The aftermath was pure chaos.
The once-majestic green mountain range that had stretched for miles had exploded.
Its destruction had been instant.
And with it, thousands of figures plummeted.
The division leaders, who had once been steadily ascending, were now falling like ants, their forms spiraling through the air as the very ground beneath them collapsed.
Their screams and cries pierced the air, echoing from all directions.
Mountainous debris rained down, colossal boulders and fractured cliffs cascading in a relentless landslide.
However—
The strongest among them reacted instantly, twisting mid-air, stabilizing their falls, landing on whatever debris they could before leaping to safety.
Some lucky ones whose bloodlines allowed them to fly stopped their descent.
But the weaker ones didn't stand a chance.
Before the mountain's remains could bury them alive, a soft light enveloped them, transporting them away.
Yet, the battlefield didn't stop trembling.
Dust covered everything.
Kael, Zoey, and the other Apexes had been able to halt their descent.
Their gazes shot upwards, toward the only location the churning dust somehow didn't reach.
And there—
Their eyes landed on the cause of it all.
Atticus.
Many emotions flickered through their eyes.
However, the most overwhelming?
Complete and utter disbelief.
The Apexes had already been aware of his power.
The matter with the Vampyros, defeating and killing a Grand Elder, was known across the races.
But for the humans in the academy, it was different.
They knew of his strength from the Apex competition. But they hadn't heard about his scuffle with the Vampyros.
They hadn't heard about his battle with Blackgate.
But now there was one undeniable fact.
A Grandmaster could not destroy this mountain with just a stomp.
Yet, Atticus had done just that.
A Paragon.
Zoey's eyes widened.
Kael's smile only grew, his excitement palpable.
Watching from the coliseum, Nate's mouth hung open so wide a truck could fit inside.
"What the hell does he eat? Do we even breathe the same air? He must be doing something different…"
He muttered random words, trying to rationalize how he was still in the Expert rank while his age-mate was a Paragon.
Lucas, however, remained silent. His gaze narrowed.
Atticus chuckled, glancing down at Aurora.
"You look comfortable."
He still held her in a princess carry, his grip firm yet relaxed.
She looked… happy.
Her eyes were gently closed, her breathing even, the tension that had consumed her moments ago completely gone.
There was even a faint trace of a smile on her lips.
At his words, Aurora's eyes snapped open. The heat that instantly spread across her face was undeniable.
She cleared her throat aggressively, shifting slightly, her arms crossing over her chest as if to reclaim some form of dignity.
"I—I'm not!" she retorted. "This is uncomfortable! Extremely uncomfortable! Don't get the wrong idea!"
Atticus smirked. And then he suddenly let go.
Aurora's entire body lurched downward. The sudden free fall made her eyes go wide in absolute panic.
"ATTICUS, YOU—!!"
With the mana in the air still negated, she couldn't use her elements.
But before she could even finish her scream, an invisible force caught her midair.
Spiritual energy.
She hovered, her body now gently suspended in the sky. But the sheer audacity of what had just happened had already set her off.
Her fists clenched, her fiery red eyes blazing with rage.
"YOU ABSOLUTE—!"
She flailed.
She ranted.
She shouted every possible insult she could think of.
Atticus?
He just laughed.
And everyone below simply watched it all unfold.
This boy… This monster who had just obliterated an entire mountain range with a single stomp…
Was now hovering in the sky, laughing, teasing, as if he hadn't been the cause.
It was surreal.
It was unnatural.
It was Atticus Ravenstein.
Suddenly, Atticus felt it. A familiar gaze. Not just any gaze.
There were many watching him, the eyes of division leaders, of Apexes.
But this one…
This one, he couldn't ignore.
His mismatched eyes turned and the world disappeared.
There she was. Her amethyst eyes locked onto his.
Two years.
It had been two years since her rejection. She had changed. Undeniably.
But she had also become even more beautiful.
She stood like a goddess draped in purple, her every feature sculpted into perfection.
Yet despite that regal presence, despite the sheer elegance she exuded—
Atticus saw through it all.
Because in her eyes, he could see countless emotions flickering through them.
Shock. Disbelief. Regret. Sadness. Longing.
And…
Jealousy.
'Don't you fucking dare.'
Atticus frowned. Ozeroth could read his thoughts and knew what he was about to do. Which was why he quickly spoke up.
'But—'
'But nothing. She rejected you two years ago. If she doesn't come to you, you must not go to her.'
Ozeroth's tone didn't hold its usual prideful edge.
It was serious. Like a parent admonishing a child.
"We might be virgins, but we must at least maintain our self-respect."
Atticus didn't respond for a moment. Aurora could sense the mood change.
She stopped her ranting, her fiery gaze settling on him, wondering what was wrong.
With a sigh, Atticus diverted his gaze.
And turned to the other familiar presence watching him intently.
Kael.
The boy's battle intent had spiked, his expression one of utter excitement. There was no doubt about it, he was completely happy to see Atticus.
Atticus's frown morphed into a smile.
"Hey, man."
At his words, a soft light suddenly enveloped everyone present.
Even Atticus and Aurora.
"We will meet soon."
Atticus heard Kael's words and smiled.
As he nodded, the light intensified, before transporting every single recruit away from the decimated mountain.
Throughout the entire scene, the Apexes had been focused on Atticus. Yet, he hadn't even paid them a single glance.
It was not a behavior taken lightly.
But Atticus wasn't someone who cared about the feelings of randoms.
The crowd was still screaming at the top of their lungs, chanting Atticus's name, even as everything was settled.
Soon enough, they had to stop as the sergeants arrived, before leading them away to different islands.
..
On a massive island filled with greenery and wildlife, a blinding light ignited, and Atticus appeared in the middle of the forest.
His eyes calmly scanned his surroundings.
The first thing he noticed was…
'The mana is back.'
He could feel the mana in the air.
His strength had returned to its original peak.
A pulse suddenly radiated from him, spreading across the entire island. In an instant, he scanned everything.
'An island… and I'm the only one? No…'
The island had a forest, mountains, rivers, canyons, and many other natural features.
But—
He was the only person here. Aside from a bunch of beasts.
Then, he felt it.
'The drill sergeant.'
Not far from his location, Viktor had just appeared. Atticus blipped, materializing in a small clearing just behind Drill Sergeant Viktor.
"Hey."
Viktor turned sharply at the sudden call, his mana churning as he instinctively got into a stance.
But as he saw who it was, he calmed down slightly.
"Never sneak up on me like that again."
"I didn't sneak up on you," Atticus replied, his tone flat.
He could hear it, the man's heart beating fast.
'Odd.'
A veteran who had experienced war shouldn't be this easily startled.
Viktor's gaze narrowed slightly, but he let it go.
"What now?" Atticus asked.
Viktor's expression turned serious.
"Now we train."