Chapter 20: Fist of Atlas

Well, I did my research and I learned that I can't sell most of my uncommon weapons if I wanted to. Common, yes, but none ranked above 7 should be sold. As for rare? Definitely not.

Apart from that, I got my money for my magic stone and drop item for exactly 2569500 million valis, quite a lot. This brought my total money to 4553388, or about 31 thousand USD. Not that much, but good, and since I had basically no expenditures, that money will keep increasing.

While leaning on a wall in an alley, I opened my status.

_____________________

Status

Rank: 0 

Level: 3480(+106) [3567] 

Level Exp held: 24173

Strength: A 860 (+28) [A 888]

Endurance: A 860 (+20) [A 870]

Dexterity: S 900 (+19) [S 919] 

Agility: A 860 (+20) [A 870]

Magic: I 0 (+19) [I 0]

_____________________

I got about 1.3 million exp from hunting and using it I increased my dexterity by 203 levels and the others by about 60. Why did I make my dexterity higher than the other stats? Simple because I found that a higher DEX makes it easier to control my body and my stats.

Now, for the second item I got to +6, it should already be notable. It was Rhapso Beginner Shirt which added +9 Strength. As for the Cracked Nagjolinganda Crystal Dagger, I decided to leave it at +6 for now, and it's currently 'equipped' in one of my deep pants pockets. Though it has a pointed tip, the pants are durable enough for it not to piece through unless I put force on it.

If you're wondering how a 'dagger' can fit in my pocket, remember that my pants scale to my size, while said dagger is the size of a letter opener. 'Now, what to do,' I reached into my pocket, brought my Golden Pocket Watch out of my inventory, then I brought said pocket watch out of my pocket.

It was a Quarter Repeater Chronograph watch and looked rather antique. Would have probably sold for thousands of dollars on earth, but I didn't bring it out to marvel at its beauty. Opening it, I looked at the time.

2:34 pm. 

A new day would soon start, but before then, what should I do? 'Nothing.' I had nothing to do in this city. Explore? I don't feel like it. Going out with friends? What friends? Sleep? Well, I haven't slept for almost like 72 hours now, but...

_____________________

Elixir — Low-Grade HP Potion

A flask filled with sterilized and weakened crimson blood from an immortal beast. It can heal most wounds, illnesses, and status ailments but can't restore lost body parts. If taken when uninjured or after healing is complete, it replenishes stamina, cures fatigue, and alleviates hunger. Excess Elixir will be stored in the bladder to be expelled through urine.

_____________________

That is the reason. 

I had drank one earlier, and I don't feel tired at all. Mentally tired? Nope, nothing. It was like I just woke up from a good night's sleep, but I knew I have never slept since I came to this world two days ago. Almost three days now.

Even if I wanted to sleep, I wouldn't be able to without expending these excess energies. But I have nothing to do but go to the dungeon. 'Haah.' This life is starting to feel much like Earth. No friends, nothing to do but work.

What a shame. 'Haah,' I returned my watch to my 'pocket' and looked out of the street to a store directly across from him. 'I wish that shit explode.' Pulling out Nagjolinganda from my pocket, I held it like a wand, then waved it

"Bibbidi Bobbidi—"

*BOOM!*

My heart almost came out of my throat as the ground beneath me trembled as an effect of a distant explosion. 'What the fuck!?' Soon later, a shockwave rushed through the alley, and I quickly stuffed my 'wand' back into my pocket.

Another explosion echoed through the city, followed by two more, each one weaker than the first one, but that wasn't the fucking problem. There shouldn't be any explosions happening at all, especially not four consecutively! 

Then people started pouring out onto the streets. "EVILUS!" a man screamed, running out from the store across the street. "It's them again!"

"FUCK, WHY HERE?!" a female dwarf yelled as she sprinted out of her forge with her husband, both of them not giving a fuck that they were naked, with the man dick still where from his fun. However, it was now 'shrunk' due to fear (Or maybe it's that small, I don't know. Why am I even looking at next man's dick?)

