“Welcome young prospective students. I am a representative of the American Union’s Virginia state Heroics Bureau and as you should all be aware and prepared for this coming year and hardships you might or might not have to endure. As with every year, we give the chance for children in schools to obtain trainee licenses for heroics. This is also the time when you are at the peak of your youth and independence and where you are discovering yourself and your path. Our job is to give you children a platform that you can work off. Now then, a notice from the school, as everyone is aware, that heroics clubs are the basis for a future company and the way many people get into the heroics business. Many children desire their own personal clubs but do realize that existing and organized clubs are as good as any to learn from. With that done, I will give the stage to the school principal.” An elderly man with three strange disks rotating around him said.

He stepped down and the school principal walked up and began a rousing speech about heroics.

All this was happening for every student that signed up for the heroic course. The difference between common high school and heroics is that some areas of teaching are different. PE, for instance, is hundreds of times more intense, everyone is required to be a part of a club and part of your curriculum is actually graded on your work as a vigilante. There is a large portion of the year where the course students are taken to larger cities to learn from strong or brave men who patrol the streets. Usually following along their sidekicks most of the time as they teach vital skills.

Another important lesson are life saving skills and things to aid casualties that get mixed up as well as power control. A lot of children arrive at the high school level just thinking of upping their power but one of the first things is learning the limits and learning control. A person who can’t even control their power and not reduce property damage to a minimum is not going to see a bright future because unless the villain caused the damage himself, those fighting the bad guys have a big part in the damage.

“Now that the welcoming ceremony is complete, you children are free to get ready for the tests. Heroics course accepts only those with a Trainee licence due to the danger and requirements for the many things taught. To those who fail, there is still next year for you to get back on this course or apply for it during the year as long as you obtain the license during the first half of the school year. If you cannot, then you will have to wait for the following year, unfortunately.” the school principal finished saying.

The kids were finally released and everyone chatted happily as they headed to the gym to get changed and get ready.

“Hey Lola, can I borrow Yez so that I can apply the LF oil?” Robin asked.

“Yeah yeah.” Lola said and summoned Yez.

She split off to go get into the gym clothing for the test. After nearly half a year applying the oil, it only got warm instead of piercing hot like the first few times. It felt like any type of icy hot type medicine used for relaxing muscles.

After it was applied, he hardened for a short moment before releasing as his body absorbed the oil. Yez left and he put on the gym clothing, which almost felt a size too big but in his hardened state, it was just right.

Milo was the bored one as he put on the grey PE shirt while Shoji was disciplined as always but the revealed arms and legs clearly showed how much he had trained and he had a lean but firm body build.

“So how long will this take?” Milo said.

“As long as it takes, I guess.” Robin replied and turned to his recluse friend. “Which one are you planning to use?” he asked.

“Bargo of course. Scar is strong and all but it is just brute forcing it. I spent a lot of money to put Bargo into a swordsmanship class so that he could learn how to skillfully fight and properly channel his strength.” Milo said.

“Yes, I remember you coming over and begging my eldest brother.” Shoji said.

“Wha! You saw that!” Milo said, losing his cool.

“It isn’t hard when you are shouting. You did it right after making the bone strengthening pill I think, so Bargo’s body was much stronger than it’s soul and it got harder for you to control him so you wanted soul development through mental task training I believe.” Shoji said.

“Urg… I thought that it hadn't gotten out.” Milo said.

Robin laughed as they soon joined back with Lola and figured out where the test location was and were given numbers depending on the power type.

“Hey, what is the Heroic Beauro’s categorization style?” Lola asked.

“I believe they use the ‘class system’. For instance, Milo is clearly summoners while you are part summoner and fighter usually called familiar masters. They basically have different base attributes that are tested differently by each ‘class’.” Robin said.

“That is so messy.” Lola said.

“Yeah, but it works since they have used it for so long.” Robin said.

“How are you classed?” Shoji asked.

“Elastic hero/strength type.” Robin said. They all looked confused which made Robin laugh. “With how complex abilities get each generation, they are bound to get confused and some powers do not even have a ‘class’ on their own. Donkey kong for instance is a Monster class.” Robin said, referring to the group’s most hated bully.

