A week passed.
Despite the time that had gone by, the human domain was still filled with excitement and enthusiasm.
Humans were naturally inclined to laziness; and if anyone of them had the choice, most people would prefer to laze around rather than work.
And yet, those who once felt tired and sluggish now found themselves surprisingly energetic. People greeted one another with smiles as they went about their day.
Even a week after their apex defeated multiple superior race apexes and claimed victory in the Verietega Nexus, they all felt united, and this feeling continued to resonate throughout the domain.
In the Ravenstein estate, many family members eventually had to return to their posts, especially those holding important positions.
The entire Ravenstein family felt more unified than ever, and their pride in being born a Ravenstein was at an all time high.
Walking through the streets of the human domain, they held their heads high, and were treated like royalty by the people who greeted them warmly. It was a great time to be a Ravenstein.
After the birthday ball, the people returned to their daily lives with a renewed sense of purpose. The same could be said for the apex of humanity.
Atticus had spent most of his time in the advanced training room, engaging in intense training sessions with Magnus. The only time he had to stop was when Magnus instructed him to take breaks, insisting he needed rest after such continuous training.
And now that a week had passed, Yesmin Aquilora, a young woman in her early twenties, stood in front of a full length mirror, inspecting her reflection with a sharp gaze.
The Aquilora family was a matriarchal family and one of the tier two families in the human domain. They were renowned for producing numerous females who were geniuses in the battlefield.
Their usual attire consisted of fitted, sleeveless tunics paired with armored skirts or leggings and sturdy knee high boots, mostly designed for agility and protection. They were always dressed and ready for battle. However, for the past week, Yesmin Aquilora had defied their norms.
She wore a flowing, elegant gown that hugged her form, accentuating her curves.
Yesmin meticulously checked every detail, ensuring everything was perfect. With a silent prayer, 'I hope I meet him,' she left her room.
"My lady," her guard greeted her as she exited the doors. She was dressed in the typical Aquilora attire. Yesmin returned the greeting and started moving through the hall.
Despite the unusualness of her lady's attire, the guard had grown accustomed to it. Yesmin was one of many daughters of the current matriarch of the Aquilora family, and like several others, she had been sent to the Ravenstein estate to try to win the heart of the most eligible bachelor in the human domain, Atticus.
As they made their way outside, Yesmin's eyes landed on a group of beautifully dressed women roaming around the area. Many wore heavy makeup, and all seemed to be heading in the same direction.
Yesmin joined the crowd, and soon enough, they reached a gated section within the Ravenstein estate, where they were all stopped by guards.
Despite their high standing, none of them seemed surprised or complained about being stopped. It was the Ravenstein estate, after all, and the last thing anyone wanted to do was make a fuss.
Yesmin swept her gaze around. There were easily close to a hundred ladies present. Most fanned themselves rapidly, trying to keep their heavy makeup from melting under the hot sun overhead.
'Another day of waiting…' she thought with a small sigh.
Yesmin had been the first to approach Atticus during the ball. She had been sent by her mother to win his heart, but had instead found her own heart stolen by him, as had many other ladies who had interacted with him that night. None of them could explain it, but they had been thoroughly charmed.
If only they knew just how off the charts Atticus's charm stat was.
After that evening, different tiered families, especially those from Sector 3, had stayed at the Ravenstein estate under various pretexts, hoping to capture Atticus's attention.
Many had been unable to form any connection with him during the ball due to the crowd, so they stayed, waiting for another chance.
What none of them anticipated, however, was that Atticus was, in fact, a training maniac. Despite a week passing, not a single one of them had even glimpsed his shadow.
Now, every day, a crowd gathered by the gates of the advanced training center, hoping he might come out.
Yesmin fixed her gaze on the different ladies. They were of different ages with some even going as high as in their thirties. But she was mostly focused on their elegant attires.
On her first day, she had worn her usual Aquilora battle attire, but after noticing how finely dressed the others were, she quickly instructed her guard to purchase the best dresses, adjusting to the crowd's implied competition.
And now, a gathering of elegantly dressed ladies waited quietly outside the gates of the advanced training room, all hoping praying that Atticus would come out.
…
Atticus, however, was completely oblivious to the drama occurring just outside the gate. He had spent the entire week training with Magnus and had made significant progress with his new art:
Echo Strike
Description: A powerful art that creates ripples in the air with every swing, enabling multiple strikes from a single motion.
Capabilities:
-Multiplied Force: Each strike releases an "echo" that trails the original hit, allowing for rapid, multi-hit attacks.
-Force Amplification: Each echo carries a percentage of the original strike's power, amplifying the overall damage on a single target or spreading the impact across multiple foes.
-Resonant Wave: After a sequence of strikes, it can emit a powerful shockwave, destabilizing or disarming foes with concussive force.
…
As with any new art, Atticus had to start from the basics. And yet, thanks to his superior mana control and experience, he found the initial steps easier.
Similar to his second katana art, Atticus began by channeling his mana into his weapon, ensuring a steady and consistent flow. This didn't take anytime.
The next step focused on timing.