MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1016: Abnormal Ones [Bonus - ]

"Sigh... who would have imagined this instant would arrive? I figured it was destined to drag on forever," Veronica uttered with a deep sigh while seated, cradling a teddy bear larger than herself in her arms, squeezing it tightly as her words flowed.

"Indeed, considering how those clashes unfolded, I believed they would persist indefinitely," Altheria replied with a heavy sigh, having savored the entire spectacle immensely.

Veronica gave a nod, then continued, "So, what comes next? Following such an intense confrontation, I'm certain we ought to venture out somewhere to unwind and rejuvenate," she proposed, her voice revealing her familiarity with these periods of downtime and ease. After all, much of her time alongside Vega had involved traveling across various planets.

Altheria agreed with a nod to Veronica's suggestion. Veronica promptly shifted her gaze to Vega to inquire about subsequent arrangements, yet before a word escaped her lips, Vega interjected. "Perhaps another day. I doubt anyone possesses the leisure for such pursuits right now," she explained steadily, neither rejecting the notion outright nor promising it, but highlighting how everyone would soon face overwhelming demands.

Altheria raised an eyebrow in curiosity, pondering what obligations could occupy them so fully, and she found herself compelled to question, "Why?"

"Seclusion," Aura Nova responded ahead of Vega.

The realization struck Altheria and Veronica instantly. This clash had involved extraordinary prodigies; it was inconceivable that they would engage in such fierce exchanges without deriving benefits from one another's strikes.

Their assumption proved accurate. Nearly every participant had acquired insights. Though Lucian merely needed to await the system's completion of analyzing its current puzzle, that didn't negate his individual advancements. From his confrontations with Anthony and Aaaninja, he had reaped substantial revelations and comprehensions that demanded attention, requiring him to retreat into seclusion to fully assimilate them and advance his grasp even more.

The motive behind Aura Nova's seclusion was already clear to all, leaving no doubts. Regarding Aaaninja, despite his recent breakthrough, he still harbored concepts and reflections to implement practically, alongside elements to internalize personally, including the strength and wisdom from his latest advancement.

Kingsley was no exception. He possessed the Martial Rhythm to refine, and beyond that, while he neared perfection in close-quarters fighting, he recognized that against Anthony, his skill in raw technique and precision remained inferior.

Yet, the combatants weren't alone in their gains. Virtually everyone benefited. Riven, Vespera, Zachary, Nyxss, and even Rain had absorbed valuable lessons. Being from the Older Generation, they couldn't observe a duel of such caliber without seizing or discerning certain truths.

Vega too had profited. Her Eyes of the Universe served no mere ornamental purpose; akin to Anthony’s All Seeing Eyes, they operated ceaselessly without fatigue or repercussions. Thus, she had extracted considerable value from this exchange, possibly far exceeding what others might envision.

Finally, and astonishingly, Klaus and Amara, entities who dominated galaxies with effortless grace, had also drawn inspiration from a conflict of this magnitude. Ordinarily, it was unthinkable... no, utterly implausible. However, Lucian Darkheart and Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos rendered it feasible through their Personification powers.

Thanks to those two talents, Amara and Klaus, for whom even a minor power increment typically spanned endless epochs, now caught a brief but irrefutable peek at supremacy surpassing their own. And once they entered seclusion and emerged, the fabric of reality itself could tremble in terror and refusal before their accomplishments.

Concerning Veronica and Altheria, they had proven far too feeble to perceive or fathom anything from the events. This had been a showdown transcending their wildest dreams. Even with unwavering focus on every instant, they couldn't extract any value. Indeed, progression didn't allow leaping from novice to expert and then to mastery. One needed to crawl before walking, and these two remained at that basic stage. How could they grasp might of such enormity?

Still, they weren't the sole ones left empty-handed.

Anthony himself had derived no benefits from this bout, owing to his overwhelming might. While some might contend he should have profited from the Personification abilities, much like Amara and Klaus did by observing them... yet regardless of his absurd aptitude, the very constraint limiting Veronica and Altheria also restricted him.

LORDTEE’S PERSONIFICATION and RIVER OF TIME’S PERSONIFICATION weren't facets the present Anthony could penetrate merely due to his gifts. They demanded insights into realms still eluding him. Naturally, should he eventually attain the capacity to grasp those domains, his flawless recall would let him revisit the ultimate displays by Aaaninja and Lucian, harvesting any desired enlightenment from that pivotal scene.

Altheria and Veronica exchanged sighs as they voiced their thoughts. "Are you certain we even belong in your company? Tsk, we're just the ordinary folk around here. The rest of you are the freaks," Veronica lamented with a defeated sigh.

Anthony and the others halted briefly at her remark, then erupted in laughter over Veronica's declaration. It wasn't the initial occasion anyone had labeled them as such.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Someday I'll reach your heights and take you all down," she declared, clearly in jest, as she harbored no illusions about truly pursuing or achieving it.

Her words prompted another round of chuckles from the group, transforming the prior ambiance of strife and devastation into one of mirth and camaraderie among companions, as if the remnants of the conflict had already dissolved into a remote recollection.