“Did you know that the monster class of this generation got several successful appearances?” Milo said.

“You mean the transformation powers? I think besides Marcus, there was Mothra and an incomplete Rodan. They are honestly all pretty stupid for trying to make movie monsters through their powers when none of them have extreme abilities. At least the Asian’s were smarter when they made Godzilla. It’s been one of the Asian’s strongest heroes but he has a limit to his own power since his bones aren’t completely able to handle the 60 meters of towering weight. He is forced to move around at only 10 meters. Not to mention that he barely does heroics due to the immense damage he causes.” Robin said.

“That is true, most real heroes are not much bigger than normal people. At most only twice the common human size.” Shoji said.

“There are some who are big or have big abilities though. Mephesto has his avatar.” Lola said, mentioning her celebrity hero crush.

“Yeah but do fact checks Lola. It’s been nearly 7 years since the last time Mephesto has summoned his avatar to fight and that was when a supervillain appeared in the central america region. The results of that fight leveled half a city.” Robin said.

“Honestly, that is a hero level fight. Can’t blame the creature size.” Milo said.

“He is right.” Shoji said.

“Hehe.” Lola grinned at Robin who in turn just rolled his eyes.

They continued to talk and wait. After half an hour, a familiar person walked up. Round but built from dense muscles, Marcus Kong walked up grinning arrogantly like always and began to expand. His clothing was specially made for his transformed shape. His round body stretched and finally got a more normal shape as he soon filled the gym with nearly 9 meters of height.

Everyone watched in shock that there was such a power while at the back wall, a huge punching machine was raised from the floor.

“Put your back into the attack, the benchmark for monster class strength is a minimum of 5000 points.” The tester said without moving.

A laugh came from Marcus as he roared and banged his chest before running. Robin looked at his disgraceful beast-like run and then he had to spin at the last second to punch.

The punch hit and everyone felt it as the power transferred to the ground.

Ding!

The number on the punch machine shot up to 5,800.

Everyone exclaimed as Marcus straightened up and pounded his chest and shrank back down. Even his normal size was already nearly 2 meters tall.

The other kong clan were next and they were common strength types. The base trainee status for them was 1000 points.

All of them pounded the normal sized machine with most of them almost reaching 2000 points.

Then other strength types began to be called until finally “Elastic/strength type, Robin Harrison.” a call came and Robin turned and got up.

“Hey, how strong do you think your punch has gotten?” Lola asked.

Robin thought and shrugged. “Let’s find out.” He said and walked out.

At this moment, jeering came from one of the stands.

“Ahaha, the lotion boy is here to give us some laughs. Hey idiot, are you going to use your flimsy punch and then throw a tantrum like when you were ten!” Marcus shouted, causing the many people from his clan to start laughing.

Robin looked at them before looking at the machine. He was only about 10 meters but after hearing the jeers he turned around.

The man standing next to the machine was looking and waiting. He looked at Robin before looking at the boy who had jeered and getting curious. He started to examine Robin and noticed a strange shine from his body. He looked at the papers and saw his record as he had dual powers but one was a deficiency and caused extreme pain to use.

When he looked up he finally saw Robin preparing.

Robin turned and faced them before throwing a punch to the air and suddenly his arm began to wind and form a spring that pulled back and compressed more and more until it was only a bit thicker then his natural arm’s size. He did this for both arms and then the legs. As he finished he started to hope but the man stopped him. “Wait!” he shouted and everyone looked at him.

He turned to the person beside him, “Change the machine, bring out the monster scale.” he said.

As his words dropped, everyone began to talk wondering why the man suddenly said that. Even his own people asked why but he replied simply, “I don’t want to lose machinery unnecessarily. Bring out the monster test machine.” He said.

Those in charge of the machines just looked a bit distressed but followed orders just the same and the man even took a few steps to the side to clear more space at the center.

“Alright, start. 1000 points is the base for strength type.” he said.

Robin nodded and took a deep breath before taking a stance.

In the stands, Lola looked over, “Is he going to do it from back there?” She asked.

