MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 999: Determination
’My mana control has also increased tremendously,’ Aaaninja thought to himself as he could feel mana flowing around him without him even consciously controlling it, as though it were alive and awaiting his command with absolute obedience, responding to his mere existence rather than deliberate manipulation.
’During the next spar, I will focus on going through every single gain,’ Aaaninja concluded with finality as he knew the next match would not be his turn, it would most likely be between Anthony and Aura Nova, whose clash would undoubtedly shake the very fabric of the battlefield.
With that, his eyes focused on his friends ahead once more, but this time, he turned off the passive ability that allowed him to see the future and the past at the same time, as he did not truly need it at the moment, and when he was done accessing and fully comprehending his new abilities and progress, he would reactivate it once again.
With that single decision, he vanished from where he floated and arrived before everyone in less than a split second, there was no air displacement, no distortion, and no afterimage, just pure motion and finesse that defied every level of speed he had ever achieved up to this point, his movement so flawless that it appeared as though space itself had willingly repositioned him.
"Welcome to the Apexus Mana Rank," Anthony was the first to speak, a huge and genuine smile on his face as he congratulated Aaaninja, his tone filled with pride and excitement, because who would not be happy for their friend’s overwhelming progress and ascension?
Aaaninja arched an eyebrow slightly, then he replied, "You speak as though you’ve already reached this level," a faint but knowing smile forming on his lips as curiosity flickered within his gaze.
"Of course I have, I am Null Anthony after all," Anthony replied with the same smile on his face, his confidence absolute and unquestionable, as though such an achievement was nothing extraordinary for him.
Aaaninja stared at Anthony, unsure how to reply, he had believed that he was the first amongst his friends to reach this level, but it seemed that assumption had been incorrect, and the realization stirred both surprise and intrigue within him.
Everyone stared at Anthony as though he were a monster beyond logic, he was practically the youngest person present, only Veronica and Vega were his age mates, yet he stood above them all in strength and advancement. After a brief moment of thought, they all decided to abandon further contemplation about this broken and incomprehensible main character and instead focus on the newly overpowered Aaaninja, whose breakthrough had just redefined their understanding of growth.
’Of course he was already at the Apexus Mana Rank,’ Lucian thought to himself as he did not expect anything less from someone like Anthony, whose existence consistently defied conventional limitations.
Everyone circled Aaaninja and gave him their heartfelt congratulations, their expressions sincere and filled with admiration.
Aaaninja could not help but smile in response, as this was a vastly different experience from what he was accustomed to. Usually, the Celestials within the Celestial Solar System were the ones who congratulated him after a breakthrough, but he knew that back then, none of them truly meant it, as they all desired something from him, whether directly or indirectly. Only perhaps his personal guard, who had remained by his side since his earliest days, and his parents, had ever truly meant their words.
"So, tell us, what abilities did you gain?" Vega did not waste any time asking, her curiosity far too great to suppress. Although she understood that Aaaninja might not answer such a personal question, she believed it was better to ask and be refused than to remain in uncertainty.
Aaaninja opened his mouth to speak, but before he could respond, Veronica asked another question, her voice filled with fascination, "Your eyes seem more mesmerizing and beautiful, I’m certain you’ve gained some form of upgrade, what are they?" she asked with visible excitement and wonder.
Altheria did not ask anything, she simply watched like Anthony and Lucian, a gentle smile resting upon her lips, as she felt immense pride for her boyfriend and his extraordinary growth. But at the same time, she could not suppress the faint sadness that lingered deep within her heart. She was being left behind, not that she had ever truly stood on equal footing with Aaaninja to begin with, but the gap was widening at a rate that terrified her.
What if she became Aaaninja’s weakness? What if someone incapable of defeating Aaaninja chose instead to target her, capturing her alive and forcing Aaaninja into a trap, compelling him to make reckless and unnecessary decisions, resulting in him being gravely injured, or worse, losing his life entirely? Although he possessed the Time affinity, it did not mean he was omnipotent or invincible.
She sighed quietly at the thought, but in the very next moment, a smile returned to her lips as she remembered something important, the ramen that the guide called Broth-ben had prepared had increased both her and Veronica’s talent significantly, granting them an opportunity they had never possessed before.
’Although I know I may never be able to catch up to him, I will make sure never to become a weakness to him,’ she resolved firmly within her mind, her determination igniting like an unquenchable flame.
At the side, Zachary and his wife, Nyxss, were already laughing out loud, boasting proudly about Aaaninja’s talent and accomplishments, their joy unrestrained and genuine. Since Aaaninja’s birth, they had never placed any expectations upon him, unlike most children born into families of such immense power and influence, who were burdened with overwhelming responsibility even before they could speak their first words.
But Aaaninja had faced none of that, they had never forced him toward any path, they had simply allowed him to grow freely into the person he had become, guiding him without suffocating his individuality.
"Sigh... I cannot help but feel jealous, you know," Aura Nova intoned from the side with a soft sigh, her voice carrying a mixture of frustration and introspection.
Hearing her words, Lucian turned toward her with curiosity and asked, "Huh, why?"
"Well, on the Dusk Planet, I had always remained unchallenged and reigned supreme, but now... sigh... it seems the Planetary stage and the Galactical stage are separated by distances beyond imagination," Aura Nova sighed once again as she spoke, her realization settling deeply within her.
Although she claimed to feel jealousy, it was not truly jealousy that filled her heart, but rather an overwhelming and unyielding determination to reclaim her rightful place at the pinnacle. She had stood at the top of her planet, and there was no reason she could not stand at the top of her galaxy as well.
"Meh... do not worry about it. Just undergo your closed-door training, and you will come to understand the monster that you truly are. You simply do not know it yet because you have not trained since your True Self Actualization," Anthony’s calm voice sounded from the side, filled with quite certainty.
Aura Nova nodded silently in response, but a faint smile appeared upon her lips, a smile that carried a dangerous and terrifying promise of future growth.
Aaaninja’s gaze shifted toward Anthony, his rainbow-colored, clock-like eyes meeting Anthony’s sky-blue ones as he spoke, "I hope you are ready for our rematch, it will not be as easy as you expect it to be," a confident smile forming at the corner of his lips.
Anthony smiled back at Aaaninja as he replied, "We may both be at the Apexus Mana Rank, but you forget, there is a reason I am called Null Anthony," his smile remained as those words left his lips, his confidence completely unshaken.
To Anthony, while Aaaninja’s breakthrough and progress were undeniably immense and extraordinary, it was still not enough to surpass him, nor was it enough to shake the foundation of his cannon certainty in his own supremacy.
