MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 918: Shattering Veil

Kingsley shifted once more, narrowly escaping another strike. Aura Nova, however, showed no signs of slowing down. Her relentless assault forced Kingsley into a cycle of constant evasion. Even so, she noticed something startling: Kingsley was adapting in real-time. Though the mechanism behind it remained a mystery to her, his perception and speed seemed to evolve with every passing exchange.

Where he had previously dodged by the thinnest of margins, he now found more room to breathe. It was as if his mind and body were gradually falling into sync with her lethal rhythm.

Aura Nova did not relent. Maintaining her momentum, her hands flickered between reality and illusion as the sheer weight of her strikes warped the very air. In her wake, trees crumbled into dust, mountains were reduced to rubble, and the earth itself split into jagged ravines and bottomless chasms, unable to withstand her overwhelming presence.

Suddenly, her twin short swords lunged forward in a deadly X-shaped cross. One blade targeted Kingsley’s chest while the other aimed for his abdomen. Despite his growing familiarity with her tempo, Kingsley could not parry both simultaneously. Acting on instinct, he raised his hand to intercept the blade headed for his chest.

The instant his palm touched the steel, the destructive power of her Sword Intent blew his arm apart. Before the sensation of pain could even reach his brain, the second short sword sank deep into his stomach. Her Sword Intent sliced through him with the ease of a hot knife through butter.

Blood sprayed into the air as the Sword Intent flooded into the gaping wound, threatening to shred his internal organs. Kingsley ground his teeth, suppressing a scream as he endured the agony. Unmoved by his suffering or his silent defiance, Aura Nova immediately exploited the opening. Launching herself like a projectile, her foot connected with Kingsley’s temple with clinical precision.

A circular shockwave exploded at the point of impact. Inertia took hold, violently jerking Kingsley sideways. With a deafening boom, he was sent hurtling through multiple trees, snapping them like twigs before finally slamming into the base of a mountain.

A thick shroud of dust and debris billowed upward, completely masking Kingsley’s status from view.

Kingsley did not stay down for long. Within moments, he stood up. His flesh was already knitting back together with terrifying speed, his regeneration working with unnatural efficiency. He emerged from the haze in silence, his expression remaining hauntingly calm and unreadable.

As his golden eyes locked onto Aura Nova’s, he let out a soft sigh. He then settled into a martial stance. For a fleeting second, a faint golden light shimmered across his skin before vanishing. It wasn't Qi, nor was it an aura or any physical energy; it was merely a color that appeared and faded, leaving a chilling pressure in the air.

"Come," Kingsley commanded.

These were his first words since the duel had commenced.

Aura Nova moved instantly.

Her acceleration was so violent that the ground beneath her feet was pulverized upon takeoff. She bridged the gap in a heartbeat, thrusting her blades toward Kingsley’s eye and heart. Kingsley raised his hands to catch the weapons. A smirk played on Aura Nova’s lips, as she expected her Sword Intent to disintegrate his limbs just as it had moments ago.

To her utter amazement, Kingsley caught both blades with his bare palms. He gripped the twin short swords firmly, treating her Sword Intent as if it were harmless.

Aura Nova’s brow furrowed as she analyzed the situation. ‘Has he already adapted to my Sword Intent?’ she wondered. Even before she had wounded him, he was already adjusting to her power and speed. She knew he possessed no specific adaptation ability; he was simply that monstrous. His physical Foundation was just that resilient.

Without saying a word, Kingsley used his raw strength to yank Aura Nova toward him. He drove his knee upward like a rising rocket, aiming for her chin. Aura Nova reacted quickly, her own leg rising to block the strike. Sword Intent clashed against pure physical might in a violent burst, yet Kingsley remained completely unharmed.

‘How can his body be this durable?’ Aura Nova thought, her disbelief growing. ‘How is he tanking Sword Intent with raw flesh?’

The two vanished into a blur. They streaked through the forest like flashes of light, locked in a relentless pursuit. Techniques exploded in every direction as they traded blows. A kick met a cut; a palm strike clashed with a sword thrust. The surrounding woods were systematically demolished as the intensity of their battle reached a fever pitch.

Aura Nova grinned when she saw that Kingsley was still matching her pace, even while her movements were fully bolstered by her Sword Intent. She didn't speak, but her smile widened. Suddenly, her Sword Intent erupted with violence, slamming into Kingsley’s chest and hurlng him backward.

Her Sword Intent sharpened and condensed, its blue radiance deepening into a more vibrant, lethal hue. She had pushed both its sharpness and destructive power to a new level.

As she finished speaking, Sword Intent swirled around her in a violent vortex, lifting her into the sky. Her gaze locked onto Kingsley. In a single motion, she delivered a downward slash with impossible velocity and force.

Kingsley felt the cold roar of death echo through his soul.

His body moved on pure instinct. Muscles tensed and arms rose as he braced for the impact. The moment he guarded himself, a vertical wave of Sword Intent cleaved down toward his torso with terrifying precision.

Behind him, the energy of the blade continued its path, neatly bisecting the terrain. The earth was torn open, and a thunderous roar shook the forest as everything in the path of the strike was severed instantly.

Kingsley spat out a mouthful of blood. A normal Cultivator would have been sliced in half, yet Kingsley’s absurd durability kept him in one piece. The slash had buried itself halfway through his body, stopping just before total separation.

His regeneration kicked in immediately. Bone, muscle, and skin reconnected with incredible speed, mending his frame back into a whole as if he had never been touched.