"An actual Villain?"
Vincent repeated those words as he stared at the examination assignment displayed before him.
Although he had expected the Hero Association’s licensing process to be difficult, he hadn’t imagined that applicants would be required to fight genuine criminal Superhumans.
Evelyn noticed his surprise and offered a reassuring smile. "Don’t worry, Mr. Crowe. The Association doesn’t send unlicensed applicants into the streets to hunt dangerous criminals. Your examination will take place inside a secured facility, and qualified personnel will supervise the entire process."
Vincent relaxed slightly, although his curiosity only increased.
"So the Villains are already in custody?" he asked, leaning forward as Evelyn brought up another document on her holographic screen.
"That’s correct. The Association maintains a selection of captured low-level Villains who have been approved for supervised combat assessments," Evelyn explained. "Each applicant is assigned an opponent based on their registered capabilities, and the examination ends when the evaluators determine that the required conditions have been satisfied."
Vincent nodded thoughtfully.
It certainly sounded safer than being sent into the city to track down a criminal. However, the fact that the Association considered these opponents suitable for examinations didn’t mean they were harmless.
After all, even a Rank 1 Superhuman could possess an extremely dangerous ability.
"Then I’m ready to proceed," Vincent declared, straightening his posture as he looked toward Evelyn.
The registration officer smiled and pressed a button on her terminal. "Excellent. Your application has been forwarded to the assessment department. Please follow the instructions on your visitor pass and report to the examination facility on the lower levels."
Vincent thanked her before leaving the registration counter.
As he approached the elevators, he glanced at the translucent interface that only he could see.
The familiar notification immediately reminded him of the extraordinary power he had awakened after defeating Derek Blackthorne.
According to the System, he could acquire a supernatural ability from a defeated Villain. However, there was something he still didn’t understand.
The System had classified Derek as a Villain despite his official status as a licensed Hero.
Meanwhile, the Hero Association maintained its own records of individuals legally recognized as Villains.
Clearly, the two classifications weren’t necessarily identical.
But if the Association has already classified someone as a Villain, surely the System should recognize them too, right?
Vincent considered asking the System directly, but he quickly dismissed the idea.
There was no guarantee it would provide a useful answer.
Besides, he would have an opportunity to find out soon enough.
The elevator descended several floors before opening into a brightly illuminated corridor.
Unlike the luxurious lobby upstairs, this section of the building possessed a distinctly military atmosphere. Thick metallic doors lined the walls, security cameras monitored every passage, and uniformed personnel stood at designated checkpoints.
Vincent followed the directional holograms until he reached a security station, where a tall officer wearing a dark Association uniform examined his visitor pass.
"Vincent Crowe, applicant C-047?" the officer asked, comparing the information displayed on his handheld terminal with Vincent’s identification.
"That’s me," Vincent confirmed, handing over his pass while glancing toward the reinforced doors behind the checkpoint.
The officer scanned the identification before returning it. "Your assessment has been scheduled for this afternoon. Proceed through the checkpoint and report to Waiting Room Three. An examiner will call your name when it’s your turn."
Vincent nodded appreciatively. "Understood. Thank you, Officer."
After passing through the security scanner, he continued along the corridor.
Occasionally, he heard muffled impacts coming from somewhere beyond the walls. The sounds were accompanied by faint vibrations beneath his feet, suggesting that combat was already taking place inside the facility.
His anticipation gradually increased.
When Vincent finally reached Waiting Room Three, he discovered that several applicants had already gathered inside.
The room was spacious and comfortably furnished, with rows of seats facing enormous holographic displays. A few applicants were reviewing their examination information, while others chatted confidently among themselves.
Vincent selected an empty seat near the back and began observing the people around him.
A muscular young man with short brown hair was casually demonstrating his ability by covering his forearms in thick layers of stone. Nearby, a woman with silver earrings manipulated several small flames above her fingertips, causing them to dance around one another.
Another applicant sat quietly with his eyes closed, while faint currents of electricity occasionally flickered across his hands.
Vincent couldn’t help feeling impressed.
Although he had encountered numerous Superhumans during his years at the agency, most had already obtained their Hero Licenses.
Seeing so many talented individuals attempting to enter the profession reminded him just how competitive the Hero industry truly was.
Unfortunately, his observations didn’t go unnoticed.
"Hey, isn’t that guy Rank 1?"
The young man had apparently seen the classification displayed on Vincent’s temporary registration card.
"Yeah, that’s what it says," another applicant replied, leaning closer to examine the information. "Physical Reinforcement? Seriously? Isn’t that one of the most common enhancement abilities?"
The muscular applicant chuckled, folding his stone-covered arms across his chest. "Nothing wrong with Physical Reinforcement, but Rank 1? I thought the Association would have stricter requirements for people taking the practical examination."
Vincent heard every word.
However, rather than responding, he simply returned his attention to the holographic display.
He had spent years listening to Derek Blackthorne insult his abilities.
Compared to that experience, a few strangers making comments about his Superhuman Rank barely registered as an inconvenience.
"Looks like he heard us," the muscular applicant remarked with an amused grin. "Don’t take it personally, buddy. I’m just surprised someone with your evaluation would actually attempt this examination."
Vincent glanced toward him and offered a faint smile. "I appreciate your concern, but I think I’ll manage," he replied calmly before returning his attention to the information displayed before him.
The young man raised his eyebrows, apparently surprised by Vincent’s indifference, but eventually turned back toward his companions.
Vincent quietly released a breath.
