From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 499

Chapter 499: Stephens Special Power (Part 2)

As Stephen settled back into his seat, he found himself staring down at his own fist, examining the redness blooming across his knuckles, the faint throbbing beneath the skin. He flexed his hand slowly, feeling the lingering sting from those last three blows he’d delivered. Even through the ache, he couldn’t help the flicker of satisfaction running through him as he reflected on the fight.

This had been his first real test since forming the Vow and awakening his new power.

And while Joe, Na, and even Wolf had adapted quickly to their own transformations, Stephen had struggled the most in learning how to access and control his ability. His Vow was tied to speed, a gift that should have been perfect for a man who once built his entire life around timing, precision, and movement.

Yet mastering it was far more complicated than he had expected.

The truth was, Stephen couldn’t move his entire body at enhanced speed. Not yet.

He could only accelerate one part of himself at a time, his hand, his arm, a single limb. And doing even that required such extreme concentration that he practically had to empty his mind to activate the ability at all.

His thoughts had to become perfectly still.

His emotions restrained.

His instincts narrowed down to a single point.

Only then could he release a burst of speed that felt like his old peak, yet beyond it at the same time.

During the fight with Keke, he had achieved his best breakthrough so far.

He had maintained the accelerated speed in one hand long enough to throw three punches before Keke even registered the first. Three strikes delivered faster than his aging joints should have ever allowed, yet still powerful enough to knock the man unconscious in an instant.

Stephen chuckled breathlessly to himself. It was surreal.

His punches had always been strong, built on decades of form and conditioning. But combined with this new speed, they became destructive. Devastating even to him.

"Does it hurt?" Max asked from beside him, leaning forward in concern. "Your fist... it’s really red."

"I would be lying if I said otherwise," Stephen admitted with a wry smile. "It seems there’s something else I need to consider."

Unlike Joe, who could heal after nearly breaking his own body with his destructive punches...

Or Na, whose strength and dexterity had risen together, allowing his body to naturally support its own power...

Stephen’s situation was different.

His raw physical durability had not increased with his speed.

His bones, already aged, were still the bones of a man well past his prime. And hitting too hard, too fast, risked his own hands giving out under the force.

’If I keep striking at this level without restraint, I might damage my own bones before I damage the opponent,’ Stephen thought grimly. ’I need to refine my control. Increase the speed only slightly, just enough to gain advantage, without overwhelming my body.’

He inhaled deeply.

’And if I can strengthen myself further... if my muscles adapt... then one day I might be able to move my whole body at that speed. Or maybe even sustain it for longer than a moment.’

Hope, bright and unfamiliar, rippled through his chest.

His age had always been a shadow hanging over him, a constant reminder that his peak was behind him. But now?

Now, he had a chance to surpass even the man he once was.

He glanced at the screen and saw the notification: Payment Received.

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