MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1041: Von Bryan-2

Von Bryan almost passed out upon discovering that right after finishing school, Anthony had spent a month adventuring, secluded himself for a year, departed the planet for a galaxy-spanning contest, joined the military from there, risen through its ranks in just one year, eradicated the Forsaken Cult, and simultaneously become the mightiest in the Military Base—an unbelievable chain of feats that defied all reason.

Though the Starborn Tournament remained classified due to the Demon's involvement, the Emperor shared it with Bryan anyway as the Crowned Prince; he deserved access to such concealed details, particularly those that could redefine his grasp of the vast universe and his role in it.

All this intel shattered Von Bryan's imagination. His vaunted golden generation talent meant zilch. He was like a frog at the bottom of a well—no, even that label praised him too much, given the chasm separating him from Anthony.

Indeed, he'd known about other planets since his Omni Peak Academy days and could picture that, but the whole Galaxy? That overwhelmed him, stretching far past anything he'd ever truly envisioned.

He wasn't the only one; Storm Bringer, Storm Rider, and Terpes Tiara had received identical revelations from their parents, each struck by the same devastating awareness of their triviality amid the cosmos.

From that point, Von Bryan pushed his training to extremes, with Anthony dominating his thoughts daily—that strength, that dominance, that skill, the fame, the admiration, all cycling relentlessly in his mind without end.

Currently on the Blue Planet, Anthony was worshiped as a true deity. Crowds prayed to him daily, statues dotted the landscape. Even the Dragons, the planet's most arrogant race, chanted his glories, their haughtiness forgotten before such irresistible, absolute might.

How many could revive billions effortlessly, overturning nature's laws with no backlash?

A rumor circulated in the Human Domain claiming prayers to Anthony boosted your child's odds of gaining a strong, potent class—a notion that ignited like a blaze among the populace, unsubstantiated yet fervent.

Bryan entered his room sighing; he'd craved a shower, the water cascading over him, followed by cultivation, but those habits were gone. He purified himself via Mana control, then flopped onto his bed with another sigh, golden slit eyes staring at the ceiling, pondering when he'd reach that pinnacle of strength—a query weighing heavily on him.

His father, the Emperor, assured him his talent sufficed for Planetary level, justifying his crowning as Crown Prince over the First Prince—words once swelling his chest with pride, now ringing empty by contrast.

Thus, he knew attainment was possible, just a question of timing. Yet that timeline would never match Anthony's speed; hitting Planetary rank demanded at least a millennium for him, a duration that dragged on intolerably now.

To Von Bryan, though, it seemed excruciatingly prolonged; he'd been clueless about Planetary powerhouses before, rendering the goal even more intimidating and remote.

'Father needed nearly two thousand years to reach that height,' he mused, the truth bearing down crushingly.

Right now, he lingered at King Mana Rank, nowhere near its summit, just Level 7—a rank once awe-inspiring, now pathetically minor.

Among the eighteen Mana Ranks he'd learned of, he occupied the Fifth, underscoring the vast path ahead.

Yet Von Bryan overlooked his youth at twenty. How few twenty-year-olds matched his prowess? Not your average or even gifted sorts. He dismissed his own monstrous talent, blinded by comparison to a fraud, an outlier, a reincarnator bucking every norm.

He was fated to trail eternally.

While his mind churned, his phone pinged, screen glowing with a notice. He glanced over in faint surprise and bewilderment, curious who messaged him lately, since contacts had dried up.

Though he retained his old classmates' numbers, exchanges had ceased; all obsessed with brutal training post-graduation, their bonds dissolving into quiet.

Grabbing his phone, unlocked by face scan, he opened the messages app—and his expression twisted into pure astonishment.

Just one word, a plain hello, yet Von Bryan's Mana Heart quaked in disbelief. Anthony had filled his thoughts moments ago, and now that very figure reached out, rendering the moment eerily dreamlike.

For the first time in ages, Bryan questioned reality. Post-awareness of Anthony's insane exploits, he'd drafted countless texts, launching their chat app over a thousand times for this freakish Human lad, only to bail each time, unable to hit send.

He, silent toward Anthony for five years, messaging now after witnessing that power? It'd scream opportunism, leeching off past ties—unbearable to his dignity.

True, the world and Galaxy thrived on exploitation, plots, deceit, murder, treason, but as a Prince, Von Bryan scorned such paths. Plus, would Anthony respond? Amid military chaos, did he even glance at his phone? He could be locked in combat against apocalypse-bringing demons or disasters anytime.

But those worries vanished; Anthony, whom he'd yearned to contact yet couldn't, had initiated, reversing everything.

Now a fresh dilemma arose: how to respond. Back in school, he'd fire off an emoji, banter, or playful jab— their style. But none fit now, none seemed right.

The power gulf loomed too vast for casualness, erecting an unseen wall Bryan couldn't breach.

What if Anthony disliked his reply and razed the Dragon Domain?

Sure, probably overkill, but five years transformed anyone. What if power corrupted Anthony? School-era Anthony stayed humble, chill, lazy—but that was then; now everything differed.

Could a slacker scale such heights in five years? No way, not normally.

Still, reply he must; leaving Anthony unread too long after that message wouldn't do.