Level Up: Voidwalker

Atlas watched as Carlos rushed into the camp and warned the parties with a panicked shout, causing them all to look at him with worried expressions, ''A Mountain Titan is coming! We need to get to the bridge now!''

Everyone started packing up as Atlas watched the groups rush around as Javad made his the way they came from. He just sat by the way out as the ground started to shake, just as explosions rang out.

'Is the leader fighting the Titan? He isn't strong enough but its not my problem, I'm not getting eaten,' Atlas pondered while readying his weapons.

Carlos glanced in Javad's direction and complained, ''Foolish old man! The Titan will devour him.''

Just as the man spoke, a cascade of boulders came crashing down all around them, throwing everything into chaos. Atlas cast Void Guard, successfully deflecting most of the stones.

However, he was hit by a boulder the size of a man, which launched him through the air. He fell into the chasm below, knocked unconscious and descending into the darkness. When he hit the bottom, the impact was so violent that it caused a small explosion, scattering monsters and debris throughout the chasm.

Atlas lay unconscious as his broken and battered body repaired itself as he was buried deep beneath the mud, which kept him safe from the monsters swarming above. Hours later, he woke up when he felt the weight of the mud against his chest.

'What the hell! Where am I now!' he internally panicked.

He soon calmed down and started digging himself out, only to notice a darkness. Thanks to the Night Eyes Rune, he could see. Atlas soon realized he was at the bottom of the chasm they were camping next to.

The walls were slick and impossible to scale, but it triggered the most alarm when Atlas saw the ground. It was swampy, reminiscent of the jungle chasm he and the girls had once fallen into, which only heightened his nervousness.

'Why do I always end up in creepy or dangerous places?' he complained internally. 'I must have terrible luck.'

Once Atlas was thought, he looked up only to see distant explosions and heard furious roars echoing from above, but the depth of the chasm obscured his view. Something hurtled toward him from the darkness as he began clawing out of the mud.

He pulled out his blades and crossed them without thinking as a familiar creature slammed against it. 'It's a Carnictis! I never thought I'd encounter these things again,' he thought before casting Void Blast at it.

The azure blast turned the creature into ash as more monsters surrounded him. Atlas deflected a surprise attack by Arachno's sharp legs before stabbing it in the face, causing it to rear back in pain.

'I'll spam them with spells before escaping,' Atlas contemplated just as he spotted a path that led to a way out.

He cast a Void Bullet that connected with the underside, sending it flying when the explosion erupted. Atlas burst through the dust while casting even more bullets into a horde of insect monsters.

While running, he saw a large serpentine monster heading toward him. Its body is covered in rough, pitch-black exoskeleton plates that resemble jagged obsidian shards. These plates are interwoven with pulsating veins of dark, iridescent energy that faintly glow in the near-complete darkness of its underground realm.

'What the hell is this nightmare!' Atlas wondered as he readied for a fight.

The Burrower's body pulsates in a curved, fluid motion, making it appear almost liquid as it moves through the earth. Atlas noticed the monster's head was a nightmarish mixture of grotesque features: a gaping jaw lined with razor-sharp, needle-like teeth.

Its eyes are a cluster of eerie, bioluminescent orbs that shift and shimmer, casting unsettling reflections on the cavern walls. Atlas quickly scanned the newcomer using Void Sight to check on its level.

[Darkchasm Burrower] Explore more stories with m,v l'e-m|p| y r

[Rank: C+ - 300 Exp]

[A dark creature who is one of the top predators in the chasm]

'I wonder how many new monsters I will encounter down here,' Atlas mused excitedly while readying his place.

The Burrorwer lunged at him, but he ducked under the sudden attack before stabbing the creature between its plates and casting Void Bombs into its body. Then Atlas noticed a blue glow as an explosion lit up the chasm.

Atlas was flung like a rag doll and crashed into knee-deep water, only to be swamped by leeches. This caused him to panic before he cast a Void Wave that burned all the horrible slimy monsters, taking bites out of his flesh.

