MIGHT AS WELL BE OP

Anthony just looked at Ava, he didn't pity her or anything.

But he would compliment on her efforts which she did with no strings attached.

She had taught the children a lot.

If it wasn't for the Academy allowing those outside the Academy itself to covert Academy point to other currencies like quarks and mana crystals and vice versa, Anthony wondered how far Ava would have gotten.

The children were so in love with mages and weapon masters, some of them would awaken within two to three years.

A lot of things would cost more at that time, Anthony wondered how she would manage.

In just about five years after their awakening, dreams would be crushed to dust.

Would have been turned to dust if there was a way to measure talent.

With the way these children fantasied, Anthony was sure that anyone who could wield a weapon with even the most basic skill might appear all might in front of these children.

They can deceive these children like this, making them follow the so all mighty master.

Ava never showed her strong side to them, they knew she could utilise mana as it was basic knowledge that everyone awakens at age ten.

But they all thought she would be the weakest of all the weak ones since she never even used mana in front of them.

She was no different than a mana-less person to them.

Of course these were just how they perceived her battle ability and remained as nothing more or less.

But the children didn't have any wrong or useless thoughts as at the end of the day, they are just innocent children.

To them Ava was everything, they admired her from the deepest part of their heart.

When these kids turn ten and awaken, they would need art and techniques.

Although Ava might just go around sharing her own cultivation manual to reduce cost in that department, it will cause more harm than good as not every cultivation technique can be used by everyone.

Anthony simply shook his head and removed these thoughts from his head.

His conversation with Ava wasn't really getting anywhere as they were strangers and one just suddenly visited out of the blues.

There was literally nothing to talk about here.

Anthony looked at Ava and said.

"I will display some small skills and tricks to the kids just for show, I hope you understand"

Ava's eyes instantly squinted as she heard this, she herself had never displayed anything cause she didn't want to fuel the children's Fantasies.

But she knew deep down within her that it had backfired as the children's fantasies grew day and night.

They played hero and battle masters all day.

She just kept her eyes locked with Anthony's, trying to see if he was planning anything.

But Anthony just calmly sipped his whine without any care.

After a while, Ava said in normal tone that gradually became chilly.

"Fine, I agree, but if anyone gets even the tiniest bit of injury, I would fight you to death, although I can tell you are stronger than me better be prepared"

The moment she finished speaking, Anthony looked at her for a second then instantly started laughing.

Ava looked at Anthony with a frown wondering why he was laughing.

Anthony didn't leave her wondering for long.

Anthony's gaze shifted to another direction.

Something was hiding there in the darkness, something that tried so hard not to exist or rather to hide it's presence.

Anthony locked eyes with this 'thing'

Immediately they locked eyes, the thing in the shadow instant moved out with a force that shattered the wall of the office they were in.

A weapon cloaked in darkness and mana quickly made it's way towards Anthony's neck.

Anthony still amused as he watched the thing dash towards him.

He just raised his index finger without even covering it in mana nor aura, simply nothing.

*Clang*

A metallic sound rang out as the weapon met a finger that was even stronger than anything it had ever encountered and broken into pieces.

What was the thing?

Of course it was Ava.

Or rather, the real Ava.

Ava was about to step back but was momentary halted in place as Anthony used time magic and paused time for her and the clone sitting on the chair that discussed with Anthony earlier.

Anthony shook his head at this fiasco.

An ambush on Anthony?

I'm sorry, but you have better chances at becoming a god than that.

The entire discussion and everything was just pure fiasco.

Right from the very first moment Ava's voice sounded and she stepped out to meet Anthony, she had already created a clone and hid her real body in the darkness.

There was no way Ava was going to meet an unexpected visitor unprepared.

Ava was an assassin for crying out loud, there was no way she would believe someone just stepped into an orphanage cause they just felt like it.

Although her visitor radiated aura of an F ranker, she dared not believe it.

She had her guesses on just how stronger her opponent might truly be, or they might be equals in battle strength or even lower.

But it didn't really matter, everything was for the orphanage.

To her, she needed just one strike.

Just one to decide it all.

So she hid in the dark, biding her time, waiting for her opponent to drop his guard and she would immediately strike without hesitation.

Even if what the stranger said was true and was just here cause he felt like it, so what?

He won't be the first to die unjustly in this world.

She wasn't ready to bet her life and the orphanage on something so nonsensical.

This was also one of the reason she accepted the wine Anthony gave her.

The real her won't even touch the glass or even breath in any air till she left the office.

But since it was her clone, everything was fine.

She allowed the clone to drink it to further bring down this stranger's guard.

Everything went on smoothly, her play was perfect.

But that is what the stranger wanted her to believe, he knew all along.

She thought she played and he danced, she just didn't know that she danced and he never played.

And of course how would Anthony not know, let's not even discuss the plethora of skills he possessed to counter such situations.

Anthony just never wanted to act unless she acted first, but then it just became too funny for him to hold on then ended up laughing.

Although time was paused, Ava was still conscious, numerous thoughts kept flashing through her mind.

'How'

'When did he find out'

'Will he kill or kidnap the children now that I'm caught'

Her mind ran around in cycles, she tried moving but it was futile.

She tried channeling her mana but it didn't even move.

Her gaze on Anthony but her mind wasn't there as it focused on just how to get out of this predicament.

But after a series of trial and error with just Anthony sitting there and watch her try, her thoughts went back to the cause of all this.

Seeing him being so carefree while watching her like he could see through her deepest thoughts made her realise an undeniable truth.

She stood no chance.