MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

In a flash, Anthony appeared within the control room of the aircraft.

The moment he arrived, he took a seat and closed his eyes to organize his thoughts.

He simply sat there, motionless, his breathing calm and steady. Before leaving earlier, he had marked the aircraft with his spatial imprint, ensuring he could return whenever he chose.

After some time had passed, his eyelids fluttered open. He rose from his seat and stepped out with calm, measured strides.

He arrived at the same room where he had previously addressed his teammates, informing them of his temporary departure. As he approached the door, it slid open with a soft hiss, triggered by motion detection.

All eyes instinctively turned toward the entrance, surprised by the sight of him. They hadn't expected him to return so quickly.

"You're back? I thought you said you'd be out for an hour or two. It's only been half an hour," Seraphim remarked. She held a spread of cards in her hand and appeared to be playing a game with Vega, who sat across from her.

"Well, things turned out to be easier than I expected, so I was able to return earlier," Anthony replied without offering further explanation.

He had just committed genocide, exterminating millions in under twenty minutes without flinching. He didn't even know the names of the people he had killed, not their first names, middle names, or surnames.

Everyone instinctively scanned him from head to toe. Though they had assumed Anthony went to deal with a handful of enemies, they had no idea of the sheer scale. Nor did they know he had just obliterated an entire planet.

Yet, not even the faintest trace of blood lingered on him. He returned as pristine and composed as when he left, leaving them wondering just how weak those he faced must have been.

Then, realization dawned, it wasn't that his enemies were weak. It was their captain who made them appear so.

Kingsley, who sat off to the side, slowly opened his eyes. His golden irises locked onto Anthony, as if peering deeper into something unseen.

Though he possessed no unique ocular abilities or mystical sight, Kingsley was a seasoned martial artist. He could tell how perfectly proportioned every inch of Anthony's physique was. And now, that physique had once again undergone another outrageous transformation, despite it only recently evolving barely a week ago.

'How is his body continuously evolving like this?' Kingsley couldn't help but wonder.

He had noticed the first dramatic change after Anthony signed in and won The Unbound, an entity that had elevated his human bloodline to the level of perfection, significantly amplifying his physical attributes.

That transformation had taken place just a week earlier. And now, Anthony had vanished for only about thirty minutes and returned with an even more terrifying physique.

Still, Kingsley did not voice his curiosity or probe for answers. He, too, had made significant progress after his battle with the Executioner. Though no one had ever seen him train, since whenever he was spotted, he was always seated cross-legged with his eyes closed, Kingsley had diligently dedicated effort each and every day since his Enlightenment.

He had his secrets, just as Anthony had his. With that thought, Kingsley closed his eyes once more, his curiosity evaporating as he returned to his calm and indifferent demeanor.

Anthony could sense Kingsley's curiosity and thoughts. He didn't need to read minds to understand what the century-old man was pondering.

But Anthony said nothing. He had no explanation to offer, and just as suddenly, he felt Kingsley's emotions settle, fading into disinterest.

"It's good that things went easier than expected. At least this means there won't be any more hidden dangers," Dale remarked from the side.

He had feared that someone else might strike while Anthony was away. How could they hope to fend off a Warlord without their captain?

"Are we leaving now? My bombs can't wait much longer," Dale added eagerly.

"Soon. Since I said I'd be back in two hours, I may as well use a bit of that free time to handle something else," Anthony responded.

'Handle something else?' the team members thought in unison, puzzled. Hadn't he just handled a situation moments ago? Still, none of them voiced the question.

They simply nodded. Anthony turned and walked out with steady, confident strides.

Vega, observing his departure, placed her cards on the table and turned to Seraphim. "I'll be back," she said, rising to her feet and following Anthony out of the room.

As Vega left, Seraphim smirked mischievously and reached to lift Vega's cards, she had been losing steadily, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to cheat and snatch a win. But to her surprise, her hand phased through the cards and landed directly on the table as if the cards were an illusion.

'Tsk. What kind of ability is this? I didn't even notice her use it,' she muttered mentally. Still, she wasn't one to give up easily. She resorted to using her spiritual energy to try again.

Meanwhile, Vega walked beside Anthony with calm grace. She had followed him not out of suspicion, but because she wanted to gauge his mental state. If there was even the slightest chance he was drowning in guilt, she wouldn't abandon him. She couldn't just assume he was fine.

Once they stepped into the control room, Vega turned slightly toward him and asked, "How did it go?"

Hearing her question, Anthony smiled faintly and recounted the events that had just transpired. He told her how he had wiped out the entire enemy force, how he had called down a miniature sun upon them, how he had used their own blood magic against them, and how he ultimately decided to destroy the entire planet.

As Anthony finished recounting his ruthless actions, Vega let out a soft sigh and replied, "You're extremely ruthless. You didn't even spare the planet."

"It was already a barren planet," Anthony said calmly. "There was no point in sparing it."

Vega nodded thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing slightly. This gave her a broader understanding of Anthony's true capabilities.

'He can already destroy a celestial body,' Vega mused internally, a quiet pride swelling within her. She was proud of her boyfriend's strength, of what he had become.