MIGHT AS WELL BE OP-Chapter 438: Mission Report-1
Anthony had spent the entire day indulging in idle gossip across various online platforms.
When boredom struck, there was one thing he excelled at above all else, spending money with effortless flair.
By the time he finished his digital splurge, the evening had already crept in.
With a languid stretch, he rose from his seat and made his way to the bathroom, intent on unwinding beneath the soothing cascade of a warm shower.
As the warm water streamed down his back, Anthony's thoughts drifted once more to the Executioner.
That strange, almost otherworldly energy, it had suppressed Intent itself, as if swatting away a fly.
Effortless. Terrifying.
"System"
Anthony called out silently
"Since my physique grants me the ability to wield all forms of energy… doesn't that mean I can wield this one as well?"
The mere thought stirred his curiosity.
The destruction he could unleash with that power alone, it would be cataclysmic.
[Ding]
[The Host's physique permits the usage of all energies; however, the physique does not generate any energy independently. The energy the Host seeks exists only within the Higher Galaxy, unless the Host wishes to purchase it from the system]
Anthony read the reply in silence, brows furrowing slightly.
He didn't even entertain the thought of purchasing it.
Once depleted, how would he replenish it?
Buy it again?
He scoffed inwardly.
That would make him no different from the Seraphim.
No, his case would be even worse.
At least the Seraphim's power existed within this galaxy.
The energy he desired didn't even belong here.
A dead end.
Anthony shook his head with a sigh, letting the thought dissolve like mist in the steam-filled room.
Some powers, it seemed, were better left untouched.
After his shower, Anthony changed into a fresh set of clothes and descended the stairs, heading toward the cafeteria.
With his system points fully depleted, he could no longer buy meals directly from the system to eat in his room as he usually did.
For now, he would have to settle for what the cafeteria had to offer.
To his mild surprise, none of his teammates were present, not even Vampire Lieutenant Darren.
He ate quickly, the silence at the table feeling heavier than usual.
Then, without lingering, he rose and made his way back to his room.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
Eventually, Anthony drifted into the quiet embrace of sleep, his mind surrendering to the world of dreams.
The sun hung high in the sky, casting its radiant glow through the windowpane of Anthony's room.
Golden beams danced across the floor, nudging him gently from slumber.
Groggily, he sat up and swung his legs off the bed.
A faint pulse of mana surged through his body, cleansing away any lingering impurities and clearing the last traces of sleep from his mind.
His eyes drifted to the desk across the room, where a five-page document lay neatly stacked.
Rising to his feet, he walked over and picked it up.
As he flipped through the pages, recognition dawned, it was his mission report.
"It seems Igris is quite good at this"
Anthony mused with a faint smile.
"I've decided, he'll be writing all my mission reports from now on"
Stretching slightly, he glanced once more at the neatly penned pages.
"Since the report's already done, I might as well head to Colonel Vazeryth's office right away"
As the words left his lips, he waved his hand casually.
Space responded in kind, bending, folding, and shimmering as a portal blossomed into existence before him.
Without hesitation, Anthony stepped forward.
The portal sealed itself silently behind him.
Arriving at Colonel Vazeryth's office, Anthony knocked firmly on the door, then stood in silence, awaiting permission to enter.
Minutes slipped by with no response.
Then, without warning, the door creaked open on its own.
Anthony stepped inside, stopping a few meters short of the Colonel's desk.
Colonel Vazeryth, seated behind his desk, was meticulously sorting through another stack of documents, his expression unreadable.
Anthony remained still, offering no greeting, simply observing in silence as the Colonel worked.
'He must receive dozens of reports every day'
Anthony mused as he quietly observed the Colonel at work.
'Climbing all the way to the rank of Colonel just to drown in paperwork? That's diabolical work right there'
Before he realized it, Anthony's gaze had softened into one of quiet pity.
As if sensing the shift in the gaze, Colonel Vazeryth's eyes snapped upward, locking directly with Anthony's.
The pity vanished in an instant, replaced with a composed expression, as Anthony straightened slightly and spoke.
"Good morning, Colonel"
Colonel Vazeryth's gaze drifted toward the window, where sunlight spilled lazily across the tiled floor.
"So it's morning already"
He muttered, more to himself than to Anthony.
'Did he work through the entire night?'
Anthony wondered, blinking slowly.
'Am I in the military… or did I somehow end up in a corporate office from my former world?'
What Anthony didn't realize, however, was that this wasn't even the full extent of the paperwork.
Most of it was regularly passed on to the Colonel's right-hand man, Corporal Daniel.
Colonel Vazeryth only dealt with the most critical files, the kind of documents Daniel wasn't authorized to process due to his lower military rank.
Colonel Vazeryth's gaze shifted back to Anthony, his expression unreadable.
"So, you're finished with your first mission, then?"
He asked, his voice a low murmur.
"Yes, sir"
Anthony replied, stepping forward and offering the report into the Colonel's outstretched hand.
The Colonel took it, his fingers brushing lightly over the pages, though he didn't actually read it yet.
Instead, he flipped through the pages casually, his eyes skimming the text to gauge how Anthony had written the report.
"Hoo..."
Colonel Vazeryth exhaled sharply, a note of surprise in his voice.
"I expected you to fumble with it, honestly. Was ready for a mess, but here you are, presenting a report even your teammates might struggle to write"
Anthony allowed himself a small smile, but he didn't offer a response.
Noticing Anthony's silence, the Colonel's lips curled into a subtle smile of his own.
With a shift of focus, he began to read the report more carefully, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed the details.
As Colonel Vazeryth continued reading, his expression slowly darkened.
What had started as a simple reconnaissance mission had, according to the report, escalated into something far more complex, and far more dangerous.
Anthony's.... Igris' report was unnervingly thorough.
Every minute detail was meticulously documented, every observation and event accounted for.
It was clear that Igris had been watching the entire time.
The report made no mention of some things, like Anthony's actions regarding the Spatial Mark he had planted on the Severed Crown of Echoes.
That was a matter far too sensitive for the military to be made aware of.
The more Colonel Vazeryth read, the deeper his frown became.
Each line seemed to reveal a new layer of complexity, each detail carrying the weight of unspoken implications.
The detailed descriptions of the terrain surrounding the Bleeding Hollow Zone, its twisted landscape, and the abominations lurking within it struck him like a hammer blow.
Each word seemed to weigh heavier than the last, as though the very atmosphere of that cursed place had found its way onto the pages.
Then, the Bleeding Hollow itself, floating landmasses, a world where the very fabric of reality responded to emotions, where the sky itself released waves of monsters as if toying with their existence.
The report detailed the death of the first team sent on the mission.
Next, the floors of the Bleeding Hollow, each with its own distinct challenges, requirements that would have torn apart lesser men.
And then, the mention of the man held prisoner there.
The white-haired, white-eyed man, the one they called: The Eternal. The Executioner.
The report spoke of a higher galaxy, one that seemed to stretch beyond his current understanding.
It spoke of the Severed Crown of Echoes, the demons' coveted target.
Then the battle, a battle against the Executioner himself. The man's death, a pivotal moment.
The very disappearance of the Bleeding Hollow Zone that followed, as if it had never existed at all.
But that wasn't the end.
The report continued, detailing the battle that had raged outside the Bleeding Hollow Zone, before they had finally returned.
Colonel Vazeryth's lowered the file onto the table.
His eyes closed briefly, as though the weight of the report had settled heavily upon him. Silence filled the room.
Anthony, standing across the room, remained silent.
He watched with an unreadable expression as the Colonel gathered his thoughts, knowing better than to disturb the moment of reflection.