More voices rose as more people began to run.

"Those bastards are at it again!"

"Get the Ganesha Familia!" 

'Hmm...' I watched as they ran like ants whose nests have been flooded, and then my curiosity got the better of me. I needed a better look. Ignoring the frantic crowd, I turned toward the building beside me in the alley.

My DEX was higher now, giving me a heightened control over my body and combined with the STR multiplier from my race—3.3 times stronger than a regular human—getting to the rooftop was going to be easy.

Squatting low, I felt the muscles in my calves and legs tense, coiling like springs and with a quick intake of breath, "Hup!" I pushed myself off the ground like. It was as if I jumped from a trampoline and, in about 1.2 seconds, the top of my head was almost six meters in the air.

Gravity began to take effect on me and I quickly reached up out with my left hand, my fingers gripping the edge of the rooftop. Without pausing, I pulled then threw myself upward with that arm, the force carrying me another three meters. Flipping in the air, I landed on the roof with a soft boom like a superhero, one knee and one fist on the roof.

'Nice.' I stood straight, scanning the surroundings. I was at the southwest Industrial District due to it being the entrance to where my sewer home was located, and around me were dull, gray buildings and factory smokestacks. 

"Damn." I didn't have to strain my eyes to see the explosions. Not far away, five of the six large factories were on fire in a compound, one almost completely decimated by the explosion—I assume that was the first—with plumes of dark smoke rising into the sky. 

Pulling out my map, I scrolled toward the area of the explosion. 'Well shit.'

Red dots. 

Multiple. 

Almost a hundred of them littered the area, swarming the compound and among them were green dots, blinking out of existence, fading one by one. The green dots being killed. Quickly!

'Welp,' I thought with a sigh. 'Not my concern.'

I wanted something to do, not play hero.

I turned to leave through the roof like Spider-Man, and then I noticed. About ten red dots were rushing towards the scene, all of them coming from all four directions, and they were killing all green dots on their way.

I stood, watching as one of them ran on the roof like some kind of ninja, coming my way. He was covered from head to toe in a black cloak, the hood over his head with a blank black mask with only hold for eyes masking his appearance. But that was useless.

[Rina of Nergal (Evilus), 19, Rank 1]

Ok, looks like he is a she. "Oh?" I opened my arm wide, invitingly, "You're approaching me?" This seemed to anger her, as her speed increased significantly, and she landed at the edge of my building's roof.

I am not a killer. I would NEVER kill a human. Even if they wanted to kill me. NEVER! Especially when it is a young GIRL. Why would I ever do that? I will incapacitate her, nothing more...

"Oops," My hand slipped as I threw a right hook to her left cheek while she lunged forward with her dagger outstretched. Did she forget I had more reach than her? Like, way more?

'Wait,' I looked at my arm, 'When did I equip Knuckle Dusters?' 

When the blow landed on her face, the impact was sickening—bone met rusted saw blade, and the sound was something between a crunch and a tear. The blades sunk into her flesh with a grotesque ease, like ripping into wet cloth, slicing through skin, muscle, and bone as if they were nothing.

Then was a sharp, sickening snap as the woman's neck twisted unnaturally from the force, her head jerking violently to the side. Her body followed, flung sideways as if she weighed nothing with blood spraying in an arc, droplets trailing through the air.

Flesh and sinew clung to the jagged edges of the saw blades, bits of skin and muscle dangling grotesquely from the Knuckle Dusters. Her dagger fell to the rooftop with a 'clutter' and then her body hit the roof with a dull thud before rolling off the roof.

 Blood dripped slowly from the glove's tip, and I lowered my hand. 

Damn, what a slippery arm I have. Why did I attack? I am not a killer. My arm somehow reacted, and my mind equipped Knuckle Dusters. It was 'definitely' not me. 

