MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 929: False Reality Layer

Having firmly made her decision, Aura Nova shut her eyes and retreated into the depths of her mind, the surrounding noise and conversation fading into total silence as if they had vanished entirely.

Inside her core, her mana began to boil with violent intensity. It didn't explode outward in a messy display of power, nor did it spill into the environment. Instead, the energy thundered within her, folding and compressing until a new plane of existence manifested in her mind—vast, empty, and expansive, like a fresh world born from the void.

Aura Nova stood solitary beneath a void-like sky in this newly birthed layer of reality. Time functioned differently here; a single second in the real world was transformed into a full year within this mental sanctuary. It was in this accelerated pocket of space that she intended to fix one of her most obvious flaws: her lack of proficiency in hand-to-hand combat and close-quarters engagement.

With a thought, a man materialized in front of her. He gripped a blade with lethal expertise, his stance disciplined and sharp. Aura Nova didn't hesitate; she moved instantly, and the two collided. The ring of steel on steel echoed as her training within this fabricated dimension began.

Her strategy was straightforward and ruthlessly efficient.

In this false world, she would face every conceivable type of martial artist. She would fight masters of every weapon: spearmen, swordsmen, brawlers, duelists, and assassins. Mana would not be used. There would be no special abilities, no Omniedit, and no unique skills.

She relied only on raw speed, physical power, and basic technique. She would sharpen her reflexes through endless repetition and forge her combat instincts through a cycle of defeat and triumph. Combat intelligence was her only focus.

Nothing else mattered.

Once she had gathered these experiences—once her mind and body were tempered by the equivalent of countless lifetimes of war—she would integrate every drop of that knowledge back into her conscious self. By doing this, another weakness would be permanently erased.

Aura Nova was not the type to identify a flaw and simply let it remain.

Kingsley had pointed it out, and now, she was going to delete it.

She couldn't say for sure how many decades or centuries of battle experience Aaaninja, Anthony, and Lucian possessed. It was irrelevant. She would bridge that gap, regardless of what it took.

By any normal standard, her actions were beyond ridiculous. If the observers realized what she was achieving in a single moment of silence, they would likely curse the heavens in a fit of envy and shock. She was effectively condensing decades of life-long training into mere seconds.

The power of her Omniedit was truly that broken.

This method had been improvised on the spot, fueled by the pressure of the moment. She knew that in a spar, Anthony, Lucian, or Aaaninja would certainly target her vulnerabilities. She absolutely refused to be the weak link in the coming fight.

On the outside, the massive consumption of mana from Aura Nova was palpable to everyone. The air grew heavy and suffocating, enough to make even seasoned experts feel tense. However, no one spoke. Her face remained calm and her eyes stayed closed; it was obvious she was occupied with something vital.

Meanwhile, Kingsley had also closed his eyes.

He had entered his Sleep Training Mode, letting his consciousness drift into a focused state. Even so, he intended to watch the upcoming match. He just needed to perform a few checks before ending his Sleep Training early.

"It looks like the next round belongs to the three of us," Anthony noted, a smile playing on his lips. The current vibe was almost identical to the Starborn Tournament. The three strongest members of their generation were standing against one another once more.

Aaaninja grinned at Anthony’s comment, feeling the heat of anticipation rising in his own chest.

"Why don't the three of us just fight at the same time?" Lucian asked from the side. His expression was calm, but a fierce battle intent flickered in his dark eyes.

Neither Aaaninja nor Anthony gave him an answer.

They both understood that Lucian’s idea wouldn't be taken seriously. A system was already in place, and changing the rules now would only make things messy.

"This generation certainly has a lot of restless energy to burn," Klaus remarked as he watched the youths. There was a hint of nostalgia in his voice, as if he were remembering his own younger days.

Amara looked at her husband but remained quiet, already knowing his thoughts perfectly.

"It seems it is finally time for our children," Michael interjected. He looked toward Riven and Zachary, while Mitchelle turned her gaze toward Vespera and Nyxss. Much like their sons, the parents felt a quiet sense of excitement for the coming clashes.

Only Collins stayed perfectly composed, his eyes fixed on the floating display that showed five flickering numbers.

"Shall we place a bet?" Michael suddenly proposed.

Klaus interrupted before anyone could respond. "I suggest we keep this as simple fun and not turn it into a gamble."

The others nodded, choosing practicality over pride. None of them wanted to risk their valuable resources or treasures. At their level of power, a wager would be insanely expensive.

With Klaus having settled the matter, Michael simply shrugged. Every eye turned back to the floating screen. Klaus snapped his fingers, and the numbers began to cycle rapidly between one and five.

The fact that Kingsley and Aura Nova had already fought didn't exclude them from being picked again. They just couldn't be matched against each other right away.

The numbers eventually slowed down and halted, leaving only two digits visible.

One versus Three.

The moment the result appeared, the crowd looked toward the designated fighters.

Anthony held number one.

Lucian Darkheart held number three.

Anthony gave a small smile and rose from his seat with a relaxed grace. He didn't rush. With a single stride, he plummeted downward, a sonic boom echoing as he pierced the cloud layer. He landed a moment later, his boots touching the rocky ground softly.

Lucian Darkheart smiled as well before standing up. 'Finally, a chance to face the protagonist,' he thought to himself. A second later, he was a blur, landing just a few meters away from Anthony.

The two faced each other like master duelists. Their katanas were tucked into the left side of their belts, their hands relaxed but prepared. They locked eyes, faint smiles hiding their true battle intent.

"I realized we didn't actually fight during the Starborn Tournament," Anthony remarked casually. "I ended up facing Aaaninja twice instead."

"That’s true," Lucian answered smoothly, "but we can finally trade blows now."

Even though Anthony was known as the protagonist, Lucian had no plans to go easy. He was well aware of how lethal Anthony could be. Holding back would be a fatal mistake.

From above, a single command rang out across the terrain.

"Begin."

For a heartbeat, the world went still, and then it exploded into chaos.