56 Unchanging
Without a moment's delay, they sprinted towards the exit.
Hella led the way, followed closely by Nate and Sophie. Helodor positioned himself in front of Atticus, who was bringing up the rear.
After a few minutes, the got to the entrance. Sophie and Nate swiftly leaped up, grasping the ropes they had previously used to descend, and began ascending with urgency.
Hella turned and was about to ask Atticus to go first. However, Helodor's voice interjected, "Go quickly! We'll follow closely behind."
Though hesitant, the urgency of the situation was evident, and Hella shifted her attention back to the rope, swiftly grabbing hold and starting her ascent.
With Hella on her way up, Helodor directed an intense glare at Atticus, who maintained a composed demeanor as he observed the unfolding dynamic.
Without delay, Helodor grasped the rope and began moving up.
'What's he planning?' Atticus noticed the subtle change in Helodor's expression, which was different from the usual glare. It seemed like he was... 'Happy?'
He shrugged it off and started climbing the rope, but with a hint of caution.
As Atticus steadily climbed the rope, his awareness heightened when he noticed Helodor extracting an item from his storage ring. His eyes widened as he saw Helodor position the object on the rope he was on.
In a split-second action that took Atticus by surprise, Helodor's smirk became all too telling. He infused mana into the artifact, which abruptly unleashed a laser-like beam, slicing through the rope.
The moment Atticus observed Helodor placing the artifact on the rope, his instincts kicked in. Swiftly, he concentrated and harnessed his fire element to propel himself upward.
Witnessing Atticus's unexpected reaction, Helodor's panic was palpable. 'He can use more than one element?!' Helodor thought, surprised and alarmed by this revelation.
Throughout their hunts, Atticus had exclusively showcased his control over the air element, keeping his proficiency with other elements concealed from the rest of the group.
As Atticus employed the fire element to launch himself upward, a sudden and forceful spider web ensnared his left leg, yanking him back with unexpected strength.
Caught off guard, he found himself being pulled back into the depths of the cave against his will.
In that moment, Atticus's gaze fixed onto Helodor with an iciness that sent shivers down the latter's spine. 09:45
down the latter's spine. 'You'll regret this,' Atticus's chilling expression seemed to convey.
And just like that, Atticus was pulled into the depths of the cave, disappearing from sight.
Within the depths of the cave, Atticus saw the Arachnix running back into the cave dragging him along with it.
He quickly unsheathed his katana, preparing to cut the web. However, as if the Arachnix knew his intentions, the web suddenly hurled him towards the wall.
Atticus's eyes widened, and he immediately used fire to propel himself in the other direction, avoiding hitting the wall.
With that brief distraction, Atticus was dragged back into the large space where they were fighting before. Seeing his chance, he quickly used his katana to slice through the ensnaring web, freeing himself.
He turned and saw the massive, grotesque forms of the spiders. The one who had pulled him was the new Arachnix who had interrupted their fight, with the other Arachnix directly behind it.
"Well, I guess this is a good opportunity," he muttered calmly, still suspended on the air.
After years of intense training, Atticus had improved his proficiency in the first style of the katana to staggering levels. He was at a level where he didn't even need to be on the floor to perform it.
Sheathing his katana and clutching it with both hands, he took a stance mid-air, maintaining equilibrium by manipulating controlled gusts of air under his legs.
With the whispered incantation,
{Transcendent Slash: Godspeed Grace}
Atticus erupted into motion. His strike was a blend of velocity and precision, cleanly severing both the Arachnix's heads in a single, well-calculated motion.
Methodically and gracefully, he proceeded to eliminate the remaining baby Arachnix, stowing their lifeless forms within his storage ring.
As he made his way toward the cave entrance, his demeanor remained composed and chilling.
Upon reaching the entrance, Atticus harnessed his fire element to propel himself upward, latching onto a rock and using it as leverage to continue his ascent. Reaching the top, he was met with the sound of people engaged in a heated argument.
"We need to go back for him!" Hella's voice rang out, her concern evident.
Helodor, on the other hand, feigned an appearance of worry, saying, "It's just too risky!"
The bizarre situation of the rope being cut drew immediate suspicion. "How is it even possible for the rope to be cut? It's fucking made of titanium! What did you do, Helodor!?" Hella accused him, with Nate and Sophie joining in, their expressions laden with skepticism.
Although hearing the typically serious Hella use such strong language was shocking, the situation was too dire to focus on that.
Nate sided with Hella, "We should go back and help him!" Already bringing his broad sword out of his storage ring.
In the midst of their argument, a sound reached their ears, causing them to all turn and witness Atticus climbing up.
Nate, Sophie, and Hella's faces lit up with relief at the sight of Atticus's return. Yet, their joy was short-lived, replaced by an icy shock when they observed the cold, chilling expression on Atticus's face.
Atticus's gaze was fixed on a single individual – Helodor. His countenance exuded an aura of sheer coldness, his features unyielding and unforgiving.
Two unchanging aspects of Atticus's nature were his unwavering love for his family and his vengeful disposition.
Regardless of the circumstances or reasons, Atticus remained unswayed by justifications. What mattered was that someone had attempted to harm him, and that alone was enough to invoke his merciless retaliation.
With each step Atticus took, it was as if the very ground trembled around him. His gaze was unwavering, fixed directly on Helodor.
At the sight of Atticus's determined approach, Helodor's initial panic was followed by a calculated calmness.
He reminded himself that Atticus was merely a first-year. While Atticus had managed to defeat a second-year, taking on a third-year was a different proposition altogether.
'Once he strikes, I'll "defend" myself and show him his place,' Helodor strategized internally.
As Atticus closed in, Helodor readied himself for any potential action. His hand tightly gripped his sword, shield held defensively before him.
And then, in a split second, Atticus vanished from Helodor's vision at a velocity Helodor couldn't even begin to fathom.
Before he could react, a bone-crushing force connected with his left cheek, the impact of the kick was immense. Helodor found himself suspended mid-air for a brief moment, before all the pent-up momentum coalesced into a singular force, propelling his body headfirst away into multiple trees.
Atticus wasn't holding back!
***
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