"I concur," Oberon agreed before his hands blurred in the air, engraving words that formed into a golden orb that floated toward Atticus.
Atticus's gaze met Oberon's, and the latter nodded reassuringly.
"It's a way to pass information."
Despite Oberon's words, Atticus still scrutinized the orb. Finding nothing wrong with it, he touched it and absorbed its information.
Atticus processed the knowledge in less than a second, his expression remaining unreadable.
His gaze flicked toward Oberon, who was already watching him.
"It could work," Atticus finally spoke.
Oberon nodded. "Naturally."
"There's no direct counter to their technique. No detection method that works universally. No immediate way to strip them of their disguise."
"Which is why we don't try to detect them," Oberon interjected. "Instead, we establish something that cannot be faked."
Atticus nodded slightly, comprehending the information. "A foundational identity. One that binds a person to their true mana signature, forcing them to prove their allegiance before receiving it."
Oberon's fingers blurred, golden symbols briefly forming and vanishing in the air.
"I call it The True Mark. A seal directly tethered to its owner's natural mana signature. It is unchangeable, unreplicable. If they try to mimic it, they fail. If they tamper with it, it disintegrates. If the person dies, it fades."
Atticus nodded. 'He truly is the smartest in the human domain.'
In mere seconds, Oberon had not only identified the problem but also devised a comprehensive solution, one that even included its implementation.
Oberon continued.
"We begin at the top. The leaders first, paragons, generals, and high-ranking officials. Each will sign a mana contract, proving their authenticity. Only after passing this will they receive the True Mark."
"And from there, they do the same with their subordinates, spreading the mark through layers of verification, all the way down the chain of command until the entire human domain is covered."
Atticus considered the plan in silence before finally speaking. "Anyone without a True Mark will be exposed immediately. It won't matter how well they've disguised themselves; their very absence from the system will be proof enough."
"Exactly."
A low hum of murmuring filled the hall as some of the other paragons tried to keep up with their cryptic exchange. Finally, a voice cut through.
"Alright, alright," Luminous groaned. "How about you two start speaking in ways that the rest of us lesser minds can comprehend?"
Oberon barely spared him a glance. "If you didn't understand, you should listen harder."
Luminous narrowed his eyes. "Or you could explain it properly instead of trying to impress each other."
Oberon chuckled. "It's simple. We create a mark that only true humans can receive. No fakes, no alterations. If you don't have one, you're an enemy. If an imposter tries to mimic it, the mark doesn't respond, and anyone without a mark will be immediately exposed whenever they step near someone who has one."
Luminous rolled his eyes but nodded. "See? Was that so hard?"
Oberon didn't respond, instead turning toward Garvin Emberforge, who had been sitting silently.
"The difficulty is in making sure it works."
He created another orb of golden light and sent it toward Garvin, who quickly absorbed it.
After a second, Garvin nodded. "It's possible."
The paragons each let out a subtle sigh of relief. However, the heaviness in the room didn't settle, it only seemed to intensify.
"I believe it's time to address the elephant in the room."
They all turned toward Zephyrion, who had just spoken. His eyes observed Atticus with curiosity.
"You used the power of the Auralithians in the last battle, an extinct race. How is that possible?"
The tension in the room grew.
This had been a major issue on the minds of the human paragons. But for most, they didn't know how to approach it. During the last meeting with Atticus, it had been clear that the child cared little about respecting elders.
And that had been when he was weaker than them. Now, he was at their level. With him, they had to tread carefully.
The silence stretched before Atticus finally broke it.
"I gained this power at the border." His gaze was impassive, but there was a subtle coldness in his tone.
"I joined one of the scouts, fought, and killed Vampyros grandmasters that ambushed me."
A small ripple of shock appeared across the paragons' expressions. To think the Vampyros had specifically targeted Atticus… It confirmed that they had started this war.
"While I was roaming, I found a circular stone. It took me somewhere else that I couldn't recognize."
The room remained deathly silent.
"There, I met a man who gave me a core. When I absorbed it, I gained this power."
His explanation was blunt, deliberately vague.
Thorne's brow furrowed. "Who was this man?"
"I don't know him."
"He didn't say anything?" Thorne pressed.
Atticus's expression didn't change. "No."
Silence.
The answer was unsettling. A man appearing from nowhere, offering something of immense power, then vanishing without a trace? It felt wrong. They all knew it.
But it was obvious that Atticus had no interest in indulging their unease.
He had given them all they needed to know, nothing more.
This was one of the perks of power.
The paragons sent glances to Magnus, hoping he might be able to change Atticus' mind. However, Magnus's face held only one expression as he looked at Atticus: pride.
A smile was on his hard face. Before, Atticus had relied on him to address them. But now? He was doing it all on his own.
Seeing that the matter was more or less concluded, Oberon shifted the topic.
"Now, let's discuss how we proceed."
A solemn expression appeared on each of the paragons' faces. The Vampyros were feared for a reason, and they were not the type to let today's events slide.
"It was very odd that their queen retreated," Thorne said. "But more importantly, I believe there is a more pressing matter at hand."
Thorne turned toward Atticus, his expression sharp.
"The other races had dismissed the rumors as fake news before, but now, word will spread."
"Our apex is a paragon…" Octavius finished grimly.
"Yes," Thorne nodded. "And you know what that entails."
Oberon's gaze sharpened.
"He has to sign a mana contract binding him to the alliance."
Atticus's expression turned cold.