MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Lucian dropped to one knee, his katana anchoring him as he struggled to catch his breath.

Every last drop of his mana had been expended.

His body refused to obey him, he couldn't move, couldn't so much as lift a finger, having poured the remnants of his energy into the soul based attack.

Yet, despite his exhaustion, a faint smile found its way to his lips.

He had finally emerged victorious over his opponent.

Not just any opponent, but Aaaninja.

At last, he had prevailed.

'The author didn't betray me'

The thought crossed his mind as a weary smile tugged at his lips.

A battle that had spanned a lifetime.

Lucian had employed the same strategy Anthony once used to defeat Aaaninja, forcing him into a fleeting moment of stillness.

However, unlike Anthony, he had not relied on the time element.

Instead, he had wielded blood.

By copying a vampire's regenerative ability, he had naturally acquired blood manipulation as well.

Yet, the stronger the opponent, the more difficult it became to control their blood, making Aaaninja's blood an immense challenge to control.

Thus, just like Anthony, Lucian froze Aaaninja's blood, paralyzing his body while leaving only his thoughts untouched.

The same outcome, achieved through a different method.

But merely immobilizing Aaaninja was not enough.

Lucian needed an attack powerful enough to render him unconscious without dealing a fatal blow.

That was why he turned to a soul-based assault.

Though it inflicted damage upon Aaaninja's soul, it was an injury that could be treated, a necessary sacrifice for victory.

'It feels good to know the author has some dignity'

Lucian mused as he finally collapsed, his body unresponsive.

Yet, despite his utter exhaustion, his grin only widened.

While he basked in his triumph, the onlookers did not share his joy.

Aaaninja had lost.

And worse, he had lost to a human.

He had just been Enlightened by the galaxy, yet even that newfound power had not secured his victory.

Disbelief rippled through the crowd.

No one could trust their own eyes.

Mere moments ago, they had been speculating about Aaaninja's inevitable rematch against Anthony in the final round.

Yet, against all expectations, he hadn't even made it past the semi-finals.

Disbelief turned to scrutiny as their gazes shifted, first to Charles Evander, then back to Aaaninja.

Both had fallen.

And both had lost to the same humans.

A shared fate, a bitter irony.

Attention then drifted toward Zachary and Nyxaria, Aaaninja's parents, anticipating a reaction, anger, disappointment, something.

But they remained unmoved, their expressions unreadable.

They didn't seem to care that their son had lost.

After all, Aaaninja had finally done what they wished for, he had made connections, even if only as acquaintances.

Their goal had already been achieved.

High above, the Overseer watched, his smile unmistakable.

Even he had anticipated Aaaninja's victory, yet not even True Enlightenment had been enough.

'As I thought… Those two humans are hiding something'

His gaze sharpened, shifting between Anthony and Lucian.

He refused to believe that these two alone possessed the strength to shake the very foundations of the Starborn Tournament.

There had to be more at play.

Just as he moved to declare Lucian Darkheart the winner, he abruptly stopped.

His smile widened.

Something unexpected had just occurred.

Lucian, still savoring his hard-earned victory, suddenly froze.

A cold blade pressed against his neck.

His breath hitched as he looked up, only for his worst fear to be confirmed.

Aaaninja stood over him.

'Impossible'

His mind faltered, reeling from the sheer absurdity of it.

'That stupid author… It was my mistake to think a sycophant like that would let me win'

Rage flared within him.

'This is what I get after emptying my account to gift you, author? Fuck you!'

Lucian seethed, cursing the unseen hand that had rewritten his fate.

But deep down, Lucian knew, it was over.

He couldn't move.

His mana was completely drained.

Above him, Aaaninja smirked, his gaze piercing.

He was a genius in every sense of the word.

There was no way he would fall for the same trick twice.

Would he even deserve to be called a genius if he did?

When his blood had been frozen, Aaaninja had already steeled himself for what was to come. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

When Lucian had struck, Aaaninja instantly recognized the nature of the attack.

A soul based assault.

One of his very few weaknesses.

But Aaaninja was no ordinary warrior, he was a man who studied his own vulnerabilities relentlessly, always ensuring he had a countermeasure for every countermeasure.

The moment Lucian's blade made contact, Aaaninja activated his skill.

[Chrono Erasure: Soul Paradox]

A technique that erased the effects of a soul based attack after it had landed, creating a paradox in which the attack had never existed in the first place.

With effortless precision, Aaaninja activated Temporal Shift, instantly reappearing before Lucian.

He knew Lucian couldn't move.

This was the perfect moment to end it.

Lucian parted his lips, exhaling a weary breath as he spoke.

"I should have known"

With that, he let his eyes close, surrendering to the weight of exhaustion.

A ripple of shock swept through the spectators once more.

They had believed Aaaninja had lost, defeated, bested.

But now, it was clear.

He had been playing along all along.

A knowing smile appeared on Zachary and Nyxaria's faces.

Of course, they had never doubted their son.

They knew Aaaninja had a way to counter soul-based attacks.

A subtle shift spread through the crowd. Although many of the top races bore no goodwill toward the Celestial Race, their pride was far greater.

Watching two humans crush their elites?

That was unacceptable.

One was already too much.

But the second?

No.

Aaaninja would crush the last human in the finals.

That much, they were certain.

"Muhahaha!"

The Overseer's laughter boomed across the arena as he materialized before the audience.

"I must say… That was a good match. The true thrill of battle always lies in the unexpected"

His voice resonated with an undeniable authority, sending ripples through the stunned crowd.

With a mere flick of his hand, Lucian's unconscious body vanished from sight, disappearing as if it had never been there.

Then, turning to Aaaninja, his smile widened.

"Congratulations on making it to the finals"

His piercing gaze bore into Aaaninja as he continued, his tone laced with intrigue.

"You have lost once. I wonder… will you lose again?"

A smirk curled the Overseer's lips as he spoke.

"The final battle will commence two days from now. I hope you rest well"

And with that, he vanished, his presence fading like a wisp of smoke, yet the weight of his words remained.

Silence settled over the arena for a fleeting moment before countless gazes shifted.

All eyes locked onto two figures.@@novelbin@@

Anthony.

Aaaninja.

Expectations burned in every stare, anticipation crackling in the air like an impending storm.

This was it.

The battle that would decide everything.

_________

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

SIKEE!!!!