Atlas crouched down in front of Milo, who was trembling as he bowed before him, hands shaking.
"Milo, it's over. No one is going to punish you," Atlas said calmly. "Now, sit up. I want to talk to you."
Milo quickly sat up, though his face was still pale, his lips quivering with fear.
"My Lord… forgive me… I caused such a mess… if you want to lock me up, or anything else, I'll accept it. Just please… don't hurt me…"
"No, listen." Atlas's voice was firm but gentle.
"Now, tell me what happened to you. Tell me about your friend, Raze, and what made you transform into him. There's no punishment. I just want to understand."
Milo nodded slowly and began to explain. Raze was like another personality within him, or perhaps more than that, a separate presence sharing his body, as if two souls and two minds inhabited one form.
"But your stat points with him are different, right?" Atlas asked.
"Yes, My Lord… we both level up together, but I… am… weak…"
Atlas nodded thoughtfully. "So the transformation is triggered when someone touches you?"
Milo gave a small nod in confirmation.
Atlas studied Milo thoughtfully for a moment. From what he'd seen, it seemed Raze still maintained some awareness of his surroundings and even had enough control to engage in banter with others.
Although it was Garen who had initially touched Milo, Raze had focused on fighting Karian and Kurogasa instead. Maybe it was because Karian had directly challenged him?
Atlas was also sure that Raze could have fought with even more intensity, yet neither side had delivered any fatal blows.
"Welcome to the team, Milo. I can already tell you'll be a valuable asset. What was your previous rank?"
"Ch-champion, My Lord…" Milo replied hesitantly.
"So, the same rank as Lyrassa," Atlas noted, smiling. "You must have been through a lot to reach that rank. I know your experience, knowledge, and insight will be useful for me, and for all of us."
Milo nodded slowly, still looking pale.
"I can control you—or rather, control Raze—with my authority," Atlas said calmly. "I could stop you if I needed to, but I choose not to. So, relax."
Milo looked up at him, bewildered.
Atlas extended his hand, reaching out to place it on Milo's shoulder. Kurogasa, Karian, Edrik, Lyrassa, and even Morganna watched closely, ready to intervene at the slightest hint of trouble.
"We're glad to have you with us," Atlas said, giving Milo's shoulder a firm pat.
Everyone held their breath, bracing for the worst.
But… nothing happened. Atlas straightened, and Milo, who had been tense, anticipating an uncontrollable transformation, looked down at his shoulder in stunned disbelief, bewildered by the quiet that followed.
Atlas walked over to the others waiting by the portal, with Milo trailing nervously behind him.
So, was it true that Milo would transform into Raze if someone touched him? Or was it more likely that his fear of causing trouble was driving that belief? Perhaps he hadn't transformed when Atlas patted his shoulder simply because he was too exhausted?
"Hey, everyone, meet our new teammate, Milo," he announced.
But as soon as he spoke, everyone's faces turned pale, and they hurriedly disappeared into the portal, leaving only Mira standing in front of Atlas.
"Hi, Mr. Grumpy… tomorrow, you're in charge of helping me fix the garden, okay?" she said and giggled.
They returned to Gacha Haven, and no one dared to share a hut with Milo, so a separate space had been set aside for him. However, Milo opted to sleep in a tent instead.
The next morning, as the group gathered for breakfast, laughing and chatting, suddenly, they all fell silent, their gazes snapping to one spot.
There stood Milo, grinning awkwardly and shuffling a deck of cards nervously. "Hi! Want me to show you a card trick?"
No one answered. Instead, they all scrambled up and bolted in every direction.
Milo headed toward the kitchen. When he arrived, one of the cooks, a young woman, gasped in surprise and dropped a pan with a loud clang.
"Ah, no!" she yelped, clutching her stomach. "Sorry… I, uh… I have a stomachache!" And she quickly dashed off.
The other cook, looking equally unsettled, slid a lunchbox across the table toward Milo from a distance. "Sir, here's your food."
In the afternoon, Atlas gathered everyone to reassign each team with their new supervisors. At the front of the group stood Zara, Kaida, Garen, and Ronan, with the rest of the troops lined up behind them. Facing them were Atlas and the key team members: Edrik, Karian, Lyrassa, and Milo.
"Alright, today I'll be assigning each team a new supervisor," Atlas announced. "With four supervisors now, we can focus more effectively on your training."
Everyone gulped, a sense of nervous anticipation filling the air.
"Lyrassa will lead the team…" Atlas began, but before he could finish, all four leaders and even some of the troops raised their hands in desperation.
"She'll be working with Kaida," Atlas finished.
Kaida laughed, thoroughly pleased. "Ahahahaha… finally! Being with Edrik was so boring. He's way too stiff."
"Shut up, Kaida," Edrik muttered.
"Milo will lead…" Atlas continued.
Instantly, everyone froze, pale-faced and breaking into a cold sweat.
"Zara. I'm sure Milo's experience will be useful to you," Atlas said, nodding toward her.
Zara flinched, momentarily startled, then quickly composed herself. "I'm ready, My Lord," she answered with forced confidence.
Finally, Garen was assigned to Karian, making a team of two massive-built warriors, while Edrik was paired with Ronan, two men who both carried an air of mystery.
Afterward, Atlas reviewed his Gacha pulls, feeling quite satisfied with the results. Four S-rank pulls out of 150 attempts, plus he still had reserves to spare.
[Exclusive Character Banner Summary:
Total tickets used: 10
Total Rank-A pulls: 2
Total Rank-S pulls: 1
Next guaranteed Rank-A in 9 pulls
Next guaranteed Rank-S in 80 pulls]
[Exclusive Weapon Banner Summary:
Total tickets used: 20
Total Rank-A pulls: 4
Total Rank-S pulls: 1
Next guaranteed Rank-A in 5 pulls
Next guaranteed Rank-S in 79 pulls]
[Standard Banner Summary:
Total tickets used: 120
Total Rank-A pulls: 23
Total Rank-S pulls: 2
Next guaranteed Rank-A in 9 pulls
Next guaranteed Rank-S in 80 pulls]
For now, though, he decided to hold off on using the rest. His focus was on maximizing the potential of what he already had: building every necessary structure, training the troops, and preparing quality weapons and armor for them.
Atlas had successfully built four Flame Beacons, which should be more than enough to support his early battles.
Afterward, they continued their rigorous training, leveling up and honing their skills. Atlas remained focused on optimizing his overall stat points. Time was short, just a few days left, but he intended to make the most of every moment.
Atlas sprinted across the terrain, passing the troops who had joined him in this training. Barefoot, he ran confidently over the rocky ground near rivers of lava. The troops watched in awe as Atlas ran with newfound speed and ease, spinning his spear expertly as he moved.
"Whoa… the Lord's already adapted that quickly?"
"What is his resolve even made of?"
"Come on, we can't fall behind!"
Finally, the seventh day of training arrived. Atlas stood in an open field surrounded by hills, while the rest of the troops watched from a distance.
This would be his final challenge before concluding the training.
In the distance, a deep, thunderous growl echoed through the valley.
Atlas, bare-chested and barefoot, spun his spear in preparation, his stance steady and ready.
***
(Author's Note:)
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