MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 1239: Throb

The moment The Sect Master gave the word, both Anthony and The Slumbering Storm vanished from where they stood, their bodies appearing at a point in space as their fists thundered into one another with booming force.

A slightly powerful shockwave rippled outwards as both of them kept one hand behind their backs, as though they were masters who had reached the absolute pinnacle of hand-to-hand combat.

The next moment, they both vanished once more, this time using both hands as their bodies moved in twin blurs of white, unleashing an endless barrage of punches, yet every strike met the other’s impregnable defence.

Anthony’s fist shot towards The Slumbering Storm’s chest, but she merely sidestepped with a graceful twist of her body, flowing out of the way as though she had become one with the wind. The moment she dodged, her elbow snapped out, targeting Anthony’s temple as she sought to crush his skull through nothing but pure physical force.

Seeing the incoming attack, Anthony leaned backwards and evaded it, the tearing wind grazing his skin. But The Slumbering Storm wasn’t done. The instant Anthony dodged, she seamlessly transitioned into her next attack, her movements linking together like an unbroken chain as her palm tore towards Anthony’s chest, as though she intended to crush his heart.

Anthony’s body instinctively prepared to blur backwards, but before he could do so, The Slumbering Storm stepped on his foot with her own, halting his movement before it had even begun while her palm remained firmly on course.

Seeing this, Anthony immediately adapted. Instead of retreating several metres, he leaned into the attack as though accepting his fate. Yet just as her palm was about to land, he ducked to the side, lowering his body as he unleashed a rocketing punch towards The Slumbering Storm’s ribs.

Seeing this, The Slumbering Storm smiled. She hadn’t expected Anthony to make such a decision, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t evade it. She pushed her foot off Anthony’s as she flowed backwards, the wind seemingly supporting her movements as she effortlessly dodged his punch.

But the moment she dodged, Anthony was already there, crossing the distance she had created with calm ease. His foot left the ground as he unleashed a brutal Brazilian high kick towards her temple. The Slumbering Storm, however, simply caught Anthony’s leg by the ankle, twisted her body, and hurled him towards the wall with terrifying strength.

Anthony’s body spun through the air, but just as he was about to smash into the wall, he twisted mid-flight and landed on the vertical surface without the aid of Mana or Origin Essence, effortlessly defying gravity through nothing but physical mastery.

The Slumbering Storm immediately closed the distance as she too ascended the vertical wall. Anthony welcomed her with a finger strike, his fingers shooting forward like a spear towards her crimson eyes as though he intended to blind her permanently.

But The Slumbering Storm flickered like a ghost as her speed suddenly reached an entirely different level, her figure appearing behind Anthony as though she intended to catch him off guard through the sudden change in tempo.

Anthony losing his Sense Dome and All Seeing Eyes didn’t suddenly mean he was helpless without them. He still knew how to read the natural flow of battle, and he had already anticipated The Slumbering Storm attempting exactly this.

Anthony’s body flickered away as his own speed reached its peak, his figure appearing behind The Slumbering Storm. But the instant he appeared, she vanished as well and reappeared behind him. Yet Anthony was no longer there. She had met nothing more than his afterimage, as Anthony had deliberately baited her into making that exact move.

Anthony was already crouched low on the wall as he executed a sweeping kick, his leg crashing into The Slumbering Storm’s ankle before she could react. Her balance immediately broke, causing her body to tilt as she shot towards the wall. But before she could collide with it, her right hand shot out, allowing her to catch herself with a single palm against the wall.

But the moment she did, Anthony, who was still hanging low on the wall, stomped both feet towards her abdomen without the slightest hesitation. Hearing the air tear apart beneath the force of the attack, The Slumbering Storm’s left arm immediately rose as she blocked with her forearm. Anthony’s feet slammed into her radius and ulna with tremendous force, sending her hurtling backwards. Her right hand palm immediately shifted into a claw as her fingers dug deep into the wall, carving long claw marks across its surface while slowing her momentum before she could crash into the nearby windows.

She felt her arm throb for a brief moment before the discomfort disappeared just as quickly, her expression remaining as composed as ever despite the impact.

The next moment, both she and Anthony vanished from the vertical wall, their figures appearing upon the ceiling with their heads facing the ground. They vanished again just as quickly, their bodies reappearing upon one of the massive window panes.

The Slumbering Storm’s attacks had become noticeably more dangerous and far more serious as she moved like the storm she embodied, unleashing over fifty attacks within a single second.

Clearly, anyone could tell she wasn’t pleased about Anthony’s last attack.

But regardless, Anthony met every storm and flurry of techniques with remarkable ease, parrying and blocking each strike with calm, fluid movements and without the slightest hint of panic, demonstrating that his defence was no different from an immovable wall.

The next moment, they both left the walls and ceiling, having defied gravity through nothing but their sheer speed, and landed upon the ground. Yet the instant the balls of their feet made contact with the earth, they pushed off once more without giving each other even an inch.

Anthony was no longer on the defensive. This time, he launched into a relentless offensive. A punch from the left, a palm strike from the right, an uppercut from below, a knee strike from the side, a headbutt towards the forehead, and a finger-thrust attack aimed at the chest.

He moved without slowing down and without mercy as the ferocity and savagery behind every attack and every step of his footwork became increasingly terrifying and extreme, as though he were the one testing The Slumbering Storm, rather than The Slumbering Storm testing him. Every movement flowed seamlessly into the next, each attack concealing another, leaving almost no openings for his opponent to exploit.

“Stop.”

The Sword Ruler’s voice echoed throughout the hall as a minute had passed.

Anthony’s and The Slumbering Storm’s flickering figures immediately came to a halt, finally becoming visible once more. Anthony’s fingers could be seen mere inches away from The Slumbering Storm’s neck, poised as though he intended to tear her throat apart. Meanwhile, The Slumbering Storm’s own hand had stopped just short of Anthony’s heart, her palm hovering only a breath away from his chest. Neither had landed the decisive blow, yet neither had yielded an inch.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE: Still at the burial, I could only write three chapters for today. I will continue to update as much as I can. Thanks for reading and your understanding.