MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 970: I don’t lose

Lucian Darkheart Versus Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos

When their names flashed across the display, a fresh hush gripped the atmosphere, hanging heavy like an enormous presence dropping from the heavens, weighing down on every onlooker and compelling even the fidgetiest souls into eerie quiet.

Even though many in the crowd had only crossed paths mere hours or days earlier, they weren't blind or clueless about the vibes around them; they could sense a kind of strain... not quite strain, but something denser and way more intricate, simmering between Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos and Lucian Darkheart.

A few sharp minds pieced together that it stemmed from events in the Starborn Tournament, while others who missed the connection just shrugged it off, eager only for some excitement—after all, for most watchers, the show trumped the backstory every time.

Aaaninja's eyes, swirling with rainbow hues like a clock, turned toward Lucian, their multicolored pupils spinning subtly as if gears tracking the flow of time, while he returned the gaze with his pitch-black orbs, deep and endless like an infinite void, the suspense and strain thickening in the air with each ticking instant as their stares connected and held firm without flinching.

The katana at Lucian's side quivered slightly in eagerness, as if alive with its own spirit, sensing the foe ahead and craving yet another fierce encounter. A gradual grin spread across Lucian's mouth, serene but edged, the awaited instant had arrived—he could clash with Aaaninja once more, after three full years of advancing, honing skills, and silently gearing up for precisely this showdown.

Aaaninja, meanwhile, remained seated in perfect poise, his whole bearing radiating cool detachment, akin to a tranquil pond untouched by breezes. Yet he wasn't naive or puffed up with overconfidence. Though his main goal in this bout was Null Anthony, that didn't blind him to Lucian Darkheart's formidable might; in their previous fight, they'd traded blows evenly for ages, with narrow edges in strikes until he seized a fleeting opening to tip the scales against Lucian.

Sure, he'd surged in power since that clash—over a hundredfold, thanks to relentless polishing and harsh self-mastery—but Lucian had advanced at a frightening rate too; it was ridiculous to think only he would evolve while Lucian stood still. Progress never favors just one side.

A faint smile tugged at Anthony's lips as his gaze found Aura Nova's, and the instant their azure eyes linked, they exchanged sly grins, a bowl of popcorn materializing in their grasp like it was second nature. No explanation was needed; they knew a massive showdown was about to erupt right in front of them, a spectacle packed with every nuance, unfolding like a mythic tale.

Altheria and Veronica shared a quick look, each quietly cheering for their partner, even if they weren't in the fray themselves—their gazes and hearts flared with excitement and honor, viewing it almost as a contest of top boyfriends between the pair, a strangely intimate feud tucked inside the practice match.

Lucian's prior defeat belonged to history alone; the past held no sway, the present defined all, and in this realm, power was gauged by the here and now, not dusty triumphs lingering in dim recollections.

Across the field, Zachary and Riven's eyes connected, once bitter competitors from youth, pitting Human against Celestial lineages in a savage, nonstop feud, and now it appeared their offspring had taken up that same torch effortlessly, as if it pulsed through their blood. Each held ironclad faith in their boy, their stares fixed unwavering on the pair below.

Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos stood with the fluid poise of a sovereign descending steps to face assembled followers, each motion exact and refined. Silently, he advanced a foot, and instantly, pull dragged him earthward as he dropped straight, hands folded neatly at his back, treating even the pull of the world like a mere instrument under his command instead of something imposing on him.

Lucian Darkheart wasted no time, flashing a smirk before lifting from his chair and surrendering to the same downward tug, his coat billowing gently. For a split second, he materialized next to Aaaninja in the air, grinning with bold defiance clear on his features, then blinked away from there, and soon after, both touched down on solid ground, mastering their descent so flawlessly they nullified all the speed they'd built.

Positioned several paces away, their boots grazing the surface lightly, they held quiet, eyes fixed on each other for moments as they awaited Klaus's cue to start, the gap between them short but vast in feel.

"We finally meet again," Lucian's voice sliced the quiet like a blade through fine cloth, soft and steady yet loaded with gravity.

He harbored no bitterness toward Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos; in truth, he saw him as a true companion amid it all, driven purely to test himself against a past conqueror, nothing deeper, no shadows. No bitterness. Merely the pure urge to surpass his former limits.

Much like Aaaninja's drive to face Anthony, this was his parallel pursuit. They shared the core aim: honing through strife.

"It seems so," Aaaninja responded, his blank look fading as a grin lit his face. He felt the pull to echo words Anthony had thrown at him three years back, and what Kingsley had repeated recently, but held back—mimicking another's boast wouldn't fit his style.

"I recognize your resolve, too bad it would get you nowhere," Aaaninja went on, grin holding steady, posture loose, eyes alert, standing with the assurance of someone who glimpsed the finish from the start.

"You do know that underestimating me could get you killed," Lucian Darkheart shot back with a soft laugh, tone airy but laced with subtle caution.

Aaaninja shook his head in reply, "that would be insulting to you. While my target is Anthony, it doesn’t mean I’ve become such a fool that I don’t recognise a strong opponent," his tone even and serene, devoid of any taunt.

"What will you do when you lose?" Lucian Darkheart pressed, locking eyes on Aaaninja with total concentration.

"Me considering the option of me losing means I never once believed in myself, and I don’t lose," Aaaninja countered, shaking his head once more, his trust in his abilities total and rock-solid, verging on devotion.

Lucian Darkheart grinned at that, occasionally pondering if Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos might be another reborn soul like himself, just masterfully concealed.

"Confident, huh?" he remarked, flicking his gaze skyward for an instant, then returning his dark eyes to Aaaninja, his aura shifting as if flipping from ally to adversary on the spot.

"I hope your loss doesn’t affect our friendship, or you in general, after all you are going to lose to Anthony and I," with that final line, his whole presence transformed as combat fervor surged upward in shadowy surges, making the atmosphere wail and quiver, unseen force pulsing out like a tempest's fury.

Aaaninja offered no words, just a smirk; Lucian had always predicted his fall to Null Anthony, and he'd never bought it. Keeping that grin, his own combat fervor ascended, keen and glowing, slamming against Lucian's in a savage clash of spirits like crashing seas, hurling crackling bursts aloft and warping the nearby void.

In the following beat, the breeze hung unnaturally still, then cracked apart as a thunderous command ripped through the iced air with commanding force.

"Begin."