Anastasia kept her side of the deal and told Atticus everything that had happened during the one month he had been asleep.
After he fainted, the entire Sector 3 entered a state of absolute defense, with every single entry into the sector strictly monitored. No one, aside from the Ravensteins, was allowed into the estate, regardless of their importance.
The Ravensteins were a tier one family, and considering Atticus's importance, none of the other tier ones had any intention of earning their ire by insisting on visiting— not that Magnus would have allowed it anyway.
Not long after, word spread across the entire human domain and even further. The human apex, Atticus Ravenstein, had battled a paragon and forced him to flee.
The entire world froze.
It was a revelation as absurd as it was maddening. A 17 year old battling a paragon? It had to be false news.
However, as time passed, people began to realize something. The news had come directly from the paragons of humanity.
The major news companies across the entire human domain had disseminated it. And if there was one definite fact that everyone knew, it was that these companies never spread fake news.
And so, they came to a realization— it wasn't false.
It was the truth.
That revelation blew their minds. If it could literally happen, their heads might have exploded. A paragon! A freaking paragon!
The shock that swept through the entire human domain was beyond words. It was all anyone could talk about.
Soon after, the inevitable happened. There wasn't a single race in Eldoralth without spies in the human domain. Sure, humans were considered weak and inferior, but that didn't mean they would be left unwatched.
The other races learned of the news, and "baffled" wasn't enough to describe what they felt.
The revelation seemed unbelievable. But regardless, they would have been foolish not to investigate.
Delegates from the superior races converged on the human domain under the guise of fostering relationships with their respective races.
After the incident with Whisker, both the mid and superior races started treating the human domain with caution. If this had been in the past, a visit to the human domain wouldn't even have required an excuse.
However, the human domain had no choice but to allow them in because of political obligations. The Ravensteins, however, had no such obligations.
The delegates entered the human domain, but no matter what they said or did, they weren't allowed into Sector 3.
Most of the delegates were representatives of the superior and mid races, used to getting their way with the lower races. However, this time was different. Instantly enraged, they even resorted to hurling threats. But no matter what they said, Magnus didn't budge.
Thick, dark, lightning laden clouds surrounded the entirety of Sector 3, each one flashing with bright white light. Magnus's stance was clear: the Ravensteins were ready to go to war with anyone and everyone who dared to cross.
As Anastasia got to this point, Atticus burst into laughter. It was exactly the kind of thing Magnus would do.
"What happened after that?" he asked.
"Nothing," Anastasia replied, shaking her head with a smile. "The delegates had no choice but to yield. They're in Sector 6, waiting for a chance to meet you."
Atticus laughed a bit more, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. It seemed he had been right to assume he had nothing to worry about with Magnus around.
After that, Anastasia added that he had received many well wishes from the people of the human domain, along with numerous gifts.
Atticus's ears perked up at the word "gifts." To him, there could never be too many.
"How are you feeling now, honey?" Anastasia asked with a concerned expression.
Atticus smiled. "I'm okay now, Mom. Better," he said, placing his hand over hers to reassure her.
After confirming that Atticus was getting better, Anastasia stood up, took the now empty food tray, and left, leaving Atticus alone with his thoughts.
The hours passed quickly, and before the end of the day, Atticus had another visitor.
A smile appeared on Atticus's lips as Avalon approached his bed.
"Hey bud. How are you feeling now?" Avalon asked, ruffling his hair before sitting down.
"Better," Atticus replied, raising his right arm and flexing it with a grin.
Avalon chuckled, but after a few seconds, his expression turned serious.
"You've grown even stronger, and I honestly didn't think it was possible."
Avalon knew Atticus had been somewhat stronger than him, especially after his power up when he fought the branch heads of the Obsidian Order. But now, it wasn't just "somewhat." Avalon could feel it— Atticus's strength was overwhelming.
His son could one shot him.
Still, he wasn't here to compare strengths. Atticus was his son, and his well being was what mattered most.
His gaze narrowed. "But you've also drawn a lot of attention, attention that comes with its own dangers."
Atticus could instantly sense the shift in the mood, and his expression turned serious as he listened.
"I want you to keep something in mind. Right now, people revere you and see you as a human miracle. But that's a double edged sword. People will either look up to you… or try to tear you down to prove you're not untouchable."
Atticus nodded.
"You're strong, but strength alone doesn't win wars. It's strategy, knowing when to act and when to hold back. Your grandpa Magnus might rain down lightning on anyone who crosses him, but you have the potential to lead, to change how humans are seen by the other races. But only if you're careful."
Atticus frowned slightly. "All I want to do is protect the people I care about," he said bluntly.
Avalon quickly picked up on his meaning. Atticus wasn't a hero, and he had no plans to be some savior of humanity. His goal, his only goal, was to protect those dear to him. Others be damned.