[Serathra has declared a retreat with 23% damage taken.]
Atlas was about to swing his spear toward the neck of his opponent when, suddenly, his weapon stopped mid-motion. The challenger had chosen to surrender.
[You have earned 15 rank points.]
[You are entitled to claim 37% of the opponent’s resources.]
[Congratulations on your victory!]
[You have unlocked access to issue a direct challenge to your opponent using your Attack Token. They will be unable to escape or decline.]
Cheers erupted from his troops as the battlefield shifted. One by one, the enemy forces were enveloped in glowing light, their forms vanishing from the area.
Atlas exhaled slowly, spinning his spear in a fluid motion before storing it back into his inventory. Turning to glance over his shoulder, he saw the victorious expressions on the faces of his comrades.
In the distance, the enemy’s island began to retreat. At the edge of the opposing platform, Serathra stood, her bloodied figure visible even from afar. Her left arm hung limp, drenched in crimson, and her once confident stance was now marked by exhaustion.
“I’ll come back stronger!” she called out. “Thanks for the battle.”
With those words, the woman stepped back, disappearing as the island itself began to drift away.
Their opponent this time was particularly challenging, wielding the Corruption Element and applying its effects to her entire troop. This made the battlefield dangerous and unpredictable.
Fortunately for Atlas, his side had no shortage of fighters with Dark Element affinities. In fact, the number of Dark Element users under his command was unusually high for what was considered a Special Element.
[You have obtained 200 Units of Wood.]
[...]
[You have obtained 12 Prisoners.]
[You have obtained 223 Gold Coins.]
[You have received 490 Arcane Shards.]
[You received 19,568 Exp]
[You have level up]
[Level 47]
[Exp: 2,990/179,665]
Atlas and the others retreated back to their island from the warzone, bringing with them the spoils of victory—including 12 prisoners of war as a reward for their successful defense.
He immediately checked on his troops, ensuring everyone’s condition after the intense battle. The Corruption element wielded by their opponents had made healing magic less effective, prolonging recovery efforts, but thankfully, no lives were lost.
Among the 12 prisoners, only three were combatants who met Atlas’s standards. Additionally, there were three workers, of which he chose two to bring into his workforce. The remaining prisoners were sent down to the Lower Lands, as they didn’t fit his needs.
This marked yet another victory, their sixth consecutive win—including the two battles against Soren. It was an incredible achievement.
Even so, Atlas knew the importance of maintaining their momentum. With their current position as Rank-1 Seeker Division 3, every victory brought them closer to advancement. If they could continue this streak into the next season, promotion to Rank-2 was well within reach.
Atlas held a discussion with Edrik and his elite subordinates for a strategic review. As usual, Edrik took the lead, guiding the conversation. Kurogasa, reserved, only spoke when directly addressed, but his carefully chosen words always carried significant weight.
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Karian, on the other hand, was repeatedly told to stay quiet by Edrik, as his suggestions were always overly brutal and almost immediately dismissed.
Milo, shuffled his deck of cards relentlessly, especially whenever someone glanced in his direction.
Morganna lounged in the farthest corner, legs crossed, offering no commentary. Meanwhile, Lyrassa listened intently, but she, too, opted to stay silent throughout the discussion.
Mira? She was much better off staying outside. Her overwhelming charm had an uncanny ability to derail serious discussions, and no one wanted to risk losing focus during such an important meeting.
And Baldric? He was outside, thoroughly enjoying himself at a celebration with the troops. Despite their exhaustion, they couldn’t resist his energy and booming voice as they reveled in their victory.
With approximately two months left in the current season, they still had one Attack Token remaining to challenge another Lord. However, Edrik raised some important considerations.
“If we want to maximize the rewards from this token, we need to pick an opponent who might respond to our attack with their own counterattack,” Edrik explained. “That would result in an all-out confrontation.”
He paused for a moment to ensure his point was clear before continuing. “The first question is: how do we identify an opponent likely to respond with an all-out confrontation?”
Edrik leaned back slightly. “We can use the next few weeks for scouting. By observing the progress of battles on nearby islands and tracking their current status, we can narrow down our targets.”
He glanced around the room. “It’s critical we also ensure that we’re fully prepared for victory in such a confrontation. Winning an all-out battle will not only grant us the maximum possible upgrades but also help us establish a stronger foundation heading into the next season.”
The group nodded, considering Edrik’s well-laid-out strategy.
Next topic, everyone eventually agreed with Atlas’s decision to prioritize reaching level 50 during the remaining two months of the season. He knew it would take relentless effort, but the benefits would be worth the grind.
At the same time, he still had to commit to the rigorous training sessions that Kurogasa had prepared for him. Balancing the two goals—leveling up and sharpening his combat skills—would push him to his limits.
It was now a matter of seeing which would come first: his long-awaited level 50, the next battle, or the possibility of having to forgo their remaining Attack Token due to lack of preparation.
There was no time for rest. The very next day, those who had recovered from the recent battle jumped straight back into training without hesitation.
Atlas, having gained numerous upgrades since his last session—including after forming his bond with Lyrassa—was back to grueling exercises.
This time, he faced a familiar challenge: training while wearing armor specifically designed to completely dull his senses. However, a new layer of difficulty had been introduced.
He was handed a specialized spear crafted by Baldric. Unlike his usual weapon, the Fang of Infernos, this spear weighed an astonishing 100 kilograms (approximately 220 pounds)—ten times heavier than his regular spear.
Atlas had to run while performing a sequence of spear techniques. He spun the massive spear with precision, thrust it forward with controlled force, swept it in wide arcs, and followed up with overhead strikes that demanded both power and balance.
Atlas steadied himself, focusing as elemental particles began to gather around him. Unlike before, when they floated aimlessly, the particles were now visibly drawn toward him, wrapping around his body and the spear in his hands.
He spun the spear with precision, grounding himself in preparation. After leveling up in the last battle, his stats had improved slightly, and he could feel the difference in his strength and control.
With confidence, Atlas began running through the course. He recalled the layout of the track in detail, using that knowledge to navigate efficiently. The elemental particles surrounding him seemed to enhance his movements, and his steps were steady and assured.
Having spent weeks training without the use of his senses, he had grown adept at maintaining his balance. Even the heavy armor and spear no longer felt as overwhelming.
Lava stream ahead—jump!
He launched himself into the air, spinning the spear mid-flight. As he descended, he executed an overhead strike into the ground.
The impact unleashed an explosive combination of fire and earth, sending a fiery shockwave rippling outward. The sheer force of the strike captured the attention of nearby troops, their morale was visibly lifted by his performance.
The training continued for another week. Now, the second advanced session was set to begin.
Atlas stood in a barren field surrounded by cracks of lava. Low hills enclosed the area, creating a natural arena for the challenge ahead.
This time, the task was far more daunting. He would face waves of monsters attacking from multiple directions. With the same condition, all of his senses, sight, hearing, smell, and touch were completely shut off.
While his previous training involved detecting and interacting with elemental particles from inanimate objects, this time he would have to track and combat living, moving enemies.
The monsters were already on their way. He could tell by the erratic behavior of the elemental particles in the area, swirling and shifting wildly in certain directions.
But identifying the monsters’ exact locations—or their numbers—proved much harder than he had anticipated. The chaotic movement of the particles made it difficult to pinpoint each target.
Atlas tightened his grip on his spear, taking a steadying breath. His first move would be to parry—testing the incoming attacks to gauge the strength, speed, and number of his opponents.
His body tensed, ready for the first strike, as he waited for the chaos to collide with him.