CHAPTER 56: WANT TO BE FRIENDS!

Chapter 55

’The fuck is wrong with this weirdo? Why the hell is he staring at me so weirdly?’ Max thought when his eyes suddenly widened and his heart thumped loudly.

’Is he? Don’t tell me he... is he interested in men? Oh crap! No dude! Wrong target, I love four holes not three bro.’ He roared internally, his expression betraying none of the madness running through his thoughts.

Pix, who had been silent for quite a while, suddenly spoke up, his voice laced with confusion.

"Three holes? Four holes? The hell are you talking about?"

’Don’t worry, you won’t understand. It’s not for kids,’ Max replied inwardly with a smug tone.

"Kids? The hell are you talking about? I’m ol..." Pix cut himself off quickly, almost slipping something he didn’t want Max to know.

With a grumble, he decided to remain silent and simply watch the assessment unfold from the back of Max’s mind.

’Now what do I do?’ Jake thought, still staring directly at Max as if nothing else in the world existed. Then, a mischievous idea flickered in his mind.

’Yeah! Let’s not use too much strength and avoid drawing unnecessary attention. Though, knowing who I am, I probably already attracted enough. Honestly, I’m just glad I didn’t use my last name. If they knew my family name, the whole association would lose their minds in uproar. Kek!’ His soft chuckle echoed only within his own thoughts.

"Are you ready?" Ben asked again, his tone firmer this time. Jake finally gave a small nod, though his gaze stubbornly refused to leave Max.

"Go!"

BANG!

Jake swung his fist forward lazily, almost casually, as if he wasn’t even trying. His eyes, however, never once shifted from Max’s figure.

The fist connected with the bag, and the resulting impact was like a thunderclap. The chains securing the bag rattled violently, their metallic groan echoing across the hall. One of the links even cracked heavily, threatening to snap apart.

The digital screen beside the bag flickered madly as the numbers shuffled in rapid succession before finally freezing.

Everyone gasped, mouths falling open as they stared at the crack in the chain. Even Max, who thought he’d seen enough surprises for one day, found his eyes widening slightly.

79

The score lit up in bright digits, and the entire hall buzzed in stunned silence.

Even Hunter Ben, who had kept his composure throughout the previous tests, was left dumbfounded.

The shock caused the blindfold over his face to slip halfway down, revealing a glimpse of his startled expression. He quickly tugged it back on, but the damage was done. Everyone had seen his disbelief.

’Shit!’ Max cursed internally as his eyes narrowed at Jake, who was still staring at him even after the uproar his strength had caused. ’The fuck is with this monster?! He didn’t even transform. How the hell can someone be that strong?! Damn it, if he really swings that way, I’m doomed.’

"Seventy-nine?!" Ben exclaimed, his voice booming across the hall.

Jake finally tore his gaze away from Max to glance at the screen. His expression turned sheepish as he lightly smacked his own forehead.

"And to think I was trying to hold back. Guess I used a little too much strength. Kek." He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

’A little? Did this guy just say he was holding back? What kind of BS is that?! Bro isn’t human—he’s a walking disaster!

With this kind of strength, he could cook any demon below the Twelve Echelons as if they were nothing. No way he’s just a regular hybrid. But if he is, then what kind?’ Max thought, a mix of irritation and grudging respect swirling within him.

Ben muttered under his breath, almost to himself. "Why am I even shocked anymore?" He sighed, quickly retying his blindfold with shaky fingers. Then he gestured toward the treadmill.

"Go ahead. Please, for the love of the association, don’t destroy it."

Jake raised his hands innocently. "I’ll try." With that, he stepped casually onto the treadmill.

The moment his feet touched the belt, his movements blurred. He wasn’t even sprinting—he was jogging, but each step seemed to push the machine to its absolute limit.

The treadmill groaned and creaked, its metal frame trembling violently as Jake maintained his steady pace. His hair swept lightly with the wind his own speed created, and he still looked completely relaxed, even flashing a carefree grin toward Max.

Beep, Beep, Beep!

The timer ended, and Jake slowed down before hopping off effortlessly, not even the slightest bit out of breath. Ben glanced at the machine, his jaw tight as he read out the score.

79

The room fell silent once again, a wave of unease rippling through the other applicants as they realized they weren’t just competing against normal humans anymore. They were standing in the presence of monsters.

’Even his speed is on par with his strength? If what Kelly said was accurate—that most hybrids always have the backing of some kind then with this crazy power, he must have the support of a terrifyingly strong gang from the level one cities. Or worse, a giant corporation.’ Max thought with a loud gulp, his expression betraying none of his growing unease.

"You pass these assessments. Move to the side," Ben announced, though his voice was still tinged with disbelief. He quickly tapped his ear, and a faint blinking light from his earpiece signaled a private call. As he walked a few steps away, his tone dropped to a whisper.

"Yes," the voice on the other end replied sharply.

"I really don’t know how to report this, but damn... we’ve got a bunch of little monsters here," Ben muttered under his breath, careful not to let the applicants hear him.

"How olds?"

"None of them are below eighteen. And honestly, they could give B-ranked hunters a run for their money."

"Hybrids?" the voice asked, suspicion in its tone.

"Some of them, yes. But the ones that interest me most aren’t even hybrids. They’re normal humans, and they’re insane—crazy strong."

"Names."

"The two impressive humans I’ve spotted are Jasmine and Max. As for hybrids, Zach and Jake stand out. I’m sure you already know who Jake is."

"Wait—Max?" the voice interrupted suddenly, its urgency cutting Ben short.

"Yes. Any problem?" Ben asked, his brows furrowed beneath his blindfold.

"Does he have gray hair with streaks of purple in it?"

Ben turned subtly, his sightless gaze still somehow sharp as he confirmed. "Yes."

"Shit! That fool actually came! I’m coming down there right now." The voice roared through the comm before disconnecting, leaving Ben stunned in silence.

’Huh? What’s so special about a human that got an A-ranked hunter like Elijah so worked up? Something is definitely off. Who is Max, really?’ Ben thought, his mind racing in confusion as his attention drifted back to the silver-haired boy standing in the crowd.

Meanwhile, Max was busy trying to stay under the radar, only to feel a presence close in. His heart skipped when he realized Jake was walking directly toward him.

"Hey," Jake said casually, but to Max it was the sound of trouble. His entire body stiffened on instinct, and his hands immediately shot behind him to cover his ass as if preparing for the worst.

"Ye... yeah? How can I help you?" Max asked, his voice tense.

Jake’s smile only widened, his eyes gleaming as he stretched his hand forward. "The name’s Jake. I’d love for us to be friends."

Max blinked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. "Friends? We just met today, here of all places, and you already want to be friends? What if I’m dangerous... or even evil?"

"And that’s a problem, how? Kek." Jake chuckled, clearly amused by his own words. "Besides, if you were dangerous, the association wouldn’t even have time to act. You’d already be six feet under before I was done with you. So no... I don’t sense any threat from you."

’He’s insane! Fuck him, mehn. He’s underestimating me. Tch!’ Max scoffed inwardly, his pride stinging.

"Forget it. I’m not interested," Max said flatly, waving his hand dismissively as he turned to walk away.

But before he could take more than a step, Jake’s hand shot out, gripping Max by the shoulder.

"You know," Jake said softly, his tone laced with amusement, "it’s rude to walk out on people."

Max froze. No matter how hard he tried to move, his body refused to budge. It felt like he was rooted to the floor, an immovable weight pressing down on him. His muscles strained, his teeth clenched, but Jake’s grip alone locked him in place.