Atlas's camp was secluded enough from the other guards or merchants that the Voidstalkers could sneak up and warn him about the monsters surrounding them. The little creatures couldn't describe them in detail but mentioned that they were very strong.
"I have the two Umber-Hulks and Rock Wyrms under me," he pondered, "Maybe I need to summon more monsters?"
He checked his mana and noted it was replenishing itself, allowing him to summon additional help if necessary. Atlas settled down, poking the fire as he ate meat buns, his gaze scanning the thick woods surrounding him.
The clearing was dense with trees and underbrush, cutting off sightlines in every direction. Humanoid figures crept through the darkness. Atlas observed them forming a circle around their campsite.
"These people will be slaughtered," Atlas thought grimly. "If needed, I'll use a Rock Wyrm to escape. But some of these monsters feel stronger than anyone here, and there's nothing I can summon that would match them."
A group of guards were loudly laughing and drinking ale, their raucous behavior grating on Atlas's nerves. When a chirp caught his attention, he looked down to find only two Voidstalkers remaining.
"They must have been killed by the monsters," Atlas mused, gently stroking the little creatures.
This revelation heightened his sense of dread. The woods around him seemed to warp into a living nightmare as a dark figure darted just beyond the light's reach.
'Do I warn them? They haven't been friendly at all,' he thought, the weight of his decision pressing on him.
Horrifying creatures slithered and crept in the shadows, their presence sending a shiver down his spine. Atlas's hand instinctively reached for the Nightblade as he prepared to unleash his Dungeon Monsters at the first sign of an attack.
But after an hour, nothing happened, causing Atlas to wonder what the monsters were doing. 'Are they waiting until only the guards are awake?' he thought.
Without thinking, Atlas summoned a Blood Bat that flew into a nearby tree under his orders. He had a bad feeling and decided to have a backup plan if things went wrong. While doing that, the four monsters underneath him became more active as the enemies closed in.
"I need some rest; the monsters will keep me safe," he murmured with a yawn.
Atlas, weary from exhaustion, shuffled into his tent. He instructed one of the Rock Wyrms to encase him in its protective embrace should any threats arise. The creature complied, and soon Atlas drifted into a deep, restful sleep, undisturbed until morning.
The Umber-Hulks roared to life as the enemies attacked the night guards, causing chaos everywhere. When the Dungeon Monsters sensed them, they closed around Atlas to protect him from the creature's claws and teeth.
Many were crushed, while others were eaten before Atlas woke up and rushed out of the tent, only to see adventurers and caravan guards fighting with Wendigos and other monsters that appeared from the dark.
He witnessed the Umber-Hulks crushing the Wendigos while the Rock Wyrms darted around the area, eating many monsters. When Atlas saw this, he readied his blades and started slashing at several Wendigos, causing them to drop dead.
While fighting, Atlas managed to deflect a few claw swipes as he witnessed a group of caravan guards swamped by a group of Wendigos who quickly tore them apart, causing the adventurers to bunch up close by.
They started targeting Atlas when they spotted him commanding the Umber-Hulks and Rock Wyrms to attack the enemy monsters. The leader assumed he was against them and ordered the mages to attack.
When Atlas saw this, he grew angry and decided to leave them be as one of the Umber-Hulks was taken down by a Mountain Troll, which appeared from the treeline. As this happened, he scanned the enemies to find out their ranks.
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[Chaotic Wendigo]
[Chaos Touched]
[Rank C - 500 Exp]
[Stronger than their regular counterparts - Use explosive magic on them]
[Mutated Humans]
[Chaos Born]
[Rank D - 300 Exp]
[Kidnapped townspeople twisted by dark magic and experimentation]
[Mountain Troll]
[Chaos Touched]
[Rank: B - 800 Exp]
[Much stronger than its rank shows - Get out of there!]
'What the hell!' Atlas thought while taking in the horrifying sight of the black-skinned troll wearing monster skins and holding a menacing-looking sword.
The Mountain Troll marched out of the trees and swung the massive weapon that cleaved three adventurers and a carriage in half, causing blood to fly everywhere. Atlas stepped back before summoning four more Umber-Hulks.
'That monster is dangerous,' Atlas internally mused. 'I'll have to be careful.'
