MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 943: Double Standard

From overhead, Klaus's voice boomed, "Null Anthony, wins," pulling Lucian from his daze as he casually got to his feet. A mere mental command triggered his Event Rewriting power, instantly banishing the grime from his skin like it had been scrubbed from reality, while his shredded outfit healed in reverse, with fibers knitting together flawlessly once more.

Mana flooded back into him right away, as if he'd never drained even a drop, swelling his core to its utmost capacity, and his energy levels spiked to full vigor even though fatigue hadn't truly set in. The whole clash felt erased, like a momentary rewind of time just for him, returning everything to pristine perfection.

"I hope this doesn’t affect our friendship." Anthony's words drifted over from nearby, accompanied by a gentle grin. It wasn't a smug or boastful expression, merely a genuine, warm smile free of any smugness or ego, the sort that came effortlessly without a second thought.

"Of course it won’t," Lucian answered, shaking his head. He wasn't so petty. Letting a single defeat in training ruin his bond with Anthony would mean he never saw him as a true companion from the start. "Besides, I have Aura Nova to blame for this," he added, his voice casual but with a hint of reproach, "if she hadn’t tricked me with her words, I wouldn’t be in this situation."

Aura Nova hadn't actually deceived him in any real way, but voicing that truth felt pointless. Blaming her was far simpler than owning up to how his ego had pushed him into an unwinnable fight. In his mind, it was all on Aura Nova, or so he chose to believe.

Though he'd fallen to Anthony, the bout hadn't taught him zilch. During the intense exchange, Lucian's mind had sharpened to an unprecedented edge. He observed Anthony's every action with intense scrutiny, breaking down each motion, each inhale, each surge of mana. He sought to absorb any insight, no matter how minor or overlooked it seemed.

What better teacher than the heir to ???, bearer of The Beginning Of All Things Physique, hailed by the author as second only to ???'s own. Plus, he wielded the Primordial Bloodline, unlocking absurd, near-absurd powers.

Indeed, the session yielded subtle epiphanies that hovered just beyond full grasp, requiring time to fully integrate and make his own.

Having Absolute Copy as his core gift, which kept him hunting for skills to mimic, didn't imply he lacked freakish innate prowess. Far from it—his reflexes, awareness, and flexibility matched Aaaninja and the others, possibly surpassing in some areas.

"Nice to hear that. After all, I would be sad to lose a friend like you," Anthony responded with yet another grin. "Also, it seems you’re already back to perfect health... your Event Rewriting ability is really too overpowered," he added with a sigh, his tone blending awe and a touch of frustration.

His mind wandered to Aura Nova restoring herself to top form with a single skill, and to Kingsley with his equally outrageous physique. All those around him were freaks in unique fashions, each wielding traits that demolished any notion of ordinary.

"I don’t know if you’re mocking me or not," Lucian shot back, unable to resist, "after all, you aren’t injured, and I’m sure your mana reserves weren’t even touched, nor was your stamina." He eyed Anthony up and down, inspecting closely, then shook his head in subdued defeat.

"It seems you’ve gained a lot from our spar," Anthony observed while starting to float upward, defying gravity as if he operated in his own dimensional plane.

Lucian moved without delay, ascending smoothly beside him, a faint smirk crossing his face. "I’m sure whatever I gained won’t be enough to win against you now or in the future," he stated evenly, straightforward without evasion. No need to sugarcoat it. While others might cringe at such honesty, Lucian embraced it, knowing Anthony deeper than the onlookers did.

Anthony let out a light laugh, shaking his head. "Well, that much is true." His words carried a teasing, easy vibe, free of haughtiness or belittlement, but utterly earnest.

"Has anyone ever told you that your words sound arrogant?" Lucian quipped as they glided softly toward Klaus and the waiting group.

"Am I?" Anthony inquired, raising a brow with real interest, not irritation.

"You’re not. I just said your words sound arrogant, not that you are," Lucian explained, giving a slight head tilt.

"Well, I guess I see your point, but I don’t care about the opinions of those I don’t care about," Anthony said with a casual shoulder lift, his apathy clear and unyielding.

Lucian nodded quietly, well aware of this facet of Anthony. He recognized Anthony as neither holy figure nor outright fiend. In their duel, after all, Anthony had conjured countless planets, vast realms summoned like playthings. Undeniably, each harbored trillions of souls, myriad societies thriving within.

Yet Anthony remained unmoved; he called them forth regardless and obliterated them personally without a pause. To him, their end meant nothing personal.

Did this bother Lucian? Not in the slightest. He shared Anthony's outlook entirely. If lives truly mattered to him, he'd have strived to rescue those planetary dwellers, shielding their delicate beings, but indifference ruled him too.

"Do you think you’re battling Aaaninja next?" Anthony wondered aloud. All had clashed save for Aaaninja. Clearly, his matchup loomed, against one of them inevitably.

A grin spread across Lucian's face at Aaaninja's name, a subtle gleam of eagerness in his gaze. "I hope so... I have an account to settle with him."

"Just because you lost once against him? Does that mean you also have an account to settle with me?" Anthony teased, clearly entertained.

"Like I said earlier, I’m sure whatever I do against you is futile. Why waste my time chasing the impossible like Aaaninja is doing?" Lucian countered, his features easing into a more composed, logical demeanor.

Anthony paused briefly before pressing, "But what if you challenging him again is also a form of chasing the impossible?" he murmured softly.

Lucian fell quiet, pondering Anthony's point as if weighing it deeply. He grasped the implication. Anthony highlighted his hypocrisy—urging Aaaninja to abandon the vain pursuit of besting Anthony, while ignoring if his own quest against Aaaninja might prove equally fruitless. Much like Aaaninja's drive to topple Anthony, he craved victory over Aaaninja, yet demanded Aaaninja yield to the inevitable.

After a thoughtful hush, he responded, "We’ll see about that," then surged ahead faster, slicing through the gale shield like fleeing deeper queries, trailing only swirling winds and lingering reflections.