Chapter 42: Raven Camp
At the front of the estate, Atticus stood surrounded by his loved ones, their emotions filled with a mixture of sadness and reluctance to see him leave.
Anastasia, tearful, held Atticus close. "Honey, make sure you eat well, okay? Be careful. Have you carried your things? Do you need anything?"
Atticus smiled gently, his voice soothing. "I'm fine, Mom," he reassured. 'You would think I'm going to war or something,' he thought to himself. He felt happy to have people who cared about him.
Anastasia sniffled, wiping her tears. "Okay."
Avalon stepped forward, ruffling Atticus's hair and said with a smile "You're my son, Atticus. Make sure you show them who's boss."
Atticus looked at his father, a confident smile on his face. "Yes, Dad." Avalon nodded and stepped back
Freya approached, embracing him tightly. "Be safe, honey..."
"Thanks, Grandma," Atticus said, hugging her tightly.
Caldor, his emotions getting the best of him, stepped forward, hugging Atticus tightly. "Atticus! I'll miss you!"
Atticus chuckled, returning the hug, while patting his back. "Me too, big guy."
Caldor raised an eyebrow playfully. "You're calling me big? Have you seen those muscles?"
"Haha" Atticus chuckled.
Atticus had grown noticeably taller for his age, standing at about 1.6 meters. His muscles, though not overly large, are characterized by a sense of compact strength rather than exaggerated bulk.
His once-straight white hair has transformed into a spiky mane, lending him an air of both fierceness and vitality. At his waist, a katana, securely strapped.
He bid his final farewells and stepped into the hover car.
With high-security measures in place, he departed.
"Eat well, honeyyyy!" Anastasia called out with a loving wave as the hover car began to move away.
As Atticus departed, Anastasia expressed her worries, "I hope he'll be okay. Rowan's kid is attending the camp this year, right?"
"You mean the one who awakened the transcendent talent?" Freya responded with curiosity.
"Yes, that's the one," Anastasia confirmed with a nod.
"You needn't worry about that boy. Trust me on this." Avalon reassured them.
Only Avalon and Magnus possessed knowledge about the life weapons. In their past, they had expended every effort to obtain one of these weapons but had been unsuccessful.
The life weapons administered tests based on the challenger's age and power and nine years old was considered the ideal age to attempt. By the time Caldor and Ember had turned nine, they too had attempted but without success.
"Besides, he awakened four elements!" Avalon said with pride.
After Atticus had told Caldor that he awakened four elements, he had also disclosed this information to the rest of the family.
They were completely stunned by the revelation, urging him to demonstrate immediately.
Anastasia's voice held a mixture of agreement and worry, "You're right." While Avalon felt immense pride in his son's accomplishments, Anastasia couldn't help but worry even more about him.
"You checked his talent last year? You said it was transcendent, didn't you? So there shouldn't be a problem," Freya inquired.
"Yeah," Anastasia confirmed.
Anastasia had tested Atticus's talent the previous year and had been taken aback when the glass orb used for talent assessment shattered.
This orb could gauge a person's talent from dormant to transcendent, making its shattering a truly bewildering event.
Anastasia had wisely chosen to keep this a secret and had simply reported that Atticus possessed transcendent talent.
The testing of a child's talent was strictly confidential, as publicly announcing a child's potential rank was considered foolish and potentially dangerous.
This was especially true in the midst of the ongoing conflict against the Obsidian Order. If they were to learn of the birth of a transcendent rank, they would undoubtedly view it as a significant threat and take drastic measures to eliminate the problem before he had a chance to grow in power. Thus, secrecy was of paramount importance in these matters.
'I hope he'll be okay.' Anastasia's worry continued to linger in her thoughts.
Atticus sat inside the hover car, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside. It had been a short one year for Atticus.
During that time, he had worked diligently, dedicating himself to training and honing his strength. It all paid off last week when he finally had a breakthrough.
'Status,' he thought, and a holographic display materialized in front of him.
========================
Character Profile:
------------------------
Name: Atticus Ravenstein
Age: 10
Gender: Male
Race: Human
Attributes:
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Strength: 51
Agility: 55
Endurance: 59
Vitality: 57
Intelligence: 21
Perception: 7
Charm: 18
Level: Intermediate+
Talent: Mythical
Bloodline: Primordial Elemental Bloodline
- Level 2
- Fire: 1.1%
- Air: 2%
- Water: 1%
- Earth: 1%
Abilities:
------------------------
Innate Skills:
* Conceal [Grade: Mythical]
- The ability to conceal your level from anyone regardless of rank. You may choose what level you want to be shown.
Life Weapon Skills:
* Transcendent Slash: Godspeed Grace
Normal Skills:
* Arcane Barrier [Potential: Transcendent]
- Current Mastery: Intermediate+
========================
Atticus's recent achievements were nothing short of remarkable. He had not only advanced by one sub-level in his training, but also witnessed his bloodline ascending one level higher.