Ok, no more killing. Let's run. I ain't playing hero—

[+19,873 EXP]

...

"Ara, Ara."

Why would I EVER let humans die on my watch. I am a hero. A good guy. I am Justice. I will never let the innocent die. Over my dead body.

[Helm of Solitude, Basic Atlas Gauntlets, equipped.]

"I am a hero." What is a hero without a cape?

I brought out one of the clothes I got from the basic normal summon, a 'bedsheet' size crimson silk cloth that I tied around my neck on my throat five times. I let it drop behind me like a cape and then dashed forward.

I jumped from the building I was on, landing gracefully—

*CRASH*

The roof collapsed due to mine and Atlas weight and I fell through it, slamming ass first onto the ground, sitting on my cloak and almost choking myself. Still getting used to it.

Standing, I dust off my butt and then run forward, through the woodwork shop and out of the front door. I pinged the closed red dot and followed the path, and soon I saw three people walking menacingly towards a group of four men cowing on the ground like baby chicks waiting to be saved by their mama.

"FEAR NOT!" All eyes turned to me, "FOR I AM HERE!"

There was silence, and I decided to continue while striking a pose, "I am the Goliath raised by a human after my planet was destroyed," I struck another pose, "I am the light that shines in the brightness," And another pose, "I AM!"

I used one of my hands to force my 'cape' to flow in the 'wind,' "FIST OF THE CRIMSON ATLAS!"

Silence.

Total utter silence that I felt like a tumble wind would blow by. Even the screams and carnage in the surrounding seemed to silence out.

"Evilus, kill that nasty thing." One of the men pointed at me while looking at the three bad guys.

"You got it, man." One of the Evilus members said as the three turned to face me. "You four run and hide somewhere before this monster kills you with his voice."

"Thank you." The four men stood and dusted their pants like nothing happened. 

"You are doing God's work." A man said.

"No problem." The three level 1 Evilus members started slowly walking towards me. "We are villains,"

"Not monsters," The third member finished.

'What the fuck?' What did I do? 'Whatever.' 41544 exp into agility.

[860→872(892)]

The three men dashed forward, their cloaks fluttering as they moved, and the one in the middle, leading the charge, wielded a massive greatsword that gleamed. His comrades flanked him, their weapons still hidden beneath their cloaks.

The man with the greatsword reached me first, his face twisting in rage, "DIE YOU MONSTER!" He roared as he brought the sword down in a powerful, downward slash. He aimed to cleave me in two, thinking his brute strength would overwhelm me. 

But he was wrong. 

As the tip of the sword fell toward my helm, I simply raised my left hand and Atlas caught it mid-swing.

"Atlas never falls to swords!" I roared, my voice echoing through the streets.

The two others rushed in from either side, their cloaks parting to reveal daggers, glinting wickedly in the sunlight. I saw their movements in perfect clarity, every shift of their bodies telegraphed as they tried to catch me off guard.

"Atlas!" I shouted again, and without even jumping, my feet left the ground. My legs folded beneath me, and in one fluid motion, I thrust them out to each side like a spear, performing a perfect mid-air split. 

The soles of my boots collided with their faces at the same time, a crunch echoing as their heads snapped back with a violent force. The impact sent them both sprawling back, their bodies skidding across the ground like rag dolls, leaving trails of blood behind.

I landed gracefully, returning my legs beneath me, my cape flapping behind me.

The swordsman looked up at me, eyes wide with disbelief. His grip on the sword faltered, and he released it, the blade falling to the ground with a dull clang. Dropping to his knees, he looked toward the sky, his mask falling to reveal a rather ugly man, even by my standards.

"Forgive me, world," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper, tears in his eyes. "I couldn't rid the human race of this... monster..."

'The fuck is he talking about?' With a powerful forward kick to his face, the man's skull caved in with a gruesome sound, his body collapsing in a heap.

For a split second, I could have sworn I saw his soul being carried away by angels, but I quickly dismissed the thought. I must be trippin.

