Level Up: Voidwalker

[Shaytan al-Kharab - Devil of Ruin]

***

Atlas continued paying Lilith attention before picking her up and hugging her, saying, "Thank you for helping me when the Wolf Spider attacked me."

Lilith chirped adorably, almost as if she were telling him not to worry about it. After that, he glanced around the room, drawing attention to a balcony door. He crossed the room and stepped outside to get some fresh air.

When he was on the balcony, the cold air brushed against his skin, causing him to shiver, but Lilith climbed onto his shoulders and wrapped herself around his neck before licking his cheek to keep him warm.

Following that, Atlas looked out over the city bordering the Darkheart Jungle, which was strange to him as the treeline was only a mile away, and it was a nightmare there. While doing this, he spotted hundreds of torches dotting the grassland outside the walls.

Atlas saw people rushing around like ants as they harvested the monster's bodies. He sat down and got comfortable while wrapping the cloak around them both, who was now curled into a ball in his arms.

While doing that, Atlas checked his status as he killed a few spiders on their run to the city.

[Level Up: 36→37]

[Experience: 550/1000]

[Experience Gained: 600]

[Health: 266→270]

[Stamina: 244→248]

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[Core Points: 16750→17200]

[Core Points Gained: 450]

'Nice, I leveled up,' he thought, stroking a happy Lilith.

While doing that, Atlas fell asleep. The roof above kept most of the wind out while his cloak blocked the rest. As the two slept, the world outside fell to chaos as the Achaemenid Empire marched north.

The Wildheart Kingdom to the south was their first stop, but they weren't alone in the sudden war. The empires and kingdoms of Astoria answered their call for help and sent armies south to halt the Achaemenidian advance.

As this happened, the realm they were currently in was fighting the Argonians alongside the Moonharians. The following morning, Atlas woke up to shouting and screaming from the street below, which caused him to jump to his feet.

He rushed to the balcony to see a column of soldiers marching toward the northern gate and the bridge crossing to the mainland. While watching that, Artemis and Amethyst walked out with radiant smiles once they spotted him.

The Phoenix girl rushed forward and hugged him tight. ''It's so good to see you, Azhar'Zul,'' she said, burying her head into his chest while continuing. ''I've missed you.''

Atlas smiled before replying, ''I've also missed my Pigeon.''

Amethyst punched him but giggled; once she let go of him, Artemis hugged him, though this one was more platonic. The three sat down as he recounted everything, from the Wild Humans to the Titans, which amazed the two girls.

As the sun began to rise, lighting up the world, Artemis said, "We should get you signed up at the guild. I took Amethyst there yesterday before the Monster Wave appeared."

Atlas nodded. "That sounds good to me. Is Grishna still asleep?" he asked with a smile.

The two girls nodded as Amethyst commented while watching the marching soldiers below, ''What will we do about the war? What if we get dragged into it?''

''I doubt we will. The army usually ignores adventurers due to the income they bring in, but that won't stop rouge bands of mercenaries that roam the land,'' Artemis replied. ''If that's the case, then we must fight.''

Amethyst nodded determinedly, and Atlas smiled as the three entered the room. Spotting Grishna curled up in bed brought a smile to his face, and he carefully relocated the sleeping Lilith to another bed before heading to breakfast.

After ensuring Lilith was comfortable, Atlas departed the room with Artemis and Amethyst and went to the dining hall together. When they walked downstairs, an older woman smiled and warmly greeted them, ''My darlings! Do you want some breakfast?''

Artemis nodded with a smile of her own, ''Yes, Sue. Can we have the special?''

''Of course,'' Sue said before her gaze met Atlas, causing her smile to grow as she teased the purple-haired girl. ''Is this little Amethyst's lover?''

The phoenix girl's face reddened, causing the other two to laugh as Artemis guided them to a free table, causing Sue to laugh as she walked back to the kitchen; they sat down as he questioned, ''What's the special?''

'An English Breakfast! Who knew they had those here,' he thought, excitement building.

The trio waited eagerly for their food, but a loud bang suddenly caught their attention. Atlas heard hurried footsteps descending the stairs and couldn't help but laugh when Lilith appeared at the bottom, surveying the dining hall.

Spotting Atlas, she dashed over and climbed into his lap, curling up contentedly. The unexpected sight amused the two girls, who burst into laughter along with others in the hall, amused by the monster's antics.

Amethyst's laughter subsided as she asked, "How did you two meet?"

He smiled while stroking Lilith's soft fur before recounting the story of them fighting and helping each other, which earned him a bite, causing him to boop the honey-badger on her head.

They continued to talk for ten minutes until a young man brought out two plates, followed by Sue carrying the last three mugs. The two placed everything on the table as the older woman commented, ''That will be 6 silver, my darlings. It would be 12, but I'll do a discount because I like you both.''

Artemis smiled before handing over the coins and tucking into her food. Atlas noticed the young man staring at the brown-haired girl, who was ignoring him while eating some of her eggs.

He smiled briefly before turning his attention to his plate, which was piled high with sausages, bacon, and some unfamiliar meats, accompanied by beans and mushrooms. Atlas took a moment to admire the spread before diving into his meal.

As soon as the food touched his tongue, his stomach growled audibly, eliciting laughter from Artemis and Amethyst. Ignoring their amusement, Atlas ate with the voracity of someone who hadn't eaten in days.

Recognizing his hunger, the girls ordered more food. Before Artemis could settle the bill, Atlas placed four silver coins on the table while eating some bacon as the two girls spoke to each other.

He took some meat and fed Lilith, who happily ate it. Atlas finished his food just as the girls expressed their desire to go wash, which he also wanted to do. The three of them walked upstairs and separated into the proper bathrooms.

When Atlas entered, he initially thought he had walked into a gym's shower room, with stalls lining the walls. With a shrug, he entered one, stripped off, and had a shower, which made him feel much better.

'Ahhh, after washing off all the dirt and blood, I feel fresh,' he mused.

Atlas spent ten minutes in the shower, then retrieved a shirt and pants from his storage. After dressing, he stepped into the corridor. Finding that the three girls weren't ready, he knocked on the female bathroom door and told them he was going for a walk.

They nodded in agreement, cautioning him not to stir up trouble. Atlas chuckled as he exited the inn, the chill of the morning streets hitting him, with Lilith following closely behind. He glanced up and down the quiet street and observed only a handful of early risers.

Strolling towards the city center, Atlas admired the architecture around him. The buildings were constructed from dark grey stone blocks interwoven with jungle wood, evoking a medieval charm.

The district's cobblestone streets wound past shops that seemed plucked from a fantasy tale. As Atlas walked, Lilith leaped onto him and climbed to his shoulders; she got comfortable as he searched for a spellbook shop.

Unable to find anything, Atlas approached one of the city guards standing on the corner. "Excuse me," he said. "Where can I buy a spellbook?"

The guard looked down at him and replied, "End of the street on the left, boy."

Atlas thanked the man and followed his directions. Soon, he spotted a shop on the corner that exuded an aura of magic, surprising him. Above the door, he read the sign that declared, 'Spellbound Treasures.'

Atlas stepped into the shop and noticed several people already browsing the spells. He began scanning the shelves, but nothing caught his attention. The only spell he recognized was Fireball, but his interest lay in mastering Void magic.

After ten minutes of fruitless searching, Atlas grew frustrated until a voice spoke from behind him, "Can't you find anything, young devil?"

Startled, Atlas whirled around to face an old man with a large white beard and a bald head. The stranger, clad in black mage robes, radiated an aura of intelligence and wisdom as he swiftly positioned himself beside Atlas.

"I know who you are. There's no mistaking the Voidwalker: pale white skin, glowing blue eyes, and hair as white as the clouds above," the old man remarked. "And then there's your eerie affinity. It feels like nothingness surrounds you and makes you its home."

Atlas looked at the stranger with narrowed eyes before responding, ''Do you tend to approach young boys acting all creepy? You don't have a white van outside?''

As he said that, Lilith woke up and observed the old man whose eyes bulged as he exclaimed, ''A Jungle Devil!'' he stepped back as his face paled. ''You are the Shaytan al-Kharab.''

'What is this crazy old man talking about,' Atlas mused before asking, ''Well, we've already established that old man. Now, do you know where I can buy void spells?''