Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas lay on the ground, his body healing after the battle with the Void Raptors. The forest went quiet, giving him time to catch his breath before checking the number of monsters he needed to kill.

[Void Raptors - 573/1000]

'Only three hundred and seventy six left to kill,' he thought while standing up once his wounds healed.

Atlas looked around but didn't see anything, so he carried on while keeping an eye on his surroundings. It took another half an hour, and more raptors appeared and charged at him with malice in their black eyes.

'They give me the creeps,' he mused while looking at the dinosaur monster.

The monsters lunged at him, but he moved to the side as a Void Raptor flew past him. Atlas stabbed his Night Blade into the side of the creature and sliced along its body until it turned into azure motes.

Another appeared, but he cast Void Arrows at it before stabbing a third through the eye until another tackled him to the ground with a thud. Atlas felt the creature's claw pierce his chest, causing him to scream in agony, but he quickly touched the thing's body and blew it away using Void Blast.

Atlas and the Void Raptors continued their battle for a straight hour as explosions and roars rang across the forest. He was battered and bruised when the monsters stopped appearing while leaning against a tree with heavy breaths.

''Hopefully, this shouldn't take too long; these monsters will be my escape plan as soon as the opportunity arises,'' Atlas muttered as he recovered.

He was covered in dinosaur blood, and one of his arms was hanging limp after a surprised bite he received from a Voidstalker; his Regeneration was healing every injury, but all he had to do was wait.

'Damn it still hurts,' Atlas thought while looking at a large chunk of flesh that was missing from his leg.

Atlas observed as his armor seamlessly repaired itself, and his muscles gradually stitched back together. Taking advantage of the moment's rest, he surveyed his surroundings: a vast expanse filled with hundreds of trees and thick clusters of bushes.

He glanced upwards and saw a deep azure sky adorned with stars that shimmered like vibrant brushstrokes on a serene canvas. Nearly twenty minutes passed before he could stand again, but just as he rose, a Void Raptor Warrior lunged at him from a nearby bush.

'Oh crap!'

The massive creature pinned him to the ground, its jaws snapping dangerously close. Atlas quickly cast Void Guard, blocking the razor-sharp teeth, then unleashed a Void Blast into the warrior's chest, burning straight through it.

Atlas pushed the Void Raptor Warrior off him while casting Void Step

[Void Raptors - 311/1000]

[Void Raptor Warriors - 0/4]

[Voidstalkers – 875/1000]

[King Void Raptor – 1/1]

'Not many raptors left to kill, and the warriors are already taken care of,' Atlas thought as he stood up.

He traveled around the forest, methodically hunting down the remaining Void Raptors. However, the Voidstalkers were proving to be a significant challenge, constantly ambushing him from all directions.

Some even lunged at Atlas from the tree branches above, making him jump after hours of relentless attacks that had taken their toll. He made a critical mistake at one point, allowing the monsters to swarm him.

Desperate, Atlas unleashed a Void Wave to push them back, but their numbers were overwhelming. He spammed spells into their ranks while using the surrounding trees to break the monsters up, but he struggled to keep the relentless horde at bay.

Atlas had killed hundreds of Void Raptors and Voidstalkers monsters at this point, but it was driving him crazy. When they stopped attacking, he checked the totals and rested for a few seconds.

[Void Raptors - 0/1000]

[Voidstalkers – 513/1000]

'Not long before I have to fight the Void Raptor King, at least I've cleared the Void Raptors,' he mused. 'First, I must deal with the Voidstalkers, then look for the boss.'

Then Atlas continued walking through the forest as he approached the mountain he saw in the distance. While traveling, he killed even more Voidstalkers who kept up with their ambushes, which annoyed him.

'This place is too big,' he mused while glancing at his surroundings. 'I wonder what the second level is like.'

Following that, Atlas resumed his journey, but he soon found himself battling even more Voidstalkers. Frustration and fatigue mounted as he fended off the cunning creatures. This time, he was too exhausted and sluggish, and they overwhelmed him, bringing his run in the Void Realm to an end.

Atlas returned to reality and noticed everyone was asleep before he saw the night sky through the window at the end of the hold. The ship was calm, which meant the sea wasn't rough anymore, but he heard people rushing above and wondered what was happening.

