Chapter 363 Breaking the Record
"No way, are they really gonna compete?"
"Mark and Michael are the best in this group. They're so young and already have killer stats; calling them geniuses isn't even a stretch. Eric's just setting himself up for embarrassment."
"Hold up, you don't know the whole story. It wasn't Eric who wanted the competition; it was that girl who pushed for it. She claimed Eric could easily beat Mark and Michael, and to avoid bullying them, she suggested comparing their stats."
"That girl is so naive. She actually bought into Eric's talk."
"You don't get it. This is about skill. But this time, Eric's bragging is gonna blow up in his face. It'll be fun watching him get exposed."
The testing hall was already buzzing, but the showdown between Eric and the other two drew even more attention. Everyone knew Mark and Michael's abilities, but Eric was a wildcard. No one expected much from him since he didn't look particularly strong or muscular. Competing in strength and reflexes against the two seemed like a joke.
"First up is the punching power test. Each person gets three tries. Michael, you're up first," Matt said, standing next to the punching power machine.
Michael hadn't stood out much in the last punching power test, but his strength was over 640 pounds, already at a professional level, way beyond an average person.
Michael nodded and stepped up to the machine. He clenched his fists and delivered three powerful punches to the leather target.
Three deep thuds echoed through the hall.
Michael was pleased with his punches and turned to give Eric a smug look.
The machine's display flickered before showing the final numbers.
682 pounds, 692 pounds, 684 pounds.
The crowd erupted in astonishment.
Michael's numbers were close to Mark's, making him the second strongest in this elite group.
Matt was thrilled with the results, already planning to focus on training Michael. Michael's reflexes and speed were better than Mark's, making him the more well-rounded fighter.
"Next up, Mark!" Matt called out.
Mark stepped up to the machine, his muscles tensing and veins bulging. He threw three rapid punches at the target.
The machine emitted three crisp sounds, shaking slightly. The numbers quickly climbed past 600 pounds, eventually surpassing 720 pounds, breaking Mark's previous record.
The final numbers were displayed.
770 pounds, 782 pounds, 786 pounds. Each number far exceeded Mark's previous best.
"Well done! I didn't expect you to have so much in reserve," Matt laughed, increasingly impressed with Mark. The 800-pound mark was the standard for top city fighters, and Mark was just shy of it. With training at Polaris Reach, Mark was a sure bet for the top ten in the state youth fighting championships.
Katherine saw the numbers and felt a bit uneasy. Mark's strength had surpassed Lucas's.
An 80-pound difference might not seem like much, but once you hit 700 pounds, every additional pound is hard-earned. Reaching 770 pounds takes years of effort, not something you can achieve quickly.
Eric had beaten Lucas before, but Katherine estimated their strength was about the same. Eric's superior fighting skills and experience had given him the edge. If she had known Mark had so much hidden strength, she wouldn't have suggested comparing stats...
"Next up, Eric."
Matt didn't understand why Katherine had so much faith in Eric, but surpassing 782 pounds seemed impossible.
Eric approached the machine, looking at the daunting 782 pounds with a wry smile. "We're just high schoolers without formal training, and they already have this kind of strength. This must be what they call talent."
Eric had come to Polaris Reach just to see how much he'd improved, but now he had to give it his all. If he didn't, he'd be a laughingstock. He didn't care about that, but he couldn't let them mock Katherine for her judgment.
"I wonder how much I've improved this time," Eric thought as he warmed up, preparing to punch with all his might.
Eric remembered his last test result was 512 pounds, above average. Even with improvement, he didn't expect much more than 580 pounds.
"Can you hurry up? It's just a punch, not a marathon!"
"I bet he's scared and stalling. He might even claim he's not feeling well."
Seeing Eric take his time warming up, some people grew impatient and started mocking him.
Eric ignored them, continuing his preparations.
"Almost ready," Eric thought, feeling relaxed. He clenched his fist and delivered a quick punch to the target.
The machine displayed 604 pounds.
"That's it? Just 604 pounds?" Many people laughed at the result.
But Eric stepped forward and threw another punch.
This time, the crowd heard a series of muffled cracks from Eric's joints. Some sharp-eyed observers noticed his body hair standing on end as he punched, followed by a sudden explosion of force.
This punch used a technique to concentrate all his strength into a single point, a skill requiring precise body control.
The machine shook, and the display changed to 874 pounds.
But Eric wasn't done. He spun around and delivered a light punch to the target.
The target dented, the machine shifted back slightly, and the marble floor cracked like a spiderweb under Eric's foot.
The machine roared, displaying an astonishing 1152 pounds, breaking the Polaris Reach record.
Mark's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Michael was equally stunned, unable to believe what he saw.
Everyone in the hall was speechless, too shocked to say a word.
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