MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1000: Above the Apexus Mana Rank

Upon catching Anthony's response, Aaaninja's mouth corners quirked faintly, prompting him to wonder inwardly just how the young man had mastered such a bold and nearly haughty style of answering. It felt like no matter what topic he brought up in questions to Anthony, the reply always boiled down to phrases like, "because I am Null Anthony," delivered as if that single line wrapped everything up perfectly, demanding no extra explanations or defenses.

Yet, Aaaninja couldn't call Anthony's remarks arrogant or belittling at all—the kid backed them up with real strength, turning it into the rawest, most solid kind of self-assurance. On top of that, the clash between Lucian and Anthony stuck fresh in his mind; the very Lucian who'd beaten him had gone down to Anthony without drawing even a drop of blood or pushing him to get truly serious.

Aaaninja couldn't stop himself from pondering that if he squared off against Anthony at his old power level, perhaps... just perhaps he'd come out on the losing end. Though buried inside, he was dead certain of a total defeat, he stuck with "perhaps" anyway, holding onto a slim thread of pride that wouldn't quite let go.

"Then I'm eager to see it," Aaaninja shot back, a light grin forming on his face, his thoughts already wandering to Anthony's look when defeat finally hit him—after all, the guy had claimed zero losses in any scrap since day one. Aaaninja had shared that perfect streak until running into Anthony, Lucian had kept his undefeated run until facing Aaaninja, and Aura Nova had held hers until crossing paths with Lucian.

In essence, each of them had carried that unbeatable streak right up until encountering the one individual destined to smash their sense of being untouchable and make them face someone greater.

"I can't help feeling sorry for those invading Angels," Rain remarked, seated there with a steady, serene look, observing the young ones chat back and forth with mild entertainment and curiosity.

Even though he'd once topped his homeworld's power scale before Aura Nova's unstoppable surge, he couldn't take down a Ten Winged Angel solo like the folks here managed so effortlessly.

Rain's comment drew a soft laugh and grin from Mitchelle; she truly pitied the Angels. They'd sprung a sneak assault, only to get crushed themselves, and worse, this rising group had slain Eleven Winged Angels like they were nobodies, all while growing fiercer by the second. Didn't that spell out the Angels charging straight into doom?

"If only they realized they're heading to their graves, how entertaining," Mitchelle said at last, her soft smile lingering, though laced with a chill detachment underneath.

"No telling when they'll strike again, but I'm somewhat excited for it," Zachary added, his face relaxed and easy, a subtle grin spreading as eagerness sparked in his gaze.

But for Klaus and Amara, that thrill over the looming fight didn't hit the same; they could obliterate a whole Galaxy solo if they felt like it, so why get pumped for something trivial like conquering one? To them, one offhand strike would wipe the Divinora Galaxy clean off the map, shattered irreparably, barring some loftier, otherworldly power stepping in.

A faint smile tugged at Michael's lips, his fighting spirit flashing for a split second before fading away. Unlike the rest, Michael's hype for facing a Twelve Winged Angel stemmed from something else entirely. The Sword Origin bout had driven him to his breaking point, propelling him deeper into his pursuit of strength—couldn't the Twelve Winged Angels do the same? And the whispered-about Thirteen Winged Angels? What of their almighty God, lording over everything unchallenged?

To Null Michael, they served as mere grinding stones, designed to hone his edge, polish his skills, and lift him past his present limits.

Collins, Anthony's grandfather, stayed utterly quiet and indifferent throughout; you could tally on one hand the words he'd uttered since the spar kicked off. The Angels? Irrelevant. The Divinora Galaxy? Pointless. Only his wife, Irene, held any real weight. His son Michael? Tough enough to weather anything, no worry needed. And grandson Anthony? Plenty strong too, which settled everything nicely.

"Ready to get back to the fight?" Klaus's voice sliced into the talk between Anthony and the group, like he couldn't spare the effort to praise Aaaninja or give his win any real nod.

Anthony's bright blue eyes shifted to Klaus as he said, "You realize it wouldn't hurt to just congratulate the guy, don't you?" His tone stayed light, but carried a quiet edge.

Klaus halted for a moment at Anthony's remark, then let out a gentle sigh, as if recognizing anyone took more work than it was worth.

Aaaninja glanced at Klaus, then at Amara; he wouldn't deny it, these two struck him as deeply enigmatic and beyond grasp. He recalled sharply how, during the Galaxy's destruction, they'd sat unaffected, just viewing the chaos like some minor show.

'Beyond the Apexus Mana Rank?' Aaaninja mused to himself, even though he'd never come across talk of a Mana Rank surpassing the Apexus one, he was utterly sure such a level waited outside his understanding.

As if picking up on Aaaninja's musings without trying, Anthony answered steadily, "Yeah, both of them surpass the Apexus Mana Rank, so no matter what you or anyone accomplishes, to them we're just kids playing around—don't dwell on it too much."

Anthony had no clue on Klaus's true age; the guy could predate the Blue Planet's very formation, and no ancient powerhouse like that would sweat a small step like the Apexus Mana Rank.

Aaaninja eyed Anthony with a wary squint, full of skepticism and intrigue. Spotting the look, Anthony swung his attention from Klaus back to Aaaninja and said evenly, "No point overanalyzing; I didn't peek into your head—your ideas are screaming out loud, plain as day on your face for anyone sharp to catch."

Aaaninja gave a soft headshake and sigh, then went quiet, his mind wandering off to a far-off time when he'd match Klaus and Amara's might, breaking free from the chains holding him back now.