Atticus's Odyssey: Reincarnated Into A Playground novel Chapter 1682

Chapter 1682: Gladious

The hall was large and spacious, emblazoned with radiant gold. A golden statue of a man, calmly seated with a large, grand blinding crown on his head, stood at the center of the room.

Before it, a man with dirty golden hair kowtowed with deep reverence, his head strihighlord the ground. Highlord Gladious II Ornament’s eyes were filled with desperation as he invoked,

"Absolute Crown, please heed our pleas!"

"Absolute Crown!"

"Absolute Crown!"

Behind him, a large group of men and women dressed in golden robes chanted in unison. Their expressions were grave and solemn as they bowed in sync. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"Absolute Crown! Please grant us a hunter that would save our home from this crisis!"

"Absolute Crown!"

"Absolute Crown!"

Suddenly, the entire building trembled as a heavy shockwave swept through it. Cracks spread across the walls, while dust and small chunks of debris fell from the ceiling.

"Oh no!"

"They’re already so close."

"We’re finished... we’re finished!"

A chorus of fearful voices rose from the gathered people as their bodies trembled.

"Don’t stop! We have to keep praying. The Absolute Crown will answer!"

At highlord Gladious’s firm voice, the elders quickly nodded and resumed their chants, their voices rising with renewed fervor as they praised the Absolute Crown.

Seeing this, the highlord slowly lifted his head and turned toward the statue. His expression twisted with desperation and regret as he clenched his teeth.

If he hadn’t been foolish enough to refuse the request of a trueblood, none of this would have happened!

The trueblood had wanted to marry his daughter, but only as one among his many concubines. Gladious had seen no merit in that, as his daughter was a beautiful pearl, one that could be used for far more strategic purposes.

However, he had forgotten the unwritten rule of the First Crown. The truebloods ruled the entire domain.

At his refusal, the trueblood had pressured the other strongholds into withholding support, leaving him to face the vicious and lethal Revenants alone.

As a minor stronghold led by a mere lesser blood like him, he had barely lasted a month before their armies fell. Now, the horde was seconds from reaching them.

As another shockwave tore through the hall, Gladious slammed his head against the ground and continued chanting.

’Please...’

He had gathered what remained of his people to plead to the Absolute Crown and summon a hunter.

They needed a hunter. At least one at the peak of the Initiate rank should be able to handle the horde.

In the crown, ranks of powers were determined by levels. Level one to two signified an Initiate. Level three to five, Ascendant. And so on.

Though hunters usually started from the lower Initiate rank, Level One, once summoned, and it was incredibly rare otherwise, Gladious still clung to hope.

"Absolute Crown! Please hear our pleas!"

"Absolute Crown!"

"Absolute Crown!"

"Please grant us a hunter that would save our home from this crisis!"

"Please!"

"Absolute Crown!"

The entire hall trembled as a stronger shockwave tore through it. This time, large sections of the ceiling broke apart, allowing crimson rays of sunlight to pour in and bathe the hall in a blanket of scarlet.

Gladious clenched his teeth as his gaze locked onto the circular platform beside them, its surface etched with countless marhighlords.

No light came from it, yet his fists tightened as he continued to hope.

Another shockwave tore through the hall, knochighlord many off their feet. A fresh wave of fearful voices rose behind him. Just then...

Whirl.

Though the head hunter was weaker than him, he was still a hunter, beings from other worlds summoned to battle the Revenants.

Aside from that, Gladious could see that the minor hunters behind him were also level one... and they were many.

’They can still be useful. They won’t be able to defeat the Revenant horde completely, but they should be enough to carve a path for escape.’

It would most likely end in their deaths, but Gladious didn’t care. The only thing that mattered was ensuring his line did not end here.

Gladious rose abruptly from his bow and gestured sharply to the elders directly behind him.

"Quick! We’re binding them."

The elders snapped out of their reverie and gave solemn nods. They moved at once, surrounding the platform in a swift motion.

Gladious brought his palms together as his eyes ignited with a golden light. The elders mirrored him, and in unison, they invoked—

"Eternal Bind!"

A burst of golden light surged forward, shooting toward the hunters and encasing them within a radiant dome.

Gladious exhaled slowly, feeling the energy coursing through him.

The Eternal Bind was an art that would chain the hunters to his blood for all eternity.

He had been prepared to fall to his knees and beg if the hunters had turned out stronger. However, since they were weak, he would enslave them... then use them as shields to escape.

As the thought settled, he gave a faint nod and pushed more energy into the technique. Yet a moment later, his eyes narrowed slightly.

Their combined will should have been overwhelming theirs by now... so why did it feel as though something was resisting it?

Gladious’s brows furrowed as he focused, tahighlord a closer look.

Then he met the gaze of the head hunter... and froze.

Those eyes, once ocean blue... had turned purple.

In the next instant, as the head hunter’s eyes began to glow, an overwhelming presence, the likes of which Gladious had never felt, descended upon the hall.