Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

A massive cannon blast of ice erupted from the gaping hole in the frozen lava pool, launching upward with terrifying force. At the same time, a deafening roar thundered through the cave, an unmistakable sound of pure, unbridled fury.

Then, from within the depths of that frozen abyss, something began to emerge.

Something colossal.

The ground shook violently as the creature forced its way up, the surrounding ice shattering in an explosive burst, sending massive debris flying in all directions.

And then, it appeared.

What is that…?

Rising from the icy depths was a leviathan-like monstrosity, its entire body covered in jagged, frost-coated scales. Its glowing blue eyes burned with cold, relentless fury as it unleashed another blast of frozen flames, chilling the air so intensely that the temperature around them dropped even further.

Atlas stood frozen, staring in awe and dread at the beast that had finally revealed itself. And the terrifying part?

This was only its head and a portion of its upper body.

Yet, even with just that, its sheer size was undeniable.

The leviathan continued to spew freezing breath in all directions, its icy blasts solidifying the air itself, creating instant ice traps capable of imprisoning anything unfortunate enough to be caught in them.

Then, before Atlas could even process it, the monster's name and level appeared before him.

[Epic – Ishvarok the Eternal Glacier Lv. 125]

Atlas's breath hitched.

An Epic-grade monster!

He had seen one before, when a beast of the same rank had attacked the Veylamar City, nearly reducing it to rubble with its sheer strength alone.

However, that one had been even stronger, above Level 200.

This time, the monster was Level 125. Yet even so… for an island where most players averaged around Level 90, this would be an absolute nightmare.

And as for Atlas?

His troops weren't even all Level 50 yet.

Challenging this thing…? That would be suicide.

Kurogasa grabbed Atlas's arm just as the cannon blast of icy flames hurtled toward the entrance of the massive cave chamber.

Without hesitation, they sprinted away, narrowly avoiding the incoming attack.

A deafening crash echoed through the cavern as the freezing blast struck the tunnel entrance, instantly sealing it shut with a thick wall of solid ice. The air itself crackled from the sheer cold, and just like that.

The monster's roar was silenced, trapped behind the frozen barricade.

Atlas stood still, breath heavy, his mind racing. The terrifying image of the beast was still burned into his vision.

How… how the hell was anyone supposed to fight that?

One attack, just one, and it had completely sealed off the entire passageway.

If a single strike could cause that much devastation, what would happen to an entire army standing in its path? Would they even survive long enough to fight back?

Could an army of Level 100+ awakeners even stand a chance against something like this?

And yet…

If this monster exists on a Rank 2 island, doesn't that mean it should still be within the range of what a Rank 2 Lord can handle?

More importantly, defeating a creature of this magnitude would undoubtedly yield extraordinary rewards.

An Epic-grade monster.

Common. Rare. Elite. Epic.

The fourth rank in the grading system. Yet already, the sheer terror it commanded was on another level.

There was nothing they could do for now. Still, the discovery was significant. By all rights, Atlas should have been the first to claim it. He knew he needed to capitalize on this find, yet he chose to hold back, for the time was not right.

"My Lord?" Kurogasa's voice broke through Atlas's thoughts.

"It's fine. Let's leave this place for now," Atlas replied.

They resumed their march. "Will the cave collapse if that monster keeps attacking?" Atlas asked.

Edrik was the one to answer. "This cave was designed to be the monster's lair. At the very least, it was built as its dwelling, so it should hold together. That doesn't mean it can't be destroyed, though, if the battle escalates to a larger scale, even this place could be blown apart."

"I see," Atlas said with a nod. "Good. I already have something planned regarding this."

After concluding their discoveries for the day, Atlas led his elite subordinates back to the surface, returning to where the rest of his troops were stationed.

At the very least, he would need two more days to bring the remainder of his forces here. Only then could he begin executing his full plan.

According to Baldric, mining ore from a cave like this often had a chance of triggering certain events. The most common occurrence?

Attracting monsters from deeper within the cave.

If a monster attack was a real possibility, then their approach had to be strategic. Some of his troops would focus on mining, while others would be assigned to guard duty, defending against potential waves of monsters.

As they made their way back, Atlas began discussing his thoughts and strategies for dealing with the Raid Monster they had discovered. Specifically, his plan to manipulate one of the lord alliances into fighting the beast, while he positioned himself to steal the victory in the end.

Edrik responded thoughtfully, "I believe Alliance A or Alliance B would be capable of fighting the monster. If they were to mobilize their full forces."

Atlas gave a slow nod, processing the information. From there, he began considering which alliance would be the best target for this strategy.

"Alliance A will likely continue holding their ground at the Central Fortress," Atlas mused.

Edrik remained silent for a moment before offering a small bow in acknowledgment.

"That means," Atlas continued, "the only alliance that might be willing to mobilize their entire army against the Raid Monster is Alliance B. Right now, they're stuck. Their current position has them at a disadvantage due to Alliance A's dominance over the key zones. If Alliance B manages to secure the Raid Monster's kill, their chances of winning control over the island will increase significantly."

Edrik nodded in agreement. "I believe that as well."

Now, the only question was, how to lure Alliance B into finding the Raid Monster before anyone else.

And more importantly. How to secure the victory once the battle began.