Strong winds lifted clouds of dust, blanketing the barren land. It was a desert environment, with heat so intense it seemed to scorch everything it touched.
A magic circle formed on the desert floor, barely visible through the swirling dust. Then something appeared—a floating platform carrying several figures, each dressed in white robes adorned with intricate blue patterns along the edges.
Atlas and his subordinates landed right in the middle of the desert, facing the worst possible conditions they could have expected. The fierce winds whipped up sand into blinding clouds, completely obscuring their view.
Thankfully, everyone wore special, uniform outfits sturdy enough to shield them from the sandstorm. And with each person equipped with a Flaming Collar—an item they'd acquired from their previous hunts—the searing desert heat remained tolerable.
Atlas sat on his throne, with Morganna perched on the armrest as usual, leaning against his shoulder.
Karian stood behind him, gripping his Greatsword firmly on the platform. Edrik sat up front with Lyrassa, while Mira, as before, kept watch over Gacha Haven.
They landed directly below their Floating Island. Not that they could actually see it from here—the island was too small and impossibly high up, invisible from the ground.
The floating platform surged forward, its speed surprisingly swift—though Atlas couldn't quite tell just how fast they were actually moving. Still, in this harsh environment, it was more than enough.
Without the powerful magic and the dome-like barrier encasing the floating throne, this journey would have been far more grueling.
Their goal today was the nearest city, estimated to be about a two-hour journey, according to the System's calculations.
Every awakener in the lower lands carried a unique ID in the form of a card. But this wasn't just any ordinary card—it was a slim device with a screen, designed for communication and various other functions, and it held access to their personal data.
Infused with a Mana Core, this special device responded only to the registered user, functioning as a personal status viewer that displayed their level, talents, and other stats. Additionally, it served as a convenient payment method.
Unfortunately, Atlas had lost all his belongings when he was pushed into the abyss, right before he was officially "secured" by the Lord notification. So, the first thing he planned to do upon reaching the city was to reacquire a new Awakener Device for himself.
His goal? To stay connected with the lower lands, making it easier to handle whatever needs might arise.
And no, the city they were headed to wasn't his home. He didn't come from this continent at all; his origins lay on another continent, specifically Pangaea Nova.
Long ago, Saharasia and Pangaea Nova had once been united, forming a single continent known as Asia. Today, Saharasia was widely known as the Desert Continent, a name earned from its vast, arid, and barren landscape.
His main priorities were clear. First, he needed to secure some awakeners to become his troops, along with a few workers. Ideally, he'd find people willing to join him permanently on his Floating Island. This would save him the time and hassle of repeatedly coming down to the lower lands for new recruits.
Next, he needed specific materials, especially World Shards. The Gateway Altar depended on these, though he was certain they would be expensive. He could only hope he had enough to secure them and, even more hopefully, that he'd find someone willing to sell them.
Finally, he planned to pick up supplies: tools for gardening, cleaning equipment, food provisions, fruit—anything necessary for surviving on the Floating Island while it still lacked the facilities to sustain their basic needs.
The journey was actually incredibly quiet—or so Atlas thought at first. It wasn't true silence, but the roar of the sandstorm was so loud it drowned out everything else, making conversation nearly impossible. The speed of the floating throne only added to the challenge of communicating.
What should he focus on now?
He still had 100 Elite Exp Orbs, a surprising gift from his unexpected benefactor. With each orb granting 4,000 Exp, he'd have a total of 400,000 Exp at his disposal.
Should he apply them now?
He planned to continue hunting over the next few days, so he'd naturally gain levels. But he was becoming aware of how sharply the Exp requirements increased with each level.
[Level 39]
[Exp: 44,771/45,581]
Seeing how much Exp he needed even at level 39, he wondered if this massive supply of Exp Orbs would even be enough to help him reach level 45.
Without hesitation, Atlas began using the Exp Orbs in quick succession.
[You used an Elite Exp Orb and gained 4,000 XP!]
[You used an Elite Exp Orb and gained 4,000 XP!]
[You have leveled up]
[You have leveled up]
[You have ...]
[Level 44]
[Exp: 105,568/113,424]
Atlas exhaled after applying all 100 Elite Exp Orbs. He had gained 5 levels—a huge leap. Just imagining the grind he would've had to endure for those levels made him grateful.
Five levels were no small feat, especially given how quickly the Exp requirements rose above the level 30s.
He received 50 stat points and quickly distributed them evenly across his basic stats.
[Name: Atlas Blackthorn]
[Level: 44]
[Strength: 170 | Agility: 74 | Intelligence: 59 | Constitution: 78 | Stamina: 75]
Atlas smiled, pleased to see his stats looking more refined. He might consider pushing his Strength even further later on, but for now, balancing his other stats felt like the smarter choice.
What should he do while waiting? Maybe pull some Gacha?
"Jackpot, what happens if I throw the Gacha tickets here on the floating throne?"
[No need to worry, Host. The tickets will follow the throne, so there's no risk of them being left behind.]
Good—just what he needed to hear.
So far, he'd only used 10 exclusive tickets on the Exclusive Character Banner, 20 on the Exclusive Weapon Banner, and 40 on the Standard Banner. He had secured Morganna as an Exclusive Character, along with her Signature Weapon, and from the Standard Banner, he'd pulled a Rank-S character—Lyrassa.
Still, he hadn't yet secured signature weapons for Edrik, Mira, or Lyrassa, and he definitely needed a higher-quality spear. A Rank-S weapon would be ideal, a Legendary-grade weapon. He grinned at the thought.
Pulling out 10 Standard tickets, he noticed everyone's eyes on him. Smiling, he tossed the tickets into the air.
[You have obtained 6 Rank-B items and 4 Rank-A items!]
Not a bad pull at all! Now to see if he'd snagged any interesting items—maybe a character, a weapon, or some useful tool?