Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1615  Declaration

"Y-you… what the hell are you!?"

Orvain tumbled backward, desperately scrambling to put distance between himself and the monster slowly approaching him.

'H-he killed them!'

Even in his own mind, it sounded impossible. The Twin Pyres, two legends of the Redflames whose names alone inspired fear, had been cut down in a single slash.

"W-what are you waiting for!? Attack him! Now!"

The remaining Redflames snapped out of their shock and stared at Orvain with wide eyes.

"Y-young master?"

But Orvain had already turned and fled, sprinting into the forest without a second glance.

The two Redflames exchanged a brief, resolute look before turning back toward Atticus, only to find empty space.

"Where—?"

They didn't even finish the word.

Countless thin lines surfaced across their bodies, tracing over their skin like invisible threads before flashing brightly.

In the next instant, they split apart.

…

A moment later, Orvain, who had been running blindly through the forest, suddenly pitched forward and rolled violently across the ground.

"Ahhhhh!"

His scream ripped through the trees as he stared in horror at his severed legs lying several meters ahead of him.

"He cut them! He fucking cut my legs—!"

His body shook uncontrollably, tears and mucus streaming down his face as he panicked. "Ah!" His trembling eyes widened as Atticus appeared before him, looking down with ocean blue eyes devoid of emotion.

"W-wait, please. Do you know who I am? I am Archduke Rhexan's heir! M-my father rules the entire Core! You don't want to kill me—"

He was cut off by another surge of pain. With shaking eyes, he turned his head, and saw his severed arms laying on either side of him.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"You cut my arms! Fuck! My arms!"

"Shut up."

Tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes, Orvain's mouth snapped shut instantly. No matter how he struggled, no word came out.

"Mmm! Mmm!"

With horror flooding his eyes, he observed as Atticus calmly gripped his throat and lifted him off the ground.

Their eyes met, and in that instant, Orvain felt as though he had been plunged into freezing water.

His body trembled violently.

'H-he's going to kill me!'

"D-don't kill me! I-I have valuable information!"

Seeing no mercy in Atticus's gaze, Orvain forced himself to think. Instead of speaking aloud, he desperately pushed his will outward to communicate.

"Hm?"

Atticus paused, raising a brow slightly, signaling for him to continue.

"A bounty! There's a bounty on your head!"

"Useless."

"Wait!"

Realizing his mistake, Orvain shook his head frantically.

"No… not the Willguard! Another bounty! There's another bounty!"

"…?"

Atticus narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Huff… huff…"

Seeing the reaction, Orvain exhaled shakily in relief.

"Who placed it?"

"T-the Grand Sovereign…"

Orvain swallowed hard. He knew what this meant. The Redflames would never forgive betrayal. They would hunt him down eventually.

But better hunted than dead.

"Who's coming after me?"

"T-the Archdukes of the major families…"

"Name them."

"Y-you'll spare me, right?"

"…"

"…o-okay."

Under Atticus's detached stare, Orvain nodded stiffly and began listing each Archduke from the major families of the Core.

When he finished, the forest dropped into heavy silence.

"S-see? I'm useful. I-i gave you valuable information. If you spare me, I can be of use to you in the future…"

"…"

"Y-you just have to protect me… I-i can tell you countless Redflame secrets…"

"No."

"Huh…?"

"I don't need you."

"W-wait! B-but you promised!"

"I didn't."

"…Huh."

Orvain's eyes widened as the realization sank in. It was true. Atticus had never promised anything.

"Then—"

"Enough."

Atticus's will erupted outward and swallowed Orvain whole.

"Ahhhh!"

His body convulsed as his flesh began to sizzle and smoke.

"You Redflames claim your will burns the hottest in the Middle Planes."

Atticus' voice was calm. Cold. He turned to the sky, as though addressing the unseen eyes watching from afar.

"I'll show you hot."

Orvain's screams rose to a shrill pitch as he thrashed uselessly, trying to resist with his will.

It made no difference. Atticus's smoldering presence crushed his completely and within moments, Orvain's body blackened, crumbled, then scattered into the wind as ash.

…

In a much larger hall than the one where the Archdukes were gathered, Grand Sovereign Ashkarion sat upon his massive throne, a deep frown on his face.

"Damn… that's gotta hurt."

Grand Sovereign Eldros lounged on a separate throne nearby, wincing at the sight of Orvain being reduced to ash.

"Well."

He cast a sideways glance at Ashkarion.

"How do you intend to respond?"

To many, Atticus's actions would appear as nothing more than crude brutality. Simple torture.

But to beings of their level, those who understood the unspoken language of power… It was a message.

"…"

"Hmm…"

Eldros let out a soft snicker at Ashkarion's silence, though there was no mistaking the searing heat bleeding from the latter's body.

'He's furious.'

And rightfully so.

It wasn't every day an underdog openly declared war on a major faction, let alone in such a direct and merciless manner.

'Atticus Ravenstein.'

Truthfully, Eldros had little interest in the boy himself. His attention was far more invested in watching his brother's reaction.

Yet this display had stirred something faint within him.

'He's an interesting guy.'

A slow smile curved Eldros's lips. Now, he found himself hoping Atticus would make it to the summit.

Things would become far more entertaining then.

…

"This guy is too arrogant!"

"How dare he declare war on a major faction!"

"Doesn't he know his place?"

The hall erupted into uproar.

The Archdukes glared at the screen, fury in their eyes.

Viscount Merek. Count Dravek. And every other major faction representative who had fallen to Atticus…

There was no denying that each of them had moved against him first. That was the natural order of things.

The strong trampled the weak.

It did not mean there would be no consequences for killing them, but it was expected.

However, this… Atticus had targeted the Redflames directly, slaughtered them, and then publicly mocked their flames before the world.

That was different. That was not mere retaliation.

It was a declaration.

A declaration of war.

And as Archdukes presiding over major factions, such an open display of disrespect toward one of their own, regardless of personal allegiance, could not be ignored.

If an underdog could treat a major faction so brazenly and walk away unpunished, what would that say about them?

The grand and dominant image they had cultivated would crumble!