Level Up: Voidwalker

She worriedly glanced to the north. ''Don't worry, girl, we will only stay here for a while,'' he reassured the worried honey badger.

The group ran for another twenty minutes until Grishna called out, urging them to stop running as they reached a small clearing. When Atlas finally stopped, he fell to the grass and breathed heavily.

Artemis and Amethyst looked at him and laughed while Grishna approached with an annoyed expression, ''Why did you cause trouble, boy? Are you an idiot? We needed to sign you up as an adventurer so we could take some quests.''

When Grishna said this, Lilith lunged at her, but Atlas caught the angry honey badger, which shocked the surrounding girls. But he ignored their reactions and quickly spoke to calm the little monster down, ''Don't worry about it, Lily. She is right, after all. I was the one who attacked the guards first.''

Atlas stood up, catching his breath, before explaining what had happened when the two men attempted to rob him and how he had responded by taking their lives—an action that shocked most of the girls present.

Most nodded in understanding, processing the gravity of the situation. However, Estelle spoke next, her French accent coloring her words. "You did the right thing, Atlas," she affirmed firmly. "They were scum for trying to rob a child. Grishna, you know this is true."

Grishna turned sharply towards the blonde girl and snapped, "Of course you would think that, Estelle. You Argonians think you're so righteous and holy."

"We follow Lady Sol on the Path," Estelle retorted firmly. ''I admit Father is a zealot when it comes to our lady, but most knights of Argonia just want to help the commoners.''

The orc girl visibly seethed angrily, but Atlas stepped in before the tension escalated. "It seems you two know each other well."

Estelle nodded in acknowledgment. "I'm close friends with the Bloodfang Princess and Draga's best friend, who happens to be Grishna's big sister."

''Yes, you may be friends with them, but that doesn't change the fact that you're an uptight bitch who thinks she's right all the time,'' Grishna responded.

"You can continue calling me names, but it was you who failed the Brokentooth Family. Everyone in the academy knows it," Estelle shot back sharply. "Even Draga acknowledges that you let down your siblings."

Atlas noticed Grishna's growing anger and stepped forward, speaking with firm resolve, "Don't insult her, Estelle. She's a formidable warrior, and I've seen it firsthand. I don't know what standards the orcs have, but if they aren't satisfied with her, then they don't deserve to have her."

Turning to Grishna, who looked at him with wide green eyes, Atlas continued, "I would gladly have her by my side during a battle. If you have a problem with that, you're free to leave. We rescued you from the Evergladians, but I won't tolerate insults toward her."

Afterward, Atlas strode deeper into the forest, with Lilith trotting faithfully at his heels, leaving the others behind. As he distanced himself enough, he scanned for a secluded spot to unwind.

Spotting a fallen tree, Atlas climbed atop it and settled in, finding a comfortable position to rest while scanning the surroundings before checking his status.

[Level Up: 37→39]

[Experience: 790/1000]

[Experience Gained: 2240]

[Health: 270→274]

[Mana: 1150→1180]

[Strength: 242→248]

[Stamina: 248→260]

[Charisma: 304→308]

[Intelligence: 240→246]

[Core Points: 17200→19200]

[Core Points Gained: 2000]

[Void Arrow: 1→2]

[Dagger Mastery: 1→2]

Atlas was pleased with his small gains, but a rustle to his left caused him to take out his dagger, only to see Grishna standing there. The orc girl smiled at him, ''Thank you for defending me, Azhar'Zul.''

''You're welcome, Grish,'' he replied as she climbed up the tree and sat beside him.

The two sat silently as Lilith jumped down, chirping, causing Atlas to reply, ''Be careful, Lily. We don't know what monsters are out here.''

Lilith's confident noise elicited laughter from Atlas and Grishna as the honey badger marched into the tree line. Once the spirited creature was out of earshot, Atlas turned to Grishna with a curious expression.

"What did she mean by letting down your family?" he asked.

