Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

Atlas landed on volcanic ground, surrounded by blackened trees and snaking rivers of molten lava. The heat was suffocating, and for a brief, absurd moment, he wondered if his hair might actually catch fire.

He squinted against the thick, shimmering air. 

"This terrain is... extreme."

More than he'd expected. He swallowed hard at the thought of a single misstep, one wrong move and a foot could plunge directly into one of the glowing magma streams winding through the cracked earth.

Karian was already on edge. The warrior drew his massive greatsword without hesitation, stepping into a ready stance as the heat pressed in around them.

Then came the roar, vibrating through the air. Moments later, they appeared.

From all directions, a pack of monstrous beasts charged across the scorched terrain. Their bodies glowed with heat, their skin cracked and layered with molten rock.

[Lava Hound – Lv. 56]

[Lava Hound – Lv. 61]

Atlas tensed. "Aren't these levels a bit too high...?"

Among his team, only Morganna matched them in raw level, and even then, just barely.

"My Lord," Karian rumbled, "they're nothing but toys. I'll hunt them all down myself."

Atlas glanced sideways. Morganna was still beside him, leaning softly against his shoulder with an unreadable expression.

Wasn't she ignoring me before...? Now she's... leaning on me?

The Lava Hounds growled, their molten jaws dripping heat.

But before he could even process the incoming threat, a new sound filled the air, a low, mechanical buzzing that rapidly grew louder.

From multiple directions, another wave of monsters approached. This time, massive beetles burst into view.

[Lava Beetle – Lv. 48]

[Lava Beetle – Lv. 53]

They were surrounded, trapped in the heart of hostile territory, monsters closing in from every direction. The odds didn't favor them. This could spiral out of control fast.

Karian stepped forward without hesitation.

"Karian, are you sure about this?"

"My Lord, I can handle it," Karian replied, calm and confident. Then, without waiting for a response, he leapt down into the chaos.

Lava Hounds surged toward him instantly, converging from every side. In a blink, he was buried beneath a storm of claws and fire.

"Wait, Edrik! You don't even have a proper weapon!" Atlas shouted, alarmed, as Edrik followed suit and dropped into the fray without hesitation.

Meanwhile, Lyrassa raised her arms slowly, her eyes closed. Gentle green light gathered around her fingertips, vines sprouting and wrapping around their party's limbs, blooming with tiny, glowing flowers.

A soft, comforting warmth spread through Atlas's body.

This must be her healing aura.

"This is the least I can offer to aid the others, My Lord," Lyrassa said.

Then, without warning, Morganna moved.

Her figure blurred into motion, leaping gracefully from the platform. In the air, her scythe materialized.

And just like that, all of them were in the thick of battle, engaging the horde of snarling beasts with swift, brutal efficiency.

These monsters hadn't ambushed his team.

No… it looked more like the monsters had become prey to his group of restless 'monsters' who had been starved for battle, now unleashed.

***

Amid the drifting clouds, a floating carriage glided through the sky. Crafted entirely from crystal, its surface etched with elegant silver and gold engravings. The transparent canopy sparkled in the sunlight, revealing plush blue seats within.

Inside sat two girls, teenagers by appearance. One wore blue. The other, red.

Luna, dressed in a flowing navy-blue gown, stood with quiet grace, her long silver hair cascading down her back.

"Ember, are you serious about what you saw? A beastkin, a bunny girl, stranded on the worst possible land?. That's awful. We have to do something."

Ember, clad in a sharp red-and-black asymmetrical outfit lined with flame patterns, calmly adjusted her crimson sniper rifle, peering into the distance through her scope.

"See for yourself, Luna…" she murmured. "I've got her in sight. A poor bunny girl, all alone on a barely developed island. I'd say the floating island's only been formed for two days at most."

"Then we have to go. If what you're saying is true, then she needs help. It's far too cruel to leave a beastkin in such a place."

"Yeah, Luna… So far, we've rescued ten young female Lords in similar situations," Ember replied. "Each of them was hanging on by a thread. But we gave them a fighting chance. And they're all still alive."

Her gaze sharpened. "And as the leaders of this alliance, we know what needs to be done."

As the carriage hovered closer to the island, its outline came into clearer view, a small fortress stood at its center. Not bad for such a new settlement. But what caught their attention was the girl outside... Was she gardening?

Luna stepped forward, raising her hand in a wave toward the island below, even as the protective barrier blocked them from entering.

"Hi… there!" she called out, lifting her voice.

The bunny girl, busy tending to her blossoming garden, perked up at the sound of a distant voice. Her long ears twitched as she turned to look up.

Ember's hand suddenly shot out, gripping Luna's arm tightly. "Luna… that girl…"

"She's too cute," they both whispered at the same time.

With a burst of joy, the bunny girl ran to the edge of the island. Her bright eyes sparkled as she looked up at them, waving both arms enthusiastically.

"Hi… hello! My name is Mira… hi!"

Luna clutched Ember's arm tighter, visibly struggling to contain her emotions. "Ember!"

"She's too cute!" they whispered again, barely breathing.

Luna quickly cleared her throat. "Hi there," she called down. "I'm Luna. Are you… the Lord?"

Mira tilted her head, ears flopping slightly as she blinked. Then she answered with cheerful ease, "No, not anymore!"

That answer made Luna and Ember freeze.

They exchanged wide-eyed glances before turning away to whisper in hushed, panicked tones.

"Ember, this poor girl... she's already given up before her first battle," Luna murmured. "She won't even admit she's the Lord!"

"Yes, Luna," Ember replied. "She's in such a sad, fragile state."

"She's all alone. Completely unprepared," Luna added. "This world is too cruel for someone like her."

"And she's just... gardening. How can we possibly leave her like this?"

They turned back in unison.

"Hey, would you like to be our friend?" Luna called out warmly.

"Friend?" Mira repeated, her eyes going wide, then pausing.

"She doesn't trust us yet," Ember whispered.

"It's all right," Luna whispered back. "No pressure."

She raised her voice again. "Mira! We'll send you some materials to help build up your island!"

Mira blinked. "Ah, Luna… no, I mean, this island is—"

"Don't worry about it," Luna interrupted gently. "We're Rank 2. We're strong, we've got more resources than we need, and we don't expect anything in return. Just take care of yourself, Mira. We'll be back soon!"

Ember waved with a soft smile. "Take care, Mira! See you again soon!"

As the crystal carriage began drifting away, Mira ran to the edge of the island..

"Wait, wait! I mean... my Lord is just out!" But her voice was lost in the wind as the carriage vanished into the sky.

Inside the carriage, both girls let out a long sigh.

"We're an alliance of female Lords," Luna said quietly. "We can't just leave a sweet girl like Mira to suffer out here alone."

"Agreed," Ember said with a nod. "Thank the stars we found her in time. Now we can step in... before anything bad happens."