It had been dissatisfying to not have killed Nadir, but Atlas had two very important goals. They were time sensitive and both of them involved taking down settlements.

To accomplish this he first needed to have an important chat with Oliver.

Oliver’s breath was still ragged as he tried to recover his energy, and glanced around at Atlas’s soldiers, many of whom were sitting down or tending to their wounds. "Your men are something else, Atlas. And those tall guys... they just kept regenerating. It’s like Nadir’s soldiers didn’t even stand a chance."

Atlas nodded slightly, then turned his full attention to Oliver, his expression serious, a storm brewing in his dark eyes. “Those are trolls.”

Oliver’s eyes widened as realization hit him. He remembered the all-important vote—to keep the baby trolls alive. They had grown into a war weapon, surprising everyone with their ferocity.

“The trolls did their part,” Atlas continued, his tone steady. “But the victory wasn’t just about them. We fought hard and protected your settlement. But this changes things.”

Oliver frowned, his brow furrowing as he straightened up. "What do you mean?" His voice was cautious, already sensing the shift in Atlas’s tone.

Atlas stepped closer, his presence intimidating, casting a shadow over Oliver. "Nadir's attack on the Belief Settlement proves one thing: you need stronger leadership. The wasteland is getting worse every day. If we don’t unite under one banner, we’re all going to fall. From this point forward, I’m taking command as overlord of this territory."

Oliver’s eyes widened, his jaw tightening as the words sank in. "Overlord?" He scoffed, incredulous. "You think you can just take control? Just like that?"

Atlas didn’t flinch. His gaze, unwavering and intense, met Oliver’s head-on. "I’ve proven myself. We fought side by side, and we pushed Nadir’s forces back when no one else could or would. We’ll crush whatever remnants of his army he raises next time." His voice grew harsher, more resolute. "But if you want your people to survive—if you want any chance of a future in this hellscape—you’ll need to follow me. I’m not asking for your permission, Oliver. I’m taking responsibility."

Oliver stared at Atlas, the weight of his words pressing down on him. His own force, loyal as they were, couldn’t compare to Atlas’s battle-hardened warriors, especially after seeing what the trolls could do. The memory of them shrugging off blows and regenerating as though they were invincible sent a shiver down his spine.

‘The reason the Belief Settlement is named the Belief Settlement is because of our collective religious beliefs,‘ Oliver thought, his mind racing. ‘Not because of who the leaders are. As long as Atlas respects our freedom to pray however we want, I really don’t see this being a bad thing.‘ He glanced at his men, their exhausted faces etched with worry. ‘But with Second Lieutenant Stevens as my military attaché, there really isn’t much hope for the United Army of Earth to become the spearhead of the wasteland, protecting everybody like I had originally hoped. It kind of stings though, knowing that I’m now part of an empire and not an independent entity.‘

"You’re asking me to surrender the settlement," Oliver said aloud, his voice betraying some of the conflict he felt inside. "Just like that?"

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Atlas’s expression softened, but only slightly. "I’m offering protection, leadership—something stronger than what you have now. You’ve seen what we’re up against. You know warlords like Nadir won’t stop, and next time he might come for your home when we’re not there to help." He paused, letting the gravity of his words settle. "This isn’t about ego. It’s about survival."

Oliver exhaled sharply, his hands balling into fists at his sides as he turned away for a moment, looking out over his exhausted men. ‘Maybe this is what we need. But... it’s still hard to accept.‘ He turned back to Atlas, his voice heavy with resignation. "Alright, Atlas. You’re the overlord now." He met Atlas’s gaze, his expression hardening. "But don’t make promises you can’t keep. My people are depending on you."

Atlas’s lips twitched into a faint smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. He extended his hand. "I don’t break promises, Oliver."

There was a brief pause, and then Oliver reached out, clasping Atlas’s hand in a firm shake. The deal was done.

As Atlas turned back to his army, his voice boomed across the camp. "Rest up, everyone! Tomorrow, we march again!"

‘‘‘

Atlas and the army trooped into the Belief settlement, their boots crunching against the dirt road as smoke hung thick in the air. The settlement still reeled from the recent attack, the air heavy with unease. Citizens scurried about in a panic, some still shaking with fear. One guy, pale and jittery, admitted he had been hiding in his bathroom the entire time, hoping the invaders wouldn’t find him. He got lucky—none of the raiders made it far enough to rampage through the town.

Flames licked at the buildings, but firefighting efforts were already underway, and the fires were being doused quickly. War was an ugly business, a constant reminder of the wasteland’s harsh reality.

‘Ugh flames. Hate flame,’ thought Crushir in his battered armor.

Atlas, his jaw clenched, strode toward the settlement kiosk with Oliver by his side. His heart was pounding, not from fear but from the resolve that fueled his every step. Reaching into his pack, Atlas retrieved a large stack of governance tokens and fed them into the kiosk with a sense of purpose. Fort Bone had always been savvy about collecting these tokens, demanding them from every refugee that portalled in from Earth and offering mana coins in exchange to tourists and adventurers who turned theirs in.

‘No more backseat attacks on my settlement,‘ Atlas thought, his eyes burning with determination. He turned to Oliver, the tension in his body vibrating with urgency. “Okay, Oliver, let’s go ahead and thumbprint this thing.”

Oliver hesitatingly agreed. He pressed his thumb against the settlement kiosk, the machine whirring to life as it processed the data. When the screen blinked in confirmation, a sense of responsibility surged through Atlas.

OVERLORD CONFIRMED

He was now the official overlord of the Belief settlement. A new layer of responsibility, but also, a new advantage.

With this settlement under his control, Atlas now had the power to activate his teleportation ability more frequently. ‘Another activation every day‘, he thought with a flicker of satisfaction. It was exactly what he needed to outmaneuver his enemies.

Even though teleporting the entire army was still impossible, he could now send 20 to 25 scouts to key locations across his territory. It was enough to keep a quick response force ready, ensuring that no attack would ever blindside him again.

Atlas took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. “Looks like we’ve secured ourselves a new hub,” he muttered, his voice low but resolute. He knew the tide was turning in his favor, and for the first time in a while, success felt like something solid he could hold onto.

‘‘‘

The men, grateful for the reprieve, began settling down, starting to prepare camp. Oliver lingered, his gaze fixed on Atlas as he moved through the soldiers, commanding respect with every step. ‘I had hoped the Belief Settlement would lead in its own right... but maybe this is what’s best for all of us.‘ A lingering sense of unease gnawed at him, but he couldn’t deny the truth: Atlas had saved them today. ‘Maybe, just maybe, he is the leader we need.‘

Atlas stood tall, his gaze fixed on the horizon where Nadir had vanished. ‘I’ll take control of the wasteland, one step at a time.

‘There would be no more retreating, no more hesitation. His reign was only beginning.‘