Grishna's demeanor shifted slightly as she looked down and sighed before responding, "In the Brokentooth family, we are renowned Warrior Shamans. It's our birthright. My siblings all inherited spirit affinities, but I was born with earth and metal affinities, which are considered taboo."

"Why though?" Atlas remarked. "I've seen what you can do, and it's amazing, especially those little metal things you use that screech like an angry woman."

The orc girl chuckled softly at his question before responding, "There existed a formidable tribe among orcs known as the Earthsong Tribe," she began. They sparked a hundred-year war that reduced our people to mere pawns in the hands of the Thalassians and other nations."

That's when she looked down and avoided eye contact. ''Like me, they wielded earth and metal, but their mastery was unparalleled. They could devastate armies and reduce cities to rubble with a single spell.''

He felt sorry for Grishna, who would have been shunned due to her affinities in orc society. When Atlas saw the depressed look on her face, he spoke, ''Well, I think you're amazing, Grish. Does it matter what anyone thinks? You know your strength and can prove them wrong.''

The orc girl looked at him and replied in a quiet voice, ''You're not scared I'd cause problems for you?''

Atlas chuckled, "The Evergladians dubbed me Shaytan al-Kharab, the Devil of Ruin. I imagine other nations have their own versions," he mused. "Then there's Amethyst and Artemis, who insist on calling me the one who points the way in their own peculiar fashion. It's always been a bit puzzling to me."

Grishna burst into laughter and suddenly hugged Atlas, her voice warm and earnest. "There are many legends about you, my Azhar'Zul, but I know you're not a devil or a demon who brings ruin. You're just a boy who wants to explore the world and be loved."

Atlas felt his cheeks flush, but Grishna paid it no mind and pressed on. "I've noticed how you look at Amethyst. Even though you've only known her for a short time, I can tell you'd do anything for that bird girl."

His voice trembled with a raw ache as he nodded, his words heavy with the weight of abandonment. "I've spent most of my life alone. My mother left me at an orphanage, promising she'd come back, but she never did. I think she found a new family and just... forgot about me."

Every word carried a shattered hope that echoed through the stillness of the forest, laying bare the loneliness etched deep into his soul. Grishna tightened her hug and spoke, ''You can talk to me, Azhar'Zul.''

"I don't understand why none of the parents adopted me," Atlas mumbled, his voice tinged with lingering hurt. "I was never lazy always helped the other children and adults, but I was always ignored. All I wanted was a family, like the children outside the orphanage I used to see walking to school."

Grishna released her hold on him and spoke earnestly, "I think maybe the reason you weren't adopted is because it brought you here. You already have Amethyst, and I'm sure you'll meet many more ladies who will be happy to love you."

When Atlas heard that, he smiled before teasing her, "Does that include a certain orc girl?"

She laughed before gently pushing him away, "You cheeky devil. But who knows what the future holds? I may fall in love with you once you grow up, or we may remain comrades. Fate is mysterious, Azhar'Zul."

After their conversation, Grishna descended from the tree and returned to where the other girls waited. "Come back when you're ready," she called to Atlas. "Artemis is preparing some meat, and we all need to eat before we travel north."

Atlas nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll join you shortly. I'm just going to find Lilith first."

Grishna smiled warmly before departing, leaving Atlas alone in the clearing. He leaped down from the tree with a soft thud and set off in the direction Lilith had scampered off to, determined to locate the honey badger.

He held his dagger and readied Void Bullet while stepping through the thick foliage, down trees and bushes bigger than himself. Atlas continued trekking until he heard a battle that caught his interest.

As Atlas approached, he spotted Lilith in a fight with three Wild Orcs attempting to capture her. Despite their efforts, the badger's agility prevented them from seizing her. When nearing them, he used Void Sight to scan the monsters.

[Wild Orc]

[Rank: E - 200 Exp]

'Not too bad,' he mused with a wicked smile. 'I can surprise them and get the upperhand.'

With a solid plan, Atlas burst out from behind the bush, catching the monsters off guard as his Void Bullets slammed into them, causing the creatures to stagger back in shock at the sudden attack.