MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1032: News

Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos observed the dissipating Aura Nova for a silent moment before exhaling softly. He flicked his gaze toward Lucian, who was examining the pill held between his fingers with a radiant, almost jubilant grin, mirroring the expression of one who had just secured an unthinkable fortune. Though deeply intrigued by the nature and potential potency of the item, Aaaninja refrained from questioning him and wisely avoided employing Time Manipulation to spy on it, choosing to honor the boundaries of Lucian’s privacy.

"It serves as a sign that our time here has concluded, Lucian," he remarked, his tone steady and calm, successfully pulling Lucian away from his internal reflections.

Lucian shifted his dark eyes toward Aaaninja, tucking the pill into his system space as if the object had ceased to exist. "Hardly. We are destined to cross paths again. Those insolent birds referred to as Angels and their pathetic god of a swine still require a proper beating," he declared with a wide smirk, his voice vibrating with a clear, eager anticipation for the eventual clash.

Aaaninja lingered in silence for a few heartbeats, weighing those words before dipping his head in a brief nod of concurrence. Following a quiet pause, he spoke once more, "The tally currently stands at 1-1. Do not entertain the notion that I shall allow you to pull ahead." A faint, self-assured smile softened his usually stoic features.

"Likewise," Lucian retorted instantly, his competitive fervor ignited and his signature confidence firmly intact.

"Coming from the individual who has yet to ascend to the Apexus Mana Rank," Aaaninja replied smoothly. Yet, before Lucian could construct a comeback, Aaaninja surged into motion. He clasped Altheria’s delicate hands, and in a heartbeat, they vanished from the vicinity, leaving Lucian bereft of any opportunity to settle the score.

Lucian muttered a curse under his breath, raising his hand to flash a defiant middle finger toward the empty expanse, clearly directing the gesture toward the departed Aaaninja.

Aaaninja materialized within the Celestial Solar System, Altheria’s hand still tightly encased in his own. They had bypassed the fabric of Time itself, eschewing portals or teleports in a display of peerless mastery. Without a second’s hesitation, they accelerated toward their native Celestial Planet at a staggering velocity. Aaaninja projected his Mana outward, creating a protective shroud around Altheria, as she remained insufficiently advanced to survive the crushing pressure and lethal reality of the Acarnis Galaxy’s void.

Their landing upon the planet was graceful and disciplined, descending smoothly from the firmament. The instant Aaaninja broke through the atmosphere, his sensitive ears caught his name echoing across a multitude of lips globally. With his sharpened senses and current Mana Rank, he perceived the entire world's activity without active effort.

As his moniker grew more prominent, he focused, extending his perception to encompass every world within the Celestial Solar System. Just as he surmised, the entire population spoke of nothing but Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos.

Altheria detected the minute change in his composure, noting how his focus seemed to drift elsewhere. "What troubles you? Did something occur?" she asked, her voice tinged with sincere concern as she searched his expression for clues.

"Nothing of true consequence; it simply seems my parents have been quite industrious today," Aaaninja answered with a weary sigh, his sentiment a mixture of calm and mild exasperation.

Altheria looked even more bewildered by his reply. Lacking his transcendent sensory depth, she was entirely oblivious to the vast commotion unfolding in their wake.

‘Really, how could those two possibly be this swift?’ Aaaninja mused, a flicker of genuine shock crossing his collected mind.

Every living soul throughout the Celestial Solar System already possessed knowledge of his breakthrough to the Apexus Mana Rank. Zachary and Nyxss had departed only sparse minutes before him, yet the news had already blanketed multiple planets with impossible efficiency.

They were proud parents; why would they ever suppress the glorious achievements of their progeny? Fears that malevolent or envious adversaries might target him out of spite were, to them, laughable. They harbored no such trepidation. Indeed, they felt only pity for any fool daring to believe Aaaninja was merely a fresh Apexus Mana Ranker in need of a stabilization period.

Regardless, the news left the totality of the Celestials in a state of profound awe. Despite his legendary status as a once-in-an-eon prodigy, this rate of progression defied all logical measure.

Many began to ponder in wonder: were these Galactical meetings actually so... rewarding?

Three years prior, Aaaninja had attended such a gathering and returned having accessed True Enlightenment—a plane of existence never before reached by any Celestial recorded in the ancient or modern chronicles.

Now, following another meeting, he returned as a master of the Apexus Mana Rank.

Naturally, legions of individuals began formulating plans to attend the next Galactical gathering, sparing no expense. They viewed it as an opportunity too magnificent to forgo. However, they lacked the capacity to comprehend the fundamental truth: none of them were Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos.

Throughout history, only he had harvested such immense advancements and treasures from these so-called Galactical meetings.

For any other attendee, such an assembly was not an opportunity, but a death sentence. By and large, these meetings culminated in carnage, with survival being the exception rather than the rule.

Aaaninja saw no reason to offer an explanation to Altheria. It was unnecessary. Once she stepped onto their home soil, she would surely uncover the truth on her own. As his closest and most vulnerable associate, others would inevitably flock to her for answers, as approaching Zachary or Nyxss directly was utterly inconceivable.

Utilizing Time Slip, Aaaninja and Altheria stepped into his opulent estate. Before the pair could even find a moment of peace, Altheria voiced her clear desire to depart at once; she was eager to test her talent, which had clearly blossomed after consuming the broth at the Ramen Singularity Timeline.

Aaaninja provided a gentle nod, feeling a genuine warmth for her progress. Had their roles been reversed, he too would have been driven to test his newfound potential. They parted ways without ceremony; Altheria bounded toward the training wing, while Aaaninja took a leisurely stroll through the residence.

As he navigated the halls, maids and attendants could only freeze in their tracks, their stares brimming with reverence and unadulterated fascination. His aura possessed an overwhelming magnetism that bewitched all in his vicinity. Given his recent ascent, his naturally striking appearance had been elevated to something truly hazardous; merely holding his gaze for too long risked overwhelming one’s senses.

After wandering aimlessly for a time, Aaaninja rested on a quiet balcony. He seated himself, allowing his gaze to wander over the gardens where colorful flora bloomed and birds performed a graceful rhythm in the air.

He felt no inclination to enter immediate seclusion. Having recently emerged from violent skirmishes and taxing ordeals, he required a reprieve—time to decompress and simply observe the world in its tranquil state.

Yet, despite the serenity, his thoughts inevitably drifted back to Anthony.

The raw power. The chasm between them. The void. The incalculable distance separating their strengths.

He recalled every detail with chilling clarity. Above all, he remembered how Anthony had dismissed such a wide disparity as "just a bit."

‘It occurs to me that I neglected to ask Lucian what knowledge he might possess regarding Anthony,’ he realized, his brows knitting in thought before he exhaled and shook his head.

‘Perhaps another time,’ he concluded internally.

In this moment, he held no immediate desire to intensify his training solely to challenge Anthony again. He had finally embraced the harsh truth of the gap—the very same divide Lucian had frequently spoken of.

However, acceptance was not synonymous with surrender. It was not complacency. Nor was it resignation.

Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos would continue his cultivation, ever-evolving, driven to transcend every limit. Regardless of the adversary or the obstacles ahead, he would strive toward the pinnacle of existence.