Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 355 - The Earthward Guard

There was a skill called Elemental Convergence that had been part of Atlas’s arsenal for quite some time. He’d obtained it ever since forming his first sacred bond with Lyrassa. This was a skill that allowed him to fuse two elements into a single, powerful combined effect.

Essentially, this skill granted Atlas the miraculous ability to create a composite form of two basic elements. Even without having a natural affinity for them.

He had experimented with it many times before, blending water with air, fire with earth, and several other combinations.

However... due to the skill’s overall impact being inferior when compared to his other, more refined abilities, especially in terms of damage - it had never seen real use in battle.

The main reason was that, during combat, Atlas could only afford to use skills that were efficient and truly effective. So even though Elemental Convergence held great potential, he couldn’t make full use of it when it truly mattered.

[Epic - Elemental Convergence (Active Skill, Versatile) activated.]

[Temporarily fuses two elements for powerful combined effects.]

Atlas had once demonstrated this skill in front of Dullorak. The man’s response was blunt: the elemental force produced by the skill was only comparable to having a low-level affinity. What Atlas had wasn’t even a proper skill. It was merely the ability to access a composite element.

The point was... a person could theoretically have an affinity for hundreds of elements. It was no different from someone owning a thousand different weapons at home: swords, spears, and everything in between. But simply having them didn’t make one skilled. In fact, someone with only a handful of affinities, yet who could wield them masterfully, was far more dangerous.

That’s exactly why both Kurogasa and Dullorak had been guiding him to first master Water and Lightning. The two elements directly supported by his class. Anchor himself in those first, then explore the others little by little. Mastery over many elements wasn’t something easily achieved... but it was still possible. Just look at Dullorak himself.

Though, to be fair, the man had an unfair advantage. He could absorb the powers of others and make them his own.

"For now, focus on Earth, my lord," Dullorak said calmly. "I have a theory... but it’s better if I keep it to myself for now. I don’t want to interfere with the natural process of how things are meant to unfold."

"Well, whatever it is," Atlas replied. "We’ll just go about it the usual way, right?"

Dullorak and Kurogasa both bowed to him after that.

They would be staying on this island for a few more days, or weeks. After all, the monsters they’d been using for practice were far from the main targets they were hunting. No, not even close.

These were just the scattered weaklings. Plentiful in number, hundreds, maybe even thousands of them. And if just a few of them could already bring about battles this intense, then one could only imagine the sheer difficulty and danger the island truly held.

What would the actual field boss of a rank-4 floating island even be like?

Atlas began preparing. He equipped his soulbinding armor, though this time, instead of using the Wavebreaker Spear, he chose another spear, one infused with Earth element. It had been prepared in advance by Baldric.

He was ready to dive deeper into the Earth element, just like he had done not long ago, when he trained while carrying Vienne in his arms.

Remembering that little girl now... made Atlas feel a sudden pull to go home. What would she be like by the time he returned? Hopefully, she’d still be a baby... or at least a toddler.

**

One, two, three days passed just like that... They kept moving from place to place, setting up camp in different spots. The protection dome from Dullorak and the Ethereal Tent both played a huge role in helping them stay sane and safe on this island, which never stopped being battered by storms and lightning, twenty-four hours a day.

Luckily, all the water from the constant downpour spilled off the edges of the floating island, so the place never ended up flooding despite the relentless storm.

After three full days, Atlas had gone through battles that left him questioning everything. What did it even feel like anymore? He’d been struck by lightning countless times. Each hit made him feel as though he were standing on the edge of death.

The attacks from the monsters... sure, the pain might have been just as intense, maybe even worse at times. But what made the whole thing feel ridiculous was this: Atlas wasn’t using any of his Lightning Skills. Which meant his mobility was severely limited. He couldn’t perform those short-range teleportations like Edrik could.

So, he just pushed forward with what he had, his Earth element. And in that struggle, something happened. He managed to trigger several new Earth-based skills.

One of them allowed him to thicken his skin using the Earth element, giving him extra durability. Another let him anchor himself to the ground, making him unshakable when holding a position. Then there was a skill that used Earth energy to boost his mobility, letting him move faster across terrain. And finally, a defensive skill that summoned an earth shield, one that reacted to incoming attacks by sensing the elemental mana in the air and intercepting them accordingly.

[Rare - Stonehide (Conditional Passive Skill) activated.]

[Temporarily hardens the user’s skin with Earth energy, greatly increasing physical defense.]

[Rare - Rooted Stance (Active Skill) activated.]

[Anchors the user to the ground, preventing knockback and reducing stagger from heavy hits.]

[Rare - Terra Stride (Active Skill) activated.]

[Channels Earth energy into the legs, enhancing speed and allowing smoother movement over any terrain.]

[Elite - Earthward Guard (Active Skill) activated.]

[Summons a reactive earth shield that automatically intercepts incoming attacks by detecting ambient elemental mana.]

Atlas stood alone, his eyes fixed on the two monsters darting toward him from opposite directions in the distance. He gripped his spear tightly, his jaw clenched in grim determination.

The Earth element swirled wildly around his body as hardened particles formed plates of earthen aura, orbiting him like a protective shell.

Earthward Guard. Even though it was an Elite-grade skill, it wasn’t weak by any means. The problem was, the monsters he faced now were on a whole different level. Making even this solid defense seem inadequate.

He dashed forward just as the two monsters lunged at him from behind. With a sharp turn, he blocked their attack using his spear, barely holding his ground.

The impact sent him flying backward, and in that split second, a third monster launched itself from the side, aiming straight for him.

Still off-balance, Atlas couldn’t react in time. Both monsters were already mid-air, claws extended, about to strike from above.

He wasn’t fast enough to dodge.

The swirling Earth energy around him suddenly surged and shot upward, intercepting just as one of the monster’s massive claws came crashing down toward him.

There was a violent clash. The Earthward Guard shattered under the blow, unable to withstand the force. Both claws tore into his chest a heartbeat later.

Atlas slammed into the ground with brutal force, the impact shaking the dirt beneath him.

Now both monsters loomed over him, ready to strike again, and he could barely lift his weapon.

"Damn it!" he growled through gritted teeth.

In that fleeting moment, his mind raced, desperate to figure out how to make the Earthward Guard keep protecting him.

And then... something shifted.

[Triggering an Advanced Element from Earth...]