Max joined an unknown fight in search of the Black Apple.
Through a secret path, he reached a grand stadium. The hustle and bustle, along with the noise, stunned him for a moment. The arena looked just like a cricket ground, but here, instead of a game, there was going to be a battle. People were shouting excitedly all around.
Max looked towards the crowd. People were discussing with each other.
"Bro, beating Rial is impossible. He has defeated ten warriors continuously without breaking a sweat." "His strength doesn't seem human!"
In the center of the arena stood Rial—a massive, muscular sumo wrestler. He was wearing only underwear. His roar echoed throughout the stadium. Then, an announcer's voice rang out, "Next battle! Rial, the sumo wrestler, versus Sohail!"
Sohail entered the arena from one of the gates. Max immediately recognized him. "This is the same guy who came before me," he thought.
Max decided to sit and watch their fight. Rial took his position in the center, glaring at Sohail. As soon as the fight began, Rial started hitting the ground with his feet, kicking up dust with every strike.
"What's he doing?" someone in the crowd shouted. "Maybe he's trying to scare his opponent with tricks," an old man said.
Suddenly, Rial rushed forward and threw Sohail to the ground. The whole arena echoed with the impact. Sohail had lost.
Max was stunned. "How did that happen so easily? He didn't even use any power!"
Sohail was dragged off the field. The announcer then declared, "Now, the next challenger is—Max! Will he prove to be as powerful as his name suggests, or will he fail like the others?"
The crowd started chanting, "Rial! Rial!"
Max stepped into the arena. He looked around. Everyone was chanting Rial's name. "This time, it won't happen," Max thought to himself.
The battle began. Rial repeated his move, placing his hands on his thighs and stomping the ground. Dust swirled up. But then, Max heard a system notification in his mind.
"System Alert: Poisonous gas detected in the air. Substance name: Inhalation Anesthetic. The effect of the gas is being neutralized."
"What! Sleeping gas in the air?" Max looked around and noticed small holes near Rial's feet.
"Oh, so he's winning with tricks!"
The system gave another notification:
"Daily challenge acquired: Defeat the challenger in front of you. Based on the scan, a new ability is being unlocked for you."
Max felt something strange inside him. His breath became lighter, his vision sharper, and his body felt lighter.
"Your abilities: Wind Resistance and High-Speed Reflexes."
Rial thought, "Why is this one unaffected by the gas? I'll have to fight with my full strength now."
Rial rushed at Max to strike, but Max dodged at lightning speed.
"Your tricks won't work now," Max said.
Using his new high-speed reflexes, Max started evading Rial's heavy attacks from all sides. The crowd was stunned. Rial's powerful strikes kept missing.
"My turn now!" Max hit Rial hard on the waist, sending him flying through the air and crashing to the ground.
The arena went silent. Within seconds, the announcer's voice echoed:
"And the winner is—Max!"
The crowd was astonished. Those who had chanted Rial's name were now applauding Max.
System Notification rang out:
"Challenge complete. 5 Experience Points awarded."
"Level Up: 02."
"Second Skill Unlocked: Shadow Range."
System Voice (robotic):
Rank: Novice
Level: 02
HP: 5/5
Strength: 1/10
Stamina: 1/10
Experience Points: 4/30
Skills:
1. Shadow Range: Track enemy movement within a 10-meter radius and attack using their shadow.
2. Flash Step: Double your speed in an instant to confuse the enemy.
Power: 1
Max felt something change within his body.
"Shadow Range... what is that?" he thought, but decided to check it later.
Max smiled. "Now, the Black Apple will be mine."
In front of Max, a beautiful, glowing Black Apple appeared. The crowd began whispering. Everyone was curious about this mysterious fruit.
The announcer approached Max and asked, "Would you like to sell it? If so, the bidding will start at 100,000 rupees."
Max's mind was blown. "100,000?" he thought. "Such a huge sum... I could change my life with this money."
But then a question crossed his mind. "What will happen to my system? If I don't eat it, will I lose my system? Or will I die?"
Max's confusion grew. The crowd was waiting for his decision. He looked around. Everyone's eyes were on him.
"What should I do?" Max asked himself.
Suddenly, ignoring everyone, he picked up the Black Apple and ate it.
A complete silence fell over the stadium. The crowd's eyes were wide with shock. This had never happened before.
"What is he doing?" someone in the crowd shouted.
"You're never supposed to eat the Black Apple! It's used to make medicines and magical potions."
The announcer was also speechless. "This boy will die... no one has ever tried to eat it."
But the opposite happened to Max. After eating the Black Apple, he was still normal.
System Voice (robotic):
"Black Apple consumed. New abilities are unlocking."
HP: 10/10
Strength: 2/10
Stamina: 2/10
Experience Points: 5/50
The crowd, now filled with fear and astonishment, was watching Max. He glanced around. Everyone was frozen in place.
"This place is no longer right for me," Max thought and walked out of the stadium.
Max's mind was occupied with one question: "What is the power of the Black Apple hiding from me? Where is my system taking me?"
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From the stadium to OCA: Max's New Beginning
After his victory and obtaining the Black Apple, Max returned home. He was exhausted—fighting the Crystal Snake, followed by the deadly battle for the Black Apple, had drained all his energy. As soon as he collapsed on his bed, he realized that today had been one of the most challenging days of his life.
Then, a notice slid under the door. Max picked it up and read it, and concern appeared in his eyes. It was an eviction notice. The government had given homes to the children of soldiers who died in the planetary wars, but these homes were only for students until they graduated. Now that Max had completed his 12th grade, he had to leave the house.
Thousands of questions rose in Max's mind. "Where will I go? Where will I stay?" But then, he remembered the announcement from OCA (Outcast Academy) that had been made earlier this morning.
He looked at the clock—it was 4 PM. There was only one hour left before OCA's application deadline. Max decided to head straight to OCA without wasting any time.
OCA, the Outcast Academy, was not just an institution—it symbolized a new beginning. It offered opportunities to anyone with the will to progress, whether they had special powers or not.
OCA believed that a person's worth was not measured by their strength, but by their thoughts and determination. That's why OCA had never been biased in its student selection.
OCA's biggest responsibility was to make the planet habitable for humans.
After a while, Max reached an OCA branch. As soon as he entered, he saw a girl working on a computer. There was no one else around, just a few people busy with their tasks, but it seemed that Max was the only student at this branch.
Max approached the reception and said, "I want to participate in the Beast Hunting competition."
The girl listened carefully and then pointed to some purple-colored balls on the counter. "Please stand here and provide your name."
Without hesitation, Max replied, "Max."
The girl asked, "What is your power?"
A thought crossed Max's mind. "If I tell them about my system, they might force me to reveal everything, and they might even test me." But then he decided, "If I tell them about my powers, they might put me in trouble." So, he decided to answer, "Nothing special."
Suddenly, the purple ball began to glow. The girl gestured for Max to stand there.
A loud sound rang out, and Max felt as if he was being lifted into the air. In the next moment, he teleported to a new location.
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Where did Max end up?
What will happen when OCA learns about Max's system?
Will Max be able to join OCA?
What will happen in the Beast Hunting competition?
Will Max survive?
To find out, keep reading our novel!
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