Level Up: Voidwalker

The Twilight Forest bordered the road on one side, and grassland stretched to the river, blocking their way to Volantis City. Atlas watched soldiers and merchant caravans passing by.

After watching, Atlas rushed ahead, crouching by a bush as Lilith tried to jump off his shoulder and rush toward the enemy. He quickly grabbed her and whispered, "Stop, Lily. We can plan this out better and hit them from two sides."

''You will run further down the road and cross when out of sight of the soldiers,'' Atlas revealed his plan. ''Follow them until I start attacking; then, you will strike them from the rear, which will cause chaos.''

Lilith nodded; her yellow eyes gleamed excitedly before he let her go, and she rushed off. Atlas watched the little honey badger cross the road, shocking a nearby merchant caravan and the adventurers guarding it.

One of the women in the group stepped toward Lilith, but she growled at the stranger before vanishing into the long grass. Atlas followed the soldiers while hiding in the forest and soon came to what looked like a Waystation.

'What is this? A rest stop along the road?'

It was a small fort guarded by even more soldiers who patrolled the top of the walls. Atlas managed to see inside when the gates opened; smaller buildings that looked like barracks or hotels were built inside.

Traders went about their business while regular Evergladians manned stalls and shops, baffling Atlas. However, he pushed aside his confusion and grew more cautious as more soldiers joined the ranks, causing him to be more careful.

When they started traveling down the road and got further away from the Waystation, Atlas decided to attack. He aimed his hand at the group and cast a dozen Void Bullets that sliced through the air and slammed into the soldiers.

Explosions rang out, causing Atlas to cast Void Step and appear in the center while holding his dagger. He jumped onto one soldier before stabbing him in the neck as Lilith rushed out of the long grass.

She lunged at the closest soldiers and tore the poor man apart as he was in shock. When Atlas saw this, he aimed his hand and cast Void Arrow at the enemy that went to hit the honey badger who was too busy attacking her victim.

The azure blue arrows pierced the soldier's chest, and the rest managed to regroup and form up to fight Atlas, who was smiling at them. Three enemies rushed toward him, but he cast Void Step and vanished.

He reappeared in the middle of their formation, allowing him to cast another dozen Void Bullets into the soldier's backs. The explosions tore them into meat chunks as Atlas basked in the flow of experience pouring into him.

Lilith was on her third soldier, reducing the poor woman to mincemeat. At the same time, Atlas plunged his dagger into the remaining enemies, mercifully ending their suffering as they writhed in agony from the burns inflicted by his spells.

Once the fighting ended, Atlas noticed his low mana, causing him to take out a potion and down it. After cleaning his blade, he felt refreshed and looted the bodies by cutting off their coin pouches.

Atlas counted out 15 gold, 200 silver, and 1000 copper, which excited him. He stored the loot in his Dimensional Storage before approaching Lilith and started pampering the honey badger who loved it.

The duo continued down the road and heard explosions in the distance, which caused him to think, 'It seems the girls have already started.'

It took Atlas twenty minutes of walking to spot the bridge they needed to use to cross. There was an army camped on this side, which blocked their way forward. When he saw this, he thought, 'Maybe Lilith and I could attack it? Use the element of surprise?'

While thinking, a group of soldiers rushed down the road where the other girls were coming from, causing Atlas to smirk before scanning the three enemies he could see.

[Aldric]

[Level: 97]

[Rank: Apprentice - 200 Exp]

[Balin]

[Level: 78]

[Rank: Apprentice - 200 Exp]

[Cedric]

[Level: 117]

[Rank: Adept - 300 Exp]

and say, ''Want to clear the camp with me, Lily? Let's surprise the others.''

Lilith let out a fierce growl in reply, causing Atlas to approach the gate while readying his dagger, and when the soldiers spotted him, they sounded the alarm, causing dozens to run out and making him rethink his plan.

But without waiting, Lilith jumped and started charging at the soldiers. Atlas rolled his eyes when he saw this and cast Void Step, only to vanish when the closest enemy neared. He reappeared in the middle of them.