Some things never change.
Fortunately, he hadn’t come here to impress strangers.
He had a Hero License to obtain.
And perhaps something considerably more valuable.
A soft notification suddenly sounded from the holographic display.
[Applicant C-047: Vincent Crowe.]
[Assessment Assignment Available.]
Vincent immediately straightened in his seat as a new window appeared before him.
The display contained basic information about his assigned opponent.
[Villain Suppression Assessment]
Applicant: Vincent Crowe
Assigned Opponent: Gareth Morrow
Superhuman Rank: Rank 1
Known Superpower: Bone Hardening
Official Danger Classification: Low Threat
Assessment Status: Awaiting Examination
Vincent studied the information carefully.
Bone Hardening.
From the name alone, he could already make several assumptions about the ability.
It likely allowed the user to strengthen their bones, making them considerably more resistant to physical damage.
Depending on how the ability functioned, Gareth might also be capable of using his hardened skeleton to deliver more powerful attacks.
That could be troublesome.
Vincent frowned slightly as he considered his own capabilities.
Physical Reinforcement improved his overall physical performance, while Impact Amplification allowed him to increase the force of his attacks.
Against an opponent specializing in durability, the latter ability might prove especially useful.
However, he had only acquired Impact Amplification yesterday.
Although he had successfully activated it inside his apartment, he hadn’t yet tested its effectiveness against another Superhuman.
There was also the issue of Flux Energy consumption.
With his maximum capacity remaining at twenty points, Vincent couldn’t afford to waste energy on unnecessary movements.
He would need to fight intelligently. "Interesting. Bone Hardening, huh?"
Vincent looked up and discovered that the applicant with stone-covered arms had approached his seat.
The young man glanced at the information on Vincent’s display before shaking his head sympathetically.
"That’s a pretty unfortunate matchup for someone with Physical Reinforcement," he remarked, gesturing toward the listed ability. "If that Villain can withstand your punches, how exactly are you planning to defeat him?"
Vincent examined the young man for a moment before answering.
"I suppose I’ll have to figure that out once the fight begins," he replied, maintaining a relaxed expression.
With that, he returned to his companions.
Vincent watched him leave before looking back at Gareth Morrow’s profile.
The stranger wasn’t entirely wrong.
If Vincent relied exclusively on Physical Reinforcement, defeating someone with Bone Hardening would be extremely difficult.
Fortunately, Physical Reinforcement was no longer his only ability.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
I wonder what other abilities this guy possesses.
According to the Villain Assimilation System, each qualifying victory allowed him to select one available supernatural ability from his defeated opponent.
Derek had possessed Impact Amplification and Enhanced Impact Resistance.
Perhaps Gareth would possess something equally useful.
However, Vincent quickly reminded himself not to become overly excited.
He still didn’t know whether defeating a Villain during a controlled examination would satisfy the System’s requirements.
There was also no guarantee that the System would recognize Gareth as a Villain simply because the Association did.
Well, there’s only one way to find out.
Nearly twenty minutes later, a uniformed Association officer entered the waiting room.
"Vincent Crowe, applicant C-047," the officer announced, examining the information displayed on his tablet. "Your examination is ready. Please follow me."
Vincent immediately stood and collected his belongings.
Several applicants glanced toward him as he approached the entrance, although he paid them little attention.
The officer led him through another security checkpoint before entering a wide corridor lined with reinforced observation windows.
Through one of the windows, Vincent caught his first glimpse of the assessment arena.
It was enormous.
The enclosed chamber resembled a gigantic circular arena, surrounded by towering metallic walls that extended toward a reinforced ceiling. The floor was constructed from thick metal panels, with faint markings dividing the combat area into several sections.
High above the arena, a continuous ring of dark mirrored glass surrounded the upper walls.
Vincent noticed silhouettes moving behind the glass, although he couldn’t clearly distinguish their faces.
"Those are the observation rooms," the officer explained after noticing his interest. "The glass is one-way. Our evaluators can observe everything happening inside the arena, but combatants can’t see into the control room."
Vincent nodded, looking toward the enormous windows with renewed curiosity.
Behind the mirrored glass, he could make out the glow of holographic screens and futuristic computer terminals. Several Association personnel were seated before the displays, apparently preparing to monitor the examination.
"The arena is designed to withstand combat between Superhumans," the officer continued as they approached another security door. "Qualified Heroes and containment personnel will remain on standby throughout your assessment. If the situation becomes dangerous beyond acceptable limits, they’ll intervene."
Vincent listened carefully before nodding. "Understood. I’ll follow the examination instructions."
The officer stopped beside a reinforced entrance and placed his hand against the security panel.
A mechanical sound echoed through the corridor as the enormous door slowly opened.
"Applicant Vincent Crowe, you may enter the assessment arena," the officer instructed, stepping aside to allow him through.
Vincent took a deep breath before walking forward.
The moment he entered, the metallic door closed behind him.
He stood alone in the center of the enormous chamber, surrounded by towering walls and the dark mirrored observation windows above.
Then another door opened on the opposite side of the arena.
Two heavily armored containment officers emerged, escorting a broad-shouldered man whose wrists were secured inside reinforced restraints.
The prisoner had a shaved head, a crooked nose, and an unpleasant smile spreading across his face.
Vincent immediately recognized him from the examination profile.
Gareth Morrow.
His assigned Villain.
As the containment officers led the prisoner toward the center of the arena, Vincent slowly clenched his fists.
His first official Villain Suppression Assessment was about to begin.