Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 1039

And by logic, Atticus should still be contained.

This should have been pointless.

He should have still been helpless, powerless, outmatched in this situation.

That was what logic said.

That was what the projections screamed.

So why… did something feel wrong?

A slight twist stirred in Xal’zereth’s core, a sensation he had no name for, a defect he rarely experienced.

Something was coming.

Something beyond numbers. Beyond control.

And he hated it.

He stared harder at the boy floating midair.

The Unknown.

And Xal’zereth would have none of it.

His three-fingered hand rose coldly, calmly. An orb of condensed mana flared into existence at his palm. It pulsed once, twice, then began to grow.

A radiant sphere of devastating density, swirling with violent currents of energy, emitting a high-pitched whine as it charged.

And then, it launched.

It tore through the sky like a comet of death, searing a path of light as it screamed toward Atticus.

The air warped around it, its force tearing clouds apart and splitting wind currents. The Apexes’ eyes widened in shock. Zenon’s voice caught in his throat.

Why wasn’t Atticus moving!?

Xal’zereth’s mana suppression field was still active.

Atticus shouldn’t even be able to use mana.

And he didn’t…

BOOM!!!

The beam hit its mark, but stopped.

A purple shield had exploded into existence around Atticus, intercepting the blast. The collision shattered the air with a thunderous detonation.

Smoke and dust coiled like rising dragons around the impact zone.

And when it cleared… he was still there.

Unharmed. Unmoved. Unbothered.

Xal’zereth tilted his head slightly.

"…Intriguing."

His voice was soft, contemplative.

"A shield… not of mana. Not of life force. Something else."

His black eyes glinted.

"So this… is spiritual energy."

It was an energy the Zorvans had long theorized ever since it appeared amongst humans, long tried to master, but never fully understood.

To the Zorvans, it was still a primitive anomaly, something unrefined. Something uncategorized.

"Futile," Xal’zereth said coldly. "Even with spiritual energy, it’s still bound by the limits of a primitive mind."

His hand rose again.

Another orb formed, but it was larger this time. Denser. Darker.

Dread engulfed every single person watching. The Apexes’ eyes narrowed, and Zenon’s breath quickened.

But before the second blast could be fired…

The air changed.

At first, it was faint. A flicker.

Then, they saw them.

Four orbs of radiant color slowly circling around Atticus. Each one glowing with a different hue. They drifted lazily at first, orbiting him like celestial bodies.

But then they began to accelerate.

Their movements quickened, blurring in motion, each color streaking through the air like lightning.

A vortex began to form, a luminous storm of spiraling hues.

To most, it looked beautiful.

But to others… it was the beginning of a dread that would never fade.

Xal’zereth’s eyes narrowed.

He launched the second blast.

It struck.