Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

Alliance B, who at first seemed to have complete control over the raid, finally suffered their first major setback when the Eternal Glacier unleashed an unexpected attack.

Using another part of its massive body, its colossal tail, the monster struck the frozen lava pool, sending a devastating shockwave through the battlefield. Several frontliners were violently thrown back, suffering severe injuries from the impact.

"Focus on recovery! Keep healing! Maintain the frontlines!" their leader shouted over the chaos.

But things were already starting to fall apart.

The Raid Monster's cannon blast, which had previously been contained, broke through their defenses. This time, it struck the backlines, hitting several mages who had been maintaining the magic bindings from afar.

Some were sent flying.

Some died instantly.

The raid was not going as smoothly as they had expected.

Still, they continued their assault, determined to bring the monster down. But the beast wasn't done yet. Its furious roar echoed through the cave as it began using its massive head as a weapon, violently smashing into the frontline tanks.

The warriors closest to the beast fought harder, their blades and spears striking its hide in relentless succession. But as the Leviathan thrashed wildly, it began firing cannon blasts in all directions, this time aiming upward.

A loud crack rang through the cave—

Massive boulders from the ceiling collapsed, crashing brutally onto the battlefield.

This was no ordinary raid battle.

It was an all-out slaughter.

And yet, despite the devastating attacks, Alliance B's troops held their ground, sticking to their roles, desperately trying to heal and recover their fallen comrades.

The situation continued to unfold in the same way. More and more of their forces suffered severe injuries, with many unable to continue fighting. By this point, nearly 30% of their troops were either critically wounded or dead.

But… Did this mean they were going to lose?

Not exactly.

The Raid Monster itself was now visibly damaged. Its once-imposing, frost-covered body now marred with deep wounds. The very being that could freeze anything upon contact was starting to crack.

Its attacks were no longer as brutal as before.

Its movements were sluggish, and its cannon blasts had become wild and unfocused. Meanwhile, the attackers continued their relentless assault, pushing forward with ferocious intensity.

At a glance, victory was still possible.

But it was also clear, Alliance B had gone all out for this battle. It was a fight where even the slightest mistake could cost them everything.

If even one frontliner fell, the ranged fighters behind them would soon follow.

"I think they still have a shot at winning this raid, huh," Ember commented, leaning back. "But honestly, I can't even imagine what it'd be like if we brought all our troops to fight that thing. This is absolutely insane."

Luna nodded at Ember's remark. "They're going all out to win this Dominion Skirmish."

"Yeah, surely… they have their pride to uphold," Ember mused. "So sacrificing their army like this is something they can afford."

Luna responded thoughtfully. "But even if they do win this raid, a huge portion of their forces will be badly wounded. Maybe even more than 50%."

"Maybe that's exactly what Atlas is planning? Attacking them after the raid ends?" Ember said, turning toward Atlas with a raised eyebrow.

But Atlas's response remained the same, silent and unreadable. He didn't offer a clear answer.

"Ah, I really hope you're about to give us a satisfying surprise, Atlas," Ember said with a grin.

At that moment, Edrik stepped closer to Atlas and whispered, "My Lord, I believe it's time."

Atlas gave a slow nod before rising to his feet. The movement immediately caught Luna and Ember's attention, both turning toward him.

"Thanks for the entertainment," he said casually. "But I have something important to take care of."

Without waiting for a response, he walked out of the camp.

Edrik, following closely behind, briefly turned to Luna and Ember. With a small bow to both of them, he then exited as well.

Left alone in the room, Luna and Ember exchanged looks, caught between confusion and the intensity of the ongoing battle displayed on the floating screen.

"Is Atlas preparing to confront Alliance B?" Luna muttered, shifting her gaze back to the chaotic fight. "Even with only 30% of their forces left, I still don't think Atlas and his army can take them on."

But just as Luna finished speaking, a sudden disturbance rippled through the backline of Alliance B's forces.

"Luna, what's happening there?" Ember asked.

The answer came on the screen. Something no one had anticipated.

Because the next instant, massive explosions erupted in sequence.

One after another, deafening blasts tore through the cavern in an unrelenting chain, shaking the ground with violent force.

"Where are those explosions coming from?" Luna's voice trembled. "No… it can't be…"

The detonations were so immense they rattled the entire cave. Soldiers were thrown sprawling, shields useless, as the shockwaves sent them stumbling for cover. The once-disciplined formation dissolved into chaos, their order completely shattered.

Luna and Ember both shot to their feet, eyes wide with shock.

Because these weren't attacks from the Raid Monster.

Nor were they from Alliance B's spells or weapons.

They were something else entirely.

As if massive bombs had been buried within the cavern long ago, lying in wait for this precise moment, primed to obliterate Alliance B the instant they dared to engage the beast.

Then, as if disaster had not struck enough, the cave ceiling began to give way.

Massive slabs of stone broke free and plummeted, smashing into the battlefield below. Soldiers were crushed where they stood, while others scrambled in blind panic, desperate to escape the rain of death from above.

The chaos only deepened. The explosions raged on, each detonation shaking the chamber with bone-rattling force. Smoke, dust, and fire thickened until the battlefield became a storm of choking black haze.

"It's an ambush. Retreat! Save yourselves!"

"Abort the raid! Evacuate the healers first!"

"We have to get out of here, NOW!"

Both Luna and Ember trembled as they watched the feed, their faces pale under the screen's glow. The sheer scale of destruction was staggering. An entire army thrown into disarray, not by the Raid Monster, but by something far more calculated.

"Don't tell me…" Ember whispered, her voice barely holding steady. "Atlas planned all of this?"

She turned toward Luna, her words thin, almost choked. "Did he really plant this many explosives throughout the cave, waiting for the moment Alliance B was at their weakest to set off a chain reaction like this?"

By now, the battlefield was nothing but smoke and chaos on the screen.

Even Luna's scout, who had been observing from the elevated passage, was forced to retreat, abandoning his post before the inferno could claim him too.

**

Atlas marched forward, followed by dozens of his troops, moving through the freezing night toward the mouth of the cave.

And yet, not a single one of them shivered. Not a single one of them hesitated.

The bitter cold of the night meant nothing to them. Because tonight, they were ready.

Ready to execute war with ruthless efficiency.

And yes, this was something Atlas and his elite subordinates had meticulously prepared for the past two weeks.

The devastating chain of explosions had only been possible because of Baldric, the dwarf blacksmith.