Silence descended upon the vast expanse of air and space in which everyone floated, a suffocating, expectant quiet that seemed to stretch infinitely. Those who had the presence of mind prudently increased the distance between themselves and Anthony's team, wary of being dragged into any situation that might prove dangerous.

Others, however, wore smiles upon their faces, not the frivolous, careless smiles they had worn earlier, before the members of the Bone race had been struck down, but a different kind of recognition. They weren't smiling earlier because the First Supreme Monarch was about to be eliminated; no, they smiled because they recognized Anthony.

Even those who had not achieved victory or received accolades during the Starborn Tournament had observed the entire event from beginning to end. Every one of them remembered Anthony; it was impossible to forget a face so handsome, a talent so extraordinary. Rumors had long since spread that the Eclipsian race had gone after him and his people, and that they had been entirely annihilated.

That alone spoke volumes. The people of the Blue Planet were a force not to be underestimated, yet not everyone present had attended the Starborn Tournament. Many knew nothing of the feats accomplished there.

Eyes began to drift toward other members of the Bone race. Eight of their kin had just been obliterated from existence, and some onlookers wondered whether any remaining members would intervene. Yet they did not. The Bone race members remained unmoving, unblinking, their forms statuesque, exuding an aura of cold indifference.

Why should they act? After all, they were not the one courting death earlier; they had no obligation to risk their lives for strangers, people they had never met, bound together only by the thread of shared ancestry. To throw oneself into such a futile endeavor would have been sheer folly.

The gaze of the spectators shifted back, realization dawning that the Bone race would not lift a finger. The bored expressions replaced the fleeting smiles that had once graced their faces, and the weight of disappointment settled quietly.

"It seems the show ended far too soon," Anthony murmured to himself, his voice low, tinged with amusement. He had barely managed to consume a handful of popcorn, and yet the enemies had already been reduced to nothing.

'Are they even fit to be called a mid-tier race?' Anthony thought, frustration pressing against the edges of his composure. But, despite his frustration, he had to admit the First Supreme Monarch's power was impressive. Anthony had never witnessed him in action before, and there was an undeniable, awe-inspiring weight to the man's abilities.

'His command over time is remarkable,' Anthony mused, eyes narrowing slightly in contemplation. 'I wonder if Aaaninja has encountered other Time users before. The confrontation between the First Supreme Monarch and Aaaninja… that would truly be a spectacle to behold.'

Anthony's sky-blue eyes returned to the First Supreme Monarch, a smile forming as he observed the man's composed demeanor.

"Indeed," Vega remarked with a quiet sigh, reluctantly returning to her popcorn despite the absence of a show to entertain her. "It appears we expected far too much from them."

Kingsley remained silent, his gaze fixed upon the First Supreme Monarch as if he were gazing upon a deity. Though he knew Anthony possessed time-based abilities and magic, he had never witnessed their execution firsthand. Now, seeing the First Supreme Monarch utilize them for the first time, a surreal sensation washed over him, leaving him momentarily breathless.

The First Supreme Monarch floated with an indifferent serenity, his expression flat and unreadable, yet his presence alone carried a weight that pressed subtly upon the air. Outwardly, he was calm and controlled, but inwardly… his emotions were a tempest. For the first time in a long while, he felt happiness.

It had been ages since he had experienced a true emotion. Life had ceased to surprise him; anger and joy were foreign concepts in his existence. The last time he had felt genuine shock was over a year ago when Anthony had severed the Second Supreme Monarch's arm. Outside of that singular, violent moment, emotions had been rare, fleeting, and largely hollow.

The fall of the Sixth Supreme Monarch? Nothing. The sudden rise to power of the Fifth, Eighth, and Ninth Supreme Monarchs? Equally insignificant. Anthony defeating the Second Supreme Monarch, ascending to become the most powerful figure within the military, eclipsing the First Supreme Monarch himself? Still nothing. Even when Anthony had conquered the Starborn Tournament and brought immense resources under his control, the First Supreme Monarch's heart remained unmoved.

All these monumental events had failed to elicit the smallest ripple of feeling, as though he had become something inhuman, perhaps bordering on the psychopathic. Moments of joy or sadness were rare, fleeting like whispers in a storm, vanishing before they could even take hold.

But now, now, he felt real happiness. Not for the carnage inflicted upon the Bone race, the number of lives he had ended over centuries was beyond counting, but for the opportunity presented to him. Finally, he had a stage upon which to display his power, witnessed by formidable powerhouses and influential organizations alike. The Bone race had unwittingly provided the platform, and he had performed flawlessly.

This was a chance to ascend, to accrue influence in the eyes of the First Supreme Monarch, which could open doors previously inaccessible to him.

The military, which he had overseen for centuries? It mattered little. With the Null family firmly entrenched in power, nothing could threaten them. Even if Anthony and his family had not risen, he would have abandoned the military the moment a greater opportunity arose. His fate was not tied to any institution; it was bound only to ambition, and the careful observation of chance.

Anthony's All-Seeing Eyes allowed him to perceive the First Supreme Monarch's true emotions, which explained the smile that had crossed his lips earlier. In all their encounters, he had never witnessed the man reveal a shred of feeling. Other Supreme Monarchs might conceal fear or caution behind impeccable facades, but the First Supreme Monarch had been an enigma, cold, machine-like, untouchable.

And now, witnessing an actual humane response, Anthony could not help but smile at the fact.

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