Chapter 1341: Serpent

"Do both teams understand the rules?"

As Atticus and Nerrot nodded, the furry creature extended its clawed hands and produced a coin.

"We’ll decide the first turn by flipping this coin. The challenge calls."

"Heads," Atticus said.

"Baron Nerrot, tails," the furry creature declared and nodded, suddenly flipping the coin. It was weightless in space, but its will forcefully brought it down to the back of its clawed arm.

"Tails. Baron Nerrot goes first."

Nerrot didn’t bother to hide his smile. Though his direct opponent was the other team’s attacker, Ozeroth, his eyes were focused squarely on Atticus.

It was an action that grated on Ozeroth’s pride, but he held back his anger. He had chosen this position for a reason, he wanted to see Nerrot’s smile after this game.

"Remember, defenders, you have until the attacker’s attack reaches the middle line to defend. Anything past that, and you lose the turn. Also, the attacks fired by the attackers can’t harm their opponents, so you don’t have to worry," the furry creature explained, floating up to hover above the group.

Both teams nodded. The rules were simple and straightforward enough, and Atticus couldn’t help but appreciate that.

He had initially wanted to deny Nerrot’s suggestion for a game, but when he heard the rules, it felt like he would be committing some sort of crime should he refuse. It was a game tailored specifically for him and Ozeroth.

Atticus’ eyes were on Nerrot, though not for the same reasons as the latter. As the defender, he had to observe the opposing attacker. He could practically feel the baron’s excitement from here.

"Begin."

Not even a second was wasted. Nerrot raised his arm, two words rolling from his mouth.

"Serpent Fang."

His will flared, before converging in front of him at rapid speed.

In the next moment, a massive serpent shaped flame construct made of segmented, rotating flame scales burst to life.

The smile on Nerrot’s face widened.

’That’s one strike for me.’

He hadn’t even fired the attack yet, but he had already determined his win. He needed three strikes to win, and to him, this was one.

’There’s no way he could copy this.’

There was a reason Nerrot had suggested this game. Born among numerous kins who strived to gain their father’s approval, Nerrot had determined from an early age that he needed to find what he was good at and refine it.

And he had done just that. His intellect, his ingenuity, Nerrot had discovered that he had more of these qualities than his siblings. So, he refined them.

Of all his siblings, Nerrot could confidently claim that none of them could best him when it came to creating or copying willarts. Which was why he had made this game rather than fighting directly.

His siblings knew better than to challenge him in this sort of game, but it was clear this newly ascended god was still uninformed, or just stupid.

This game, God’s Chess as he had named it, was a test of ingenuity. Each team had to fire an attack, and the only way to defend was if they copied the willart perfectly.

The meaning was simple, anything goes. He could layer countless effects into his willart, and it was up to the opposing defender to figure them out.

For example, this Serpent Fang was more than it seemed. He had modified it specifically for this game.

The outer parts looked scorching, but its insides were ice cold. But that wasn’t the only trick. On contact, each scale was set to burst into an expanding ring of heat. These weren’t things one could tell at a glance.

’Without the Embergaze, it’s hopeless.’

The Embergaze was a secret art taught only to their line, an art that enabled one to observe the world with a different outlook.

He had found a way to teach it to his most trusted subordinate. With it, Nerrot was sure they would be able to observe and replicate whatever Atticus’ pitiful subordinate could muster.

Now, all he had to do was win.

Nerrot dropped his arm, and the serpent shot forward with blinding speed. But the excitement surging through his body froze the moment he saw an identical serpent form in front of Atticus.

Nerrot scoffed.

’It’s not even a quarter way yet.’

He had barely formed and sent out the attack. Even with the Embergaze, it wasn’t possible to copy it so fast.

But his expression shifted when the serpent surged towards his.

Still, he regained his composure.

’Fool.’ Nerrot shook his head. Atticus had clearly just copied the outer layer and hadn’t paid attention to the other details.

He wouldn’t be able to perfectly defend if the willarts weren’t similar both inside and out.

’It’s over.’ Nerrot held back his smile.

Space was utterly quiet. Everyone watched the scene calmly, from the Viscount to the Count to the Marquis. Even the Great Verge watched with an amused grin.

The serpents crossed their second quarter. Contact was imminent. Soon enough, they would find out the result.

Nerrot finally glanced at Ozeroth and raised a brow at the man’s nonchalant expression. His eyes weren’t even focused on the incoming attack.

’What is this?’

The attack couldn’t harm him, but it wasn’t like he wouldn’t feel anything. Yet it was as if he was certain it wouldn’t reach him.

Somehow, the sight made Nerrot uneasy.

He held back the feeling and glanced towards Atticus next. This was even worse. Atticus wasn’t focused on the attack he’d just thrown, or even on Nerrot.

Instead, while everyone held their breath, Atticus was glaring at his other subordinate, Whisker, who seemed to be teasing Ozeroth.

’They’re not taking this seriously.’

Nerrot clenched his fist. But no matter how much he tried to ignore it, he couldn’t get rid of the unease.

’I’ll use it just in case. Embergaze.’

Nerrot’s eyes flashed red, and as he observed Atticus’ serpent, his heart froze.

’He copied it...?’

They reached the middle and collided. Most had been expecting Nerrot’s attack to cut through and surge towards Ozeroth, but the opposite happened.

As the serpents met, they burst into a cascade of roaring flames.