Chapter 901 Second Challenge


    ''What is that moon, and is it the one draining my mana?''


    ''It''s known as the Blood Moon, and yes, it is responsible for draining your mana,'' the spirit replied.


    Atticus''s brows furrowed.


    ''Is that the only thing it drains?''


    ''Yes. The longer you stay under its rays, the more mana it drains,'' the spirit confirmed.


    ''Is there a way to stop it from draining my mana?''


    The spirit shook his head. ''As long as its rays touch you, you''ll be affected.''


    Atticus frowned. He was in a forest filled with towering trees, offering ample cover from its rays. Yet, he knew it couldn''t be that simple.


    ''I can''t just stay in one ce,'' he thought, sighing.


    Wasting no more time, his expression firmed, his eyes sharpening as he gazed into the depths of the forest. His legs tensed.


    The ground cracked beneath him as Atticus shot forward with intense speed.


    His legs moved rapidly and silently, traversing the forest as though it were his domain.


    Despite his speed, his senses were on high alert. His eyes darted around, scanning for movement, while his other senses extended, feeling for anything unusual.


    However, the forest remained eerily quiet.


    ''There are no beasts?'' Atticus wondered. His gaze flickered as he noticed he was approaching a space devoid of trees.


    His speed increased, and within seconds, he burst out of the foliage,ing to an abrupt stop.


    His sharp, calm eyes scanned his surroundings.


    ''The ground is different.''


    He was still standing on the soft soil of the forest, but in front of him, stretching farther than his eyes could see, was a pure white, smooth surface.


    "Not suspicious at all," Atticus muttered under his breath.


    The stark contrast between the dark brown soil of the forest and the pristine white ground was ring. Even the most naive individual would sense something was off.


    Atticus took a cautious step forward, tapping the white ground lightly with his foot before pulling it back quickly. The motion was almostical, like testing the temperature of a pool.


    ''It''s hard,'' Atticus noted. The ground was exactly as it appeared, unnaturally smooth and rigid. He could tell there was something special about it.


    But its hardness wasn''t his main concern.


    "Tell me about the ground I just touched," Atticus asked.


    The spirit no longer bothered marveling at Atticus''s ingenuity and answered quickly.


    "This is a Healing tform. No matter the damage inflicted on it, it will heal itself and return to its original state instantly."


    "Are there currently any living things inside it?"


    The spirit paused, sensing that Atticus wasn''t asking about beasts but about the tform itself. A small chuckle escaped his lips.


    "Yes, there are."


    "How many species live inside it?"


    "One."


    "Will the ground itself pose any danger to me?"


    The spirit shook his head.


    "How do I survive while crossing the tform?"


    The spirit let out a faint exhale, impressed by the barrage of questions.


    "You walk, run, or fly very cautiously, however you please."


    Atticus''s gaze narrowed. "How long is the tform?"


    "More than a thousand kilometers," the spirit replied.


    ''Shit. I can''t fly over it, then,'' Atticus thought, his expression darkening.


    With the moon siphoning his mana, Atticus couldn''t use the swirling mana to fly over such a long distance. He would be out of mana long before he reached the end.


    "Is this tform where the second challenge will take ce?" he asked sharply.


    "Yes," the spirit confirmed, sounding somewhat resigned.


    At this point, the spirit was mentally exhausted. This challenge was designed to be filled with surprises, but Atticus''s sharp instincts and relentless questioning were dismantling every twist before it could fully manifest. Was it even a challenge anymore?


    Atticus turned his focus back to the tform and stepped onto it.


    ''Nothing.''


    He noted theck of response before continuing forward. The spirit''s words echoed in his mind.


    Cautiously.


    And right now, Atticus was beyond cautious. His senses were fully extended, most of his attention centered on the hard, barren tform beneath him.


    It was obvious that whatever threat awaited would rise from the ground.


    His steps were light, calcted. Each touch of his foot against the unnaturally smooth surface sent subtle vibrations through his body as he searched for any hint of danger.


    Time stretched on. An hour passed. Then another. The silence was oppressive, almost maddening.


    Atticus frowned. ''Still nothing?''


    He had covered a significant distance, yet no threats had emerged. Just as he considered formting a question for the spirit, it happened.


    A faint shift beneath his foot.


    No vibration, just the smallest discement of the ground.


    It was barely noticeable, insignificant to most.


    But to Atticus, it was everything.


    In a split second, his instincts red. He darted to the side, mana surging through his legs to propel him away.


    CRACK!


    The ground where his foot had been erupted violently.


    A creature shot up, a sleek, ck beast as dark as the abyss. Its worm-like body was firm, and its head was a ring of jagged, razor-sharp teeth, a predator designed to pierce, tear, and kill.


    Atticus caught only a fleeting glimpse before the creature vanished, diving back into the ground.


    There was no time to process.


    The instant his foot touched down in his new position, the earth beneath him shifted again.


    Another warning. Another movement.


    He leaped again, just as two more creatures burst through the tform, their snapping jaws closing on empty air.


    Atticusnded and the pattern repeated. The ground shifted. His mana churned, surging through his legs. He darted left, then right, then forward. Each movement was faster than thest, his speed leaving faint afterimages as the relentless creatures struck.


    ''They''re tracking me,'' he realized, his gaze narrowing. Every time his foot touched the ground, the beasts homed in on him, their strikes targeting where he had been moments earlier.


    More emerged. Sleek ck forms tore through the air, their movements impossibly fast. Three, four, five of them. They struck in a flurry, giving him no time to rest.


    Atticus became a blur of motion. His mana surged faster, fueling each leap, each twist, each dodge. His heightened senses tracked every subtle shift beneath the surface.


    ''One mistake and I''m done.''


    Between movements, his piercing gaze turned to his spirit.


    ''Is this the second challenge?'' N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ''Yes. This is the second challenge,'' the spirit confirmed.


    Atticus gaze turned cold.


    ''Tell me everything about these beasts,''


    Atticus exhaled sharply. His mind worked rapidly, strategizing even as he avoided another snapping jaw. So, this is what the katana has in store for me now.