Chapter 1238: Child God

"What about you? I’ve always wondered what your goal is."

"To fight," Aric answered instantly. "I took the position to guard the human academy decades ago because I assumed I would face numerous enemies. But none attacked during my stay there."

Atticus felt a hint of sadness in his tone and shook his head. Kael was truly his carbon copy.

As Atticus was about to ask another question, a feeling prickled at his senses.

’Movement.’

Aric seemed to sense the change too. His swords trembled in their sheaths, eyes blazing with battle intent. Finally, a battle was underway.

"There’re two of them, a distance away from each other. I’ll handle the one in the northwest. Take the northeast, 950 meters away from you," Atticus spoke quickly.

And as Aric received his target, his figure detonated in a wave of crimson. He blurred, tearing through the forest like a beast.

Atticus didn’t waste time either. He turned into a streak of light, blitzing through the trees at insane speed.

In less than a second, he crossed the distance. His eyes locked on his target, a man clad in tight fitting blue military attire with the insignia of a man in a battle pose.

’One of the general’s subordinates.’

Atticus had marked every face in the hall in his mind. And this particular general god had thrown him hateful looks. He couldn’t forget him, or his subordinates

’The other must be the same,’ Atticus concluded, hand already reaching for his katana.

The military man noticed him then. His face hardened, and his body surged with mana. He turned his palm up, only to see a trail of crimson where Atticus once stood.

The man’s eyes narrowed. He glanced down, only for his gaze to tremble.

Atticus’s blade was carving through his neck.

He couldn’t even react. His head was severed cleanly, crimson blood spraying into the air.

’It’s fake.’

Atticus swept his katana to the side, clearing the blood. His eyes were cold as he watched the severed body fall toward the forest floor. But before it could land, it burst into bluish smoke and dispersed.

’A clone.’

A streak of crimson burst through the trees and landed near him.

"Fake?" Atticus asked, glancing at Aric.

"Fake," Aric nodded. "It’s one of the subordinates of that man who directed killing intent at you earlier. Didn’t survive a clash." He sounded disappointed.

’As I suspected.’ They were both from the same group.

Atticus turned toward the distant beacon. "I can still feel them. Looks like they’re retreating toward their beacon."

They both blurred, shooting into the forest. But even as they moved, Atticus’s mind didn’t stop.

’Why are they retreating?’ he wondered.

The obvious answer was they wanted to regroup, to face them together. But that didn’t sit right with him.

’The best option would be to run.’ Why lead them back to their beacon? If they were the attacking force, their goal should be to destroy beacons, not waste time on other offensive units.

’They’re planning something. Ambush?’ He ran through the possibilities, but it still didn’t fit. Ambushes didn’t make sense for advance squads.

’Or...’

Atticus’s mind spun. He thought back to how he’d first sensed the two.

’Their placement was off.’ The beacon they were headed to was in the west, but he had sensed them coming from the northwest and northeast.

’They’re leading us toward another beacon.’

Everything suddenly clicked.

Still, Atticus didn’t stop their pace. He didn’t want to alert the enemy. Instead, he reached inward.

In the next moment, the air beside him distorted, and another Atticus appeared, almost identical in appearance.

He had used his Dimensari abilities to summon one of his clones. But the difference was obvious. This version was weaker, he hadn’t awakened a concept yet, nor fused his elements. There were other missing traits, but Atticus wasn’t focused on that now.

He turned toward Aric, who was already eyeing him, reading the change.

"Do the same thing," Atticus said.

Aric nodded without hesitation and acted. In the next moment, another version of him appeared, also weaker than the original.

"We’ll let them keep chasing." Atticus looked ahead. "We’re heading to the other beacon."

Aric gave a simple nod. Both of them suddenly stopped, allowing their clones to continue the pursuit.

Atticus turned toward the northern beacon, the one he now believed the enemy came from. He met Aric’s eyes and gave a nod.

Together, they shot forward through the forest, their speed kicking up waves through the fog drenched forest.

As the original Atticus and Aric left, the military figures they had been chasing before were in the midst of a telepathic conversation.

They too moved rapidly through the forest, just barely evading the child god and man beast that followed close behind.

As their eyes landed on the beacon’s light drawing closer in the distance, a glint flickered in both their eyes.

’The plan seems to be going well,’ the man among them said telepathically.

He was ugly by most standards. A stern face that always looked like it had been carved into a permanent scowl. He had the air of a military man through and through.

’What were you expecting? He’s just a child,’ the woman replied with a scoff.

’It’ll do you no good to underestimate gods, Neresa.’

’It’s not underestimation if it’s true, Korosim,’ she fired back, her tone was filled with disdain. ’He probably found their world’s core in a ditch somewhere and luckily became a god.’

Korosim frowned. ’Don’t forget what the High Marshal told us,’ he warned.

Neresa fell silent, the memory of the High Marshal’s words drifting to the forefront of her mind.

’He awakened a concept already. The High Marshal is still on the cusp of breaking through, but we both know he’s not there yet.’

Neresa still looked unconvinced. ’Maybe he’s—’

’Don’t utter such words,’ Korosim cut in sharply. ’The High Marshal can never be mistaken.’

Neresa went quiet. After a moment, she shook her head.

’In any case, he’s obviously not smart. They’ve been chasing us since and haven’t even suspected a thing. If he remains this stupid, we might actually be able to kill a god. Even if it’s one as incompetent as this child.’

Korosim didn’t respond. He remained silent.