From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 548

Chapter 548: The New Hierarchy

After witnessing the destruction of the heavy punching bag, Max’s eyebrow started to twitch rhythmically as he stared at the jagged hole Stephen had left behind.

The main reason for the irritation was simple: it was going to cost a significant amount of money to replace equipment specifically reinforced for superhumans. Stephen knew exactly why Max’s eyes were twitching; he had never known someone so incredibly wealthy to be so stingy. However, after learning more about the nature of Max’s Vow, which seemed inextricably tied to his wealth and resources, Stephen began to understand.

Despite the silent judgment from his boss, Stephen continued to test out his powers. Now that he no longer had to worry about the structural integrity of his own arms, he felt a sense of freedom he hadn’t experienced since his Vow was completed. He could finally go at full force. Still, out of respect for Max’s wallet, he decided to hit the remaining bags and sparring equipment with slightly less ferocity than his initial, rail-shattering strike.

As the training session progressed, Stephen noticed two distinct issues. First, he still couldn’t get the hang of using his speed on two different body parts simultaneously. For instance, he could move his arms with incredible, blur-inducing speed, or he could move his legs to dash across the room, but he couldn’t do both at once.

It didn’t feel like a lack of coordination or a skill issue; it felt like a fundamental limitation written into the "code" of his Vow.

"If I think back to the few true superhumans I’ve met... well, one in particular comes to mind," Max explained, stepping closer to observe the mechanical joints of the exoskeleton. "I can’t imagine that the moment he completed his Vow, he was as strong as he is today. My best guess is that time is truly needed to make these Vows stronger. You have to prove, over a long period, that you are truly sticking to the restrictions you set for yourself. As your commitment grows, the power scales. I suspect eventually you’ll be able to use your speed across your entire body at once."

However, there was a second problem that Stephen couldn’t shake: his stamina. Moving at those speeds was physically exhausting. While the exoskeleton protected his bones and muscles from the mechanical stress of the impact, it did nothing for his lungs or heart. It wasn’t as if he could get an exoskeleton for his cardiovascular system to improve his oxygen intake.

"Maybe I was a bit early in my assessment before," Wolf noted, tapping a finger against his chin as he watched Stephen catch his breath. "When he’s at his peak and doing everything at once, he’s definitely an S-grade. But his effectiveness drops off sharply as the fight drags on. Still, I can’t lower his overall grading because his base stats are just too high. Even without his Vow, he’d be a top-tier fighter with plenty of stamina. It’s just something we need to account for in a long-term engagement."

Immediately after they finished with Stephen, Max surprised everyone by stepping into the center of the ring.

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