MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 988: What Are Friends For?

Still on his knees, Lucian Darkheart lifted his gaze, his dark eyes locking onto Anthony, who positioned himself like no power in the cosmos could ever rival him, simply because his strength was unmatched; then Lucian's attention turned to Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos, hovering next to Anthony in a state of unconsciousness.

A whirlwind of feelings surged through Lucian Darkheart's entire form, leaving him unsure of his emotions, since it wasn't everyday that a companion and competitor wiped out a whole Galaxy just to rescue him. In truth, he had come to terms with his end, having pulled off an act that went far beyond limits, something neither Anthony, the protagonist, nor even ??? had managed; he had pierced the fourth wall, breaking the narrative bonds that confined their reality.

Silence hung over Lucian for a while, as words escaped him momentarily, since a mere "Thank you" felt pitifully insufficient, bordering on offensive given Aaaninja's recent feat, yet it made no difference, with Aaaninja out cold and unable to catch any words of thanks anyway.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," Anthony said with a grin while eyeing the kneeling Lucian. Lucian held his position without stirring, still grappling with the extremes Aaaninja had endured on his behalf, "planning on kneeling forever?" Anthony questioned, his remark finally pulling Lucian from his whirlwind of reflections.

With a smile, Lucian stood up and declared, "Thank you," since that was all he could muster, nothing in his power could equal Anthony's aid, and no action could offset such a massive obligation. Anthony just grinned in response, considering his buddy had just escaped True Death, an idea that went past normal dying and wiped out any chance of revival.

Lucian Darkheart's dark eyes drifted to the passed-out Aaaninja, and noticing the look, Anthony commented, "don’t worry, he is merely mentally exhausted, after all, one does not simply connect with the River Of Time without some form of negative impact, although I would not exactly call fainting a negative impact," Anthony added in a comforting voice tinged with subtle respect.

In agreement, Lucian dipped his head and kept quiet. From the start, he had figured Aaaninja dodged any backlash from the River Of Time Personification skill because death had claimed him first, skipping the penalties altogether, and plus, even if consequences were due, the River Of Time would have softened them for him.

"Don’t stand there looking all stunned and emotional, that is not the Lucian Darkheart I know," Anthony remarked while gazing at the bewildered Lucian.

For a beat, Lucian remained wordless, then erupted into laughter, "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" The sound boomed across the planet they occupied, reverberating through broken skies and scattered ruins, "honestly, I am so grateful and happy I could kiss both you and Aaaninja right now," he added as his typical grin and bold attitude resurfaced, like death had only been a minor hiccup.

"There he is, back both in body and mind," Anthony responded, resting a hand on Lucian's shoulder, while Lucian Darkheart's grin held steady at the comment, his aura quietly steadying as if solidifying his return.

[Welcome back, Host]

The familiar robotic voice of the system rang in Lucian's head. At the sound, Lucian grinned to himself and thought, ’welcome back, system, it feels good to be alive.’

[It is indeed, Host]

As if sensing and echoing its Host's joy, the system answered, its electronic tone nearly conveying a sense of ease and delight.

"It seems my permanent vacation to the land of the dead has been cancelled," Lucian quipped, shaking his head with a soft chuckle laced with sarcasm and real thanks.

Anthony let out a laugh at the remark, "it seems it has," he replied, shaking his head too while chuckling, the pair chatting casually as if the Galaxy's destruction was just a minor event, like stellar ruin was only a backdrop to their bond.

"I have a question," Lucian said as an idea struck him, his face showing a touch of interest mixed with ongoing bewilderment.

"Ask away," Anthony shot back instantly, his calm demeanor steady as ever.

"Why did you not come earlier? I mean, with the method you used to help me regain my abilities and Mana Rank, you could have used it to stop the backlash, right?" he inquired, eyes fixed on Anthony, his voice purely curious without blame or bitterness.

Raising an eyebrow, Anthony shook his head with a grin; yes, he could have applied his Authority Of Severance to cut off the backlash like before, but he held back thinking Aaaninja had the matter under control, seeing no need to step in, until he saw Aaaninja hit his breaking point with no way forward, prompting him to act right when it was crucial.

"I simply did not want to intervene and steal Aaaninja’s spotlight," Anthony answered casually with a grin that mixed humor and honesty.

"I see, that makes sense," Lucian replied, even though Anthony was painted as a self-centered youth in the novel's opening chapters, that didn't mean he sought praise at every turn, his self-assurance stemmed from strength, not doubt, and his vast might didn't require endless approval.

"I know I have said this before, but thanks again," Lucian expressed, his voice turning earnest, infused with deep appreciation and quiet admiration.

"Bruh, what are friends for? Besides, I am sure if I am dying one day, you would also save me, right?" Anthony responded with a grin, since to him, pulling Lucian—a true friend—from the brink wasn't some heroic deed deserving acclaim, but just what real bonds demanded, and less than that wouldn't count as friendship at all.

’Is this a red flag?’ Lucian wondered internally, lifting an eyebrow, as the notion of Anthony perishing seemed impossible, given how ridiculously overpowering and unbalanced the man was.

The blast from a Galaxy's total ruin, ripping across emptiness over vast light-years, left him untouched because it couldn't pierce his Infinity, a barrier concept that nullified all types of harm, standard or otherwise.

Yet he answered anyway, "of course, you do not even have to ask, even if I have to destroy the Universe to achieve that," he affirmed with a grin full of total certainty.

Anthony merely grinned and nodded; though he'd said it in fun earlier, he didn't really think death could claim him either, at least not in this Acarnis Galaxy—the higher realms were a whole other challenge, ruled by stricter rules and scarier beings, but here in their present cosmic arena, dying remained a far-off, almost imaginary idea.