MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 386: Battle Royale

Anthony awoke with a groggy haze clouding his vision.

His eyes, still heavy with sleep, flicked toward the clock hanging on the wall.

"Shit. Five minutes to four"

A curse escaped his lips as he shot up, the remnants of sleep clearing from his mind in an instant.

He remembered Corporal Samuel's words, the directive to be at the arena by 4 PM sharp.

In that moment, a rush of urgency surged through him.

For the first time in over a year, since the grueling days of military training began, Anthony didn't bother with the luxury of a bath.

He couldn't afford the time. Instead, he drew on his mana, the familiar hum of control flowing through him as he effortlessly shifted out of his uniform and into something more casual, simple, practical.

With barely a second wasted, he moved toward the door.

His movements were quick, yet measured.

He still had four minutes.

Rather than teleporting or flying, he decided to walk.

When Anthony arrived at the arena, he found it buzzing with activity.

All the recruits were there, not just the ones from his group under Corporal Samuel, but the entire assembly of eight hundred who had trained under various officers.

The arena was filled with quiet chatter, their voices a soft murmur as they waited for whatever was about to unfold.

None of them were in their standard orange military uniforms.

Instead, they wore the clothes they had on before the military uniform was distributed.

Anthony found an empty spot at the edge of the group and simply stood, blending into the crowd.

In a brightly lit room, the eight military training officers gathered around a large table, their voices echoing with a mix of excitement and rivalry.

"The time has finally come"

Training Officer One said with a grin, his tone brimming with confidence.

"I'll be winning the bet this year for sure. I have an outrageous talent in my group"

Training Officer Two's voice was laced with sarcasm as he responded.

"You said that last year. And the year before that. Yet, you've never won"

A sigh escaped from Corporal Samuel, who was leaning casually against the wall.

"Sigh. I hate to say it, but I'll be taking your points this year. I have a monster in my group, one that even the term 'monster' barely begins to cover"

The room fell silent for a moment as the others exchanged knowing glances.

Then, with a casual tone, training officer three spoke up.

"You don't have to lie, Samuel"

Samuel's gaze met his without a flicker of hesitation.

"Why would I lie? The battle will reveal the truth"

Training Officer Three scoffed, dismissing Samuel's words with a wave.

"Let's leave all this talk for when the time comes. We'll know who wins when the battle begins. But how many military points are we betting this year?"

Training Officer Four interjected with a serious expression.

"How about a thousand military points?"

A confident smile curled at Training Officer Five's lips.

"A thousand points, huh? Aren't you going a bit far? We're just Corporals, earning points from training recruits and minor missions. Is this how confident you are?"

Training Officer Six's voice carried a note of disbelief.

"A thousand points? That's a bit much. Let's not get carried away. How about five hundred?"

After a brief silence, Training Officer Seven spoke up.

"Agreed. Five hundred it is"

With the terms settled, the group rose together, a shared sense of anticipation filling the air.

The stakes were set.

Whoever's recruits came out on top would claim the points, and the bragging rights.

With that, they moved toward the arena.

As the recruits stood in the arena, their discussions abruptly ceased, a collective silence settling over the group.

A heavy presence filled the air, and they instinctively straightened, sensing the arrival of the eight military officers who hovered in mid air above them.

Without a word, they lined up, adhering to the training they had received, their bodies still and attentive, their gazes fixed forward.

Training Officer One's voice broke the silence, soft yet carrying an undeniable weight.

"You've been called here to determine which training group is the best. A representative will be selected from each group, and when you hear your name, step forward"

As she spoke, the names of various recruits were called one by one, each stepping forward to stand among the others.

The atmosphere grew tenser with every name announced.

"And finally, the representative from the last group"

Training Officer One continued, her tone pausing for dramatic effect.

"Null Anthony"

With that, the remaining recruits moved to the bleachers, their bodies lifting into the sky, leaving only the eight chosen recruits on the stage.

Training Officer One's gaze turned to Anthony, her eyes scanning the group of remaining contestants.

She spoke again, her voice steady, yet carrying the gravitas of the moment.

