MIGHT AS WELL BE OP - Chapter 660
Chapter 660: Memory
As the world outside descended into frenzy, Anthony and Vega simply lay quietly together, their bodies pressed close, as though they were drowning in the presence of one another.
Beyond the walls, chaos stirred, rumors, voices, hurried movements, but within their little sanctuary, it all seemed impossibly distant, like a faint murmur of a dream they no longer cared to interpret.
They could sense the commotion, they could feel the weight of something unfolding beyond them, yet neither of them wished to ask nor seek an answer.
The world outside might have been unraveling, but to them, none of it mattered. Their world, at that very moment, consisted of only two people.
They stayed close, sharing silence, sharing warmth, until even the very notion of existence beyond their embrace faded from their perception.
“So,” Anthony finally broke the silence, his tone light, playful, his lips curved into a smile, “how do you feel after participating in your first ‘big event’, as you like to call it?”
Vega’s eyes softened. For as long as he had known her, she had spoken about grand events, those large-scale confrontations that carried both danger and glory in equal measure. After her love for children and innocent souls, it was the next thing that animated her most.
Anthony remembered the countless times she had described the excitement of it, her eagerness to test herself against challenges greater than her imagination. He had promised her once that she would stand in one, and true to his word, the Abandoned Desert of Ruins had become her first.
The memory of the battle returned to her as Anthony’s words echoed. The heat of the desert wind, the crashing of energies, the countless enemies bearing down upon them, and her own heart racing as she adapted, improvised, and overcame.
Her movements had sharpened. Her instincts had grown keener. She remembered the exhilaration of pushing beyond her limits, the triumph of standing tall even when surrounded.
And she had walked away without so much as a single injury.
A small, satisfied smile touched her lips. “I’m looking forward to the next one,” she said softly, though her eyes already betrayed the spark of anticipation, as though her mind were spinning ahead to future battles, to other opportunities where she could prove herself.
Anthony chuckled, his voice calm, almost teasing. “Slow your horses, Vee. Big events don’t just fall from the sky. You might have to wait months before another one shows up. If they happened every other day, they wouldn’t be called big events, would they?”
Vega tilted her head, conceding the point with a faint laugh. “That’s true.” She sighed, though not in regret, but in acceptance. It wasn’t as though such things were under their control.
Her laughter dimmed, replaced by a small groan. “I hope Veronica doesn’t kill me.”
Anthony blinked. “Eh? Why? Did you do something?”
“She’ll want recordings, battle feeds, clips, anything. You know how she is. She’s as much a lover of big events as I am. The problem is…” Vega trailed off with another sigh. “I don’t have any video for her.”
Anthony leaned back with a bemused look. “Doesn’t she have that Lieutenant-ranked boyfriend? Can’t she just get one from him?”
“That’s the problem.” Vega pouted faintly. “I’m stronger than him. She likes my recordings more because they carry… well, a greater level of destruction, as she calls it.”
Anthony laughed under his breath and shook his head. “You’re overthinking this. Just go online. I’m sure plenty of people screen-recorded it. StreamGhost was broadcasting everything live. It’s not exactly something people would want to forget. Just tell her to pick one from the ocean of replays.”
Vega’s eyes lit slightly as she remembered. “That’s true.” She gave a small nod.
“Speaking of Veronica’s boyfriend,” she continued, “he’s probably here somewhere. Do you want me to introduce you?”
Anthony raised a brow at her, his reply flat and immediate. “No.”
He had no reason to meet the man. No curiosity, no urgency. If fate wanted their paths to cross, then it would happen naturally. If not, then so be it.
“I can already tell what you’re thinking,” Vega said suddenly, her voice slicing cleanly through his thoughts.
“Oh?” Anthony smiled. “And what am I thinking?”
“You’re thinking of dodging Veronica’s boyfriend. Do you have some kind of phobia about meeting new people?” Her lips curved with amusement.
Anthony chuckled. “Meeting new people is something that should happen passively, not actively. If it comes, it comes.”
She studied him for a moment, then laughed gently. “Well, whether you forgot or just don’t care enough to remember, Veronica already arranged a double date between the four of us. Since she and I are best friends, it’s inevitable. No matter how much you dodge, you’ll meet him. How’s that for a passive encounter?” she teased.
Anthony merely shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips. He did remember, of course. And he had no actual objection. It was simply one of those things he had decided to leave buried at the back of his mind.
“How long do you think it’ll take us to reach the military base?” Vega asked, her tone gentle, as if the question itself were wrapped in calm.
Anthony considered briefly. “If nothing intercepts us and we maintain our pace, I’d say thirty to forty hours at most.”
“Can’t the Warlords just open a portal back?” she asked with a small sigh. “They arrived at the Abandoned Desert of Ruins through portals. Why can’t they do the same on the return?”
“The military only permits portals leaving the base, not entering. They’re cautious. What if demons slipped in behind us?” Anthony explained. “It’s troublesome, but safer this way. Regardless, we’ll get there.”
He shifted then, pushing himself off the bed.
“Where are you going?” Vega asked curiously, tilting her head.
“Nowhere far. Just thought I’d bake a few cakes and cookies for the road. Since the journey’s long, we might as well enjoy it.” His voice was even, as though he were suggesting something utterly ordinary.
Her lips curved in delight. “Then let me join you.”
The two of them moved together into the small kitchen-like space, where the faint clatter of bowls and utensils soon began. They worked with a surprising rhythm, as though they had practiced this countless times before.
Their movements intertwined effortlessly, Vega mixing while Anthony measured, Anthony stirring while Vega prepared trays.
Laughter slipped between them like sunlight filtering through windows. At one point, Vega, her eyes gleaming mischievously, smeared flour across Anthony’s face, claiming it matched his stark white hair perfectly. She doubled over with laughter.
Anthony was not to be outdone. With calm ease, he dipped his hand into the flour and brushed a streak across her cheek. She gasped, then laughed harder, until her shoulders trembled.
The smell of sugar, butter, and warm flour soon filled the air, wrapping them both in a cocoon of comfort. In that moment, there was no battle, no world in turmoil, no distant threats. Only the two of them, laughing together, baking as though they had all the time in the world.
The cookies and cakes soon began to take shape, golden edges crisping under the heat. Their laughter lingered, woven into the very air. For Anthony and Vega, it was a simple thing, perhaps insignificant to others, but for them, it was everything. A moment carved out of chaos. A memory to be cherished long after battles and storms had passed.
And so, as the scent of sweetness drifted around them, the world beyond remained forgotten. All that mattered was here, in the warmth of shared laughter, in the rhythm of hearts beating quietly beside one another.
One chapter today, three chapters tomorrow… maybe.