A small, round device descended slowly toward the middle of the island. It stopped, hovering just in front of Atticus.
As Atticus observed the device with intrigue, it suddenly opened, revealing a letter.
It floated toward Atticus, and as he grabbed it, the hatch closed, and the device shot toward the horizon.
Atticus observed the letter for a few moments before opening it and reading its contents.
In less than a second, he sighed.
'It's going to be more annoying than I thought.'
In the letter, Atticus had just received some details about their challenge.
'A simulated battle, huh.'
The first three to four months had been for basic training, ensuring their fundamentals were solid. Now, it was time for the actual training, the training that would enable them to survive on the battlefield.
'Sounds like they just want to challenge me.'
Because of Atticus's overwhelming strength, the military had essentially customized his challenges in an attempt to push him.
'Let's just get this over with.'
While the military saw this as a challenge, to Atticus, it didn't feel like one.
His strength compared to those under him was incomparable. Atticus could single-handedly wipe out the entire army if he wished, which meant he could do the same to any opponent they deemed the army capable of facing.
Unless they used paragon-ranked opponents, it wouldn't be a challenge for him. And if they did, the entire notion of the army would become obsolete.
Because of this, in the upcoming challenge, the military had decided to focus on his leadership skills.
Atticus left the middle of the island, moving swiftly toward the camp. His visit was so brief it was barely a blip in time, so fast that no one noticed except for Kael, because of their connection.
A moment later, Atticus was soaring through the sky, Aurora in tow.
The instant they appeared in the air, Aurora erupted.
"Atticus! I've told you to stop doing this bullshit! Do you have shit for ears?!"
Atticus exhaled, shaking his head. "It's nice to see you too, Aurora."
Aurora crossed her arms, huffing. "Hmph! Of course, it's nice to see me. Who do you think you're talking to?"
Atticus barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Stop whining."
Before she could retort, he tossed the letter at her.
"Our first challenge is here."
Aurora caught it swiftly, her eyes narrowing as she skimmed through the contents.
And then, her entire demeanor shifted.
Excitement sparked in her gaze, and she grinned widely.
"You mean—?"
Atticus nodded. "My role will be limited."
Aurora exploded in joy.
"YES! YES! YES!"
Atticus's mouth twitched. "At least pretend not to like it."
But Aurora did no such thing.
She was practically jumping in the air, fists raised, eyes gleaming with unfiltered joy.
Atticus sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. That's enough."
Still grinning, Aurora spun midair. "I'll get them ready!"
Before she could say anything else, Atticus flicked his fingers, sending her hurtling back toward camp.
Aurora barely managed to land on her feet, shouting as she tumbled into the recruits.
Atticus watched her disappear below, shaking his head with an amused smile.
Then, without another word, he vanished, reappearing back at the middle of the island.
In the letter, they had been given a few hours to prepare for their challenge.
'I wonder what it'll be.'
They had only specified the theme of the challenge and informed them of their limitations. Atticus still didn't know what the challenge would be about exactly.
'What do you think?'
"Tsk. A huge waste of time," Ozeroth scoffed.
Atticus barely reacted. He had expected as much.
After that night, Ozeroth had returned to his usual prideful and haughty self, acting as though he hadn't lost an argument to Atticus just days ago. It was almost impressive how quickly he could recover his arrogance.
Still, despite his theatrics, Ozeroth's next words were surprisingly serious.
"…But it could help you learn more about observational capabilities. Your intelligence is certainly incredible, but it doesn't change the fact that you've never been in charge on a battlefield before."
Atticus listened in silence.
"While you have the memories of that katana spirit, there's nothing better than experiencing it yourself."
That part, Atticus agreed with. No matter how much knowledge he had absorbed, real-world application was different. He had learned that lesson in the fourth trial.
He nodded, closing his eyes.
Atticus used the hours he had left to meditate, preparing himself for what was to come.
Then, without warning, the entire island was engulfed in blinding light.
Atticus was far too perceptive to be caught off guard. The moment he sensed the energy surrounding him, his figure flickered.
By the time the light fully enveloped the army, he was already standing beside Aurora.
The teleportation took only an instant.
And when Atticus opened his eyes—
Everything had changed.
A fortress.
A massive, looming fortress stood high atop a mountain, towering over the ruined world they had been transported to.
The sky was black and heavy with storm clouds. Thunder rumbled ominously overhead, flickering light revealing the crumbling remnants of war.
The recruit army, numbering in the millions, stood together, momentarily disoriented. They had been teleported into an enormous courtyard at the base of the fortress, surrounded by thick stone walls.
The fortress itself was massive and foreboding, its imposing gates shut tight.
The humans among them exhaled in relief when they saw their leaders, Aurora, Zoey, and Kael, standing at the forefront. Their gazes were sharp, their postures ready for battle.
The leaders of the other races mirrored them, scanning the environment.
Then, one by one, they all noticed—
Atticus wasn't with them.
A sense of unease crept in.
And then—
BOOM.
The entire mountain quaked.
A deep, guttural tremor that made the very air shudder.
The army stiffened, and restlessness spread like wildfire.
Aurora, Kael, Zoey, and the other race leaders moved instantly. Their figures blurred as they shot upwards, landing atop the fortress walls. Their gazes snapped toward the base of the mountain.
And what they saw made their eyes narrow into pinpricks.
Like ants swarming an anthill, an endless horde of enemies ascended the mountain.
Their numbers stretched beyond what the eye could see.
Humanoid figures, armored head to toe in gleaming, high-tech suits, advanced with terrifying speed. Each of them radiated an unnatural, almost soothing aura, a sharp contrast to the overwhelming bloodlust that poured from them.
And they weren't just coming from the ground.
Their gazes shot upwards. Above, thousands of them soared through the skies, converging like an unstoppable storm.
A siege.
Aurora's expression turned violent. Her aura surged outward, crackling with barely contained intensity.
Her mouth opened, ready to issue commands, but then—
A calm voice suddenly sounded. One that froze the entire army in place.
"Listen to my orders carefully."