Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas continued down the tunnel and stopped at a four-way junction, only to be confused. He looked at the tunnels and couldn't decide which one to take, 'A maze of all mazes. What else could be lurking in here?' he internally complained.

''I bet there is a horde of monsters on the other end of the wrong paths, but I guess it will get even more experience,'' Atlas muttered with a chuckle.

He eventually took the path to his right, and after an hour of walking, he stumbled upon an underground town that left him perplexed, "What on earth is this nightmarish place doing down here?" he spoke.

Old, rundown buildings lined the street leading to the tunnel entrance. The road had weeds and grass growing through it while the wild half reclaimed the structures, but even this confused him.

'How did a town get down here? Or did the dungeon create it?' Atlas pondered while studying the biggest building in the center.

He stopped thinking and continued down the street, scanning the buildings, as the feeling of being watched hit him. Atlas readied his blades and knew an attack was coming as howls echoed throughout the town.

Atlas readied himself as Dreadfiends rushed out of their hiding places and lunged at him while trying to bite. He slapped the creature's claws to the side and thrust his knife into its head before dealing with the others.

Without thinking, Atlas started spamming Void Step, turning into a blur as he rushed across the street, taking out the enemy at every opportunity. While killing the Dreadfiends, he felt something targeting him.

'Something else is attacking!'

He turned to face it and held the Nightblade in front of him as a sword connected, causing sparks to fly. Atlas gritted his teeth as he gripped his weapons with both hands and his arms strained.

'What is this enemy!' he flicked his wrist to the right, sending the sword flying that way and embedding itself in the wall.

As that happened, more swords flew at Atlas, causing him to jump, duck, and use Void Step to block them. After that, he spotted the culprit and rushed toward him while skillfully leaping over the blades.

While doing this, he cast several Void Blasts at the new foe, which he managed to scan.

[Dreadfiend Knight]

[Rank: C - 500 Exp]

Atlas's excitement skyrocketed when he saw this and sped up, which created a sonic boom as he swung at the armored creature who blocked his attack with a shield, but he wasn't deterred and cast a Void Blast at it.

The explosion rocked the town, sending the Dreadfiend Knight flying backward. When Atlas saw this, he dashed forward and kept striking with his blades, causing the enemy's armor to crack under the precise attacks.

While attacking, Atlas received a warning, causing him to back away. A spear pierced the space he was just in, and another knight appeared. 'Two against one seems fair,' he thought with a smile under his helmet.

Following that, he started attacking the second while the first recovered. He managed to get the upper hand using his speed and magic, but when the Dreadfiend Knight slammed its spear on the ground, Atlas backed off.

He looked at the two enemies, who looked worse for wear, and said excitedly, ''This is what I wanted! Give me more! Show me what this dungeon can do.''

Once the last words left his mouth, Atlas burst forward and cast Void Blast at the first knight while the second thrust his spear toward him. He quickly cast Void Guard to defend himself before attacking with Void Wave.

The two knights were knocked back, allowing Atlas to drop-kick the first's knee. This brought the foe to the ground so his Nightblade could plunge through the creature's skull as the second swung the spear in an arc.

When Atlas saw this, he used Void Step to appear behind the Dreadfiend Knight, who thrust his spear backward so the butt hit him in the stomach. This sudden attack sent him flying back and crashing through a shop front.

'That hurt!' he internally complained. 'I should have been careful.'

He was seeing stars but managed to open his eyes just as a spear was a few feet away from his head. Atlas tilted his head just as the sharp edge ripped through his helmet and sliced his cheek, causing blood to explode outward.

Atlas jumped to his feet and went to snap the spear, but it vanished just as more flew toward him. He dodged most of them but used Void Guard to defend himself from the last one that pierced the azure shield.

'Close!'

The second knight charged at Atlas, aiming a punch that Atlas narrowly avoided by leaning back. In response, he unleashed a Void Blast, shattering part of the knight's armor. The attack didn't finish the creature, which only fueled his frustration.

He continued to press his attack and broke more of the Dreadfiend Knight's armor, causing the creature to crash to the ground. Atlas went to finish it off, but the enemy kicked him in the chest.

