Chapter 249: Chapter 249 - The Isle of Nova Cogs
After a full night’s rest, more than twelve hours, Atlas had fallen into the kind of deep sleep that only utter exhaustion could bring. It was as if he had been starving for rest.
He vaguely remembered waking up once or twice in the middle of the night, but it was all a blur. Strangely enough, he’d felt a bit feverish at one point. A slight runny nose, a weird ache in his body. It felt ridiculous, especially considering how far he’d upgraded his body. And yet, it seemed natural illnesses could still sneak up on even someone awakened like him.
Still, by morning, he was completely recharged.
He climbed out of bed, shirtless, and took a long moment to soak in the steaming hot water of his private bath. For a while, he allowed himself to forget the challenges ahead. Just peace, just warmth, just stillness.
After some time, he was dressed in a casual outfit, feeling refreshed.
Right then, a knock sounded at his door.
He opened it to find Baldric’s towering frame grinning down at him, and Edrik standing beside him with his usual composed look.
They had already discussed what this meeting was about. Atlas stepped aside, letting them both into the room.
Baldric reached into his inventory and pulled out a cube-shaped object. Atlas recognized it instantly as a Soulbinding Armor core.
"You surely want to try applying one more of these to yourself, right?" Baldric said with a toothy grin.
Atlas hesitated. Honestly, he wasn’t so sure.
Not everyone had gotten a chance to use one yet. And worse, each application carried risk. The resulting grade was never guaranteed. The armor could come out as Elite, Epic, Unique... or, at the pinnacle, Legendary.
Baldric continued, clearly expecting the question. "We’ve compiled the results from seventy crafted soulbinding armors so far. Seventy percent turn out Elite. Twenty-four percent become Epic. Six percent come out Unique. And yeah... not one has landed on Legendary yet."
He said it with a grin, but the weight behind the numbers was clear.
Atlas fell silent for a moment.
"Even Unique-grade have such a low chance?" he muttered. "That means... My best outcome would be upgrading my current armor to Unique-grade. But realistically, it’ll probably just stay Epic. Worst case... it could be downgraded to Elite."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That would be... very bad."
Atlas paused as he weighed the possibilities.
Then, finally, he made his choice.
"No," he said firmly. "I’m not going to risk getting downgraded to Elite-grade, not right now. I can be satisfied with what I have. Let’s wait until we’ve got a larger stock... Maybe once I can try ten Soulbinding Armors at once. Then I’ll go for it, push for Unique-grade or, if luck’s on my side, something even better: Legendary."
With the decision made, Edrik nodded silently and stored the item back into his inventory. It would be allocated to someone else who needed it more urgently.
It was tempting. Atlas could’ve claimed it for himself, if he wanted to be greedy. But this wasn’t the time for that.
He could wait. A few more months, maybe.
When the moment was right... he’d try again.
That afternoon, Atlas gathered with his core commanders, Edrik, Baldric, Serenith, Kurogasa, and a handful of Elite Subordinates, for a final inspection. Every piece of equipment was checked: soulbinding armor secured, supplies tallied, formations reviewed, and mental focus sharpened across the ranks.
Gacha Haven had officially registered under the continent Pangaea Nova for this season’s Lord Battle. Upon arrival, their territory had been placed within the Mediterra Region, a zone made from the remnants of former European and North African nations, including areas like Egypt and Libya. The weather was harsh, dry heat by day, stormy by night, and many local factions had embraced a growing blend of magic and advanced technology.
For this match, Atlas had chosen to accept a defensive battle against one of the waiting challengers: a Lord known as Alaric Van Helhausen. His domain was called the Isle of Nova Cogs, a mechanical fortress-island. Towering gear-laced spires, rotating turbines, and auto-defense systems lined its skyline. His forces were trained in techno-magic, blending lightning-infused mechanisms with martial power. Many of them wore exoskeletal frames or armor enhanced by electrical nodes, with support units including drones and small automated sentries.
The battle was now less than five hours away. And it would be Atlas’s first Lord Battle in months, especially after their last campaign in the Dominion Skirmish.
Enemy levels were estimated to be 95 and above, putting them close to Rank-2 status, just like Atlas’s own forces.
This wouldn’t be an easy fight.
Gacha Haven had grown significantly, far more advanced than when Atlas had first claimed it. But even now, without Shattered Ember fully integrated into the island system, there was a clear gap. As the enemy’s floating island drew closer, it was obvious, their platform was nearly three times the size of Atlas’s own.
The enemy island hovered at a higher elevation, slowly gliding into position. The tension in the air thickened as the traditional phase of psychological warfare and silent provocation began. Just minutes before the official battle would commence.
Atlas sat calmly atop his floating throne, fully armored, a quiet but imposing figure. Behind him, his subordinates stood in sharp formation. Among them, Kazan stood out the most, his massive frame towering over the others like a war beast among men.
Then, at last, the opposing Lord revealed himself.
He stepped forward from the edge of his floating island. Tall, lean, and wearing a bodysuit that looked... a bit too tight for someone of his build. The outfit was sleek and metallic, mostly silver, laced with sci-fi-inspired lines and glimmers. Bits of light armor adorned his limbs, but what truly stood out, and dominated the skies, was what came next.
Hundreds of drones began rising into view from behind his island.
They swarmed upward like a silver cloud, blinking with tiny lights. Positioning themselves above his domain, then slowly drifting beyond it, hovering right at the border of the battlefield.
The message was clear.
Once the countdown ended... they’d descend in force.
Atlas narrowed his eyes. There might’ve been three hundred, maybe more. A full swarm assault.
For a moment, he half-wondered if this Lord was going to do some drone light show. Maybe spell out his name in the sky or create some over-the-top formation. Shame it was still daylight, any dramatic lighting effects would be lost under the bright sun.
At last, the opposing Lord, Alaric, spoke. "Your anti-aerial capabilities won’t be enough to handle my swarm of attack drones."
Atlas tilted his head slightly, then gave a small nod. He couldn’t deny it, those numbers were overwhelming. With that many drones, the incoming strike would be massive. And judging from the Lord’s setup, it was clear his entire system revolved around modern, tech-based warfare.
Atlas’s own troops, on the other hand, were largely melee fighters, ground-based warriors. They’d be hard-pressed to deal with this kind of airborne pressure without serious adaptation.
Alaric’s tone didn’t waver as he continued.
"One thing you should understand, Atlas of Gacha Haven: I do not show mercy to my opponents. The moment the countdown ends and the battle begins. I’ll unleash my full force."
"This fight," he said, eyes narrowing behind his silver visor, "will be over in no time."
That was some serious confidence!