Floating Islands: SSS Gacha System

Atlas and his team set out toward the cave, their chosen hunting ground. Meanwhile, Kurogasa continued his scouting efforts, staying ahead of the group to ensure there were no potential threats, whether from monsters or enemy Lords, along their path.

They couldn't afford to encounter enemies or, worse, be discovered. The stakes were incredibly high. A confrontation, especially one that escalated and attracted the attention of other Lords in the area, could be catastrophic for Atlas. Operating without the support of an alliance on this island left no room for error.

Their strategy during this early phase of the Dominion Skirmish was clear—map out the enemy forces, act as silently as possible, and avoid committing to full-scale confrontations. If they were to engage in battle, it had to be calculated and decisive. Getting caught in a prolonged fight or allowing their enemies to summon reinforcements would only leave them at a disadvantage.

This wasn't just a battle of strength—it was a battle of precision and survival.

Atlas walked at the front, with Edrik keeping pace beside him. They were revisiting the details of Kurogasa's reconnaissance, though this time, it was Edrik recounting all the information.

"There are three alliances on this island," Edrik began. "In addition to them, there are several independent Lords who are operating alone—much like us." Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire

"To keep things simple," he continued, "let's call them Alliance A, Alliance B, and Alliance C."

According to Kurogasa's observations, Alliance A was made up of four Lords. Based on their average level and combined power, he had identified them as the strongest group with the greatest potential to dominate this Dominion Skirmish.

"It's fascinating, really," Edrik mused. "What kind of confrontation might unfold if we run into them here?" He glanced at Atlas. "Your refusal to join their alliance could very well make you their primary target."

"That settles it," Atlas said. "Alliance A is the group we need to avoid at all costs—at least until we've gathered enough resources and are fully prepared to take them on."

"Agreed," Edrik replied with a nod.

Next was Alliance B. This group originally consisted of five Lords, but that number had dropped to four after Atlas eliminated one of them last night. Compared to Alliance A, their overall strength and composition were noticeably inferior.

What made this information even more intriguing was the inclusion of Kaelzar among the four Lords. Kaelzar—the very same Lord who, just days ago on Celesthollow Island, had invited Atlas to join their ranks.

As for Alliance C, they were made up of three Lords. By all accounts, they had the weakest troops and power structure among the three alliances.

In addition to these alliances, there were also independent operators—three Rank 2 Lords and four Rank 1 Lords—who hadn't aligned with any group.

At present, the Central Fortress was firmly under the control of Alliance A. Alliance B had secured several outer forts. Meanwhile, Alliance C held part of the supply depots.

The details of this landscape were astonishingly precise, almost overwhelming in their depth. Kurogasa had not only collected valuable intelligence but had meticulously analyzed the strengths and strategies of each alliance and their Lords. It was difficult to imagine anyone entering this battle without such insights—survival would become exponentially harder without this level of preparation.

Even more intriguing was the presence of other Rank 1 Lords on the island. Atlas wasn't the only one daring enough to venture into such perilous territory. Perhaps they, too, had powerful systems or contingencies that gave them the confidence to take this risk.

"What about the strategies likely to be used by the Lords in this battle?" Atlas asked, breaking his train of thought.

Edrik responded immediately. "Alliance A will undoubtedly focus their strength on the Central Fortress. They'll aim to maintain dominance over the central zone by leveraging their superior troops and coordination. Constant rotations will keep their forces fresh, and they'll only deploy small, tactical teams to counter any threats attempting to undermine their position."

"That makes sense," Atlas said with a nod.

"Alliance B," Edrik continued, "will stick to defending the outer forts while employing smaller guerrilla teams to harass Alliance A at the Central Fortress. Their focus will be on disrupting supply lines and launching hit-and-run attacks. They'll avoid full-scale confrontations at all costs because their objective is to gradually chip away at Alliance A's strength over time."

Atlas nodded again, absorbing the explanation with a thoughtful expression.

Edrik continued, "As for Alliance C, they are in the least advantageous position this time around. Their approach will likely be to exploit any opportunities to weaken both Alliance A and B while keeping their own losses to a minimum. They'll rely heavily on stealth and ambush tactics to contest control over Supply Depots and smaller Outer Forts. Direct confrontation with Alliance A is something they'll avoid—unless, of course, a decisive opportunity presents itself."

Atlas remained silent for a moment, processing everything Edrik had explained.

Edrik, sensing Atlas's focus, continued, "As for the Independent Lords, their primary goal is survival. They'll focus on gathering resources and targeting smaller objectives to stay relevant in the game. Rank 2 Lords will likely target vulnerable areas or smaller groups, steering clear of any major alliances. Some may even attempt temporary alliances with either Alliance A or B if they see personal gain."

"Rank 1 Lords, on the other hand, will stick to scavenging resources, hunting monsters, and avoiding significant skirmishes. They're unlikely to play a major role in the larger battles unless they're cornered or manage to secure an alliance."

This strategy resonated with Atlas—it was almost identical to what he was doing. He'd been focusing on resource scavenging and monster hunting while steering clear of large-scale battles. For a lone Lord, unaligned in a massive conflict like this, direct engagement with the alliances would almost certainly lead to devastating losses.

"There are a few key objectives we can pursue if we want to secure victory in this Dominion Skirmish," Edrik said.

Atlas turned his attention to him.

"First," Edrik began, "we need to secure Supply Depots and Outer Forts as early as possible. This will give us a crucial resource advantage heading into the mid and late stages."

"Next, avoid early engagements with Alliance A. With their superior troop strength and control over the Central Zone, a direct confrontation with them at this stage is a losing strategy."

"Then, we focus on destabilizing Alliance B. They've already been weakened after losing a Lord. We should exploit this by applying pressure on their Outer Forts and Supply Depots."

"Lastly, neutralize the Independent Lords. Either recruit or eliminate them strategically, especially the stronger Rank 2 Lords, to limit their potential influence on the battlefield."

Atlas let a faint smile across his face as he listened. "Sounds simple enough, huh?"

Edrik chuckled lightly in response. "It's always best to present the strategy in its simplest form first. We can get into the details later."@@novelbin@@

In the first week—or this early phase—they planned to stick to their initial strategy: focusing on map control and resource securing. Thanks to Kurogasa, they were already executing this plan effectively.

Afterward, their efforts would shift toward maximizing resource gathering. Meanwhile, Kurogasa would continue monitoring their adversaries, waiting for weaknesses to surface. Once any vulnerability was exposed, they would strike decisively to weaken their target.

However, with Alliance A and Alliance B being the two strongest factions, Atlas could afford to let them clash and exhaust each other first. By waiting until their forces were sufficiently weakened, he could then exploit the aftermath to gain maximum advantage.

Crafting a strategy in an environment like this demanded careful precision—one wrong move could spell disaster, and lives would undoubtedly be the price.

Finally, their journey brought them to their destination: a cave nestled deep within the Frost Forest. Its entrance was cleverly concealed by natural formations, but with a firm push, the narrow opening gave way, allowing the group to slip inside one by one.

The air inside was thin, forcing them to use breathing aids to combat the low oxygen levels. Ducking low, they carefully adjusted to the darkness that enveloped them.

After a few moments, their eyes adjusted to the dim light cast by the mana-infused crystals embedded in the cave walls. Though faint, the illumination was enough to guide them as they carefully navigated their surroundings.

"We move slowly," Edrik ordered from the front. "Let's find our target."