Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

Atlas had already secured one Rank-S item from each exclusive banner. But still, the one thing he truly wanted had yet to appear: a spear worthy of him.

Even so, he resisted the urge to burn through the rest of his tickets. He knew better than to chase luck blindly. With the casual expedition looming, set to begin as soon as the teleportation pad was finished, he needed to conserve resources and stay focused.

Deciding to join the others, Atlas stepped into the open terrain where the group was busy working. Mira moved between them, guiding each person with cheerful precision, watering patches of earth and helping plant seeds.

Atlas tilted his head slightly as he noticed something.

Everyone was holding hoes and spades.

Wait… where did all those tools come from?

A quick check answered his question, Mira. She'd pulled the tools from her own inventory. Apparently, she'd been carrying gardening equipment the entire time.

He strolled over to where she was working the soil, her expression full of focus and joy.

"Are you fighting with that hoe too, Mira?"

"My Lord!" she looked up immediately, her smile beaming. "I do have a lovely hoe meant for combat, but… I can't seem to find it in my inventory right now."

"I'll try to pull one for you from the Gacha System," Atlas said. "Just need a little luck. I'll let you know once it shows up."

"Thanks, My Lord!"

"Do you have any extra gardening tools? I want to help out, join everyone in working the land."

Mira blinked, tapping her cheek thoughtfully. "Are you sure, My Lord?"

"Yes. This is our island. We build it together."

Her eyes lit up as her smile grew wider. "Alright!"

She quickly summoned another spade and handed it to him. Atlas accepted it without hesitation, stepping forward to dig alongside the others.

***

Time passed, and at last, the teleportation pad was complete.

Atlas approached the low, circular platform. Edrik and Karian followed closely behind as he examined the structure

"Tell me, Jackpot," he asked, "can I build two structures at the same time?"

[Host, at your current level, only one structure can be built at a time. However, you may queue additional structures. Once one is completed, the next will begin automatically, provided you have the required materials.]

"Good," Atlas said with a nod.

He had already decided on their next build: Basic Residential Huts.

With more people now living on the island, proper shelters had become a necessity. Sleeping out in the open wasn't sustainable. Not for morale, and certainly not for their health.

He figured they would need at least three huts. Edrik and Karian could probably share one without issue, but when it came to the women… That was another matter. The thought of Morganna being forced to share her quarters with Mira and Lyrassa felt like inviting trouble.

"Alright, Jackpot. Queue up three Basic Huts."

[Understood, Host. Task initiated.]

Atlas folded his arms, satisfied as the construction queue activated.

After setting up the construction queue, Atlas summoned the interface for the teleportation pad. To his surprise, it had unlocked a rather useful new feature. He could now view the exact location of his floating island on the world map of New Earth.

There it was: The Gacha Haven, suspended high above a vast desert region on the Saharasia Continent.

Saharasia, an entire landmass almost completely swallowed by desert. It made sense now why the climate here was so hot and arid. Only a small portion of the continent was actually inhabited.

This continent was once part of what had been known as Asia, before the great cataclysm that reshaped Earth nearly 2,000 years ago. The western regions, now covered in endless dunes, had become Saharasia. The remaining larger landmass was renamed Pangaea Nova, the central and dominant supercontinent of the current world.

And as for Atlas... before becoming a Lord, he'd lived on Pangaea Nova, more precisely in the equatorial island chain known as the Indo-Pacific Union.

And, somehow, he had been summoned across continents, transported all the way here, to Saharasia, in what felt like the blink of an eye.

The realization settled on him: if he ever wanted to return to where he came from, it would require a long and arduous journey. His island would need to travel an immense distance, across continents.

He stood still for a moment. His mind wandered back to the betrayal from his former party members, the ones who had pushed him into that ravine.

Were they still alive?

"Tell me, Jackpot," he asked quietly. "Can I control the movement of this island?"

[Host, at your current stage, you are unable to control the island's movement.]

"Okay… fair enough."

He shifted focus, scanning the surrounding area through the interface. Instantly, several nearby locations lit up on the screen: floating islands, some unoccupied, others fully inhabited. 

A few were still in their early stages, like his own, while others had progressed to Rank 2 and beyond.

"Islands on the same rank could easily become rivals."

