As the crowd turned, they noticed a man sitting in the SVIP section with his paddle raised high. A ripple of reactions moved through the audience—some looked impressed, thinking he must know something about the dagger's value, while others scoffed, assuming he was simply wasting his money.Then, a mocking voice cut through the whispers. "He's clueless, just a kept man living off wealthy women." The speaker was none other than Nathan, who couldn't bear that Max was drawing attention with such a bold bid. He stood with an arrogant smirk, glaring at Max.Max turned casually, meeting Nathan's glare with a calm expression. "If you're broke and clueless, just stay quiet," he replied dryly. "And even if I were wasting my money, what's it to you? It's not like I'm spending yours."Nathan's smirk faltered, his face momentarily flushing as he felt the sting of humiliation. But he quickly recovered, his voice full of spite. "It's not even your money, Max. We all know it's those rich women bankro

The first man lunged toward Max with a fierce jab aimed at his face, but Max sidestepped smoothly, his movement calm and calculated. The man's punch hit nothing but air, and before he could recover, Max had already shifted back, watching him with an amused expression.Frustrated, another man joined in, rushing from Max's right with a powerful hook. Max leaned backward just enough to avoid it, letting the punch sail mere inches from his nose. In a flash, the first attacker threw another punch at Max's torso, but Max twisted, slipping to the side and letting both attackers collide briefly.The third man, seeing his companions struggle, attempted a sneak attack from behind, raising his fists for a downward strike aimed at Max's head. Without even looking, Max casually stepped to his left, evading the blow effortlessly. The man stumbled forward, his momentum carrying him past Max, who simply watched with a smirk.Now, all three men regrouped, determined to overwhelm him. They closed in fr

The man Max had kicked earlier rose to his feet, cracking his neck with a determined sneer. With a nod to his comrades, he and the other three launched forward, their speed and force dialed up as they coordinated their assault. This time, their strikes came closer, slicing through the air with deadly precision—Max evading each one by a hair, a grin plastered on his face as he swayed and ducked. One punch flew so close it nearly grazed his cheek, but he leaned back just in time, only to sidestep as another fist shot past his ribs.Between attacks, the men exchanged quick glances, clearly impressed by Max,s skill. "You,re pretty good, kid," one of them muttered, a hint of admiration in his voice.Max smirked, sliding out of the way of a high kick. "Is this all you,ve got?" he taunted, raising an eyebrow. "I was expecting a bit more from Claud,s ‘backup dancers.,"A second man laughed, though he clearly felt the sting of Max's jab. "Don,t get cocky," he warned. "You,ve only seen 30% of w

Before the four monstrous fighters closed in, Max subtly coated his body with a nearly invisible layer of energy, forming a thin yet resilient barrier around himself. He did it effortlessly, a faint shimmer flickering around him for just a moment before disappearing entirely. With his defenses in place, he stood still, appearing as though he were waiting to be attacked.The four fighters, now fully transformed with dark energy and twisted features, lunged forward without hesitation. One came in first with a powerful punch aimed directly at Max's shoulder. The blow collided with the barrier, sending a faint shockwave through the air, but Max barely shifted. The fighter's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could react, his ally was already coming in from the side, throwing a hard kick aimed at Max's ribs. The impact met the energy barrier again, but Max stood motionless, absorbing the blow without flinching.Two more followed, each delivering rapid strikes—punches, kicks, even claw

Max didn't turn right away at the sound of the voice, but a smirk crept across his face as he immediately recognized it. Nathan had approached with an air of confidence, clearly intrigued by Max's companion. Spotting Alexa beside him, Nathan's eyes lingered, assuming at first she was just one of Max's "sugar girlfriends." But as he looked closer, his expression shifted in surprise; he recognized her instantly—Alexa, a well-known star.Yet, in this place, most patrons had little interest in celebrities. A few younger fans had politely asked Alexa for photos when they first arrived, but inside this antique shop, eyes were more drawn to relics with rich histories than to famous faces.Nathan composed himself and walked over, noticing Alexa's interest in a porcelain vase displayed on a polished shelf. With a charming smile, he reached out and gently placed his hand on the vase. "You have excellent taste, Ms. Alexa," he said with a hint of admiration in his tone, glancing from the vase to