CHAPTER 218: - SPAR WITH AKIRA -

"Max!"

"You’ve been challenged."

Revealing themselves to be the source of the approaching footsteps, Miles and Blake both passed through the archway, eyes glimmering as they spotted him right after.

The former called out his name whilst the latter nullified the tension by urgently stating the matter at hand. In that instant, they both shared a splitting glance before facing Max.

’Huh?’ Stunned by the revelation, Max raised his brows at the two.

"Come, walk faster. I’ll fill you in on the details." Blake grabbed Max’s arms, pulling him forward.

"I don’t know the details, but our instructors seemed to be having a silent conflict."

’Hell...’ Just as he was about imagining the scene, Miles chipped in, cutting off his train of thoughts.

"Man. Lovers’ quarrel."

"By the way, in order to spite you guys, the instructor proposed a spark between both new additions. Hehehe." Blake let out a short laugh at the end, leaving Miles to the side confused.

"I see." Appearing nonchalant, Max muttered, summarising that the other instructor wanted to embarrass him.

Soon, they took an abrupt turn through another archway, leading to the training courtyard with the giant pagoda, and all eyes focused on their arrival.

"Jeez, I don’t know how. But please give it your all as to not make them look down on us." Patting his shoulder briefly, Miles muttered and quickened his steps to the Elites’ location, which was opposite the Paragons.

"Hehehe. Take it easy, bro." To the side, Blake rubbed his green and grinned while walking away.

"Max."

Promptly after that, Miss May’s solemn but cold voice reached him as she stood before the Elites, now in a similar blue gi that hid her body shape and merely exposed her arms.

Looking not too pleased either, she walked towards him.

"Can you spar?" she coldly announced, wanting to excuse herself from Max’s certain defeat.

On the other side, the muscle instructor smirked a slight sneer at the edge of his lips as he watched.

"... Yes."

While noticing the pitiful, schadenfreude gazes on him, Max responded calmly.

A little stomped by his response and facade, Miss May blinked, and her eyes turned colder, subconsciously reassessing Max to be more arrogant than she previously thought.

’Such a pretender... still trying to put on calm air?’

No longer solemn that he would lose, Miss May coldly nodded and turned away.

"Okay. Agreed." She said to the muscle instructor in displeasure.

"Okay, guys. Move back and take a seat. We are about to exchange pointers, so make sure to note some details."

His voice boomed across the courtyard, laced with slight mockery, and a smile tugging his lips.

"Hmm." Miss May nodded at the Elites who also moved back. Amongst them, a few threw Max a silent nod.

Soon, between the formation of both factions, Paragon vs. Elites, a spacious circle was formed, with a circumference of 30 metres.

Already within the circle, as silence unfolded within the courtyard, a figure stepped forward from the Paragon side—

Taking elegant, purposeful steps towards Max, she adjusted her yellow gi and stood 3 meters away from him.

Her expression was composed, excluding sharpness, as she assessed Max, neither showing disdain nor even a slight sense of belittling him.

[Host: Max Rider

Age: 17

School: Elite Metropolitan High

Stats: 34.6

Charm: 35%...

Strength: 35%...

Agility: 35%...

Stamina: 35%...]

’Just 35% recovered? My charm was also affected?’

’No wonder.’ Having just pulled up the system’s holographic screen, Max’s eyes lit in understanding as to his unlucky impression with the slender instructor.

’Still, I doubt if I can take her on with just 35% of my stats recovered.’ Assessing the Russian fierce beauty before him, Max glanced at the neutral stats he had left.

’Good thing I saved for emergencies.’

Pondering which stats he should add to, Max’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly closed them.

"What’s he doing?"

Seeing this, Instructor Ren frowned slightly and threw a glance at Miss May.

"Huh? Is he a pervert?"

Whispers broke out as they watched Max’s ecstatic look, especially the male Paragons, who almost couldn’t control their anger.

"Is this his kink?" Blake, who also saw this, smiled.

’I know this is embarrassing, but it’s also a necessary sacrifice.’ As he endured the spike of bliss from increasing his stats, Max listened to the whispers and almost couldn’t hold it in anymore.

But fortunately, the nullifying effect of his shutdown hormones quelled it down.

Before him, the fierce beauty’s composed expression crumbled silently till it was a frown.

[+15 agility stat points.]

Finished assimilating, Max read the words on the system’s screen and his eyes glinted with satisfaction.

Sure enough, everyone misunderstood it and could no longer bear it.

"Fight!" the instructor scowled, signalling the beginning of the spar.

"Akira." Following a polite introduction, Akira attacked Max without delay, in order to end his perverted antics.

Her fist cut through the air with experienced mannerism, aiming towards Max’s face while preparing to cut off his retreat with a kick.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Max moved like he predicted her movement. Despite his lax posture, his reaction was as agile as a cat, escaping the range of her fist and incoming kick.

The sound of his gi, fluttering in the wind as he twisted, drew a speechless look from every spectator, including both instructors.

Because before their eyes, Max made Akira’s attack seem like child’s play due to his reaction speed.

’Shit! I have successfully fallen into her trap.’

H h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h h