Novel Full Chapter 1631 Fear
Chapter 1631 Fear
“You were right.”
Atticus finally said after a brief stretch of silence.
“See? I told you! Aren’t you glad you listened to me?”
“…”
Though Atticus gave no response, there was truth in her words. He had spared Thora because she claimed the Willguard were plotting against him. Though he had doubted her, it had allowed him to uncover the Spirit King’s scheme beforehand and respond accordingly.
‘But…’
A trace of coldness flickered across Atticus’ eyes as he looked at Thora, who was grinning without any care. After what happened with the Spirit King, there was no chance he could trust someone as volatile as her. For all he knew, this could be another calculated move.
Thora needed to die.
‘Before then…’
“When they took you, what did they do?”
“Hm? Me? Uh…”
She tapped her chin lightly, as though sorting through scattered memories.
“It’s blurry. I woke up in some lab. The tattoos were already there. Then some guy with cold eyes ran a bunch of weird tests on me. After that, they handed me over to a man in a white mask and told me to follow him.”
“A Judicator…”
“Yeah. Guess that’s what he was.”
Atticus’ eyes narrowed slightly. The man with the white mask could only be a Judicator. And the lab…
‘A research facility?’
That would mean the Willguard were conducting experiments on the Fragment Bearers.
‘Hmm…’
Atticus frowned. It was odd. The Willguard treated the Fragment Bearers like some ancient enemy, yet instead of eradicating them, they were incorporating them into their ranks.
‘It could be…’
A possibility formed in his mind, and he tested it instantly.
“What did you do with him?”
“We looked for others like us.”
“Fragment Bearers.”
“Yeah.”
Atticus gave a slow nod.
‘Now it fits.’
The Willguard were using Fragment Bearers to track one another. Since the quickest and most reliable way to awaken Solvath’s fragment was through clashing with another bearer, the strategy was efficient.
‘Hmm…’
Atticus mulled over the implications.
“That lab. What else do you remember?”
“The lab…”
Thora shuddered slightly, as if she remembered something unpleasant.
“…It felt wrong. Really wrong. Like something was watching from everywhere. I hated it.”
“Where is it?”
“At the Summit.”
‘She’s not lying.’
Atticus fell quiet, studying the Fragment Bearer. Within his domain, he could sense the truth in her words. She was sincere. She had been sincere since the moment they met. However, the Spirit King’s actions had reminded him of a harsh truth, the world was far broader than he could ever realize. There were forces and powers even he had yet to grasp.
‘The Summit…’
The facility would definitely be filled with Fragment Bearers and Willguards alike. It was clearly a central pillar of their operations within the Span. Destroying it would deal a huge blow to them.
Atticus had already delivered his declaration of war to the major factions.
Now, it was the Willguard’s turn.
“Ooo, that look! I know that look! You’re about to do something insane, right? Count me in!”
Thora clapped while staring at Atticus excitedly. “…”
“Hm?”
Thora furrowed her brows as she met Atticus’ still gaze. A faint killing intent was beginning to seep from him.
“Ah!”
Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized.
“You’re going to kill me?!”
“…”
“No, no, wait! Why? I helped you, didn’t I? I’ve told you the truth this whole time. I don’t work for the Willguard. I don’t even like them!”
“I can’t trust you.”
“Ah…”
Thora’s eyes widened as she instinctively took a careful step back. Atticus’ gaze was steady and unmoving, as though the decision had already been made.
He reached for his katana…
“Wait! Wait! I can still be useful!”
“How?”
Atticus narrowed his eyes slightly, but he motioned for her to continue.
“You’re going after the lab, right? You’ll need me to enter their world.”
“Why?”
“Because of this.”
She quickly gestured to her missing left hand, the same one Atticus had severed because of the tattoos.
“The Willguard territory is sealed by a barrier. Without the tattoo, you won’t get through.”
“You don’t have it. I cut it off.”
“…I do.”
“…”
“The tattoos are bound to our wills. You sliced off my arm, but I can still feel it. That’s why I didn’t regrow it.”
Atticus frowned. He narrowed his eyes, and in the next instant, Thora’s severed arm burst from her sleeve.
“What… how—?!”
She gazed at her restored arm in disbelief. Still, there was no doubting the tattoos emblazoned across it.
“See? I told you!”
‘She’s right.’
His katana flashed, severing her arm before his will burned it into nothingness.
“Ahh!”
Thora screamed, clutching her bloodied stump. Atticus’ gaze remained fixed on the Fragment Bearer.
‘I was right.’
This was precisely why he hadn’t trusted her. Fragment Bearers were already a volatile variable. Introducing the Willguard into that equation was pure madness.
“W-wait! Wait!” Thora cried as Atticus prepared to move.
“You can stop me from regrowing it until the last second. Just don’t kill me. You need me… or you won’t reach them.”
“No.”
‘Student.’
Atticus paused as the Arbiter’s voice echoed within his mind.
‘Hm?’
‘You should spare her.’
‘…What?’
‘The risk is worth taking.’
‘If this is a trap, my people suffer. Nothing is worth that.’
‘With that mindset, you will never reach the peak.’
‘…’
‘Paranoia eats at you. You are a warrior. You’ve achieved what most can’t even imagine. Answer me this, if she hadn’t warned you about the Willguard’s trap, would the outcome have changed?’
‘…’
Atticus had no answer. Because the truth was, the outcome would not have changed. He would still have possessed his power. He would still have smashed the combined forces of the Willguard and the major factions.
‘Then trust in yourself. In the strength you’ve forged. A warrior who believes he is absolute… becomes absolute. Stand tall. This dread does not suit you.’
‘…’
Atticus remained silent for several seconds, allowing every word to settle. He exhaled slowly and shook his head.
‘She’s right.’
He had allowed his fear to cloud his mind. Asides striking a decisive blow against the Willguard, this was a rare chance to gather more fragments, and even uncover the origin of those tattoos if they were lucky.
“Alright.”
“H-huh?”
A flash of light flared. In the next moment, Thora’s bleeding stump sealed and healed.
“You’re not dying.”
“I—I’m not?”
She muttered in disbelief as Atticus turned away and began walking. The dimness in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a sharper, fiercer light.
“Not today.”