MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 1033: Open Cheque

After cursing at the vanished Aaaninja, Lucian sighed as his gaze shifted to Veronica, and he spoke, "It seems like we are the only ones left."

Veronica sighed and nodded. Anthony, Kingsley, and everyone else were already gone. Even the older generation had left, and they were the only remaining ones present in the now-quiet space.

"Where are we heading to?" Veronica asked as she floated closer to Lucian. Unlike others who simply returned to their home planet, Lucian’s [Absolutely Copy] always made him a man on the move, traveling from one planet to another. Because of that, he practically owned houses across various planets, each one serving as a temporary base depending on his whims and needs.

Which was why Veronica was asking where they would be heading to this time, as there was no fixed destination when it came to Lucian.

Lucian stayed silent for a moment, carefully considering the question. Like everyone else, he too planned to enter seclusion, but unlike them, he did not necessarily need to return to his home planet to achieve that. His lifestyle had never been bound by location. However, after a brief moment of thought, he simply decided to return home. Since he would not be copying any skills or abilities for a while, there was nothing actively keeping him away anymore.

"We will be heading to my parents’ house," he finally spoke, his tone flat and decisive.

Veronica arched an eyebrow slightly but nodded nonetheless. She had never been to Lucian’s home planet, let alone his parents’ house. Although she had seen his parents before, as they were present during the spar, she had never truly interacted with them on a personal level.

Still, she was not particularly concerned. As Vega’s best friend, she had practically grown up surrounded by overwhelmingly powerful individuals, despite being a comparatively weak nineteen-year-old. She had likely traveled across the Acarnis Galaxy just as much as they had, thanks to accompanying Vega on her family’s galactic trips and vacations.

"Let’s move then," Lucian spoke with a faint smile as he casually waved his hand. Instantly, a portal tore open in space, leading directly to his parents’ house. He gestured for Veronica to step through first, maintaining a composed demeanor, before following right behind her like a perfect gentleman. The portal sealed shut immediately after their passage.

Veronica appeared within the lobby of a grand and magnificent building. However, she did not even bother glancing around in admiration, as no structure or architectural marvel could ever surpass Klaus and Amara’s home in her mind. Her standards had long since been elevated beyond such things.

Lucian, on the other hand, moved without hesitation. He pushed open the large doors, and instantly, a few maids and butlers lined up in perfect order, ready to welcome him back home.

However, Lucian had no intention of entertaining formalities. He did not have the patience to greet everyone individually. Instead, he simply waved at them casually before hurrying off with Veronica. Together, they ascended to the next floor of the building, stepping into a long hallway.

Within that hallway, two figures already stood waiting, Riven and Vespera. They had sensed his presence the moment he arrived, their expressions reflecting both familiarity and mild surprise.

"And the prodigal son returns," Riven stated. While he occasionally saw his son from time to time, Lucian, his monstrously talented son, rarely returned home, choosing instead to roam from one planet to another for reasons even Riven could not fully comprehend.

"Planning to stay long this time?" Vespera asked with a warm smile as she stepped forward and embraced her son, clearly happy that he had returned after what felt like an eternity.

After a brief moment of familial exchange and quiet affection, Lucian introduced Veronica, though the gesture was largely unnecessary, as they were already aware of who she was.

With that out of the way, Lucian left with Veronica as they made their way toward his personal training chamber. Although he had not been here in years, the chamber had been meticulously maintained, cleaned, and preserved in perfect condition, awaiting his eventual return.

Veronica stepped inside and briefly observed the space. The training chamber was filled with dense, pure Mana, saturating the environment to an almost overwhelming degree. Yet, even then, she remained unimpressed. Having been exposed to far greater sights since childhood, such displays no longer held the same impact for her.

Like an excited child unable to contain his anticipation, Lucian retrieved the pill Anthony had given him and handed it to Veronica. "Eat it," he said plainly, completely forgetting to explain its purpose.

Veronica took the pill and stared at it, then looked back at him with a strange expression, silently questioning whether he intended to explain anything at all.

Lucian, understanding her expression, sighed before speaking, "This is a pill that supposedly increases talent. Although it is unknown to what degree, I am certain its effect will be remarkable. After all, I got it from Anthony," he stated with complete confidence.

Veronica fell silent, then nodded slowly. Although she did not fully understand Lucian’s absolute trust in Anthony, she did not question it further. Instead, she lowered herself into a seated lotus position, holding the pill delicately between her fingers as she stared at it.

Her talent had always been her greatest limitation.

She could not match Vega’s brilliance. She did not possess the same class, the same bloodline, or the same physique. Although she was not jealous or envious of her best friend, she could not deny that she sometimes felt painfully inadequate.

She remembered a moment vividly, one of her birthdays. Klaus had given her an open cheque, allowing her to request anything she desired, promising that he would do his absolute best to fulfill it. At that time, she had wanted to ask for something, anything, that could increase her talent.

But in the end, she asked for nothing. To her, it felt like she would be taking advantage of their relationship for personal gain, something she could not bring herself to do.

At the same time, she knew the kind of person Vega was. If Vega had ever come across such a pill or potion, she would not hesitate for even a second. She would either steal it outright or find a way to force her father into giving it up, all for the sake of helping her best friend improve. That was simply who Vega was, someone who had always been there for her since they were children.

Now, staring at the pill in her hand, Veronica could not help but question herself.

’Will I finally be talented? Will I be able to stand beside Vega... or even come close to her level?’

The thought almost felt laughable.

What kind of pill could grant such overwhelming talent? The level she was thinking of was comparable to beings like Aaaninja and Aura Nova. Surely, if Anthony possessed something capable of granting such absurd power, he would have already used it for himself.

And yet... it did not matter. She was tired, tired of standing on the sidelines while others advanced, tired of facing weaker opponents while her friends fought battles that truly mattered. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

This, this was a chance. Even if it was small..Even if it would take time. Even if the results were uncertain.

It was still a chance.

Her eyes shifted toward Lucian, the one who had made this possible. Gratitude flickered within her gaze, silent yet profound. And without any further hesitation, she tossed the pill into her mouth and swallowed it.

She closed her eyes, and waited for her fate to unfold.

Would it meet her expectations?

Or would it only serve to show her just how monstrous the gap truly was, how far beyond reach the people she sought to stand beside truly were, not just in talent, but in every conceivable aspect of existence?