MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 928: Not Enough

With their question session concluded, both of them lifted off the earth almost simultaneously, shooting into the sky in streaks of motion as they headed toward where Anthony, Lucian, Aaaninja, and the rest of the observers were watching from. The atmosphere shifted subtly as they approached, the remnants of their earlier clash still lingering faintly in the fabric of space itself.

Rain sat calmly among the observers, a gentle smile resting on his face. Though he had been shocked, deeply so, by the ridiculous destructive power that both Aura Nova and Kingsley Sky had displayed, that shock did not last long. It quickly gave way to something warmer, something far more personal.

Happiness.

He was simply happy that Aura Nova had finally taken a step into the Cosmos after years of delay. It was a moment he had been waiting for far longer than most realized.

At this moment, Rain was no different from a proud father watching his daughter excel at the very thing she loved, witnessing her finally step onto a stage that had always been waiting for her.

Aura Nova and Kingsley arrived at the same time, both settling smoothly into their seats as though nothing extraordinary had just occurred. Anthony, Lucian, and Aaaninja, who were seated together, shifted their attention toward them immediately.

Lucian was the first to speak, his calm smile invasive, ”you both went all out, huh?”

”It was only natural that we did,” Aura Nova replied as she sat down gracefully. ”After all, this was a fight that could have easily led to death.”

Lucian chuckled softly. ”I personally can’t wait to battle you,” he said, his interest genuine and unrestrained. ”I love your ability, by the way. Even that last form of yours, beautiful, mesmerizing.” Despite having witnessed Root Access Mode firsthand, Lucian did not seem worried in the slightest. If anything, his interest had only grown.

Meanwhile, Aaaninja’s gaze had shifted toward Kingsley. Unlike Lucian, who remained focused on Aura Nova, Aaaninja’s attention lingered on Kingsley Sky. What fascinated him was not just the outcome of the battle, but the method behind it.

Kingsley had achieved all of that without relying on mana, without any conventional form of energy at all.

Earlier, Aaaninja had attempted to tap into the River of Time, hoping to glimpse what made this man so unique. Yet something had interfered, something that distorted the flow and denied him an answer.

’Universal Techniques, huh?’ Aaaninja thought quietly.

Kingsley had literally wiped out a portion of the Galaxy. Granted, that portion was no more than a grain of sand in a desert when compared to the Galaxy’s true size, but even so, it was a ridiculous feat, one that could not be ignored or understated. Aaaninja recognized power when he saw it.

’I wonder... are there Concepts of Time as well?’ His thoughts shifted as he recalled the earlier conversation between Aura Nova and Kingsley. He had asked the River of Time directly, but it had not responded. Aaaninja knew the River well enough to understand that silence meant only one thing.

The question was above his pay grade.

Although Kingsley had ultimately lost to Aura Nova while wielding his Concept, Aaaninja did not overlook the terrifying potential behind it. His gaze briefly shifted toward Aura Nova, then he shook his head, deciding to stop thinking about it for now. When the time came, he would simply battle her himself.

Off to the side, Veronica, Altheria, and Vega had already gathered around Aura Nova.

”Damn,” Vega muttered, scanning Aura Nova from head to toe as though she were some kind of monster. ”So you were this powerful?” Earlier, she had stated that her father’s separate plane would be able to contain the battle. It now seemed that statement had been a severe underestimation, both of Aura Nova’s power and Kingsley’s. The sheer destructive force they had unleashed far exceeded what any of them had expected.

”It’s nothing special,” Aura Nova replied with a light, dismissive smile. ”I’m sure every one of us possesses at least that much power.”

”Certainly not Veronica and I,” Altheria interjected from the side, her voice dry. She and Veronica had not even touched planetary-level strength yet.

Vega and Aura Nova laughed at that, neither bothering to argue the point.

”But seriously,” Altheria continued, her tone more serious now, ”to think planetary-level beings possess this much power... I couldn’t even see you people move. A single attack destroyed planets, stars, entire solar systems like they were nothing.”

”I, for one, wish I had your Omniedit ability,” Veronica added bluntly. ”That thing is completely broken.” She could still vividly remember the devastating attacks Aura Nova had unleashed one after another, each more absurd than the last.

From the side, Klaus leaned toward Vega with a grin. ”You see how much fun everyone’s having? It’s not too late to join in, you know.”

Vega immediately felt a headache forming. Klaus had been trying to convince her to join the spar ever since Aura Nova’s and Kingsley’s battle began.

”Dad,” Vega said with a sigh, ”this is child harassment at this point.”

”Too bad justice doesn’t exist,” Klaus replied with a shrug, utterly unapologetic.

Elsewhere, Anthony sat in calm silence, his attention fixed squarely on Kingsley. While most of the others were busy chatting or reacting to the spectacle, Anthony had noticed something subtle.

Something important.

’Something has changed within him,’ Anthony thought.

For just a fraction of a second after the battle, Kingsley’s presence had shifted, sharpened, deepened, before vanishing entirely. Though Anthony did not fully understand what that change was, he knew it was significant. Kingsley had realized something. Or perhaps he had broken through some kind of invisible limit after his loss against Aura Nova.

’The Universe’s Blessing is no joke,’ Anthony mused quietly, shaking his head. Still, he felt no jealousy toward Kingsley. There was simply no reason for it.

”So,” Aura Nova’s voice came from beside him, pulling him out of his thoughts. ”What do you think?”

Her ultimate goal for this spar had never changed. It was Anthony, not Lucian Darkheart, not Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos, nor anyone else. After all, they had all already lost to Anthony before.

Anthony turned his gaze toward her, his expression calm and composed. ”Powerful,” he said honestly. ”But still not enough. You might lose to Aaaninja or Lucian before you even get to me.” A faint smile graced his lips as his sky-blue eyes met Aura Nova’s own.

Aura Nova did not feel discouraged in the slightest. Instead, she smirked. She was already looking forward to her next battle. Whether it was against Lucian, against Anthony, or against Aaaninja, she had complete confidence in herself.

Sure, Kingsley had pushed her, harder than most ever had, but that was only natural. If Kingsley didn’t possess at least that much power, then he would have been of no use in this spar at all.

And Aura Nova had never been interested in meaningless battles.