Floating Islands: SSS Gacha System

"I smell a beast..."

The words came from Feral, the Lord leading the group. He paused for a moment, lifting his head and sniffing the icy air, as though trying to pick up a scent on the wind.

Then, without warning, he leapt down from the massive bear, landing on the snowy ground. A few of his men followed, struggling to move through the deep snow, before standing by their Lord's side.

"Has anyone passed through here recently?"

"They're likely not far from here," Feral said, sniffing the air once more.

"I'm sure it's some amateur group running scared after hearing we're coming," one of his men responded with a scoff.

"But in weather this extreme, they couldn't have gotten far, right? We can catch up to them and slaughter them immediately."

"They might have run or found a place to hide," another said, glancing around the snow-covered terrain.

"How?" someone else cut in. "How would they hide in a place like this?"

"Is it possible they have stealth skills?"

Feral remained quiet for a moment, considering the possibility before responding. "Even if they do have stealth abilities, they would've run far by now. But if they're hiding close by, it likely means their numbers are significant."

A grin spread across his face. "That would make them a very interesting target."

[Atlas]: "Beast scent?"

[Kurogasa]: "This Lord is a Beast Master, My Lord. He's accustomed to monsters, including beastkin. His sense of smell is sharper than normal."

[Edrik]: "As long as they don't move closer to us, our position won't be compromised."

[Baldric]: "There are only twenty of them, fewer than us."

[Edrik]: "True, but the troops aren't used to an environment this cold. We need time to adjust. If we fight them now, we might win, but the chances of losing some of our own are high."

[Atlas]: "No, it's fine. We stick to the original plan. Scouting and assessing both the battlefield and the enemy come first. Once we have a full understanding, then we'll decide our next steps."

[Edrik]: "Defeating an opposing Lord would certainly give us a big boost in Dominion Points, but yeah, I agree. Let's wait for now and take no action."

After several tense moments, the sheer stress of hiding in plain sight began to wear on Atlas and his troops. The cold crept into their bodies, numbing fingers and toes, as if they were freezing from the inside out. Despite the growing discomfort, they knew they had to stay perfectly still until the Lord and his group lost interest and left.

"Let's go..."

Feral, the Lord, finally spoke. He leapt back onto his bear, and the others followed, climbing onto their mounts without hesitation.

But one man remained.

He lingered behind, eyes scanning the area, as if something didn't sit right with him. His posture was tense, curiosity or suspicion keeping him from leaving with the rest of the group.

Slowly, the man began to walk toward Atlas and his team, each step crunching through the thick snow.

Closer.

Closer.

Until he was standing directly in front of Atlas.

The tension was unbearable. One more step and he would walk straight into the stealth barrier, colliding with Atlas himself.

The man's eyes narrowed, scanning the empty-looking area as if he sensed something was off. His gaze flickered left, then right, as the wind howled around them.

Then, with a slight shake of his head, he turned around and walked back toward his mount. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire

Atlas remained motionless, his grip tightening on his spear, his breath slow and steady.

Moments later, the group resumed their journey, the massive beasts trudging heavily through the snow and ice, their large, muscular bodies struggling to move across the harsh terrain. Even for creatures of their size and power, the environment seemed to weigh them down.

As the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance, the freezing air grew eerily quiet again.

Atlas deactivated the stealth mode, and the shimmering veil that had concealed them faded away. As the cover lifted, several of the troops could be seen sitting in the snow, their bodies trembling as they clung to the thin line between giving up and pushing through.

"Let's go, you lazy bastards!" Baldric's booming voice broke through the silence. "Either you die in the snow, or you die while fighting our enemies! Ha ha!"

The harshness of his words sparked defiance in the troops. They began to rise to their feet, shaking off the snow that clung to their clothes. Their eyes burned with determination, each of them silently fighting off the temptation to give in to the deadly cold that sought to sap their life away.

"My Lord," Kurogasa stepped forward and gave a respectful bow toward Atlas. "I will scout the area to find our direction."

Atlas nodded. The Mountain Leaper Band and the Mana Glider Cloak—two items he had entrusted to Kurogasa—gave him the ability to leap across difficult terrain and hover briefly in the air. These tools were perfect for navigating an environment where mobility was essential for survival.

Atlas's system map only covered the immediate area surrounding their current location. The rest of the map remained fogged over, and it would only expand once someone physically explored the unknown regions. There was no need for Atlas to do this himself. It was Kurogasa's job to scout ahead.

"Thank you. I'll leave this task to you," Atlas said firmly.

Kurogasa gave a final nod before his body became cloaked in shadow.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished—not disappearing into thin air, but leaping high into the storm, piercing through the howling blizzard. His silhouette was swallowed by the swirling snow, and soon, he was gone from sight.

Atlas watched the map in his system as it slowly began to uncover more of the area, revealing the terrain that Kurogasa was scouting ahead.

"Atlas," Edrik called out, stepping closer.

"Yes?" Atlas responded.

"We move in the direction Kurogasa is heading."

"Understood."

Without hesitation, Atlas raised his spear into the air, the blue and gold aura around it crackling faintly in the frigid air.

"We came here to fight. We came here to give everything we've got!" Atlas shouted. "This isn't the first time we've faced harsh conditions, and we've overcome them before. We'll do it again!"

"FIRE!" the troops roared back, their voices echoing through the blizzard.

Despite the biting cold, they shouted from deep within their chests, fighting off the creeping numbness that sought to freeze their bodies.

"Keep moving!" Atlas commanded. "Walking will keep our bodies warm. We move forward, no matter what."

The group began marching through the snow, each step a battle against the whipping winds and blinding white landscape. The snow was deep and heavy, almost threatening to swallow them whole, but they pressed on.

The storm tried to push them back, but their will to survive and conquer was stronger. They moved forward.

Almost everyone, including Atlas, used their weapons to support themselves as they marched forward—pushing through the numbness spreading through their bodies or clearing away the snow that threatened to swallow them whole.

At the front of the group, Baldric, with his fire-wreathed body, led the way. His flames melted through the snow, creating a clear path behind him that made it easier for the rest of the troops to follow.

After a while, a notification appeared on Atlas's system—a message from Kurogasa.

[Kurogasa]: "My Lord, I've found a suitable place for us to take shelter."

Atlas opened his map and saw Kurogasa's marker, indicating a high ground position not far from their current location. It was precisely the type of elevated area they had been aiming for.

The spot wasn't just a safe haven from the storm—it was also a strategic vantage point. From there, they could observe the surrounding terrain and defend themselves more effectively against potential threats.

Atlas nodded to himself and spoke through the Mind-Link Projection.

"We're heading your way, Kurogasa. Hold your position."

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(Author's Note:)

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