There was major confusion among the delinquents over what had just happened.
They had always operated as a unit, one voice, one leader, and that leader was Ko. They followed his orders without question. So seeing one of their own suddenly break ranks? It threw everything off.
That brief moment of hesitation was all Max needed.
He drove his knee straight into the face of the student holding him, then grabbed the other by the collar and hurled him in Joe's direction.
The flying student tried to sidestep, not out of fear of being hit, but because he assumed Joe was still an ally, on the same side, like always.
He was wrong.
Joe brought his knee up hard, smashing it into the boy's face, then tossed him like a ragdoll against the classroom wall.
With the immediate threat cleared, Max stepped forward, catching his breath as he wiped a bit of spit from the corner of his mouth.
"Nice one," Max said. "Looks like you're earning your keep. I'll throw in a bonus when this is all over."
"Joe, what is this? Why are you over there standing right next to Max?" Ko shouted, his voice cracking. "Why would you do this?"
Ko's mind was nearly unraveling. Since the start of high school, he and his trio had been inseparable.
What could've possibly torn them apart, so much so that Joe was now willingly fighting against him?
They used to have fun doing everything together. Joe was like him. He wouldn't just switch sides because he felt bad... would he?
"I hate to say it," Max thought as he slid into a fighting stance, "but something someone told me a while ago is true, money rules all."
The students surged forward again, but this time, Max didn't have to face them alone.
He quickly kicked one in the stomach, then followed it up with a clean uppercut to another's face.
Ducking and weaving through several punches, Max spotted another coming straight at him. Without hesitation, he kicked a desk forward, it slammed into the oncoming student, knocking him off balance.
Then, dodging one last swing, Max grabbed the attacker by the collar. In a swift motion, he yanked him forward and drove the back of his head straight into the desk with a brutal slam.
At first, those watching from outside were amazed by how Max was able to take on so many of them in such rapid succession. But the longer they watched him, the more something else became clear.
They were starting to realize just how brutal his fighting style really was. Max didn't care where he struck someone or what he used to do it. He was willing to break bones, use chairs, whatever it took.
It wasn't clean, and in some moments, it was hard for others to even watch.
Off to the side, Joe was holding his own. He didn't have as many people crowding around him as Max did, which made things a little easier.
Only two students had come at him. Joe always felt like he was stronger than most of the kids in his class, and right now, it felt like he was proving that.
He'd taken a few hits, his jaw was aching, but he'd dished out heavier ones in return. One of the students was now laid out on the floor, not getting up anytime soon.
"Crap, that hurt," Joe muttered, wiggling his jaw.
Still, he was taking advantage of something, confusion. The others were hesitating. And that gave him just the edge he needed.
"You know what I'm starting to realize? Being the one getting hit… doesn't feel too good," Joe said, grabbing the other student by the collar, pulling his fist back to throw a punch.
But just before he could, a leg shot between them, slamming into his face.
Joe stumbled backward, crashing into one of the nearby bookshelves. Dazed, he looked up to see who it was, and saw Ko standing there.
"I can't believe it… I can't believe you'd do that to me," Ko said, his voice shaking with rage. "Was everything fake? Is this what loyalty means to you? How are we ever supposed to enjoy another day together? You're ruining everything!" he screamed.
Joe forced himself up, his legs trembling. He needed to be ready, he could already see Ko's leg lifting again, aiming for his stomach.
But then, at the last second, it shifted course.
The kick slammed right into the side of Joe's head, snapping it to the side. His vision blurred, and before he could react, another kick drove into his stomach, sending him back into the wall again.
Joe slid down, collapsing to the floor. His eyes fluttered shut as the room spun around him.
"I didn't want to hurt you myself… f*ck!" Ko shouted, his voice raw and cracking.
A heavy thud echoed behind Ko, and when he spun around, he saw Max standing there.
His forehead was bloodied, someone had smashed a chair into him during the chaos. A thin stream of blood trickled down the side of his face, but he didn't seem to notice or care.
For some reason, Ko actually felt a chill. Max looked… menacing. It wasn't just the blood, it was the sight of the other students lying around him, either knocked out cold or groaning on the floor in agony, unable to move.
"So you managed to beat up a bunch of nobodies and now you think you're hot sh*t?" Ko shouted. "What, have you been learning martial arts or boxing or something?"
He took a step forward, his fists clenched. "And now you've decided to fight back. You think taking me on is going to be the same? There's a reason I was made the head of this class, and you're about to find out why."
"I already know why," Max replied coldly. "Because you're the biggest a**hole out of all of them."
His eyes locked onto Ko's, sharp and filled with fury.
"Don't worry, Ko. I saved you for last, because you're the worst of them all. You don't just deserve a beating… you deserve so much more."
The crowd outside the classroom was growing by the second, pulling in even some of the teachers. But the hallway was so packed, not even they could get close. A few particular students were even using their bodies to block the way, keeping anyone from pushing through.
Among the chaos, one girl managed to squeeze past the others. She made her way up to the window, determined to get a better look inside.
And when she finally did, her eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the two figures still standing.
"What the… is that Max?" Sheri gasped.
Max's ex-fiancé. One of the only people in the world who knew his real name.