From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 258

Chapter 258: An Urge Of Power

After having his arm broken, his dominant arm, no less, Max was finding it incredibly difficult to keep up the fight against Dud. Every movement felt sluggish, every dodge a second too slow, and the pain pulsing from his injured limb was impossible to ignore.

It appeared even Dud had gained confidence. No longer relying solely on his grappling skills, he was now using his fists and legs to dish out brutal, punishing strikes. Each hit was more devastating than the last, and Max could feel the damage piling up.

Getting hurt in a fight affected someone more than they usually expected. It wasn’t just physical, it was everything. It messed with your head, shattered your concentration. It robbed you of your ability to breathe properly, and it made calling upon your strength feel like trying to lift a mountain. With every heavy blow, it felt like Dud was hammering away at more than just Max’s body, he was chiseling away at his will.

Max’s thoughts spiraled in every direction. His breathing was ragged, his vision blurred, and somewhere deep in his mind, a question kept ringing: How am I supposed to solve this? How do I get out of this mess?

In that haze of pain and confusion, only one thing crossed his mind, relying on others. Depending on someone else to step in.

But he crushed that thought almost as quickly as it came.

"Relying on others..." Max gritted his teeth, shaking his head. "I can’t believe I actually thought of that."

He clenched his jaw tighter, feeling fury rise from deep within him.

"The leader of the White Tiger Gang relying on people? What a joke. I guess... I guess I really did start doing that in our later days."

His mind raced as memories surfaced, those final moments before everything fell apart. He had stopped pushing himself. He had started trusting others to handle things, stopped sharpening his own edge.

"When I think about it," he thought bitterly, "that was probably the beginning of my downfall. I got weaker... complacent. While everyone else who did things for me, they kept getting stronger."

Max’s remaining hand clenched into a tight fist, his knuckles pale and trembling. But then, something shifted.

He started to feel something.

It began as a strange, subtle stir in his core, rising like heat from a furnace deep in his belly. Slowly, it intensified, spreading outward through his body, rushing through his limbs like an electric pulse.

It was almost like an adrenaline rush, but it wasn’t that. It was something more. Something deeper.

The pain in his body began to fade, the sharp aches dulling as if washed away. His breathing became clearer, and an unfamiliar strength started fueling his fingertips, coursing into his muscles like a flood.

"This feeling..." Max’s eyes widened. "I’ve felt it before. But how? Why now? Why would I be feeling something like this at a time like this?"

Then, in his breast pocket, he felt his phone vibrate.

He didn’t have time to check it, not with Dud standing right in front of him, but that buzz was all the confirmation he needed.

The only person this could’ve been... it has to be Aron, Max thought. He must’ve done something, without my permission, of course. But whatever gamble he took... it seems like it’s paying off.

That realization didn’t bring Max anger. Instead, it ignited something else, focus. Resolve.

Right in the middle of that thought, Dud came charging in again. He was relentless, a wild grin on his face as he assumed Max was still too broken, too slow, too easy to punish.

But this time, Max wasn’t looking at the ground.

This time, he lifted his head.

There was something different in his eyes, an intensity, a spark that hadn’t been there before. Dud didn’t notice it. He was too caught up in the rush of dominance, too busy enjoying the fight.

Big mistake.

At the exact right moment, Max’s body snapped into motion. He lifted his leg and delivered a sharp, clean side kick. The move was precise, almost surgical. A fast snap, nothing flashy, but effective.

Dud had been prepared for a sluggish move, something weak and easy to counter.

But not this.

The kick struck him dead center in the stomach.

Thud!

Dud grunted, all the air whooshing from his lungs as his body hunched forward, folding over the impact.

What the hell? Dud’s thoughts raced. That kick came out of nowhere. Am I imagining things? No... that was faster than anything he’s done before.

That moment of hesitation cost him dearly.

Max wasn’t about to waste it.

He knew this second wind, this surge of energy, wouldn’t last long. He had to take full advantage of it, and that meant keeping the pressure on.

Leaping forward, Max launched into the air. With all the force he could gather, he swung his arm down hard, bringing it crashing into Dud’s forearms just as the other boy tried to raise them to defend.

Crack!

The sound wasn’t bone-shattering, but it was enough to send a deep vibration down Dud’s arms. The damage had been building all night, Max had been targeting those arms again and again. Now, the pain was catching up.

Dud staggered, his arms twitching uncontrollably, muscles refusing to obey like they used to.

He can’t lift them properly anymore, Max realized. I’ve been hammering those arms all night. The damage finally added up.

Max wasn’t in a position to deliver a strong follow-up, his dominant arm was still broken, and his balance was off from the jump.

But he wasn’t going to stop.

Drawing his one good arm back, he twisted at the waist and swung it forward with all the torque he could muster. The back of his fist connected flush with Dud’s cheek.

Smack!

No. I’m definitely not imagining it... Dud thought, wiping his mouth. He’s gotten faster. Stronger. He’s breathing different. It’s like... he found a second wind.

Is this what people talk about? Dud wondered. That last surge of strength when you’re desperate? When there’s nowhere to run and nothing left to lose... is this what happens?

Crash!

Crack!

Damn it... damn it! Max screamed in his head. If I had gotten this surge of power earlier, before my arm was shattered, maybe I could’ve handled this. Maybe I could’ve turned the tables. But like this? I don’t know if I can make a comeback at all...

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