MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 505: Juniors

Seraphim, Kingsley, Dale, and Reynold, who had been waiting for Anthony for quite some time, suddenly sensed the ripple of space as a portal opened beside them.

From within, a familiar figure emerged, it was Anthony. Dale opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, two more figures stepped out from the portal.

”Spectre and Clement, these are my teammates, Kingsley, Dale, Reynold, and Seraphim.”

Anthony said calmly as he introduced them.

For a brief moment, the world seemed to still. Anthony’s teammates turned their eyes toward Spectre and Clement, their gazes fixed and scrutinizing.

The sheer handsomeness of the two newcomers, the chiseled jawlines, the flawless symmetry of their features, left them momentarily speechless. Only Anthony himself had ever surpassed such appearance.

”Pleasure to meet you all. I’m Spectre, Anthony’s subordinate and right hand.”

Spectre said, his tone composed and confident as he introduced himself.

”Clement”

Came the curt response. He offered nothing more, as though even uttering his name revealed more than he was willing to share.

”Nice to meet you both.”

Seraphim said warmly as she rose from her seat, a smile on her face while extending a hand in greeting.

”Anthony, you really are something else. I had no idea you had a subordinate.”

Dale added with a grin, stepping forward to shake Spectre’s hand.

”Clement is also one of Anthony’s subordinates. There are others as well, though they’re currently stationed outside this military base. You’ll meet them in due time.”

Spectre responded promptly.

All eyes shifted to Clement, who stood silently. His presence seemed to meld seamlessly with the environment, so much so that, had they not been looking directly at him, they might not have noticed him at all.

”Well, this one doesn’t seem to be much of a talker.”

Reynold remarked casually, nodding in Clement’s direction.

”It’s not that I don’t talk much, there’s just not much worth saying.”

Clement replied, his voice calm and even.

His unexpected response drew mild surprise from the group, but after a moment, they nodded in understanding. They were no strangers to such personalities, after all, Kingsley was cut from a similar cloth.

Spectre’s gaze shifted to the human man seated calmly with his arms crossed over his chest and one leg draped over the other, quietly observing the interactions around him.

”Kingsley, Anthony has spoken quite a bit about you.”

Spectre said, his tone measured.

The implication was clear, Spectre was referring to Anthony’s words that he and Clement might not be able to defeat the man before them.

”I trust they were good things, then.”

Kingsley replied evenly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His eyes then turned to Clement, who gave a simple nod in acknowledgment before returning his attention to Spectre.

”You claim to be Anthony’s right hand, but that assassin seems stronger than you.”

Kingsley said calmly.

Spectre didn’t flinch at the remark. Instead, he offered a slight smile and responded with quiet confidence.

”For now, perhaps. I’ve surpassed him before, and I will again.”

’How did he sense that Clement is stronger?’

The thought flickered in Spectre’s mind, but he kept it buried beneath a composed exterior.

Kingsley gave a subtle nod, as though he understood something unspoken.

Though Spectre couldn’t sense even a trace of mana or any form of energy from the man before him, he dared not underestimate him.

Anthony had personally vouched for Kingsley, and the fact that he had seen through their perfectly restrained power spoke volumes, this man was far from ordinary.

”So, how long have you been my brother’s subordinate?”

Kingsley asked, his tone calm but deliberate.

At his words, attention shifted sharply, ears tuned in and eyes turned toward Spectre and Kingsley. Clement, as expected, remained silent, having already shown little interest in conversation.

Anthony stood off to the side, observing without interference, allowing Spectre and Clement the space to grow acquainted with the team.

”Your brother?”

Spectre echoed, genuine confusion flickering across his face. He hadn’t the faintest idea who Kingsley was referring to.

”He’s referring to Anthony. Kingsley calls him his brother.”

Reynold explained, noticing the confusion on Spectre’s face.

”Oh, I see... Are you Anthony’s cousin, then? Or related to him in some way?”

Spectre asked, genuinely curious. He was familiar with Anthony’s immediate family, but little beyond that.

”I’m neither, It’s not something you’d understand.”

Kingsley replied calmly, shaking his head.

Spectre nodded slowly, accepting the vague answer without pressing further.

”Well, we’ve been serving under Anthony for about four years now. So, not that long.”

He spoke sincerely.

”Four years? That’s not long at all. So, you met at the Academy?”

Reynold asked, recalling Anthony’s age. He could sense the potent vitality radiating from both Spectre and Clement, giving him a rough estimate of their age.

Spectre simply smiled in response, then began to recount how he first met Anthony, how Anthony had recruited him and provided the means and resources for their training.

Naturally, he omitted the more sensitive details: the blood essence, the system, and any particularly unique resources Anthony had entrusted to them.

”Wow, so Anthony’s really raising you two from the ground up, huh? Keep training hard, you’ll reach our level eventually”

Dale said with a grin, patting Spectre’s shoulder in a gesture of encouragement.

His tone was light, almost brotherly. And he couldn’t be blamed for it, both Spectre and Clement appeared to be nothing more than nineteen-year-old kids in his eyes.

None of them would have guessed the truth: that these two were already stronger than they were. After all, how many anomalies like Anthony could possibly exist?

And their modest Corporal-rank military uniforms only reinforced the illusion.

Reynold and Seraphim nodded in agreement with Dale’s words, already making mental notes to help train their captain’s subordinates. It seemed only right, to guide the newcomers and shape them up to standard.

But Kingsley’s next words shattered whatever notions they were entertaining.

”Those two are stronger than the three of you combined. I suggest you be careful who you boast to.”

The statement struck like a thunderclap. The trio froze, stunned. A heavy silence settled over them as they turned their gazes once more to Clement and Spectre, now seeing them in an entirely different light.

Yet even now, there was nothing particularly extraordinary about them, beyond their unnervingly flawless faces.

’They’re concealing their presence’

Dale nearly cursed under his breath. He had intended to act the senior, to offer advice and maybe show off a little. But these so-called juniors were, in truth, seniors in disguise.