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"Now, for you all. You will be restricted to D+ rank strength as usual. This will be a battle royale. No fatal injuries are permitted. No skills or abilities are to be used, only your mana and your elements. To win, you must either knock your opponent unconscious or force them off the stage"

She paused, letting the words sink in, then continued with an almost imperceptible smile,

"There are no rewards. But I'm sure your pride will drive you to give it your all"

The recruits exchanged wary glances, assessing their opponents, their eyes narrowing in calculation.

None of them were armed; this was a battle of raw power and elemental manipulation, where strength, speed, and wit would be tested to their limits.

"Begin"

The moment her words rang out, the air seemed to crackle with energy, and like a single, coordinated force, the recruits launched themselves at one another, charging into the fray with everything they had.

The arena was transformed into a maelstrom of elemental chaos, where the very fabric of nature seemed to recoil under the tempestuous onslaught.

Flames undulated like serpents, their crimson coils licking the air with blistering heat, while shards of ice, sharp as daggers, glittered ominously under the harsh light.

Gale force winds howled, their ferocity uncontained, as the ground itself quaked, stone and earth rising in tumultuous upheaval, creating both shields and weapons in an instant.

Amidst this cataclysmic scene, figures moved with supernatural speed, their forms barely distinguishable as they blurred across the battlefield.

Hands became fleeting specters, weaving complex incantations that conjured torrents of raw, untamed energy.

Each clash reverberated through the air, sending ripples of force that vibrated the very bones of the arena, the cacophony of combat rising to a terrifying crescendo, a symphony of destruction.

The spectators, gripped by an almost palpable tension, watched in rapt attention.

Their gazes flicked across the battlefield, tracing the dizzying movements of the combatants with unwavering focus.

The cheers of those rooting for their favored warriors surged, only to be swiftly replaced by gasps of disbelief as fortunes shifted in the blink of an eye.

The bleachers transformed into a living chorus, each group voicing their fervent support for their representative with impassioned cries.

Amidst this chaotic chorus, one figure stood detached, unshaken by the turmoil surrounding him.

Anthony moved with a serene, almost predatory grace, his composure unruffled by the tempest around him.

Where others expended their energy in violent exchanges, he remained a figure of deliberate precision, his every movement a study in minimalism.

A casual flick of his wrist deflected an incoming fireball, while a subtle shift of his weight allowed him to sidestep a deadly earth spike.

His opponents, no matter how formidable, found themselves outpaced, outmaneuvered, and ultimately outclassed.

One by one, they were either dispatched into unconsciousness or cast from the arena, their defeat a testament to Anthony's unparalleled precision.

As the final echoes of battle faded, the crowd's roar morphed into a unified chant, their voices lifting in unison: "Anthony! Anthony!"

Even those hailing from rival factions could not deny the magnitude of his skill.

When the dust settled and the arena fell into a hushed reverence.

Anthony stood alone, unscathed and composed, a paragon of calm amidst the wreckage.

The undeniable victor of the battle royale.

Above, the training officers watched in shock.

"You certainly had a monster on your team"

Training Officer Four remarked, his gaze fixed on Anthony with an air of admiration.

The others nodded in agreement, each silent acknowledgment a testament to the overwhelming display of skill they'd just witnessed.

It wasn't their fault, after all.

None of them had witnessed Anthony's trial battle against the demon and the slime.

As Corporals, their ranks were simply too low to be granted access.

The only reason Corporal Daniel had even been present was because of his close ties to Colonel Vazeryth, his right-hand man. :

Corporal Samuel hadn't even witnessed Anthony's battle with the SSS+ rank restricted vampire.

He was oblivious to the military's arrangements.

He had simply waited at the mountain peak, waiting for each recruit to arrive.

Corporal Samuel was no stranger to great talent, had long since recognized that Anthony existed in a league of his own.

But he hadn't expected such an effortless victory from the young warrior.

But then, it didn't concern him.

His role had been to earn military points by doing little more than observing.

And so, the day drew to a close.

The recruits returned to their quarters, murmuring amongst themselves as they discussed the extraordinary battle they'd just witnessed.

The echoes of Anthony's triumph lingered in their conversations, a mix of awe and curiosity filling the air.