CHAPTER 65: A TENSE SHOW!

Chapter 64

"Any problem?" A feminine voice called out to Max who had his head held down, causing him to glance up at the one who had just approached him.

It didn’t take long for him to recognise her instantly, especially from her memorable features.

Her stunning face was enough to turn heads in her direction. She carried a perfect figure eight with medium-sized boobs. Not too big, not too small, just perfect in Max’s eyes.

Her long brown hair was tied neatly in a ponytail that swayed lightly with each step she took. Her beautiful black eyes stared at Max in mild confusion, yet a small, tiny smile lingered on her lips that seemed to light up her entire presence.

’Beautiful.’ Max thought with an inward grin, only for the female to snap her fingers right in front of his face.

"I said, any problem?" the female asked again, dragging his mind back. Max shook his head lightly.

"Jasmine, right?" Max asked, and the female raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! You recognise me?" Jasmine replied as she walked forward and casually sat down directly beside Max, her back leaning against the wall just like his.

"Why won’t I? You’re one of the few impressive applicants I’ve seen today. I mean, for a normal, ordinary human, you’re quite strong, which is rare to see." Max said with a small, charming smile tugging at his lips.

"Don’t try to sweet talk me. It won’t work." Jasmine retorted quickly, a frown pulling at her features as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Who said anything about sweet talking you? Nah, I’m not such a guy. I say things as they are, so if I’m saying that, it means I spoke the truth." Max shrugged as his gaze drifted away, scanning the noisy room.

’Hmph.’ Jasmine sighed inwardly, sneaking a glance at Max who no longer seemed to be paying her attention—until his voice broke the silence again.

"Why did you approach me?" Max asked at last, finally turning to face her directly.

"I sensed that you were angry, annoyed, and frustrated all at the same time, so I came over." Jasmine blurted out before she could stop herself.

’Huh? How did she know how I was feeling? That’s strange and weird, especially since my head was down and my hair covered half my face. How could she notice unless...’

"Were you observing or spying on me?" Max asked, suspicion etching across his features.

"No!" Jasmine quickly shouted, waving her hands in protest. "I’m not such a girl and I would never do that. It’s just... I have a keen sense, so I was able to pick up on your emotions."

’Hmm... strange. Or maybe there are superpowers in this world too? Sheesh, my head hurts thinking about all this nonsense.’ Max thought as he rubbed his temples.

"So, what were you worried about?" Jasmine pressed, pulling the young dragon out of his thoughts.

"Where the damn food Hunter Ben promised a few moments ago is." Max muttered with an unimpressed face just as his stomach let out a loud growl, echoing in the quiet moment between them.

Then suddenly...

Sniff, sniff, sniff!

Max’s nose twitched as he sniffed the air rapidly. A wide smile crept across his face at the familiar aroma, and right on cue, the door swung open wide to reveal several carts of food and drinks being rolled in by attendants.

The sight immediately caused everyone to scramble to their feet, eyes glued to the incoming carts like starving wolves.

And in unison, their stomachs growled so loudly that it became a chorus, bouncing around the room while the carts rolled to a halt. Soon enough, steaming plates of food and cool drinks began to be distributed one at a time.

It took less than five minutes for every single person to have their share, and the new hunters eagerly settled on the bare ground with their meals in hand, ready to dig in.

But of course, not everyone was satisfied. One particular person had a complaint to make.

"The hell?! Are we supposed to sit on the bare ground and eat as if we are some kind of animal? Where are the chairs or tables?!" Zach demanded angrily as he glared at the assistants standing in front of him.

This sudden commotion drew the attention of the others, who paused mid-bite and turned to stare at Zach. They, however, continued eating calmly without raising much fuss.

’Just when I was starting to get bored, the universe decided to hand me a show.’ Jake thought with a small grin tugging at his lips. He sat cross-legged on the ground, eating and drinking without complaint, while his sharp eyes focused on the unfolding drama.

"I’m sorry, sir, but the rules we were given were to serve you all here, and we didn’t have the luxury of bringing in chairs or tables. It would have been quite the hassle setting things up, as this is only a training room, not a dining hall." One of the female assistants apologized with a slight bow, her tone polite yet firm.

"Isn’t that your damned job?!" Zach roared again, his voice booming through the room. This time, Max, who had been calmly chewing his steak, turned his head toward the noise, his gaze cool and unreadable.

"Are we supposed to eat like some sort of animal? This is demeaning!" Zach continued, his face contorted with fury.

"But you are an animal, right?" Max asked innocently, tilting his head as he took a casual gulp of his drink.

His words caused an immediate hush to fall over the entire room. Even Jasmine stiffened, her fork frozen in mid-air as she slowly turned toward him with wide eyes.

"Wh... what did you just say?" Zach growled in a low tone, his hands clenched so tightly that veins bulged across his knuckles.

"I mean, you’re a hybrid, aren’t you? And what are hybrids if not humans whose DNA got mixed with that of both ancient and modern beasts? And beasts, by definition, are nothing more than creatures resembling the animals of old. So technically..." Max shrugged and scooped a spoonful of rice into his mouth, "...you are an animal if you ask me."

’Kek!’ Jake chuckled inwardly, his eyes dancing with amusement. ’Max sure has a sharp tongue.’

"How dare you?!" Zach roared, his rage exploding as he smashed his plate to the ground with a deafening crash.

Shards scattered across the floor as he glared daggers at Max, who calmly sipped his drink with a smirk playing on his lips. "How dare you call me an animal? What the hell do you mean by that?! What gives you the audaci..."

"Shush!" Max suddenly gestured, placing a finger on his lips. Once again, silence swept across the room as everyone instinctively obeyed the motion.

"Can you hear that? Do you all hear that?" Max asked, his voice deceptively calm.

"Hear what?" one of the male hunters asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "It’s completely silent in here."

"Exactly. Just like Mister Zach’s brain." Max grinned, his eyes glinting mischievously.

Instantly, Zach’s entire body began trembling with rage. Without another thought, bristles and jagged spikes erupted violently from his skin, tearing through his clothes as his hybrid form began to manifest. His glare locked firmly on Max, his killing intent thick enough to choke the air.

"I will kill you!"