From Bullets To Billions Chapter 611: The Chairman’s Solution

Darius deliberately leveraged the turmoil caused by the heated standoff in the gymnasium to advance alone. He had keenly observed that, despite the presence of a highly skilled operative donning a specialized Silver Jacket who was holding the line, that fighter remained the sole person left in the vicinity.

The disappearance of other regular Billion Bloodline associates acting as a secondary line of defense signaled that the Syndicate vanguard had to be within immediate reach of the top levels—precisely the location he intended to infiltrate.

Darius possessed immense confidence in his abilities. Because he had previously engaged Max in combat and emerged triumphant, he operated under the assumption that replicating his historical strategy would suffice to conclude this corporate struggle.

Upon passing through the massive double doors, he navigated a well-illuminated corridor that eventually opened into an expansive, cavernous arena. This was the Fortis indoor stadium, featuring tiers of vibrant seating designed specifically for corporate functions and large-scale training exhibitions.

Observing the center of the elevated fighting platform, he spotted his target. Max stood motionless, dressed in his distinctive jacket; the dark material absorbed the stadium lights, casting an aura of composed authority about him.

"We meet again!" Darius roared, his voice reverberating throughout the empty stands as he marched toward the ring. "Did you genuinely doubt my ability to reach this point, or are you merely astonished to find me here instead of Ramon?"

Darius ascended the padded stage, halting several paces away while scrutinizing Max with caution. Finding the Chairman standing exposed in the open caused Darius to grow suspicious, wondering if this setup was merely an elaborate snare.

This was the opulent leader of a rising empire, an individual who commanded formidable fighters, including that lethal subordinate in the Silver Jacket currently stationed downstairs. For such a man to have no bodyguards present was a decision few sane leaders would risk.

"Actually, we fully anticipated that someone would breach our defenses," Max responded, his tone holding a flat, steady quality. "We specifically permitted you to advance through the lower levels so we could isolate and engage the primary agitators one by one. I estimated a fifty-fifty probability that I would encounter you at the culmination of this event. In many ways... I am quite pleased that it is you standing here rather than Ramon."

Darius could not suppress a mocking laugh upon hearing such audacious words.

"You certainly speak with the arrogance of a corpse. You were barely capable of surviving the Black Hounds when we last collided, and now you have the collective might of the Gilt Rats and the Hounds bearing down upon you," Darius sneered while adjusting his fighting stance. "You should have stayed buried. You should have remained inconspicuous and paid your tributes like every other local organization. Instead, you chose to create havoc at my venues and foolishly persist in your rebellion."

Now it was Max’s turn to laugh.

"Indeed. The notoriously dangerous Black Hounds. So terrifying a syndicate that they were forced to hide behind the skirts of the Gilt Rats just to secure enough support for a single raid," Max mocked, shaking his head. "Do not worry, Darius. I intend to provide you with a harsh education today. I shall dismantle you first, and then I will descend to handle your mentor.

Max then transitioned smoothly into a calculated battle posture. Sensing the change, Darius tightened his stance, his eyes narrowing to slits.

"You should already understand that the disparity in our martial prowess is insurmountable!" Darius bellowed.

He charged toward the center of the ring, and Max matched his intensity by sprinting forward as well.

As they converged, Darius launched a blistering opening strike. Max evaded the attack with effortless grace, slipping laterally twice before executing a lightning-fast high kick directed at the side of his opponent's cranium.

Darius successfully deflected the heavy blow with his forearm, gritting his teeth against the shock felt throughout his frame. He immediately attempted a grappling maneuver to seize Max’s jacket, but Max shifted his weight and evaded the grip like a phantom.

When Darius launched a secondary assault, he deployed his trademark technique. The identical optical illusion that had overwhelmed Max in their previous skirmish began to unfold again. Max’s vision blurred, creating two distinct threats—a phantom kick flying toward his head accompanied by a punch leveled at his ribs.

Max did not waste time discerning the physical threat from the fabrication. Instead, he accelerated. He raised a hand to bat the illusory strike aside. Perceiving an opening, Darius committed to the attack—only for a reinforced fist to collide squarely with his jaw.

The counter-punch arrived with such velocity that it completely shattered Darius’s rhythm, prompting him to flinch in intense agony.

Through watering eyes, Darius witnessed Max raising his leg. He reflexively attempted to intercept the kick, but his reaction was a fraction too slow. Max’s boot drove deep into Darius’s midsection with devastating kinetic energy.

The breath was forced from Darius’s lungs instantly. He tumbled backward, skidding aggressively across the padded surface before coming to a violent stop at the edge of the platform.

Darius’s eyes streamed with tears, and his stomach churned violently. Clutching his abdomen, he fought for air.

"How is this... possible?" Darius wheezed, gazing at the Chairman in absolute disbelief.

"I admit, I still cannot fully decipher your visual deceptions. My mind naturally assumes those phantom strikes require a reaction," Max noted calmly, lowering his fists. "However, I determined a simple solution. I shall simply ensure my speed is sufficient to nullify every strike—both the real and the imagined.

"Furthermore, I possess enough strength to shatter any defense you might raise," Max continued, his eyes remaining cold. "Darius, the opponent you face in this moment is fundamentally transformed. This outcome will not mirror our previous encounter."

Max: $1,576,380,000