Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 841  Strength

Blackgate's current feelings were difficult to put into words.

The Obsidian Order and the Crimson Vow had been working together, but their relationship was tenuous at best, a fragile alliance built purely on mutual benefit.

There was no trust between the two factions, and both knew that their so-called partnership could crumble at any moment if their interests no longer aligned.

The moment Veylor received word from Kaelan about an opportunity to kill Atticus, he had immediately contacted the Obsidian Order.

Blackgate's interest was piqued instantly. He had begun planning meticulously, already aware of the elaborate precautions Oberon had taken to protect the human domain.

Even though the underground world was shrouded in a thick and heavy veil of spiritual energy that masked it from detection, Oberon had been incredibly thorough.

His defenses were structured in such a way that every nook and cranny of the human domain, surface or underground, was covered.

Because of this, Blackgate couldn't use his signature black gates without alerting the entire human domain to his presence. Instead, he opted to give Veylor with a paragon-ranked artifact capable of teleporting him directly into the underground world.

It was a calculated move. The artifact's activation would remain undetectable, thanks to the spiritual energy masking the underground.

After watching the Nexus Event and witnessing Atticus's monstrous prowess firsthand, Blackgate had quickly added the boy to his immediate kill list. Atticus had become a priority, a danger that needed to be eliminated immediately.

But now, as he stood there, taking in the sheer weight of the aura this 17-year-old radiated, Blackgate felt something entirely unexpected—a thrill.

Excitement coursed through him like wildfire.

What stood before him could only be described as madness. There was no other explanation.

Because in what world was it normal for a 17-year-old to wield this level of strength?

The perception of a paragon was profound, capable of grasping details that others could not.

The branch heads might not have realized it yet, but Blackgate did. Atticus had obliterated the entire Crimson Vow members before their arrival, more than 30 grandmasters, wiped out by a mere child.

It was unfathomable.

Blackgate had come here with the intention to kill Atticus, but now, he wanted something else entirely.

He wanted the boy under his control.

Blackgate's grin widened, and his voice rang out.

"I'm going to give you a second chance," he said as a mana contract appeared on his arm.

He quickly drafted a slave contract, and his aura unraveled like a living storm.

In the next instant, every single human in the underground world felt an overwhelming force constricting their throats. A split second later, they were lifted off the ground, hurtling toward the lake like ragdolls.

Thousands of people now hovered high in the sky behind Blackgate and the branch heads, their necks gripped by an invisible force.

The sound of choking and panicked cries filled the air as they struggled to breathe, their limbs flailing helplessly.

Blackgate's voice was cold, cutting through the chaos like a blade.

"Sign this, or I'll kill every human here."

The invisible grip around their throats tightened, and the cries grew more desperate.

The panic among the crowd intensified, and many of the hovering humans turned their pleading gazes toward Atticus.

Their voices, hoarse and strained, rang out in desperate pleas:

"P-Please, save us!"

"D-Don't let him do this!"

"We're begging you!"

"Help us!"

The cacophony of pleas filled the air, reaching Atticus ears.

Blackgate and the branch heads watched him closely.

They expected to see hesitation, uncertainty, or at least a flicker of doubt.

Atticus might be talented beyond measure, but he was still just a 17-year-old boy. The weight of thousands of innocent lives was an ethical burden so immense that it could bring anyone to their knees.

Surely, even a prodigy like him couldn't remain calm under such pressure.

But as they stared, waiting for his reaction, what they saw left them utterly stunned.

Atticus remained unmoved.

There wasn't a trace of fear, hesitation, or distress in his expression.

If anything, the cries of the innocents seemed to fall away, drowned out by the icy calm radiating from him.

He hadn't spoken a single word. His katana still trembled in his hands, and his battle intent didn't waver in the slightest.

And as the mana contract floated closer to him, it suddenly caught fire, turning to ashes in the next moment.

A strange silence followed, and even Blackgate was utterly baffled. Such decisiveness and coldness from a 17-year-old wasn't something you saw every day.

It was obvious, Atticus didn't care one bit about the lives of the thousands behind him.

Blackgate's grin faltered, just for a moment.

This was no ordinary boy.

This was something else entirely.

Blackgate chuckled. It was clear that this tactic wouldn't work on him.

'It's fine. I'll just capture him and torture him into submission,' he decided.

The tension in the underground world peaked as Blackgate prepared to move.

However, Atticus, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke three words that made even the heart of a paragon tremble.

"I am ready."

Blackgate's eyes narrowed, and an intense chill ran down his spine. He instinctively knew that something was coming.

The underground world suddenly grew unnervingly quiet. No whispers. No breaths. Even the screams of the thousands stopped.

Then, it began.

A deep, rumbling laughter echoed across the entire domain, shaking the very air. It was guttural and amused, resonating with a power that rattled bones and froze blood.

The sound spread like a storm, overwhelming everything.

"Interesting… interesting."

The laughter sent shivers down the spines of everyone in Sector 8. People froze in place, trembling as their gazes snapped toward the sky.

Above them, a blinding purple light suddenly descended, piercing through the heavens like a spear of destruction.

It burned brighter and brighter, cutting through the earth and plunging into the underground world with a force that shook the entire sector.

Buildings cracked. The ground quaked. The entire capital shuddered under its impact.

In the Starhaven temple, Celestial and the gathered elders, who had been engrossed in a meeting, snapped their heads toward the source of the disturbance.

A massive hole had formed in the center of the temple floor, glowing with the remnants of the light. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Without hesitation, Celestial and the Starhaven elders launched themselves toward the underground world, their expressions grim.

Far away in Sector 6, Magnus, Seraphina, and Oberon froze mid-discussion. The former had decided it was best to involve Oberon in the situation. They instantly felt it, the powerful, overwhelming presence.

"What now?" Seraphina exclaimed.

Magnus's face darkened. Without hesitation, the three launched themselves toward Sector 8, a shockwave tearing through the air as they disappeared into the horizon.

Back in the underground world, Blackgate and the branch heads stood frozen in the sky, their auras completely suppressed by the overwhelming force that blanketed the entire sector.

The presence was unlike anything they had ever encountered. It wasn't just powerful, it was incomprehensible.

Blackgate's heart pounded in his chest, sweat dripping down his temples. Even he, a paragon, found it difficult to grasp what was happening.

That presence… it was beyond the paragon rank. It was something else entirely. Something far greater. Something he couldn't comprehend.

"What… what the hell did this monster child summon?" one of the branch heads whispered, his voice trembling.

The laughter suddenly returned, louder this time, shaking the underground world to its core.

It wasn't just sound, it was pressure. A suffocating force that crushed the air from their lungs.

From within the purple light, a massive figure began to take shape, its aura radiating unbridled power.

Ozeroth.

His voice boomed abruptly, echoing like thunder.

"Strength calls to strength. You have earned my power, and now the world will bow before us."