'Ouch! Damn things,' Atlas raged. 'Get away!'

He used Void Step to get out of the water, only to see the Burrower charging at him, a massive chunk of its body missing. Atlas raised Nightblade and cast Void Bomb again just before stabbing a Carnictic through its head.

Another explosion shook the chasm, scattering the monsters as the azure flames burned them. Atlas was prepared as the shockwave hit him, but he cast Void Guard this time, which softened the impact.

The spell's power decimated the Burrower, overwhelming its body and turning it into charred remains. Then, he fled toward the path made from stone rather than wet mud as the blue flames annihilated all the other monsters.

Atlas stepped onto it and breathed as the leeches stopped chasing while he rested for a minute. Once ready to travel, he started making his way down the dark path; there was enough room for two men to stand side by side, which allowed him to defend himself if any monsters appeared.

After traveling for twenty minutes, Atlas found himself in a massive underground landscape with trees and plants. The atmosphere was creepy, causing goosebumps to run all over his body.

He saw no movement but suspected that monsters were lurking in the brush. Atlas waved his hand, activated Dungeon Conqueror, and summoned several Death Spiders. The arachnids emerged from the portal, greeting him with a gentle nudge.

Atlas petted one of the spiders and asked if they could scan the area for hidden enemies. The monsters eagerly agreed, ready to fulfill the task, and rushed into the forest's underbrush in search of a foe.

While waiting, Atlas decided to eat and pulled out a Forest Boar Meat Box. The smell hit his nose, causing his stomach to grumble even more as if demanding tribute, making him laugh before eating.

He savored the fresh food that melted in his mouth as he gazed at the forest. By the time he finished, the return of some spiders hissing ominously signaled the approach of incoming monsters.

Atlas jumped up and aimed his Nightblade in their direction. Mantis-like monsters rushed out and pounced on one of the Death Spiders, allowing Atlas to scan the newcomer.

[Chasm Mantis]

[Rank: D - 300 Exp]

[Fast attacker but weak to magic]

When reading the extra information, Atlas sent several Void Arrows at the mantis, who quickly jumped to the side before lunging at him. The creature's scythe-like blades slashed toward his torso, but he deflected the attacks.

Atlas felt the force of the monster's strikes through his arms, each blow pushing him to his limits. Determined, he countered swiftly with a Void Wave, sending the creature skittering backward.

As the creature tried to block his next move, Atlas unleashed Void Blast. The azure mana enveloped the Chasm Mantis, causing it to writhe in agony. Seeing the opportunity, Atlas delivered a series of precise slashes, finally finishing the beast.

Following that, the battle ended, and the monster fell to the ground dead, which caused Atlas to slump down. He was exhausted from everything he had been through and screaming at him to rest.

Once Atlas finished the battle, he grabbed the green Monster Core and stored it away before searching for somewhere to hide. Finding a tiny cave where the tent could fit took over an hour.

He inscribed the Dark One Runes before setting up the tent and slipping inside. Once settled and cozy, Atlas unwrapped some chocolate and ate while curling up. The combination of comfort and the sweet treat soon made him feel drowsy.

Atlas finished his snack and drifted off to sleep while monsters roamed outside. The Dark Ones soon appeared, ruthlessly slaughtering any creature that couldn't find cover in time. They hovered just beyond the Runes, their frustration palpable as they watched their prey remain tantalizingly out of reach.

The night in the chasm passed peacefully as a storm above caused water to flood some of the underpasses. Atlas was safe as the path he was on was steep enough to block, and the murky horror couldn't reach him.

By the time Atlas woke up, he felt much better, but the darkness increased to the point that Night Eyes struggled to see. He stood up and stretched, causing his body to crack as he wore his helmet.

After packing the tent, Atlas glanced around and headed up the path. He nibbled on some more chocolate while staying alert for any lurking monsters ready to ambush, but nothing happened.

Atlas continued through the first until he found a way up, but this time, it was guarded by a group of Wild Orcs sitting around a campfire cooking some meat. This caused him to think, 'Did they come from the surface?'

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