Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 396 - The Trees Take the Damage

Atlas spun his spear once more and settled into a ready stance, preparing to attack. His focus sharpened as he carefully read everything that had happened during his earlier test attacks.

Atlas truly realized one thing.

The enemy had not received any real impact at all from his attacks.

This was different from having strong defense or using a special skill to cancel damage. Because every time Atlas struck, the enemy lord simply blocked with his bare hands, and it looked like the clash created a massive impact. But that impact never reached the enemy’s body.

If this domain was designed for a one on one fight with equal rules, then whatever benefit those rules provided should also be available to Atlas.

But he still could not fully understand how it worked. Worse, he had no idea what was happening outside, and he could not communicate with anyone beyond this place.

The only hope he had was... Edrik and the others had to figure something out from the outside.

Atlas burst forward again, activating his lightning step. His body exploded with thunder as he vanished and reappeared right in front of the enemy lord.

He struck with his spear.

The enemy blocked it with his hand once more. A violent explosion followed. The attack was extremely powerful.

Yet it still had no effect.

Atlas attacked again. Thrust after thrust, sweeping strikes, heavy blows delivered without pause. He continued relentlessly, as if striking against something with an impossibly solid defense.

Once again, the enemy slipped through the gaps in Atlas’s assault. He stepped in and threw a punch straight toward Atlas’s chest.

There was no time to dodge. It was too fast.

The blow landed.

A sharp gasp escaped Atlas’s lips as pain spread through his ribs. In the next moment, he was sent flying backward again, hurled away violently.

Atlas twisted his body midair, slammed into the ground, and rolled before flipping himself back up. Without hesitation, he lunged forward once more, attacking again at full speed.

It was desperate. Like someone clawing blindly for a weakness. Just keep attacking.

There had to be a limit. A threshold to how much force this rule could absorb.

There had to be an answer.

[Unique – Stormcall Domain (Active Skill) activated.]

[Epic – Storm Chain: Judgment Spear (Conditional Active Skill) activated.]

Dark clouds gathered overhead as thunder roared across the domain. Lightning crashed violently through the air. Atlas surged forward as the storm answered his call, bolts of lightning converging and wrapping around his spear.

He moved at blinding speed, pulling down dozens of lightning chains from the sky as the storm howled around him.

It all happened in an instant. Atlas was already standing right in front of the enemy lord.

Morvain reacted immediately, moving with sharp precision and blocking with both of his hands. A massive impact followed as explosion after explosion of lightning erupted violently, filling the domain with brutal thunder.

Atlas was thrown backward by the backlash of his own attack.

Moments later, he forced himself back to his feet, his spear raised and ready to strike again.

The enemy lord stood there amid drifting smoke. He was completely unharmed.

Morvain slowly lowered his hands and then grinned.

"Have you given up already, Atlas?" he said mockingly. "What do you think? Why don’t you bring out all of your strongest skills? Go all out, full power, full damage. Let us see just how high a threshold I can take."

His grin widened. "That is what you are thinking about, right?"

**

Edrik raised his arm to shield his eyes as his body was thrown violently backward. A massive explosion erupted, spreading across the entire area as lightning detonated again and again, crashing down in front of them with terrifying force.

From where he landed, Edrik could clearly see the half dome shaped domain ahead. Atlas and the enemy lord were clearly inside it, locked within the barrier. From the outside, they could do nothing. There was no way to interfere with the battle unfolding within the domain.

Edrik could clearly witness everything unfolding within the domain. He could see Atlas fighting, pushing himself relentlessly, and he could also see how the enemy calmly blocked every attack. It looked as if Atlas’s strikes were unable to truly reach him.

At that moment, a familiar presence appeared beside Edrik.

Kurogasa. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Did you find anyone on this island?" he asked.

"I searched as much of the island’s surface as I could," Kurogasa replied. "There was not a single person. Not even one unit. It is as if this island is nothing but thick, wild forest. Even so, in several locations, there are structures hidden among the trees. Complete structures, even a main fortress. Yet there is no one left. Not a single soul."

Edrik nodded slowly. He then pointed forward.

"Every time Lord Atlas launches an attack, the force is thrown outward and strikes the trees surrounding the domain. What happens inside is being channeled outside."

Kurogasa nodded in agreement. "That is also why the enemy lord is not taking any damage from the Lord. The attacks are being redirected. Which means..."

Edrik said again. "I tested it earlier. There is one rule active in this place. We can receive damage that is meant for someone else, as long as we are close enough to the one receiving it."

Kurogasa responded immediately. "If the enemy lord is redirecting Lord Atlas’s attacks toward the trees outside, then someone on our side must also receive the enemy lord’s attacks. Only then will the conditions inside the domain become balanced. Someone has to do it."

At the same time, Kurogasa’s body was swallowed by shadows and vanished from Edrik’s side.

Edrik did not hesitate. His body dissolved into empty air as well. A massive impact suddenly echoed in the distance.

Edrik appeared in a ready stance, his dagger drawn. Kurogasa stood nearby, gripping his chain blade.

"Master Kurogasa, you are more needed in Gacha Haven," Edrik said. "You could be killed."

Kurogasa bowed lightly in response. "Everyone knows you are the one most needed at the lord’s side. My role can be replaced by Dullorak. I will not allow you to take this sacrifice upon yourself."

Several shadow chains emerged around Edrik, but the man vanished in an instant, disappearing before they could reach him.