Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 400 - Verdant Highborn

A great victory for Gacha Haven.

Atlas had successfully slain the enemy lord, and with that final blow came the right to claim everything on the island as his own.

Soon after, Atlas and the entire Gacha Haven force were transported back to their own island.

Several system messages appeared before him. They were related to rank points and the process of island merging. Atlas barely glanced at them. He passed the authority to handle those matters to his second in command, a right he had already granted to Edrik.

There was something far more important. Something Atlas could no longer delay.

"Where is Lyrassa?"

Atlas broke into a run, heading toward Luminaria Grove. The area was surrounded by young trees, with gardens stretching neatly to the left and right.

Then he saw someone standing beneath the shade of the trees ahead.

Someone he had not seen for the past two months.

"Lyrassa..."

The name slipped from his lips as a quiet murmur. He could clearly see that she was holding something in her arms.

Atlas ran faster, stopping only when they stood face to face. The woman looked at him and smiled. It was the same smile he remembered so clearly.

"Lyrassa," he said again, stepping closer. He wrapped an arm around her gently from the side, careful not to disturb what she was holding.

"I was gone for so long," she said softly.

"I am glad you came back," he added.

Then Atlas lowered his gaze to what she was holding.

A baby.

The child had light blond hair, similar to Lyrassa’s, and a calm, peaceful expression. Atlas’s breath caught slightly.

"He is..." Atlas began.

"Yes, my lord," Lyrassa replied softly. "Our baby."

Atlas carefully took the baby into his arms. He supported the child’s head with his right arm, gently rocking him as the baby slept peacefully, unaware of the chaos and sacrifice that had brought this moment to life.

For the first time since the battle ended, Atlas truly felt at peace.

"He looks so... peaceful," Atlas said softly.

Lyrassa nodded gently.

"Will he grow quickly, like Vienne did?" Atlas asked.

Lyrassa looked at him for a moment, then let out a small laugh.

"He will grow normally," she said. "But, compared to humans, he will grow faster."

Atlas smiled and chuckled quietly. "I suppose I really need to throw away any human standards when it comes to them," he said.

He stayed there, watching the baby’s face. After a short while, the child slowly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of green eyes that looked calm and pure.

The baby let out a sound. It was soft and gentle. A baby’s voice, yet it carried a melody that sounded strangely beautiful to Atlas’s ears.

"His voice is very beautiful," Atlas said quietly.

"Yes," Lyrassa replied with a warm smile. "He is beautiful. I know he will grow into someone brave and kind, just like his father."

Atlas fell silent at her words.

She hoped their child would be like him?

He grew quiet again, his thoughts drifting. He did not want either Vienne or this child to be dragged into the world of lords. A world filled with endless wars and constant threats.

Could they not grow up normally? Without being surrounded by battle, without having to carry the weight of conflict from such a young age?

As those thoughts crossed his mind, system messages suddenly appeared before Atlas’s eyes.

[A new life has been born under your lineage.]

[Race Identified: Verdant Highborn (Unique Hybrid)]

[Lineage: Crimson Storm Sovereign (Atlas) × The Floral Healer (Lyrassa)]

[Innate Talents Unlocked:]

[Sovereign Seed (SSS) - Bloom Manifestation (S) - Calm Mind of the Grove (A)]

[Sovereign Seed: A dormant core containing both storm and nature authority, capable of evolving into a personal domain in the future.]

[Bloom Manifestation: Can manifest vines, roots, or floral constructs instinctively when threatened.]

[Calm Mind of the Grove: Mental state remains stable under stress, fear, or pain, greatly reducing panic and emotional corruption.]

"Verdant Highborn?"

Atlas paused, carefully reading the race name.

Lyrassa then explained calmly. "It is a higher form of human race. It stands on the same level as a High Human, equal in status, but with a far stronger affinity toward nature and spirits. Their bodies resonate naturally with life, growth, and balance. In simple terms, he is closer to the world itself than ordinary humans could ever be."

Atlas nodded slowly. "Look at you," he said with a light laugh, speaking to the baby. "Not only did your sister surpass her father, but you did too. You have already gone beyond the human race itself."

He looked back at the system details, studying the talents listed there. His eyes paused for a moment.

There it was.

A talent ranked SSS. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

At a glance, Atlas could tell that the baby possessed a core that carried both Storm and Nature at the same time. And another talent caught his attention.

Calm Mind of the Grove.

It felt like the complete opposite of Vienne.

If one embodied chaos, then this child embodied tranquility.

Atlas smiled faintly, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

He could not wait to see how they would interact in the future.

"I want you to give him a name, my lord," Lyrassa said softly.

Atlas looked back at her and fell silent for a moment. Truthfully, he had been thinking about that ever since he held the baby in his arms. But... he did not have many options.

Storm?

Nature?

"He will most likely have abilities similar to mine," Atlas said slowly, "combined with yours as well."

Overwhelming damage, paired with protection for allies. A terrifying yet beautiful combination. Power meant to destroy, and power meant to preserve.

"We need a name that sounds firm and powerful," Atlas continued, letting out a small laugh. "But it also has to carry meaning. Something that truly represents strength. That is not an easy choice."

Lyrassa smiled and answered in a calm voice.

"A name is not just a sound," she said gently. "It is a prayer. A hope. It carries the wishes of the one who gives it. From a father, a name is a promise. A quiet blessing, spoken only once, but meant to last for a lifetime."

Atlas nodded slowly, then spoke a name softly under his breath.