Alright! The massive attack—the Dungeon Break—was finally contained. A big round of applause was deserved for the Veylamar city government, who had acted swiftly and decisively to handle such a monumental disaster.
This, by far, was the most well-coordinated disaster response Atlas had ever witnessed firsthand.
Sure, the Dune Bastion sustained damage in several areas, but remarkably, there were no civilian casualties. Even the tremors reported earlier had caused no loss of life.
The damage within the city was visible, but it was manageable. With the considerable resources and funding of the Saharan Empire, repairs would likely be completed in the near future.
In the end, however, the main heroes of the day were the Lords—especially Kareem—who appeared to have a strong alliance with the Empire.
The Empire's strategy of maintaining good relations with Lords had clearly paid off. The results spoke for themselves.
Even Atlas found himself impressed with the city's handling of the crisis. It was a place he felt comfortable visiting, and perhaps, he thought, he would return again in the future.
"Please…" the waiter said, handing a business card to him. "Keep my contact and let me know if, someday in the future, you need help from a 'washed-up awakener' who now prefers cooking and brewing coffee." He finished with a polite bow.
"Thanks," Atlas replied, accepting the card. "Good luck with the business."
"And please, convey my apologies again to the master earlier," the waiter added with a respectful nod.
Atlas gave a small wave before heading out. There were still a few matters to take care of before he planned to return to Gacha Haven later that afternoon.
**
"Soren…" muttered a man seated at a round table in a pristine room with stark white walls and large glass windows overlooking a cityscape.
The speaker appeared to be in his 60s, his neatly tied white hair accompanied by a well-groomed white beard. Despite his age, he had a strong, well-built frame, clad in a flowing white robe with sections reinforced by armor. A hood partially covered his head, adding an air of authority to his presence.
"Do you know who defeated him?" the man asked.
"Lord Kareem, we are still investigating which Lord Soren lost to," another voice replied from across the room.
Kareem fell silent for a moment, closing his eyes briefly as if suppressing his emotions—or perhaps lost in thought.
"Wasn't he accompanied by Takashi? And this was only in Seeker Division 1?" Kareem finally said, his tone calm but sharp.
"Correct, My Lord," another voice responded.
"Soren had even secured three spirit beasts," Kareem continued.
A battle between two floating islands was an especially private affair. Information about such conflicts couldn't be accessed directly unless the Lords involved chose to share the details with others.
Even witnessing such battles was a rare occurrence—an observer would need to float high in the sky, precisely at the location where the two islands clashed.
This secrecy made it nearly impossible to uncover who had dealt the final blow to Soren.
"My Lord," the subordinate added, "we are scanning nearby areas. Floating islands within Seeker Division 1 or 2 are being prioritized, especially those currently in their reinforcement phase."
Kareem paused, his gaze distant, before speaking again. "Find out who they are."
"What should we do if we find them, My Lord? Should we focus our attacks on that island?" another voice asked.
Kareem paused for a moment.
"I may need some time to rest after the battle earlier today. But for now… just find out who might have defeated my son."
He fell silent again before adding, "And determine whether they've joined an alliance… or if they remain independent."
"Could this possibly be connected to opposition forces against us, My Lord?"
"That potential exists," Kareem admitted.
He then stood, his imposing presence filling the room, and walked away slowly, leaving the others behind to carry out his orders.
**
A soft hum echoed through the air, growing louder as a sleek, futuristic aircraft approached a small floating island. The island's protective shield covered most of its interior, leaving only a few outer sections exposed, where several workers could be seen tilling soil and planting crops.
The aircraft was a marvel of design—white with elegant, futuristic contours. Its rear hatch opened, revealing two men standing at the edge, gazing out at the island below.
The workers on the island noticed the approaching vessel, pausing their tasks with puzzled expressions. One of them—a particularly cheerful beastkin—ran to the edge of the island, waving enthusiastically.
"Hi! Hello!" called out the rabbit girl, her ears twitching as she smiled warmly. "Can we help you? Who are you, and who are you looking for?"
The two men in white robes, their attire accented with light armor, seemed momentarily stunned. They exchanged awkward glances before stiffening in place.
"Damn, this bunny girl is so cute, isn't she?" the first man said.
"Yes…" the second man replied.
"Hi…" the first man finally responded. "Are you the Lord of this island?"
The bunny girl cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted back, "No, I'm not the Lord."
"And… What are you all doing?" the first man asked again.
"We're planting carrots. Do you want some carrots?" the bunny girl chirped cheerfully.
The first man turned to his companion with a bewildered look. "Do you think an island with a bunny girl like that could have possibly defeated young master Soren?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure," the second man replied hesitantly. "But the higher-ups told us to look for a Lord with great potential or an island with significant strength."
"Well, this island is…" the first man trailed off, glancing back at the workers. "They're busy planting carrots. It seems like they don't really understand the whole concept of Lord battles. They look more like they need protection than like a threat."
Curious, he asked again, "Why are you planting so many carrots?"
The bunny girl beamed and replied, "Because we all love carrots! And carrots are good for your eyes!"
The first man took a deep breath, trying to steady himself, and muttered under his breath, "Damn, my body's shaking just from hearing that bunny girl shout."
"She's so cute. I want a pet like her," his companion said, half-joking.
"She's not a pet. Watch your mouth," the first man snapped.
"Okay, fine. So, what do we do now?"
At that moment, someone else approached the bunny girl. It was a woman with pointed ears—an elf, or maybe a spirit?
"Damn, this island is full of beautiful women," the first man murmured.
He called out again, louder this time. "Hey, are you the Lord of this island?"
The woman with pointed ears glanced at them but shook her head slowly, her expression calm.
"Damn, this island is really weird," the first man muttered to his companion. "A bunny girl planting carrots, and a woman who moves so slow like that."
"Conclusion?" the second man asked.
"This is a new island, still small and inhabited by people who don't seem dangerous. Let's ignore it and look for something with more potential."
The first man waved his hand toward the workers below. "Hi! Thanks for the hospitality. We'll come back next time. Please pass our regards to your Lord, and good luck with the battle!"
"Hey! Do you want some carrots?" the bunny girl suddenly shouted, tossing a bag of carrots toward the aircraft.
The two men caught it, glancing at each other before chuckling.
"Thanks! We like carrots too! Hahaha!"
***
(Author's Note:)
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