MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 350: Freedom

In a well lit room, Anthony sat with an air of quiet composure, the gentle breeze from the window rustling the pages of the book in his hand.

His gaze remained steady, absorbed in the words before him.

One leg rested elegantly over the other, while his free hand lay idly on his lap, exuding an effortless sense of refinement.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft, ethereal glow upon him, accentuating his serene presence.

Moments later, he noticed Clement enter, followed closely by the rest of his subordinates.

With a faint creak, the door to his chamber swung open.

Ten figures stepped inside, their movements measured and deliberate.

Though their demeanor remained outwardly composed, the air between them brimmed with unspoken tension, an undercurrent of unease lingering beneath the surface.

They entered to find Anthony seated, unmoved by their arrival, his posture unshaken, his attention seemingly fixed on his book.

Yet, without so much as a glance, he saw each of them clearly.

Spectre and the others stood in silence, their words caught in their throats.

There was nothing to say.

They had lost.

Uncertain, they turned to Clement, the one who had insisted on meeting Anthony in the first place, hoping he would break the silence, lead the conversation, offer something.

But Clement did not move.

He did not speak.

Not even the faintest whisper escaped his lips.

He stood rigid, like stone.

Cold. Detached.

Seeing that none of them dared to speak first, weighed down by the weight of their loss, Anthony let out a quiet sigh and closed his book with a soft thud.

In an instant, the book vanished.

But just before it disappeared, their curious eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of the title.

”How to Get a Girlfriend 101”

A stunned silence filled the room.

Yet, before the realization could even settle, the memory of the title slipped away, erased as if it had never existed.

They didnʼt need an explanation.

Instinctively, they knew, Anthony had tampered with their thoughts.

Of course, he had.

To them, Anthony was an untouchable figure, godlike in presence and perfection.

How could he possibly allow them to see that?

Being single wasnʼt a crime.

But not knowing how to charm a woman?

That would shatter the carefully crafted image he had upheld from the very beginning.

So he acted.

Without hesitation.

Not that it was drastic, not in a world like this.

He didnʼt bother filling the gap in their memory. It wasnʼt necessary.

It was insignificant.

And just like that, the moment passed.

”Thereʼs no need to be so tense”

Anthony finally spoke, his voice smooth, almost amused.

He turned to them with a gentle smile.

”Youʼve known me for a while. I donʼt bite”

The awkwardness in the room softened, if only slightly.

Yet, it still lingered.

They had braced themselves for something sharp, perhaps a reprimand or even outright scorn.

But Anthonyʼs expression remained warm, his smile unwavering.

”Normally, I wouldnʼt bother fighting any of you, let alone all of you at once”

He continued, his tone light, almost playful.

”But I had to. Some of you have been getting...quite arrogant”

A soft chuckle escaped his lips.

And just like that, the tension that had started to dissipate coiled back into place.

The air thickened.

They exchanged uneasy glances, confusion flickering across their faces.

Arrogant?

None of them could understand.

What had they done?

They had all started at the very bottom.

Their only saving grace was being part of the Golden Generation, a generation where the spotlight fixated on the protagonist, his harem, and the key supporting characters.

That light, by mere proximity, had reflected onto them, the extras.

Without that stroke of fate, they would have remained insignificant, lost in the shadows of true power.

Anthony didnʼt elaborate.

He didnʼt need to.

It was natural to take pride in oneʼs achievements, to stand tall after clawing oneʼs way upward.

But.

There was a fine line between pride and arrogance.

And crossing it was a dangerous thing.

”Now, Iʼm sure you understand why you lost”

Anthonyʼs voice broke the silence once more, calm yet unwavering.

His fingers intertwined as he rested his hands on his knee, his gaze steady.

They all nodded.

ʼExperienceʼ

The word echoed in their minds.

Without it, no amount of talent or training could bridge the gap between them and Anthony.

Then, with effortless grace, Anthony rose from his seat.

He turned away from them, his back now facing the group as he gazed out the window.

His hands clasped neatly behind him.

”Experience is an issue”

He admitted, his voice thoughtful.

”But the true crux of the matter—”

He paused.

”—is your foundation”

Their brows furrowed in confusion.

ʼFoundation?ʼ

Sensing their confusion, Anthony simply continued.

