Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1669  ‘Set Up’

Even after the discovery of his enhanced Aspect, Atticus didn't stop analyzing. A lot had occurred in the span of days, and it was necessary for him to note every change.

Because of this, it wasn't long before he discovered something else.

Whoosh.

"…"

Atticus studied the crimson orb hovering above his arm in silence. It was none other than his will. Though he hadn't noticed it before, his heightened scrutiny now picked up on a subtle change.

'It's stronger.'

The flames were thicker, denser… hotter. Simply looking at it, he could see the air around it warping, shimmering under the intensity of its heat.

'Hmm…'

He paused, trying to consider the cause. Solvath fragments had drawn him closer to the world and granted him control over all forces, yes… but this felt deeper than that. It hadn't just enhanced his power.

It had touched the foundation of his will. His being.

As his mind drifted back to the moment he first awakened his will, he finally realized. 'My emotions.'

During the sixth trial, he had confronted and overcome every one of them, including Resolve, what drove him forward. That resolve had always been intertwined with his will, and in refining one, the other had inevitably changed with it.

'It became more… complete.'

'Complete.' The word felt right. There was no more resistance. No hesitation. His will no longer felt fractured or reactive, it felt whole.

True.

Atticus exhaled slowly. Whatever had changed, he couldn't fully grasp it without testing it himself.

Suddenly, a thought formed, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

A moment later, a golden glow flared before him, and a frowning Ozeroth stepped out of it.

"What is this, bond? I'm busy. My grand banquet—one you're not invited to—isn't going to plan itself."

Atticus resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I need you to punch me."

"…what?"

The words clearly caught Ozeroth off guard as one brow lifted slightly.

"You heard me."

"I did. I'm just wondering if you've finally lost your mind. You want me to punch you?"

"Yes."

"…why?"

"I owe you an apology. Figured I'd make it up to you properly."

"…you? Apologize?"

"Yes."

Ozeroth stared at him for a moment, his expression turning odd.

"Did you hit your head?"

"No."

"Did that ancient fool take over?"

"No. Just listen. I'm serious. Punch me. Let's settle it and move on."

"…you're being very suspicious right now."

"You always think that."

"Because you are." Ozeroth's gaze lingered on him as he considered it.

"What kind of punch are we talking about? Can I use will?"

"Use whatever you want."

"…whatever I want?"

"The stronger, the better."

"Will you defend yourself?"

"Just a thin layer of my will."

"In your face?"

"…yes."

"…you're really asking for it."

Atticus frowned.

"Are you going to do it or not?"

A slow, wide grin spread across Ozeroth's face as he gave a satisfied nod. "Oh, I am. Just making sure you don't start crying after."

He rolled his shoulder, loosening his arm as he took a few steps back.

"If you hold back, I'll assume you're scared." Atticus smiled. "Or worse… that you care about me."

Ozeroth's eyes thinned to slits.

"…you talk too much."

"So you're holding back?"

"…alright. You asked for this."

Boom!

Light erupted from him in a blinding surge, swallowing the surroundings as a crushing pressure spread across the entire continent. The ground trembled, the air quaked, yet Atticus' expression remained unchanged.

'He's really strong.'

It had been a while since Atticus had seen Ozeroth at full power. He had almost forgotten that their bond caused every increase in his own rank to reflect on Ozeroth as well.

 Now that he was a god, that effect had become even more pronounced. Atticus could see it clearly, Ozeroth's power had risen beyond the Span.

Even so, whether Ozeroth's will had undergone the same change remained uncertain. This evolution felt different. It was deeper. Internal.

"Bond…"

Ahead, light poured from Ozeroth in an unending stream. He lowered his stance as the radiance condensed around his fists, growing denser with each passing moment. The ground beneath him trembled before splitting apart, fissures tearing outward for thousands of kilometers.

"…try and survive this."

Ozeroth's eyes gleamed gold. Then he vanished.

He reappeared before Atticus like a phantom, his fist already driving forward with a force that felt as though it carried the weight of the world behind it.

Boooooooom!

A cataclysmic explosion erupted, tearing through the entire continent and swallowing everything in a dense haze.

Moments later, the haze started to thin.

At its center, the scene was revealed.

Atticus stood exactly where he had been, unmoved and untouched. Ozeroth's fist hovered an inch from his face, halted by a thin, nearly invisible layer of his will.

"…what?"

Atticus gave a small, thoughtful nod.

"Hm. Looks like you couldn't get through. That punch was pretty weak."

Ozeroth's gaze trembled.

"Y-you dare…"

The light around him flared fiercely as he pulled his arm back. In the next instant, his fists blurred, launching into a relentless barrage. Each strike detonated on impact like a bomb, shattering the earth and sending waves of destruction outward. But as the strikes continued, Ozeroth's expression started to twist. No matter how much force he poured into them, no matter how many times he struck… he couldn't break through Atticus' defense.

Soon, Ozeroth halted his assault and stepped back, his gaze fixed on Atticus, confused.

"…what is this?"

Atticus smiled.

"Hm, stronger than I thought. It held up against your full punch."

"Stronger?"

"Yeah. My will got stronger after Solvath. I wanted to test it."

"…so you used Ozeroth?"

"It's not 'using' you." Atticus replied. "I was going to apologize anyway, so I combined it."

"Apologize my ass!" Ozeroth snapped, flicking his arm outward.

"If it makes you feel better, you did use your full power—"

"That's not the point!" Ozeroth cut him off, folding his arms with a sharp huff. "You set Ozeroth up. That's what matters."

"…"

"Hmph! For this, you'll be taught a lesson." He said, suddenly smiling. "Yes… now you're double not invited to my banquet."

"Wh—"

Before Atticus could finish, Ozeroth vanished.

Atticus remained where he stood, staring at the empty space he had occupied, momentarily at a loss.

"…what a shameless man."

…

Weeks passed in a blur. Throughout them, Atticus divided his time between training, attending mandatory meals with his family, and spending time with Anorah and the others.

During this period, he also uncovered important information regarding ascension into the Crown. According to his source, Whisker, the process was unknown to the world and typically carried out by the Crown himself. Any god who had reached the peak of the Middle Planes could attempt it.

After learning this, Atticus chose to delay it. At the very least, until he had fully consolidated his current power.

Another development during this time was Ozeroth's preparation for his banquet. Somehow, after their little… scuffle, the man had gone to great lengths to make the event as grand and conspicuous as possible. By now, the entire domain knew about it, and more importantly, knew that Atticus wasn't invited. For emphasis, Ozeroth had even included that detail on the invitation itself.

What he didn't realize, however, was that this had stirred unease among the Eldorians and the resistance leaders overseeing affairs. Many believed they had been unwillingly drawn into a power struggle between the two.

Oberon and the others eventually approached Atticus, voicing their concerns and reluctance to participate. In response, he reassured them and clarified the situation, easing their doubts.

Soon enough, the day of the banquet arrived.