Chapter 168: At Death’s Door
Max felt it in that instant, just a flick of the wrist from Hercules, and he was airborne. The giant had let go.
Max could feel the wind whipping past his back, tugging at his hair as the image of Hercules grew smaller and smaller by the second.
He threw me... he actually threw me? The thought echoed in his mind, panic rising. This is it. This is the second time... I’m going to die, aren’t I?
Then, gravity seized him. Max plummeted, crashing straight through a thick branch. The wood cracked against his back, knocking the air from his lungs.
The next moment, he slammed into the hard earth below. His body bounced, skidding across the uneven ground. Pain lanced through his ribs, a sharp, splintering sensation that told him something was broken.
But the fall wasn’t over. His battered body continued to tumble downward, spinning uncontrollably. The world blurred around him, sky, earth, trees blending into a dizzying swirl, until suddenly, his back slammed into something else.
There was a loud grunt of effort.
"ARGHH!"
Max’s spinning mind caught up, and he turned his head with effort. Through the haze of pain, he caught sight of a familiar face, Aron’s.
Aron was gritting his teeth, his expression strained with exertion. Both arms were wrapped around Max, holding him tightly. His legs were bent, bracing against the ground as he struggled to halt the momentum of Max’s fall.
His feet slid, tearing through the earth beneath them, struggling for grip. Muscles strained, veins bulged, and then, at last, they stopped.
The two of them were still, Aron’s trembling arms clutching Max’s broken body.
"What... what are you doing?" Max managed to ask through ragged breaths. "I told you... not to get involved..."
Aron didn’t flinch. His voice was low but steady. "I’ll do anything you say, you’re the boss, Max. But there’s one thing I won’t ever do, watch you die."
He tightened his grip. "I made a promise, to protect you, no matter what. With you falling in front of me like this... how could I not act?"
Aron’s gaze hardened. "And if I have to face Hercules himself because of it, then so be it. Losing you is a hell of a lot worse than fighting him."
Max, having just experienced firsthand what going up against Hercules meant, wasn’t entirely convinced about that part.
But as Aron stood there, steady beneath him, something warm spread through Max’s battered chest, a rare comfort in the middle of this nightmare.
Someone had his back.
Looking off into the distance, Max could no longer see Hercules standing in the large tree. The massive branches were still, and there were no heavy footsteps thundering toward them either.
Silence.
It was pretty clear now, Max was in no condition to fight. Heck, he could barely move. Maybe Hercules had figured the same thing. Maybe, to him, this was the end of it all. No need to chase after a broken kid.
"Aron," Max said, his voice strained and uneven. Every breath was a fight, like shards of glass were lodged in his chest. He winced. Where had his ribs broken into?
Aron, already carrying him, didn’t say anything. He just picked up speed, sprinting back down the hill, taking careful steps even with Max’s weight pressing into him.
"I don’t think I’ll be able to go to school tomorrow," Max managed to say with a dry chuckle. "Make the call, will you?"
Aron glanced down at him, half in disbelief. "You’re worrying about school? In a state like this?" He shook his head, biting back a smile.
It marked the end of their so-called one-day lesson, though Max had no idea whether it could be considered successful or not.
Did he really experience the feeling of death while fighting Hercules?
There were definitely moments, clear as day, where it felt like his life was hanging by a thread.
But if Max was being honest with himself... it wasn’t just fear he felt. It was something else too. It was almost like Hercules had complete control over every ounce of his strength. Every move he made, every blow he landed, it was calculated. Precise.
Like Hercules knew exactly how far to go. Like he knew exactly how close to bring someone to the edge without letting them fall.
Max’s voice was quieter this time, more thoughtful. "I think... from your story, Aron, I’ve got an idea of what Hercules’ Vow is."
Aron’s eyes softened as he looked down at Max, the corner of his mouth twitching into a knowing smile.
"Yeah," he said. "I think I know too. But if that really is his Vow... then I can’t even imagine what kind of monster he must’ve been before."
He shook his head again, more in awe than anything. "No wonder he’s so strong."
Meanwhile, far up the hill, Hercules walked with heavy steps back toward his cabin. As he reached the top, he paused, just for a second, and looked back.
His eyes narrowed, scanning the place where he’d left them.
Then, without a word, he turned again and disappeared into the trees.
"A Vow linked to money..." Hercules murmured to himself, the thought lingering in his mind as he walked. "Now that’s an interesting concept."
He folded his arms behind his back, eyes scanning the canopy above while he processed the idea.
"In a way, the access to his power wouldn’t reset unless he lost everything. But the level of strength he could reach... it would vary depending on how much money he had at any given time."
A faint grin tugged at the corners of Hercules’ lips.
"If he made the Vow now, then that point, his current wealth, would be the baseline. The starting point."
He paused, letting out a soft chuckle as he shook his head.
"But it’s almost funny when you think about it. Does a Vow like that even have a limit?" he asked aloud to the woods. "If Max were to become the richest man in the world... does that mean he’d also become the strongest?"
He laughed again, this time a bit louder, amused by the absurdity, and the potential.
"I wonder..." Hercules whispered, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What kind of power have you managed to unlock, Max... if you’ve unlocked any at all? Don’t forget your promise."