Hero? I've Long Stopped Being One

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Volume 1 – Chapter 6: Taking A Test

Lin Jie looked at the massive, super modern building in front of him, and couldn't help but sigh, "Really, really rich and overbearing."

"Obviously, the Hero Association is where the world's strongest heroes gather, it is the result of science and technology's very best." Saying this, Xiao Zhan led him to the lounge, "What you see here is the completely new social order, that could only be possible through the effort of countless superheroes of the previous generations."

Finishing talking, Xiao Zhan turned towards Lin Jie and heroically pointed towards the statue in the middle of the lounge.

The sculpture was man completely enveloped in a black robe.

"I know that the statue is of Zero, but who are those people behind him?" Lin Jie pointed towards the other statues and asked.

"Staying at home for these years, what have you actually been doing? They are all heroes who Zero has fought alongside throughout his time; it was by depending on these people that the Hero Association became what it is today." Xiao Zhan explained.

"Is that so?" Lin Jie thought to himself, "How come I totally don't remember fighting together with these people?"

"Let me tell you, every single person depicted by these statues are at SS-level of superheroes. They represent the World Federation's most powerful Protectors of the social order." Xiao Zhan was nonstop talking about the history of the people depicted on the statues to Lin Jie.

"Come to think of it, I always thought that this was a product of the Superhero Registration Act they passed five years ago." Lin Jie said.

"Don't bring up this topic again because that Act caused the Alliance to lose many superheroes.

Hearing Lin Jie bring up the subject of the《Superhero Registration Act》, Xiao Zhan's expression changed.

What Lin Jie didn't know was that during the time he had been staying at home, the heroes who were against the Act and the heroes supporting the Act had exploded into an extremely intense conflict. However in the end, the world government decided to support one party, which in the end led to their victory. At the time, the government was firmly controlling the flow of information, so news, media and even public opinion had been swayed towards their side. At the same time, even the military was mixed into this conflict.

In the end, one side was defeated and the conflict reached its conclusion, amongst the more active heroes at the time, were many who were labeled with the title of "criminal", and some were even imprisoned.

"Don't bother with this issue." Xiao Zhan said, "We came to let you take the hero authentication examination, we have no right to interfere with other superfluous affairs."

Not long after, the two arrived at the place which handled hero registration, they paid an application fee, and Lin Jie was brought to a room.

When he came in, he saw that there was a big bald dude inside.

"Name and surname?"

"Lin Jie."

"I was asking for your superhero name."

"Whatever." Lin Jie replied.

He saw that the big guy was actually writing down the 2 words 'Whatever Warrior'.

"Where do your strengths lie? It will determine what test you will be taking." The big guy stated.

"Fighting."

"You try'na talk nonsense? There are a lot of people who can fight. A large portion of heroes' abilities can be used for fighting. Tell me specifics, do you hold a superpower or are you the physical skills type?"

"This…" Lin Jie was at a loss at how to explain for a while, "I just… swing and chop things… that kind of thing."

While saying that, Lin Jie even did a chopping motion.

"The strength type? Did you bring your own weapon?" The chinese man said.

"Yes."

"Alright, come with me," as he spoke, the bulky man brought Lin Jie to a training room, "Okay, stop spouting nonsense, and take out your weapon. If you are able to persist under my hand for 3 minutes, I can give you a score of 60, but if you are able to resist for 3 hours, I'll give you 100 points."

"This… what if I defeat you?" Lin Jie curiously asked.

"Hahahaha." The man couldn't help but laugh heartily for a bit, "Of all newcomers that come to be registered, nearly 80% of them ask the same thing, but let me tell you, that's a pipe dream, it's impossible! You think people without a certain amount of strength could come here and be an examiner? Let me tell you, I am the B-level hero known as [War Tank Ya Tan].

"Oh… since you're so strong, I can be at ease ." Lin Jie said.

"Now, you see the surrounding, one-way glass?" The strong man pointed at the high-walled one-way glass walls, "Do your best, you might even attract the attention of a senior and be invited to make a team; high level heroes often pass through here."

"Oh, but I already have a team." Lin Jie said.

"That's enough, you little jokester, no more nonsense, if you can last 3 minutes then you passed."

Saying this, Ya Tan's body flashed with a metallic luster his hands began turning into greatswords, and both of his feet were gleaming like titanium, "Let me remind you, little dude, I am a Holy Trinity superhero^[1], I excel in speed, attack and defense. If you are not careful and get hurt, don't blame me."

"Relax, there should be no problem." Saying that, Lin Jie took out the Morningstar from his bosom.

"Alright, let's start."

Finishing speaking, Ya Tan's two legs burst forward with a great deal of strength, leaving a trail of fire behind him, arriving instantly in front of Lin JIe. At this moment Lin Jie had only just lifted his Morningstar.

