Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

Luna, standing between Edrik and the others, murmured softly, "That spear… it looks incredibly powerful… Where did Atlas even get it?"

Though she hadn't directed the question at anyone in particular, Ember was the one who responded.

"Atlas doesn't just have insane items. He's got incredible subordinates too. Like, he can just summon them out of nowhere. Haha."

Celestia, standing nearby, added her own thoughts.

"Brigid treats battle like something sacred. She never takes it lightly. The moment she steps into a fight, it's as if she's prepared to stake everything on it, even her life. She's just… that harsh on herself. I really hope neither of them gets seriously hurt."

Luna listened, nodding slightly in agreement, though she didn't offer a response of her own.

Thanks to the new talent he had just unlocked, Atlas found it much easier to adapt. Even in temperatures this low. The cold was still there, but it no longer bit as deeply as it had when he first arrived.

On top of that, his affinity for Dark Element and his ability to fight with minimal or even no vision made this the perfect battlefield for him.

But, he had no idea just how far Brigid's abilities went in combat.

That meant he had to be careful. Keep his positioning tight, attack and defend strategically, and gauge her strength before committing to anything reckless.

Brigid wasted no time.

She launched forward with incredible speed, tearing through the snow effortlessly.

Strong!

Atlas braced himself, gripping his spear as his passive skill Tempest Guard activated, boosting his defense for a limited time.

He quickly spun the spear, preparing to meet her charge.

Brigid closed the distance instantly and swung her greatsword, fast!

Atlas barely managed to parry the attack, but the impact sent a shockwave through his arms, forcing him to stagger.

Her strength was no joke.

Without hesitation, Brigid followed up with a relentless series of swings, pressing forward, forcing him back with every crushing strike.

With this level of power and speed, she wasn't someone he could take lightly.

Atlas relied on his superior agility. His spear was lighter, giving him an edge in movement.

He sidestepped, dodging and weaving, ensuring he never stood directly in front of her, a position that would make her attacks far more dangerous.

The clash continued.

Brigid attacked with brutal intensity, her greatsword spinning and cleaving through the air as if it weighed nothing.

And yet, despite the battle just beginning, Atlas could already feel sweat dripping down his face.

Damn, this won't be easy.

He flipped forward, leaping and dashing around, parrying where he could.

Thankfully, his movement speed was just slightly faster than hers, giving him enough time to dodge and counter.

But at this rate…

It was only a matter of time before one of her attacks landed.

Ember murmured in awe from a distance. "Not bad… for Atlas."

"Yes, the fact that Atlas can parry so many of Brigid's attacks is very impressive," Luna added, her eyes narrowing in focus.

Celestia spoke next. "Even though Brigid's current condition is limiting her overall stats, she still carries years of combat experience. In direct battles like this, she can push herself even further when cornered. Not that I doubt Atlas… but Brigid's experience gives her an undeniable edge."

Ember chuckled at that, her lips curling into a grin. "Let's see if this cunning lord has a trick up his sleeve to escape this situation. I'd bet his head is packed full of sly little schemes, hahaha."

Atlas focused his entire attention on the fight, to the point where he was forced to think at an intense pace because…

This fight was fast.

Too fast to think, he had no choice but to rely entirely on instinct while simultaneously analyzing Brigid's attack patterns in real time.

Luckily, active skills were not allowed in this duel. That meant there wouldn't be any unexpected abilities catching him off guard.

Atlas kept moving, dodging, and sidestepping, occasionally shifting back to more stable footing where the ground wasn't completely destroyed by the sheer force of their battle.

Even so, chunks of snow flew through the air. Some small, others massive, all thrown into the sky by the devastating impacts of Brigid's attacks.

From a distance, their movements were almost impossible to track.

The only thing visible in the dark, snow-covered battlefield was the clash of crimson flames against blue and gold lightning, two glowing auras colliding in a relentless exchange of blows.

And yet…

The red aura was clearly dominating.

Brigid refused to let up.

She knew her strengths over Atlas, and despite their supposedly equal stats, the efficiency of her movements, her precise footwork, and the sheer force behind each attack left Atlas with almost no room to counter.

So far, he hadn't managed to escape defensive mode for even a second.

But then, finally, Atlas broke away, gaining some distance between them.

With quick, calculated thrusts, Atlas struck forward repeatedly, aiming for openings in Brigid's stance!

But, her greatsword was just too powerful.

With a single sweep, she knocked his spear aside, her strength completely overwhelming his precision, forcing Atlas into a vulnerable position.

Damn!

Danger!

Without hesitation, Atlas flipped backward. Just in time!

Brigid's greatsword sliced through the air mere inches from cutting him down.

The fight was brutal. So intense that anyone watching could feel their hearts pounding in their chests.

The tension was unbearable.

And though Atlas had managed to keep up so far…

To the spectators, there was no sign that he could actually win.

"I don't see how Atlas can win against Brigid…" Luna said.

Celestia shook her head and let out a deep sigh.

But unlike them, Edrik wore a small, knowing smile.

"He's already figured it out," he murmured.

The others immediately turned toward him, puzzled.

"What are you talking about, Edrik?" Luna tilted her head in confusion before turning back to the battle.

And in that moment. They all began to understand what Edrik meant.

"Don't tell me… Atlas has been setting this up from the start?" Luna's voice trembled with shock.