2025-03-27 14:58:32Chapter 12 – Triumph in Defiance
"You bastard!" Jace's voice roared with fury as he launched a punch toward Max's head from the right. Roy struck his punch with the same force while standing on the left side. Max found himself in the middle as both opponents launched their attacks from opposite directions. His body briefly stiffened before his natural reaction kicked in. He propelled himself from the floor while moving backward through a quick motion. Swoosh! The two flying fists barely missed Max as they passed by his head. The force of their movements threatened to push Jace and Roy into each other. The two attackers paused only briefly after their initial attack missed. Max's disruption of their assault appeared like pure chance according to his attackers. Jace regained his footing before he launched another attack. The right fist of Jace extended toward Max's facial area. "How dare you lay a hand on young master Theo!" Jace struck through the air with his punch as he shouted full of angry venom. Max stepped to the side. The strike aimed at his face encountered only open air because he had moved out of the way. Roy struck before Max could finish his movement. A powerful right-hand punch approached Max's jaw with destructive intent. Max performed a quick turn to avoid the attack for a second time. A brief understanding dawned on his consciousness. 'I can see it… no, I can sense it.' His defensive maneuvers were only slightly better than theirs but he blocked their attacks effortlessly despite his own surprise. His body seemed to detect their movements before they executed them through a sense that transcended visual perception. 'Is this the effect of my perception ability?' Roy launched another strike which targeted his chest directly. Max felt a sudden wave of anger rise from his heart. He was done playing defense. As Roy’s fist closed in, Max’s body reacted on instinct. He shifted slightly to the left. Swish! The punch brushed past him, missing by mere centimeters. The force behind it sent a gust of wind past his cheek. Max, however, didn’t stop there. 'I’ve never fought before, not like this… But I know one thing. If I want to unleash everything I’ve held back—every ounce of pain, anger, and suffering—I just need to tighten my fist…' His fingers clenched. A faint popping sound crackled from his knuckles, his grip so firm it seemed to echo the weight of his emotions. 'And throw it at the ones who deserve it.' His muscles coiled like a drawn bow, and then— Bang! Max’s fist launched forward with unrestrained force, meeting Roy’s jaw in a devastating uppercut. The impact sent a shuddering crack through the air. Roy’s head snapped backward, his entire body lifting off the ground. For a moment, he seemed to hover mid-air, before crashing onto the cafeteria floor with a sickening thud. A hush fell over the cafeteria. Wide eyes and stunned expressions filled the room as the students absorbed what had just happened. Roy Madsen—the same Roy who had tormented Max —was out cold from a single punch. Three shattered teeth lay on the floor, surrounded by tiny droplets of blood. Across the room, Theo, who had been clutching his injured hand, stared in utter disbelief. 'Impossible…' Jace was just as frozen, his eyes locked onto Roy’s unconscious form. Meanwhile, Max stood still, his fist still clenched, his breath steadying. His knuckles tingled from the sensation of landing that blow. A thought pulsed in his mind. 'I did it. I actually did it. I fought back.' For years, he had been at the mercy of others. Humiliated, beaten, disregarded. But in this moment, something changed. And he knew—if he hadn't fought today, Theo wouldn't have stopped until his bones were broken. The wounds might have healed with time, but without money, without anyone who cared, he could have been left crippled forever. A notification blinked into his vision. [ Host has achieved Bravery. ] Max let out a small breath, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 'So this is what I needed?' His moment of realization was abruptly shattered. "You little bastard!" Jace’s voice ripped through the air, his body surging forward. His skin darkened, muscles expanding unnaturally as his form twisted and grew. Within seconds, Jace was no longer fully human. A grotesque fusion of man and beast took shape, his stature rising to nearly seven feet. Two thick, curved tusks protruded from his mouth, and his breathing became heavy and ragged. He threw a fist forward. This time, Max could sense the change. Jace’s strength had nearly doubled. While still not beyond his own, the increase was enough to be threatening. The blow shot toward him, fast and brutal. 'Now’s my chance to test it… Activate Dash.' [ Dash has been activated. ] [ +20 Speed for the next 10 seconds. ] [-20 Energy] The world around him shifted. A surreal silence blanketed everything. Every movement slowed, every detail sharpened. Jace’s punch, once rapid and powerful, now seemed sluggish—like watching a heavy stone fall through water. [ Time left before Dash deactivates: 10… 9… ] Max wasted no time. The moment his body moved, he felt weightless. Within an instant, he was behind Jace. Jace’s eyes widened in shock. His fist had missed, and Max was nowhere in sight. The cafeteria erupted in murmurs. The students had barely registered what happened, only catching glimpses of Max flickering out of sight. Jace turned, his rage mounting. He threw another punch. Then another. And another. Max sidestepped each effortlessly. With a quick burst of movement, he surged forward. His first punch struck Jace in the stomach. Pow! Jace let out a sharp grunt, his body folding slightly. Pow! Another hit crashed against his jaw, forcing him to stagger backward. "Ho-w da-re yo-u—" Jace's words were slurred, his mouth already swelling. Max didn't let up. Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah! Pah! His fists rained down, a storm of relentless strikes. Eyes, nose, chest, stomach—he hit every vulnerable point with calculated precision. Each punch carried years of suffering, every ounce of injustice he had endured. Jace could do nothing but endure. His body swayed with each hit, blood and spit flying with every impact. Then, the final strike. Max twisted his body, putting everything into one last punch. Bang! The sheer force sent Jace sprawling to the ground. As he landed, his transformation unraveled. His large form shrank back into his original state. He lay still, bruised and battered, blood pooling at the corner of his lips. [ Dash deactivated. ] Even without it, Max could feel the rush surging through him. 'Is this what revenge feels like?' He flexed his blood-streaked fingers. It wasn’t his own blood—it was Jace’s. A strange calm settled over him. For someone who had only known pain inflicted upon himself, seeing another’s blood didn’t faze him at all. Then— Ptou! A bright beam of light seared past his shoulder, missing him by inches. The cafeteria trembled as the attack obliterated an entire table. Max turned, his eyes narrowing. At the other end of the room, Theo stood with his arm raised, his palm glowing with crackling light. "You think this is over?" Theo’s voice was low and dangerous. A luminous energy swirled around him, drawing in light from all directions. The real battle was just beginning.
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