MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 439: Mission Report-2

After a brief pause, Colonel Vazerythʼs eyes fluttered open.

”Is there any detail you believe should be included that has not yet appeared in this report?”

He inquired, his voice steady and resolute.

At his words, the atmosphere shifted palpably.

The temperature seemed to drop, as if the very air had thickened with tension.

Yet Anthonyʼs demeanor remained unaltered.

His gaze steady, his posture unyielding, his heartbeat steady and unaffected.

He stood, an embodiment of calm indifference, impervious to the subtle pressure mounting around him.

”No, sir. Everything has been detailed in the report”

Anthony responded, his voice measured.

Colonel Vazerythʼs fingers drummed steadily against the surface of his desk, the rhythmic sound punctuating the charged silence.

”So, the Executioner intended to escape his confinement by transferring his soul into your body, then consume yours to seize your affinities, talents, and abilities?”

He stated, his piercing gaze never leaving Anthony.

”Yes, sir”

Anthony affirmed, his tone brisk.

The information had also been meticulously included in the report by Igris.

”How did you manage to kill him? As someone hailing from a higher galaxy, you should have been utterly powerless”

Colonel Vazeryth inquired once more, his voice laced with disbelief.

Anthony met his gaze with a calm resolve.

”That, Colonel Vazeryth, is a secret. However, I can tell you this much, itʼs a unique technique my mother used on my soul following the second assault on Omni-Peak Academy”

In that moment, Anthony deftly invoked his motherʼs name, using her legacy as both shield and subtle deflection.

While the military had no legitimate claim to inquire about the methods Anthony employed to vanquish his foes, after all, everyone possessed their own secrets, their authority to press for answers arose if they deemed the power to be perilous or tied to malevolent forces.

Colonel Vazeryth, however, was certain that Anthony had not resorted to any dark skill or ability.

His talent, after all, was undeniably extraordinary, standing far beyond the reach of anything sinister.

”According to the report, you possess the Severed Crown of Echoes”

Colonel Vazeryth began, his tone shifting slightly as the tension in the room eased just a fraction.

”Yet, I donʼt see it within your storage ring”

He finished, his gaze sharp and inquisitive.

This was the inherent flaw of space rings: with the right mana control, anyone could infiltrate your storage, probing for whatever you held within.

Of course, one could block such an intrusion, provided their mana control surpassed that of the intruderʼs, or if they wielded mastery over space itself.

At the Colonelʼs words, Anthony remained silent.

Without a word, he raised his hand, his palm facing upwards.

In response, the Severed Crown of Echoes materialized, levitating above his hand, its presence undeniable.

Colonel Vazeryth watched intently, his gaze flickering with a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny, as if assessing the artifactʼs very essence.

He refrained from questioning Anthony about the Crownʼs sudden appearance.

He knew all too well that, once again, Anthony would likely shield himself with his motherʼs influence.

After all, she, like him, possessed an array of affinities.

And beyond that, she was a Supreme Monarch, her power and reach far beyond the ordinary.

The Colonel leaned forward, his hands reaching out to make contact with the Crown, eager to examine it closely.

”I advise against touching it”

Anthonyʼs voice interrupted, steady yet laced with caution.

The Colonel froze mid-motion, his hands halting just inches from the artifact.

”Why?”

He inquired, his gaze now shifting between the Crown and Anthony, curiosity piqued.

”When the Executioner retrieved it, he refrained from touching it”

Anthony explained, his tone matter-of-fact.

”I canʼt say for certain why, but itʼs wiser to err on the side of caution”

”This detail was not included in your report”

The Colonel remarked, his brow furrowing slightly.

”This isnʼt a confirmed fact”

Anthony replied, his voice calm.

”Itʼs merely an assumption”

Although the clone had touched the Severed Crown of Echoes without any apparent consequence, that did not mean the real Anthony would follow suit.

Besides, the clone had been killed by the Executioner immediately after touching it.

The Colonel, sharp as ever, understood the meaning of Anthonyʼs words.

Only verified facts were to be documented in the mission report, nothing more, nothing less.

Any conjecture, any assumption, or even what one believed to be true, had no place in such official records.

To include anything speculative was considered a serious breach of protocol, one that carried severe consequences.

With a subtle gesture, the Colonel manipulated his mana, drawing the Severed Crown of Echoes closer through the art of telekinesis.

For a moment, his eyes seemed to shift becoming vertically slit, like those of a predator.

He studied the crown intently, his gaze piercing, yet despite his scrutiny, he discovered nothing of note.

With a soft exhale, his eyes returned to their normal human form.

Anthony, unfazed by the change, made no comment.

After all, the Colonel was a Dragon, and such transformations were to be expected.

Rising from his seat, the Colonel strode toward the door, which opened automatically in response to his presence.

The Severed Crown of Echoes hovered silently behind him, guided by his telekinetic command.

”Follow me”

His voice resonated, reaching Anthonyʼs ears with quiet authority.

Without a momentʼs hesitation, Anthony turned and followed, his steps steady and assured.

The door shut quietly behind them as they walked, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the corridor.

As they passed, the people they encountered saluted the Colonel, their respect evident in the brief yet formal gestures.

”Where are we headed?”

Anthony asked, his curiosity piqued.

”To the Logistics Department”

The Colonel replied softly, his voice carrying a hint of finality.

Without another word, he shot into the sky, soaring toward a distant floating island.

”Why are we going there?”

Anthony asked, his voice tinged with confusion as he effortlessly kept pace beside the Colonel, gliding silently through the air.

”To uncover the true nature of this so-called Severed Crown of Echoes”

The Colonel answered, his gaze scanning the horizon.

”Even my eyes couldnʼt discern anything about it”

A realization suddenly clicked in Anthonyʼs mind.

He had learned the details of the Severed Crown of Echoes through the system, but the others, including Igris, had not.

Therefore, the Crownʼs full nature had never made its way into the mission report.

”There is a man there who should be able to assist us. He is the head of the Logistics Department”

The Colonel continued, his tone casual but purposeful.

Anthony merely nodded in acknowledgment.

And so, the silence settled between them once more, the only sound the rush of wind as they flew together toward their destination, each lost in thought as the floating island loomed closer.