"Tch, only at this level. Seems like he won't even last 5 seconds." The Bulwark Juggernaut Ya Tandisdainfully said in his heart, the huge swords in his hands swung forward.

At this moment, Lin Jie suddenly sped up, his Morningstar moving at an extremely fast speed towards the top of Ya Tan'shead.

"You think this kind of attack will do anything to me?" At the corner of his mouth, Ya Tanlet out a sneer, one of his huge swords suddenly turning into a massive alloy shield.

In the next moment, the Morningstar collided with the massive alloy shield. An enormous shock radiated throughout the entire training room.

……

Something cold landed on Ya Tan's face, then he slowly opened his eyes.

"Where am I?" Ya Tan got up with a blank look on his face, and soon after looked around, "Training room?? Oh, that's right, I was just giving the examination for a newcomer."

"You finally remembered?" At Ya Tan's side was standing a beautiful girl with a head full of silver hair.

"Miss Winter, why are you here? What happened to me?" Ya Tan said, astonished, then he tried to stand up, but even after several tries he was still unable to stand back up. It was at this moment that he realized his whole body was incessantly shaking.

"Realized it yet?"

"I was… defeated by someone? It was that guy, I remember we had only just begun fighting… And then I… then I… I can't remember?" What actually happened? Miss Winter?" Ya Tan was puzzled as he look at the person in front of him, "You should've been at the scene right?"

The Wintry Witch nodded, "I saw it."

"Tell me, after that one exchange of attacks what happened?" Ya Tan asked, "Why is it that I can't remember anything that happened after that?"

"Because after that there was nothing else, with his one strike you fell to the ground."

"You… you're saying that I was one-shot by that newcomer?" Ya Tan asked incredulously.

Miss Winter simply nodded her head, "He is very strong, from what I could see his strength was at the very least A-level."

"Then where is he?^[2] Two hours ago, because we couldn't wake you up, we found someone to take him to take the written test."

"Really? I've been unconscious for at least two hours? I didn't think that there would be people this strong, I must've looked like a clown earlier." Ya Tan was dejected as he sat up, "You coming to look for me probably wasn't because you wanted to see me being one-shot, right?"

"That's right."

……

At the site of the written test, Lin Jie was currently looking at the test in front of him.

"Why did you want to become a hero?"

"So my sister wouldn't fix me." Lin Jie wrote.

"Q: As heroes, what is our most important task?"

"Uhh… beat down people, beat down monsters."

"As a hero, with what kind of image should you face the general public?"

"Whatever is fine, it's too bothersome to me."

"When you encounter a criminal with a hostage, what should be done?"

"Use your fastest speed to take them out."

"When you encounter a monster, what is the best way of dealing with one?"

"Kill."

"When you encounter unusual peoples…….."

"Kill."

"When you encounter aliens………."

"Kill."

"When you…"

"Kill."

"……"

"Kill."

……

Looking at the paper filled with "Kill", Lin Jie was pleased as he looked at the very last question.

"Write your philosophy as a hero."

Thinking about it for a while, Lin Jie picked up the pen and wrote: "Hero? I've long stopped being one. Because, I don't think that everything I do can be considered righteous. Could you really call that being a hero?"

……

After turning in his paper, Lin Jie waited until he got his grade.

"How did you do on the examination?" Xiao Zhan came to Lin Jie's side and asked.

"Eh? I got full marks on combat ability, but on written test I only got 13 points, for a total of 113 points. I barely passed." Lin Jie answered.

"As expected, being uncultured is just terrible, if you had passed the written test maybe you could have directed advanced to C-level, after all, your strength has already been acknowledged by me." Xiao Zhang: "But this way is fine too, if the assistant's Level passes mine, I'd lose all face."

"……"

"Right, let's go listen to the lectures, it just so happens that they have a B-level hero teaching today." Xiao Zhan said.

"Oh? Then we should go take a look, it just so happens that I feel like my thoughts are completely different from the heroes of nowadays."

"Then let's go, oh, that's right, how strong was your examiner for the strength part of the examination?"

"He wasn't too bad, he let me realize just how much I have yet to learn; when we fought, he let me win."

……

If Ya Tan heard what he said, he would definitely cry, he never tried to let Lin JIe win, the entire time he had no opportunity to use his strength before he was one-shot.

……

"Miss

Winter, this is the examination paper you wanted." A butler-looking person brought an examination and information paper to the silver-haired beauty.

Miss Winter looked at the examination paper in her hand, and after a while started talking to herself, "Lin Jie? He should be a someone who should come in handy."

Footnotes:

[1]He's not actually holy anything, just blowing hot air of course

[2]Rhetorical question

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