Chapter 166: A Deadly Weapon
“A fight to the death?” Max repeated, his voice dry as he swallowed hard.
Hercules couldn’t be serious. From everything Max had heard from Aron, there was absolutely no way he could take on this person. Not even in his old body would Max have thought he stood a chance, not unless he had a weapon, and even then it would’ve been a gamble.
But now? Hercules wanted Max to fight him in a mere student’s body, unarmed and untrained. And what did he mean to the death? That part chilled Max the most.
Before Max could even voice the question burning on his tongue, Hercules had already moved. His fist, bundled up and brimming with deadly force, was hurled downward straight at Max.
Something deep inside him, raw instinct, pure survival, kicked in. Max felt the incoming danger as if the air itself had thickened, warning him. He dove to the side just in time.
The punch crashed into the ground where he had been standing only a second earlier. A deafening crack echoed through the space, and the stone floor split beneath Hercules’ fist. Dirt and debris scattered in every direction.
Max’s eyes widened as he stared at the impact site. If that blow had connected… if it had struck him square in the head… he didn’t doubt that his skull would’ve been driven straight through his ribcage.
“You need to truly feel like your life is on the line,” Hercules said calmly, lifting his fist from the broken earth, small chunks of dirt falling from his knuckles. He turned and shot a knowing glance toward Aron. “Your body needs to believe it is in an extreme situation. And right now, I can tell, you’re not there yet. You still don’t feel it. So, we need to fix that.”
Max understood now. The goal wasn’t just a fight. It was survival, pure and simple. He glanced at Aron, determination burning in his gaze.
“Aron,” Max said firmly, voice steady despite his racing heart. “No matter what happens, don’t get involved. I have to get through this on my own. I need to understand this situation for myself.”
Aron clenched his fists, reluctant, but he gave a single nod.
“Good,” Hercules said approvingly. Without warning, he crouched low and grabbed a clump of dirt with his bare hands. “You understand the situation now.”
In the next instant, he hurled the clump straight at Max.
It struck Max full in the face, hard and fast, like a brick rather than simple earth. The impact blinded him, his legs kicking up from the force, and he crashed onto his back.
Pain seared through his face, and his eyes throbbed. He couldn’t even tell if he was bleeding or not. All he knew was one thing, he could feel the pressure now.
I have to get up, I have to get up!
Max rolled across the dirt, adrenaline pumping through his veins. A loud stomp thundered just inches away.
When he scrambled upright and hastily wiped the dirt from his face, his vision cleared, just in time to see Hercules’ massive foot embedded in the ground exactly where Max had been lying moments ago.
If a simple chunk of mud hurt me this much… Max’s thoughts raced. I can’t afford to get hit directly by him. If I do, he’ll snap every bone in my body. This fight will be over in one blow.
Frantically scanning his surroundings, Max realized there was only one option that made any sense. He had to run, he needed to buy time and find a way to fight smarter, not harder.
Without hesitating, Max darted toward the nearby forest. Among the trees, he would have obstacles, places to hide, space to move. That was where he had a chance.
He sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him, weaving through the dense growth until he slid behind a large tree trunk. Pressing his back against the rough bark, he tried to steady his breathing, though his heart pounded like a drum.
It wouldn’t take long. He knew Hercules would follow him in.
Sure enough, a voice called out through the trees, deep and unbothered.
“What are you doing, young one? Running for your life already?” Hercules teased, his tone almost amused. “Don’t you have some sort of goal you’re trying to accomplish? I thought there was a reason you wanted to get stronger. And I told you, this is a fight!”
Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed through the forest.
Max’s eyes widened as Hercules lifted one powerful leg and delivered a kick to a nearby tree. With sheer brute strength, the tree’s roots tore free from the earth. It toppled over, colliding with a second tree, the very one Max had been hiding behind.
Max didn’t waste a second. He dove to the side, rolling across the forest floor just as the trunk came crashing down. His fingers scrambled in the dirt until they found a large rock.
Without thinking, he snatched it up and hurled it with all the force he could muster, straight at Hercules’ face.
But Hercules’ reflexes were just as formidable as his strength. In an instant, he raised a hand to shield his head, the rock bouncing harmlessly off his forearm.
There are certain places on the body, Max reminded himself, no matter how much training you do, you can’t strengthen them!
Gritting his teeth, he swung his leg back. If a well-placed blow could take out Harry Potter, he thought grimly, then it can take out Hercules too!
With every ounce of determination, Max launched a powerful kick, straight between Hercules’ legs.
The result was… unexpected.
A jolt of pure agony shot through Max’s foot, as if he’d kicked an iron rod. His entire body shuddered from the impact.
Abort! Abort! his mind screamed.
Without waiting to see Hercules’ reaction, Max immediately rolled backward, scrambled to his feet, and turned to sprint deeper into the forest.
He needed more time, more time to think.
How am I supposed to beat someone I can’t even injure? Max’s mind raced as he darted through the trees. Or… is that even the point? Am I just supposed to take a beating, get pushed to the brink of death, until this so-called power awakens?
No.
No, I don’t have to go through that again… I already know what death feels like. I’ve been there. I’ve felt that helplessness, desperately trying everything, doing all I can, and still failing to change a thing!
Fueled by those thoughts, Max pushed himself to run faster, trying to create more distance between himself and Hercules.
But Hercules wasn’t about to let that happen.
His sharp gaze caught sight of a thick, solid branch lying on the forest floor. Without hesitation, he reached down and picked it up. Holding it firmly, he took a moment to aim, then hurled it through the air with terrifying precision.
Max felt it before he even saw it.
A searing, sharp pain shot through his leg, so intense it stole his breath. His body stumbled mid-stride and crashed to the ground.
When he looked down, his eyes widened in horror.
A giant branch was lodged straight through his calf. The thick wood had pierced clean through, one end jutting out from the other side of his leg.
He threw that freakin’ branch, right through my leg!
Shock overtook him before the full force of the pain could even register. His hands trembled as he tried to push himself up, struggling to lift his leg from the ground.
Blood was trickling from the wound, but not in heavy spurts. Somehow, the branch had pierced cleanly through muscle without completely tearing it apart.
It’s bleeding… but not too much. Because of how cleanly the branch went through… Max thought, teeth clenched in agony. But still, he threw that through me… is he really trying to kill me?!
Memories of Hercules’ words flashed in his mind. This wasn’t just about survival. The whole point was to access a power Max had yet to awaken, one that lay dormant inside him. And one way to unlock it… was to forge a vow.
I have to do it. I have to come up with something, anything, and access this stupid power… because if I don’t, I’m afraid I really will die here!
Breathing hard, Max looked back toward Hercules.
Another thick branch was already in his massive hand.
If a regular person had held it, maybe it wouldn’t have seemed so threatening. But in Hercules’ hands, it looked like a deadly weapon, a spear meant to end the fight.
500 Golden Tickets = 1 Extra Chapter