MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 433: Raze

In the physical world, Anthonyʼs eyes snapped open.

He was still gripped by the Executionerʼs massive hand around his neck.

Yet, even after death, the Executioner remained standing, as immovable and unyielding as a titan.

Without hesitation, Anthony teleported out of the Executionerʼs grasp, appearing beside Reynold, Kingsley, Seraphim, and Dale.

The moment the Executioner had perished, they were freed from the unnatural freeze that had held them captive.

There was no more energy sustaining the Executionerʼs skill, and with his demise, the hold on them dissolved.

”Captain”

Dale, Reynold, and Seraphim tried to rise to their feet with strained grunts, their bodies battered and bloodied.

Wounds marred their forms, and the faint remnants of sword marks and lingering Intent clung to their skin like stubborn shadows.

Healing potions, though effective, were not omnipotent.

They could mend broken flesh and regrow severed limbs, but their power had limits.

Injuries inflicted by Intent, the lingering scars of will and malice, remained beyond the reach of these potions.

Of course, there existed potions of greater potency, but the resources required to craft such elixirs were incredibly rare, and the cost was exorbitantly high.

Such resources were reserved for the truly affluent and powerful, far beyond the means of Seraphim and her team.

Even Dale, a vampire renowned for his extraordinary regenerative capabilities, found himself still bleeding.

His wounds, resistant to closure, spoke of the brutality of the Intent.

”Let me help you”

Anthony said, stepping forward with a calm stride.

The lingering Sword Intent from his earlier attacks clung to his teammates like a haunting presence.

With a casual wave of his hand, Anthony dispelled it, the malevolent force dissipating into the ether.

In an instant, Daleʼs wounds began to close, his body mending itself at an unnatural speed.

Anthonyʼs magic surged, and with a pulse of light, he cast a healing spell over the group.

Their injuries faded, and their stamina returned, as if the wear and tear of battle had never been.

Then, with a sudden, deafening quake, space itself began to fracture.

A crack appeared in the fabric of reality, expanding like a jagged wound.

The air around it seemed to shudder and bend, before a portal tore open, its edges rippling as though the world itself was unraveling.

”That seems to be our exit”

Dale remarked, pushing himself to his feet, his voice tinged with both relief and weariness.

”We should wait here for a while. Try to recover as much mana as possible. After all, mana potions canʼt restore it all at once”

Anthony advised.

With a simple nod, the group settled down and focused.

They began drawing mana from the air, carefully refilling their cores with each breath.

Only Kingsley stood apart from the group, seemingly lost in thought.

ʼHe must be thinking about how to improveʼ

Anthony mused, observing Kingsley from the corner of his eye.

It was understandable.

Since receiving the universeʼs acknowledgment after his assassination, Kingsley had never felt so powerless.

The weight of it all, the feeling of helplessness, was something Anthony knew all too well.

But Anthony didnʼt dwell on it.

Improvement and power were a gradual process.

There was no shortcut, no secret trick.

It was a step-by-step journey, each challenge a lesson.

In contrast to Kingsleyʼs frustration, Anthony knew the truth: they hadnʼt even a fraction of a chance against someone like the Executioner.

It was a pipe dream to think otherwise.

”Captain… why didnʼt you include us in your plans? If we had known, we couldʼve prepared accordingly”

Reynold asked, his voice laced with confusion and a hint of hurt, even as mana surged naturally toward him, an inherent gift of his Phoenix bloodline.

Anthony let out a quiet sigh before responding.

”Have you ever heard the saying: ʼTo truly deceive your enemies, you must first deceive your alliesʼ?”

The others exchanged glances and slowly shook their heads.

It was a saying from Anthonyʼs first life.

He never expected them to know it.

”It means sometimes… your allies have to remain in the dark. The fewer people who know the plan, the lower the risk of exposure. If everyone knew, even one slip-up in action or intent could tip off the enemy. And against someone like the Executioner, that one slip is all it would take”

Anthonyʼs voice softened with the last sentence, ending with another sigh.

They all fell into silent thought, letting Anthonyʼs words settle within them.

In the end, they simply nodded.

None of them could argue, none believed they were smarter than Anthony, or that they could have led the team better than he had from the very beginning.

Off to the side, Seraphim sat down, surrounded by a scattering of glowing cores.

Spiritual Energy was absent from this realm, leaving her with no choice but to rely on the cores she carried.

Unlike mana cores, which were relatively common, cores infused with Spiritual Energy were rare, difficult to find, expensive to acquire, and limited in supply.

But for Seraphim, they were a necessity.

She had been born without the ability to wield mana.

Ever since she began her missions, she had learned to carry cores at all times, because more often than not, at least ninety-five percent of the time, Spiritual Energy was absent from the places she was sent.

Then, Seraphim broke the silence with a question.

”How did you defeat the Executioner? Was it all part of the plan?”

Anthony met her gaze and gave a slow nod.

”Yes. It was all part of the plan”

He said calmly.

”But I canʼt exactly tell you how I defeated him. Itʼs one of my secret methods”

She tilted her head slightly, not satisfied just yet.

”Did Kingsley know about the plan?”

Anthony shook his head.

”No, he didnʼt”

He replied.

”If he knew, even subconsciously, his attacks might have changed, lost their edge or ferocity, because deep down heʼd know he wasnʼt fighting to kill. People like the Executioner... theyʼre too sharp. Even the smallest shift in momentum, in intent, can tip them off. That risk wasnʼt one I could afford”

”Thatʼs enough talking for now. You should focus on recovering your mana”

Anthony said, his voice calm but firm.

”But... youʼre not recovering yours”

Dale pointed out from the side, raising an eyebrow.

Anthonyʼs lips twitched slightly.

He had infinite mana, there was simply nothing to recover.

”The mana I possess is beyond what you can imagine”

He replied smoothly.

”If Iʼm not replenishing it, that means what I have left is more than enough”

Dale fell silent, nodding reluctantly.

Then Reynold spoke.

”Do you think weʼll face anything outside?”

Anthony turned his gaze to him, his expression sharpening.

”If Iʼm right, the demons are out there waiting for us”

He said.

”You really think theyʼd just let us walk away with the Severed Crown of Echoes, something they poured everything into claiming?”

He paused, then added.

”Besides, with the realm now conquered, we canʼt predict how the monsters outside will behave. Things have changed. Best weʼre at our peak before we take a step outside this place”

A heavy silence followed.

Then a collective exhale.

Another battle loomed, but that didnʼt matter anymore.

If more enemies stood in their way…

Then they would raze them all to the ground.