Level Up: Voidwalker

The inn owner laughed while turning around to take a key off the hook and handing it to him with a warm smile as she spoke, ''Yes. Please take room three and pay me in the morning. It isn't busy today and shouldn't be a problem.''

Atlas took the keys with a tired smile before walking off to find the room, which only took five minutes. When he did, he collapsed onto the bed and crawled under the sheets, dismissing his gear.

He sank into the warm, soft bed and drifted off while thinking, 'This is so comfortable—far better than sleeping out in the wilderness.'

As Atlas slept, the weather outside battered the mountains above, causing a slight rumble echoing across the city. Thunder exploded as rain lashed against the buildings and wood walkways that stretched across the dark chasms below.

The following morning, Atlas woke up with a yawn and noticed the room was bright due to the morning sun. He sat up and stretched while muttering as the morning sun shone through the window.

'I had a great night's sleep and feel refreshed. I'm tempted to stay here a few more days before heading out,' he thought.

While lying there, his stomach rumbled, causing him to climb out of bed and head downstairs for breakfast. As he passed the mirror, he was taken aback by his reflection. It took him a moment to remember the Maskweaver skill he needed to stay safe in the empire.

Atlas left the room and walked down the busy hallway, dodging some other guests who had left their rooms before going downstairs. He noticed the place was beautifully decorated with light brown wallpaper and paintings of what he guessed were famous events in the Achaemenid Empire.

'How old is the empire because these paintings look old? I'd have to ask the girls when I see them again,' Atlas thought while gazing at the artwork.

When reaching the common area, it was bustling with activity, and the aroma of freshly cooked breakfast wafted through the air. As Atlas descended the stairs, the owner's eyes lit up as she saw him.

With a warm smile, the woman said, "Good morning, young one! You're up at last. Please, have a seat and make yourself at home. I'll bring you some breakfast."

He nodded and moved toward the nearest table while scanning the Inn's common area, sitting to wait for his food. Ten minutes later, she reappeared with two trays and tankards of ale, which smelt delicious, causing his stomach to rumble.

She placed them on the table and sat across from him, her smile as inviting as ever. "I'm Mitra Hosseini, the owner of Hosseini's Family Inn," she introduced herself warmly.

He returned the smile and replied while replying, "I'm Atlas, a new adventurer from Astoria, though I seem to have found myself in Zarandar on an unexpected but welcomed journey."

Mitra's eyebrow arched in curiosity, "A northerner in Zarandar?''

Atlas shook his head. ''I was traveling to the eastern part of Astoria with my party to try some dungeons that popped up, but a sea monster attacked our ship. The sailors drove it away, but it was too late, as the waves swallowed the vessel.''

The woman frowned, "Were you, by any chance, sailing across the Titan Sea?" she asked in a curious voice.

''Yes, I remember the captain mentioning the name just before the ship sunk,'' Atlas lied to cover his tracks.

Mitra smiled as she pushed the trays of food toward him. "Eat your breakfast, Atlas, and when you're done, come find me so we can settle the bill."

With that, she stood and returned to her work as she tended to the other patrons. Atlas glanced at the meal, a hearty stew with chunks of bread, and began eating. He savored each mouthful, dipping the bread into the rich, savory stew and enjoying the comforting flavors.

Once Atlas was finished eating, he grabbed the trays and brought them over to the counter where Mitra was standing behind sorting out the Inn's books. The older woman looked up with a smile.

''How long are you staying with us? And will you be wanted breakfast and dinner?'' she inquired.

He thought about it, wondered if there was a dungeon in the city, and asked, ''Is there a dungeon nearby Mitra?''

''Yes. There are two dungeons; the first is Level One, and the other is a Level Three, called Silverpeak Swamp and Shattered Chasm,'' she replied. They are popular, but the adventurers here love running them for the experience and spoils that come from them.''

Atlas nodded before deciding, ''How much is two weeks? With breakfast and dinner included.''

Mitra smiled as she replied, ''That would be three gold and twenty-six silver, which includes a pass to the bathhouse down the street; there wasn't enough room to build it in the inn, so we partnered up with them.''

