MIGHT AS WELL BE OP - Chapter 355

Chapter 355: GIRLFRIEND
Seven months had passed since the Assassin Guild endured devastating losses at Anthony’s hands.

Anthony had turned eighteen.

Yet, there had been no celebration.

His parents and grandparents remained in seclusion, their absence stretching endlessly.

His subordinates, consumed by relentless training, fought for twenty hours each day, honing their battle experience through ceaseless battle.

Anthony stood alone, utterly and irrevocably alone.

But he wasn’t bored.

Far from it.

In a way, he preferred things this way… or at least, something close to it.

The grand balls, the extravagant celebrations that often accompanied birthdays, those had never been to his taste.

Anthony sat in front of the television, fingers moving swiftly over the gaming controller, eyes locked onto the screen.

An online battle unfolded before him, his focus unwavering.

Then, suddenly, he paused.

A presence stirred at the edge of his awareness.

Familiar.

A slow smile spread across his lips.

“Finally done, huh?”

The thought echoed in his mind.

A few seconds later, the door creaked open.

Two figures stepped inside.

Null Michael and Mitchelle Crimson.

Anthony turned his head toward them, his expression unreadable.

“Did you miss me?”

Mitchelle asked, stepping forward and settling beside him.

“Nope. Not at all”

Anthony’s reply came with a carefree smile, but a glint of mischief danced in his eyes.

Mitchelle sighed, a knowing smile curving her lips.

“Are you upset that I missed your eighteenth birthday?”

She asked, pulling him into a warm embrace, her fingers ruffling his hair.

“I was in seclusion, you know that. I couldn’t just leave, it would have disrupted my cultivation and damaged my foundation”

“It’s just a birthday, a single day. No need to fuss over something so trivial like a child. You’re a man. You should be on the battlefield”

Michael’s tone was casual, as if he hadn’t missed Anthony after months of being away.

“Besides”

He continued.

“We wouldn’t normally be out of seclusion this soon. The fruit you gave us changed everything. It accelerated our progress, cutting our cultivation time significantly”

Mitchelle nodded, her expression thoughtful.

“Your father is right. I originally estimated that we’d be in seclusion for at least a year and a half. But who would have thought we’d be done in just ten months?”

“Where are Grandpa and Grandma?”

Anthony asked, his brows slightly furrowed.

He couldn’t sense their presence.

Michael leaned back, his tone nonchalant.

“Well, your grandfather ended his seclusion before us. But instead of staying at the Null estate, he left immediately”

Anthony’s gaze sharpened.

“Where did he go?”

Mitchelle smiled knowingly.

“Your grandmother is also in a sort of seclusion… so I’m certain he went to wait for her”

Michael nodded.

“It’s always been that way. Whenever your grandfather enters seclusion, your grandmother does too. And she never comes out until he does”

“But why does Grandma’s seclusion take place outside the estate? Can’t she train here like the rest of you?”

Anthony asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Mitchelle sighed.

“She could. In fact, she did for a long time. But she eventually found a special place, somewhere unique. She never shared the details with us. Only she and your grandfather know its location”

Before Anthony could press further, Michael casually stretched out his hand and picked up a gaming controller.

Anthony raised an eyebrow.

“Dad… this is an online game. I doubt you even know how to play”

Michael smirked, fingers resting comfortably on the buttons.

“What do you know? When I was your age, I used gaming to pass the time. No one wanted to fight me, so I had to settle for battling online”

Before Anthony could follow up, Mitchelle interjected with a small smile.

“In fact, your father and I met because of a game”

Anthony turned to her, surprise flickering in his eyes.

“You played games?”

He asked, skeptical.

Mitchelle shook her head.

“Never. But your father was too busy gaming on his phone while walking down the academy halls. He wasn’t paying attention and bumped into me”

She paused, a nostalgic glint in her gaze.

“He was in his second year, and I was a first-year at the time”

Anthony glanced at Michael, who showed no sign of embarrassment.

“And he didn’t even apologize”

Mitchelle continued, crossing her arms.

“He just kept walking, completely absorbed in his game. He was so focused he didn’t even notice the people around him”

A smirk tugged at her lips as she finished.

“That was our first interaction. But don’t get me wrong, I never wasted my time playing games. I had far more important things to do”

“So? Up for a match?”

