MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 1114: Congratulations

Anthony remained composed amidst a forest utterly devastated by a barrage of magical and physical assaults. The once vibrant woodland was now a desolate expanse, a scarred tableau of broken earth and shattered remnants. Bryan, Tiara, Bringer, and Rider were visible, gasping for breath as they lay sprawled on their backs. Their chests heaved rhythmically, each inhalation seeming insufficient, their breaths ragged and uneven.

Their forms bore the marks of injury and exhaustion, blood marring their attire in splotchy patterns. They gazed upwards at the vast sky, as if searching for some profound truth concealed within its immensity, their eyes unfocused yet brimming with silent introspection.

A soft cadence of approaching footsteps drew their attention. Anthony halted before them, his gaze sweeping over their prone forms. A smile graced his lips as he inquired, his tone gentle yet laced with playful mockery, "Had enough already, or do you all still wish to continue?" The lightheartedness of his words served only to highlight the considerable disparity between them.

"I will be stopping here; I’m out of mana, and my stamina is entirely depleted," Bringer declared, his voice strained by evident weariness.

"The same here, I’m spent. Even though I’ve regenerated, my mana and stamina remain utterly depleted," Tiara added, her eyes closing as she remained reposed on the ruined terrain, her body unresponsive to any further commands.

"It’s no different from the very first day we encountered you, Anthony," Bryan remarked, his thoughts drifting back to the initial encounter, where Anthony had effortlessly subdued them all during the exam, leaving an indelible memory.

"We were foolish to believe we stood a chance, even with him limiting himself to the Master Level 1 Mana Rank," Rider couldn't help but interject with a weary chuckle, the mirth tinged with exhaustion.

"Indeed, we were," Bryan concurred without hesitation.

They had harbored the hope of gaining an advantage due to Anthony's self-imposed restrictions. Even if victory was unattainable, their sole aspiration was to land a single blow on this seemingly omnipotent individual. They had deployed every conceivable tactic: Forbidden Magic, Aura, Mana Zones, abilities acquired from skill books, intricate weapon techniques, and devastating weapon arts. In essence, every tool within their arsenal had been unleashed without reservation.

Yet, they could not even graze the edge of Anthony's attire.

"Sometimes, I question the unfairness of the heavens," Tiara murmured, shaking her head slowly, her voice heavy with quiet frustration.

"I am certain many vampires share that sentiment when they behold you," Bryan responded, his gaze directed at Tiara. He coughed, a splash of blood escaping his lips, which he casually wiped away, unfazed. Despite the pain, he suppressed it with sheer force of will.

"Although I imposed limitations, I restricted only my physical strength and mana quantity," Anthony began, lowering himself into a seated lotus position upon the devastated ground. "At the end of the day, I remain at the Apexus Mana Rank. I possess far superior mana control, enhanced elemental manipulation, and refined Aura control. Furthermore, I command mastery over literally every element imaginable. Beyond that, the four of you cannot hope to rival my battle experience," he elaborated calmly, itemizing the reasons for their defeat.

Naturally, Anthony could have simply remained stationary and allowed their attacks to fall upon him, but such an endeavor would have been futile, as Infinity would have neutralized every blow. He had even deactivated Sense Dome and numerous other sensory abilities simply to contend with them on a more even footing. Alas, battle experience and mana control were attributes that could not be diminished.

"Sigh… Honestly, after spending the past eleven days with you, how can anything or anyone possibly impress us ever again?" Bryan voiced his helplessness, the time spent in Anthony's company having broadened their horizons and ignited their imaginations to possibilities they had never conceived.

"Truly, I doubt anything will… unless I witness something extraordinarily spectacular," Bringer stated, attempting to rise from his position. However, the pervasive pain throughout his body, coupled with his injuries, rendered even shifting into a seated posture an arduous task.

At this thought, he retrieved a healing and stamina potion from his spatial ring. Before he could consume it, however, Anthony intervened, "There is no need to deplete your potions. Since I was the one who brought you to this state, it is only natural that I provide your healing as well."

Mana resonated through the atmosphere, a soft yet potent vibration. The very sky seemed to coalesce and shift, manifesting countless emerald motes of light that shimmered with ethereal beauty before descending upon Bryan, Rider, Tiara, and Bringer, all orchestrated by Anthony's impeccable control.

Their wounds vanished with unbelievable speed, closing up as if they had never been there. All traces of blood disappeared from their skin, and their bodies began to emit a gentle green luminescence, mirroring the motes of light that enveloped them. Their stamina was instantly restored to its absolute maximum, and mana flooded their cores with immense force, completing their recovery.

In a mere handful of seconds, every single one of them was returned to their peak condition, as though the preceding battle had never occurred.

With this restoration, they all sat up almost in unison, clenching their fists and feeling the powerful surge of renewed strength within them. The healing itself wasn't particularly surprising; they were already aware of the existence of various healing magics and similar abilities, and Anthony was undoubtedly proficient in all of them. However, what truly left them utterly speechless was the complete replenishment of their mana.

"You can even restore mana? Is there anything beyond your capabilities?" Bringer inquired, his voice tinged with sheer astonishment.

"Hmm, I'd have to really ponder that question to find an answer, as I'm not entirely certain myself," Anthony responded with a relaxed smile.

"I didn't think it was possible for anyone to replenish mana," Tiara commented.

"My Grandmother is capable of it," Anthony stated casually.

"Well, I suppose that's to be expected, given she is the Saintess Of The World," Tiara sighed, shaking her head slightly.

Anthony then shifted his gaze to Bryan, speaking up, "I believe congratulations are in order, Bryan."

Bryan raised an eyebrow, a look of confusion on his face. "What do you mean?" he questioned.

"Your Aura control improved significantly during our spar. With just a little further effort, you'll be able to awaken your Sword Intent," Anthony explained.

Upon hearing Anthony's words, Bryan paused for a moment before erupting into laughter. "HAHAHAHAHA!!! Finally, freaking FINALLY!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs, as if he had just won the grandest lottery imaginable.

Anthony simply shook his head, offering no further comment. While Aura might be mastered with relative ease, the path toward Intent appeared to be an endless one for all who ventured upon it.

Following this, a round of congratulations began to be exchanged. They all praised Bryan, even though he hadn't yet awakened his Intent, the undeniable fact remained that he was closer to that threshold than any of them.

Bryan could already vividly imagine the immense boost his combat prowess would receive upon awakening it; the mere thought alone sent thrilling waves of excitement coursing through him.

’I’ll be dedicating myself to Aura training the moment I return,’ he mused inwardly, a smirk forming on his lips. His pride as a Dragon seemed to surge to the forefront for a fleeting moment, burning with a rekindled intensity.