And most were likely keeping a close eye on his. As soon as his protective barrier fell, any of them could make a move, waiting for the first sign of weakness.

"I'll have to be ready when that time comes," Atlas murmured, narrowing his gaze.

He studied the map carefully. There were small islands scattered throughout the area, but also larger ones, some big enough to hold entire cities, others vast enough to support multiple settlements.

Unfortunately, the interface didn't reveal who lived on them. It only showed the terrain. There were islands thick with jungle, some covered in snow and ice, others home to blazing volcanoes and rugged mountain ridges.

"That's exactly what I need."

Those environments likely held rare resources, exactly the kind of materials required for upgrading his island. Especially the Flame Beacon.

But that also meant one thing: he wouldn't be the only one hunting for them.

Turning his attention to his team, Atlas evaluated their readiness one by one.

Morganna had her signature weapon in hand, and though she was undoubtedly his most powerful subordinate so far, he still wasn't entirely confident in her willingness to cooperate. Her temperament remained unpredictable.

Karian, meanwhile, had also secured his signature weapon. He was a solid frontline asset.

Lyrassa, with her soothing presence and healing abilities, brought a whole new layer of support to the team. Together, the three of them gave the group a real fighting chance against anything they might face.

Edrik was more of an escape artist than a brawler, but his sharp instincts and quick thinking kept him alive even in difficult situations. His role might be unorthodox, but it was far from useless.

And Mira...

Atlas shook his head.

No. She was better off staying behind.

Her level was still the lowest among them, and bringing her on a dangerous expedition would be a gamble he wasn't willing to take. For now, it was safer to have her remain on the island, tending to the land and assisting with development. She had already proven herself invaluable in her own way.

He reviewed the plan once more in his mind. In this early stage of progress, leaving the island to explore and gather resources wasn't just a good idea, it was essential. There was nothing left here to collect, and without expanding their reach, they would eventually stagnate.

But exploration came with risks. Other Lords could attack at any time. Floating islands weren't just isolated pockets. They were hunting grounds, battlegrounds.

And if he wasn't careful, his first expedition could also be his last.

"Tell me, Jackpot," Atlas asked, "is there an easy way to return to the island? Say, if we get ambushed during the expedition?"

[Host, you will receive a one-use token that opens a portal back to your island. All party members must be standing within the circle to be transported.]

[However, take caution. If anyone else steps into the portal, there's a high chance they'll be brought along as well.]

Atlas frowned. "That could be a problem."

Before he could dwell on it further, Morganna approached and made her way toward the teleportation pad.

"Are you going to activate this thing or not?" she asked in a flat tone.

Atlas gave a faint smile, amused. Clearly, the Vampire Queen was growing restless. She wasn't the type to enjoy being confined, especially not to a small, underdeveloped island like this. Her old domain must've been enormous before she was summoned.

"Alright then," he said. "Let's go explore."

With a swift motion, Atlas summoned his floating throne. A floating platform materialized beneath it, hovering steadily in the air. He leapt up and took his seat.

Edrik and Karian followed without hesitation, landing smoothly on the platform.

To his surprise, Lyrassa drifted upward as if weightless. She sat near the edge, her legs gently swaying over the side.

Then, Morganna floated up and touched down beside the throne. Instead of standing, she settled casually onto the armrest, legs crossed.

Atlas leaned back into the throne.

The team was assembled.

It was time to see what waited beyond their little world.

Mira, who had been watching from a distance, waved at them with both hands.

"My Lord, everyone, safe travels! Take care and come back soon. I'll miss you all!"

"Bye, Mira. Take care of the island while we're gone," Atlas called back with a wave.

He turned to the teleportation pad and activated it, selecting their destination.

[Transporting you to the destination Floating Island: Flare Peak.]

A pillar of light shot upward, surrounding them in a burst of swirling energy. In an instant, their forms dissolved into the magic, and they were gone.

Their vision cleared just as a deafening crash erupted around them, followed by a bone-shaking roar that echoed across the terrain. 

Atlas instinctively raised an arm, squinting against the sudden brightness.

They had arrived.

Beneath them, the ground was cracked and blackened. The sky above was thick with swirling ash clouds, tinted red by the fiery glow below.

Atlas scanned their surroundings quickly. They were on a hostile, volcanic island, and who knows what they might encounter there?