Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

The massive monster tore through snow-laden trees, its sheer bulk shattering everything in its path. Each step sent shockwaves through the ground, shaking the frozen landscape as it clashed with the occasional howling snowstorm sweeping through the night.

Seriously… in a freezing situation like this, why am I thinking about eating elephant meat?

The thought popped into Atlas's mind, completely uninvited. But strangely tempting.

Time passed.

They continued following the same pattern until, finally, they reached a vantage point. Atlas, Baldric, and Kurogasa stood atop a snow-covered hill, gazing down at the unfolding chaos far below.

The mammoth monster barreled through the forest, tearing toward a camp nestled in the clearing below.

There were tents, watchmen, and more soldiers stationed inside. The moment they heard the thunderous stomps and guttural roars, the entire camp sprang into action. Guards rushed out, weapons drawn, their postures tense and ready for battle.

"Monster incoming! Brace yourselves!"

"Shields up, form the line!"

"Wake the others! Get everyone out here, now!"

"Archers! To the posts, hurry!"

"It's breaking through the trees! Hold steady!"

"Don't let it reach the tents. Push it back!"

Yes. This was exactly what Atlas had planned.

The mammoth stormed into the camp, its rage completely redirected. It no longer cared for Morganna. Now, its new enemies were the soldiers before it.

A battle erupted. Chaotic and unplanned, a sudden clash in the dead of night. The raging snowstorm made things even worse, forcing the troops below to fight in brutal, freezing conditions.

From their vantage point, Atlas could see their numbers weren't high. Barely over a dozen.

But even from afar, it was clear, these soldiers were high-level. Their weapons gleamed with power, their stances disciplined. And now, they were forced into an unexpected battle against a rampaging Elite-grade monster.

This was one of the best strategies to slowly chip away at the enemy's strength. By taking advantage of Atlas and his elite subordinates' greatest strength: Their ability to fight efficiently in the dead of night.

Meanwhile, their enemies were forced to expend their stamina and energy battling a massive, rampaging monster in the freezing darkness.

Atlas watched as the troops below coordinated their attacks, attempting to subdue the beast. But even with their well-trained formations, the brutal conditions worked against them.

The pitch-black night.

The biting cold.

The harsh wind that cut through the battlefield.

It made every movement sluggish, every action a struggle.

They were stationed here to guard a key zone, an outer fort. They were separated forces from Alliance A, and venturing beyond the camp in the dead of night, under such freezing conditions, was as good as suicide.

The battle dragged on.

Atlas could see it, their movements slowing, exhaustion creeping in. Some soldiers, wounded and drained, attempted to retreat, only to be swallowed by the abyss of darkness.

And in that darkness… A crimson gaze. A silent predator. Morganna was ready to fulfill her role, becoming the second Grim Reaper that night.

One by one, those who tried to flee for safety instead met their end in the shadows, their lives claimed by the Vampire Queen.

Baldric, standing beside Atlas, let out a low chuckle as he mimicked the voices of the soldiers below.

"We're under attack! There's an ambush! Stay alert!"

Atlas exhaled, voice barely above a murmur. "Should we assist Morganna?"

Kurogasa responded immediately. "My Lord, I will go if needed. But I believe this will end without us having to do anything."

Atlas smirked. "In that case, let's head down. Time to harvest some elephant meat. We're having a mammoth for breakfast."

The smirk remained on his face as he stepped forward. "And… let's see what new weapons and armor we can collect while we're at it."

This strategy was certain to drive the strongest Alliance in the Dominion Skirmish into a rage. Yet there was no way for them to uncover who was truly pulling the strings behind it all. Atlas had executed everything with precision, relying on people who could endure and maneuver through the extreme weather far better than most.

Up to this point, his hiding place remained undiscovered. He had countless ways to exploit every advantage at hand, slowly wearing his enemies down.

Of course, these small-scale strikes alone would never completely destroy them. Their forces were massive, with enough strength to bring in replacements every single day if they wished.

But… even pride has its limits. Atlas knew that with a strategy like this, Alliance A would eventually be forced to act. Either by marching out to hunt down whoever had dared to defy them, or by abandoning their outer outposts altogether and retreating to hold only the central key zone.

**

Atlas had only one week since his meeting with Luna, and within that time, he had to put his plan into full motion to completely annihilate Alliance B. Because of this, his daily schedule had become more grueling than ever. Less rest, more battles, and an ever-increasing workload.

He had already crafted a meticulously planned strategy alongside his elite subordinates, a plan that was merely waiting for the perfect moment to be set into motion. He could not afford even a single mistake. This was the deciding factor that would determine whether his chances of victory were high or if everything would fall apart.

Meanwhile, the hunt for monster spiders and the excavation of ores in the two caves continued. Even at this point, Baldric had successfully completed four new Soulbinding Armors. A remarkable feat considering all the effort they had put into gathering the materials for crafting these magnificent pieces.

However… This was far from over. Atlas needed these armors in large numbers. Four would never be enough if he wanted to equip all his troops with the same Soulbinding Armor.

At that moment, Atlas stood beside Baldric, who was seated in front of his makeshift forging tools. Before them were four completed armor sets. Holding and seeing them firsthand only made Atlas even more eager to claim this island entirely for himself.

"Hah! Unfortunately, the armor's grade can only be determined once it's bound to someone," Baldric remarked.

Atlas nodded slowly, accepting the fact. "The armor grade gifted by the System, both mine and Morganna's, is Epic-grade. I don't know if there's a possibility that the system could produce something even higher."

He fell silent for a moment, studying the Soulbinding Armor blueprint once again. It clearly indicated that the item had the potential to range from Elite-grade to Legendary-grade. Just reading the word Legendary sent a wave of excitement through Atlas, fueling his desire to obtain that highest-tier armor.

Just imagine, he already had a Legendary-grade Spear, and if he added a full set of Legendary-grade armor on top of that…

He took a deep breath, picturing the kind of grand battles he could wage with such power.

At this point, he could feel it. An insatiable thirst for battle.

Was this what being a Lord in constant struggle did to someone? Did it truly shape a person to crave combat like this?

"I can make some modifications," Baldric said. "I'll try to expose the armor grade without having to bind it to someone first. Because… if it must be bound before revealing its grade, that doesn't sound ideal. Especially when we want to ensure that the highest possible grade goes to the most important and deserving individuals among us."

Baldric glanced at Atlas with determination. "I hope, at the very least, you, the Lord - will be the one wearing a Legendary-grade armor."

Atlas nodded slowly. "I understand. At the very least, we now have four Soulbinding Armors. We can start distributing them to those who are ready to use them."

Atlas then discussed who would be the most suitable to receive the four armors in this initial batch.