MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

The spectators' breaths stilled.

It was as if the world itself held its breath, marveling at the moment.

In a grand assembly where representatives of every planet gathered, the representative of the Blue Planet allowed a sly grin to cross their face.

Anthony's parents, however, were truly astonished.

They had braced themselves for any display of Anthony's capabilities, yet even they hadn't anticipated this.

They were well aware of his affinity for illusions, having witnessed his skill during the Academy's infamous "Impossible Mission." But this... this was beyond expectation.

The timer, perched ominously on the wall, began its final countdown.

The seconds ticked down from twenty, each one echoing like a drumbeat of anticipation.

Anthony and Lucian, in perfect synchrony, had ascended from the first floor to the hundredth in precisely one hundred seconds, an extraordinary feat.

One second per step.

As they reached the summit, the remaining champions turned to stare, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and grudging admiration.

The two stood tall, sharing a singular achievement: the same record.

And both were human.

Anthony and Lucian's eyes snapped to the side, their instincts flaring as they felt a peculiar gaze settle upon them.

It was the champion from the Celestial race.

His eyes were closed, and his face turned in an entirely different direction, yet the weight of his attention bore down on them like a palpable force.

Even without his gaze physically upon them, they knew, he was watching.

The atmosphere seemed heavier under his silent scrutiny.

Only fifteen individuals had managed to clear the entire 100 steps, a feat that placed them among the galaxy's elite.

By contrast, just over nine hundred thousand competitors had managed to reach the 90th floor before faltering.

Such was the merciless nature of The Ascension Mirage.

From the millions representing planets across the galaxy, fewer than a million remained standing.

And of those, a mere fifteen had triumphed over the final challenge.

The overseer, still in a state of shock, descended from the sky, his sudden appearance cutting through the awe that had frozen the crowd.

As the timer reached its final second, his voice rang out, commanding attention.

"Well... that was entertaining"

His tone was casual, as if the breathtaking feats that had just unfolded were little more than a passing amusement.

"Since the first mini game has concluded"

He continued

"We will begin the second. However, as many of us are exhausted, you will be granted thirty hours of rest. Recover all you can"

With that, he vanished, leaving the audience to absorb his words.

The Ascension Mirage, too, followed suit, not with a dramatic tear in space, but with a simple dissolution, as if it had never been there at all.

The silence was thick with confusion.

"How are we meant to rest? We weren't even told where to go"

"Don't tell me we're expected to lay here...on the ground?"

Murmurs of frustration began to spread through the crowd, as many began to voice their concerns.

The champions, weary from the grueling challenge, now faced a new dilemma: how to rest without guidance, in a place as foreign as the Mirage itself.

Among the disqualified, there was no anger or protest.

Their eyes were filled with quiet sorrow, and one by one, they began to vanish from the arena, as though the very air itself had claimed them, leaving only the weight of their defeat behind.

Anthony didn't spare a glance for the people who were whining like children.

In his mind, they were weak, incapable of adapting to the harsh realities of their world.

The world was constantly on the brink of destruction; in such a world, one had to be prepared to rest anywhere, at any time, with no hesitation.

With a simple wave of his hand, a cottage materialized before them, appearing in less than a second.

It was modest, with only four rooms and the barest of provisions to ensure comfort, but it was enough.

Lucian, standing nearby, couldn't help but admire the structure, his thoughts awash in quiet awe.

'You really are something else'

After a brief pause, he spoke, his voice filled with admiration.

"Nice ability you've got there. I didn't even feel any mana moving at all"

Anthony merely shook his head, a subtle smile playing on his lips as he responded.

"Just some party tricks"

The cottage, however, was no ordinary creation.

It had been crafted with his unique ability Quantum Manipulation.

An ability so fantastical, so utterly beyond the comprehension of most, that it could rewrite the very fabric of reality itself.

The power to create something from nothing.

Though Anthony had mastered it to some degree, the scale of his power remained limited.

He could not yet conjure grand creations at will, nor could he completely fabricate existence from the void.

The process still required time and immense focus, and even with his incredible talent, he understood that such power demanded patience and constant refinement.

As Anthony and Lucian were about to step into the cottage, a voice rang out behind them. Discover exclusive content at empire

"May I join you?"

They both turned in surprise. Standing there was the champion of the Celestial race.

"We don't know you, so why should we?"

Lucian was quick to respond, his words sharp and filled with wariness.

A strange sense of vulnerability washed over him as the Celestial, whose eyes remained closed, seemed to look right through him.

"Apologies for the intrusion. The name is Aaaninja Chronisynth Eternos"

Both Anthony and Lucian froze at the sound of the name, though for entirely different reasons.

Anthony's heart skipped a beat.

The name was too grand, too majestic. It resonated with a sense of ancient power, something that made his own name feel… trivial in comparison.

For the first time since his reincarnation, a wave of dissatisfaction hit him, a fleeting regret over the name he carried.

But, quickly, he shook off the thought, pushing the self conscious feeling from his mind.

Lucian, on the other hand, remained frozen, his mind reeling as the name struck him like a lightning bolt.

Aaaninja

That name, he knew it well.

Lucian was frozen because he recognized that name anywhere, any day.

The name replayed endlessly in his mind, like a broken tap, its repetition echoing in his thoughts, relentless and inescapable.

It wasn't until a voice in his head pulled him back from his thoughts that Lucian's mind finally cleared.

"Well, I'm Lucian Darkheart"

He spoke, his voice steady despite the storm raging inside him.

"And I'm Null Anthony"

Anthony added, his gaze fixed on Aaaninja, who still stood with his eyes closed.

"I have to admit"

Anthony continued, a light chuckle escaping his lips.

"This is the first time I've felt jealous after hearing someone's name"

Aaaninja's voice, calm and distant, floated toward them as he stepped forward.

"You don't have to overthink it. We Celestials aren't given names by our parents. The world chooses our names for us"

Confusion flickered in Anthony's eyes.

"What do you mean, your world chose your name?"

Aaaninja nodded slightly, continuing his stride into the cottage.

"My planet is called the Celestial Planet. As the dominant race there, we have a unique way of naming. When a new Celestial is born, their name is imprinted directly into their soul. It appears as a form of tattoo for the first year of life, before vanishing entirely"

Anthony's lips curled into a faint smirk.

"No wonder your name sounds like you were born to rule. You were named by something greater"

He clicked his tongue in mock frustration.

"Tsk, tsk"

For the first time, Anthony seemed... jealous.

Anthony had always seemed untouchable, exuding confidence in every aspect of his existence.

But in that moment, the envy lingered, more than the occasional frustrations he felt over things like his harem or lack of romantic relationships.

For the first time in his new life, Anthony felt real jealousy.