Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 1148

All the good. All the bad. For the chance at obtaining power to protect his loved ones, Atticus accepted them all.

Suddenly, the air around Atticus changed.

Whisker, who had been pacing around him, froze. His eyes narrowed into pinpricks.

'What is this… already?'

Whisker, of all people, knew who Atticus Ravenstein was, truly was. He could even claim he knew the boy better than his own parents.

After meeting him in the abyss world, Whisker had watched Atticus for years. Observed his every step. Every reaction. Every feat.

He knew how monstrous the boy was. He knew exactly what Atticus was capable of.

There were no rules when it came to Atticus, no predictions, no limits, no records. Any attempt to measure him by normal standards was a major waste of time.

He shattered all of them.

This was why Whisker had tried not to predict how long it would take for Atticus to reach the Impose Stage. He wanted to leave it to fate. When it happened, it happened. So that then, he wouldn't have been surprised.

But people weren't like that.

Despite all his earlier thoughts, Whisker had still tried to predict it.

From his explanation earlier, it had to be remembered, Whisker had said that it could take some centuries to truly accept oneself. Some never even reached it.

It wasn't as simple as listing out your quirks and deciding, "Yes, I accept myself."

No.

You had to embrace every part of who you were.

Your kindness. Your wrath. Your brokenness. Your cruelty.

There had to be no disgust. No suppression or hesitation. Only full, brutal acceptance.

Only then could one awaken their True Will.

Naturally, it took time. Often, the breakthrough didn't happen through calm meditation. It came during action. Trauma. Moments of raw, devastating realization.

This was why Whisker was so shaken.

'It's like he already knew… and he was just waiting…'

This wasn't just fast, it was insane.

It felt as if Atticus had always known who he was, and now that the moment called for it… he simply flipped the switch.

'It hasn't even been five minutes.'

Whisker knew. He'd been there the entire time.

'Would he change?' Whisker's gaze sharpened.

The fact that Atticus hadn't reached the Impose Stage until now meant something had been suppressed deep within him. And now that he'd embraced it…

Whisker was dying to see what it was.

Just as he wondered… Whisker's snout suddenly stiffened.

'Something's… burning?'

His eyes narrowed. The smell of something burning had just reached his snout.

'Don't tell me…'

His eyes turned toward Atticus and his heart slammed to a stop.

All around the boy, an intense crimson glow had cloaked his form, but that wasn't all.

Tendrils of smoke drifted upward, curling unnaturally. It didn't look like fire. It looked like something was burning reality itself. _{freewebnσvel.cѳm}

Whisker's mind reeled. Just as he was about to start wondering what was happening, it hit him…