MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 980: Possum

Lucian Darkheart stood with a calm expression on his face, then, the next moment, a wide smile broke across his lips. He had won... he had truly won. Although everyone present possessed resurrection skills or artifacts and could achieve resurrection one way or another, once someone was killed, they would automatically be declared the loser of the spar despite their resurrection, which was why Lucian was very happy and inwardly triumphant beyond measure.

No matter what Aaaninja did, at this moment, he had lost, and besides, the man could not even resurrect because, at this very moment, the Law Imposition ability was still active, hence rendering Aaaninja’s resurrection completely obsolete for now and leaving him without any conceivable avenue of return.

Unless something unexpected happened of course.

Although Lucian had technically "died" when Aaaninja used the Temporal Erasure skill to erase him from their timeline, that was different from this, as Lucian had not been killed but had simply been made to cease existing within that particular temporal flow. Both were entirely different concepts, governed by entirely different laws and principles, hence different rules applied, and Lucian understood that distinction with absolute clarity.

Lucian raised his head toward the sky; three years, for three long and arduous years he had waited for this... for this rematch, and it had finally happened, and it had not merely occurred by coincidence or chance, he had won. An emotional response that seemed to scream satisfaction and happiness rippled through his entire being as he simply stood silently, as though basking under the radiant sun and savoring the gentle caress of the wind brushing against his restored form.

’It seems that greedy author is finally having some sense,’ Lucian mused to himself, ’or it seems the Aaaninja counterpart on Earth is no longer donating as many super gifts as before, and knowing that shameless and greedy author, this is probably true.’ Lucian smirked inwardly at his own irreverent thoughts as he stood in composed silence.

He firmly believed he had lost three years ago because of the so-called greedy author manipulating fate against him, but now, that narrative had changed, and justice, at least in his perception, had finally been restored.

His hand tightened around the hilt of his katana, and with a faint, controlled sigh, he sheathed it in one slow and precise motion as the blade slid back into its scabbard with refined elegance. Using Event Rewriting, Lucian Darkheart restored his clothing and his body to a perfect and immaculate state, as every speck of dust and every trace of dirt that had marred his skin and attire was erased as though it had never existed in the first place.

His eyes fell upon the headless corpse of Aaaninja’s body that lay sprawled within its own crimson pool of blood. Normally, Aaaninja would have resurrected by now without delay, but he had not, and the stillness of the corpse was both reassuring and eerily unnatural.

’I hope the River Of Time does not attack me or attempt to act against me,’ Lucian could not help but think to himself with a faint trace of caution. When Kingsley had died, the Universe itself had made a move in response, and now, Aaaninja had died, so was it not reasonable, even prudent, to consider the possibility of the River Of Time making a move as well in retaliation or correction?

Although Lucian knew his Law Imposition ability was formidable and absolute within its imposed jurisdiction, he was not some naive fool who believed such a skill would function flawlessly against an entity like the River Of Time, something that governed all multiverses and omniverses, transcending individual timelines and petty mortal laws.

[It seems the system will be bidding the Host farewell very soon]

The system chimed in, as it believed Lucian was effectively finished, for with Aaaninja’s loss, some higher authority would almost certainly intervene in one form or another. If not today, then perhaps another day, but the inevitability of intervention seemed almost certain in its calculated assessment.

Lucian shook his head faintly as he turned his gaze away, his black eyes shifting upward toward Klaus as he waited for the man to formally announce the victor of this decisive battle, fully expecting his name to be declared before all present.

The next moment, something seemed to flicker subtly, and the grotesque sound of flesh tearing filled the air with horrifying clarity as it echoed within everyone’s ears. Blood splattered violently against the earth below as two blades tore through Lucian’s brain and heart simultaneously, leaving no conceivable room for survival under any circumstances.

Lucian’s black eyes lowered toward the blade that had pierced through his heart, his perception shifting toward the one that had thrust through his brain, then his perception shifted once more, and there he stood... Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos, perfectly fine and without a single scratch or blemish upon his body.

"Checkmate," Aaaninja uttered as he repeated the exact same word Lucian had spoken to him only moments earlier, his tone calm and decisive.

Hearing Aaaninja’s words, Lucian spat out a significant amount of blood as he dropped heavily to his knees, his mind blank with overwhelming shock, yet paradoxically still attempting to comprehend how Aaaninja had survived, for he had been certain the man was dead. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Without his Time Affinity, Aaaninja was supposed to be as good as useless, yet now the man stood behind him, gazing down at him with those calm, unblemished white eyes.

Lucian could not help but sigh faintly, for three years ago, the exact same situation had unfolded. At that time, he had used a Soul Art katana technique to sever Aaaninja’s soul in order to secure victory. In that moment three years ago, he had lowered his guard ever so slightly, and Aaaninja, who had feigned being affected by the Soul Art katana technique, had retaliated instantly and claimed the win at the last possible second.

And now, Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos had employed the exact same tactic once again with infuriating precision.

’Is this guy a possum or a Celestial, why is he so absurdly skilled at playing dead,’ he thought to himself as he collapsed with a heavy thud, his consciousness flickering toward the abyss as his blood pooled beneath him in expanding waves.

Normally, with both his brain and heart pierced and irreparably destroyed, he should have died instantly, but his absurd vitality and indomitable willpower were keeping him alive for the briefest possible moment... for just a single second that stretched infinitely in his perception.

But that single second altered nothing of consequence; he could not use his mana, he could not activate any ability or skill, he was utterly finished, and the realization was both bitter and humiliating.

Lucian’s mind drifted one final time toward the author, ’It seems my earlier thought that Aaaninja’s counterpart on Earth was no longer gifting was incorrect. The author remains greedy and shameless as ever,’ he thought bitterly to himself as he cursed the author with his final breath and final coherent thought before the darkness swallowed him whole and he finally died, his long awaited victory reduced to nothing more than a fleeting illusion.