It's only now, but Deron realized that there are a lot of bards in the assembly. Each of them is holding artifacts, Deron believes these are called Cameras.

Are they journalists? But the most striking among them is the people wielding cameras of a larger proportion, big enough to fit one's shoulder like a sack of rice.

If Hero work is the number one luxurious job, then journalism comes second. The orphanage had a TV, so Deron is not ignorant of what are Journalists. They are preachers of truth and reporters of ongoing events across the world.

After the principal, an old man that oddly resembles Gandalf, made his boring speech, the applicants are led to an assessment area to measure their abilities.

It is divided into three parts—

1.) Individual- to see the latent potential of every applicant through a demonstration and some in-depth check-ups.

2.) Group- to be put in a foreign environment to fight monsters. This is to see the powers of the applicant how to adapt.

3.) Combat- aaaand the staple tournament set up, that allows the protag to exhibit his awesomeness. Alfir doesn't want any of that, he only wants to see potential recruits.

The individual assessment is easy. Using the percentage system, the applicants are ranked according to their tapped potential. The higher it is, the stronger they are... Champion-grade Heroes are said to tap 100% potential.

100% is Champion.

99% is Peak.

98% to 80% is Destructive.

79% to 50% is Magical.

41% to 49% is Ability.

40% to 6% is Talent.

5% and below is Human, these people are unqualified to attend the academy.

Through an artifact, they are able to detect an individual's tapped potential. Alfir got an easy 41%. This system is used to separate the betters from their peers.

Training can increase tapped potential. So long as a student perseveres in the academy, 80% potential is not impossible. In fact, there was a 6% Talent-grade that was able to rise as a Champion in the academy, he is Flamecore.

The percentage system is not quite accurate. What their artifact measures are the soul fluctuations of the human body and not their mutations. It is an indirect approach.

Zentury's Immortal King for example appears like an ordinary human in these artifacts. This is how the Immortal King stayed under the radar for so long.

The stronger the mutation is, the stronger the soul becomes. This is not true for everyone. The Immortal King's soul's frequency stayed the same after his mutation since his soul is immune to change— that is how 'tough' his soul is... In other words, for him, the stronger his soul is, the stronger his mutation becomes.

In Zentury's research findings, they called the Immortal King's soul to be a perfect soul, born without faults. This is how they came up with the Soul Method in the first place.

But no soul is truly perfect. Even the Immortal King suffers from dementia.

The outcome of individual assessments is privately disclosed to the tested and related staff, but Alfir already knows the outcome. There will be 16 Ability-grades, and 320 Talent-grades. No, there would be 17 Ability-grades including Alfir.

A ruckus is happening in front of Alfir. A certain red-haired is arguing with someone.

"Looks like it's beginning."

Deron doesn't know that the potential grades are to be privately kept. Some random guy asked him what is his potential, which he answered truthfully.

"22%? We have here a weakling huh? I guess that's it. The academy will be a cinch."

Alfir watched with apathetic eyes. It's situations like this that the academy is trying to avoid. Potential grades are not everything, but some people can't help themselves but think that it is...

Honestly, Alfir felt sorry for the bullies. Deron's true potential grade isn't 22%. It's 44%, the artifact for measurement malfunctioned because of a third party's interference.

It was a rough-looking guy. Maybe a year older than Deron, but their age isn't that far. His thug-like demeanor was created by the slum's cruel environment, hence his roughness.

"Stop pointing your finger at me."

"What? Like this?"

Instead of retrieving his index finger, he forcefully tapped Deron's chest with it.

'Remember, in the academy, don't let others look down on you. But that doesn't mean you should look down on others. One of a hero's strongest traits is their honor.'

These are Eron's words to him, and Deron remembers them well.

He grabbed the thug's index finger and ruthlessly twisted it. With a swift crunching snap, he punched the thug in his face soundly crushing his nose bridge.

There were 7 more of them, must be the thug's friends. The 7 drew their steel ranging from axes, spears, a bow, swords, and daggers.

Deron demonstrated his impressive agility by dodging the swooshing arrows that impossibly curved at 90 degrees in the air.

The biggest among them with dual-wielding axes explosively leaped. He is like a rampaging rhino. Deron parried the axes simultaneously by hitting their blunt sides through precise palm strikes. Deron kicked the rhino in his chest squarely sending his victim flying.

Deron felt a presence in his rear. It was invisibility, a rouge sneaked in Deron's rear. Deron twisted his hips delivering a crisp kick to the back. The rouge was also sent flying from Deron's kick. But the rouge won't go down without a fight, he struggled. Just before the kick arrive, he threw the daggers in his hands.

But Deron caught it with ease. Then threw it to two more people, both swordsmen. It is enough to incapacitate them, but not kill them. The two squirmed on the ground in pain because of the daggers embedded in their shoulder.

There are three more left. A swordsman, spear user, and archer. No, there are four. The thug who Deron punched his nose wanted to exact revenge for the humiliation he suffered.

Deron rolled forwards as a kick ladened with steam came crashing from where he is...

"My name is Trom, the future Hero King! Steam Knight!"

The thug exclaimed but the people watching the commotion simply laughed. But his friends didn't. Even his struggling, but incapacitated friends didn't laugh. Trom is serious.

"I respect your wishes, but you can't."

"What?! Are you also looking down on me? Is that why you lied about your potential grade?"

"Lies? I don't know about that, but you are belittling me. You can't become the Hero King, because it will be me."

Deron stomped hard as he explosively accelerated forwards. He grabbed the archer's head and mercilessly smashed it to the ground. The archer will live, Deron held back after all.

Deron didn't stop, he punched the only standing swordsman in the gut. Deron retreated as the poor guy puked his most recent meal.

"Mien, take the others and send them to the teachers. I heard they have healing facilities here."

"But Trom!"

"I will take care of it."

Trom widened his legs as he prepares to battle. He went to the academy with the goal of becoming the Hero King. He thought that the academy is just another slum where he have to dominate with his fist, hence his belligerent behavior.

From Trom's perspective, his actions are the same as how he established himself as the strongest in the slums. He came to Deron expecting a fight so that he can show off. It's a barbaric method, but that is the only method Trom knows.

However, to the others' eyes, it was simply a boorish attempt at bullying.

"I see that you have a sword. Draw it."

"No, you don't have a sword."

"Stop belittling me! You, piece of shit."

ENOUGH! It was a command. It shook the spirits of everyone in the vicinity. A familiar grey robe and cape greeted their eyes.

"There is a time and place to exhibit your battle prowess and this is not the place for that. Red-hair! Come here, I believe your potential grade needs a reassessment. Come! Disturbing the potential assessment count for a demerit. Harmony is one of our academy's core principles. Since all of you are not yet our students, I will let this slide."

The principal, Armin Kelon interrupted the battle. And with his words, the gathering crowd finally dispersed.

Alfir watched attentively as he note to himself that Deron has become a lot weaker compared to the original storyline. The ending should be Deron destroying these nameless bullies, then getting his reassessment through the witness claims. Instead of the original storyline, with the principal getting personally involved.

...

TRIVIA!

Armin Kelon AKA Heromaker Principal— has been principal for Heromaker Academy for a whole decade. He's a true veteran. It is said that this is his last year working as a principal and is preparing for his retirement.

"We create heroes— that is our academy's motto and that will never change."

He has heightened telepathic senses. Can read minds through an individual's emotions. Can create illusory summons in the likeness of eyes, weapons, and exact clones of himself. Can see 5 seconds to the future.

At 100% potential.