MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 971: War Machines

As soon as Klaus uttered those words, Aaaninja and Lucian disappeared from their spots in under a single blink's time, their forms fading like illusions, only to reemerge at the positions the other had just left, backs turned to each other in utter quiet for a brief instant, before a resounding clang echoed out, as if their actions outpaced the speed of sound entirely.

Neither one spun around right away, keeping their postures loose, muscles relaxed without any strain, exuding a serene and eerily steady vibe, swords remaining in their sheaths like the brief clash meant nothing at all.

That one quick exchange appeared to disclose a key insight to each of them, a quiet acceptance of the other's prowess, an unspoken grasp that only top-tier fighters could truly share.

Right after that, their frames stiffened, sinews tightening and winding like coiled springs, channeling immense, savage energy and boundless might without any limits or holds, unleashing full bodily power right away, as if the idea of holding back had vanished completely.

At that point, they twisted toward each other and charged with cataclysmic fury, blades slashing forward like furious animals clashing in a bid for supremacy. Just like two atomic bombs smashing together in flight, their weapons finally connected.

For that split second, the whole Separate Plane froze in awe, the world bleaching out briefly as if time slowed to half-speed, cracked and quivering, then it jerked sharply back to normal, triggering a devastating blast that surged from the precise clash of their edges at one tiny point in time and space.

Even space buckled under the pressure, breaking apart completely without mercy, crumbling like brittle glass, while quakes ripped through the ground with power strong enough to obliterate worlds, the ruin resounding forever across the endless plane from their second clash.

Their gazes locked, darkness facing a spectrum of colors, void smashing against colorful radiance, and in an eye's wink, they blurred from their spots, dashing across the full Separate Plane as they collided and parted with wild intensity and frenzy. Annihilation burst forth one instant, leveling terrains ruthlessly, yet renewal chased it the next as the Separate Plane healed right away, rebuilding just to get shredded once more in an endless loop.

Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang Clang.

The noise from their weapons striking rang out with uncanny rhythm and accuracy, like they were unwittingly crafting a brutal orchestra, as if they hailed from workshops of art instead of fields of war. But right then, neither paid it mind, racing past visible speed, beyond a blink, quicker than ideas, surpassing any grasp words could capture.

Explosions ripped out, shockwaves trailing without end as they dashed, one a streak of shadow, the other a streak of light, like opposites from the color wheel, symbols of night and day crashing in endless rivalry.

Right now, talk had no role, grins had no purpose, leaving just sheer, supreme, raw concentration. The first to falter would taste cold metal, and who that might be would soon emerge from talent, accuracy, and the brutal rhythm of combat.

In a swift dash, they landed atop a hill of dunes, but one quick swing from Aaaninja's blade brought it all down, the mass exploding into a thundering wave of sand that engulfed the skyline, though they had already vanished before the rubble could fall.

The atmosphere quivered nonstop, finding no peace, gales howling as their limits broke one after another from the hits. Wherever these two fought, space would crumble at the simple touch of their blades. Their steps never halted, always shifting, strikes flying every split second since slowing down for even a pulse spelled doom.

Hesitation? Mercy?

Spare us, leave those gags for plays among common folk, not this realm housing entities like them, those who had transcended such weak emotions long ago.

Moves unfolded with smooth elegance and poise unlike anything they'd shown in past fights. Simple sword forms in their grips proved deadlier than any elaborate or showy arts anyone might devise, since mastery turned basics beyond elaborate designs.

A stroke to split a peak straight through.

A chop to carve a vast rift.

A stab to burst a crater wide.

A slice to tear the void open.

Their sequence of strikes flowed from one type to another with stunning speed and seasoned skill, yet their guards shone just as stunning and captivating as their assaults, blending havoc and shield in flawless harmony.

A stroke clashed with a riposte. A chop hit a guard, a stab faced a dodge. A slice encountered a redirect.

No one paused, no one eased, no one winked as if such efforts wasted power better used to boost another limb and amp up their duel, frames operating like flawless combat engines.

Strain built steeper and steeper, drive surging without bound, frenzy gripping the arena as their velocities climbed ever higher, power reaching ridiculous peaks where weights and measures like tons or kilos lost all sense, becoming irrelevant.

Despite their blistering pace, their trails and ghosts seemed to battle on their own, flickering across voids, spectral remnants fighting a quiet feud.

They materialized in a woodland, Lucian suspended midair, Aaaninja gazing up from the ground, moments dragging as if the world halted to behold the grim splendor unfolding. Yet Lucian shifted once more, yanking time forward. His katana whipped out and down in a rending slant.

A shadow of a dark blade curve lunged ahead like blessed by the skies. Aaaninja merely snapped his wrist with the casual grace of an expert brushing off a novice's try. His pale blade curve howled up in sheer velocity and flawless blade work.

When the two blade curves collided, the atmosphere wavered in total hush, space shrank back in terror, the world caught its breath, seconds halted, and even light particles quaked briefly as if all being questioned the sight.

Then it struck.

A vast, colossal surge of frenzy detonated and hurled out in raw, obliterating might that cleared everything for hundreds of kilometers, the blow hammering Aaaninja and Lucian's old spots with ruinous rage. But they had already blinked elsewhere, trails dimming behind as their wild frenzy picked up anew elsewhere, the fight raging on and intensifying without end.