Chapter 214: Blood on the Street
Hearing the name Dud didn’t exactly surprise Max.
Jay had already guessed that Max must have made some kind of deal with the Rejected Corps. Something behind closed doors to keep the peace, at least temporarily.
Especially since the attacks had stopped right after.
The problem was... they didn’t know the full details. Not yet.
They didn’t know the size of the Rejected Corps. They didn’t know the reason behind everything happening in the first place. And most of all, they didn’t know how strong Dud truly was.
Max had an idea, though.
He’d fought them enough times to get a clear picture. Jay was strong, there was no denying that. In fact, he was probably a solid B-Class now, right alongside Max. Especially when he had something fueling him, like in that recent fight.
But compared to fighters like Na and Dud?
They were a whole tier above.
A+ ranked. Dangerous. Efficient. Lethal.
"What do you mean you spotted him?" Max asked, tone suddenly sharp. "Was he following Abby?"
Jay quickly shook his head.
"No. I made sure of that first. Trust me. He wasn’t following her," Jay replied. "But he was circling the school. Several times."
Max’s expression darkened.
"It’s hard to say exactly what he was looking for," Jay continued. "He didn’t follow you directly either. But he stuck around the area... like he was searching for something. Watching. Scanning."
Jay looked at Max carefully. "I know you’ve got something going on. I figured it was best to tell you."
It was a good thing.
Because now Max was getting a glimpse into the Rejected Corps’ true feelings about the whole situation.
Clearly, something had shifted.
Maybe it was something Max had done, or said , that had pissed them off more than expected. And now... they were watching him.
What they were after, Max couldn’t be sure. Maybe they were looking for a weakness. Maybe they were trying to learn his routine. Either way, the intent was obvious:
Leverage.
If Max ever stepped out of line, they wanted something they could use against him.
"Try to stay out of confronting him," Max said after a moment. "At least for now. I know you want to. And maybe the day will come when you can."
Jay stayed silent but nodded in understanding.
"The main thing I want to avoid," Max continued, "is Dud, or anyone , finding out about the Billion Group."
His eyes narrowed with focus.
"Send out a message to all official members of the group. From now on, they’re only to wear their uniforms at the gym. Nowhere else. "
The merch line was popular. Tons of students were wearing it just because it looked cool. But that was different.
He was worried about his friends , those who were actually involved behind the scenes. If the Rejected Corps figured out that Max was the one at the head of this growing empire , they’d have a direct target to aim for.
’Honestly,’ Max thought, ’the only thing I’ve got going in my favor... is that Chrono seems to be a stubborn bastard.’
So obsessed with his war against the Chalkline Boys, Max had a strong feeling Chrono would ignore everything else happening around him.
That worked in Max’s favor. For now.
School passed like usual after that.
Nothing special.
Max walked the halls with a sharp eye, scanning for students, specifically those who might have design talent. He was looking for artists, fashion kids, anyone with style. People he could bring in.
Not for the sake of school pride, of course.
But for cheap labor .
He wasn’t the type to get hung up on things like laws or ethics. At this stage in the game, even child labor sounded like a dream opportunity to him.
Sports schools made millions recruiting gifted athletes, banking on the money they’d generate down the line. In Max’s mind, what he was doing wasn’t that different.
When it came time to eat lunch together in the canteen, the three girls once again forced themselves into the group, just like always.
But for the first time...
Max didn’t complain.
He didn’t roll his eyes, didn’t mutter insults under his breath. Instead, he smiled , an actual smile, and greeted them.
Cindy blinked twice, then punched herself lightly on the arm. "What’s going on?" she said. "Max is... not being a jerk. Not being a, " she leaned in, lowering her voice, ", not being a penis for once."
"You’re right..." Abby added, her eyes wide with disbelief and already beginning to well up with excitement. "Wait, are you being so nice because... you’re dying ?" she asked, sniffling.
Everyone went dead silent.
It was dramatic, sure, but not completely irrational. After all, people tended to be kinder when they knew the end was near. If Max was sick, really sick, this behavior would explain everything. Even the weird distance he’d been keeping from the girls lately could be seen as part of the process.
Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Acceptance.
" Shut up, you idiots! " Max snapped, his voice cutting through the tension.
"Ah. Relief ," Sheri said with a hand over her chest. "He’s still the same as always."
Max slumped back in his seat. "I’m just being nicer because Jay told me to."
The three girls immediately turned toward Jay with glowing, heartwarming smiles. All three at once.
Jay quickly turned his face away, clearly embarrassed by the attention. His ears turned red.
Later that day, once school ended, Max caught up with Jay just before he left the grounds, ready to slip into his usual routine of watching over Abby from the shadows.
But Max held out a hand.
"Hey," he said. "You don’t need to keep an eye on her today."
Jay blinked. "I don’t?"
"You’ve done a good job," Max told him. "A really good job. And I’ve got to thank you, for everything. Especially for telling me to ease up on the whole thing with her."
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Honestly... it was hard. It’s hard pushing someone away when they’re actually that... nice ."
A rare bit of honesty leaked into his voice.
"So come with me today. Let’s head to the gym together."
Jay smiled and nodded. There was something sincere in his eyes.
"I’d like that. My sister’s still at the hospital, so I’ve got time before visiting hours. And Max..."
He looked over at him.
"I knew there was a good side to you. I still remember what you said that day, that one moment, that made me want to help you."
As they walked toward the gym, Joe, being his usual hyper self, darted ahead like a little kid.
He ran across the street, spun around on the other side, and waved back. "Hurry up, slowpokes!"
Max and Jay stood at the curb, waiting patiently for the pedestrian light to turn green.
Then... it did.
They both stepped into the street.
That’s when Max saw it, just a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.
Silent. Fast. An electric vehicle, accelerating hard, heading right toward them.
There was no screeching tires, no warning. Just speed.
Max’s body froze, his reaction too slow, the danger too fast.
And then, bam .
Something yanked him backward, and the next thing he knew, he was flying . His body flipped through the air and hit the ground hard on the opposite side of the street.
Pain flared through every part of him.
Max groaned, dazed. "What... how did I get across the street like that...?"
Then he heard it.
The sound of a heavy thud . Flesh on metal.
The screech of a vehicle speeding off into the distance.
And then,
" JAY! JAY! " Joe’s voice cracked with panic as he rushed over.
Max turned his head.
Jay was lying on the pavement, still. Blood trickled down from his head, painting the street beneath him.
Max’s breath caught in his throat.
His heart felt like it stopped.