Mana Cannons rang out, causing the other prisoners to wake up as their captures battled sea monsters trying to attack the ship. The journey continued across the sea for days, allowing Atlas even more time in the Void Realm.

He was now standing at the entrance of the boss area after dealing with the remaining Voidstalkers. While standing at the entrance to the valley, he pulled up the totals of the first level.

[Void Raptors - 0/1000]

[Void Raptor Warriors - 0/4]

[Voidstalkers – 0/1000]

[Void Raptor King – 1/1]

'I bet the king is much stronger than the others,' Atlas thought as he was getting nervous. He checked his status due to small gains from all the fights with the remaining Voidstalkers.

[Mana: 1608→1630]

[Strength: 446→450]

[Intelligence: 378→380]

'Nice, my mana shot up by twenty-two,' he mused as a notification popped up.

[Well done, Voidwalker! You cleared all the monsters and now have to defeat the Void Raptor King to unlock the skill that allows you to use the Void Monsters. Good luck with your boss fight]

Atlas asked whoever was talking to him, ''Can you give me the name of the skill? And bring up everything available about the Void Raptors.''

[Call Of The Void - Summons monsters from the void to aid the caster in battle - Each creature varies in mana cost, so select which ones you want to bring forth - No list available for monsters; complete the first level to unlock this feature]

[Group One: Summon a pack of twelve Voidstalkers to aid in battle or scout an area. Each summoning portal costs 200 Mana and remains active for ten minutes. Extending their duration requires an additional 100 Mana for another ten minutes]

[Group Two: Summon a pack of Void Raptors to assist in battle. The pack comprises eight members led by a Void Raptor Warrior who prioritizes your safety over their own. Each summoning portal requires 400 Mana and lasts for ten minutes. Extending their presence costs an additional 200 Mana for another ten minutes]

[Group Three: Summon a pack of Six Void Raptors Warriors led by the Void Raptor King to assist in battle. The monsters prioritize your safety over their own. Each summoning portal requires 2000 Mana and lasts for ten minutes. Extending their presence costs an additional 1000 Mana for another ten minutes]

'Interesting. There are three different options, but the third is expensive. I can't summon them yet, but the second will be enough time to escape; the perfect moment must come,' he mused before entering the Void Raptor Kings arena.

Atlas got nervous as he walked the path descending into the valley, sensing a foreboding aura that seemed to press against his very being. Steeling his resolve, he pressed onward until he emerged into a small forest encircling a spacious clearing.

Ancient stone walls marked the arena's perimeter, their weathered surfaces hinting at a history lost to time. As Atlas set foot within, arcane blue lights flickered to life along the edges, casting eerie shadows that danced across the ground.

Gripping his blades tightly, Atlas braced himself as a monstrous figure materialized in the arena. When he caught sight of the creature, his jaw dropped in disbelief. "A Megaraptor! How can I defeat this thing?" he muttered.

The Void Raptor King loomed twice the height of the warriors, and its midnight-black hide was decorated with sinister blue stripes that suited the void. He noticed its limbs ended in razor-sharp claws as big as his legs.

Atlas shivered when seeing this thing, but he paled when hearing a deep, menacing male voice sounding in his head, 'A new Voidwalker has been born.'

He watched the Megaraptor close in before its giant head sniffed him. 'I can smell the void on you, boy. My last master was a powerful warrior, but you're a baby. Why has the Void Goddess sent you to me?'

'What? I was brought here by Luxia and Nyx, whose this Void Goddess you speak of?' Atlas finally spoke.

The monster circled him but ran one of its claws down his back as it replied, 'She will show herself in time, youngling. Do you want to fight me, or would you prefer to level up even more? It only makes sense as I'm a much higher rank.'

Atlas used Void Sight on the Megaraptor.

[----]

[Level One Boss]

[Race: Void Raptor]

[Rank: C+]

'So strong,' he thought with a gulp. 'I'd have to be sneaky in defeating him.'

'Haha. I feel your fear, youngling; we can postpone our fight until you're stronger,' the monster said while walking away from him. 'I won't think any less of you, Voidwalker, it's the way of life.'

Atlas shook his head and readied himself for a fight, 'That is noble of you, but I have no choice. I need to defeat you because I've been captured by an enemy who wants to execute me. So your help is required.'