CHAPTER 217: - UNEXPECTED REUNION -

Thud!

Max landed, skidding for a few seconds before managing to reaffirm his feet on the limestone ground and released the parachute.

"Tsk! Always coming late with your students and making an entrance, Meilin."

While basking in the attention and a target of several scornful eyes, a sharp voice filled with derision tore through the tension, calling out to their suited instructor whose slender shape was modestly exposed as she unstrapped her parachute, taking off her helmet and letting her silky long hair flow freely behind her.

"...Says who?"

Promptly after that, the instructor turned to face the approaching bulky Japanese man, wearing a sleeveless orange gi and barefooted.

Revealing an expression he’d never seen—the cold and aloof instructor smiled, or rather, smirked.

"Ren." Reciprocating with a smirk of his own, the man warmly stretched his hand forward for a handshake, which the instructor gladly took.

’Don’t tell me they are lovers?’

Upon seeing the neutral and unsurprised look the other Elites had, Max confirmed his thought.

’Every woman, no matter how tough-looking or aloof they always are, has a soft spot for a particular dick.’

Thinking back to the cold and assuming attitude she expressed to him earlier, a subtle irritation pricked his heart.

’An open relationship, huh?’ Max sneered but maintained his neutral look, assessing the man.

From the look of it, the other man was also an instructor.

’Is this a school?’ Instantly scouring the tall pagoda and buildings, his eyes swept the standing lots in Shaolin-discipline gis and came to a conclusion.

’Not too sure on that.’

"How boisterous, Ren."

The two instructors quickly ended their greetings, masking formality as they went right to business.

"Where is—"

"Max?!"

The instructor had just spoken halfway when a sharp, incredulous voice cut her short.

’Huh?’

Instantly drawing attention from both sides, with Max being no exception, a green-haired youth with frozen composure—as if realizing how fucked he was—became the center of attention.

However, Max’s furrowed brows softened the next instant.

"Blake?"

Overwhelmed with the feeling of reunion in a distant land, despite it not being a week since they last saw each other, Blake embraced Max in a brotherly hug.

Reciprocating the expressed gesture, Max didn’t shy away.

At the sight of Max’s warm gestures, a few Elites, including Miles, all raised their brows.

"He isn’t as cold as he looks, then," Miles commented.

Seconds ticked, and the two cousins finally broke their hug.

"You advanced?" Wanting to ward off the awkward attention, Blake quickly asked, taking in Max’s appearance in a friendly manner.

Realizing the same thing, Max nodded and responded.

"Yes."

"How—"

"What do we have here?" Cutting Blake off before he could begin, the Japanese instructor, Ren, strutted forward, his face holding a curious expression as he suddenly glanced at their instructor.

"What a surprise, you’ve gotten a new addition this term?" the man asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Yes." Staring at Max as her eyes turned cold, she responded with a smile afterward.

"Miss May."

Seemingly not wanting to behold the conversation, a burly Elite stretched and signaled to change his uniform.

"Go on." Realizing her mistake, the instructor, Miss May, nodded in approval.

"What a surprise. I also happen to have a new addition on my side—a first-class Paragon getting to adjust to the flow of combat jurisdiction," Instructor Ren said, surprising not just Miss May but also catching the attention of the Elites who were about to depart.

Revealing a proud grin, Instructor Ren folded his arms, flexing his muscles as a girl stepped forward from the lots behind him and stood near him.

"Meet Akira," he said, drawing a serious expression from the Elites.

5’6", brown hair, high ponytail, and extremely beautiful.

One would wonder why the boys were solemn—

Excluding her feminine frame was a fierce temperament and a trained composure from repeated combat experience.

’Wow—’ Despite being accustomed to prime beauties, Max felt a spike of thrill and a desire to subjugate surge through him for a split second.

"Such coincidence, Max is also an SS Elite."

Realizing she had been backed into a corner, the instructor let out a profound smile, then revealed her trump card. Though from the look of it, she didn’t seem happy to boost Max’s ego, she thought.

This time, it was the Paragons from Paragon Summit Academy who drew a silent pause as they began reassessing Max’s figure.

However, unlike their Akira, who radiated a fierce aura, Max—due to having broken his silent streak—appeared ordinary, filling them with a dim sense of curiosity.

And so no one expected much from Max; even their instructor, Miss May, didn’t seem to have the slightest confidence in him. After all, he only took the serum yesterday.

Beside Max, though, Blake’s expression became thoughtful before being lit with realization.

"Even then—?" he muttered.

"Don’t worry, bro. I trust in your abilities," Blake whispered next to his ear while showing a disdainful corner smile at the instructors.

"Hmmm."

In response, Max nodded, receiving a friendly pat from Blake before turning to follow along the departing Elites to what should be a changing room—or so he thought.

"Max."

Signaling him to stop, Miss May walked toward him.

"Take a walk with Master Zhi," she said, performing a respectful bow in his direction.

Turning to glance in the direction, Max spotted a bald man in high monk attire with hands tucked inside his sleeves, bowing slightly in return.

’For a moment, I thought she recognized my strength and bowed to me.’ Throwing a self-mocking remark, Max politely bowed to the latter.

"Come, young one."

Shortly after that, the monk beckoned to him with a benevolent smile and turned to leave.

Amusedly tagging behind, Max stayed silent till they entered the main temple.

"Do you know why you were brought here, young one?"

The monk suddenly asked, lighting up an incense before passing it to him.

"...No." Stunned by the strange proceedings, Max responded after a hesitant pause.

"Hmmm–" Sighing softly, the monk picked up another incense and lit it for himself.

"Lu Bu, Achilles, Ragnarok Karna. Even among holy books and scriptures, impossibly strong humans have been dated to kill hundreds of their enemy warriors in one battle.

"These events have been dated to happen in the prime era of mankind, thus marking the peak of strength.

"However, after millennia, such no longer exist...

"After several ponderings and debates between several enlightened minds, it is said that mankind is a parasite that feeds on the Earth, polluting it with every generation it births—a repeated cycle of decay.

"The air, our environment, atmosphere—the soil that births our crops—is just 2% of what it used to be in ancient times. Therefore, human baseline strength can only go so far without weapons.

"The project to move to Mars is a blessing to mankind.

"In the next century or two, this world might no longer be livable."

The monk stopped, placing his incense before a mural of a Buddha meditating, and motioned for him to do the same.

"The mountain summit exerts the simulation of an ancient environment meant to help us extract and access the stimulation of the serum you took. So practice diligently and try to connect with nature more often during your stay here."

Upon arriving at the last mural, Max gave a respectful bow to the monk and walked to the changing room.

...

Having just changed into a navy-blue gi, Max, lost in thought as he mulled over what he had been told while moving toward the training courtyard, suddenly heard fast-approaching footsteps.

"Hurry, you’ve been challenged."

"Huh?"