Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas set up a tent and threw in a bunch of blankets. Theo spoke worriedly, 'Are you okay, Master?'

'Tired, using all my mana and fighting that Titan drained everything from me. I honestly feel exhausted,' he answered before climbing into the tent.

Once he settled in, Atlas felt Theo's quiet presence standing guard nearby, and a sense of calm washed over him. Relaxed, he pulled out a piece of chocolate, nibbling on it as his eyelids grew heavy, drifting into a half-asleep state.

'I have to stop pushing myself before something bad happens.'

Atlas soon fell asleep as the weather outside worsened, and Frostwinter started to bite. He was curled under the thick covers while his body recovered from the strain of the constant fighting.

The following morning, he woke up to the whistling of wind, which was jarring. Atlas shook his head before sitting up and peeking out of the tent, only to see rain lashing poor Theo, causing him to dismiss the monster back to the Dungeon Realm.

'Damn, weather is horrible,' he mused while watching the rain.

Afterward, he entered the Void Realm to clear the Golem. By the time the rain stopped, Atlas had wiped out thousands of monsters, bringing the total down quickly, which made him happy.

When Atlas woke back in the tent, it was shaking everywhere. He glanced outside and noticed an eerie fog settled over the land, 'This is some Silent Hill shit, I can't wait to get back to Astoria,' he mused.

Following that, he checked the monster's total, only to be surprised at how many he had killed.

[Void Golem – 85118/1000000]

[Void Warrior Golem – 234127/500000]

[Void Golem Commander – 90701/100000]

[Void Golem King – 1/1]

'Won't take long now,' he thought with a big smile. 'Should I keep at it until the Void Golems are cleared?'

Atlas decided to do just that and pulled out a Forest Boat Meat Boc before he started eating while resting. Once he was done with breakfast, he jumped back into the Void Realm and started fighting the Golems.

Following that, he spammed hundreds of spells while drinking mana potions. Atlas's blade carved through the stone monsters, causing them to crumble into nothing, which excited him as the counter lowered.

'If I keep using Void Barrage and Void Bullets I can wipe out hundreds of them,' he pondered while cutting down two Warrior Golems.

The battle continued for hours until a Golem Commander sent him flying over the plateau's edge. Atlas plummeted into the sea below before waking up in the tent, which caused him to smile as he pulled up the total.

[Void Golem – 61856/1000000]

[Void Warrior Golem – 221963/500000]

[Void Golem Commander – 90281/100000]

[Void Golem King – 1/1]

Following that, Atlas climbed out of the tent before putting it away, which didn't take long. He looked over the edge and saw a sea of mist blocking his view of the ground. He quickly climbed down the side of the karst.

His eyes scanned the surroundings for any signs of monsters, causing him to think, 'Hopefully, there isn't anything ready to ambush me.'

As his feet neared the ground, an unexpected calm settled over the area—eerily quiet, almost peaceful. Sensing no danger, he adjusted his course and began heading southeast. In the distance, a river snaked through the landscape.

'That must be where the fishing boat pulled me out of the water.'

With a shrug, Atlas turned toward a dirt road that wound through the terrain, hoping it would lead him to a nearby town or city where he could catch a train to Carthage. Soon enough, he spotted a farming town in the distance, which caught his attention.

As he drew closer, a towering wall loomed, encircling the city like a fortress. Its sheer size was imposing, with stone battlements stretching high into the sky. Guards patrolled along the top, their eyes sweeping the landscape, ever-watchful for threats.

The air was thick with vigilance and purpose, indicating that this village took its defenses seriously. He furrowed his brow, puzzled by the sight. 'Why does a town have a wall like this?' he wondered, his expression shifting to confusion.

Atlas shrugged off his unease and approached the gate, only to be startled by the sudden blare of a horn just as a barrage of spells and arrows shot toward him. Instinctively, he prepared to cast Void Guard, but a sharp hissing sound behind him sent a shiver down his spine.

'Oh god, what is behind me now?'

Without waiting, he spun around just in time to see a massive snake-like monster lunging at him. His body reacted faster than his mind, and he cast Void Punch, his fist connecting with the creature in a violent collision.

