Chapter 1225: Shocked

Chapter 1225: Shocked

Atticus found himself inside a hall of shimmering blue. Tall, thick pillars rose from the ground to the high ceilings. There was no podium, nor was there some sort of platform. It was simply just a long, wide, and endless blue hall.

“Sheesh. Those Zorvan would love it here.”

He could hear Whisker’s irritated voice from behind him. The man seemed to hate the color blue after their brief venture into the Zorvan world.

But Atticus wasn’t paying him any attention.

‘Other people.’ That was the next thing he noticed. His eyes narrowed as he saw multiple people suddenly appearing inside the hall. They hadn’t come with him.

As they appeared, they also glanced around, eyes calm, intensity piercing.

‘Other gods,’ Atticus recognized.

Just like him, most of them had one or two warriors accompanying them. But that wasn’t what Atticus focused on. It was their auras. Their wills. Their presence.

Their appearance brought about a sort of heaviness to the air. The kind that made the atmosphere shudder. No one said anything, and they all simply observed each other silently.

Atticus was no different. As soon as he saw that people had stopped appearing, his eyes locked onto the ones in the hall.

‘Looks like I was right.’

Atticus counted a total of nine groups. And unless it was possible for a world to have multiple gods, he assumed that meant nine gods.

‘Quiet Flame said there are four segments in the lower planes…’

Atticus had drilled Quiet Flame for as much information as he could get about his opponents for the Virelenna.

But unfortunately, not even Quiet Flame, especially in his weakened state, could get exact information about them. The best he had been able to offer was the power systems each segment’s worlds had used in past Virelennas.

He was the only god from his segment, which meant the others were spread across the remaining three.

‘His explanations came in handy,’ Atticus thought.

With the power systems Quiet Flame had given him, Atticus could tell which segment each god came from. It wasn’t hard, most of them had distinct aspects that separated them.

His gaze landed on the first three groups. They were undoubtedly different but shared something constant: their militaristic demeanor. They wore army, battle, or combat uniforms, each with a hardened, stern presence.

‘The gods of Terrvenos,’ Atticus identified.

His gaze moved to the next set, another three groups. They each had a peaceful, soothing aura… but Atticus could feel something deadly beneath it.

‘The gods of Vaelthrys.’

Finally, his gaze shifted to the last set. Their aura was savage. The kind that could only belong to beings who saw themselves as apex predators.

‘The gods of Drazmael.’

That made three groups each. Nine gods. Nine opponents.

‘At least I might not have to worry about alliances.’

Atticus had no idea what the relationship between gods of the same segment was like, but from what he could see, it wasn’t good.

They stared at one another with even more contempt than they did the rest.

Inside the large blue hall, the gods of the lower plane observed one another in silence. Until a scoff broke it.

“A child as a god. I thought I’d seen it all.”

Atticus didn’t need to turn to know those words were directed at him.

He turned anyway and saw a man draped in military attire. A cleanly shaven white beard. Hardened expression. The man stared straight at him.

Standing behind him were soldiers dressed in the same military uniform, eyes focused, both standing straight.

One of them held up a flag with a humanoid figure in a battle pose. It was the same insignia etched on each of their uniforms, a flag of their world.

The other gods’ eyes glinted. Many seemed thrilled that someone was finally breaking the ice. A confrontation meant a chance to glean information. And in the Virelenna, the importance of information could not be overstated.

Unfortunately for them, Atticus understood that all too well. Personal insults had never moved him. He knew who he was, and just because an old, wrinkled man said otherwise didn’t mean he had to give him any importance.

The best course of action had always been to ignore. To show them how little their perspective mattered.

Just as quickly as he glanced at the military man, Atticus looked away, like the man’s existence was worthless.

He felt the man’s expression darken not even a moment later. That kind of disregard… it wasn’t taken well.

The man was about to speak when a chuckle rang out, followed by a relaxed voice.

“Damn. I didn’t think a god could be so ugly.”

Atticus sighed and turned toward Whisker, who now had a hand over his mouth in shock, still staring at the military man.

Whisker had always been a wildcard.

“What did you just say?” The man’s voice was glacial.

Whisker only waved him off, voice calm. “Don’t mind me. I was just so shocked by your ugliness.”

The air stilled. The man’s eyes sharpened. “I dare you to repeat that.”

Whisker’s grin widened, wildness radiating off him. “You’re so fucking damn ugly.”

The god took a step forward. Mana surged. But before he could do anything, he froze.

The temperature in the hall had suddenly turned searing.

The gazes of the other gods narrowed instantly. They shifted their focus from the military man to the child god, and their eyes narrowed even further.

A red glow had surrounded Atticus, his eyes locked onto the man. But that wasn’t what got their attention. It was the heat.

The burning. Just by being in the hall… it was like he was burning them.

Their narrowed eyes widened. He had awakened a concept!?

Atticus was far too tall for his age, and his aura massive. But still, there was no mistaking it, he was a child. An infant, compared to how old they were.

Becoming a god and having a massive will could be considered normal. But awakening a concept… that required reaching the Impose Stage. A feat most of the gods present hadn’t even achieved.

And this… infant… had?