Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground

Chapter 1125  Crack

Atticus, who had just barely risen from the crater, widened his eyes. His katana flashed forward as he met Elderish's attack.

The impact was devastating, but a pained expression spread across Atticus' face as an overwhelming force surged through his body.

In the next instant, he was sent flying back, slamming into the crater wall.

The pain had barely settled before the sound of splitting air reached his ears. He barely raised his katana in time before it hit again.

The blow crashed into him, tearing him through the crater walls before he exploded out the other side.

Atticus felt the arm holding his katana break. He swallowed the pain, switching hands and gripping it with the other.

Elderish appeared again in the air, attacking.

The impact was brutal. Atticus was sent crashing into an Aegis Shield, spewing a mouthful of blood.

His eyes turned bloodshot. Pain surged violently through his body.

Then, they widened.

He felt it. A surge of danger racing through every nerve. He hurled his body to the side as Elderish's fist slammed into where he had just been.

BOOM!

The shockwave from the impact sent him flying. Midair, Atticus twisted to steady himself, only for Elderish's punch to appear inches from his stomach.

His eyes widened. But it was too late.

It hit.

A violent wave of pain surged through his body as the impact caved his midsection inward, sending him spiraling into the sky.

But Elderish didn't stop.

He vanished, then reappeared, raining attacks on him from every angle.

Each blow hit with bone-shattering force. Each strike broke something new.

Atticus tried to block, to deflect, but each attack left a trail of blood. His body was struggling to heal, and the injuries were stacking.

His movements slowed.

Then, with one final punch, he was sent crashing to the ground, completely battered, a pool of blood forming beneath him.

Elderish descended slowly, his cold eyes never leaving the broken figure of Atticus.

Seeing Atticus struggle even to move, Elderish said calmly,

"Don't worry, child. I will point you toward the right direction."

But just then, a flash of green and blue collided above their heads, sending an intense wave pressing down on them.

Elderish's gaze snapped upward.

The Gardener and Whisker's battle had reached them.

Elderish's Will suddenly spread out and enveloped the entire area, shielding even Atticus in the moment. But just as quickly as they'd come, they vanished, continuing their battle elsewhere.

Elderish turned his gaze downward again and saw Atticus struggling, trying to rise.

He frowned.

"You still won't stay down?"

His eyes burned cold.

But Atticus didn't respond. His fingers clawed at the ground, shakily pushing himself up to stand.

'Ozeroth isn't coming.'

Through his bond with Ozeroth, Atticus could instinctively feel the situation Ozeroth was currently experiencing.

If he left now, while Whisker and the Gardener were still rampaging across Eldoralth, only death would await his loved ones.

Just as Atticus could feel what was happening there, Ozeroth could also feel everything happening with him.

He could feel his pain. His desperation.

Atticus was on the brink. And Ozeroth knew this well.

Ozeroth wanted to come to him. He had made his intent clear. However… there was no way Atticus could allow that.

He didn't know how, but somehow, he would handle this.

Through their shared bond, they could both feel the other's emotions.

Atticus was desperate, drained, and reaching the edge of resignation. But Ozeroth was pained, hesitant, and angry.

Still, Ozeroth stayed where he was, protecting the people, just as Atticus finally stood.

His legs were shaky, and his entire body felt so heavy it was like lifting a truck.

He felt utterly drained. His mana and spiritual energy reserves were low, and his body struggled to keep up with the damage Elderish had inflicted.

But Atticus' eyes still radiated nothing but coldness as he stared at Elderish.

He wasn't going to let the man leave this spot, no matter how many beatings he had to take.

"You're too stubborn for the wrong reasons," Elderish muttered.

And then, the energy around him erupted, slamming down toward Atticus like a collapsing sky.

Atticus felt an overwhelming weight crush him before his body was slammed into the ground with force.

'Shit!'

He tried to stand, but no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't.

All he could do was raise his head, barely, to meet Elderish's cold stare.

"Stop resisting and just stay down," Elderish said calmly.

"I won't be able to hold back killing you for long."

His gaze turned toward the distant clash of green and blue that raged like gods in the heavens. His expression darkened.

'He's too focused on his battle to notice anything,' Elderish thought.

'After I kill his family and he kills me, he'll be able to escape while they fight. All is good… as long as the cores are with him.'

Even now, Elderish wasn't certain if Atticus could defeat the Gardener. Not even with the cores he had. The only way…

'Is if he becomes the God of Eldoralth.'

But to do that… he would need all the cores.

Elderish's gaze sharpened as he intensified the aura pressing down on Atticus.

He was going to grind him down, crush his bones, make sure he couldn't move, couldn't interfere when he went for his family.

"You will thank me for this later."

Atticus clenched his teeth so hard blood filled his mouth.

He strained his entire being, mustering every ounce of power to fight back against the crushing aura.

But he was losing. Clearly, painfully losing.

'Shit. Shit. Shit.'

The words thundered in his skull.

He didn't care about the pain. But if Elderish ground him down now, even his healing wouldn't be able to keep up. He wouldn't be able to move. Wouldn't be able to stop him.

'Think!'

Atticus roared in his mind.

He felt nothing but desperation. His emotions were raw, unfiltered. He pleaded, begged, for something to happen.

Anything.

A new power. A hidden comprehension. A miracle.

He searched deep within himself.

But nothing came.

Nothing answered.

'No…'

Hopelessness surged.

The aura pressing down on him intensified, driving him deeper into the ground.

He could feel the dirt splitting beneath his body, the weight threatening to crush him.

But just as Atticus was about to give up, he felt something.

It was faint. But it was there.

An emotion. But it wasn't his.

It was like a whisper. A presence. Something… someone telling him one thing:

"I'm here."

A small explosion of energy burst from Atticus' chest, jerking his body slightly upward.

Elderish's eyes narrowed, his aura suddenly halted.

'What was that?'

As Atticus pushed himself weakly to the side, his eyes caught sight of it…

A pure black spherical object hovering silently above the ground.

His gaze trembled.

'The egg!'

And just then, a crack spread across its surface.