Chapter 83: Fierce & Gentle.

Whole dormitory woke up the moment that bastard went down, the shockwave of the crash ripping through walls and floors, screams and footsteps erupting almost instantly from every direction.

Doors flew open, voices stacked over each other, panic spreading like fire through the building as people poured into hallways, some shouting, some crying, some frozen in place trying to understand what just happened.

Someone yelled about calling the cops, phones already coming out, chaos blooming in waves while alarms and distant pounding echoed through the corridors.

Max didn’t waste any time. He stepped forward once, planted his weight, and drove his heel down hard, crushing the bastard’s hand entirely under controlled force.

*CRACK*

Bone gave way with a sharp snap, fingers folding at impossible angles as pain detonated through the man’s body. The bastard’s mouth opened in a silent scream, eyes rolling back, the shock too much for his system to handle, and his consciousness collapsed right there on the floor.

Max stood over him, unmoved, breathing steady, helmet tilted slightly downward, already done with him as the noise of the dormitory continued to rise around them.

Max shook his head once, slowly, then kicked with as much force as he could muster, his leg snapping forward like a piston, impact landing clean and brutal against the bastard’s legs.

Bone folded under pressure, joints buckling in on themselves as the force tore through flesh and structure, Max deliberately breaking the parts that were impossible to fix, making sure this bastard would have to live his entire life in a wheelchair.

His body barely shifted from the strike, balance perfect, posture steady, all power delivered through one precise motion.

*POP* *POP*

Then he looked toward Saoirse and took a step in her direction, boots crunching softly over broken glass, but unintentionally crushed that bastard’s balls under his heel, the movement was accidental.

Weight transferring at the wrong moment. His helmet tilted slightly to the side in confusion, like he was processing what just happened, head cocked just a fraction as if checking his own footing.

Saoirse, who had been panic-stricken just moments ago, froze mid-breath, her wide eyes still locked on him, but seeing this cold man’s sudden goofy slip broke something in her shock.

Her horrified brain stalled, then reset, fear stuttering into disbelief as the absurdity cut through the terror, her body going still while her mind struggled to catch up with the scene in front of her.

Max unstrapped his helmet and lifted it off, the release clips clicking softly in the charged air, his long blonde hair falling loose and messy with sweat, strands sticking to his forehead and temples.

He cracked his neck once, slow, then looked at her, eyes steady, breathing controlled, before giving her a small smile that didn’t ask for thanks. He stepped closer and knelt just enough to reach her hands, fingers working carefully as he gently undid the binding around her wrists first, loosening the cloth, sliding it free without pulling too hard, making sure not to hurt her skin.

His movements were precise and calm, hands firm but gentle, the contrast sharp against the violence still hanging in the room, his touch made her heart even more serene.

As he pulled out the cloth stuffed in her mouth, she tried to yell, breath bursting out of her chest in a broken rush, panic spilling back for a split second, but Max immediately placed his hand gently over her mouth, palm warm, grip soft but steady.

” Don’t tell anyone I was here, tell them both of us were fighting and an unknown fellow barely escaped, we were saying some gang stuff, Evo Angel and Bronte ”

He leaned in just enough to keep her focused on him while he talked, telling her exactly what to do and what to say, his voice low and controlled, eyes locked on hers so she wouldn’t spiral.

She trembled under his hand for two seconds, shoulders shaking as her breathing stuttered, then she slowly calmed down, blinking hard before nodding, understanding settling in. Max lifted his hand away, giving her space again, watching her carefully, making sure she was grounded before straightening back up.

” I… I promise, thank you ”

Max caught the way she bowed her head instinctively, small and formal, like a Japanese gesture of respect, and he immediately understood what was running through her mind — she thought he really was a gang member or something like that.

” Don’t worry about it, I am not a gang member by the way, I was just using these terms to confuse people ”

His eyes softened just a fraction as he straightened, shoulders relaxed, helmet still hanging from his hand, sweat drying on his skin while broken glass crunched faintly under his boots.

” Eh? Why… ”

She froze at his sudden closeness, shock flashing across her face, confused why Max would involve himself in doing something so horrendous just to help her, why he would lie and take that kind of risk.

” Shush!! It’s our secret ”

When he gently placed two warm fingers against her lips, light pressure, not forceful, just enough to ground her, her thoughts finally slowed. His touch was gentle, his gaze calm and unwavering, and in that quiet moment, surrounded by chaos and distant noise, she actually believed him, her breathing easing as trust replaced the panic still trembling in her chest.

” I will take my leave now, take care, and also don’t involve yourself for now. If any gang members come to ask you anything, just say Bronte ”

Max gave her one last look to make sure she understood, then patted her head lightly, firm but gentle, fingers brushing through her hair once before pulling back.

He slid the helmet back on, the visor lowering into place with a soft mechanical click, sealing his expression behind dark glass. Systems notification still had not come, so it meant he still had things to do. For now, the immediate danger was over, and that was enough.

He turned toward the door, movements efficient, not rushed but precise, already calculating timing, already measuring the rising noise outside. He would retreat before the cops caught up to him. No hesitation, no backward glance, just a clean exit.

…

” He’s so fierce and gentle ”

” Excuse me? ”

Cops were writing on a notepad when Saoirse described the one who got away with those exact words, her voice steadier now but still carrying a strange softness. The officer paused mid-scribble, pen hovering in the air as he looked up at her, confused by the description.

Fierce and gentle didn’t fit together in his mind. Around them the scene was chaos — flashing red and blue lights reflecting off dorm windows, reporters pushing microphones forward, cameras rolling live.

Dorm girls stood outside wrapped in blankets and hoodies, some wide awake and excited, others half-asleep and stunned, whispering to each other while several ambulances loaded the boys Max attacked before entering the building, stretcher wheels rattling over pavement.

” Gang fight runs rampant once again, this time the target was a female student but someone saves the day ”

Reporters were actively reporting the incident, voices urgent, dramatic, turning confusion into headlines.

Meanwhile, far from the flashing lights, Max stood by the flowing river under the night sky, the city noise distant now. Without ceremony, he threw the black helmet he purchased into the water, the object spinning once in the air before disappearing into the current.

He didn’t need it anymore, and this was the cleanest way to erase the trace, the river swallowing the evidence as if it had never existed.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep