Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas and the women were still trekking across the Northern Wastes on the back of Nulia, who was enjoying the freedom. He made sure to send mana into the Frostbear so she felt comfortable.

Soon enough, Nulia spoke in a rumbling voice, ''We need to find a place to rest. A storm will hit, and if we're outside, it will get bad.''

Following that, the group found a cave, which they quickly entered as the wind picked up and started lashing them. Atlas shivered before hugging Artemis even tighter; soon enough, they got comfortable.

Nulia blocked the entrance as Amethyst started a fire while he got comfortable; as he laid back, Estelle spoke, ''If we block the entrance, the monsters shouldn't get in?''

''Yes. They will be looking for somewhere to hide,'' the Frostbear woman said while standing up and approaching the entrance.

Atlas watched her start casting her ice magic, creating a wall to keep them safe as the storm increased. After that, he activated Void Realm when Artemis asked, causing the group to appear in the destroyed city.

'This should be much easier now; with all the girls here, we will bring down the numbers,'

he thought excitedly.

A fierce determination ignited within him; Atlas unleashed his full power, the howls echoing around him like a war drum. Estelle shouted from the sidelines, her voice filled with concern. ''Don't push yourself! You're still injured!''

'It doesn't matter; I won't grow stronger by hiding away,'

he thought while getting close to the creatures.

But his resolve was unyielding. Ignoring her warning, he lunged into the crowd of Ghouls, his fists glowing with mana as he used Void Punches. With a flurry of devastating strikes, he carved his way through the horde, each blow resonating with raw power.

Atlas tore through the swarm of Savage Ghouls without stopping. He changed tactics when he confronted the towering Brutes, delivering targeted punches that sent them staggering as booms rang out.

With a primal roar that shook the very ground, he summoned the might of the Void and unleashed a devastating Void Smash on one of the monstrous foes, the impact rippling through the battlefield like a shockwave.

''He's giving it his all, even though he's injured!'' Amethyst exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

Grishna stepped forward, a broad smile lighting up her face. ''Finally! The drive to grow stronger while being smart has awakened in him. Now, let's rally behind him and help!'' she said while readying her spear.

Atlas surged forward, his fists crackling as he faced the Brutes. Each blow he delivered echoed like thunder, shattering bones and sending limbs flying across the battlefield. With every strike, his power grew.

As he unleashed a strong uppercut on one of the Brutes, Grishna dashed in beside him, her spear a blur. With a lifetime of skill, she danced through the crowd of Ghouls, her weapon slicing effortlessly through their ranks.

'Wow, she has got stronger,'

he mused with a smile.

'These women are something else.'

The spear glinted in the dim light, each thrust and spin expertly choreographed as she dispatched foes left and right. That's when a horrible aura descended on the battlefield as the other women joined in.

Atlas stepped back as he saw a massive Brute, even larger and more menacing than the others, its red eyes burning with fury. The air crackled with tension as they locked gazes, but the sight of the beast did little to deter him.

Without waiting, he charged forward. The ground trembled beneath his feet as he closed the distance, his fists glowing with mana, ''Time to end this!'' he shouted, drawing all his power into a devastating strike.

He raised his fist high and unleashed a fully charged Void Smash, the mana surging like a comet. The impact struck the Brute square in the gut, a shockwave erupting from the collision.

With an explosion of force, the creature was launched into the sky, soaring like a rocket, disappearing into the darkness as the battlefield fell silent briefly. Atlas stood there but shortly after started attacking more monsters.

The women joined him, and thanks to their numbers, thousands of Ghouls fell to their teamwork. Atlas used Void Barrage to push the Brutes back as Amethyst and Nulia cast spells to wipe the creatures out.

Artemis and Estelle attacked from range as Grishna flung metal balls into the horde, which rang out. Shrill noises sent the creatures stumbling around. Atlas started using his swords to cut through the monsters.

An hour later, he backed off while checking the monster total and was shocked at what he saw.

[Void Ghoul – 20000/20000]

[Void Savage Ghoul - 10000/10000]

[Void Brute Ghoul - 2799/5000]

[----]

Then, Atlas and the women continued fighting with the Brute Ghouls while working together. Sparks flew as Estelle blocked a fierce punch, but Amethyst burned the creature to ash.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

When he saw this, a smile appeared while he cast Void Lances at the enemies, which carved them in two. Atlas was happy with their result until Artemis, who was using her sling to kill more Brutes, was caught off guard and sent flying into an old shop.

The building crumbled, sending the brunette back to the real world and causing the others to become angry. Nulia transformed into her Frostbear form and tore the Brutes apart with her deadly claws.

'They are swarming us,'

Atlas thought as more creatures appeared. 'Maybe the boss knows we're close?'

He cleared many of the Brutes with Void Barrage before checking the total, which made him smile.

[Void Ghoul – 20000/20000]

[Void Savage Ghoul - 10000/10000]

[Void Brute Ghoul - 4919/5000]

[Void Queen Ghoul - 0/1]

'Oh, a queen, this is interesting,'

Atlas thought as Grisha, Estelle, and Amethyst were sent back to the real world.

Nulia appeared beside him, breathing heavily as she shifted back into her humanoid form. ''This fight has been exhilarating, but there aren't many left,'' she remarked.

''I know,'' he replied, resting his hand gently on her flank and sending mana into her.

Atlas then smiled, his eyes warm. ''I'm happy we met, Nulia. You're stunning, and I genuinely enjoy spending time with you.''

At his words, the brown-skinned woman felt a rush of warmth flood her dark cheeks, deepening their color as she smiled back. ''You don't hold what I did against me?''

He shook his head firmly. ''No. Chaos had a grip on you. I know you wouldn't hurt me—not with how you look at me.''

Following that, the couple continued fighting until the last Ghoul Brute vanished into the Void Realm, and Nulia smiled at him, ''Ready to fight the boss?''

Atlas nodded before the two traveled through the city while following blue torches, who led the way. After fifteen minutes of walking, they spotted an arena in the distance; the bear woman pointed, ''Look, the boss is in there, darling. I can feel her strength.''

That's when he noticed the blue torches at the entrance flicker. Heavy darkness began to seep from the opposite side of the arena, causing him to draw his sword, its blade gleaming ominously in the dim light.

'Here we go, let's see how strong she is,' he thought while casting Void Infusion on his weapons.

Nulia prepared to transform, but a raspy voice echoed through the air, sending a chill down his spine. ''So, you've defeated my children, Voidwalker. Now it's my turn to stop you here.''

Atlas's heart raced as a formidable Ghoul emerged from the shadows. This creature radiated a dark energy that surpassed the rest, a palpable threat that made the air tense. The Ghoul Queen was taller than him and gave off an aura of strength.

'We may need to level up a bit more before fighting this thing,'

he thought while readying his weapons.

It didn't speak while dashing toward the duo; when Atlas saw this, he started casting Void Bullets to try to slow the queen down, but he stepped in front of Nulia, who transformed into her Frostbear form.

Nulia's claws shot over Atlas's head, colliding with the Ghoul. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, but he held his ground, channeling his energy to land a powerful Void Smash straight into the creature's chest, forcing it to skid backward.

'It took the attack! How strong is this thing?'

The Ghoul Queen lunged forward in a flash, shoving Atlas aside as she charged at Nulia. The two clashed with unrestrained ferocity, each blow making the ground tremble. But he recovered quickly, seizing his moment as he darted behind the creature.

With a fierce cry, he plunged his blades deep, unleashing a surge of Void energy that sent shockwaves through the arena. Following that, the Ghoul Queen managed to land a slash across Nulia's side.

She let out a pain-filled roar, causing Atlas to send her back to the real world. He was left alone with the creature who stared at him as she spoke, ''The old Master was much better than you. I'm surprised you received this gift.''

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