MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1012: Disappointed

Klaus found himself settling back in disappointment; he had anticipated something extraordinary, an epic showdown between Null Anthony and Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos, but nothing of the sort occurred. In his mind, he pictured a monumental collision, a brilliant display of sword mastery, powers, and destructive moves, a fight capable of rocking and even fracturing the isolated realm itself, yet... reality merely ridiculed his hopes and enthusiasm.

The matchup of Anthony against Anthony was meant to be the peak, the highlight of this training bout, but it concluded in such a sudden and nearly underwhelming manner.

Still, Klaus had foreseen this result anyway; although Aaaninja possessed his own absurd aptitude, the difference in their ages highlighted just how insanely exceptional Anthony truly was. Anthony was only nineteen years old, whereas Aaaninja had surpassed three hundred years. Moreover, Anthony had reached the Apexus Mana Rank ahead of Aaaninja, a feat that alone revealed his extraordinary nature.

Furthermore, even if Aaaninja had attained the Apexus Mana Rank prior to Anthony, Klaus realized it wouldn't alter the spar's conclusion. After all, every member of the Older Generation present was solidly established at the Apexus Mana Rank, wasn't it?

Klaus wasn't alone in his letdown; the others shared it too, from Vega to Aura Nova to Veronica. Only Lucian Darkheart appeared unmoved, as if he had long grasped Anthony's character and embraced the unavoidable outcomes of such confrontations.

Zachary and Nyxss felt their hearts clench inside, not out of letdown—no, they harbored no such hopes for their son, wishing only for him to pursue the path he chose. Their hearts tightened due to concerns over how their son, Aaaninja, might be coping.

He arrived intending to overcome Anthony, only to fall to someone he had previously beaten and dismissed as no real challenge, and then to lose as well to the very individual he had focused his training on for the last three years, despite acquiring a massive boost in strength that should have elevated him far beyond nearly all others in attendance.

Aura Nova's gaze turned to Aaaninja, who had just taken his place. She stayed quiet; her ocean-blue eyes lingered on him briefly before moving to Null Anthony. 'This is the divide between him and the rest,' she pondered internally while observing Anthony. 'Such an absurd level of talent and strength.' Her eyes narrowed briefly, reflective and assessing, before she released a gentle breath. Yet in the following instant, a grin appeared on her face as her mind drifted to the idea of facing Anthony in another bout.

'Definitely next time,' she resolved inwardly, pulling her gaze from Anthony and Aaaninja, a flicker of rivalrous thrill subtly kindling in her core.

Aaaninja rested there with his eyes shut momentarily. He showed no scowl, nor was his pride wounded, since he wasn't some idiotic Young Master who would collapse from one loss. Then he reopened them, directing his Eyes Of Genesis at Lucian Darkheart, who grinned at him nearby.

'I know what you are going to say,' Aaaninja declared, locking onto Lucian's dark stare.

Lucian Darkheart grinned while poking fun, 'What? That I told you so?' he inquired in a playful voice, his face showing entertained contentment.

Aaaninja kept quiet, offering no denial to Lucian's comment. 'Why don’t you tell me what you know?' he proposed, sensing that Lucian held knowledge hidden from the others.

Lucian raised a brow, grasping Aaaninja's intent behind the query, yet he couldn't simply blurt out: 'Hey, this world is a novel, and Anthony's the protagonist; I essentially triumphed over you by calling forth the author.'

Uttering something like that would make everyone regard him as insane. But a person like Aura Nova might actually lend it some credence; she adored stories and games, fully versed in the fourth wall and the odd ideas in made-up tales.

'You can think of it like a skill; next time, just take my words for it and save yourself the time and stress,' Lucian uttered at last, opting for the simplest rationale at hand.

Aaaninja regarded him briefly, then gave a small shake of his head. He couldn't compel Lucian to reveal what he preferred to withhold, so he merely took Lucian's statement as it was. Considering that fellow's vast array of bizarre abilities, it wouldn't surprise if he owned such an enigmatic and cryptic power.

Vega remained seated with a grin adorning her features. Though she hadn't joined this bout, she relished every moment of it; ultimately, her partner stayed undefeated, while all others had experienced both victories and defeats... except for the unfortunate Sky Kingsley, who claimed not a single win. Nevertheless, his Universal Technique and Limit Break Form proved staggeringly overpowered. He fell only because he encountered beings of his own extraordinary caliber, existences that defied all logic.

Now, the training session neared its end. Nearly all had clashed with nearly all, and each now comprehended their standings relative to the others. Yet at this point, just one matchup lingered: Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos against Aura Nova. Following that, the assembly and summit would at last conclude.

Did excitement fill the group for this fight? Hardly. While they hadn't observed Aaaninja's updated combat strength, he now occupied a superior tier of being compared to the rest. Undoubtedly, Aura Nova's chances of prevailing against him hovered at absolute zero, a complete and utter null.

The sole wonder in their thoughts was if Aaaninja would toy with Aura Nova briefly, or conclude it swiftly as Anthony had wrapped up their own duel.

Veronica and Altheria couldn't avoid a touch of sorrow. When might they next behold a confrontation of such magnitude? They didn't even operate on the same power level as these outlandish figures.

Veronica matched Vega in age, a nineteen-year-old young woman. She ranked as the frailest among them, akin to an ordinary human next to the assembled powerhouses. Even Altheria surpassed her; being a Celestial inherently granted Altheria a biological edge over Veronica.

Altheria recognized that her gifts would propel her to the Apexus Mana Rank eventually; no one questioned that in the Celestial Solar System. However, the timeframe for her arrival there stayed entirely mysterious.

Regarding Veronica, she wasn't sure if the Apexus Mana Rank lay within her reach. Despite Lucian's advice to disregard such worries, promising that his support alone would make attaining it straightforward, a shadow of doubt persisted deep in her thoughts.