MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 840: Catastrophically Wrong

Aaaninja’s eyes were already wide open, fixed upon the Tear. His irises shimmered in a kaleidoscope of colors, each hue reflecting the scene before him. Though the Overseer had already stated that someone with both Time and Space affinity would be required to close the Tear in reality, Aaaninja had never truly believed it. C

Conventional standards rarely applied to him. While he lacked inherent Space affinity, his mastery over Time allowed him to achieve almost every effect Space could produce, bending reality with temporal manipulation in ways most could not fathom.

He could tell, with absolute clarity, that he could close the Tear if he chose. Yet, the cost would be enormous, his body would be pushed to its limits, battered by the violent energies unleashed, leaving him grievously injured. He would also require aid from the River of Time, the eternal temporal flow, to reverse existence to the moment before the Tear had come into being.

As for the injuries, Aaaninja remained indifferent. He had prepared for such eventualities, a contingency to escape any consequences of his actions. For now, he remained silent, allowing the older generations to attempt what they could. With that decision made, he closed his eyes, letting the calm of detachment wash over him once more.

Lucian Darkheart floated effortlessly beside him, a faint, almost mischievous smile gracing his lips as his gaze lingered on the Tear. He admired the audacity, even genius, of whoever had inflicted such a wound upon reality itself.

If given the chance, he mused, he would meet this individual, and perhaps, in time, replicate their abilities. Yet the Tear itself did not disturb him. His Event Collapse ability, unique and terrifying in its potency, could neutralize the disaster without consuming a single unit of mana. To him, the spectacle was nothing more than an intellectual curiosity, a puzzle to be solved.

Anthony, however, remained entirely unreadable. His expression betrayed no emotion. He carried within him a repository of abilities beyond comprehension: the Authority Of Severance, Quantum Manipulation, Divine Flames, and numerous others. With Space and Time manipulation alone, he could forcibly close the Tear, should he choose to act. There were myriad ways at his disposal to resolve the crisis, each more devastating than the last.

Aura, in contrast, floated idly, a sense of wonder in her eyes, a bowl of popcorn in hand. To her, this was a spectacle to behold, an unprecedented experience. Whether she could intervene and close the Tear remained an unanswered question, one that would only reveal itself in time.

”Enough,” Riven’s voice thundered across the void, commanding immediate attention. The bickering of the gathered older generation ceased, their focus snapping to him. ”First and foremost, we must stabilize the fractured and unstable zone surrounding the Tear before even considering direct interaction with it.”

His words hung in the void, heavy with inevitability, forcing all who listened into deep contemplation.

”What is your suggestion?” Zachary intoned, his tone formal but edged with concern.

Riven’s sigh resonated through the cosmic silence before he spoke again. ”All beings with Space affinity will act to stabilize the unstable zone. Only mana will be used as energy. Nothing else. No other forces may interfere, lest we worsen the instability and unleash an even greater catastrophe.”

Eyes across the assembly brightened with sudden comprehension. Nods of assent rippled through the older generation as the plan crystallized in their minds.

”Then let us begin. Those with Space affinity, step forward. Those without, draw back,” Zachary commanded. Without hesitation, the designated individuals moved forward, while others retreated, some with deliberate caution, others tearing backward with blinding speed.

Riven gave the final signal, and chaos transformed into purpose. Mana erupted into the cosmic void in torrents unlike anything ever seen. The collective energy of millions surged into action, each channeling their power to stabilize the fractured space. The air trembled under the immense strain, cosmic winds of energy swirling with a ferocity that threatened to rend the void itself.

”Now,” Riven’s voice echoed, slicing through the tempest. ”Channel your mana into your Spatial manipulation. Stabilize the void. Repair the fractures. Stitch together what has been torn asunder. Reverse the damage. Employ every method you possess!”

The effects were immediate. The unstable zone began to shrink, the jagged fractures knitting together under the influence of concentrated mana. The older generation pushed harder, driving more energy from their cores, each pulse of power outshining even distant stars and suns.

But the cost was staggering. Even those of unimaginable power felt the strain. The unstable zone devoured their mana greedily, leaving even they at the Apexus Rank gasping as their reserves drained faster than any prior battle had demanded. Sweat soaked through garments, faces contorted with the effort of maintaining control over forces that threatened to consume them entirely.

”Hold on,” Zachary said, a rare frown creasing his face. Even he felt his mana depleting at a rate beyond precedent, a terror unlike any he had encountered.

Then it happened. Every stabilizer felt it simultaneously: an unnatural scream, the sensation of death clawing at their souls. They knew instinctively, without need for words, that something had gone catastrophically wrong. Without hesitation, without a second thought, each one ceased their attempts to stabilize the zone. In a blink, they vanished, their forms streaking out of the danger zone with near-impossible speed.

The result was instantaneous and devastating. A torrent of energy erupted from the unstable zone, cataclysmic in intensity. Blinding white and blue light engulfed all in its radius. The explosion radiated outward in a violent wave, consuming everything foolish enough to linger in the vicinity.

Those outside the stabilization effort reacted immediately, their instincts honed from years of experience. Many tried to bend space and vanish through teleportation, but the force was too overwhelming was so overwhelming that space refused to bend. Eyes widened in horror as they recalled the Overseer’s warning from the moment he had first emerged from the portal.

Artifacts and life-saving mechanisms ignited in blinding arcs of light, deployed without hesitation as the explosion consumed the void around them. Those who had successfully evaded the initial blast watched in tense silence, witnessing the full might of uncontrolled cosmic energy.

Minutes passed before the torrent abated. Cosmic dust and debris swirled in the aftermath, a churning haze of destruction illuminated by pulsing energy. The unstable zone had expanded, its reach had grown over thirty percent larger than before.

Those who had been caught in the explosion were gone entirely, reduced to nothing, without a trace. The chill of fear swept through the observers, a silent reminder of the Tear’s merciless indifference.

The void was no longer merely a canvas for cosmic events, it had become a crucible, a testament to the peril that awaited anyone who dared to manipulate space and time carelessly in the presence of such raw instability.