MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1067: Simple Death

"Why?" Rider found himself compelled to inquire, his voice laced with near-desperation, a uncommon fracture in his typical poise. He’d kneel and plead if Anthony demanded it, without the faintest trace of reluctance.

*Sigh* "It’s not that I won’t hand it over, Rider, but it’s truly for your protection," Anthony replied while shaking his head gently, a soft sigh slipping out, his face now showing a quiet gravity absent earlier, suggesting repercussions far graver than Rider had first pictured.

"Could you elaborate?" Rider pressed, his eyebrows knitting together faintly. Since Anthony claimed it was for his safety, he had to grasp the reasoning. Sure, he knew the world’s perils, yet he believed fixes existed—like forcing everyone here to swear a mana contract, locking them in total silence, guaranteeing the secret stayed buried eternally.

"Unlike the Royal Grade Bloodline, which stays hidden unless deliberately tested, the Ancestor Grade reveals itself without any need for that," Anthony started, his words steady but laden with subtle force that drew everyone’s undivided focus.

"Anyone with an Ancestor Grade Bloodline gets sensed by every Titan instantly. The second you’re near them, their bloodlines tremble in terror or yield under suppression," Anthony went on smoothly, his delivery even and deliberate. "You can’t switch it off either. Every encounter makes it obvious to them. Based on your power gap, they might even bow instinctively, compelled to obey without conscious thought," he finished, halting shortly while fixing his gaze on Rider, letting the sheer implications sink in fully.

"In other words, the instant you leave this craft, your fate is sealed. Your Royal family’s Titan Elders would cast aside your father’s wishes and rip you to shreds for personal gain, treating you as a treasure to harvest instead of family to shield. And while your ties to the Titan Patriarch escape me precisely, history shows parents turning on their kids for power, greed, or mere survival," Anthony pressed on after a short break, his voice even but profoundly somber.

"Suppose the Titan Domain safeguards you, Elders stay put, and your clan holds steady. Do you really think rival Domains would idle while an Ancestor Grade Bloodline flourishes? Even now, with your Royal Grade, you face constant hunts. Upgrading to Ancestor Grade would ignite all-out war across Domains, united in one aim: crush the Titan Domain before it dominates," Anthony declared, stopping again to let the horrifying vision of slaughter, ruin, and turmoil imprint deeply on Rider’s thoughts.

"No outcome favors you, Rider. Every route ends in doom, regardless of your moves," he wrapped up, his tone absolute, leaving no space for debate.

Silence gripped the group as Anthony’s explanation sank in, reality’s burden weighing heavily. No one questioned his account; their grasp of the world confirmed he spoke plain, harsh truths without embellishment.

"Pick another option then, and I’ll make it happen—something that won’t spell your end," Anthony suggested with a gentle sigh, his relaxed air gradually resurfacing.

Figures like the Second Supreme Monarch or Blood Queen could shield an Ancestor Grade Bloodline thanks to their supreme might. Even without it, the galaxy’s immensity offered escape: vanish into remote voids or lost worlds, bide time for years or ages, then strike back empowered.

Rider swiftly discarded any desire for the Ancestor Grade Bloodline. His thoughts pivoted to viable alternatives, gains attainable sans suicide. Maybe request an immediate leap to Planetary rank... but he dismissed it outright the next instant, shaking his head decisively.

Rider knew that even if Anthony bestowed such power upon him, he still wouldn’t genuinely achieve Planetary-level status. He’d lack the knowledge, precise mastery, wisdom earned from endless fights, and instincts sharpened in brutal life-or-death clashes. Sure, he’d gain the mana, immense physical might, heightened senses, and all the outward perks, yet deep inside, he’d stay utterly empty.

In essence, he’d turn into a hollow shell boasting the noisiest claims, mighty on the outside but deeply flawed at heart.

Following a brief inner struggle without reaching a clear choice, Rider finally said, "I can’t think of anything at the moment, so I’ll let you know once I decide," his voice tinged with hesitation.

Anthony gave a small nod and responded, "Then decide fast, since the offer vanishes the instant I depart," he warned steadily.

"I get it," Rider affirmed with a resolute nod, his face turning grave.

Anthony then turned his eyes to Tiara and continued, "Now, about you. We’ve settled on eliminating your deceitful lover, so what’s your preferred way for him to go? Got any ideas?" he inquired, staring at her with a steady, mildly intrigued expression.

Tiara went quiet upon hearing this, evidently surprised that Anthony planned to handle it right away, without any wait or setup.

"Did you assume I’d need to head over there in person?" Anthony questioned, a subtle amusement creeping into his words.

Tiara shook her head and answered, "I don’t care about the method. Whatever works is okay," her tone dull and detached, since Drake’s death truly meant nothing special to her—no feelings, no ties, no burning grudge to dictate his fate.

Anthony pondered for a bit, idly weighing several options as different killing approaches crossed his mind. He remembered the curse that struck him just from hearing the Demon King’s name once; using that, he could doom Drake effortlessly without moving a muscle. But seconds later, he shook his head lightly and scrapped it—not his way, too remote, lacking the direct touch he favored.

’How about slaying him with chaotic energy and pinning it on the Demon?' Anthony pondered silently, the idea flickering momentarily before dissolving.

After a quick reflection, Anthony settled on the most straightforward approach... a plain, swift end.

Just by willing it, the Authority Of Severance engaged, reshaping reality in his view into an enormous web of glowing threads in varied shades, embodying the core essence of all existence. Since Anthony had never encountered Drake Bloodmoon, he glanced at Tiara and followed her link to pinpoint the thread of the duplicitous Vampire.

Anthony examined Drake Bloodmoon’s thread briefly, his face serene and unchanged, then with one simple mental command, he targeted the life thread glowing in a dark, foreboding crimson. Instantly, it broke sharply in two, cut without any fight, as if destined to shatter.

With that done, Anthony shut off the Authority Of Severance, and reality snapped back to normal in his senses, the threads fading away completely.

"He’s gone," Anthony declared tonelessly, like swatting a trivial bug instead of snuffing out a formidable life.

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