Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 33 - The Shadowed Fang

"Three days ago, I was just an Awakener with a rank-F spear talent," Atlas began. At that moment, the room was still filled with scattered chatter. Clearly, they weren’t paying him much attention.

Atlas gritted his teeth and repeated his words, louder this time.

"My other abilities? Useless in combat. Barely scraping by with B and C ranks. I was trash. No. I was trash among the trash."

This time, the room grew quiet. Eyes locked on him. Was it curiosity? Doubt? Maybe even disdain. After all, who cared about a so-called trash Lord? They were likely here just to find work, not to hear the sob story of someone who barely scraped through awakening.

"But tonight," he pressed on, "that so-called ’trash’ spear talent, rank-F? It’s now rank-B. And I’ve awakened a new, superior rank-S talent. Those pathetic B and C skills? They’ve evolved into rank-A."

The change was subtle but undeniable. The crowd was listening now, and the quiet skepticism in the air began to shift.

A few people began to murmur again, some clearly wanting to speak. But Atlas raised his hand slightly, a calm yet commanding gesture that kept them quiet.

"Not only that," he said, motioning to the figures seated behind him, "I also have people I trust at my side. And yes. I summoned them myself."

He gestured to Karian, the most imposing of them all.

"You’re welcome to challenge K, the Dragon Warrior, one-on-one. Any of you. He won’t even break a sweat."

He looked back out at the crowd.

"All of this. In just three days."

A pause. Just long enough for the weight of it to settle in the room.

"I’m confident I can lead my island to greatness. And if anyone here doubts that..." His voice sharpened. "...you’re free to challenge my words."

Hands shot up across the room. One, two, ten, twenty... until nearly everyone had their hand raised. But they weren’t volunteering. Not yet. They were eager to challenge Atlas, to tear apart what they saw as a delusional claim.

One man stood abruptly. "That’s ridiculous! Who the hell would believe that nonsense? No one accomplishes that in three days. Either you’re a liar, or you’re here to exploit us."

Atlas offered a thin, unreadable smile. He remained perfectly still.

"If you can summon subordinates so easily," someone else called out, "why bother recruiting us? Just summon everything you need!"

"Yeah, admit it. You’ve got backing from a higher-ranked Lord."

"And where exactly did you come from? You don’t look like you belong in this region."

"A Lord with just one combat talent? Pathetic."

"Talk is cheap. If you want us to believe you, then prove it. Show us your power."

"Yeah, let’s see it, right here, right now!"

Seated beside Edrik, Karian leaned over and murmured, "Edrik, don’t you think the Lord’s being a bit... bold with this presentation?"

Edrik gave a faint smile, shaking his head. "The entire Lords’ game is built on struggle and dominance. Humility doesn’t win battles."

"Still, wouldn’t it be better if he toned it down a little?"

"He only gets one shot at this. And right now, he’s using every advantage he has to make it count. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up demonstrating his abilities right here in front of them."

Karian glanced toward the crowd. "And if some of them don’t take kindly to him? What if they decide to turn hostile?"

"This is a safe zone. He’s under protection here," Edrik replied calmly. "Besides, we have an Overlord in our corner. His confidence isn’t empty. It’s backed by power. I respect the way he’s handling this. It’s the kind of audacity a Lord should have. And no, he’s not bluffing. He’s thought this through. He knows exactly what he’s doing."

Karian nodded slowly as he took in Edrik’s words.

Atlas finally spoke again once the barrage of questions and criticism had died down.

"To build a great island, I need a variety of talents," he said. "And I’m starting with those who are willing to join me at this early stage. Those who will grow alongside the island and reap the greatest rewards as it rises."

He continued without hesitation, "Where I come from isn’t what matters. Lords aren’t tied to Unions or strictly bound to the lower lands."

"Yes, I have only one direct combat talent. Spear Talent. But I also possess Tactical Awareness, Reliable Aura, and a newly awakened S-rank talent. And this is just the beginning. There’s still room for more."

Then, stepping down from the stage, Atlas walked toward them with calm, confident strides.

"I can summon people, artifacts, and extraordinary items," he said. He held up the summon tickets. "And this. This is just a small part of what I’m capable of."

From the seats, Edrik gave a quiet chuckle and leaned toward Karian. "I kinda feel like clapping for that."

Karian smirked. "Yeah... bold move."

"But he’s doing it smart," Edrik added. "He’s demonstrating power without revealing every detail. Showing them just enough to believe, without giving away his hand."

He paused, nodding to himself. "Yeah. He’s definitely the kind of Lord we can count on. Gotta say... I love the guy."

Karian turned his head, eyebrows raised. "Love?"

"No homo!"

Atlas had already used six summon tickets before, each one resulting in a brown-grade pull. This time, he wanted to ensure at least one higher-grade reward to demonstrate in front of the crowd.

He tossed four tickets into the air, watching as they shimmered and slowly shifted colors. Brown, Brown, Brown... and then, finally, Purple.

He allowed himself a small smile. Just as he’d calculated.

[You have received 1 Rare Mana Surge Skill Scroll]

The scroll materialized in his hand. Atlas held it up so everyone could see.

"A Rare-grade Mana Surge skill," he declared. "This will go to the first mage who joins my team."

[You have received 5 Elite Exp Orbs]

One by one, the glowing orbs floated down into his grasp. Atlas lifted them with a knowing smile, fully aware of the stir they’d cause. Everyone here recognized their worth.

"Five Elite Exp Orbs," he said clearly. "For the first five recruits."

[You have received 1 Rare Poisoned Blade Skill Scroll]

He raised the final scroll.

"This one’s for any thief-class Awakeners interested," he added, scanning the crowd.

Everyone’s eyes were locked onto the purple ticket Atlas had pulled. A few people even stood up from their seats, craning their necks to get a better view.

"What do you think will come out of a purple card?"

"I don’t know... but everything he’s summoned so far has been amazing."

"This ability... it’s incredible."

Atlas drew in a steady breath and reached toward the purple ticket now floating gently before him.

"Now," he said, his voice calm, "I’ll show you something extraordinary."

The ticket hovered, motionless, tension thick in the air. For a moment, it seemed nothing would happen.

Then, without warning, it split! Sliced apart as if by invisible blades. Once. Twice. Again and again, until it disintegrated into glowing fragments that scattered across the floor.

From the remnants, a glowing magical circle flared into existence. From within the circle, a figure began to take form. A shadowed figure.

What is that?

The entire room was silent, captivated. They were witnessing a rare event unfold before their eyes.

Suddenly, the shadow split into multiple forms. Blurring into a dozen shapes, darting to the edges of the room. The audience gasped.

"Careful! Incoming attack!" someone shouted.

One shadow streaked straight toward a group of observers, so fast, they barely had time to react. Arms shot up to protect themselves.

But just before impact, the shadow vanished.

One by one, each duplicate faded into mist. Until only one form remained, standing motionless in front of Atlas.

The shadows peeled away, revealing its true form: a beastkin.

An elder, perhaps. A rat, covered in worn gray fur. An eyepatch covered his right eye. His form was draped in a traditional ninja’s garb, lined with sleek armor.

The beastkin knelt, lowering himself into a respectful bow.

"My Lord," he said in a calm voice, "I am Kurogasa, the Shadowed Fang. I thank you for the honor of summoning me. From this day forward, my life, my skill, and my shadows are yours to command."

[You have received Rank-A Character: Kurogasa – The Shadowed Fang]

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