Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1597  Ore

"While I understand your grievance," Oberon began carefully, "the supreme ruler has the final say here. I suggest yo—"

"We're getting so close to finally destroying the spirit king!" It's important that we don't stop now!"

He didn't spare Oberon another glance, fixing his eyes squarely on Atticus instead.

"Pfft."

"Is something funny?" The man glared at Whisker, who had suddenly started laughing. He couldn't fathom what could possibly be amusing about any of this. Rescuing their brethren from the spirit king's grasp was as serious as it could be.

"Hah…"

But Whisker let out a breath, shaking his head as he regarded the man with amused eyes.

"You're a funny guy."

"What?"

"He just explained to you that the territory will be sealed during the competition. The territories aren't going anywhere, and neither is the spirit king. I just find it funny that you keep insisting, even after your god has already made himself clear. It's almost as if—"

"How dare you! My people are being controlled as slaves by the spirit king. Every second they spend under him is torture! Do you think all of this is some kind of joke?

"No…"

Whisker chuckled, shaking his head.

"Just you."

"You—!"

"That's enough."

Atticus interrupted, fixing his gaze on the man, who stood there with clenched fists, still glaring at Whisker.

"I've already made myself clear. We will resume capturing territories after the competition."

"No! You can't—"

"I can't?"

His aura crashed down on him in an instant, forcing the man to his knees.

"I am god here."

Atticus' gaze bore down on him as the man gritted his teeth, unable to move even a single inch.

"I can do whatever I want."

"L-lord Ozeroth—!"

The man turned desperately toward Ozeroth, but froze the moment he saw the cold, detached expression on his face. It was clear he had no intention of intervening.

"This meeting is over."

At once, the Eldorians rose from their seats, filing out of the hall, but not before casting silent glances at the man still kneeling on the floor, pinned in place by Atticus' will.

Atticus had already left, yet the weight of his figure lingered behind, pressing down on everyone who remained. They swallowed hard, and silently reminded themselves never to cross that monster of a child.

…

Atticus appeared in the sky the next moment. He lingered patiently while staring at a single point, and moments later Ozeroth emerged in a burst of light.

"What's this about a tournament? And why is Ozeroth only hearing about it now, bond?"

A deep frown was on his face, like he was profoundly offended by something. 'Is it because of what just happened?' He frowned, briefly wondering if Ozeroth was mad because he had chosen to participate in the tournament rather than free his people. "I only found out tonight. I called the meeting immediately."

"Even so. You should have told Ozeroth before anyone else."

"…Is that why you're upset?"

"The great Ozeroth doesn't get upset!"

"So let me get this straight. You're angry because I told everyone else before you."

"Hmph. Don't lump me together with those pussies."

"I see."

Atticus let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head.

"I thought you were upset about what happened in the hall."

"That? Why would i care about that?"

"…Right."

"If it were up to me, I would've pummeled that fool into pulp. Rotten bastard doesn't know his place."

"…Isn't he one of your people?"

"So what? Saving someone doesn't make us friends."

'This guy.'

Atticus shook his head with a smile.

It seemed he'd misunderstood things from the beginning. When Ozeroth had insisted on saving his people, Atticus had assumed it came with a sense of responsibility toward them, but that clearly wasn't the case. The man hadn't even hesitated when he treated that spirit god the way he had.

'He's not doing it for them.'

Ozeroth didn't care about them in the way Atticus had expected. He was doing this for himself, because they were his people, and because no one else had any right to decide their fate.

Afterward, Atticus explained everything Whisker had uncovered about the tournament, and it wasn't long before they parted ways.

Atticus appeared within his training continent, where the Veilroot Tree loomed high above the land, bathing the entire region in a scarlet glow. He materialized in a room just beneath the Veinroot, passing through a door and into a long hallway.

"A-ahhh! H-help…!"

"P-please…!"

Piercing screams echoed through the corridor as he walked. They were the voices of lower plane leaders and many others he was currently torturing. Ignoring them, he passed through another door, descended a flight of stairs, and emerged into a vast underground cavern.

The clangorous sound of metal striking metal reached his ears at once.

"Oh? You're here?"

Whisker was sprawled casually on a couch across the cavern, with a large tv screen playing before him and a box of popcorn resting in his grip.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping?" "I am. It's called supervising."

Whisker hit play on his movie and returned his attention to the screen without a hint of concern.

'Of course.'

Atticus sighed, shaking his head, and walked deeper into the cavern toward the source of the noise.

Garvin Emberforge.

The man hunched before a furnace, striking a smoldering object again and again with a large hammer.

'He's focused.'

Despite Atticus' presence, Garvin's eyes never left his work and he had a faint smile. Only after watching for a moment did Atticus notice that every strike landed with the exact same force, with not even the slightest deviation.

'I guess that's what it means to be skilled.'

"What's the progress?" As he spoke, the hammer froze midair.

"Hm?"

Garvin's eyes widened the instant he noticed him.

"I pay respects."

"There's no need for that. I'm just here to check on the progress."

He gestured for Garvin to stand straight, feeling a hint of guilt for interrupting him. It was obvious the man had been enjoying the work. Still, they were leaving tomorrow, and it was important he knew how far things had come.

"Thank you."

"So, how far have you progressed?"

"Have a look."

Garvin smiled and gestured behind him, where several metal ingots were neatly arranged in a pile.

"Is this…?"

"Yes. They're all refined."

"…!"

Atticus' eyes widened in shock. 'He refined everything…'

He'd expected progress, but not this much. The Great Verge's reward for winning the ascension game had been a pile of ore, ore he had soon discovered was capable of conducting will.

And the moment he had realized that, he had summoned an expert in forging, Garvin Emberforge, the human who had once been the greatest blacksmith of the human domain.