MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 918: Shattering Veil

Kingsley shifted once more, narrowly avoiding another strike. Aura Nova, however, showed no signs of slowing down. She maintained her relentless assault, forcing Kingsley into a constant state of evasion. Even so, she could sense that Kingsley was evolving in real-time. Though the specific mechanism eluded her, she could tell that his perception and speed were refining themselves with every clash.

Where he had previously dodged her attacks by a hair’s breadth, he now moved with increasing composure and rhythm, as if his mind and body were finally syncing with her pace.

Aura Nova did not relent. She pressed on, her hands flickering between existence and the void as the sheer intensity of her strikes warped the very atmosphere. Trees crumbled into dust and splinters, mountains were reduced to rubble, and the earth split into jagged ravines and bottomless chasms as the landscape buckled under her overwhelming presence.

Suddenly, she lunged forward with her twin short swords in a deadly cross-pattern. One blade targeted Kingsley’s chest while the other aimed for his abdomen. Despite his rapid adaptation to the tempo, Kingsley found it impossible to parry both simultaneously. Instinctively, he raised his hand to intercept the strike heading for his heart.

As his flesh met her steel, the destructive power of her Sword Intent instantly pulverized his arm. Before the sensation of pain could even reach his brain, Aura Nova’s second blade sliced deep into his stomach. Her Sword Intent carved through him with the ease of a hot knife through butter.

Blood erupted into the air in a violent spray as Sword Intent flooded into the gaping abdominal wound, threatening to shred him from the inside out. Kingsley gritted his teeth, suppressing a scream through sheer willpower. Indifferent to his agony, Aura Nova immediately exploited the opening. Launching herself like a projectile, she delivered a high-precision kick that slammed into Kingsley’s temple.

The impact unleashed a circular shockwave that shattered the air. Inertia took hold, violently jerking Kingsley to the side. With a deafening boom, he was sent flying, smashing through several trees before finally being halted by the solid face of a mountain.

A thick shroud of dust and debris billowed upward, completely masking Kingsley’s status from view.

However, Kingsley did not stay down. Moments later, he stood up. His body was already mending itself at a frightening pace, his flesh knitting back together with unnatural speed. He emerged from the haze in total silence, his face a mask of calm, unreadable intensity.

As his golden eyes locked onto Aura Nova’s, he let out a soft sigh. He then shifted into a martial stance. For a fleeting moment, a faint golden glow emanated from his form before vanishing. It wasn't an aura or Qi, but a strange manifestation of color that left behind a chilling, heavy presence.

"Come," Kingsley commanded.

It was his first spoken word since the duel had commenced.

Aura Nova didn't hesitate for a second. she lunged.

The force of her movement was so extreme that the ground beneath her simply vanished, erased by her explosive speed. She closed the gap in an instant, thrusting her twin blades toward his eye and heart. Kingsley raised his hands to catch the weapons. Aura Nova smirked, expecting her Sword Intent to disintegrate his limbs just as it had moments before.

To her utter astonishment, Kingsley seized both blades with his bare hands. He gripped the short swords firmly, making contact with her Sword Intent as if it were harmless.

Aura Nova’s brow furrowed as she tried to comprehend the sight. 'Has he developed a resistance to my Sword Intent?' she wondered. Even before his injury, he had been adapting to her power and velocity. She knew he possessed no specific adaptation ability; he was simply that much of a monster. His physical form was just that durable.

Remaining silent, Kingsley used raw strength to yank Aura Nova toward him. He drove his knee upward like a rising rocket, aiming for her jaw. Aura Nova reacted instantly, raising her own leg to block the strike. Sword Intent smashed against pure physical might in a violent explosion, yet Kingsley remained completely unharmed.

'How can his skin be this tough?' Aura Nova thought, her disbelief growing. 'How can anyone withstand Sword Intent like this?'

The two vanished into a blur. They streaked through the woods like clashing blades, pursuing one another in a frantic dance. Techniques exploded in every direction; a kick met a cut, a punch collided with a slash, and a palm struck a thrust. The forest was systematically demolished as the intensity of their battle reached a fever pitch.

Aura Nova grinned upon realizing that Kingsley was still matching her, even with her Sword Intent fully augmenting her movements. Without saying a word, she allowed her Sword Intent to erupt violently, striking Kingsley’s chest and hurling him backward.

Her Sword Intent intensified, becoming sharper and more concentrated. Its blue radiance deepened into a vivid, lethal hue as she poured even more power and lethality into her technique.

As she finished, Sword Intent swirled around her in a violent vortex, lifting her into the sky. Her gaze locked onto Kingsley below. In a flash, she delivered a downward slash with terrifying velocity and power.

Kingsley felt the roar of impending death echo through his very soul.

His instincts took over immediately. His muscles tensed and his arms flew up to brace for the impact. The moment he shielded himself, a vertical blade of energy cleaved down from his head toward his torso with lethal precision.

Behind him, the trajectory of the strike continued, splitting the very earth in two. The land was torn asunder, and a thunderous roar filled the forest as everything in the path of the slash was severed cleanly.

Kingsley spat out a mouthful of blood. A normal cultivator would have been sliced in half instantly, yet Kingsley’s absurd resilience kept him alive. He had been split, but the blade stopped just before the separation was complete.

His regeneration kicked in without delay. Bone, muscle, and skin reconnected with instantaneous efficiency, mending his body into a whole once more as if the devastating blow had never landed.