[+16,878 EXP]

[+17,881 EXP]

[+20,309 EXP]

59024 exp was used on Endurance. [860→877(898)]

I will need stamina for my hero work.

With a grin, I turned my attention back to my map and mapped my next villain target. "THE HERO IS HERE!"

~~~~~3rd person POV~~~~~

The elf inspector ran, her heart pounding in her chest as her assistant, another elf, sprinted beside her, both of them fleeing from the only factory that wasn't engulfed in flames. Their long blonde hair flowed behind them as they ran, their beautiful face morphed in terror, their eyes wide and tear-streaked from the acrid smoke rising from the burning buildings.

*HaaHaah* They huffed and puffed as they sprinted across the front area of the factory, only wishing they had chosen to postpone their inspection by a day much like their boss told them instead of being a stuck up, dumb, bitch ass elf.

But suddenly, the elf inspector's heart skipped a beat as, from their front, five figures emerged. The sight of the Evilus members billowing black cloaks and their faces hidden behind black masks sent dread coursing through their veins, and their knees buckled, giving way beneath them as they stumbled to the ground. 

They knew they were going to die today.

"I am sorry I raped your husband." The blue-eyed assistant confessed. "He had a good ass and I couldn't resist."

"And I am sorry I killed your daughter." The green-eyed inspector confessed as they hugged each other. "Her blood tasted good."

And then a booming voice laughed. "HAHAHA!"

Dust exploded upward as something seemingly dropped from the sky, landing between the elves and the Evilus members. A sudden gust of wind blew the dust aside, revealing a massive man, posed with one knee on the ground with his long, crimson silk-like cape flowing dramatically in the wind behind him. 

His head was entirely encased in a metal helm, concealing his face, and one of his hands was sheathed in a massive mechanical gauntlet that extended up to his elbow, with one fist resting firmly on the ground. His other arm extended awkwardly to the side, the weight of the gauntlet apparent in the way it hung.

"HERO OF ATLAS!" He roared.

The Evilus members stopped dead in their tracks, hesitating as the hulking figure began to rise, slow and deliberate. As he stood, towering at a colossal height of 2.4 meters, he attempted to place his fist on his waist for a heroic stance, but it didn't quite work due to the large gauntlet. So he settled for folding his arms awkwardly, resting his right gauntlet atop the left across his chest.

"IS HERE!" he bellowed, finishing his declaration, his voice resounding across the area like thunder.

The five Evilus members exchanged glances, their initial hesitation giving way to fury. "SAVE THE ELVES!" one of them roared, pointing toward the two women still on the ground.

"KILL THAT CREATURE!" another shouted, spurring them back into action.

The massive man, the self-proclaimed Hero of Atlas, laughed, his booming voice filled with arrogance. "HAHAHA!" He dashed forward with surprising speed, his large frame moving with unnatural agility despite the bulk of his armor and gauntlets.

"You TRASH!" he roared as he cocked his right hand back and slammed his gauntleted fist into the face of the first Evilus member. The man's mask shattered on impact, the force of the punch sending him stumbling backward, his face caved in and blood spraying into the air.

"Can NEVER!" the giant bellowed as a spear came thrusting at his side. With a deafening TING, the spear's tip collided with the palm of his gauntlet but caused no damage. His red eyes glowed beneath his helm as he stared down the attacker.

"Kill ME!" he roared once more, gripping the spearhead with his massive gauntlet. The woman wielding the spear was lifted effortlessly into the air as the giant hoisted the weapon vertically above him. She dangled helplessly, her hands gripping the spear for dear life, her body suspended more than five meters above the ground.

With a violent slam, the Hero of Atlas brought the spear down, and the woman's body collided with a man charging below. The impact was sickening. There was a brief, high-pitched scream cut off by the crunch of bones and the wet splatter of blood and organs bursting outward. The woman's body crumpled atop the man, both lying motionless in a growing pool of blood.

The remaining Evilus members didn't stop. One of them let out a roar as he brought his sword down in a powerful downward slash aimed at the giant. But the Hero of Atlas clenched his fist and shouted, 

