Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas was standing on a ledge while watching a monster swarm pass by. 'Hopefully, this shit calms down when we get out of the north.'

While he did that, Nala appeared beside him and nudged him. 'A few Titans are coming, Master. It's the reason I suggested hiding for a while.'

''I know and am thankful for it. I'm not strong enough to fight them just yet,'' Atlas replied while pulling out some food.

He started eating just as Lilith appeared from the tent he set up. The white-haired young woman stretched as she spoke. ''Can I get some food, handsome?''

Atlas gave her some, as Nala concluded before sitting down. 'Just be careful and don't attract their attention, Master.'

''I will now go rest, and thanks for helping Nala,'' he replied while sending the monster back to the Otherworld.

Once she was gone, Atlas turned his attention back to the landscape that stretched in all directions, but that's when he spotted the southern road, causing him to think, 'Good, at least we're close now.'

The fading sunlight bathed the rolling plains and distant mountains in hues of gold and deep violet. A gentle breeze carried the scent of earth and grass, but it grew sharper with each passing moment as the temperature dropped.

He exhaled, his breath forming a faint cloud in the cooling air. With a last glance at the horizon, he pulled his cloak tighter around himself and turned toward the tent. Ducking inside, grateful for shelter as the cold of the evening settled in.

Atlas's gaze landed on Lilith, seated comfortably and enjoying her meal. She looked up, her violet eyes sparkling as she smiled. ''This food is delicious,'' she said, her voice light with delight. ''I can't wait to try more.''

With a small nod, Atlas reached into his pack and pulled out additional portions, handing them to the Honey Badger woman. Her face lit up with joy, and she eagerly ate, her enthusiasm infectious as she savored each bite.

As Lilith enjoyed her meal, Atlas decided it was time to test the Void Realm skill. Closing his eyes, he activated it, and in an instant, the world around him shifted. He reappeared at the edge of a large lake.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his swords, their edges gleaming ominously. With a wave of his hand, he cast Void Infusion, that covered the blades. Atlas quickly raised his blades just as a scythe slashed at him.

'That was close! These things are deadly.'

He deflected it before hitting the monster with a Void Lance that tore through its exoskeleton just as more appeared. Atlas had to think fast as he started blocking the attacks while countering with his own.

Following that, he used Void Step and appeared in the trees just as more slashes passed through in the spot he was just in. He quickly cast Void Blast, which wiped out the monster as an explosion erupted.

Altas fled into the trees as more Broodmaws appeared from the surrounding bushes. Thanks to his speed, he rushed through the treetops while checking the monster total and sighed when he saw the amount.

[Void Broodmaw - 21/10000]

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'This is going to take some time to clear,' Atlas thought, his instincts kicking in as he Void Stepped, narrowly evading a creature that lunged at him.

Before he could steady himself, another monster struck, thrusting its scythe-like appendage directly at his torso. Panic surged through him, and he quickly cast Void Guard, summoning a shimmering barrier of energy.

Suddenly a creature's scythe collided with the shield, its razor-sharp tip piercing through and glancing off his armor. The impact was immense; the force hurling Atlas backward. He crashed through the swamp, the murky water and dense foliage breaking his fall as he slid to a stop.

'Ah fuck, that hurt,' he thought while spitting blood out as his regeneration kicked in and started healing his body.

Atlas stood up just as chittering noises rang out from all around him as the Broodmaws moved toward him. Without waiting, he started slinging a dozen Void Lances that sliced through the air and connected with the monsters.

The azure projectiles tore through them with ease just as one pounced from behind him and thrust a scythe through his right leg, causing him to let out a scream as pain flowed through his body.

He swung around and cast Void Blast, which sent the monster flying into the trees as more of them rushed out of the underbrush. Atlas steadied himself, his eyes locking onto another Broodmaw as it advanced with unnerving speed.

'These things are driving me mad. They're so fast,' he pondered while dodging a lunge.

Its scythe-like limbs gleamed with a deadly sheen, slicing through the air as it lunged toward him. He dodged to the side with a quick Void Step, narrowly avoiding a strike that gouged deep into the swampy ground.

Another Broodmaw appeared from the shadows, its scythes arcing in a deadly double strike. Atlas ducked low, feeling the wind of the blades skim past his head, and retaliated with an upward slash, his Void-Infused sword tearing through its carapace.

The creature screeched, but there was no time to celebrate. A third Broodmaw charged from his left, forcing him to roll through the muck as its scythe slammed into a tree, splitting it in two.

Breathing heavily, Atlas tightened his grip on his swords, his focus razor-sharp as the next wave of attackers appeared. He yelped as one monster tried to bite him, but he jumped back while deflecting it.

Sparks flew, but he cast Void Wave to knock them back as he used Void Step to attack the closest, which brought them down. While doing that, he felt several blades piercing through his torse.

The jarring impact forced Atlas out of the Void Realm, snapping him back to reality. As his vision cleared, he found Lilith leaning over him, her expression etched with worry. She was shaking him gently, her voice trembling as she asked, ''Master, are you okay?''

He blinked before nodding while sitting. ''I'm fine, Lili. I was just fighting in the Void Realm, but the monsters defeated me.'' Continue reading at empire

When the Honey Badger woman heard this, she looked angry as she exclaimed, ''Take me to them! I will beat those vile creatures for hurting you.''

Atlas started laughing before grabbing her hand and reactivating the skill. The duo appeared in the swamp, which confused Lilith as she glanced around while sniffing the air. ''I can smell them moving I'm,'' she said with a growl.

'Let's see what she can do,' he thought before Void Stepped to the branches above as she transformed into another Honey Badger form. 'What is she doing? Why fight like that?'

He watched as her ferocity captivated him. Lilith let out a guttural snarl, her eyes blazing with unbridled rage as she spotted the Broodmaw. Without hesitation, she lunged at a blur of claws and teeth.

The creatures hesitated, their usual confidence replaced by shock thanks to the little creature. That hesitation cost them dearly as she tore into the nearest Broodmaw, her claws rending through its tough carapace-like paper.

A second creature lunged at her, but she spun, slamming it into the ground with enough force to crack the swampy earth. Atlas couldn't help but marvel as she unleashed her fury, a whirlwind of savage strength, reducing them to broken husks.

The once-dominant Broodmaws were no match for the primal wrath of the Honey Badger. Lilith was going crazy and dodging the scythes and using them to jump off and slash through the creature's throats.

Atlas leaped from the branch, descending like a predator. He landed squarely on a creature's back, driving his blade through its skull. Blood sprayed across the ground below as the lifeless body crumpled beneath him.

Wasting no time, he cast Void Wave, unleashing a powerful shockwave that sent nearby monsters stumbling backward. As the chaos erupted, Lilith let out a feral growl, her fury building as she enjoyed the fight.

Following that, Atlas quickly checked the monster's total while using Void Bomb to kill dozens of Broodmaws.

[Void Broodmaw - 151/10000]

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'I'll get the other girls to fight with us,' he pondered while deflecting several scythes that were aimed at his throat.

Chings rang out just as Lilith lunged at the Broodmaw and cracked its exoskeleton open with ease before savaging it. Atlas chuckled when hearing this before casting Void Wave that sent the remaining creatures that flew.

They moved as a deadly duo, tearing through the horde with relentless precision. His Void-Infused blades flashed in the dim swamp light, slicing through carapaces and limbs, while Lilith, in her Honey Badger form, was a whirlwind of claws and fangs.

The monsters fell one after another, their shrieks drowned by the sound of clashing steel and savage growls. He carved a path through the chaos, covering Lilith's flanks as she tore into another Broodmaw, ripping it apart with terrifying strength.

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