Atlas unleashed a frenzied assault, slashing at the soldier's legs and toppling them to the ground. The sudden brutality shocked the remaining enemies, but Atlas wasted no time. He conjured Void Bullets that erupted into explosions among them.

Screams rang out as Lilith slashed and bit any soldiers she came in contact with; Atlas started slashing while casting Void Bullets and Arrows into the remaining enemies, who were baffled.

As Atlas attacked one guard, one stronger soldier stepped forward and swung a giant sword, but he cast Void Guard just in time. When the blade struck him, he was sent flying and crashed to the ground with a thud.

While recovering, Atlas scanned the newcomer.

[Falkor]

[Level: 175]

[Rank: Adept - 300 Exp]

'Oh shit,' he thought when seeing the man's level and rank. 'I should've waited for Grishna and the others.'

As the man advanced, fury etched on his face, he rose to his feet. The man swung his sword, prompting Atlas to cast a Void Bullet at the blade, deflecting it and enabling him to evade. A tense cat-and-mouse exchange ensued.

Atlas evaded Falkor's assaults while simultaneously launching Void Arrows into the backs of the Evergladian soldiers engaged in combat with Lilith. Atlas couldn't evade all attacks, and whenever he got struck, he cast Void Guard to protect him but was sent flying.

Just as he hit the ground, a shrill noise erupted, confusing everyone, even Falknor, who held his ears but was struck by a Cosmic Blast that Amethyst cast as she appeared from the treeline.

Artemis and Estelle slammed into the Evergladian soldiers. While this was happening, Grishna appeared, but Atlas waved her away, "I've got this. Go!"

The orc girl looked at him with narrowed eyes but nodded proudly. Once she left, Atlas stood up and shook his head to clear the dizziness before rushing toward the dazed leader, who swung his weapon.

He skidded under the blade and slashed through the man's ankles, causing him to crash to the ground. With the commander incapacitated, he cast Void Step and reappeared on Falkor's back before plunging his dagger into his throat.

Following that, the girls cleared the remaining soldiers, and Grishna approached before placing a hand on his shoulder, ''Come Grak'Thar Gromog'ar, we need to cross the bridge.''

Atlas nodded as he stood up, shaking off the dizziness before rushing toward the bridge. Lilith climbed up his body and wrapped around his neck. Together, they made it to the bridge and quickly crossed as soldiers appeared.

They started casting spells at the group while crossing. Atlas looked to the side and saw a riverboat targeting them. When they reached halfway, explosions hit the bridge, shaking the stone.

Atlas and Amethyst trailed behind as the bridge began to collapse. The phoenix girl quickly summoned her wings, grabbing him just as the structure plunged into the river. With powerful flaps, she saved them both from falling in.

She flew them safely to the other side and gently landed beside the other girls. Atlas aimed his hand at the riverboat and cast several Void Arrows at it, causing it to explode and giving them enough time to escape.

They all rushed further inland as the remaining soldiers fired spells at them, but it was too late, as the group got away. After running for an hour, the group came to a hill where they started to rest.

Amethyst dropped to the ground while breathing heavily, and the others sat around a tree as Grishna commented, ''Did you hear what those soldiers were talking about?''

Artemis nodded, ''Yes, the Argonia's have conquered the Moonhare Kingdom and everything east of the Burrow Mountains.''

''Father and my brothers moved quickly. They called it a lightning war where the heavy knights charged across the borders along with the artillery legions and seized every fortress they came across with the help of the Mage Core.''

''Why is the king attacking Moonhare and Everglade kingdoms?'' Artemis questioned the blonde knight.

''Land, people, and resources,'' Estelle answered. ''Argonia is overcrowded, so Father started recruiting soldiers and trained them over Goldenfall to invade during Frostwinter to catch the two kingdoms off guard.''

Everyone nodded as Grishna responded, ''It's the way of life now; wars are breaking out all over Astoria, well, except for the north, but all that's up there are dungeons and monsters.''

When Atlas heard this, his azure blue eyes glowed, causing the orc to quickly retort, ''No, we're not going there, you little shit. It's dangerous, and Frostbears roam the tundras.''