Three minutes ago...

Under Atlas' command, combatants of various groups had gathered here now. Internal security. Sanctuary's external task forces. Elite squads. Hunters...

There were about 500 of them packed in this small courtyard. It's rather chaotic in there. No clear chain of command. Nobody knew what to do. Some were on the verge of a spar already.

It's just as chaotic at the gates though.

"What are we doing here sir?"

"Who's our enemies?"

"Shouldn't we set up defenses outside?"

"There's no defense set up at the city hall? Are we just going to abandon it?"

"Which areas are we responsible sir?"

Dozens of team leaders had surrounded the two smite members.

Wearing a knitted brow, the archer in purple battlesuit turned to his teammate. The swordsman in blue shook his head and shrugged. These two were just as clueless.

"Alright, enough!" The archer shouted.

"Hunters form the first line outside the walls."

"Internal security cover the walls."

"The elite squads will be the last line of defense."

"Tsk." An S-rank hunter scoffed. "And who are you to make commands?"

"Yeah! You still haven't answered our questions!"

"Where is the keyholder?"

"Say, do you know why we are here?" A hunter guildmaster turned to an internal security squad leader.

"No idea, but the pay is good." The squad leader shrugged.

"Follow your command!" The archer in purple menacingly looked around.

"Yeah? Or what?"

"You!"

Sensing something, the angry fellas at the gate turned to one direction.

Two figures were approaching them.

It's Liam in his lab coat. Wearing thin-framed glasses, having a small beer belly, this guy looked rather harmless.

Yet, seeing Liam here, the faces of the two smite members drastically changed. Wearing alerted and serious expressions, these two slowly moved their hands to their weapons.

Beside Liam was a powered armor with glowing stripes.

Pss...

The visor opened up, revealing Magni's face.

"They are starting a coup. Arrest them!" The archer in purple readied his bow.

Hearing this command, the team leaders stirred up.

"We are starting a coup?" Magni smirked. "Us?! You mean Atlas."

"As the commander of the sanctuary task force, I command you to return to your posts."

The team leaders hesitantly looked at each other, hoping someone would take the lead.

The fellas inside the courtyard noticed the situation here as well. Gradually, they gathered up by the gates.

"Yeah? Sure. You guys have fun, I'm out of this." An S-rank hunter shrugged. "Alright fellas, let's call it a day."

Without further hesitation, this hunter led his group out of this place.

"Are you defying the keyholder's orders?"

"So what if I am?" That S-rank hunter looked back.

"The sanctuary will see you as our enemies. We will not hesitate to use force." The swordsman in blue battlesuit threatened.

"And when our president demands an answer, how will you explain?" That hunter smirked.

"You-" The swordsman in blue clenched his teeth.

"Let them go." The archer in purple sighed.

As the hunters streamed out of this courtyard, some task force members and internal security began to follow as well.

The team leaders nodded at each other. Without further thoughts, these guys headed out in unison.

"Even you people trust them? The keyholder needs you the most right now!" The archer shouted in disbelief. "Will you flee from your duties, and let the sanctuary down?! When the sanctuary needs you the most?"

Hearing this, some team leaders began to hesitate.

"The keyholder is not here! It's Atlas inside!" Someone shouted.

The crowd turned their gazes to the source of this voice. The dude was only a D-rank, the lowest ranking member here. However, that guy was in storage guard uniform.

Seeing this result, the team leaders turned alerted gazes towards the two smite members.

"It's Atlas!"

"We didn't see the keyholder here!"

One after another, shouting over each other, the storage guards tried to explain the situation.

Leaving a sigh, the two smite members jumped back towards the storage.

Tttoooommm...

A low vibration expanded out from that storage. At this moment, everyone here shared the same feelings. It's an unexplainable otherworldly feeling, triggering an innate fear.

Some weaker combatants gulped and stepped back in panic.

Other higher-ranking combatants clenched their teeth. Within the fear, there's also an innate calling. A calling to do something. A calling for battle! It's up to them to save this world!

Tttooomm...

"Stop them!" Magni shouted. His visor snapped shut. Leaving a boom in the air, Magni charged towards that storage.

