Bloodbound Codex: I Grow Stronger in Secret

The moment Atlas heard that, he narrowed his eyes, ’And if I refuse?’

His demeanor remained entirely calm as he asked the question, although a mixture of worry and threat could still be sensed in his words. He was holding Seraphiel in his arms, and despite the unfamiliar man’s extraordinary abilities, Atlas had no intention of accepting his proposal without understanding his reasons.

Hearing his question, the man who had appeared behind Seraphiel and Atlas laughed lightly. ’...Hahaha! It’s not a matter of your refusal, Kid. This is for your own good and... the good of this Kid you are holding in your arms.’ His tone remained relaxed, as though Atlas’s response had never been a factor in his decision to approach him.

The man’s words made Atlas narrow his eyes further, but he remained silent and waited for him to explain. After a brief pause, the man continued, ’You love her, don’t you? You should know she is not just anyone. She is special beyond anything I, a being residing at the pinnacle of the Galaxy, have ever seen. If you roam around with her in the open... there will come a day when she will either be kidnapped or killed entirely.’

The moment he finished speaking, Atlas widened his eyes, and his expression changed as his eyes became bloodshot.

’That’s not going to happen. I will erase anyone-’ Before Atlas could finish his sentence, the man interrupted him, ’No, you cannot. I can see what you carry inside you. You are an Anomaly, the greatest I have ever seen, but even you won’t stand a chance against those at the pinnacle like us.’ He paused again, and Atlas’s eyes widened further as he struggled to understand how the man could see through him.

From his statement, it didn’t seem like he was lying. Hell, Atlas couldn’t even determine whether the man had truly been standing in front of him from the beginning, as there had been no sign of his presence at all.

He couldn’t sense his body, his soul, or anything else that would indicate his existence, and the man’s telepathic voice was something only Atlas could perceive and hear. Those facts alone made Atlas more cautious than he had ever been before.

His eyes narrowed as he prepared to ask a question, but before he could speak, the man suddenly snapped his fingers. The moment he did, time stopped. Yes... time itself had stopped for the entire world, leaving everything within it completely motionless, ’Now, let’s talk in detail. Let me explain why you should join the Conclave.’

Atlas’s eyes widened even further as he suddenly felt his entire surroundings changing.

’He... can stop time?!’ Atlas couldn’t help feeling every instinct in his body screaming at him. Even with Logic Alteration, he couldn’t stop time himself, although it was a feat he had once thought he might eventually achieve.

Seeing someone accomplish it right in front of him was already shocking, but the fact that this man had seemingly entered Eliomor while the Veil was still active made the situation even more difficult to comprehend. Atlas swallowed hard as he tried to process what he had just witnessed.

Seraphiel, Maristella, Dravenson, and everyone else disappeared from around him, and the surroundings transformed into what could only be described as a vast garden.

Flowers and trees spread throughout the area, while small butterflies flew through the air, creating an environment completely different from the place where he had been standing moments earlier. Atlas glanced around, trying to understand the change, when the man spoke directly to him rather than communicating through telepathy.

”Don’t worry, I just changed the environment. Those three are still at the same place in that stopped time.” The man’s deep, smooth voice echoed through Atlas’s mind, pulling him out of his reverie. Atlas stared at him and, for the first time, felt completely powerless in front of another being.

He had always known that there were people who might possess the ability to stop time, and he had even considered whether Trelisa, who controlled the Law of Time, could accomplish such a feat.

However, after facing her, he had dismissed that possibility. If Trelisa could truly stop time, then why hadn’t she simply done so and killed him? He had eventually concluded that perhaps she hadn’t reached the stage required to accomplish it, and with that assumption, he had stopped considering the possibility any further.

Now, however, the man before him had demonstrated that such an ability was possible, and Atlas couldn’t even begin to measure the gap between them, ’It’s no use, he could kill me with just a flick if he wanted to. It seems he values Seraphiel and me.’ After reaching that conclusion, Atlas exhaled and finally spoke, ”I see. Alright, please explain why I should join this Conclave.”

The man nodded at his response and finally began explaining the actual purpose of their conversation. ”First of all, I am well aware that you got entangled with the Weimbrons, so let’s start from there.”

Atlas narrowed his eyes for a moment before nodding, indicating that he was listening. The mention of the Weimbrons immediately drew his attention, as he wanted to understand what this man knew about his situation.

”The leader, or should I say the King of the Weimbrons, is at the same level as us. If he were to come after you himself, you would die in a matter of a nanosecond.” Atlas’s eyes widened as he struggled to believe what he had just heard.

The revelation raised an immediate question in his mind: if the King of the Weimbrons possessed such overwhelming power, why hadn’t he simply come after Atlas and killed him already?

Before Atlas could wonder about that any further, the man explained it himself. ”He hasn’t done that, which means one simple thing: he is planning something else regarding you.” Atlas nodded slightly as he listened, understanding that the King’s decision to leave him alive might not have been a matter of indifference.

Whatever the reason, it was clear that the man believed the Weimbrons had something planned for him.

”Regardless of what he is planning, you are in severe danger because of him.” The man paused as he looked at Atlas, whose expression had become increasingly grim. Atlas clenched his fist and lowered his head, struggling to accept what he was hearing.

’I am still weak? And someone is planning behind my back...?’ He simply couldn’t believe that the situation remained the same even after he had come this far. Despite everything he had achieved, there were still beings whose power placed him far below them, and one of them was already making preparations against him.

He knew that, given enough time, he would eventually reach that level of power himself.

However, it was likely that his enemy wouldn’t give him the time he needed to reach it, leaving him in a situation where his future strength might not matter if he couldn’t survive the present danger. Atlas raised his head and turned toward the man again, waiting to hear what else he had to say.

”That was only one reason. Now, the second reason is that girl. As I said, she is very special, right? Let me show you why she is special.” The man snapped his fingers again, and in an instant, Seraphiel’s motionless figure appeared in front of Atlas. She remained frozen in the same position as when time had stopped, her appearance unchanged despite the sudden relocation.

Atlas’s attention immediately shifted toward her, and he instinctively focused on her figure as the man prepared to reveal what made her so extraordinary, ”Sera...”

Atlas’s voice stopped midway, and his eyes widened as he saw something buried deep within her soul, visible through her chest.