Chapter 1365: Motel

"He’s right, bond." Ozeroth smirked. "It’s embarrassing to worry so much about people that will end up beneath our feet. You’re my bond, never lower your head."

There was a silence as eyes focused on Kancilot, who flinched in shock.

"W-what?" The aged king stammered.

"We all said something. You’re part of the team, it’s only natural you speak." Whisker said as though stating the obvious.

Kancilot scowled. He glanced at Atticus and took another gulp. Though different emotions went through the monster’s eyes, it didn’t change the iciness of his stare. He felt his skin prickling just by having Atticus’s attention on him.

Kancilot cleared his throat, stroking his beard as though to think.

"On Kariot we have a saying; one shield shatters, a wall of shields endures. You have powerful and amazing people with you, your eminence. And also the greatest king in history as your bodyguard. There’s nothing we cannot endure together."

"Hmm, a bit cringe, but nicely said." Whisker gave him a thumbs up.

"Not bad." Ozeroth muttered with a frown, then added in a barely imperceptible voice, "I should’ve used an adage." He clicked his tongue.

"Thank you." Atticus let out a deep breath and smiled.

Whisker waved, Ozeroth grunted and Kancilot bowed.

"I’ll explain everything when I figure it out," Atticus said, moving to settle on the motel bed.

He was about to close his eyes to meditate when a weird feeling ignited through his body. His perception sharpened, the world around him stilling as if frozen.

’We’re under attack.’

His hand closed tight around his remaining will stones. He was about to reach for his will, when something inside him roared.

He couldn’t understand what it was, or where it came from. However, Atticus took it seriously.

The world was slow, yet Ozeroth, Whisker, and Kancilot had felt it too, their bodies already moving. Atticus’s sharp voice cut across the stillness.

’Don’t use your wills.’

Eyes turned towards Atticus, questioning.

But Atticus didn’t say anything. He only moved.

He hissed past the group, appearing by the door. The mana within him churned, and his arms blurred in front of him, drawing multiple runes mid air.

The words spread around the room before transforming into a radiant shield that engulfed the group.

The door exploded.

A massive golden beam tore through, screaming into the room. Its light devoured everything, turning the world into a blinding sun. Then, it hit the shield like a hammer against unbreakable glass.

A golden explosion ripped outward, blasting walls, ceiling, and floor into shrapnel. The motel was reduced to fragments in an instant.

However, the shield held. As suddenly as it came, the brilliance dispersed, fading into the choking haze that engulfed the area.

The purple hue of Atticus’s gaze shone through the haze. He saw everything. Where the attack had come from, who had attacked. And more importantly, the next attack.

Just up ahead, another beam of gold had just burst into the thick haze, screaming towards them.

’I can’t use my will stones.’

It had been an instinctive thought before, but now, Atticus could see the true reason he had that thought.

’It absorbs will.’ That beam... it wasn’t simply a beam of destruction. Somehow, it absorbed the wills of others and used it to fuel itself.

Atticus had felt it tugging at the will inside the will stone. Which meant, he couldn’t guard the attack with his will.

Atticus held the will stones in one hand and reached for his katana with the next. The sharp whistle of his katana being unsheathed rang out.

"Vorpal Nova."

Atticus’s movements blurred into countless afterimages that converged to form one strike. In the next moment, a streak of azure surged out from him, splitting the incoming beam into two halves before surging ahead.

Atticus’s gaze narrowed on the attacker standing in the distance.

’The Will Guard.’

It was a man clad in white gold of the Will Guard, with a faceless mask covering his face. He held a handgun with a wide nozzle, clearly what had shot the beam.

As the crescent slash reached him, he simply raised his arms and his will surged. A wave of gold erupted from him, clashing with the attack.

An explosion of smoke and light ignited, blasting the surrounding buildings to bits. But even before the haze settled, Atticus knew he was untouched.

’He’s strong.’

Atticus shoved down every hint of uncertainty in his thoughts and focused on handling this as fast as possible.

They were in the middle of the city, and the Will Guard basically owned the Willess World. The more time they spent here, the more enemies they had to fight.

Atticus leaned forward, mind moving faster than ever before. His katana was already in its sheath; and he was about to move when Ozeroth’s piercing cry reached him.

"I’ll handle him!"

Atticus was confused for a moment. Then he saw movement at the corner of his eyes. He turned, and just then a figure burst out from the haze, holding the same gun as the other.

’Another one!’ Atticus’s eyes widened. How had he missed him?

The figure’s gun was pointed straight at Atticus, and if he didn’t know it before, now he did.

’They’re after me.’

The second figure was about to fire when Ozeroth ripped past him like a gale. His mana made twin hammers hissed, one ascending toward the chin, the other crashing down on the head.

The figure’s eyes flared, blazing with golden light. In the next instant, a wave erupted from him just as Ozeroth’s strikes landed.

The collision detonated, a chain of explosions rippling outward in thunderous waves, tearing through the space in violent succession.

Atticus tore his gaze away. Ozeroth would handle it.

"Godspeed Grace."

He howled forward, devouring the distance. His katana sang, slashing for the other figure’s neck.

Another golden wave burst from the figure’s hand, but Atticus focused, and his blade ignited, crimson fire roaring to life.

Blazing will met golden will.

The clash shook the earth, a cataclysm of fire and light ripping through the air.