Level Up: Voidwalker

Chapter 197: They Seem Hostile

Atlas continued to pepper the Hyenas with Void Blasts and Bullets that only managed to damage them, 'Damn, they must be high ranked monsters,' he internally panicked.

Without hesitation, he scanned them with a Void Sight and found out what they were.

[Dreadjaw]

[Rank: A+ - 1500 Exp]

[Savage monsters who hunt alongside the Titan Giant]

'This isn't good,' Atlas thought before casting Void Barrage, which peppered the creatures and made them stumble.

While doing that, Nala quickly warned, 'Master, we are coming to the river! What do I do?'

His head snapped in the water's direction as he replied, just as a rumbling started, 'Jump in the water! I'll summon Medusa to get me away from here.'

The lion queen agreed and darted toward the fast-moving river as the Titan Giant continued the chase. Atlas noticed the monster was hot on his heels this time, causing his heart to beat like crazy.

'Oh crap, this thing is fast!'

But it was too late. Nala flung Atlas off her back, spinning around with a ferocious snarl. She let out a roar that echoed as she lunged at the nearest Dreadjaw, sinking her teeth into its throat and snapping its neck.

However, the other monsters swarmed her like wolves before she could recover. Atlas sprang to his feet, eyes blazing with fury as he rushed toward the lioness. Seeing her overwhelmed, he called upon his magic, summoning more Dreadmaw Lions to help.

With a roar of his own, he plunged his blade into the skull of a nearby creature, blood spraying as he fought, but soon enough, the Titan reached them as Nala's voice rang out, 'Run, you foolish boy!'

Atlas noticed the Giant closing in and immediately cast several Void Lances at it, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. Without hesitation, he activated a spell he had yet to unleash. The air around him crackled as he shifted into his Voidwalker form.

'I can feel this form is burning through my mana quickly.'

His body transformed—growing taller and more monstrous, with his bulk resembling an eldritch bodybuilder. His arms ended in two massive claws pulsing with dark energy. As the transformation was completed, something inside him snapped.

A wild, uncontrollable fury surged through him, and he launched himself at the Giant Titan with terrifying speed. His claws slashed across the Titan's massive body, its attempt to block futile as he tore through flesh, ripping skin echoing through the battlefield.

The Titan bellowed in pain as Atlas, now a force of primal rage, attacked with relentless ferocity. He let out another eerie roar that scared the surrounding monsters, but the Giant saw it as a challenge.

Consumed by raw power, Atlas tore through the Titan's ankle with blinding speed and strength, forcing the colossal beast to collapse onto one knee. Seeing the giant falter, he unleashed a wild, primal roar, his right fist glowing as mana wrapped around them.

Wasting no time, Atlas pulled it back as he leaped forward with explosive force. Casting Void Punch, he drove his fist into the Titan's chin with a deafening clap that echoed across the landscape.

The impact reverberated through the air, causing the massive monster to shift under the sheer force of the blow. Seizing the moment, he pounced again, but as he closed in, the beast swung its arm, catching him off guard.

The force of the hit sent him flying, his body flying across the landscape. 'I should have escaped like Nala said,' he thought as his head spun.

Pain exploded through him as his bones snapped, blood spurting from his wounds. His vision blurred, his body shattered, but his fury still burned beneath the pain. This allowed him to aim his hand toward the Giant.

'I will make sure to hurt you before I go down,' Atlas thought while pouring the remaining mana into a Void Bomb that hurt his arm because of how unstable it was.

He let it fly toward the Titan, who tried to avoid it, but the chaotic projectile followed it like a homing missile. It crashed into the Giant, causing a massive explosion to ring out, which sent it stumbling back as its skin was burned.

The shockwave rushed out and crashed into Atlas's body, which sent him crashing into the nearby river as his world faded to black. Thanks to the current, he was washed away from the Titan, who was trying to scoop him out of the water.

