero-name? Well, Gunslinger, I guess.''

''Go through that door, then turn left, and left again. You'll be given further instructions there,'' the man instructed.

Isamu followed the directions and entered a spacious area filled with training equipment and various gym exercises. Many people were present, some glanced at his arrival, but most were preoccupied with their own activities.

In front of him stood a security scanner of sorts. Isamu wasn't particularly concerned about his guns, as there were plenty of other competitors with similar equipment. Standing next to the security scanner was a young woman with orange hair who appeared to be a security guard. ''Is there anything in there we should be aware of?'' the female guard inquired, referring to the bag.

Isamu stared at the woman for a moment before responding, ''A weapon, not sure if that's anything essential you should know about, though.''

''Are you sure you want to bring that in here?'' She inquired.

''Why not? Doesn't seem like a problem to me,'' Isamu replied casually.

''Oh, well, have it your way,'' the female guard said as she handed him his bag. Before he departed, she gave him another quick glance from behind. Even though she couldn't see his face, she was certain he was handsome, especially considering his impressive height. Isamu stood at a whopping 193 centimeters, which was quite tall.

…

Isamu approached a long desk in front of him, covered in white papers. He picked up one of the papers and swiftly perused its contents.

The paper detailed the structure and requirements of the exam. It consisted of three parts. The first segment involved a physical test to assess the hero's strength and abilities. The second part was a written exam, covering topics such as geography, general knowledge, and other subjects. The final part was the hero test, which placed the hero in various scenarios requiring specific actions and decisions.

There were also additional instructions and rules that Isamu quickly reviewed before the exams commenced.

''All heroes, please gather at the first exam location,'' a loud voice echoed through the speakers. Isamu moved towards the test area, but as he positioned himself, some of the other participants began mocking him. ''What are you dressed up as... Mr. Cosplayer, hahaha. No, how about Mr. NoFace, hahahah-''

''How about you shut your mouth and focus on what's in front of you before I put you on the ground.''

[ MAY THE TEST... BEGIN! ] A voice loudly declared.

The first part of the exam was a running test, designed to assess physical stamina. It wasn't overly challenging; participants had to complete a 30-kilometer run. They stood on a black platform that rolled up and down, simulating the running motion without actually moving them around.

In the first 45 minutes, no one dropped out, and everyone appeared to be holding up well, including Isamu. Even without a visible expression on his covered face, he didn't seem to be struggling, which was expected given his physical condition.

After 1 hour and 45 minutes, no one had dropped out, but some participants showed signs of struggle.

By the time 2 hours and 36 minutes had passed, three individuals hadn't completed the run. However, this wasn't necessarily a major issue as long as they performed well in the other parts of the test. Isamu, in particular, seemed to be doing quite well and didn't appear to have struggled too much with the running test.

 After each test, there was a 15-minute break to allow participants to catch their breath before the next challenge.

Isamu found a spot to sit down and took a seat, sipping some water to rehydrate. Unnoticed, a woman sat down beside him, deep in thought. ''You're not bad at all. How about we work together?'' she said.

Isamu turned his head to make eye contact with the woman, and he was struck by her beauty. She was undeniably attractive, with dark green hair styled in a bob-cut, light green eyes, and a curvaceous figure.

''I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Everyone's here for themselves, so what's the benefit of working together and eliminating others, assuming that's what you meant? Miss...?'' Isamu inquired.

''Well, obviously, only 10% of the participants can succeed… Didn't you know that? Haven't you read the email you received when you signed up for the exam? Ugh, I'm dealing with an idiot. But you didn't look too bad out there, so join me, and I'll explain everything to you. What do you say? Oh, and the name's Fubuki.''

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Chapter 2 Ends

 Alright, as the summary suggests, our MC is an Anti-Hero, right? Well, yeah, I just haven't showcased anything about him yet. Just keep reading, and you'll discover a whole new side to the MC. I'm quite excited for that part myself! Anyways, see you all in the next one.