He counted out the necessary coins and handed them to her, who accepted them with a smile before taking the trays. Eager for a bath, Atlas asked for directions and received a pass from her.

With that, he left the Inn and went to the bathhouse. Ten minutes later, he stood outside and saw people exiting and laughing. Atlas got a towel out of his storage before entering the place and noticed a young man and woman sitting behind the counter.

The man was reading a book but looked up and smiled as he spoke, ''Greeting customer. Did the Inn send you here?''

Atlas nodded before handing over the pass as he spoke, ''Yes, Mitra gave me this.''

Afterward, the worker-led him to the open-air bath with several pools inside, and he returned the pass before unlocking the door. Atlas stepped inside, undressed, and eased himself into the hot, steaming water.

The warmth washed away the grime collected from his travels. As he relaxed in the bath, he glanced at his reflection in the water. Despite his youthful appearance, his physique was well-defined, with a chiseled six-pack and toned arms.

'My body is different from the one on Earth; I feel much stronger and faster as well,' he thought.

Once Atlas stopped admiring himself, he thoroughly cleaned himself. After drying off, he emerged from the steam-filled room and prepared to embark on his first quest: locating the scouts in the cave system.

Atlas left the Inn and summoned his gear from the Dimenionsal Storage before remembering the directions to the cave system in the under-mountain part of the city. He navigated through the bustling crowd of people heading to work and, twenty minutes later, arrived at a large iron door, where a dozen guards stood watch.

An imposing man stepped forward, and Atlas guessed it was the commander, ''Are you an adventurer? Do you have the quest paper?'' he said sternly.

He nodded while taking out the piece of paper and the guild card before the man signaled for the other men to open the gate. Meanwhile, the other soldiers readied their swords in case any monsters charged out.

A few minutes later, he stepped into the dark tunnel and felt a cold breeze brushing against his skin. Atlas started walking down the tunnel after equipping his helmet and readying his weapons while checking his status.

[Level Up: 68→70]

[Experience: 80/2000]

[Experience Gained: 3100]

[Health: 474→582]

[Mana: 2242→2692]

[Strength: 480→190]

[Stamina: 532→654]

[Charisma: 362→394]

[Intelligence: 400→506]

[Mana Core: Novice→Apprentice]

[Core Points: 29450→250]

[Core Points Gained: 1100]

'Oh wow, lucky to get such a boost while taking this quest,' Atlas thought as he passed a crossroads.

After checking his status, something in his gut told him to raise his weapons to defend himself as claws suddenly connected with the blades. Atlas was shocked and jumped back to get some space, only to see a creepy little creature scuttling back into the darkness.

'What the hell was that?' he thought while casting a Void Bullet into the shadows. The projectile lit up the tunnel, giving him the perfect view of the monster.

A chill raced down his spine when he glimpsed the creature again. It was a small red humanoid, grotesquely reminiscent of a frog man, and was a walking nightmare. Its face was twisted, and its large mouth was shaped into a grotesque grin lined with needle-like teeth that seemed to leer in anticipation.

'Horrifying! What is it with this world and creepy creatures lurking in the shadow,' Atlas pondered while trying to calm down.

The creature hopped in place with unsettling enthusiasm. Hunger radiated from its black frog-like eyes, emitting a guttural, laughter-like sound that sent shivers through his spine, causing him to tighten his grip on his weapons.

Atlas's heart pounded as he shook off the creeping dread and activated Void Sight to see how strong the monster was.

[Yara-ma-yha-who]

[Rank: D - 300 Exp]

'What is this weird creature? But I can deal with it,' Atlas thought.

It hopped on the spot, waiting for the perfect chance to attack, but something shot out of the shadows behind the first monster. Atlas quickly reacted and sliced through the slimy tongue, causing the creature to screech in pain.

The first monster hissed at him before lunging forward in an attempt to bite Atlas. He swiftly dodged its attack by sidestepping its attack and drove his knife through the creature's eye, causing it to go still as its body went motionless.

Just then, another monster emerged from the shadows and instantly attacked by dashing toward him. Atlas yelped and went to cast a spell, but the monster crashed into him, and the two were entangled as the Yara-ma-yha-who bit down on his shoulder with its needle teeth piercing through the gaps in his armor.