”Just as close combatants build their physique before mastering their weapons, battle experience follows the same principle”

He explained, his tone patient yet firm.

”When you fight, you rely on overpowering your opponents with skills, abilities, and cheats. That—”

He paused slightly, letting the weight of his words settle.

”—is the flaw in your battle experience. You lack finesse. You lack control”

His voice carried through the room, unwavering.

”So, I want you to start from the very beginning”

A hush fell over them as Anthonyʼs next words resonated deeply.

”This time, you will fight without mana, abilities, or any external crutches, only pure physical combat. Then, once you master that, youʼll take it a step further, incorporating mana. Then your skills and abilities. And finally, your Intent”

His voice echoed in their ears, sharp and undeniable.

Their minds spun, processing his words.

It was flawless.

It was perfect.

The women, however, didnʼt dwell on his words for too long.

They were mages.

Their strength didnʼt lie in physical combat.

Anthonyʼs gaze shifted toward them.

”As for Vivian, Evelyn, and Donna”

He said, his tone carrying a knowing edge.

”You donʼt always need to rely on high rank spells. Even low rank spells can become devastating with the right elemental control and transformation”

The three women, who had initially dismissed the conversation as irrelevant to them, finally paused.

His words ignited something within them.

Their minds began to churn, working through the implications of elemental manipulation under Anthonyʼs guidance.

Anthony observed them with a small, satisfied smile.

This was progress.

Still, among all of them, only Litt had shown the least amount of openings during battle.

That didnʼt mean he was superior.

It was simply because he had bought his battle experience from the system.

Of course, Anthony would never say this aloud.

What if the others got ideas?

If they all decided to buy their battle experience instead of earning it, then all his words, all his effort, his very breath, would have been wasted.

He couldnʼt outright ban them from using the system.

After all, he had been the one to give it to them.

Slowly, they emerged from their thoughts.

Their gazes drifted toward Anthony, silent yet filled with unspoken wonder.

Just how vast was his battle experience?

He was their age.

And yet, he felt so distant, so far beyond their reach.

If only they knew.

If only they understood that not even the strongest beings on the entire Blue Planet possessed the depth of battle experience that Anthony did.

”Anything else?”

His voice cut through their musings as he turned to face them, his expression calm, almost indifferent.

”What now?”

Vivianʼs voice broke the silence.

Anthony arched a brow.

”What do you mean by ʼwhat nowʼ? Elaborate”

Vivian took a deep breath, steadying herself.

Then she spoke.

”I mean… some of us are confused”

She admitted.

”We thought you gave us power because you needed help with things you couldnʼt do yourself. But in reality… we donʼt really do anything. We donʼt know what you want from us. We donʼt even know what we should be doing moving forward”

Her words struck a chord, resonating with everyone in the room.

She wasnʼt just speaking for herself. She was speaking for all of them.

They were all without purpose.

Without reason.

They only existed.

Anthony listened, his gaze unreadable.

He understood.

After all, when he first took subordinates, it had been a practical decision, an extra measure, a contingency.

He had assumed that one day he might need them for something beyond his own capability.

It was an impulsive, almost casual choice.

Yet, years had passed.

Years of gathering these overwhelmingly powerful subordinates…

And he had never actually needed them for anything.

”I didnʼt give you power just to cage you in my own world”

Anthonyʼs voice was steady, yet it carried an undeniable weight.

His gaze swept over them, his expression unreadable.

”Your loyalty to me is eternal, that much is certain. But that doesnʼt mean you should always wait for my command, lingering in my shadow”

They listened, hanging onto his every word.

”You are free. Free to build your own power. To forge your own legacy. If you wish, create a family that could one day rival even my own. Establish your own guild. Become adventurers. Walk whatever path you desire, so long as you continue to grow in power”

His words struck deep, resonating in their very souls.

He had given them something more than strength.

He had given them freedom.

Of course, this didnʼt mean they could stray to the dark side of the world. That was never an option.

Then, Anthonyʼs tone shifted ever so slightly, lighter, as if speaking more to himself than to them.

”As for me… I suppose itʼs time to start my military arc”

With those final words, he vanished in a flash.

ʼI wonder if Iʼll find my soulmate during this arcʼ

Anthony mused with a silent, mental smile as he disappeared into the unknown.