"STRAIGHT PUNCH OF ATLAS!"

With a motion as swift as an arrow released from a bow, his gauntleted fist shot forward and slammed into the sword. There was a sharp crack as the blade shattered like glass, fragments of the broken sword glinting in the sunlight. One shard reflected the face of the Hero, his glowing crimson eyes flashing from behind the vertically slatted visor as he drove his other fist forward, releasing a gust of wind so strong that the shards of the sword flew like bullets.

The blade shards struck the man—one embedding in the man's forehead, another in his shoulder, a third grazing his cheek, while the rest pierced his body, one even lodging in his eye. The man collapsed, screaming in agony, his body riddled with shards as blood poured from his wounds.

A sudden rush of air behind the Hero was accompanied by the swing of a massive mace aimed at his back. The Hero leaped gracefully three meters into the air, narrowly dodging the blow. The mace, still in motion, slammed to the head of an Evilus member with brutal force, smashing his head like a melon, blood and brain matter spraying outward in an arc.

The giant landed smoothly, his feet striking the mace head and driving it into the ground, and the man holding the mace was pulled forward by the momentum, stumbling. The Hero of Atlas stood tall atop the weapon, his towering form casting a shadow over his opponent. 

Then, without hesitation, he delivered a resounding backhand slap, the force of which sent the man flying to the side like a rag doll, his body skidding across the ground to stop in front of the elves. 

And then he turned to them, and then asked, "Are you ladies alright?"

The elves shuddered and then they cried out in unison, "Evilus! SAVE US!"

Suddenly, four figures dashed out from behind them, emerging from the unburned factory, three of them holding a red longsword. They came to a halt, standing in a loose formation in front of the elves, positioned at least five meters apart from each other. They raised their glowing blades, pointing them toward the towering man who had emerged from the flames.

"BURN IN HELL, YOU FREAK!" the trio roared in unison. "FIRE BLAST!"

With that command, their swords glowed brighter, the air igniting just centimeters from the tips of their swords, and then with a deafening boom, a blast of fire shot erupted forward, expanding in a conical shape. The speed of the three blasts was immense, and in almost an instant, they merged into one massive blast and engulfed the man in crimson flames.

"HA!" A sharp voice rang out as a woman in her Evilus attire leaped over the two elves, still hugging each other on the ground. She landed in front of them, and using the momentum of her fall, she slashed her greenish-blue longsword downward. 

A powerful gust of whirlwind erupted from the motion, hurtling forward with immense speed and merging with the flames. Once it merged, there was an outward blast of hot air as the combined element expanded into a swirling inferno that twisted and coiled into a massive tornado of fire.

The fiery vortex glowed brilliantly under the midday sun, towering at least ten meters into the sky, spiraling wildly as it unleashed waves of heat in every direction. As the flames twisted violently, the four magic weapons the attackers held suddenly cracked and shattered, turning into dust as they flowed away.

"Burn in hellfire where you belong," the woman mumbled, her voice barely audible over the roaring wind and fire.

"HAHAHA!" A booming voice echoed from within the tornado. "My bones were forged in fire, my flesh in lava, and my soul in the sun."

Suddenly, the towering man dashed forward, emerging from the swirling inferno as though it were nothing but a waterfall, unharmed and unscathed, with his body covered in his flowing crimson cape.

"I AM IMMUNE TO FIRE!" he roared.

The four Evilus members screamed in unison, "THE DEMON!" And then they turned to flee.

But the man, still dashing forward, opened his cape with a wave, revealing a rusted silver spear with a blood-red tip in his hand. Though the spear was of average size, it looked ridiculously small in his massive grip, and with a quick motion, he tossed it into the air, the weapon spinning high above his head.

"Your head," he jumped up into the air with a graceful flip. As his hulking body spun, he sent his leg like a whip towards the spear, "IS MINE, PUNK!" he shouted as his foot connected with the spear's shaft.

