MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 873: Pass Down

But even as countless beings searched desperately for the corpses of their racial members and fallen teammates, some did not join in that grim task. Not because they were heartless, no, far from it, but simply because none among them had died. They were, quite simply, built differently.

One such example was the Celestial Race, led by Zachary. The five members of the Older Generation floated calmly through the void, their expressions composed and unshaken. Though they bore visible injuries, every single one of them remained alive. None wasted their precious health potions; they knew that once they returned to their home planets, a full and free healing session awaited them. For beings of their standing, patience was far more valuable than haste.

Another such group was Riven’s team. Riven himself, his wife Vespera, and the rest of the Humans within his unit had survived the war with remarkable ease. Despite the sheer scale and brutality of the Galactic Conquest, not a single one of them had fallen.

Several races ranked within the top ten had suffered minimal losses as well, with no more than one or two members lost at most. Compared to the annihilation faced by lower and mid-tier races, their survival was nothing short of overwhelming dominance.

Riven and his wife, Vespera, turned their gazes toward Zachary and his wife, Nyxss. Without exchanging a single word, the two of them shot forward. In a blur of motion, they crossed the distance instantly, arriving atop an asteroid where Zachary stood, his demeanor as composed and unbothered as ever, despite the apocalyptic destruction stretching endlessly around him.

”HAHAHAHA! Zachary, how are you feeling today?” Riven’s voice boomed across the void. Faint arcs of lightning crackled across his body, dancing around him with restless energy. Although the cosmic war had already concluded, his battle intent still burned fiercely. After all, it had been a long time since he had enjoyed himself this much.

At the sound of Riven’s voice, Zachary’s calm expression shifted, first into a smile, then into a knowing smirk, and finally into a full-blown grin. He knew full well that Riven was not asking about his physical condition. Riven would never waste words on such trivialities. What he was truly asking was how Zachary felt after participating in a battle of this magnitude for the first time in centuries.

Although Zachary was known for his steady, composed demeanor, Riven had always had a way of drawing out the battle-loving side of him. It wasn’t surprising. After all, they had known each other for an exceptionally long time.

Unlike almost everyone else present on the battlefield, Riven bore no injuries worth mentioning. It was as though the Galactic Conquest war had been too insignificant to even draw his blood.

But that was not entirely accurate.

Riven possessed a terrifying ability, one that allowed him to heal the more he killed. It was not through absorbing blood or life force; rather, the act of destruction itself restored him. Even if he were critically injured, all he needed to do was annihilate a few random planets, and he would return to peak condition without effort.

”I feel...” Zachary paused briefly, tilting his head as if choosing the right words. ”...How should I put this?” His grin widened. ”Terrific.”

He spoke with complete honesty, entirely unbothered by the grieving figures scattered around them. Why should their sorrow affect him? He did not know them. And even if he did, familiarity alone was rarely enough to move someone of his standing.

At Zachary’s words, Riven’s battle intent exploded outward like an overinflated balloon bursting. The once faint crackling lightning surrounding his body intensified dramatically, illuminating the nearby void with manic brilliance. Madness and fervor surged through him.

Zachary did not move.

He simply smiled.

He understood perfectly. Riven was asking him for a battle, right here, right now. There was no need for further words. Zachary had known Riven long enough to read his intent without a single syllable being spoken.

Meanwhile, Vespera and Nyxss stared at one another before releasing synchronized sighs. They were already accustomed to this sight. Their husbands had always been like this, battle-loving maniacs incapable of restraining themselves.

Ignoring the two of them entirely, Vespera and Nyxss shifted to the opposite side of the moon.

A table materialized effortlessly atop the lunar surface. A small teapot appeared alongside a neatly arranged set of teacups. Without urgency, they poured tea for one another and took their seats.

”It’s been a while,” Nyxss said softly, sipping her tea with a calm and refined expression.

Vespera smiled in response. ”Indeed, it has. We haven’t seen each other since the Starborn Tournament. It’s been over three years.” She gently set her cup down on the table.

Although their husbands were rivals, sometimes violently so, the two women themselves were not. They were friends, plain and simple.

They exchanged stories and laughter, reminiscing with ease. That was the nature of their relationship. They met only occasionally, speaking about their lives, their planets, and their children. There was no rivalry between them, no hidden tension, only mutual respect and appreciation for one another’s presence.

Nyxss turned her gaze toward a distant cluster where Aaaninja, Anthony, and Lucian floated together alongside Aura, Kingsley, and Vega. ”The younger generation can hardly be called the younger generation anymore,” she remarked thoughtfully.

Vespera followed her gaze, her eyes settling on Lucian and the others gathered around her son. ”Indeed,” she replied softly. A gentle smile formed on her lips as she watched Lucian joke around, something that was entirely out of character for him.

”It seems the rivalry will be passed down from our husbands to our sons,” Vespera added, releasing a quiet chuckle at the thought.

Nyxss smiled faintly. ”That will certainly be a sight... though, not really. It’s already begun, ever since the Starborn Tournament.” She glanced toward her son, Aaaninja, with a mixture of pride and concern.

Throughout the Galactic Conquest war, unlike Riven and Zachary, Vespera and Nyxss had kept their focus firmly on their children. Although they both knew their sons were already powerful, possessing strength on a planetary scale, they were still mothers. Worry came as naturally as breath.

”It seems we no longer need to watch over them so closely,” Vespera said at last, her voice carrying a sense of quiet finality.

Nyxss nodded in agreement, a warm smile touching her lips.

Though they sat and spoke as though everything were perfectly fine, their bodies told a different story. Both women were marred with injuries, blood staining their clothes and dripping slowly onto the moon’s surface.

Yet neither of them paid it any mind.

______

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’m already on a plane to China. Wish me a safe journey... With a super gift (smirks)