He commanded the Rock Wyrms to engage the troll while the Wendigos attempted to swarm him. Atlas managed to deflect many of their assaults, but as fatigue set in, the creature's claws breached his defenses, slashing through his armor and sending waves of pain coursing through his body.
Atlas quickly unleashed Void Wave, creating enough space to assess the chaotic battle. He spotted the Dungeon Monsters clashing with a massive Mountain Troll, but the sheer number of enemies overwhelmed the battlefield.
'There's too many monsters. This is going to be impossible,' Atlas mused while checking his surroundings.
His eyes narrowed with concern as three Wendigos charged at him, their lethal claws slicing through the air in a frenzied attack. Atlas dodged many of the swipes, but that's when he noticed something about them, 'They are growing stronger!' Sёarᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
As the thought flashed through his mind, Atlas deflected an oncoming strike with his Nightblade, countering with a thrust from the Deepforge Blade. The moment the tip drove through the monster's skull, the rest of the creatures snapped their attention toward him.
Breathing heavily but unfazed, Atlas steadied himself, his bloodied swords glinting in the dim light. With a deep, calming breath, he flicked the crimson from his blades and surged forward, cutting through the nearest monster in a single, devastating swing.
The monsters went wild and started lunging for Atlas, but he was so fast that he dodged any attack that came his way until he came face to face with the leader of the monsters, who held Gus by the throat while looking at him.
Atlas stopped moving after killing several more Wendigos before scanning the tall Slenderman-looking being.
[Mutated Elf]
[Chaos Commander]
[Level: 233]
[Rank: Journeyman]
[Leader of a Chaos Raiding band - Will target you once it realizes who you are]
When Atlas read that, he chuckled before removing the disguise and helmet, shocking the Mutated Elf. Its red eyes grew wide as it spoke in a husky tone full of malice, ''Little Voidwalker! The king will reward me for killing you.''
He started laughing at the Chaos Commander before pointing Nightblade at him, ''You will fall in this clearing tonight and will let the forest monster eat your body.''
The Mutant Elf threw Gus into the wreckage of a nearby carriage, its roar of fury ripping through the night. The air seemed to thrum as it charged at Atlas, intent on tearing him apart, which he found amusing.
'Here we go,' he thought with an excited smile.
But Atlas met the monstrous charge with a calm, knowing smile, his body coiled like a spring, ready to unleash himself. As the beast's claws slashed toward him, he quickly sidestepped and ducked under each wild strike.
His movements were a blur, effortlessly weaving around the creature's fierce attacks. With each quick dodge, Atlas retaliated with several calculated strikes—his blades slicing through the air while arcs of magic crackled from his fingertips.
When each attack landed, tearing into the mutant's flesh, slowing its momentum with every cut. The Mutant Elf's speed began to falter, its rage turning into frustration as it struggled to land a hit on the elusive warrior.
Atlas pressed his advantage, his attacks relentless and unyielding. He combined his swordplay with bursts of magic, the two forces working in perfect harmony to chip away at the creature's strength.
The mutant's once unstoppable charge had devolved into a frantic, stumbling fight for survival. Atlas unleashed a barrage of Void Bullets, each detonating on impact, tearing into the Slenderman-like creature's twisted form.
As the monster staggered backward, Atlas surged forward, his movements blurred due to his speed. He cast Void Step and materialized above the creature when he got close, driving his blade deep into its chest.
Before it could react, Atlas unleashed a Void Blast directly into the wound, delivering the final, devastating blow. He used Void Step to vanish and give himself some space as the mutant collapsed.
The Wendigos let out enraged howls, their fury boiling over as they charged at Atlas. He fought valiantly, deflecting many of their savage attacks, but the relentless onslaught was overwhelming.
Cuts and gashes began to cover his body, each one sapping his strength until, with a pained grimace, he let out a piercing whistle. In response, the Blood Bat erupted from the nearby trees, its massive wings slicing through the air.
With a swift dive, it snatched Atlas in its claws, lifting him away from the frenzied monsters and soaring into the sky. He glanced down at the creatures who swarmed over the clearing they were camped in.
'Why is this land so dangerous?' Atlas pondered, his thoughts swirling as the Blood Bat glided toward a nearby lake. The creature descended smoothly, landing on the ground with a soft thud.
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