MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 957: Self Actualisation

"What about the second weakness you mentioned?" she finally asked, voicing the question that weighed far heavier on her mind than the first one. As the mightiest figure on the Dusk planet—a status that once guaranteed total command and unchallenged rule—this world had transformed. No longer was it just the Dusk planet; now it formed part of the immense Galactic arena, ruthless and expansive, teeming with myriad races and timeless entities whose power levels soared beyond reach. Even Rain, who ruled supreme on the Dusk planet long before her birth, found those heights impossible to grasp, contest, or even approach, no matter his relentless efforts.

"It ties back to your Omniedit ability once more," Lucian answered without a trace of delay, since if Aura Nova had been a foe, he wouldn't bother with lengthy explanations or helpful pointers—he'd end her life in an instant, clean and without regret. Yet Aura Nova counted as his ally, both in this story-like reality and likely beyond it too, as he felt a strange certainty that he and the person behind this Aura Nova role were online buddies somewhere, chatting lightly with the Author as if everything here was just a detailed playthrough.

"Your Omniedit ability might be ridiculously strong and utterly unbalanced, but you miss the smooth flow that ought to accompany shifts between Commands or strikes—there's invariably a tiny lag after each move and every order you give. You don't have that fluidity, that command, that subtle elegance and poise that true strength demands on this vast stage," he described steadily and with patience, offering Aura Nova a warm smile, not in jest, but like an instructor eager for his pupil to grasp the lesson at last.

Aura Nova just absorbed the words as she learned that a power she'd honed over centuries, refined with unwavering pride and assurance, remained beyond her full grasp—that she wanted for precision, for elegance. Though she held some of those traits, they fell short on the colossal Galactic platform and amid these horrifying stakes, where the tiniest flaw might spell victory or doom.

"These flaws define you right now, Aura Nova; you've muscled past every obstacle so far, but that tactic fails from here on, especially facing the Twelve-Winged Angels and their God—you must adapt. Engage foes directly, plan and adapt in the heat of combat, figure out ways to overcome them without unleashing massive, all-crushing blows to wrap it up instantly as you always have," Lucian counseled, delivering not just critique but a clear route ahead, his words resolute yet heartfelt.

"Moreover, your lack of real-world savvy stems not just from those overpowering assaults, but from the Dusk planet itself," Lucian pressed on seamlessly, "you stayed confined to your homeworld, never venturing past its horizons, while I departed mine right at age twenty. Aaaninja had ventured out countless times too—we've all witnessed alien realms, clashed with varied beings, encountered diverse fighting styles, which is why we hold our ground now," he elaborated in a serene, somewhat nostalgic voice.

Though Anthony had scarcely, if ever, departed his own world, he didn't factor in, being a total outlier who shattered all norms. After all, Anthony's cunning led him to request a battle savvy skill from ???. That gift bestowed him fighting wisdom exceeding the combined total of those around, so much so that even divine beings seemed dim beside his sheer combat intuition and vast expertise.

In Lucian's view, regarding pure battle know-how, only figures like ??? and Romulus outranked Anthony.

How could Aura Nova hope to triumph over such a force when she struggled so against even Lucian?

"Should you manage to embrace what I've outlined, you'll experience a complete transformation—keep in mind, currently, you wield only unrefined might and little more," Lucian concluded firmly, his tone unyielding and definitive, allowing no doubt.

And truly, he'd done all he could to aid her, providing fixes rather than taunts. He knew the player behind Aura Nova might chafe at seeing their avatar defeated and schooled so sternly, but Lucian recognized this tough lesson as vital for her evolution, since ease never builds true might.

If Aura Nova could truly evolve, if she stepped back to heed his words without relying on shortcuts once more, then perhaps he and Aaaninja would lag behind her in time.

She harbored such immense gift, such daunting promise, yet the Dusk planet had served as her tightest prison and sternest barrier—a narrow pool that tricked her into believing she embodied the sea. But with her entry into this broader cosmos, the hour had arrived to unfurl her potential.

Aura Nova shut her eyes briefly, staying utterly quiet, as if a long-obscuring shroud over her sight had at last been torn free. Lucian held back from striking, not out of some noble code—far from it; against an adversary, he'd have slain her instantly upon spotting that vulnerability, no second thoughts.

But he sensed she was undergoing a moment of insight and embodiment, nothing as deep as the Enlightenment Anthony's folks reached or the profound True Enlightenment Aaaninja claimed, yet her present breakthrough still mattered greatly, remained uncommon, and merited regard.

After that hushed interval, her eyes reopened, those sky-blue depths appearing sharper and more vivid, as if she now viewed herself in a fresh, uncharted light, with veils of hubris and unchecked self-assurance stripped bare.

"Thank you, Lucian Darkheart," Aura Nova said, her tone brimming with honest thanks and real appreciation, free of any ego.

"You're welcome; I can't wait to clash with you once you unlock your real potential," Lucian responded, genuinely thrilled at the prospect.

In the instant that followed, Aura Nova gave a faint grin as she declared, "don't get the wrong idea from this—I'm not surrendering," she affirmed strongly, clarifying her resolve without ambiguity.

"I'd never underestimate you like that, Aura Nova," Lucian said with a subtle grin, as if savoring their back-and-forth even more than the duel.

Aura Nova offered no further words and charged ahead to unleash her ultimate Command.

Omniedit Command Root Access Mod—

Yet before she completed the invocation, before the directive could take full shape, she halted abruptly as Lucian positioned himself right at her back, mere inches away, while he smoothly returned his katana to its sheath with a crisp snap that rang out far too sharply in the calm atmosphere.

"It was enjoyable facing this side of you, Aura Nova," as soon as he uttered those lines and the katana locked home, Aura Nova's form parted neatly in two, Lucian having severed her from crown to base with one unseen stroke that struck prior to her awareness.

Thus, Aura Nova fell to a precise and ruthless halving.

A clash expected to erupt in chaos, ruin, and earth-rending forces concluded instead in stillness, with insight, comprehension, and a realization that pierced more profoundly than any weapon.

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