"If you can summon subordinates so easily, why bother recruiting? Just summon everything you need!"
"Yeah, admit it. You're getting backup from higher-ranking Lords."
"And where did you come from, anyway? You don't look like you're from around here."
"A Lord with only one combat talent? Useless!"
"Tell us about your power! Only then will we trust your ridiculous claim."
"Show us, right here in front of us!"
People continued to voice their frustration and skepticism, throwing challenge after challenge at Atlas. But he calmly responded to each one, his expression steady and unbothered.
Sitting beside Edrik, Karian leaned over and commented, "Edrik, don't you think Atlas needs to be a bit humble in this presentation?"
Edrik gave a slight smile, shaking his head. "This whole Lords' game is built for struggle and battle. He can't afford to be humble."
"Why not?"
"He only has one chance, and he's using every tool he has to make the most of it. He might even demonstrate his abilities right here in front of them."
"What if those who don't like him decide to turn on him?"
"This is a safe zone. He's protected here. Besides, we have an Overlord among us. His confidence isn't without reason. In fact, I admire his approach. It's exactly the kind of daring we need from him. And no, he's not making this up. He's calculated and knows what he's doing."
Karian nodded thoughtfully at Edrik's words.
Atlas answered their questions one by one.
"To build a great island, I need a variety of talents. I'm starting with those who are willing to join me at this early stage. Those who will benefit most as the island progresses and grows."
He continued, "Where I come from isn't important. Lords aren't bound by Unions or directly tied to the lower lands."
"Yes, I have just one combat talent, Spear talent. But I also have Iron Will, Tactical Awareness, Instinctual Command, Reliable Aura, and an S-rated talent I recently acquired. This is only the beginning. There's room for much more."
The crowd began to fall silent, taking in his explanation. Those talents… they understood their significance. These were the kinds of talents that could shape a Lord's destiny, marking him as a natural leader meant to inspire and command.
Atlas stepped down from the stage, moving toward them with steady, confident strides. His charisma radiated a calm authority, a complete, unshakable confidence that few could achieve. Even Edrik couldn't help but feel that he himself lacked this level of self-assurance.
"Have any of you ever played gacha games?" he asked, breaking the tension with an unexpected question.
A few of them looked puzzled.
"Ever play gacha games?" he asked, nodding to someone nearby.
"Yeah, sometimes," someone beside him replied.
"And you?" he turned to another.
"Yes… I spend most of my paycheck on gacha games," the man admitted, slightly embarrassed.
"Anyone else?" Atlas looked around.
A few more hands went up, and soon others raised their hands, perhaps out of curiosity. Atlas smiled, reading the crowd.
He turned, walked back to the stage, and then summoned 10 standard tickets into his hands, letting them shimmer in his hand as he faced the audience again.
"I have a Gacha System. Just like the games you've played. But real. And this is how I acquired so many powerful individuals in this early stage."
A murmur of astonishment rippled through the crowd, some of them leaning in, eager to know more about this interesting system.
"I can summon people, artifacts, and extraordinary items. And this," he gestured to the tickets, "is just a fraction of the summons I'm able to perform."
Edrik gave a faint smile and murmured to Karian, "I feel like giving him a round of applause for this."
"Yeah, this is bold," Karian replied, shaking his head slightly.
"But he's doing it in just the right way," Edrik continued. "Look, we're not amateurs here. We were experienced Lords once. He's giving us the kind of challenge we deserve."
Karian nodded firmly. "Exactly. I crave challenges and epic battles. Just hearing him talk is getting me fired up."
"He's definitely the kind of Lord we can rely on. Gotta say, I love him," Edrik said.
Karian shot him a look.
"No homo," Edrik added.
Atlas tossed the tickets into the air, watching as they slowly began to change color—brown, brown, brown, brown.
He kept a calm smile, hoping for something impressive to display in front of the crowd. If not, he was prepared to go through 40 or 50 tickets if needed, determined to summon at least a powerful weapon or an impressive ally.
Brown, brown. No purple? No Red?! Go Red!
Then, at last, the final ticket shifted to purple.
[You have obtained 9 Rank-B items and 1 Rank-A item!]
Atlas could hear the murmurs from the crowd as they watched.
"That's pretty cool—what does a purple ticket mean?"
"Is it like the usual gacha game rules?"
Atlas smiled at their curiosity. "Well, this is actually the worst result so far. 9 Rank-B and 1 Rank-A." He shrugged. "Let's open them up one by one and see what we've got."
[You have received 1 Rare Mana Surge Skill Scroll]
Atlas grabbed the skill scroll that materialized and held it up for everyone to see.
"A Rare-grade Mana Surge skill. I'll be giving this to any mage who joins my team," he announced.
[You have received 5 Elite Exp Orbs]
He took five Elite Exp Orbs from the air, holding them up with a knowing smile, aware that everyone recognized their value.
[You have received 1 Rare Illusionary Mirage Skill Scroll]
"Another skill for a mage," he commented, showing the scroll to the crowd.
[You have received 10 Small Healing Potions]
"Not bad. Healing Potions," he said, storing them with a nod.
[You have received 1 Rare Poisoned Blade Skill Scroll]
"Well, this is probably the most skill scrolls I've ever pulled at once," he said. "This one's for any thief-class awakeners interested."
[You have received 100 Units of Wood]
[You have received 20 Units of Lumber]
[You have received 5 Elite Exp Orbs]
[You have received 20 Units of Iron Ingots]
"Well, materials and a few more Exp Orbs," he concluded.
Everyone was still focused on the Rank-A ticket Atlas had pulled, and he could feel the growing anticipation in the room. Some people even stood up, trying to get a better view of this rare gacha moment.
Atlas took a slow breath and reached out to touch the purple ticket floating before him.
Please, let this show them something extraordinary!
The ticket hovered in the air for a tense moment, unresponsive. Everyone seemed to hold their breath.
Then, suddenly, it began to tear, as if sliced by invisible blades. Once, then repeatedly—until it was reduced to tiny fragments that drifted to the floor.
From these fragments, a magical circle flared to life on the ground, and slowly, a shadowy figure began to form in front of Atlas. What is that? he thought, as the figure, cloaked in shadows, took shape, its true form still hidden.
The entire room was captivated. They were witnessing a summoning unfold right before their eyes.
The figure suddenly split, creating duplicates that scattered and sprinted to every corner of the room, moving as silent, shadowy blurs. The audience, caught completely off guard, froze in place, their eyes wide and fixed on the shadows darting around them.
"Wait, what is that?"
"Careful! Attack incoming!" someone shouted, panics rising in the crowd.
One of the shadowy forms sped toward them with alarming speed. Instinctively, people raised their arms to shield themselves, but just before impact, the shadow dissipated into thin air.
One by one, the shadowy figures vanished, leaving only a single form standing in front of Atlas. Slowly, it solidified, revealing its true shape… a beastkin.
An elder… rat? His gray, weathered fur hinted at countless years of experience. An eyepatch covered his right eye, while his left remained sharp and steady, exuding a calm yet piercing gaze. He was dressed in traditional ninja attire, accented by subtle pieces of armor.
The elder beastkin lowered himself into a deep bow.
"My Lord," he spoke in a low, steady voice, "I am Kurogasa, the Shadowed Fang. I thank you for the honor of summoning me. From this day forward, my life, my skill, and my shadows are yours to command."
[You have received Rank-A Character: Kurogasa - The Shadowed Fang]
***
(Author's Note:)
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