“No.” Shoji said and smiled slightly, “He wants to annoy Marcus.”

Right as he said that, Robin’s entire body suddenly swelled and made him look older while his skin turned black. The pressure on his arms and legs to revert was very intense and he groaned but he took a step and released his left leg.

A trembling came from that one step and he shot forward and as he reached the center of the gym, his leg started to pull back but the right leg struck and another shock came to the ground.

The left leg quickly returned as a spring but nearly four times the thickness and couldn’t compress like before and stopped his momentum as he stopped five meters from the machine.

The right leg came shooting at him and he stopped it as a spring before finally turning and swinging his right arm. With the motion, he turned the left foot turned forward, his body moved forward as his hip turned with the motion of the foot and leg and he put his entire back into the turn as his arm suddenly expanded with the pressure and in a blur, it struck the machine on the lower half of the punch mat but it wasn’t done.

The two spring loaded legs, discharged again and pushed his body forward forcing the spring arm to coil and forcing his muscle at the same time, the arm once more pushed. It was like a triple layered punch and it instantly showed.

PING! PING!

The machine was bolted down on four points with five thick bolts but instantly two of the five front bolts shot out with the entire screw.

To say it was long but it happened all in moments and after the bolts shot up while the energy in the limbs ended and the rapidly unwound and the black coloration dulled as Robin returned to normal.

DING!

Everyone’s jaw was dropped but as the machine sounded, they looked at the score. Robin looked up while slightly huffing and grinned. “Heh, suck it.” He muttered to himself but also his own frustrations that he could never use his powers properly when he saw the glaring 8000 points on the machine.

Marcus was the most shocked, he possessed a monster class and his base strength at his age to be a trainee was 5000 and he covered it but not by much but this normal strength type whose main power is elastic powers somehow got over 2000 points of strength over him.

He instantly stood up, “Sir! I object to that score!” He instantly said.

Robin didn’t even have time to enjoy the moment when he heard that and turned to glare at Marcus.

“What is the problem?” the examiner asked.

“How is an elastic type ability remotely capable of having more strength than a monster type. Don’t say that most brave men have this because we are students of the same age group!” he said.

The examiner, however, didn't say that and instead sneered. “He is simply stronger than you.” He said.

The response instantly drew immense laughter from everyone except his clan, though some were hiding it.

“That is bull shit! Also, you shouldn’t be able to control your hardening and it backlashes!” he said.

“You’re an idiot. Do you think I sat on my ass for the last four years not even trying to find a way to surpass that. I’ll let you know that I did resolve that problem and that is how I can do what I can do. I can stretch more, gather more power and use my powers in conjunction to add more speed and power to my fist. It isn’t my fault that you only brute force it without any technique in your punches.” Robin said before nodding to the examiner.

“Don’t leave, I still don’t buy it! That machine must be damaged after my punch! There is no way you can be stronger than me!” he shouted.

A disdainful snort came from the examiner. “If you are talking about damaging the machine then the kid has a far better chance than you because he was able to break two bolts securing this machine down to the ground while you didn’t. That alone should show who is stronger.” He said but as Marcus was about to object, he appeared before him and grabbed him by the face and lifted his massive body. “Listen here brat, I was hired to test you kids because not only do I have the knowledge to do so but also the ability. Don’t think a daddy’s boy like you can tell me what to do!” he shouted. “What this kid did that you couldn't do is simply put in ten times the effort that you didn’t because you have a naturally strong power. Now shut up or I will flunk your results for disobedience and insubordination! Two traits that the American Union doesn’t allow in the line of heroics!”

He did a turn and sent the nearly 2 meter tall ball of muscle flying at the stands his clan was at.

They all scrambled away from the impact zone and Marcus crashed into the stands.

He was completely out of breath, “T-This won’t… end here.” He barely said in pain.

The examiner naturally didn’t hear that whisper before pulling out a pen, “Robin Harrison, 8000 points in the strength test.” He said and nodded to the boy.

“Thanks.” Robin said while the examiner just nodded and patted his shoulder, “Don’t let the cure of your power take the fire away from your training. Trainee license is just the start after all.” the examiner said.

