Level Up: Voidwalker

A roaring fire exploded, which chased away the cold air that invaded the commander's quarters. While Atlas did this, the blonde knight cast Cleanse on everything to free it from the Achaemendian filth.

Following that, Nulia spoke up, ''I will cook us some food. I still have a lot of meat from my hunting to use.''

Artemis and Amethyst offered to help while Grishna dragged Estelle and Artemis to check out the rest of the building. This left Atlas and Zena who watching him with glowing yellow eyes. ''So they are your harem? No wonder, their all beautiful.''

''Thank you,'' he replied before pulling out some ale while offering some to the black wolf woman. ''Do you want some?''n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Zena eyed the offered drink suspiciously, raising an eyebrow as she quipped, ''Trying to poison me now?''

Atlas chuckled, his laughter echoing in the still air. Without hesitation, he took a sip himself, his gaze never leaving hers. The azure flames flickered brightly nearby, casting a mesmerizing glow that bathed the room in an otherworldly light.

He slumped onto a nearby sofa while he continued to drink. Zena watched him as her tail swayed side to side. She sat next to him and took the bottle before sipping some, causing her ears to perk up.

'Seems like she likes it,' Atlas thought with a smile.

Following that, the two of them sat in silence while drinking the ale. Atlas took out some more and shared it with her as she spoke. ''What is your goal? Why are you fighting the empire when it's so risky with just six of you?''

''I want a peaceful life where I don't have to worry about assassins trying to kill me,'' he answered while staring into the fire. ''And there's a feeling inside that wants the Achaemenid Empire to fall.''

Zena nodded thoughtfully, her voice steady as she said, ''That makes sense. They've caused untold suffering to millions across Valoria.''

With that, she lifted her drink and took a sip. Atlas remained silent, his gaze distant, as if lost in the labyrinth of his thoughts. Moments later, the wolf woman rose to her feet, a weary yet sincere smile gracing her lips.

''Thank you for helping us,'' she said warmly. ''I know you seek no reward, but the kingdom will honor your efforts.''

Atlas looked at the dark-haired woman and nodded. ''Thank you.''

After her words, a heavy silence settled between them, broken only by the steady crackle of the fireplace. The warm flicker of the flames echoed softly in the room, while the distant rumble of thunder.

Suddenly, the stillness was shattered by an earth-shaking explosion that tore through the air, as the wall erupted in a violent burst of splintering stone as an Achaemendian Grandmaster appeared.

Atlas's eyes narrowed, a primal instinct surging within him. With a growl, he lunged forward, his muscles coiling as he swung. His fist collided with the intruder in a thunderous boom, sending the Grandmaster skidding backward across the room.

But he wasn't finished yet. With a roar that shook the air, he surged forward once more, his body a blur of motion as he unleashed a relentless barrage of Void Punches. Each strike hammered the Grandmaster's body.

Each time the enemy attempted to retaliate, Atlas danced around the blows, his eyes glowing with raw mana. His fists, now crackling, moved faster than the eye could follow, striking with unstoppable force.

He showed no regard for his safety, only focusing on pushing the enemy away from the women and out of the building. With a fierce grunt, Atlas delivered a powerful kick to the Grandmaster's chest, sending him hurtling through the hole in the wall, the impact echoing through the room.

Without hesitation, Atlas followed, leaping through the debris. As the empire dog soared through the air, Atlas closed the distance and struck once more, his fist glowing with the concentrated might of the Void.

The blow landed like a thunderclap, unleashing a devastating Void Smash that shattered the surrounding air. Atlas knew the impact was cataclysmic, an explosion of dark energy that tore through the enemy's defenses, sending them crashing into the ground with the force of a thousand storms.

The earth shook, and a shockwave rippled outward, but Atlas landed close to the crater where the Grandmaster crashed. That's when the man climbed out injured but still standing, which annoyed him.

''You cannot win, demon!'' the enemy sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. ''I may be injured, but I'll recover. And when I do, I'll kill you and deliver your women to the emperor as his playthings.''

When Atlas heard those words, something within him shattered. Fury surged through his veins, his control slipping as the rage consumed him. With a voice that cracked like thunder, he growled, ''Die.''

In an instant, he channeled raw mana into his fists; the power pulsing through his limbs like wildfire. He shot forward with the speed of a bullet, closing the distance between him and the Grandmaster in the blink of an eye.

His fists landed with a relentless barrage, each punch echoing like a thunderclap. The Achaemenid was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained his composure, landing a few strikes of his own.

Atlas felt the sickening crack of ribs giving way as the Grandmaster's punches sent searing pain radiating through his body. Gritting his teeth against the agony, he retaliated with a ferocious headbutt.

A loud crack echoed out, causing the enemy to stumble back as Estelle appeared out of nowhere and slashed at the man. Her blade cut through his armor, which shocked Atlas, who backed away.

His body gradually mended, strength returning as the blonde effortlessly cut down the Grandmaster. The sudden roar of an explosion erupted behind him, jolting Atlas to attention. Spinning around, he saw the women forcing the Nightowls into a desperate retreat.

Estelle's Steel Legion butchered the enemies as they swamped the assassins while Amethyst swooped down and started blasting the soldiers with Cosmic Blast that washed over them as small blasts took out smaller groups.

Following that, Nulia charged from the fortress and swatted the Nightowls, using her claws that turned them into mincemeat as Grishna started casting Earth Bolts into the stronger enemies.

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