MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1086: Discussion

Bryan, Rider, Tiara, and Bringer remained dumbfounded by Anthony’s declaration; they had completely overlooked that detail. Clearly, Anthony could outright refuse the Blood Queen’s plea to revive her son—issue resolved, straightforward and decisive.

None of them had truly pondered it before, since the sheer simplicity of the fix appeared ridiculously obvious in retrospect, yet perfectly reasonable considering Anthony’s status and character.

"But given the Blood Queen’s nature, she’ll likely hound you relentlessly; after all, he’s her only son, not like other Domain Rulers who have two offspring," Bryan remarked, shaking his head, his voice tinged with resignation and faint annoyance.

"Even then, Anthony could easily offer reasons why resurrecting Drake Bloodmoon isn’t possible; the Blood Queen would have to take his word for it. She doesn’t truly understand how his resurrection method functions, after all," Rider chimed in with a nod, his logic steady and practical.

Tiara kept quiet without saying a word; she merely gazed at the group, scrutinizing the circumstances and quietly assessing each proposal raised, her crimson eyes glimmering softly as ideas swirled within.

Anthony shook his head while responding, "You’re all overcomplicating this. Devising excuses and fibbing is for those beneath the Blood Queen’s power, not me. As I stated before, I’ll just refuse outright," he declared evenly, seeing no need for trickery when his might surpassed hers.

Naturally, if the Blood Queen questioned whether he’d slain her son or played any role in his demise, Anthony would lie instantly. Whether that smacked of hypocrisy or otherwise, he neither knew nor minded, since such subtleties mattered little to him.

"Sigh, your confidence towers endlessly. I can already envision you eliminating the Blood Queen mere hours after her son," Bringer said with a headshake and sigh, his tone blending skepticism and grudging tolerance.

"Are you all planning to accompany me to the Vampire Domain?" Anthony inquired indifferently, utterly unperturbed. If the Blood Queen attacked, he’d obliterate her and her entire Domain; one strike would suffice for the task, and he was well aware.

Everyone but Tiara started mulling over Anthony’s query. After brief reflection, Bryan replied first, his face shifting to pensive.

"Truthfully, we normally use formal pathways thanks to our bloodlines and royal ranks, but with the Blood Queen aware we’re all united, she’s doubtless prepared for you arriving alongside us," Bryan explained, his argument airtight and drawn from real encounters.

"That makes sense," Tiara affirmed with a nod, concurring with Bryan, her voice serene and collected, even as her thoughts raced on.

"I feel we’re neglecting protection," Rider started, his tone sharpening with gravity. "We’re venturing into a rival Domain. Should Anthony clash with the Blood Queen—and only if tensions boil over—who shields us from fellow Planetary-level Vampires? We all carry life-preserving treasures and shields, sure, but I’d rather not wager my existence against an Apexus Mana Ranker blasting millions of assaults in a blink," Rider emphasized, his warning resounding in Bryan, Bringer, and Tiara’s thoughts as the stakes weighed heavily.

Anthony held his tongue; he just observed their exchange, treating his clash with the Blood Queen as an inevitable certainty. Yet he grasped their prudence, for caution trumped regret every time, no matter the power level.

After some deliberation, Bringer piped up, his eyes sparking faintly with sudden insight. "The fix is straightforward. Anthony’s shadow soldiers match Planetary-level power; they could conceal themselves in our shadows to guard us during his fight with the Blood Queen," he outlined calmly as the notion hit him.

Tiara, Rider, and Bryan fixed him with peculiar looks for an instant, plainly taken aback. In the end, Rider voiced the bewilderment shared by all.

His gaze shifted to Anthony as he said, "Did the Mana Rank breakthrough blessing you granted him sharpen his wits or what? He’s dished out three or four flawless answers to our talks over the last few hours," he paused momentarily before appending, "That’s not like my brother." He averted his eyes from Anthony, facing Bringer instead, and pressed on, "Unless a Demon’s possessed him."

Tiara and Bryan nodded along with Rider's statement, their faces showing a mix of faint amusement and clear suspicion.

"Hmph, I've always been clever; you're just the fools who can't keep up with my smarts," Bringer bragged, thrusting out his chest with pride, obviously delighted by his own wit.

Anthony just shook his head while watching the spectacle in front of him. He wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry, yet as Rider pointed out, Bringer had indeed offered quite a few unexpectedly solid ideas and fixes in their talks over the last few hours.

'Perhaps his preparation to become the Titan Patriarch is at last awakening the brainpower side of him,' Anthony pondered silently, opting not to share that idea out loud.

"Well, your idea is truly solid," Anthony said at last, keeping his voice steady and collected as he went on.

Following his order, his shadow warped in an eerie fashion, and out from its darkness emerged Igris, Beru, Bellion, and George with poised, commanding grace, their arrival shifting the air in an instant.

"These are my four most powerful subordinates. They can handle several Apexus Mana Rankers simultaneously, so rest easy even if multiple foes come at you," Anthony stated in a straightforward, neutral voice.

"Pick the person you'll guard," Anthony commanded, facing his shadow troops.

Beru swiftly headed to Tiara. He'd overheard the discussion, and assuming his guess held true, with his master facing off against the Blood Queen, those vampire pests would surely go after Tiara, giving him the chance to battle the most foes.

Igris casually approached Bryan, seemingly drawn to him solely because of his dragon-like essence. George picked Bringer, while Bellion selected Rider, all deciding firmly without pause. Gradually, the shadow soldiers merged smoothly into the shades of those they were tasked to defend.

"I can’t even sense them in my shadow," Tiara remarked while inspecting her own shadow, her eyebrows knitting slightly. Detecting no trace of Beru left her profoundly uneasy; being a Vampire, she ought to have a strong connection to shadows. After watching for a bit, she shrugged it off and moved on.

"I’m eager to see the might of these shadow soldiers... hehehe," Bringer, the perpetual fight lover, said with glee, staring at his shadow like he could actually spot George, who he naturally couldn't detect or glimpse.