MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1083: Space Exploration Ends

Anthony's eyes snapped open, and he floated downward gracefully, his feet settling lightly on the ship's deck. "Looks like you're all finished and content with your haul," he remarked, glancing at the massive grins lighting up their faces, a subtle amusement threading through his voice.

"Hehehe, naturally we are—how many King and Emperor Mana Rankers can brag about being this loaded?" Bringer chuckled, his gaze drifting back to his space ring as he admired his treasures anew, like a lover lost in adoration.

Anthony grinned and shook his head. In his initial clashes with Space Bandits, he'd thoroughly ransacked their vessels, wary of any concealed dangers. Yet after four or five such inspections, he abandoned the habit, deciding these Space Bandits were far too destitute and feeble to possess anything appealing to him, bearer of an unrivaled sign in system.

The Space Bandits he'd just battled mirrored the rest—lavish to the masses, but pathetically barren and irrelevant to him.

Rider grinned as he piped up, "Why not scout for more Space Bandits and Pirates? Bound to be richer ones out there." A greedy spark flickered in his eyes briefly, his budding avarice impossible to fully suppress.

"Brilliant suggestion," Tiara eagerly chimed in; encountering Space Bandits promised extra Apexus Mana Ranker blood alongside their loot—a total triumph for her, fueling her uncontainable thrill.

"I can lead you to more Space Bandits, that is, if you're handling the fights solo," Anthony responded with a mischievous grin, his voice airy but laced with intent.

Their enthusiasm collapsed instantly, like a balloon pierced by a needle. None dared brush off Anthony's remark. Struggling against Origin Mana Rank killers, challenging Planetary level Bandits would invite certain doom.

"No matter, we've reaped a grand bounty," Bryan declared, his golden eyes brimming with fulfillment and subdued triumph over his acquisitions.

"Exactly," Bringer concurred, his thoughts buzzing with eagerness. They all yearned to rush back, dive into practice, tinker, and dissect their discoveries with fervent zeal.

Anthony shook his head while announcing, "Our cosmic journey wraps up here; you'll have to witness the Galaxy's wonders alone once you ascend to Apexus Mana Rank," his tone serene and motivating, unyieldingly conclusive.

Bryan, Rider, Bringer, and Tiara fell quiet for a beat; the escapade had captivated them—from bounding across a sun, strolling a moon's surface, delving into diverse planets, to beholding cosmos-bending spectacles like nebulae and quasars that stretched the bounds of belief.

Still, they kept their regrets unspoken; per Anthony's words, higher Mana Ranks would grant access, or a parental escort sufficed. Truly, it boiled down to that ease.

"No issue," Bryan broke the silence first, his voice resolute and receptive.

"Thanks for the voyage—who knows how long I'd have delayed for thrills like this," Tiara expressed, her sight wandering to a remote solar system at the Galaxy's edge, her stare holding traces of awe.

One after another, they expressed fresh gratitude to Anthony, who had aided them beyond measure, despite owing them nothing.

"Thanks once suffices; repeating it just leaves me uneasy," Anthony said, shaking his head, plainly fatigued by the endless praises.

Tiara lifted an eyebrow, replying, "This is the first I've heard you claim discomfort over anything; quite the shock," a grin curling her lips amid her gentle teasing.

The others nodded along, mildly taken aback themselves by Anthony's choice of "uncomfortable," a term alien to his usual demeanor.

"Hey, I'm human too; we all have preferences and aversions. Not some machine," Anthony shot back with a casual chuckle, utterly at ease.

At that, he flicked his hand, ripping a colossal spatial vortex ahead—a gateway to the Blue Planet. Bryan stepped up first, yet halted just shy of entering, pivoting back to Anthony with a contemplative look.

"What about that Space Bandit ship? Mind if I take it?" he inquired, curiosity ringing clear in his tone.

Anthony merely shook his head while replying, "Although it might look impressive to you, that’s simply because you haven’t seen aircraft that can withstand the void. You can ask your father to show you one, or even any of your Imperial Apexus Mana Rankers to show you one," his words delivered in a calm, straightforward manner.

While Anthony was talking, he casually waved his hand, instantly erasing the ship from existence through Quantum Manipulation, breaking it down into complete nothingness without leaving the slightest trace.

Bryan gave a nod before turning and walking into the vortex. Tiara trailed closely after him, followed by Bringer, and Rider came last after a short pause, leaving Anthony as the only one still there.

For a brief instant, Anthony hovered motionless in the expansive void; a subtle smile curved his lips as he reflected inwardly, ’It sure is nice to meet up with old friends and catch up,’ he pondered softly.

His sky-blue eyes drifted across the Galaxy, shifting from constellation to constellation, then phenomenon to phenomenon. ’I might miss the Acarnis Galaxy when I ascend to a higher Galaxy,’ he contemplated silently, already recognizing that the peculiar sensation—like a remote summons—he had felt upon attaining the Apexus Mana Rank tied directly to ascending to a superior Galaxy.

Yet numerous tasks still awaited him, preventing any response to that persistent call for now.

He needed to conclude the Divinora Galaxy, and maybe eradicate the Demon race afterward. That choice remained undecided, since destroying the Demon race would only ignite ceaseless wars among the tiered races. Keeping a shared foe might prove wiser to foster their unity.

Nevertheless... he held no real concern over whether the races annihilated one another, lacking any emotional ties to them.

’I wonder if Bryan and the others will ascend as well, or stay behind,’ he mused quietly to himself. With that last reflection, he strode through the portal ahead and appeared on the Blue Planet as the vortex sealed shut behind him, restoring emptiness to the quiet void once again.