Unive swept through the volcanic lands with a deep frown. She had scanned every inch, yet still hadn’t been able to find him.

’Where is he?’

Atticus had shocked her with his insane speed. Crossing such a massive distance within such a short timeframe should have been impossible for someone who had clearly only just ascended.

She was beginning to understand her queen’s obsession with the child. Regardless, her expression darkened as the seconds passed.

Time was running out.

’I’ll get closer.’

Fixing her gaze on the largest volcano, she prepared to move.

Suddenly, she felt the cold touch of a blade rest against her neck.

Unive’s entire body froze. The blade remained an inch away from her skin, yet its sheer sharpness had already opened a thin cut across her neck.

Only one thought surfaced in her mind at that moment.

’Who...?’

She had felt nothing. Even now, she couldn’t sense the slightest presence behind her. She was at peak level two... who would have such power...

A cold voice froze her thoughts.

"Why did you follow me?"

Unive’s eyes slowly widened. The coldness within the voice sent shivers surging down her spine. However, that voice... there was no mistaking it...

"...Atticus Ravenstein...?"

The blade pressed further against her neck, drawing even more blood. His icy voice followed immediately after.

"Answer the question."

"Haa..."

Unive’s heart trembled.

This... this should be impossible.

He had only just ascended... and his crown... it had signified peak rank one at the city... yet how in the planes couldn’t she feel him...?

It was when she felt the sheer bloodlust engulfing her that Unive finally realized the situation.

A blade rested against her throat.

He was going to kill her.

"W-wait! I’m an ally!"

"The Pride Queen is not an ally of mine."

Unive’s eyes widened as the blade pressed deeper into her neck.

"W-wait, wait! She literally said you’d react like this! She said you wouldn’t believe me! She told me to tell you that you need her help if you want to take down the Spirit King!"

As the blade halted, Unive released a shaky breath of relief.

Just as she was about to turn, his cold voice stopped her.

"I’m listening."

Unive immediately took that as a cue not to move and gave a quick nod.

"...my queen left me, along with some other members of her Queen Guard, in the First Crown to find you."

"Why?"

"...I don’t--"

The blade pressed deeper.

"Wait! Wait! All she told us was to support you, Prince Ozeroth, and Princess Ozerra, and when you reach the Second Crown, lead you to her!"

Atticus fell silent for several moments, and Unive couldn’t help but grow nervous beneath the oppressive silence. Eventually, he spoke again, though his tone had become slightly less cold.

"Why did you follow me here?"

Relief flickered across Unive’s face. It meant he believed her.

"I came to warn you. The Association Chairman is aligned with someone called Elomont. He’s a trueblood from the Mosan family. Do you know him?"

"I do."

"Well, he was the one who ordered the Association Chairman to send you here. Elomont has already notified the Executioners of your presence, and they’re already on their way. We have to leave. Now."

"Executioners?"

"...yes. Warriors left behind by multiple major factions. They’ve spent almost two decades in the First Crown waiting for you to arrive. Each of them is level three. If you fight them, you can’t win."

Atticus suddenly fell silent.

Every second felt like decades to Unive. What part of there was no time didn’t he understand?

As the silence stretched on, she quickly added,

"...If we leave now, we can still put enough distance between us and—"

"I’m not leaving."

Atticus calmly retracted his blade and sheathed it. Unive blinked, feeling as though she had heard wrong.

"...what did you say?"

"I’m not leaving. I’m going to fight."

"...what?" Unive’s eyes slowly widened. "You do realize I said level three, right?"

Her gaze instinctively moved toward the crown on his head, but nothing had changed. There was still only a single brightly lit gem embedded within it. Nothing else.

"It doesn’t matter."

"What do you mean it doesn’t matter?! If we don’t leave right now, we—"

"We?"

Atticus fixed his glacial gaze on her, his aura growing heavier.

"There’s no we. You can leave if you want to. I’m staying here."

Unive could only stare blankly as Atticus vanished from the air.

Just what the hell was wrong with this child...?

...

Eventually, due to her unshakable pride and loyalty toward her Queen, Unive found herself standing alongside Atticus atop a tree, five hundred meters away from the volcanic region.

She couldn’t help but throw hesitant glances in his direction.

It had to be remembered that the base level for every ascending hunter was lower level one.

This was mostly due to the scale and power of their world. With one hundred and fifty million minor worlds, one fell at lower level one.

Ascending each lower level required at least another two hundred million, with the requirement increasing the higher one climbed.

The sheer gap between peak level one and level three was an astronomical six hundred million minor worlds.

It was akin to an ant fighting against the heavens!

And this child was about to face not one, but a group of level threes... yet he still seemed so calm.

There was no doubt about it.

Perhaps this child was insane.

Suddenly, multiple streaks of light tore across the horizon, instantly drawing Unive’s gaze.

Heavy presences approached.

’They’re here!’

Unive swallowed hard as she turned toward Atticus, hoping he would finally change his mind. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

However, she froze.

The sheer pressure oozing from Atticus at that moment... it was incomprehensible.

But while Unive struggled to process what she was sensing, Atticus merely fixed his narrowed gaze on the approaching group.

’So she didn’t lie.’

He had taken everything Unive said with a grain of salt. He trusted nothing. However, Atticus held control over Pride Will, and he had sensed no falsehood from her.

His gaze sharpened as the figures came to a halt above the volcanic region.

’Five of them.’

From a single glance, he identified them.

Willguard.

Redflame.

Abyss.

Nature.

Spirit.

Fixing his gaze on each of their crowns, Atticus gave an inward nod. Three gems, with the last glowing dimly.

Lower level three.

’Good.’

Though Atticus had expected some sort of ambush, the current situation was even better.

The stronger they were, the better it would be for him.