Atlas drifted for hours as his body repaired itself, and the river monsters avoided him due to the Giant's blood that stained his armor. While unconscious, he dreamed about the four women waiting for him.

***

'He has hurt himself yet again,' Amethyst sighed as she stood on a fortress's wall.

While traveling north, they encountered the Golden Lion Legion searching for them. When the four women heard they were followers of the Path and swore loyalty to Azhar'Zul, they took them back to the large castle.

A man named Rollo and Jorik treated them with the utmost respect when learning they were Atlas's party members. Each one was given a room, and the two older men assigned them all females as guards.

When Estelle heard this, she questioned their motives. Still, Rollo swore to Luxia and Nyx that he had no ulterior motives and just wanted to see the end of the Achaemenid Empire, as they had killed millions in their conquest.

While standing on the wall, Amethyst sensed Artemis approaching, wrapped in a furry cloak as she was cold. She chuckled before speaking, ''Cold Little Fish? Not used to this weather, eh.''

''Shut up, girl!'' the brunette retorted while shivering. ''I always heard of the cold, but this is something else.''

Amethyst giggled as she spoke, ''The Achaemenids have stopped chasing us, and Azhar'Zul knows where we are. A train goes to the nearest city, but he can fly to the Northern Reach when he gets close.''

''I still don't like it,'' Artemis commented. ''Estelle is training in the yard while Grish has hunted in the wilds.''

When hearing her friend's words, Amethyst nodded before revealing some news that she had learned this morning, ''Well, they have been getting bored. Rollo said many Astoria kingdoms had fallen in the invasion and submitted to the empire. Estelle thinks it's best to keep growing like we have been.''

''What about the elves? Did they hold out for long?'' Artemis questioned.

''They are still holding on by using the mountain passes to hold off the superior numbers of the empire,'' Amethyst replied while looking at the snow-covered forest that led south. ''Rumors say that they aren't coming any further north than the Wolf Kingdoms.''

The brunette sighed before looking south and speaking out loud, ''I wonder how long it will take Azhar'Zul to meet up with us.''

"Hopefully not much longer, Fish," Amethyst replied, and the two returned to their quarters.

As they walked, a sudden vision flashed before Amethyst's eyes—Atlas, drifting along a river, battered and broken, recovering from a vicious battle. Her heart skipped a beat, but she exhaled in quiet relief when she saw that he was still breathing.

'Grow stronger, my Amore; we will see you soon,' she thought while gazing south one last time.

***

'Ahh, my head hurts,' Atlas thought as something tugged at his body.

He opened his eyes only to notice he was in a fishing net getting dragged to the surface, 'What the fuck! This is all I need.'

Soon enough, Atlas was dragged out of the water and dumped onto a metal deck with shocked gasps, and a scream rang out. He shook his head while glancing up and noticed a dozen people surrounding him holding swords.

'They seem hostile. I better get out of here.'

Atlas quickly noticed they looked like Nubians with dark skin and eyes, but these looked hostile. When realizing this, he summoned Theo, who quickly plucked him from the deck and soared into the sky.

Spells and arrows whizzed through the air, aimed at them, but the Blood Bat King effortlessly dodged each one. As they neared land, he directed the creature to land atop a karst formation for safety.

Once Atlas dismounted, he collapsed onto the rocky surface. Dizziness clouded his mind, and a sharp tingling spread through his fingertips. Quickly, he curled up, seeking shelter beneath the bat's leathery wings, which shielded him from the harsh elements.

Following that, Atlas slept for a whole day before waking up confused, as all he could remember was fighting the Titan Giant. He shook his head while standing up and taking off his helmet.

'Where am I?' he thought while glancing around while taking in the sights.

More rolling hills covered in snow and forests dot the landscapes, with settlements here and there. Atlas pulled out his map and soon found out he was by a place called Death Shark Lake, which caused him to gulp.

'Im not going in there,' he thought while stretching his body before getting his tent out as it was still nighttime.

The beautiful stars shone high above and lit up the world below, causing Atlas to love the view from the karst.

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