Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 69

Chapter 69 Combat Challenges

And just like that, two months had passed, and it was the day of the combat challenges.

Atticus, Nate, and Lucas walked together to the location where it would take place. They had just come out of their room after freshening up following the morning training session.

During the two months, the trainees had adapted spectacularly. While none had managed to make it to the finish line apart from Atticus, they had become more adept at spotting and avoiding the traps. Most of them were now capable of making it past the mountain.

"Finally! I've gotten so tired of my 5th rank. It's time for a change!" Nate exclaimed happily. Changing one's rank could only be done during the combat challenges, which took place every three months. Nate had been eagerly waiting for this opportunity to upgrade his rank.

"I know for sure you're not going to challenge me. If you're planning on challenging Erik, I'd be more cautious if I were you," Lucas advised. Erik was one of the trainees Atticus had noticed during the test when they were falling, the one who wielded daggers.

The first-year trainees numbered only 20, after 3 months spent together, knowing each other's names was expected.

"Don't worry! It'll be an easy fight!" Nate replied confidently. He had absolute faith in his strength. He was among the very few Novice+ ranks in the first years, a rank achieved by only the most exceptional first-year trainees.

'Apart from Atticus and Aurora, I can defeat anyone,' Nate thought.

Atticus simply stared at Nate without saying anything, having guessed his thoughts. He knew Nate was a simple-minded fellow. Atticus could gauge the strength of each first-year trainee easily, with his perception and given that he held a higher rank than them. He knew that Erik and Nate had similar power levels, but Erik was much more reserved and silent.

Atticus could see that he was not the type to rush into battles like Nate. He could have warned Nate, but he believed that one should learn from their mistakes, especially when his life wasn't in danger.

Plus, with how confident Nate sounded, he doubted that he would listen to him anyway.

Lucas smiled and shook his head, having come to the same conclusion as Atticus. The trio continued walking towards the venue.

They each followed their device's navigation, which led them towards the massive mountain situated in the middle of the camp. After walking for a while, they noticed a procession of trainees heading in a certain direction, so they decided to follow them.

Not far from where they had initially done their morning training session, they stumbled upon an extraordinarily large opening leading into the mountain. They saw other trainees entering it and followed suit. After walking inside the opening for a while, they were greeted by a breathtaking sight.

In the heart of the mountain, they saw a massive arena with rows of chairs encircling it, leaving an empty stage in the center.

The arena was divided into three distinct areas, each marked with a huge sign bearing the numbers 1, 2, and 3, representing the first, second, and third years, forming a triangle around the central stage.

The chairs were meticulously arranged, with the highest-ranking individuals enjoying more luxurious seats positioned at higher elevations. For the first rank in each year, their chairs resembled thrones, adorned with opulent gold and silver accents.

This hierarchy continued for each rank, with second-rank chairs elevated above third-rank ones, and so forth.