If the human domain were to catch wind of the fact that the Ravensteins had a prodigious talent capable of wielding all four elements and achieving an intermediate+ rank at the age of ten, it would undoubtedly send shockwaves through the domain.
With each increase in his perception stat, it felt as though the world around him was constantly shifting.
He knew that without his high intelligence, processing such a vast amount of information at once would have been impossible.
Presently, even with the hover car's speed, if he concentrated, it would appear to be moving in slow motion to him.
'It's not enough, i still need to increase my strength more.'
Atticus also found out about the camp during this past year. Every Ravenstein, no matter if you're from the main family or branch, had to attend for 3 years.
He tried to ask Caldor for more information, but he found out that they were forbidden from discussing the camp with anyone who hadn't attended it yet. This rule was in place to avoid favoritism and was enforced through mana contracts.
'The only thing he was allowed to tell me was that it was highly competitive,' Atticus reflected.
The Ravensteins were known for their prowess and competitive nature. They only respected the strong; the weak were basically treated like trash in the family, and the camp emphasized this even more.
Just imagine a bunch of 10-year-olds who have been told from a young age that they are talented and that the strong should be respected by the weak, all placed together under one roof.
'It'll be a disaster,' he thought. 'Well, there's only one way to avoid useless distractions: show your strength from the beginning and dominate any fool who tries to start something,' he decided.
As the journey continued, Atticus eventually arrived at a spacious clearing, a vast expanse of flat grassland stretched out before him.
Dominating the scene was a colossal flying ship, its imposing presence commanding attention. Towering above the gathered crowd of approximately 20 children, the ship emanated an aura of grandeur.
From within the vehicle, Arya materialized, her expression gentle.
"This is as far as I go, young master," she stated.
It was a rule that the Ravenstein children attending the camp were required to make the journey alone. No guards were allowed, as the very essence of the camp was to encourage the youths to step out of their comfort zones, and having a guard would be counterproductive to that goal.
However, the safety of the attendees was assured, or else Anastasia wouldn't have allowed Atticus to go. All those involved in running the camp were bound by a strict mana contract, ensuring the well-being of the young participants.
Atticus met her eyes, sensing the sadness within them. He hugged her, and spoke softly, "Thank you for protecting me until now, Arya. I'll return before you know it, don't worry."
Arya, taken aback by the sudden hug, returned it with a warm smile and replied "Stay safe." With those words, Atticus disembarked from the car.
Stepping out of the vehicle, Atticus exuded an air of unflinching confidence, his gaze undeterred by the curious stares that bore into him.
This was his first public appearance within the family. For many, Atticus remained an enigma.
Amidst the buzz of hushed conversations, snippets of dialogue floated through the air.
"His parents must be high in the family hierarchy," murmured one voice.
"Yeah, probably the son of a leader of an important branch or something," chimed in another.
Given that it was Atticus's first appearance, many of the attendees didn't recognize him. However, the sizable escort he had brought with him and the way he looked led them to assume that he might be from a significant branch family within the Ravensteins.
"He's kind of cute," a softer voice interjected, followed by a playful retort, "He's your cousin, you dimwit."
Yet amidst the observations, a note of approval sounded, "He looks strong." A perceptive young girl stood out, her red eyes assessing Atticus intently.
She had been taught to always trust her instincts 'He is strong.'
Not all voices held the same sentiment, and a burly 10-year-old boy, couldn't resist a derisive snort. Disdain dripped from his words as he sneered, "Humph, I'm sure he's a weakling," he smugly informed his friend standing beside him.
"Are you sure about that, Nate?" questioned his companion, uncertainty coloring his tone.
He was Nate's polar opposite, possessing a slender figure and sporting square-shaped glasses on his face.
"He looks strong. Besides, he's obviously from a high ranking family, you better be careful."
"You don't have to be scared Lucas, I'll show him who's boss," Nate, determined to prove a point began walking toward Atticus.
Yet, as he neared, a chilling stare from Atticus halted Nate in his tracks. A tangible shiver ran down his spine, and almost as if compelled, he turned on his heel, retreating to his friend without uttering a word.
Watching the unexpected turn of events, Lucas chuckled, breaking the tension. "Well, I guess he isn't too bad after all," he commented, amusement dancing in his eyes.
"Humph, he's not as weak as I thought. I just decided to pity him," Nate replied, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.
'Shit! I didn't think he'd run away if I released a little of my aura,' Atticus thought, frustration coursing through him. His intention had been to provoke a confrontation, hoping to find a willing scapegoat to deter others from bothering him.
However, he had miscalculated the potency of his aura following his recent breakthrough. 'I'm sure I'll get my chance again,' he reassured himself.
As Atticus was lost in thought, the ship's door opened, beckoning them to enter.
***
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