Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 24 - Roaming in the Sandstorms

Strong winds swept across the wasteland, lifting waves of dust that blanketed the land in a gritty haze. The heat was brutal, scorching everything it touched.

A magic circle slowly etched itself onto the cracked desert floor, barely visible through the thick, swirling dust. Then it pulsed, and from within it emerged a floating platform, gliding just above the sand. Several figures stood atop it, all clad in white robes trimmed with blue patterns.

Atlas and his subordinates had landed in the middle of this harsh, desolate landscape, right into the worst conditions imaginable. Blistering winds whipped up sand into swirling clouds, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few paces ahead. fгeewebnovёl.com

Thankfully, each of them wore a specially crafted robe, durable enough to shield against the sandstorm. And the Flaming Collars they’d equipped from their previous hunts made the searing heat more manageable.

Atlas sat comfortably on his throne, with Morganna balanced on the armrest beside him, as usual. Karian stood behind them, gripping his greatsword with steady hands. Up front, Edrik sat beside Lyrassa, while Mira remained back at Gacha Haven, watching over their home base.

They had landed directly beneath their floating island, but looking up to find it was useless. The island was too small, too high, and now completely hidden by the sandstorm.

With the storm raging like this, even seeing straight ahead was a challenge, let alone trying to spot something above them.

Atlas already knew their destination, so he wasted no time. He gave the order, and the floating throne responded instantly.

The platform surged forward, cutting through the desert air with surprising speed. Atlas couldn’t gauge exactly how fast they were moving, but in an environment like this, the pace felt more than sufficient.

Without the barrier shielding them from the worst of the storm, this journey would’ve been far more punishing.

Their destination for the day was the nearest city, roughly a two-hour journey, according to the System’s estimate.

In the lower lands, every Awakener possessed a unique ID, like a card in shape. A high-tech device with a built-in screen. It functioned as both a communication tool and a personal database, storing everything from basic identity details to combat stats.

Powered by a Mana Core, the device recognized only its registered user. It acted like a portable status viewer, displaying level, talents, skill trees, and more. On top of that, it doubled as a secure and universal payment system, essential for any kind of transaction or interaction in the world below.

Unfortunately, Atlas had lost his own device the day he was shoved into the abyss, just moments before the System officially registered him as a Lord. It had been swept away along with the rest of his belongings.

So, priority number one once they arrived in the city was simple: get a new Awakener Device.

Atlas had his priorities laid out with absolute clarity.

First, he needed people. Specifically, Awakeners who could fight, and workers who could keep the island running. The ideal scenario? Recruiting individuals willing to move permanently to his Floating Island. That way, he wouldn’t need to constantly descend into the lower lands for reinforcements or labor.

Second, he had to find materials, especially World Shards. Without them, the Gateway Altar couldn’t be built. But rare items like that didn’t come cheap. He could only hope he had enough gold to buy a few. Or better yet, find someone willing to part with them at all.

And third, the most practical of needs: supplies. Tools for gardening, basic cleaning gear, a proper food stockpile, fruits, grains, anything that could help his team survive while the island’s internal systems were still being developed.

The journey itself felt eerily silent... or at least, that’s what Atlas thought at first. In truth, the storm’s roar was just so loud it drowned out everything else. The sand whipped and howled around them, and with the throne moving at high speed, conversation was next to impossible.

That left him alone with his thoughts. And one lingering question:

What should he focus on right now?

He still had 100 Elite Exp Orbs, a massive windfall from that mysterious benefactor. Each one offered 4,000 EXP, giving him a staggering 400,000 EXP in total.

Should he use them now?

He planned to keep hunting in the days ahead, and those efforts would naturally bring in more EXP. But with every new level, the amount required to progress was climbing fast, and he could feel that curve steepening already. If he waited too long, he might end up wasting precious efficiency.

He needed to decide, burn through those orbs now and leap ahead, or pace himself and climb more gradually through natural combat?

[Level 39]

[Exp: 44,771/45,581]

Seeing how much Exp he needed even at level 39, he wondered if this massive supply of Exp Orbs would even be enough to help him reach level 45.

Without hesitation, Atlas began using the Exp Orbs in quick succession.

[You used an Elite Exp Orb and gained 4,000 XP!]

[You used an Elite Exp Orb and gained 4,000 XP!]

[You have leveled up]

[You have leveled up]

[You have ...]

[Level 44]

[Exp: 105,568/113,424]

Atlas exhaled after applying all 100 Elite Exp Orbs. He had gained 5 levels, a huge leap. Just imagining the grind he would’ve had to endure for those levels made him grateful.

Five levels were no small feat, especially given how quickly the Exp requirements rose above the level 30s.

He received 50 stat points and quickly distributed them evenly across his basic stats.

[Name: Atlas Blackthorn]

[Level: 44]

[Strength: 170 | Agility: 94 | Intelligence: 49 | Constitution: 68 | Stamina: 75]

Atlas smiled, pleased to see his stats looking more refined. He might consider pushing his Strength even further later on, but for now, balancing his other stats felt like the smarter choice.

What should he do while waiting? Maybe pull some Gacha?

"Jackpot, what happens if I throw the Gacha tickets here on the floating throne?"

[No need to worry, Host. The tickets will follow the throne, so there’s no risk of them being left behind.]

Good, just what he needed to hear.

So far, Atlas had kept his Gacha pulls fairly conservative: 10 Exclusive Tickets on the Exclusive Character Banner, 20 on the Exclusive Weapon Banner, and 40 on the Standard Banner.

The results? Pretty solid.

He’d scored Morganna, an Exclusive Character, along with her Signature Weapon. And from the Standard Banner, he’d drawn Lyrassa, a Rank-S character, an impressive find by any standard.

Still, there were gaps in his lineup. He hadn’t yet secured signature weapons for Edrik, Mira, or Lyrassa, and he desperately needed a better spear for himself. Ideally? A Rank-S Legendary-grade spear.

The thought alone made him grin.

Reaching into his inventory, he pulled out 10 Standard Tickets. All eyes were suddenly on him.

With a confident smirk, he tossed the tickets into the air.

[You have obtained 6 Rank-B items and 4 Rank-A items!]

Not bad at all.

Now the real question. Did any of them include a weapon, a character, or a game-changing tool? He eagerly scrolled through the results, ready to find out.

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