Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

The leaked video of the city mayor's conversation with his assistant quickly spread throughout the city. The footage exposed not only the mayor's past crimes but also his plan for yet another murder, a revelation made even worse by his clear mention of Zara's name.

The news ignited an immediate storm of outrage across the city. For years, the former mayor's supporters had suspected foul play, but now they had the proof to validate their frustrations.

Edrik capitalized on this opportunity. He discreetly funded several groups to amplify the video's exposure, spreading it far and wide while stoking the fire of public anger.

Within less than an hour, a growing crowd surged toward the city mayor's residence. What began as a handful of angry citizens quickly snowballed into a massive mob.

People pounded on the heavy iron gates, fists and improvised weapons alike striking the cold metal, demanding answers, demanding blood.

Inside, the mayor's guards and elite awakeners were caught completely unprepared. What had once felt like an impenetrable fortress was now besieged by an unstoppable flood of rage and betrayal.

**

Back in the chamber where the city mayor resided, the cloaked figure revealed himself to be none other than Kurogasa, who had spent the entire day concealed within the room's shadows.

He had watched every moment unfold in silence, capturing it all on record. Without wasting a second, he transmitted the footage to Edrik, to be spread as widely as possible.

Drawing two gleaming swords, Kurogasa stepped forward, his long cloak shrouding most of his frame, carefully disguising his true identity as a Rat Beastkin.

The mayor's face drained of color. He slammed his palm onto a button embedded in his desk, setting off a shrill alarm. Within moments, ten guards burst into the room, weapons at the ready, eyes locked on the intruder with deadly intent.

"Capture that intruder!" the city mayor barked. "Break his legs and arms so he can't move or fight. But leave him alive!"

As the guards encircled Kurogasa, one of the mayor's assistants hurried over, panic etched across his face

"Sir, there's a large crowd gathering outside."

"What happened?!" The mayor snapped.

The assistant hesitated, visibly nervous. "It's the video, sir. The recording… it's spreading."

"Damn it!"

He turned back to the guards. "Take care of him. Once this is done, we'll tell everyone the video was nothing but a fake."

With those words, the city mayor slipped behind his guards as he made for the exit. Leaving the chaos behind him, he pushed through the door, abandoning the scene to his men as they closed in on Kurogasa.

Kurogasa quickly readied himself as ten guards, each with an average level over 40, surrounded him. It was an overwhelming number, one that would have spelled trouble for most people facing them alone.

But not for him. Kurogasa was far more experienced than they could imagine, and not a trace of fear crossed his face.

The guards closed in, their formation tightening, preparing for what they believed would be an easy victory.

"You must have a death wish, walking in here alone."

"You're not the first fool to think he could take us all. The others didn't leave in one piece."

Two swordsmen lunged at him first, swinging their blades wildly in an attempt to overwhelm him with brute force.

Kurogasa deftly deflected every strike with his twin swords. Then, in a burst of agility, he vaulted backward into a perfect somersault, landing right behind another guard.

Before the man could react, Kurogasa disarmed him effortlessly, sending his sword clattering to the ground. Using the momentum, he spun his blade and slashed cleanly across his neck, dropping the man in an instant.

The remaining guards froze for a brief second, stunned by how quickly one of their own had fallen. That hesitation didn't last long. They charged in unison, determined to overwhelm him.

Kurogasa darted to the wall and kicked it to soar over their heads. He landed gracefully behind the group, thrusting his swords into the back of the rearmost guard with deadly precision. The man collapsed with a choked cry, and chaos erupted as the others scrambled to adjust.

The fight continued, the guards attacking with all their might, but Kurogasa was too fast, too fluid. He flipped, vaulted, and twisted through the air with impossible agility, evading every strike that came his way.

His movements were almost effortless, as if he were dancing through the chaos. Each time he found an opening, he struck with precision, landing fatal blows without a hint of hesitation.

And yet, despite the overwhelming skill he displayed, Kurogasa held back. He didn't use the Shadow Element or any advanced skills, relying only on basic movements and fundamental techniques to keep his identity hidden.

To the guards, it seemed as though they were being systematically dismantled by an opponent who had mastered the art of combat down to its very core.

One by one, they fell. Until only the sound of Kurogasa's steady breathing remained in the room.

**

Elsewhere within the vast structure, four cloaked figures slipped through the hallways. Their movements revealed the group's composition, two men and two women.

At the front, a woman glided forward with lethal elegance, her sword carving through everything in her path. She surged ahead, striking with such blistering speed that her blade seemed to blur.

Necks were severed cleanly in her wake, bodies collapsing wordlessly to the floor, lifeless before they even knew they were dying.

Atlas walked with the group, sighing softly as he kept pace. He knew Morganna used moments like this to let go of her darker emotions. The way she moved, made it clear she found a strange comfort in the violence, as if it was her way of finding peace.

Edrik led the group, guiding them swiftly through staircases and winding corridors. They moved, navigating the chaos as guards fell before they could raise alarms.

Finally, their target came into view, the city mayor. He was running frantically, accompanied by a woman clutching a frightened young girl who looked no older than her early teens. Five guards surrounded them, trembling as they turned to face the approaching figures.

The mayor's eyes widened in panic as his gaze locked onto Atlas and the others.

"Who are you? What do you want?!" he shouted.

He shoved one of the guards forward, "Kill them! Face them! Do your job!"

But before the guards could react, a new figure stepped into view at the other end of the corridor. He stood perfectly still, with two blood-soaked swords in hand.

"Protect me, you cowards! Fight them!"

Three of the guards rushed toward Kurogasa. But the Rat Beastkin moved with agility, ducking low to evade their strikes. With precise and fluid movements, he targeted their necks and knee joints, delivering crippling blows.

As they collapsed to the ground, Kurogasa finished them off with swift thrusts to their vital points, ensuring they never stood again.

The final two guards barely had time to react before Morganna descended upon them. Her sword slashed through the air with terrifying speed, effortlessly decapitating them both in a single, clean motion. Their bodies crumpled lifelessly to the floor, the sound of their heads hitting the ground echoing through the corridor.

Now, only the city mayor, his wife, and his young daughter remained.