He nodded and went to sit down with his friends.

“That was awesome!” Lola said.

“What? My punch or Marcus’s thrashing?” Robin asked.

“Both!” the three said together.

“Since when could you punch with so much force?” Milo asked.

“It is the speed of the dash combined with the amount of compression I did to my own arm before I hardened and released the holding force. My stretch limit for hardened has only extended to 15 meters in the last few months but I learned that for a short time, I can stretch when normal and harden while keeping the amount of extension.” Robin explained.

“For how long?” Shoji asked.

“About 10 seconds. If I harden and release the restraining force keeping my arm wound up, the arm flies forward with about three times the regular speed and after extending fully, it rapidly withdraws to normal unless I hit something and am able to take control of the arm quickly.” He said.

“That was still an impressive punch nonetheless. It almost felt like a finisher move out of a comic book.” Milo said.

“Really! I was aiming for that. I was going to aim for probably mid 3000 with just a 10 meter distance punch with my back into it but adding the final leg impulse at the end helped add extra force.” He said.

“I’m curious, what is your base punch with just pure extension?” Lola asked.

“Unhardened is around 1500, hardened is 1900. Basic armed spring with no hardening is about 2400, spring armed punch with hardening varies since I still haven’t properly learned to control the force around the hardening but it varies between 3000 and 4500.” He said.

“Wow.” They all muttered.

“You guys had best not fall behind. Especially you Lola, you are definitely the weakest among us because you train the least.” Robin said.

“What! You say I am weaker than Milo!” She said.

“Milo has Bargo and Bargo is clearly Trainee level already.” Milo said.

She ground her teeth, “I’ll show you idiots!” She said and sat there moping.

She actually did show them. Base Familiar masters strength for trainees is 600 but her punch was 1500. Shoji showed off as a civilian class, aka an ability that does not directly affect their strength and is virtually useless in heroics. With a wooden sword in hand, he actually got 2500 points when his class base was 800, since this class has time to train more.

Lastly, summoners test the strength of the strongest creature and Bargo did just that. Trainee base for summoners is at least 500 points for the master, Milo had 900, while at least 2000 for the top summon. Bargo had 3500 in strength.

In the end, Lola had to eat her words because she actually was the weakest.

“H-How am i weaker than Milo!” She said turning pale.

“Ahaha! Your Life force gives you potential but you train poorly, master.” Lily said laughing alongside Yez.

“Stop laughing!” She exclaimed red faced.

“You know, you could take Milo’s body strengthening pill. It could help your bone development and give a quick strength boost but you still need to train nonetheless. Your cardio is your weakest point.” Robin said but he ended up with a punch from her.

“Hmph, do you think I don't know you are calling me a couch potato!” She said.

“You are though.” Shoji said with a wry smile.

She groaned when the logical one of the group agreed and it pissed her off. Then she looked at Milo and grinned. “Milo honestly needs to get out much more than me. How is this then, if you get Milo to go to the gym, I will join in.” She said.

Milo looked at her in shock but a snort from Robin cut that train of thought. “Idiot, highschool just started, half of our classes are physical education classes. Give up thinking you can run away from training cause that is going to get squeezed out.” Robin said.

Only then did both the recluse and the couch potato understand their situation. They hadn’t thought that far and had trained only sufficiently to pass the initial test but forgot to think about the consequences of joining the Heroic course with Robin and Shoji. They would be trained, at the very least, to the vigilante stage and physical performance tests are done every 6 months and actually count partially towards your grade.

“Y-You guys set me up!” Milo said.

“You set yourself up poorly staying at home during middle school.” Shoji said.

“Damn it!” He exclaimed and dropped his face into his palm, depressed that he was screwed over and should not have let them talk him into going back to school. If it hadn’t been for the medicine discovery, he wouldn’t have returned and would have homeschooled himself. Sadly, his parents made sure that he would not miss a day this time around.

Like that, the tests continued and tested all their attributes including use of powers and filtered those who didn’t make the cut until finally the heroic course students were decided and they all got their trainee license.