From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 634

Chapter 634: A New Strength

Max made sure that Aron was stable before the final confrontation. Since Aron was still able to stand on his own two feet, Max felt comfortable leaving him to find a safe pocket within the arena. Max moved with a predator’s focus, backing away slowly without ever letting his eyes drift from the two enemies who were about to partake in a large, decisive fight. He needed to ensure there was distance between them; the last thing he wanted was for an injured Aron to be used against him as a hostage or a distraction mid-fight.

Aron, clutching his side, watched Max’s retreat with a mixture of awe and trepidation. ’Max is going to be okay, right? His face... he looked like he had complete confidence,’ Aron thought, trying to quell the rising panic in his chest. ’He must have managed to figure out something during that minute I gave him. He must have figured out a flaw or done something that will allow him to finally win this fight.’ Aron had to believe it, because once again, his own body had failed him; he wasn’t going to be the one capable of protecting Max this time.

Walking out toward the center of the stage, Max’s posture was radiating a new level of certainty. For Ramon, however, the display was almost insulting. He found it incredibly hard to believe that a mere sixty-second break, barely enough time to catch one’s breath, could amount to any significant change in the flow of the battle.

"You should have taken me out when you had the chance, boy," Ramon commented, his voice echoing with mechanical distortion.

He bent his knees, getting into a low, tensed position that mimicked a half-sprinting start. In an instant, he leapt forward. The hydraulics in his leg units hissed as he activated the exoskeleton at maximum output. Simultaneously, the servos in his arm whirred to life; he was preparing to throw a devastating, suit-powered punch that he intended to end the night with.

Ramon sailed through the air, ready to finish the contract in one go. To his absolute surprise, Max didn’t move to dodge. Instead, Max leapt up into the air as well, meeting him halfway. Max only took a few explosive steps and then spun his body with a grace that shouldn’t have been possible for a human. The side of his foot came out lightning-fast, slamming with the force of a wrecking ball right into Ramon’s chest piece.

The impact sent Ramon flying backward in the exact direction he had come from. He landed hard on the floor, skidding across the polished wood for several meters before his suit’s friction plates brought him to a halt.

"Legs have longer reach than arms, you dumbass," Max stated, landing lightly on his feet. "And if you’re in the air, you can’t shift your weight, so I knew you couldn’t avoid my attacks."

Ramon was able to get up quickly, using a single hand to push himself off the floor. The ease with which he rose showed just how much raw power the exoskeleton’s motors were still providing. Although he had taken a direct hit, he was mostly fine; the reinforced chest piece had absorbed the bulk of the kinetic energy, though the vibration had certainly rattled his teeth.

"I guess I was really careless with that one," Ramon admitted, wiping a layer of dust from his white coat. "I thought you might have been still hurt from the last scuffle we had, but as usual, you are tougher than you look."

This time, Ramon abandoned the aerial theatrics. He simply ran straight ahead, closing the distance on foot. When he reached Max, he threw out a super-speed punch. Max reacted with clinical precision, hitting the mechanical arm away while simultaneously shifting his head to avoid the follow-up. In that same heartbeat, Max went to counter with a strike of his own.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify