Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

[You have received 5 Rare XP Orbs]

[You have received 5 Elite XP Orbs]

[You have received 100 Units of Wood]

[You have received 100 Units of Wood]

[You have received 100 Units of Stone]

[You have received 100 Units of Stone]

[You have received 100 Units of Stone]

Atlas swiftly opened the Rank-B tickets, collecting materials for construction and a handful of XP Orbs. This time, to his surprise, they weren't just the usual Rare-grade orbs. He actually received a few Elite-grade ones.

He hadn't yet tried using any XP Orbs on his subordinates. Maybe after organizing everything else, he'd test them out. For now, there was still a mountain of things to handle. It was only the second day, after all, and he had a solid twelve days before the first battle would begin.

"Well, I should have enough time," he muttered, at least before planning everything else that needed doing.

His system was a rare one, an SSS-rank, known as the Ultimate Gacha System. That alone gave him a massive head start. 

Still, he knew better than to let that confidence turn into arrogance. Every Lord had their own unique system, and who knew what strange abilities or strategies those might bring? Just because he held one of the best didn't mean others wouldn't find ways to rival or surpass him.

Moving on, Atlas opened the first of the Rank-A tickets. It spun high into the air, ignited with a sudden blaze, then scattered into ash. From the smoldering embers, a wooden box emerged, gently pulsing with a soft green glow.

[You have received a Rank-A Item: Everbloom Seed Packet]

[A set of enchanted seeds.]

"Seeds?" Atlas murmured.

It was exactly what he needed. His island was still mostly a barren stretch of dusty sand and rock. Though patches of grass and scattered flowers had begun to bloom.

Edrik, as if sensing Atlas's thoughts, gave a short bow. "My Lord, are those seeds intended for the island?"

"They are."

"That's remarkably convenient. I'd be honored to help plant them."

Atlas smirked. "You seem to be good at just about everything, huh?"

"I'm good at doing whatever's needed for my Lord."

"Then take it." Atlas handed him the wooden box.

Edrik accepted it with a nod, bowing once more before turning away to get to work.

Karian turned toward Atlas. "My Lord, is there anything you'd like me to do? Or should I assist Edrik with the planting?"

"No, stay here. I might need you for something else soon."

"Understood, My Lord."

Without wasting another moment, Atlas moved on to the next ticket. This one shimmered with a rich purple hue as it twirled in the air, glowing green before descending gently to the ground. The moment it touched the floor, a glowing magical circle bloomed outward. Slowly, a form began to emerge from the swirling green light.

Atlas narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the shape. Was that... a woman?

As the light faded, the figure fully took form. A young woman, seated on the ground in a 'w' position. The first thing that stood out to Atlas was a pair of tall, white rabbit ears perked atop her head. Her short, snow-colored hair framed her face and matched the soft fur of her ears.

She wore a simple outfit. Shorts, a practical top, and well-worn gardening shoes. She blinked slowly, adjusting to her surroundings, then locked eyes with Atlas.

[You have received Rank-A Character: Mira Springfoot - Blossom Reaper]

The girl continued to gaze at Atlas, tilting her head slightly, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Hi," Atlas greeted, offering a slight smile.

"Hi…!" she chirped back, flashing a wide, cheerful grin. "Oh wow, I got summoned!" she giggled.

"I can't believe it! I really thought my life was over, but nope. Turns out I got summoned instead!"

She sprang to her feet, tilting her head back slightly to meet Atlas's gaze. She was quite a bit shorter than him.

"So, you're the one who summoned me?" she asked. "Hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Mira!" Another soft giggle escaped her lips.

"Hi, Mira. Nice to meet you too. A gardener, huh?"

"Yes!" she nodded enthusiastically. "I work with a hoe, really good at handling plants. And I absolutely love carrots!"

"Right after I got the seed packet, I summoned a gardener. That's some timing."

Still, she had to be more than just a cheerful gardener. If she was summoned through a Rank-A ticket, and especially if she was once a fallen lord in her original world, there had to be more to her than met the eye.

"All right, Mira. Welcome to the team. I think you'll be a big help in these early stages of building the island."

"Yay! I'm so happy!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in place with excitement.

Was this girl always this high-energy?

Curious, Atlas opened her status screen without delay.

[Name: Mira Springfoot]

[Level: 35]

[Strength: 123 | Agility: 67 | Intelligence: 87 | Constitution: 45 | Stamina: 98]

[Job: Farmer & Rancher]

[Garden's Blessing (S) - Green Thumb (A) - Too Cute to Resist (A) - Charming Negotiator (B) - Perfect Carrot Finder (B) - Hoe Dance (B)]

[Garden's Blessing: Enhanced stamina and agility when fighting near plants or greenery.]

[Green Thumb: Accelerates plant growth and improves plant health simply through care.]

"Garden's Blessing and Green Thumb. Exactly the kind of talents I'd expect from a gardener like you, Mira," Atlas remarked. "You'll be vital in managing our crops and making sure the island's garden flourishes."

"Yes, My Lord! I can't wait to start planting!" she replied, practically glowing with excitement.

Her joy was almost too much, overflowing, like a sunbeam that hadn't learned to dim. Atlas paused for a moment, quietly watching her. There was something odd, something that didn't quite add up.

Wasn't she a bit too cute?

That much energy… that much sweetness… it felt like there was more beneath the surface.

[Too Cute to Resist: Overwhelms everyone with cuteness, causing them to hesitate for a moment. Unfortunately, this has no consistent effect and is more distracting than useful.]

Atlas raised an eyebrow. Too Cute to Resist? 

He frowned slightly. "Not bad… I guess?" 

It could function as a sort of accidental defense, a way to catch enemies off guard. Not dependable, but in a pinch, even a split-second of hesitation could tip the scales.

[Charming Negotiator: Easily wins others over during conversations, making negotiations and social interactions flow more smoothly.]

Now that was a pleasant surprise. A knack for navigating interpersonal dynamics would be valuable, especially when it came to maintaining harmony between subordinates.

[Perfect Carrot Finder: A rare innate ability to locate the most ideal carrots.]

Perfect Carrot Finder? Well… useful, he supposed. In an oddly specific way.

[Hoe Dance: Executes a rapid series of precise strikes, targeting enemy weak points.]

But Hoe Dance? That was something else entirely.

"So she actually fights… with a hoe?" Atlas muttered.

Atlas nodded, having taken in all the information. 

"Alright, Mira, once again, welcome to the party. We're still in the early stages of building this Floating Island, and I'm going to need your help a lot. The landscape outside is mostly desert for now, but with those seeds in your hands, I'm confident you'll make it work."

"Whoa… hahaha… okay!" Mira grinned. "Early phase sounds fun! That's when we get to do all the exciting stuff before the big battles kick in!" she giggled.

Not long after, Karian stepped forward and accompanied Mira outside the Fortress. The bunny girl bounced cheerfully at his side.

"Wow, you're huge! Do you like carrots?" she asked, tilting her head up with innocent curiosity.

"No. I prefer meat. But I don't eat rabbits."

"Good to know, Mr. Dragon Warrior. My body's mostly human anyway, so don't get any weird ideas, okay?"

"I said, I don't like rabbits."

"Stop it, Mr. Dragon Warrior, you're making it sound weird!" she said, bursting into laughter as they wandered further from the Fortress.

Atlas took a deep breath. Time to open the next Rank-A ticket.

What would it be this time? Another character? A weapon? Or perhaps some unique item unlike anything he'd seen so far?