Level Up: Voidwalker

As Estelle commented to the group, Atlas and the women ate breakfast at the table, ''What's the plan? The war in the south is in full swing, and the Achaemendians are moving fast.''

''Do we travel further north?'' Artemis answered. ''They shouldn't travel this far.''

''The Northern Wastes are dangerous and full of strong dungeons. Could we go there? I have a place for us to live while there,'' Nulia suggested to the group.

Everyone looked at the Frostbear woman as Grishna questioned, ''Won't it be cold there? I hate it.''

''It's not that bad in my cave home; you can ask Atek, and he will back me up,'' she answered as her blue eyes gleamed. ''We'll be safer there until the Achaemendian war stops?''

Atlas listened to them but got an idea; he looked at Nulia before inquiring, ''How many dungeons are in the Northern Wastes?''

The brown-skinned woman thought briefly; seconds later, she answered, ''A few dozen scattered across the tundra; they are different from each other and offer a perfect opportunity for us to level up.''

''That sounds good,'' Atlas replied, outlining his plans. ''We can remain in the Otherworld while I head north on Raymond. We can level up and grow stronger if you're willing to help me catch more monsters for my army and tackle some dungeons. Once ready, we'll head south to stir things up with the Achaemendians.''

After hearing his idea, which wasn't bad, all five women gave thoughtful expressions, but Amethyst was the first to speak in a curious voice, "Can I still help you tame birds for this place?"

''Why do you want to tame so many monsters, Little Bird?'' Artemis quipped with a smile.

The phoenix woman turned to the brunette with narrowed eyes as she retorted, ''Because birds are powerful monsters and could benefit the Otherworld and Azhar'Zul, Fish.''

Before Artemis could reply, he interrupted with a smile, ''Arte, can you tame sea monsters? I know you're a Siren.''

Her brown eyes gleamed before she nodded, ''I can, but you may have to come with me.''

When Amethyst heard this, she protested, ''You want to spend alone time with him! We agreed to wait until I was eighteen, only half a year away.''

Artemis giggled while answering, ''We all have to share Little Bird. Don't complain, and let me spend time with him.''

'These women are lionesses,' he thought with a chuckle. 'They are always snapping at each other.'

Then Estelle asked him curiously, ''Can you travel with us inside the Otherworld? Won't it put a strain on you?''

Atlas shook his head, ''No, it's a separate realm from the real world, which confuses me, but it's something to do with me being a Voidwalker,'' he answered.

Following that, the group agreed to stay in the Otherworld while Atlas and one of them would travel with him so he didn't get into trouble. Once everything was settled, Estelle and Grishna wanted to train, and Nulia joined them.

This left Artemis and Amethyst, the Siren woman, wanting to swim. She kissed him on the cheek while leaving the treehouse with a beaming smile as the phoenix angrily threw a fork at her.

Atlas chuckled at the sight, but Amethyst pulled him onto the balcony before he could react. She turned to him, flushed with a deep red, and spoke hopefully. ''Will you wait for me, my love? I'm your first wife, and it's only right that we share our first time.''

He was caught off guard but nodded with a smile. ''I won't sleep with the others; I'll wait for you. After all, you're my pigeon girl.''

Amethyst's face flushed with irritation as she started hitting him playfully. ''Stop calling me a pigeon!'' she exclaimed. ''I am a mighty Cosmic Phoenix, and I've chosen you as my life mate!''

Atlas was taken aback but nodded in agreement. ''I've chosen you too, Amethyst, but you know there are also the other four. I'm growing close to them.''

Amethyst sighed at his words, a hint of frustration in her voice. ''I know you like them, especially Blondie with her giant boobs. You're always staring at those airbags!''

He chuckled, shaking his head. ''Yeah, they're pretty amazing, but yours? They're perfect.''

When the purple-haired woman heard this, she went bright red, causing Atlas to continue with his sweet words as he embraced her, ''Once you turn eighteen, we will go out on a date and have a special night.''

Amethyst beamed before nodding, ''That would be nice. My mother told me a lifemate would ensure the first time was special. Did you know a Cosmic Phoenix was with the last Voidwalker?''