"Charge!"

"For our home!"

"For the sanctuary!"

"Arrrggghhh!"

Like a tidal wave, Some combatants followed Magni into the charge. Some weaker soldiers ran off in the other direction.

Yet, battle instantly broke out within the charge. Crashing into each other, the wave slowed and became chaotic.

"Why?!" A hunter held onto his bloodstained arm.

"In this world, you'll never know if it's tomorrow or death coming next." A fellow hunter answered. "If you want to survive, you will need power!"

Down the battlefield...

A task force member backstabbed his teammate. "Sorry. But without the void, I'd be dead right now!"

An internal security knight tackled that assailant down.

Clunk!

Using his recurve bow, the archer in purple blocked out a sword strike from his past teammate.

"For the good of the sanctuary, please die!" The archer put on a fervent smile.

"You are insane! You fucking lied to me! I never signed up to join the void!" The swordsman glared at his old buddy.

At this instance, the hidden void servants jumped out in unison. Wearing ecstatic smiles, these guys fought like they didn't mind dying.

"To protect what you care about, this is the sacrifice you'll have to take!"

"I choose this path, so my children don't have to take this path!"

BAM!

Magni crashed through the storage's overhead doors, leaving a hole behind. "Atlas!"

Stepping through that hole, wearing a hopeful expression, Liam pushed up his glasses.

"Oh ho?" Standing on the black altar, Atlas looked down at the two intruders.

"You guys are too late." Atlas smiled playfully in victory.

Liam and Magni took a quick look around. Seeing this result, their hearts sank.

All the crates were gone now. There's only arrays of empty shelves left here.

Up the altar, the void portal before Atlas quickly shrunk.

A purplish-black particle shot out of the closing portal. In a blink, it shot into Atlas' purplish-black crown like a bullet.

Atlas could have dodged it. But he didn't. This was exactly what he'd asked for.

Poof!

A black ring shot out of the portal.

Atlas caught it with ease. However...

Atlas turned to the cloaked figure with a raised brow.

"It's new customer benefits sire. Since you spent a lot of points on your first transaction, you can expect this ring to be a powerful item."

"Is that so-" Turning around, Atlas pushed his palm down the altar.

It's like hitting a pause button. Magni became frozen in air. Nevertheless, the blaster on Magni's shoulder continued to brighten up.

"Tsk. SSS-rank." Atlas scoffed and squeezed his hand.

Bbbttooom!

A fiery explosion engulfed Magni. Like a pile of scrap metal, Magni shot into the cement ground.

"A neat toy." Atlas turned his playful gaze towards Liam now.

Streams of purplish-black materials extended out of Atlas' crown. Gradually, this material formed a floating purplish-black halo behind Atlas' head.

The halo looked like it's made of an unique material. Not wood, not metal, not ceramic, not plastic... Strange. In every sense, the halo looked like it didn't belong in this world.

"Bye bye Liam." Atlas maliciously smiled.

Liam was drenched in sweat now. The dude panted like his mind was running at ten thousand miles a second.

"Hmm..." Atlas smiled with half-closed eyes. He seemed to be really enjoying this moment.

Atlas took in a deep breath. "My moment to shine..."

PAM!

Under a snappy explosion, this storage bursted into pieces. Two figures shot out of the storage. A cloud of black mist soon flew out as well.

At this instance, the fighting in the courtyard stopped.

Most people looked into that direction in sheer shock and disbelief. The void servants relaxed and put on victorious smiles.

Inside the expanding debris, a blob of golden energy gradually expanded out. In a moment, the golden energy condensed into a towering 20-meters figure. Behind that figure, a throne chair quickly formed.

The giant Atlas sat onto his seat.

Atlas emitted a light like warm sunlight. Wearing a kind smile, Atlas tried to look benign. Yet, his presence was still too much pressure for the people below.

One after another, willingly or unwillingly, the people here kneeled onto the ground.

"From this day on, I, Atlas, will be the ruler of Berrystone!" Atlas' rumbling voice traveled down the sanctuary.