Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Speed

As Atticus fell rapidly, he reached for the compass inside the bag and he manipulated the air to slow down his decent, landing coolly.

The others who had flying artifacts in their possession had already brought them out, using them to slow down their descent and dodge the Skythorns. These artifacts were engraved with runes that converted the user's mana, allowing them to fly.

"Let's get this over with," Atticus mumbled, and in an instant, he vanished from sight.

Watching from above, the five widened their eyes in surprise. They remembered the instructor's words about rank and treatment in camp. Determined not to lose, they decided to get serious.

The girl with control over fire ignited her power, propelling herself toward Atticus with a fiery burst. Meanwhile, the others having not awakened their bloodlines, swiftly chased them with their artifact.

"Lucas, faster! We can't lose!" Nate shouted.

"Calm down, Nate! We'll burn through our mana too quickly at this rate!" Lucas shouted back. The artifacts functioned primarily on the mana they were provided, and moving too fast would deplete it rapidly.

Atticus dashed through the dense forest, his movements a blur of speed. Years of intense training had elevated his endurance to an impressive level, allowing him to maintain this pace for hours without breaking a sweat.

As time passed, Atticus gradually outpaced the others, leaving them far behind in his wake.

Deep within the forest, a young magical beast was hiding within a dense bush. His keen eyes fixed upon the river not far from it, it remained vigilant, waiting for prey.

He had recently reached adulthood, and had ventured from its home in pursuit of his first successful hunt. Hours of fruitless efforts had left it ravenous, a gnawing hunger that now drove it to lay in ambush.

Time ticked by slowly as the magical beast patiently waited. Then, as if answering its silent plea, a deer emerged from the shadows, approaching the river's edge for a drink.

Heart pounding with excitement, the beast held its breath, observing every move of its unsuspecting prey. When the deer bent down to drink, the beast seized the moment and lunged forward, swift and deadly. In an instant, the hunt was a success – the deer lay still, its struggle no more.

Its elation was palpable and it prepared to feast upon its hard-earned meal. Then suddenly an unexpected darkness clouded its vision.

A surreal disconnect settled upon its body, and before its disbelieving eyes, he saw a white-haired boy, gracefully sheathing a gleaming katana. The truth struck like a thunderbolt – it had been beheaded. _{freewёbn૦νeɭ.com}

In its final moments, the magical beast's thoughts echoed with a mix of bewilderment and frustration, 'You should have at least let me eat.' And with that last fleeting thought, its existence faded into the unknown.

"Hmm? Why do I feel bad?" Atticus muttered to himself, his brow furrowing in confusion. He paused for a moment, pondering the unfamiliar sensation that had crept over him. Shaking his head as if to dismiss the unease, he let out a soft sigh and shrugged.

"Well, this is boring. I was expecting more excitement, but this is pretty easy," Atticus mused, his initial anticipation replaced by a hint of disappointment.

He had hoped for a greater challenge to aid in his quest for strength, and if this was all the camp had to offer, he feared he might be wasting his time there.

Atticus shrugged and kept moving, following the direction the compass was pointing to.

Meanwhile, in the forest, Aurora's frustration grew. She had been hailed as a super genius ever since she awakened her transcendent talent at the age of 7. She was confident she would outshine everyone at camp.

'How can he be so fast!' she thought, her determination turning into annoyance. She had relentlessly chased him for hours, expecting him to stop once his mana got depleted.

Hastily absorbing more mana after she ran out, she resumed her pursuit, hoping to catch up. To her astonishment, he had vanished from sight, leaving no trace behind.

"I will not lose, I'm the genius," she affirmed to herself. In an instant, her body erupted into a swirling inferno of flames. The intensity of her magic propelled her forward, a comet of fire streaking through the air toward the unsuspecting magical beast.