Max had known the Stern family was a dangerous collective from the moment he first drew breath in this new body. Waking up from a near-death experience only to be immediately targeted by an assassin was a clear indicator that someone wanted the job finished.
However, Marsha Stern was a relative Max had barely interacted with. She wasn’t like Karen, whose resentment was a loud, physical thing that manifested in insults and petty power plays at every opportunity. If anything, out of all the Sterns, Marsha had always seemed like the most mature and composed member of the family, but Max was beginning to realize that her maturity might simply be a mask for a more calculated brand of ruthlessness.
’Is everything Donto said true? Or is he just desperately trying to divert my attention away from his father?’ Max mused. ’No, Donto has no idea what I’m actually capable of or what my true endgame is. He thinks this is a family squabble.’
Max had been investigating Donto as a gateway to Randy, largely to fulfill the request of the Gilt Rat’s leader. He knew the man was terrified of Donto, and shutting down the senior’s drug operation was the only way to get him focused on the exoskeleton prototypes, technology Max knew would be vital for the future. His primary concern remained the inevitable invitation from the Superhumans. Now that he led a major syndicate, it was only a matter of time before they came knocking. He remembered with chilling clarity that the last time he received such an invitation, he had perished shortly thereafter.
’But Marsha... even if she has her sights set on the seat of the Heir, why go after the original Max Stern?’ he thought. ’Max was at the very bottom of the succession list. He shouldn’t have been seen as a threat to anyone. Maybe that’s exactly why she chose him, he was the easiest to pick off. If she could eliminate him without Dennis suspecting foul play, she could move through the rest of the family one by one.’
Max realized he hadn’t done much digging into Marsha, but that was about to change. Aron had likely compiled files on every family member, though finding a direct line of attack against someone as guarded as Marsha would be difficult.
With the answers he’d managed to pry out of Donto, Max felt a sense of finality. He was done with Donto, and more importantly, he was done with this university.
"I guess it’s time for me to leave," Max said, turning away from the broken athlete. "Remember what I said, Donto. Live your own life. Enjoy the gifts you have. Maybe you can actually learn something from your father and build something of your own for once."
Max took several steps toward the exit, but before he could reach the handle, Donto’s voice cracked through the hall.
"What is your aim in all of this!" Donto shouted, his voice desperate. "Why are you looking for my father? What do you plan to do with that information? It’s not like you can take a man like him down. And you don’t seriously think you have a shot at becoming the Heir, do you?"
Max stopped and looked over his shoulder, a small, dismissive wave of his hand punctuating his response. "I have zero interest in becoming the Heir. But finding out what your father is up to might make my real job a lot easier. To be honest, I think of this entire family drama as nothing more than a side quest."
A bitter, hacking laughter bounced off the polished walls. "You can’t be serious... a side quest? Just because you managed to beat me up, you think you can take on the heavy hitters of this family?"
Max shook his head, a pitying look in his eyes. "I guess you don’t really speak to the rest of the family much, do you? Next time you see Karen, or Bobo, or even Chad, you should ask them what they think. I’m sure at one point or another, they all thought the exact same thing you’re thinking right now."
Just before Max pushed the doors open, he added one final remark. "Oh, and I know you were trying to buy time with your talking, hoping I wouldn’t be able to help the people outside. But I think you should see the situation for yourself."
Max shoved the heavy doors wide, allowing them to swing open. The scene in the courtyard was exactly as he had envisioned. The sports seniors, the "muscle" of the university, were rolling on the ground in agony. They had been utterly dominated.
Standing among the fallen was Aron and Rick, flanked by dozens of other students. These weren’t just random bystanders; they were members of the Billion Bloodline group. Unlike the seniors, who relied on raw size and unearned confidence, these students were required to undergo rigorous training every single day. Many of them were veterans of actual street wars. They hadn’t let the adrenaline cloud their judgment; they had stayed calm, utilized their techniques, and delivered an overwhelming victory.
Donto was at a total loss for words. He could wrap his mind around Max being strong through some secret training, but the sight of an entire army of students dominating his hand-picked enforcers was impossible to process. Where had they even come from?
As Max walked out into the center of the courtyard, the group of students reacted instantly. In a perfectly synchronized movement, every single one of them bowed deeply.
"We greet the Boss!" they shouted in a unified roar that echoed across the campus.
Donto felt his heart sink into his chest. The reality of who his "useless" cousin had become was finally hitting him with the force of a tidal wave.
"Max... you aren’t the person I knew," Donto whispered from the floor of the hall. "Just who the hell are you?"
***
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