Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 360 - Alpha Tempest

To truly grasp how deadly and powerful this monster was, Atlas only needed to compare it to a moment from his past. A dungeon break he’d once witnessed during a visit to Veylamar City.

At the time, Atlas, Edrik, and the others were sitting in a café, merely observing from a distance, as a Rank-4 Lord battled two dungeon bosses. Just one of those monsters had unleashed an attack so devastating, it looked like it might bring down the Dune Bastion, the Saharan Empire’s pride and strongest defensive wall.

There were two monsters back then.

The first was Dunecrawler Rex, which Atlas had jokingly referred to as the "Dune Godzilla".

The second: Sandscourge Devourer, a colossal Dune Worm as tall as a skyscraper.

Now, sure, those monsters were much larger in size compared to the one currently standing before them. This one was tiny, far smaller by comparison.

But that was the catch.

Large monsters often had thicker defenses, sure, but they also had larger bodies that made them easier to target and far less mobile.

Still, imagine this: those two beasts? They were each classified as:

[Epic-grade: Dunecrawler Rex – Lv. 255]

[Epic-grade: Sandscourge Devourer – Lv. 265]

Yes, both were Epic-grade.

And that was exactly what Dullorak had warned about. The monster in front of them now? Likely Epic-grade as well, or possibly something even higher.

Sure, the two beasts from Veylamar were over level 255. This one was in the low 200s. But that level gap was closer than it sounded.

And the only reason this encounter didn’t feel like total madness was because they were on an island where the environment itself had already pushed them to the edge of sanity.

Now imagine if a monster like this suddenly appeared in the middle of a bustling city street...

What would even be left of that city?

The worst part about this Alpha Tempest Wolf was, it wasn’t alone. Several other monsters lingered around it, clearly part of its pack. Thankfully, their numbers were still manageable.

That was why the team decided to split up. The rest would focus on holding off the smaller monsters while the main assault would target the Alpha.

But damn! Watching the way this Alpha Tempest Wolf exploded with lightning, Atlas couldn’t help but feel the urge to claim the creature as his own. If only that were possible.

There was something about it. The way it moved, the energy it radiated... it mirrored him in so many ways. He could almost picture it, riding this beast into battle, commanding the field, dominating the war like a storm incarnate.

But those thoughts would have to wait. Right now, in this moment, none of that was possible.

** 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

A quick tactical review and role assignment were carried out. The battle was about to begin.

Everyone was ready. Checking their weapons, drinking buff potions. They even had emergency escape mechanisms prepared, just in case things spiraled out of control.

But Atlas hadn’t come all this way to run.

He clenched his jaw, gripping his spear tightly. "Let’s do it," he commanded.

Dullorak nodded once before launching into the sky, his body shooting upward with incredible speed. High above, he conjured dozens of massive crystal shards, floating like blades in the storm-lit air.

Then, just as quickly. They rained down.

Each shard slammed into the ground around the monsters with precision. But they weren’t meant to kill. These were catalysts, carefully placed to let Dullorak manipulate the battlefield. Limiting the movement of the smaller monsters, and more importantly, boxing in the Alpha’s path.

The rest of the team launched into motion without hesitation.

Edrik and Kurogasa vanished instantly. Everburn, as always, was already invisible.

Krythalis and Serenith shot into the air a heartbeat later, each heading into position as the assault began.

Atlas leapt into the battlefield, charging headfirst into the chaos, ready to fulfill his role. Deal as much damage as possible to the horde of monsters before them.

The creatures quickly noticed the incoming attack. Their bodies tensed, heads raised, and a chorus of howls erupted just as bolts of lightning began crashing down brutally across the entire area.

For the first time, Atlas felt what it was like to be on the receiving end of this kind of assault. This time, he wasn’t the one commanding the storm, he was the one dodging it.

Hundreds of lightning strikes rained from the sky, and he had to stay sharp, weaving through them with heightened focus.

A massive bolt of lightning surged toward Dullorak from the Alpha. A strike so fast and violent it tore through the storm with a thunderous crack.

Atlas’s eyes widened. He instinctively summoned his earth crystals to shield against the impact. But the explosion that followed rocked the battlefield, sending shockwaves all around him.