''Yes, and you, her descendant pigeon,'' he teased, smiling as he leaned in to kiss her forehead. ''But none of that matters because I like you, Amethyst Flameheart.''

Her delicate hand cupped his cheeks, pulling him closer. Then she kissed him, and the moment their lips touched, a surge of electricity shot through his body, sending a thrilling jolt that made his heart race.

After the kiss, they parted, and Amethyst smiled softly, ''I'm going to do some flying to clear my head.''

Atlas nodded before responding. ''Enjoy yourself. I'll be working on creating more for the Otherworld, so keep an eye out for any changes,'' he replied with a grin, bidding farewell to the phoenix woman as she spread her wings and took off into the sky.

Once she was gone, he sat down and decided to clear out more Ghouls, which would be helpful in the future. With that thought, he activated Void Realm and appeared in the destroyed city.

He drew his swords, and the Void Ghouls' eerie howls echoed from all sides as they darted out of the shadows. Bracing himself, he cast Void Guard, creating a shimmering barrier, and sent a few creatures flying.

Without hesitation, he unleashed a volley of Void Arrows, the azure projectiles slicing through the air and searing holes into the creatures. Their twisted forms disintegrated back into the realm, but monsters surged forward, ready to overwhelm him.

Then, Atlas sliced through the Ghouls' bodies until he encountered a Brute Ghoul that sent a powerful punch in his direction. He crossed his blades to block the attack, and when it connected, his arms shook due to the force.

With a surge of power, he cast Void Wave, unleashing a devastating shockwave that blasted the surrounding creatures, forcing them back and clearing some space. Seizing the opportunity, he channeled his energy into Void Smash.

He pulled his fist back, dark energy swirling around it, before launching it forward with bone-crushing force. The moment his fist collided with the Brute's chest, a loud clap echoed through the battlefield.

The impact obliterated the Brute's chest in a burst of energy, sending shockwaves across the battlefield. He dove back into the fray without missing a beat, clashing with the swarming Void Ghouls.

'This is easier than I expected,' Atlas thought, a fierce grin.

Void Punches and Smashes tore through the horde, each blow triggering explosive bursts of dark mana. With every strike, hundreds of enemies were wiped out. Once enough were dead, he pursued the fleeing Ghouls, thinning their numbers.

After Atlas killed all the creatures, he needed to catch his breath while leaning against a nearby wall.

[Void Ghoul – 4912/20000]

[Void Savage Ghoul - 328/10000]

[Void Brute Ghoul - 1/5000]

[----]

Following that, he continued fighting the Void Ghouls until he came across a group of Brutes who started attacking him. Atlas managed to deflect many strikes, but some caught him off guard and slammed into his stomach.

He was catapulted through the city while crashing through buildings and causing some to collapse on top of him. Stay tuned for updates on empire

Atlas tore through the Void Ghouls; his fists charged with mana as he unleashed Void Punch after Punch. Explosions erupted with every hit, disintegrating the creatures in waves. His breath came in heavy gasps, but he pressed on, his strikes accurate and devastating.

Suddenly, he felt the energy within him wane. As he went to cast another spell, nothing happened. His mana was depleted. Atlas cursed under his breath, stumbling slightly as the weight of exhaustion hit him.

Sensing his vulnerability, the Ghouls began to close in, but he returned to the real world and noticed the two moons hanging overhead. Following that, Atlas relaxed on the balcony while a storm started.

A blizzard swept through the real world, and Atlas swiftly blocked its effects from reaching the Otherworld. He activated the Otherworld's seasons with a quick adjustment, letting its unique weather patterns take over.

Atlas gazed out over the vast expanse of the Otherworld. The landscape sprawled before him, a wave of colors shifting with the changing seasons. Towering trees, their leaves shimmering, swayed gently in the breeze while distant mountains loomed, their peaks kissed by clouds.

'This place is beautiful and its all mine,' he thought with a greedy smile.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

While standing that, Grishna appeared beside him with a grin, ''The Little Bird loves you Atlas, do not break her heart.''

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