The air cracked with a loud boom, sending the serpent flying backward from the sheer force of the blow. He stood still momentarily, catching his breath as more monsters rushed toward him.

'Now it's time to teach the creatures a lesson.'

Atlas quickly started casting Void Bombs and Void Lances that burrowed through the bodies of the serpents. Explosions rang out across the battlefield, causing many of them to run away as he made his way to the town gate.

Cannons and mages cast spells that slice through the air, killing the surviving monsters and turning them into meat chunks, but something told Atlas to defend himself, which he did by casting Void Guard.

When the azure shield appeared, something crashed into it, sending him slamming into the town walls. Atlas hit the ground with a thud but soon recovered, only to notice a group of robed figures giving off an eerie aura.

They were all black and humanoid, causing him to think in confusion, 'Who are these people? Seems like some devil cult.'

Atlas landed on his feet while readying his blades with Void Infusion. He smiled before speaking in an amused voice, ''Who would you fine people be, and why are you attacking me?''

The strangers didn't answer, forcing him to use Void Sight on the people.

[----]

[Order of Shadows Assassin]

[Level: 412]

[Rank: Master]

[They've been hunting you, boy. Now put what you've learned to use]

'Oh its them,' Atlas thought with a smile. 'Looks like they finally found me.'

Following that, he spammed Void Barrage, which sent dozens of azure projectiles through the air as they slammed into the assassins. Explosions rang out, allowing Atlas to dash forward.

Thanks to his powered-up swords, he carved through the blade of one enemy before slicing through his flesh. When Atlas saw this, he cast Void Blasts into the woman's chest, which sent her flying across the landscape.

Atlas quickly raised his swords to block a swing that caused sparks to fly everywhere. He was just about to counter when the attackers exploded into blood mist, which covered him in blood.

"What just happened?" he muttered, eyes scanning the area in confusion.

His gaze quickly locked onto a figure nearby—a tall, imposing woman clad in adventurer's armor yet decorated with a crest. She stood over six feet tall, her muscular frame exuding power.

As he studied her, Atlas felt her presence more deeply. Her aura radiated strength, almost overwhelming in its intensity, and at that moment, he recognized her as a Nova Core Mage—the raw magical energy pulsed from her.

The woman stepped forward with a friendly smile and, with a curious glint in her pink eyes, asked, "Little Nova Mage. You were lucky I was here. The shadows would have killed you."

Atlas was confused but shook his head while replying, ''I guess so, but I could have beaten them if I had used my tames.''

She laughed at his response before introducing herself, ''I am Kiko Hammerfist. A Nubian Adventurer and Nova Mage of the Imperial Court.''

'I wonder what she wants?' Atlas asked himself. 'She doesn't seem hostile like the Achaemenidians.'

''I'm Azhar'Zul. Adventurer from Astoria and heading for Carthage to heal a friend,'' he replied, causing Kiko to smile.

She approached before slapping on the back with her giant hand, ''It's so good to meet a fresh Nova Mage. I'm surprised you're not in a magic academy, but I think they're useless.''

Atlas nodded in agreement, ''You're right. I don't need to go to school to learn magic when I already know how to use it and higher ranked than most my age,'' he said while taking in the burning battlefield.

Town soldiers rushed out and cleaned the area, using tamed monsters to eat the corpses. While watching, Kiko spoke cheerfully, ''Let's get inside. The Monster Waves haven't stopped.''

Then, Atlas and the big woman entered Meroe Town, a farming community near the Flowing Blood River. Kiko told him it earned the name due to a war a decade ago during a brutal battle a mile away.

"Millions died further up the river when the Nubians pushed back the Achaemenidians," she informed him, her voice steady yet filled with the weight of the devastation. "They had the Graecoria Empire's support from the south, which turned the tide in our favor."

Atlas absorbed the grim news, but she wasn't finished. "If you're aiming to reach the capital," she continued, her eyes narrowing, "you'll have to pass through dangerous territory. A war is still raging between us and rebels hiding in those lands.''

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