MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Chapter 1223: Core Elders

As Anthony stepped inside, a vast hall greeted him. Numerous crimson banners hung elegantly from the ceiling, swaying gently in an unseen breeze. A luxurious red carpet stretched across the floor, leading to a raised platform with a short flight of stairs that supported a majestic throne. Within the spacious hall, Anthony saw five people standing with distinctly different demeanours.

They didn’t greet Nathaniel with awe or even offer a formal greeting. Nor did The Sword Ruler seem to mind, as he simply climbed the stairs and took his seat upon the throne.

Anthony could feel the gazes of the five individuals resting on him despite them appearing to face The Sword Ruler.

‘They are all… dangerous,’ Anthony thought to himself as he instinctively sensed the sheer catastrophe each of these people could unleash if they ever decided to make a move.

‘I wonder if they are all at the peak of the Ecliptica Galaxy,’ Anthony couldn’t help but wonder.

Although truly powerful people rarely bowed to another person’s command, there were always exceptions.

“I’ve called this meeting for a single reason,” Nathaniel began, causing Anthony to wonder when the man had even summoned everyone.

“The boy standing before you all is my descendant who ascended just three hours ago,” Nathaniel stated.

The moment those words left his lips, the five unknown individuals, whom Anthony suspected were the Core Elders, widened their eyes in unmistakable shock. It wasn’t a secret to anyone that the Sect Leader was an Ascendant. Many of them knew his history because he had shared it with them, although none of them actually knew which Lower Galaxy the Sect Leader had come from.

Their heads snapped toward Anthony, who stood calmly with a composed posture.

“Nice to meet you all. I’m Null Anthony,” Anthony said in a calm tone, neither smiling nor saying more than was necessary.

They sized him up carefully. They all knew the Sect Leader was extraordinarily talented. Naturally, they wondered whether this descendant possessed the same heaven-defying talent or if he was merely a handsome young man.

“How old are you?” one of the five asked, as though intending to measure Anthony’s worth by his age. After all, almost every Ascendant until now had been well over a thousand years old by default. Of course, they didn’t know at what age the Sect Leader himself had ascended, as none of them had ever asked.

“Twenty,” Anthony replied flatly.

The hall fell silent, and the silence itself seemed to gain weight with every passing second. The five Core Elders turned toward the Sect Leader as though wanting to ask how his descendant could lie so effortlessly with a straight face.

But all they were met with was Nathaniel’s faint smile and silence. None of them commented further, knowing that his claim would eventually be verified anyway, as that was the standard procedure for anyone joining the sect.

“I brought him here to introduce him to you all,” Nathaniel stated calmly. His eyes shifted toward Anthony, who remained standing where he was as he continued, “They are the Five Core Elders of the Null Sect.”

Anthony couldn’t believe what he had just heard. The Founder had actually named the sect after himself. Anthony didn’t know whether the man was simply terrible at naming things or just too lazy to come up with something else.

Nathaniel, seemingly oblivious to Anthony’s thoughts, gestured toward one of the Elders as he spoke.

“He is the First Core Elder, The Punisher.”

Anthony’s eyes shifted toward the man known as The Punisher. He possessed dark skin and stood exceptionally tall, his height nearly reaching seven feet. His muscular physique looked as though a single punch from him would be enough to end everything and everyone before him.

Nathaniel gestured toward another Elder. “She is the Second Core Elder, The Slumbering Storm.”

Anthony’s eyes shifted toward her. The Slumbering Storm wore flowing white robes. Her crimson eyes contrasted sharply against her snow-white hair, while her fair, flawless skin looked almost impossibly smooth, as though untouched by time itself.

“This is the Third Core Elder, The Decipherer of the Heavens,” Nathaniel introduced once more.

The Third Core Elder was a man. He simply smiled at Anthony as though he possessed the gentlest personality among everyone present. He carried himself with the refined aura of a learned scholar.

“This is the Fourth Core Elder, The Deceiver of Laws,” Nathaniel’s voice rang out again.

Anthony’s sky-blue eyes shifted toward the man, but for some inexplicable reason, he felt as though the man was simultaneously there and not there, as if he existed upon two different planes of existence at the same time.

“And this is the Fifth Core Elder, Chaos Betroth,” Nathaniel concluded.

Anthony’s eyes shifted toward the final Elder. She was a woman. Although she stood there without displaying the slightest interest in anything happening around her, Anthony’s danger senses went completely haywire every single time his gaze lingered on her, instinctively warning him of overwhelming danger.

‘Maybe titles possess some sort of special significance or abilities within this Realm or even throughout the Ecliptica Galaxy,’ Anthony thought to himself.

Nathaniel hadn’t introduced anyone by their actual names, only by powerful titles. Even Nathaniel himself had done the same the first time they met.

Once Nathaniel finished the introductions, the five Core Elders merely nodded before turning on their heels and walking away. Although Anthony was the Sect Leader’s descendant, none of them attempted to curry favour with him.

They were powerful, far too powerful to concern themselves with status alone. Anthony would have to prove his worth, just like everyone else, before they would ever become friendly with him.

“Third Core Elder, might I trouble you with showing Anthony the Heavenly Library and his residence as well? We will begin the test tomorrow,” Nathaniel’s voice echoed throughout the hall.

The man, who had already begun walking away, turned back toward Nathaniel before replying, “As the Sect Leader wishes,” a gentle smile appearing on his face.

“Shall we, young one?” the Decipherer of the Heavens asked.

Anthony nodded respectfully toward Nathaniel before turning and walking toward the Third Core Elder. Together, they left the building. Although he had no idea what kind of test awaited him tomorrow, Anthony didn’t dwell on it for long. For now, he was far more excited about his system upgrade. After all, in just a few hours, ???’s gifts would finally arrive.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE: Don’t get impatient, Anthony’s gifts are coming. Also, Super Gifts for bonus chapters are back. Happy new month, people.