MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 774: Surreal

Veronica tried floating forward, but she realized she couldn’t move of her own accord. Her body felt far too weak to fly in the endless void that surrounded them. She turned to Vega, who was holding her hand gently yet firmly, as if anchoring her to reality itself.

Then she noticed it, an ethereal, blue and black energy enveloped her entire form, forming a semi-transparent shroud that seemed to protect her from something unseen yet immensely powerful. The energy shimmered faintly, pulsating like a living entity, and with each passing moment, Veronica could feel an enormous surge of mana being consumed from Vega’s core, burning through her reserves at a tremendous rate.

Veronica didn’t need to be told what it was; her mind, sharp and analytical as ever, quickly deduced that the shroud was protecting her from the brunt of the Galaxy Void. The vast emptiness surrounding them was not a mere vacuum, it was a realm where even the smallest exposure could tear lesser beings apart. From the sheer amount of mana Vega was expending, Veronica knew instantly that this semi-transparent shroud demanded an extraordinary amount of energy to maintain.

Before she could voice her thoughts or ask any questions, Vega spoke, her tone calm and controlled despite the visible drain on her mana. ”The semi-transparent energy shroud is composed of space and void itself,” she explained, her expression serene. ”It temporarily shields you from the void’s destructive nature. My father and mother use this method once in a while whenever they take me to travel across the galaxy.”

Veronica stared at Vega for a moment, absorbing the weight of her words. A faint smile curved her lips, soft but full of genuine gratitude. ”Thank you,” she whispered. She said nothing more for the moment, choosing instead to turn her eyes toward the blazing sun ahead. Her heart swelled with awe. For now, she only wanted to explore this magnificent galaxy before Vega’s mana reached its limit.

Understanding her intentions without needing to hear them, Vega simply nodded and flew forward, still holding Veronica’s hand as they glided effortlessly through the void. As they drew closer to the sun, Veronica noticed something strange, she didn’t feel any heat at all. The blazing celestial body, which should have incinerated her instantly, felt instead warm and inviting, almost comforting.

And then, to her utter astonishment, they landed upon it.

Her mind reeled at the sheer impossibility of what she was experiencing. She was standing, literally standing, on the surface of a sun. The solar flames danced around her like waves of golden silk, yet not a single strand of her hair was disturbed.

’Is this what being a Supreme Monarch feels like?’ she thought in awe, her white eyes reflecting the endless brilliance before her. Each step she took across the surface of the sun felt like walking upon pure divinity. The idea alone was so far beyond anything she had ever imagined that for a moment, she felt as though she were dreaming.

After spending a few enchanted moments there, Vega gently tugged her hand, and together they soared toward a moon in the distance. Even as they approached it, Veronica noticed how the gravity of the galaxy seemed absent. It was as if the universe itself bowed to Vega’s presence, refusing to impose its laws upon them.

”This is too... surreal,” Veronica murmured under her breath. She bent down, her fingers brushing against the gray lunar soil. Scooping up a handful of moon dust, she gazed at it in silent wonder. The soft particles drifted slowly from her palm, scattering into the cosmic air as if returning to the stars that birthed them. Never once in her life had she ever imagined such a moment would be hers to live.

Veronica had always known she was talented, prodigious, even, but compared to beings like Vega and Anthony, she was aware of her limitations. She had already concluded long ago that her potential might allow her to rise to the rank of General Marshal within the Military, a rank just below the mighty Warlords. With years of relentless training and unwavering effort, perhaps she could one day reach the rank of Warlord herself.

But now, she stood here in the middle of the galaxy, doing something not even the Warlords of the Military had ever done. She was walking upon celestial bodies, untouched by the forces that governed existence itself.

Yet, even as the overwhelming ecstasy of the moment tugged at her heart, she reminded herself to be cautious. Vega’s mana was not infinite. Although the power Vega was displaying now was beyond anything Veronica had ever seen her use, there was still the risk of exhaustion, or worse, backlash. Vega might not show it, but Veronica knew that the cost of maintaining this kind of power was staggering.

”Aren’t you exhausted yet?” Veronica finally asked, genuine concern lacing her tone. She didn’t want Vega to harm herself or damage her cultivation foundation. A foundation once damaged was difficult to repair, and even if Vega recovered physically, such harm could permanently weaken her overall battle prowess.

”I’m fine,” Vega replied with a small, reassuring smile. ”When I reach my limit, we’ll head back to the Military base immediately.”

Veronica nodded quietly. Just as she turned her gaze to another constellation, her eyes caught something that made her breath hitch. The blue and black energy shroud that covered her body didn’t extend to Vega, yet Vega stood within the raw void, completely unbothered, her expression calm, her presence serene. The void, which could erase life in an instant, did not so much as graze her.

Veronica’s white eyes widened in disbelief as her mind raced. Her imagination ran wild, conjuring impossible possibilities. Could it be that Vega had already ascended to a planetary level of existence? Was she standing before a being on the same tier as a Supreme Monarch? The thought alone made her heart pound.

Her imagination continued to spiral as she pictured Vega and Anthony, both ascending together, becoming Supreme Monarchs side by side.

’I’ll have a Supreme Monarch as a best fri—’ she began to think gleefully, but Vega’s voice cut sharply through her thoughts like a blade slicing through silk.

”I’m not at the planetary level yet,” Vega said softly, her calm words shattering Veronica’s vivid daydream.

”What do you mean you aren’t a planetary level being yet?” Veronica blurted out, her voice filled with incredulity. ”You’re literally withstanding the pressure of the void with your bare body! That’s the minimum requirement for someone at the planetary level!”

Vega sighed gently, her expression unchanging. ”You misunderstand,” she replied. ”Physically, yes, I now possess power comparable to a Supreme Monarch. But in terms of existence itself, I haven’t yet reached that level. There’s still a divide, an invisible threshold I’ve yet to cross.”

Veronica floated there, stunned into silence. She couldn’t fully grasp what Vega meant, but before she could ask, Vega spoke again, as if reading her very thoughts.

”You could say it’s thanks to Anthony,” Vega said with a faint, knowing smile. ”It’s one of the reasons I told him not to get me a birthday present.”

Veronica’s eyes blinked in astonishment. Her lips parted slightly before she chuckled in disbelief. ”You really lucked out on your first boyfriend, didn’t you?” she teased, though her tone carried genuine admiration.

Vega only grinned in response, her expression softening at the mention of Anthony.

”No wonder you’ve become... different,” Veronica continued with a shake of her head. ”Your presence feels heavier, yet more alluring. Your eyes, your aura, even your smile, they’ve grown more mesmerizing. I noticed the change earlier, but I decided to wait until we were done talking about Anthony before bringing it up. Who would have thought it was related to him as well?”

Her voice trailed off, half in awe and half in amusement, as she watched her best friend glide through the void with effortless grace. Vega merely smiled, her eyes reflecting the starlight of the endless expanse.

Veronica could only sigh softly to herself, realizing how truly far apart their worlds were becoming, yet still feeling grateful that Vega had chosen to share a glimpse of this boundless, celestial realm with her.