MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 943: Double Standard

Klaus's announcement rang out from overhead, "Null Anthony, wins," pulling Lucian from his reverie, and he simply stood up. By willing it, he triggered his Event Rewriting power, causing the dirt on his clothes to disappear as if wiped clean from reality, while his ripped garments mended themselves, fibers weaving back into place until they looked brand new once more.

His mana reserves filled up instantly, as if he hadn't expended any at all, surging right to the maximum in his core, and his energy returned to full strength even though he hadn't really been worn out. The whole fight seemed reversed, like a short rewind of time just for him, bringing him back to pristine condition.

"I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship." Anthony's words drifted over from nearby, accompanied by a gentle grin on his face. It wasn't a smug or boastful expression, but a genuine, warm one free of any smugness or ego, the sort that comes effortlessly and sincerely.

"Naturally, it won't," Lucian answered, shaking his head. He wasn't so petty. Letting a single defeat in this practice match destroy his bond with Anthony would mean he never truly saw him as a friend to begin with. "Plus, I can pin this on Aura Nova," he added, his voice casual but with a hint of blame, "if she hadn't misled me with her talk, I wouldn't be here like this."

Aura Nova hadn't actually deceived him in any real way, but he wouldn't voice that. Blaming someone else felt simpler than owning up to how his ego pushed him into an unwinnable clash. It was all her doing, or so he chose to believe.

Even in defeat against Anthony, he hadn't walked away empty-handed. During their intense exchange, Lucian's concentration had been unbreakable, keener than ever in his life. He observed Anthony's every action with intense scrutiny, breaking down each motion, each inhale, each surge of mana. He sought to uncover insights, to absorb knowledge, to pierce any detail, no matter how minor it appeared.

What better teacher than the offspring of ???, bearer of The Beginning Of All Things Physique, rumored to rank just below ???'s according to the creator's own words. He also wielded the Primordial Bloodline, bestowing absurd, nearly illogical powers.

And sure enough, post-spar, certain subtle understandings had dawned on him, hovering just beyond full grasp, requiring some moments to fully integrate and make his own.

His core skill being Absolute Copy, which kept him hunting for skills to mimic, didn't imply he lacked his own extraordinary gifts. Far from it—his reflexes, awareness, and flexibility matched Aaaninja and the others, possibly surpassing in some areas.

"Glad to hear it. Losing a buddy like you would bum me out," Anthony responded with yet another grin. "And looks like you're fully recovered already... that Event Rewriting of yours is way too broken," he remarked with a sigh, his tone blending awe with a touch of frustration.

His mind wandered to Aura Nova restoring herself to peak form with a single power, and to Kingsley with his equally outrageous physique. The people close to him were all freaks in unique fashions, each armed with traits that demolished any idea of ordinary.

"Not sure if you're teasing or what," Lucian shot back, unable to resist, "since you're unscathed, and I'm betting your mana didn't dip a bit, stamina untouched too." He eyed Anthony up and down, inspecting closely, then shook his head in mild defeat.

"Looks like you picked up plenty from our bout," Anthony observed as he started floating upward, defying gravity like he belonged to another dimension altogether.

Lucian moved without delay. He ascended too, gliding effortlessly skyward, a faint smirk crossing his face. "Whatever I got from this probably won't let me beat you now or anytime soon," he stated evenly, straightforward without evasion. No need to sugarcoat it. Others might cringe at admitting such, but not him—he knew Anthony deeper than anyone there.

Anthony let out a laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, that's spot on." His words carried a fun, easy vibe, free of superiority or disdain, but utterly honest.

"Ever hear that your talk comes off as cocky?" Lucian quipped as they soared softly toward Klaus and the waiting crowd.

"Do I?" Anthony questioned, raising a brow, truly intrigued instead of upset.

"Nah, you're not. Just saying it sounds that way, not that it is," Lucian explained with a slight head shake.

"Fair enough, but I don't sweat what folks I don't give a damn about think," Anthony said with a casual shoulder lift, his apathy clear and without regret.

Lucian just nodded, staying quiet, well aware of this facet of Anthony. He recognized Anthony as neither hero nor fiend. In their duel, after all, Anthony had conjured countless planets, whole realms summoned like playthings. Undoubtedly, each held trillions of souls, myriad societies thriving within.

Yet Anthony remained unmoved; he called them forth regardless and erased them with his bare hands, no second thoughts. Their end meant nothing to him.

Did this bother Lucian? Not in the slightest. He shared Anthony's outlook completely. If lives truly mattered to him, he'd have strived to rescue those planetary dwellers, shield those delicate beings, but he felt zero pull to do so.

"Think you'll face Aaaninja next?" Anthony inquired from beside him. All had fought save Aaaninja. Clearly, his matchup loomed, against one of them eventually.

A grin spread across Lucian's face at Aaaninja's name, a subtle glint of eagerness in his gaze. "Hoping for it... got a score to square with him."

"Just 'cause you dropped one to him? So does that mean you've got one with me too?" Anthony teased, entertained.

"As I mentioned before, going after you feels pointless. Why bother pursuing the unattainable like Aaaninja does?" Lucian answered, his look shifting to something more composed and logical.

Anthony paused briefly before pressing, "But what if rematching him is just another impossible chase?" he murmured softly.

Lucian fell quiet too, as if weighing Anthony's point deeply. He got the implication. Anthony pointed out his hypocrisy. He wanted Aaaninja to grasp the pointlessness of challenging Anthony, but overlooked if his own pursuit might prove equally vain. Much like Aaaninja's drive to topple Anthony, he aimed to best Aaaninja, yet urged Aaaninja to quit on Anthony.

After that quiet stretch, he responded, "We'll find out," then surged ahead faster, bursting through the storm wall like fleeing deeper probes, trailing only swirling winds and vanishing musings.