Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground - Chapter 1646 Justice

Chapter 1646  Justice

Atticus narrowed his gaze at the blinding figure hovering in the sky.

‘The High Judicator.’

A cascade of golden light poured from his body, spilling downward and plunging the already golden world into an even deeper radiance.

Atticus could feel the overwhelming heaviness that had gripped him the moment he arrived, as though the world itself were pressing down upon him.

‘The territory god.’

Atticus tightened his grip on his katana. The man looked old and frail, yet a suffocating sense of danger radiated from him.

The High Judicator’s eyes gleamed coldly as they bore down upon Atticus.

“I’ve finally found you.”

“It’s the High Judicator!”

“He’s here!”

“We’re saved!”

The millions of citizens fleeing for their lives halted the instant they saw the High Judicator. Loud cheers erupted as they started chanting his name.

The golden light surrounding the High Judicator seemed to intensify with their voices. His presence swelled, growing heavier as it pressed down upon the world.

“Criminal Atticus Ravenstein!”

The High Judicator’s voice boomed across the heavens.

“Your treachery ends today! The Willguard will deliver justice—”

Atticus flashed forward before the High Judicator, his katana thrusting out with such force that the world itself seemed to warp around the strike.

The High Judicator’s eyes narrowed.

“Futile.”

Atticus’ eyes constricted as his blade passed straight through the High Judicator’s head as though he were nothing more than a ghost. The strike continued forward, tearing a deep trench across the distant horizon. But Atticus’ gaze remained locked on the High Judicator, who now stood unharmed at another location.

The High Judicator shot him an icy glare.

“Pathetic. Truly pathetic. To think you would resort to a sneak attack. Your treachery truly knows no bounds.”

Atticus paid no attention to his words. His mind was already racing.

‘What just happened?’

His blade had passed through him without meeting the slightest resistance. Omnicognition had been active the entire time. Yet Atticus hadn’t seen him activate a single Will Art.

‘Then… an Aspect.’

“You will no longer be allowed to stain this world with your filth!”

Atticus narrowed his eyes at the High Judicator, whose body had begun to glow with endless golden energy. He could feel every stream of Will throughout the world converging toward him as he gradually raised his arm.

“Manifest!”

The High Judicator exploded in a blinding flash of light that engulfed the world and swallowed everything in brilliance.

When the radiance faded, Atticus fixed his gaze on him once more.

The High Judicator looked exactly the same, save for the glowing golden crown now resting upon his head.

“Atticus Ravenstein… your crimes end here. Justice will be delivered.”

“Yes! Bring him to justice!”

“Hail the High Judicator!”

The people below roared his name as they dropped to their knees, bowing in reverence.

‘He became stronger.’

The High Judicator’s presence had grown denser than before. The obvious reason was his manifestation, yet Atticus found it difficult to grasp its effects. Most manifestations he had encountered were far more direct. Hammer meant to crush. Fire meant to destroy.

But a crown…

The last time he had encountered a crown had been during his battle with Raziel at the Verge Games. Even then, Atticus had been able to discern its effects. But this was different.

“Need help?”

Whisker suddenly appeared by his side, a smile on his lips.

Atticus cast a glance toward Eldros in the distance.

“Don’t you have something else to deal with?”

“Oh come on, my star actor is far more interesting. Just say the word and I’ll step in.”

Atticus squinted at the radiant form of the High Judicator before slowly shaking his head.

“No. I’ll handle him myself.”

He could tell this battle would be unlike any he had faced before. He couldn’t afford to divide his attention worrying about anyone else.

“Hmm… suit yourself. Try not to die. Have fun.”

As Whisker vanished, Atticus exhaled slowly, steadying himself. Whatever the man’s ability was, there was only one way to find out.

He tightened his grip on his katana and prepared to move when the High Judicator suddenly vanished.

“Cease motion.”

The blade that had been about to pierce his head froze in place. A piercing pain exploded in Atticus’ mind, threatening to knock him unconscious. The High Judicator’s blade trembled just inches from his face.

‘I… can’t hold on.’

Atticus shot to the side, barely evading the blade as it tore past him.

‘Focus… focus.’

He gritted his teeth and forced himself through the pounding pain. As the haze clouding his mind slowly faded, he turned to see the High Judicator already before him. His blade descended with such force that it seemed to drag the world itself along with it.

“Manifest.”

Atticus’ Will erupted violently around him as the temperature surged to unbearable heights. Golden flames roared to life on one side, while a pale white blaze ignited on the other.

A surge of overwhelming power flooded his body. His blade flashed upward to intercept the strike, but his eyes narrowed as the attack phased straight through his weapon and continued toward him.

“Cease motion.”

The Judicator’s eyes shimmered as an invisible force halted his blade.

“Hm. This again?”

Atticus tightened his grip on his weapon and shot away from the cleaving strike. He could barely form coherent thoughts through the relentless pain pounding in his head.

He steadied himself just as the Judicator closed the distance again, unleashing a barrage of thrusts that warped the air.

Atticus became a blur as he moved, the wind rushing against his face as each thrust tore past him. Even as he evaded the strikes, he forced himself to think through the nagging headache.

‘He controls it at will.’

Though the attacks had phased through his weapon as if it didn’t exist, Atticus could still feel the pressure from each thrust. They ripped through the wind itself, proving they were still tangible. Allowing any of those attacks to touch him would mean his end.

‘I’m at a disadvantage.’

Atticus had already determined that the ability to phase through objects was the High Judicator’s Aspect. The second ability, the crown, was his manifestation. Both remained uncertain, but at the moment the latter was proving far more lethal.

As the battle raged on, Atticus could feel the High Judicator’s power steadily increasing. He was growing faster, stronger, his attacks more ferocious with every passing moment.

Atticus had always taken pride in his speed above all else. Yet before the High Judicator, it seemed almost meaningless.

Right now, Atticus wasn’t in Elderalath. He no longer possessed his endless regenerative abilities. The longer the battle dragged on, the more his Will drained away. He couldn’t maintain this much longer.

‘How is he doing it?’

He had been observing everything with Omnicognition from the outside, yet he couldn’t detect anything unusual. Whatever the mechanism was, it was something completely hidden from his perception.

‘A crown… a crown…’

As Atticus evaded another lethal thrust, he shot backward and created distance. His brows furrowed as he looked up at the High Judicator hovering in the sky, watching him.

“Stop running, Atticus Ravenstein. Face justice!”

Atticus frowned.

‘Again.’

He hadn’t paid attention earlier, but it wasn’t the first time the High Judicator had repeated that exact move. What kind of person paused a battle just to shout at their opponent? Especially when that opponent clearly had no interest in listening.

Atticus’ eyes suddenly widened.

‘Except… it’s not for me.’

“Yes! Bring him to justice!”

“The High Judicator will restore order!”

As the millions roared their support, Atticus narrowed his eyes at the High Judicator. He didn’t miss it, the faint brightening of the golden light surrounding him, nor the increasing heaviness of his presence.

Atticus’ gaze turned cold as he slowly looked toward the people below.

His eyes sharpened with a fierce light.