Atticus woke up feeling refreshed. Unlike the last time, he hadn't needed much rest because he didn't strain himself this time around.
Atticus took a short bath before putting on his clothes. The attire had enchantments that made it practically impossible to get dirty. This was the only reason why only one attire was provided for each person, with enchantments to avoid any discomfort.
Feeling thoroughly refreshed, Atticus stepped out of his room and immediately made his way to the summits.
He still received a few stares, but these stares would instantly turn into absolute shock when their gazes landed on the two lit flames on Atticus's back.
There was no one who didn't know what they signified. He had passed the first two summits!
Not everyone had been on the first and second summits when Atticus showcased his mind-blowing talent; some had been in their rooms, resting, and some eating.
But their eyes weren't deceiving them, there were most definitely two lit flames on his back.
The rules of the sanctum were absolute. Most of them were forced to believe that their paragon was using his authority to get Atticus here but just couldn't bring themselves to believe that those two lit flames were a lie. It would be insanely cheap if it were true, which made them believe that those flames were the real deal.
He had just arrived today and had passed two summits? It was insane.
Atticus soon reached the bottom after passing through the sanctum. There were a few people there that Atticus could recognize, but he didn't waste time and quickly began his ascent.
The journey, if anyone could call it that, was smooth. It went by without any pause. Atticus had increased his pace considerably, practically blazing through the stairs.
Just like before, he simply had to train the molecules around his feet. It was like training a dog.
He placed his leg on a step, asking them to mimic the temperature, after which he removed and placed it on another step, repeating this action until they started doing it without him asking.
This might sound time-consuming, especially if he had to train them every time he wanted to do something, but Atticus was glad to find out that he could literally surround himself with molecules he had already trained.
He could simply deepen his connection with them over time and hopefully reach Dekai's mastery.
Atticus soon reached the first summit, finishing the test in a minute, the same with the second summit's test.
After that, he began his climb to the third summit. The nature of the burning steps hadn't changed, only its temperature.
At this point, it was already well over five thousand degrees Celsius, but Atticus was still able to withstand it because of his increased proficiency with the molecules of fire.
He reached the third summit, and a palpable wave of shock hit the people there.
Unlike the first and second summits, the people of the third summit hadn't descended since Atticus arrived. They had all been focused on their tasks, forgetting that he even existed.
They were more shocked than the people of the first and second summits combined. This was the third summit! A place it took them more than a year to achieve!
Thoughts of foul play crossed their minds, but they immediately dismissed them as they saw Atticus's aura and how the molecules flowed harmoniously around him. He was the real deal.
Atticus approached Dekai, who stood silently in the middle of the summit. His gaze swept through the area, taking note of a few things.
As he had anticipated, the people of the third summit felt way stronger than those of the second. They also each appeared older, and considering Dekai's warning, it seemed they had spent years in the third summit already.
This was the reason why there were hardly any Ravenstein instructors in the academy. During the years they would be given the chance to work, many would be busy at the sanctums, training.
Atticus reached Dekai and bowed slightly in front of him.
Dekai hit his walking stick on the floor with a loud bam, bringing each of the people in the area out of their reverie.
"Congratulations, you have reached the third summit, but I would advise you not to become too comfortable. This is where things start to get difficult."
Seeing Atticus's unchanged expression, Dekai's mouth couldn't help but twitch. 'Can this kid ever be worried?'
Dekai cleared his thoughts. "I love your spirit. Let's get straight to it then."
The butt of his walking stick hit the ground once more, but this time fire erupted from below, swirling around him in a fiery storm.
It coalesced behind him with mind-numbing speed, forming into the figure of Magnus, but this time the construct was holding a spear.
Its eyes suddenly lit up a brilliant white as its massive figure abruptly coiled back with the spear held vertically.
With a smoothness and speed that made many hearts in the area tremble, it erupted forward, its spear piercing forward with intense power.
It seemed as though an intense energy flowed from its legs to its torso and through its hands. As the spear reached outward, a powerful beam of fire shot out from it, blazing through the air and destroying everything in its path.
Atticus watched with wide eyes as the beam continued its ascent through the air, away from the summit and the sanctum.
'W-what the hell,'
As though reading his mind, Dekai responded. The old man appeared not to have moved a single inch despite that spectacular display of power.
"That, that is the test of the third summit. There will be no time limitations, but I expect favorable results from you. Good luck."
Dekai burst into tiny motes of light, leaving the baffled Atticus and the awed people of the third summit alone.
Atticus was silent for a few minutes. He didn't speak nor did he think. After those few minutes passed, something finally popped up in his head.
'H-he used the construct to perform an art…'