Then Kurogasa made his move. He hurled his chain blade, which coiled around the incoming lightning. And then, somehow, he swung on it.

How the hell was he swinging on lightning?

Elsewhere, Edrik blurred in and out of existence, vanishing between strikes, dancing through the chaos with surgical grace. It was like watching someone weave through a web of pure destruction.

Meanwhile, Krythalis had summoned his insect army. Thankfully, his own elemental affinity leaned toward lightning, and he used it to redirect and diffuse the natural strikes. His ability channeled some of the raw lightning into his insects, allowing them to carry and discharge it harmlessly outside the battlefield.

This maneuver significantly reduced the pressure on the rest of the team.

Atlas kept moving, sprinting along the outer edge of the battlefield. His movements were sharp, and agile. He darted between flashes of lightning that struck violently all around him. Relying on his elemental instincts, he weaved through the chaos, dodging every bolt that tried to pin him down.

He pushed all his senses to the limit, channeling every ounce of focus into reading the rhythm of the storm. He surged forward, each step more precise than the last, as explosions roared repeatedly behind him. This wasn’t the first time he’d fought in brutal environments. But this time, he could feel the payoff. All the intense training, the pain, the preparation. It was all coming together now.

But the Alpha was growing enraged.

Its body flared, lightning arcing wildly across its form before bursting outward in violent pulses. Sparks danced around it as raw energy poured into the air like a warning.

Atlas was still looking for an opening to strike. Though Edrik and Kurogasa had already entered the inner zone, slipping through the battlefield’s heart as they moved to eliminate the smaller monsters surrounding the Alpha.

It wasn’t easy. Only assassins like them would dare to dive into a storm this deadly. One misstep could mean instant death.

Then, a roar. A massive one.

Atlas’s instincts screamed. Danger!

The Alpha released its charge. In a flash, like true lightning, an enormous explosion tore through the battlefield from above. The entire sky cracked open, releasing a hail of lightning bolts in a brutal downpour.

It was almost identical to Atlas’s own area-of-effect skill. But this one? Bigger, and wilder.

He didn’t think, he just moved.

Jumping, dashing, weaving through the blasts.

**

Atlas kept sprinting along the outer rim of the battlefield, moving at full speed. Yet still, it felt like he couldn’t break through. The chaos was too thick, the lightning too relentless.

Then, one bolt struck him!

A direct hit!

His vision blurred instantly. His whole body felt like it had been slammed by pure force, a shockwave of raw energy ripping through his core. He was hurled violently into the air, spinning out of control.

Two more lightning bolts cracked down near him, the shockwaves slamming into his path as he tumbled through the storm.

Atlas clenched his teeth. He couldn’t even feel the pain anymore.

He pushed himself. Forced every cell in his body to keep moving, to keep thinking. His focus burned with desperation. He couldn’t stop. Not here.

He had to make his brain work harder. Faster!

Still airborne, tossed by the wind and lightning, Atlas realized. If he stayed in midair like this, exposed with no footing, he’d be a sitting target. Another hit would kill him.

With nothing beneath him, he stomped downward.

And something caught him.

A thin layer of energy. Barely visible, almost like a ripple in the air, giving him just enough resistance to press off.

In the next heartbeat, he launched forward again.

Running through the sky like it was solid ground.

[You have successfully triggered: Magnetic Step.]

[Skill unlocked: Elite - Magnetic Step (Active Skill).]

[Create temporary magnetic footholds in midair. The footholds last briefly, just long enough for quick movement or repositioning.]

Inspired by the spell Lyrassa had once used to support him in aerial combat, a new skill was born. His own version of it.

The foothold was thin, almost invisible, and lasted only a moment. But it was just enough. Just enough to give him a solid push!

Atlas launched into the sky, body twisting midair as he chained together leap after leap, using those fleeting footholds to propel himself forward at blinding speed.

His body blazed with golden lightning. He raced across the battlefield, cutting through the storm with the speed of lightning to fight lightning itself.

He gripped his spear tightly.

He prepared to unleash his strongest blow yet. Aimed directly at the monster raging before him!