Beginning of Cultivation
Chapter 172: Strength Test Completed

Chapter 172: Strength Test Completed

After the panel scanned Nora’s fingerprint, the staff member said:

"Please wait a moment while I verify your information."

With that, he stepped away, disappearing from their sight. Seeing this, Nora remarked:

"The verification process must take quite a bit of time."

Alice chuckled and shook her head:

"Ha ha, don’t underestimate the Hero Association. Their authority is immense. At most, it’ll take five minutes for your identity to be confirmed."

Nora raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. He knew the Hero Association was powerful, but he had no idea of the full extent of their influence.

Of course, another reason for his surprise was his amnesia. Had he retained memories from his past life, nothing here would have been enough to astonish him.

—

As expected, before even the fourth minute had passed, the staff member returned, holding a few sheets of paper.

After glancing at the documents and then at Nora, he asked,

"Your name is Nora Aeternum, correct?"

"That’s right." Nora affirmed.

"Good. Please proceed to the designated area to prepare for the bench press test."

Nodding, Nora followed the detailed instructions provided.

Upon reaching the central testing area, the staff member adjusted the barbell to match Nora’s height.

After all, 500 kilograms was no trivial weight. A single mistake could result in severe injuries—even for an F-rank hero.

Once everything was properly set, the staff member announced:

"Please begin the test. As long as you can lift the barbell to its full height, you will pass. Our rescue team is on standby."

The moment he finished speaking, a group of medics, already in their uniforms, readied their equipment for any potential emergency.

Although Nora was confident in his success, he did not underestimate the weight before him.

500 kilograms was considered the fundamental threshold for an F-rank hero.

This was merely the "basic limit," as heroes could push beyond this threshold when desperate.

However, doing so would come at a steep cost—severe bodily strain, permanent damage to their foundation, and a price far beyond a simple test.

Standing beneath the barbell, Nora gripped the bar tightly, his muscles tensing as he prepared himself.

"Arggggg!"

Taking a deep breath, he let out a powerful roar, his entire body surging with strength as he pushed the barbell upward.

The heavy weight steadily rose, climbing higher and higher until it reached the peak of his reach.

Boom!

Nora released his grip, letting the barbell crash to the ground with a thunderous impact.

Surprisingly, despite the force of the drop, the floor sustained only minor scratches—no significant damage at all.

He raised an eyebrow in astonishment:

"As expected of one of the Hero Association’s main headquarters. The materials they use must be top-tier."

Turning toward the staff member, he asked:

"So, does this mean I’ve passed the test?"

The loud crash had briefly stunned the staff member, but he quickly regained his composure and nodded:

"Yes, you have successfully passed the strength test. Next is the speed assessment. Please follow me."

However, before Nora could respond, he turned to Alice with a grin and teased:

"Well? Pretty impressive, right?"

Alice chuckled at his remark. Without a word, she approached the fallen barbell, grasped its center with one hand, and effortlessly lifted it.

With a smooth motion, she placed it back in its original position—saving the staff member the trouble of cleaning up.

Nora suddenly felt a bit awkward.

He had always known that E-rank heroes were stronger than F-rank ones, but he hadn’t expected the difference to be this vast.

Information regarding hero power levels was classified, so for someone like him, who was still an outsider, ignorance was inevitable.

Clearing his throat to mask his embarrassment, he muttered:

"Ahem... I thought the gap between us wouldn’t be that big."

Alice giggled before replying playfully:

"Hehe, not at all! You’re really strong—almost as strong as one of my arms~."

Anyone who wasn’t deaf could immediately pick up on the teasing tone in Alice’s voice—mocking his lack of knowledge.

Nora’s face reddened slightly, but before he could respond, the staff member cut in with a deadpan expression:

"Please refrain from your public display of affection and focus on the test."

The nearby medical staff silently cheered in their hearts:

"Well said, my friend! We couldn’t bear to watch these two any longer."

Scratching his head, Nora let out an awkward chuckle, feeling slightly less embarrassed.

"Haha, my bad. I’ll get back to it right away."

With that, the three of them proceeded toward the second test chamber.

—

After a short walk, they arrived in front of another massive metal door. The staff member inserted a key, and with a deep mechanical hum, the heavy door slowly swung open.

Inside was a vast space stretching over 100 meters in length.

A single glance was enough for Nora to realize what the next test entailed.

"This is a 100-meter sprint test?" he asked.

Before the staff member could respond, Alice burst into laughter and interjected:

"Haha, are you joking? If a hero could only sprint 100 meters, they’d be no different from an ordinary person! Multiply that number by ten—that’s the real test."

The staff member’s patience finally wore thin. His voice rose in irritation:

"Do you have any respect for my job?! If you interrupt me again, I’m quitting on the spot!"

He could tolerate their flirting, but stealing his role? That was unacceptable.

Realizing her mistake, Alice lowered her head in apology.

"I sincerely apologize."

Seeing her genuine remorse, the staff member let it slide and turned back to Nora.

"She’s not wrong, though. The test covers a full 1000 meters, meaning you’ll need to run back and forth across this stretch ten times. This evaluation tests both your speed and agility."

Nora nodded in understanding.

"When do I start?"

"Head to the starting line first. I’ll signal when it’s time."

"Got it."

He quickly moved to the designated starting position.

Meanwhile, the staff member made some final adjustments before activating the system.

"Look at the screen in front of you." he instructed.

"Once the countdown ends and the signal appears, you will begin running. If your foot doesn’t touch the marked lines at both ends, that lap won’t count. Get ready."