Michael teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

Anthony gave his father a flat look.

“Dad, even if you used to play games, that was ages ago. I’m pretty sure it’s been, what, two centuries since you last touched a gaming controller? Besides, this game is completely different”

Michael waved off the remark.

“Doesn’t matter. If you won’t spar with your father in combat, at least show me what it means to be a man through gaming”

Anthony exhaled in mild exasperation before finally picking up another controller.

With that, father and son dived into a heated PVP match, the screen flashing as their battle began.

Mitchelle watched them with a gentle smile, the warmth in her gaze unwavering.

The atmosphere felt light, harmonious.

Every now and then, she chimed in with a comment, but for the most part, she simply observed, savoring the moment.

She cherished times like these.

Spending time with her son.

Spending time with her family.

She could never understand those who brought children into the world only to treat them as tools, burdening them with suffocating expectations, demanding perfection at every turn.

Of course, she wasn’t naive.

She wished for her son to have a life of peace, to know happiness without the weight of the world pressing down on him.

But she knew better.

She understood the reality of the Blue Planet.

She understood the kind of galaxy it resided in.

And she knew, no matter how much she wished otherwise, she wouldn’t always be there to protect him.

The new butler silently entered the room at intervals, bringing in fresh fruit as Anthony and Michael devoured them between matches, their focus never wavering from the game.

Hours slipped by.

And Michael just kept losing.

By the time night had fallen, the moon casting its silver glow over the estate, the score was undeniably one-sided.

With a frustrated click of his tongue, Michael dropped the controller onto the table.

“Tsk. You must be cheating”

Anthony leaned back with a smirk.

“That’s what all losers say. Excuses”

Michael sighed, leaning back slightly.

“Enough of this. You’re eighteen now, you’ve met the age requirement for the military. When do you plan on joining?”

For a moment, Anthony remained silent.

He had always known this day would come.

Joining the military wasn’t a choice, it was a family tradition, an expectation carved into his lineage.

And now, it was time for his arc to begin.

“There’s no need to waste time”

Anthony finally said.

“Whenever you and Mom head back to the military base, I’ll go with you”

Michael gave a brief nod before pulling out a sleek device, tapping on it a few times with practiced ease.

Then, turning to Anthony, he spoke in a firm tone.

“We’re heading back to the military base tomorrow. We’ve been away long enough. Prepare yourself, you’ll be leaving as well”

Rising from his seat, Michael adjusted his coat.

Anthony, however, caught something in his father’s words, an undertone that didn’t sit right.

“You say that like I won’t be going with you”

He remarked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Michael glanced back, his expression unreadable.

“You won’t. The military isn’t an amusement park, nor is it the Academy where you can arrive alongside your parents. There’s a procedure for everything, you’ll understand soon enough”

With that, he turned and strode toward the door, his presence commanding even in casual departure.

Mitchelle rose gracefully, her gaze softening as she looked at her son.

“Sleep well, my baby. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life”

With those parting words, she turned and followed Michael out of the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Silence settled in.

The once vibrant sounds of the game seemed to fade into nothingness, leaving Anthony alone with his thoughts.

For a long moment, he simply sat there, motionless.

Then, breaking the silence, he murmured.

“I wonder what the military is like…”

Slowly, he rose from his seat and walked toward the window, his gaze drifting upward, locking onto the distant celestial bodies scattered across the night sky.

Tomorrow, everything would change.

Anthony exhaled softly before a small smirk tugged at his lips.

“Well, I haven’t signed in today. Let’s hope this new arc brings some good luck”

With that, a single thought willed the system interface into existence before him, its translucent screen flickering to life.

His gaze lingered on it for a brief moment before he spoke, his voice steady and resolute.

“Sign in”

The words echoed through the room.

[Ding]

[The Host has successfully signed in]

[The Host has won ####***. ??? detected… recalibrating]

[??? has been entertained by your performance in the Starborn Tournament. He also admires your work-life balance]

[??? extends his wishes, Happy eighteenth birthday, Host]

[??? has chosen to fulfill the Host’s heart’s desire]

[Ding]

[Congratulations, Host. Due to the interference of ???, you have won… a GIRLFRIEND]

_____________

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Y’all finally won. She is here.

I bet y’all didn’t think I would introduce her this way.