Floating Islands: SSS Gacha System

"I can't breathe... help…"

"Oh, I can't take this, it's too cold..."

"Hold on! Control your breathing!"

"Please, someone release a heat buff, please..."

The moment Atlas and his team landed on their target island, the air hit them like a wall of ice. The environment was brutally cold, and within seconds, several troops began to struggle—their breaths coming out in thick clouds, bodies trembling uncontrollably as the freezing temperature clawed at them.

Atlas's lungs burned with every breath, his chest tightening as though his lungs were freezing from the inside out. His movements grew sluggish, his limbs stiff from the biting cold.

He glanced at his system display, quickly checking the temperature.

-42°C (-43.6°F).

This wasn't just extreme cold—it was deadly. The kind of chill that could freeze a person solid in minutes if they weren't careful.

Atlas grit his teeth, forcing himself to remain calm. Even he could feel his breath growing heavier, as though the air itself was turning to ice in his chest. Around him, more soldiers began to panic, their bodies reacting to the unforgiving cold.

"Control your breathing! Gather together! Those with fire-based elements, start using them!" Edrik's voice rang out over the group.

Baldric's hair and beard ignited in flames, casting a warm, orange glow in the frigid, icy air.

With a booming voice, he turned to the troops. "Gather around me! Stay close to the heat!"

The soldiers moved quickly, huddling closer to Baldric, seeking refuge from the deathly cold.

They pulled out thick coats from their packs, layering them over their combat outfits to fight off the chill. Others fastened masks around their faces to reduce the freezing air they inhaled, protecting their lungs from frost damage.

Atlas adjusted his own gear, pulling his hood lower and mask tighter, his eyes scanning the group.

This environment was far more dangerous than they had anticipated.

This was a frozen death trap.

As soon as the team activated their buffs and gathered around Baldric's heat, the panic among some of the troops began to subside. Their breathing returned to a steadier rhythm, and they no longer gasped for air in terror.

However, despite the slight relief, the biting cold remained relentless. It gnawed at their bodies, sinking deep into their bones. Even standing still felt like a battle against the urge to give up, as if the cold itself was whispering for them to surrender.

This was exactly why Dynamic Environment islands were both highly sought after and avoided at all costs. The ever-changing weather could shift from one extreme to another without warning, turning even seasoned warriors into victims of the elements.

Edrik approached Atlas, studying his condition closely. "Better?"

"Yes," Atlas replied. "I can handle it."

But even as he spoke, he clenched his teeth to keep them from chattering. The air was so frigid that if they stopped speaking for even a moment, it felt like their saliva would freeze in their mouths.

Edrik gave a brief nod, his breath misting heavily in the freezing air.

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"Then we keep moving. Stopping here isn't an option."

[New Feature Unlocked!]

[You and everyone on your team can now communicate using Mind-Link Projection — a feature that allows instant communication directly through thoughts, displayed as visual text overlays in your field of vision.]

Atlas blinked as a faint notification window appeared in the corner of his vision. The feature activated seamlessly, and a semi-transparent chat-like box appeared at the edge of his view, showing the names of his team members.

[Edrik]: "You seeing this?"

[Baldric]: "Hah! Now this is handy."

[Garen]: "Finally. No need to shout over this cursed wind."

[Jack]: "It's like reading thoughts. Be careful what you think, people!"

Atlas tested it by sending a quick thought message.

[Atlas]: "Everyone, status check. How's your condition?"

[Kurogasa]: "My Kusarigama is frozen, but I can deal with it."

[Grimor]: "Same here. It's cold as hell, but we're managing."

[Edrik]: "The Mind-Link will help keep us coordinated. No excuses for miscommunication now."

This ability was actually a feature granted to all Lords at rank-2. Atlas would eventually gain access to it once he advanced to rank-2. However, since this floating island was classified as a rank-2 island, it seemed that even rank-1 Lords were temporarily granted the same feature while exploring it.

Moments later, Kurogasa stepped to the front, his chain blade already in hand. His expression was calm.

"My Lord, we have guests," he said.

Atlas turned to him. "How many?"

"About twenty, most of them higher level than us," Kurogasa replied without hesitation. "They'll pass through this area in a short while."@@novelbin@@

Atlas narrowed his eyes, considering the situation. Then, with a firm tone, he gave the command.

[Atlas]: "Everyone, move away. Let's see who our guests are."

The troops moved quickly, their footsteps crunching through the deep snow as they made their way toward a rocky outcrop that overlooked the area.

Beneath the layers of snow, they could feel the hard stone surface beneath, and they soon realized that their footprints vanished almost instantly, swallowed by the falling snow as if they had never been there.

Atlas reached into his inventory and pulled out the Veilstone Cloak.

The cloak shimmered in his hands before unfurling into the air, expanding outward and becoming translucent. The fabric seemed to blend into the environment before draping itself over the entire group, concealing them from sight.

[Kurogasa]: "Stay still. They'll be here soon."

They waited in tense silence, watching from their hidden position as the group Kurogasa had mentioned approached the area.

Finally, through the swirling blizzard, a massive shape began to emerge—a powerful gust of snow blown aside by something moving steadily through the storm.

As the figure grew clearer, it became evident that it was a bear-like monster, covered in thick, frost-covered fur. Sitting atop the creature was a man clad in heavy armor. His cloak of fur billowed in the wind, clearly designed for this unforgiving cold.

Behind him followed more monstrous mounts—a massive dog-like beast, something resembling a giant lizard, and other creatures Atlas couldn't immediately identify. Each of them was ridden by warriors dressed in thick armor with fur-lined cloaks, fully prepared for the frigid environment.

The man on the giant bear led the group. His position at the front and his composed, confident posture made it obvious—he was the Lord.

Atlas narrowed his eyes. Judging by their gear, composure, and the power of their mounts, it was clear that this was no ordinary group. If their levels were truly above Atlas and his team, as Kurogasa had reported, then there was only one logical conclusion.

They were a Rank-2 Lord and his troops.

"Lord Feral, this is so boring! Why did we get stuck with such a lousy task?" one of the riders shouted, his voice carrying through the howling wind and reaching Atlas's ears.

Atlas glanced toward Edrik, raising an eyebrow.

[Atlas]: "Why aren't they using the chat feature?"

Edrik smirked slightly.

[Edrik]: "Once you get used to it, it feels tedious. When they're together, people prefer to speak directly."

The conversation continued among the enemy group.

"I know. It's boring," the one at the front—the Lord—responded.

"But we need to do this if we want support in the next Dominion Skirmish for similar islands," he added.

"Still, this fucking cold is too much!" one of the riders grumbled. "Even I, who's used to the cold, can't take this."

"So, what's our task? Just kill anyone who's not part of an alliance?"

"Yes," Feral confirmed without hesitation. "If we find any group that's likely unaffiliated with an alliance, wipe them out."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Honestly, it'll be fun. I'm sure plenty of inexperienced Lords have come to this island chasing their grand dreams."

Suddenly, the massive bear beneath him stopped abruptly and let out a deep, guttural roar, causing the entire group to halt.

Feral raised his right hand, signaling the others to stay still.

[Atlas]: "Have they spotted us?"