MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 914: Sand Dune

In less than a blink, Aura Nova and Kingsley were already upon one another, their fists ripping through the air as their knuckles met midair. With a cataclysmic burst, the air screamed outward without remorse, compressed force detonating in all directions. The earth beneath their feet sank instantly, caving inward as spiderweb-like cracks spread outward in violent, chaotic patterns.

Neither of them took a single step back. They remained exactly where they stood, unmoving, the shockwave from their collision whipping their hair and clothing backward with savage force. They stared directly into each other’s eyes, golden eyes meeting sky-blue ones, neither yielding, neither blinking. Without hesitation, they moved again, still without advancing or retreating, each fist blurring forward with lethal intent.

One. Three. Four. Ten. Fifty. Hundred. Hundreds.

Their arms became indistinct streaks as they exchanged an overwhelming storm of fist attacks, neither gaining ground nor losing it. Their legs were implanted into the earth as though drilled deep into the bedrock itself, refusing to shift even an inch. The air continued to scream under the strain, yet they remained locked in place, unmoved, unbroken. It was as though they had entered a silent competition, challenging one another to see who would be the first to retreat, the first to give way.

Dust billowed violently around them, sound and wind barriers shattering in rapid, consecutive successions. Space itself shuddered immensely with each impact, rippling as though reality was struggling to contain the violence of their exchange.

The earth groaned once more, caving in even further under the unrelenting pressure. Then, in the next instant, it shattered completely and gave out as a massive chasm tore open beneath them. Without hesitation, they both finally moved, their legs tearing into motion as they flickered out of their original positions before gravity could drag them into whatever abyss lay below.

The moment their feet met the surface of the desert again, they tore forward. Kingsley’s fist rocketed toward Aura Nova’s head without a shred of hesitation or mercy, his motion clean, efficient, and devastating. But Aura Nova was ready. With a sharp smirk, her body twisted out of the way with graceful, flowing steps. She did not merely dodge, she countered. Her elbows snapped outward toward Kingsley’s temples with the force of a cannon, compressed power screaming as it surged forward.

But to Kingsley’s perception, her attack was no different from a child’s play. His palm snapped upward, blocking the strike effortlessly, his expression not changing in the slightest. Wind blasted outward as elbow met palm, the desert sand beneath their feet tearing upward in ridiculous explosions, rising like towering walls. Yet it mattered not to either of them, for they were already gone from that position.

They appeared yet again atop another dune of sand, a single exchange of attacks shattering it with ease and bringing it to its knees. The moment the dune collapsed under the strain, they vanished once more, as though the terrain itself had become irrelevant to beings of their level.

Aura Nova’s attack came blazing down from above like a falling comet, her momentum aimed squarely at Kingsley’s head. A wide grin was plastered across her face, excitement and challenge burning in her eyes. Kingsley, however, did not bother dodging. He stood with calm ease, his movement minimal, his arm blurring upward as he blocked with his forearm alone.

With a titanic burst, Aura Nova’s leg met Kingsley’s forearm. The force and momentum from the strike tore into Kingsley’s body, yet he remained standing, tanking the impact without a change in expression. His forearm shifted slightly, his hand clamping down on Aura Nova’s ankle. Without hesitation, he spun, gathering force and momentum in a single fluid motion. Like a bullet fired from a sniper’s rifle, he hurled her forward with ridiculous force and without remorse.

Aura Nova momentarily lost control of her body, spinning violently through the air as the world became a blurred smear in her vision. As she was about to collide with a massive sand dune, she twisted midair, regaining control instantly with absurd ease, her movements smooth and precise, as though she had learned such techniques directly from Akira herself.

Her feet landed gently against the surface of the dune, her body standing horizontally along the slope, defying gravity through sheer control. Her sky-blue eyes snapped toward Kingsley, who stood where he was, having given her no time to breathe. His face remained as expressionless as ever, as though he were merely observing a child challenging him within his own domain of expertise.

Aura Nova raised a hand, her fingers curling as she made a beckoning motion, silently telling Kingsley to come. Kingsley did not speak. The moment Aura Nova blinked, he erased the distance between them as though it had never existed. The only thing she saw was a foot tearing toward her chest with overwhelming speed.

Aura Nova did not dare hesitate. Using the giant sand dune as a foothold, her footwork became remarkable, her body twisting out of the way with catlike agility. The wind exploded violently where she had been an instant earlier, the dune itself trembling as though it could not endure such force for more than a few seconds. The moment she dodged, Kingsley gave chase. Their bodies ran circles around the sand dune as they exchanged endless attacks.

With a thunderous boom, the sand dune exploded outward, sand erupting in all directions, attempting to swallow them whole. Yet neither of them reacted to the storm of sand. They had reached a stage of existence where such inconveniences were meaningless. They tore through the chaos, pouncing upon one another like two apex predators who had designated the other as prey.

Their feet tore into the air like scissors through paper. In the next instant, the air collapsed entirely as their ankles met midair. They remained like that for a moment, frozen, as though assessing one another. Each balanced on a single leg while the other leg was locked against the other’s, suspended high in the air.

Aura Nova folded one arm across her chest, her expression calm and confident. Kingsley, in contrast, kept one hand casually tucked into his pocket, his posture relaxed, almost dismissive, as the two balanced effortlessly on one leg.

The air stilled briefly. Then, in the next moment, their legs blurred once again, snapping toward one another like venomous snakes striking their targets. They did not take a step. No, they remained standing on one foot as their second legs exchanged devastating attacks midair, each collision unleashing apocalyptic force. The sand beneath their planted feet tore backward violently, as though fleeing in terror. At this level, even the air dared not draw too close, fearing erasure under their overwhelming power.

Sounds continued to echo as their battle shifted from fists to legs entirely. One of them wore a wide, exhilarated grin, while the other maintained an emotionless expression as his legs blurred relentlessly. Yet again, just like before, the desert floor beneath them gave out instantly as another chasm tore open.

This time, they did not dodge, they surrendered to gravity without resistance, their legs still exchanging attacks midair as they plunged downward into the darkness below.

The moment their feet touched the bottom of the chasm, darkness swallowed them both. Yet it mattered little. In the next instant, they abandoned their leg exchange entirely, seamlessly shifting back into a full, unrestrained battle. Within the depths of the chasm, the sounds of countless attacks ripping through the air echoed endlessly, accompanied by the sharp, resounding clashes of blocks, parries, and impacts that shook the darkness itself.