When the knight's foot connected, he felt some of his ribs snap in half as he flew backward and crashed into another building, bringing the rubble down on him. Atlas was dizzy, and every time he took a breath, a burning pain racked his body.

Then, Atlas pushed the rubble off, allowing him to get two health potions from his belt pouch, and downed one before pouring another over his body. While doing that, he heard the rubble being moved.

'This knight is persistent!' he internally complained.

Atlas dug himself and finally saw the Dreadfiend Knight; he pointed the tip of the Blood Knife at the creature before casting a Void Bullet at it. An explosion rang out, pushing the enemy back and allowing him to use Void Step to get out.

Once Atlas was free from the rubble, he continued assaulting the knight by using his speed against the creature, struggling to keep up with his attacks. By the time Nightblade pierced the armor, he was exhausted and wanted to end the fight.

He cast Void Blast and Void Bullet into the creature's insides, causing explosions to ripple as the knight slumped to the ground. Both enemies vanished into the dungeon, leaving behind a pile of loot.

Atlas struggled to stand but shuffled over to the two glowing red Monster Cores sitting on the ground, calling to him. He shook his head and picked them up before throwing them and the coins into storage.

Following the fight, Atlas looked for a place to rest and noticed a Safe Zone in the town hall, which he limped toward. The injuries sent pain through his body, but Regeneration soon kicked in and slowly healed him.

He stepped into the decrepit building and observed the sparse furnishings: a row of benches and a few threadbare beds aligned against the walls, with a crumbling fireplace dominating the hall's center.

Atlas approached one of the seemingly worn but inviting beds and sat down, dismissing his helmet and allowing the cold air to hit his skin. 'That feels nice,' he thought before lying down.

A small mana lamp softly illuminated the room, glowing gently over the worn furnishings. Atlas settled into the bed, feeling a sense of security washed over him as he drifted to sleep and the warm air wrapped around his body.

He was jolted awake a few hours later by a thunderous roar reverberating through the building, shaking the walls around him. Atlas jumped up while thinking, 'What is it now? Damn dungeon always wants to throw something at me.'

Atlas sat up, his heart racing from the roar that had disturbed his sleep. He retrieved a box of Forest Boar Meat from storage and began eating, savoring the hearty, energy-restoring sustenance.

After the grueling battles and the draining use of mana, the hearty meal was a much-needed boost, restoring his waning strength. As he enjoyed the food, Atlas took a moment to check his status, curious about the gains for defeating the higher-ranked monsters. Discover hidden tales at m vl-em-py-r

[Age: 13→14]

[Level Up: 75→80]

[Experience: 1630/2000]

[Experience Gained: 10800]

[Health: 514→550]

[Mana: 2860→2940]

[Strength: 516→546]

[Stamina: 644→744]

[Charisma: 370→380]

[Intelligence: 420→438]

[Core Points: 8050→15000]

[Core Points Gained: 6950]

Atlas was taken aback when he realized it was his birthday. He shrugged it off, thinking, 'It doesn't change anything.'

Once he finished the meat box and took a swig from his canteen, he stood up, steeled himself, and went toward the eerie town exit to confront whatever had made that thunderous roar. Atlas stepped out and noticed a horrible aura invading his body.

He gritted his teeth as pain surged, but it quickly dissipated as his aura pushed it back. Atlas scanned his surroundings, but nothing was in sight. With a determined nod, he equipped his helmet, which enhanced his vision in the dim light of the cavern, and pressed on.

Atlas walked through the town as the ominous buildings loomed over him. He thought he was being watched and jumped out of his skin as Dreadfiends rushed around the corner, screeching with a horrifying voice.

When spotting them, Atlas cast several Void Bullets at the horde of creatures, causing explosions to erupt everywhere. This threw the group of monsters off guard, allowing him to move in while stabbing and slicing through the Dreadfiends ankles.

This brought many of them to the ground, which Atlas took advantage of and lunged forward while thrusting Nightblade through their skull, causing blood to splatter the ground below.

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