The spear tip glinted a bright red as a glowing red target appeared on the back of the furthest fleeing man's head, then the spear flew forward, propelled forward by the force of his kick at an impossible speed—over 300 miles per hour. 

In an instant, it slammed into the target on the back of the man's head, piercing clean through his skull. Blood and gore splattered across the spear as it shot out his forehead, losing momentum instantly and dropping to the ground with a dull clank. The man's body stumbled forward, then he fell, leaving a gruesome trail of blood as he skidded along the ground.

The towering man was already past the elves, grabbing the head of another fleeing man with one swift motion, and with a casual flick, he tossed the man toward the fleeing woman. The two collided with a crack, their skulls smashing together as they both crumpled to the ground, twitching and spasming.

He dashed toward the last man, but before he could strike, he suddenly crossed his arms in front of him in an X formation as something slammed into his gauntlet, hard.

The force of the blow lifted him off the ground, sending his massive body flying backward. He soared past the elves, and after about fifty meters of being afloat, his feet touched the ground as he skidded back on the earth. He finally stopped after about ten meters, his feet digging into the earth as he lowered his fists, his eyes locking onto a figure walking toward him.

The figure stood 171 cm tall with an upright and confident posture, wearing a long-sleeve, loose-fitting tunic in muted browns that stretched down to their thighs. This was paired with heavy black pants tucked into worn, old brown shin-length boots and their fists were wrapped in white, bloodied hand wrap. The clothing completely disguised their body, but despite the androgynous outfit, their face unmistakably revealed their identity as a woman. 

Her face was a delicate oval, with intense dark brown, almost black eyes that had slightly upturned corners, a straight and well-proportioned nose, and her skin was clear and smooth with a light tan. Her black hair was tied back into a tight bun, held in place by a golden cloth with two long tails that reached down to her neck, swaying slightly as she walked toward him.

"Mulan Itadori, sixteen years old, part of Morrigan Familia, also part of Evilus," she said her whole government in a firm, confident voice as she slammed her fist into her palm with a resounding thud that sent a gust of wind outwards, ruffling the elves' hair and sweeping past the giant.

"Is here to stop you." A confident grin spread across her face as she stepped forward.

"Fist of the Crimson Atlas, Hero of the Sun," The giant man got into a boxing stance, his massive fists raised and ready. "Requests a duel from the young mistress," 

"Young Master Itadori," Mulan got into a Dulibu stance, her right leg straight on the ground with her left raised and bent at the knee, one arm raised defensively in front of her, and the other positioned above her head, palm facing outward in a poised and balanced manner. "Accepts the duel."

Her grin widened. "Let's dance."

~~~~~~~~~Author's Note~~~~~~~~~~

Start of the Astrea Record arc, yay! I tried to show MC battle prowess against level 1 and yes, they are cannon fodders. Level 2 are his level, equal to him with peak level 2, with those with around 'C' to 'B' for stats out scaling him. Especially those with high speed. This new character, Mulan Itadori, I wonder what her level is. As for the gauntlet he has, how do you imagine it? I never wrote about its color so I am curious.

And no, the MC is not a psychopaths, just a man trying to save as much life as possible. And question for those who remember the Astraea Familia. Did they kill? I mean, did they kill Evilus in the city or just incapacitated them and handed them in? I know they killed Evilus members in the dungeon, but not in the city. Depending on the answer, the following plot will be different. Will do my research before I start next chapter.

Also, I have decided. This won't be haram. Maybe he would form friendships with the characters, but I can't do harem. I can barely write a 'plausible' romance with the MC. Tried thinking of a plot yesterday while in class and I almost punched my laptop out of cringe. Who knows, I might get better but Harem is out.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it (￣y▽￣)╭ Ohohoho.....