Chapter 414: Chapter 414 - Frozen Lotus
Atlas returned to Gacha Haven at once and received the full update on the aftermath of the great war they had just won.
From the victory over Bolin, he gained hundreds of new troops, more than 400 in total. They all stood in neat formation across the open field as Atlas and Edrik faced them together.
This was a massive increase in strength, since every one of them had already passed level 170, well above the average.
However, that day also carried another truth that weighed heavily on him. This might have been the greatest loss Atlas had ever suffered. A total of 367 combatants from his side had fallen in the war.
"Were any of them team leaders or key figures, Edrik?" Atlas asked again, seeking confirmation.
"No, my lord. All team leaders survived," Edrik replied calmly. "But many of those who fell were people who have been with us since the early days."
Atlas nodded slowly. "Make sure we honor them properly. And if they left families behind, ensure their lives are taken care of."
Atlas understood that his rapid progress came with its own drawbacks. The people who followed him from the beginning could not all keep up with the speed and level growth of Gacha Haven.
Those who fell behind would struggle to meet the growing demands, and their risk of defeat in battle would only increase.
Even though Atlas had done everything he could to arm them well and push their levels higher, they still needed time to adjust. Battles at higher levels always required real experience and long hours in the field.
This was never going to be easy. He had known that from the very start.
Still, there was one more major gain from this war. He obtained 73K Gold from Bolin.
Wow. That man really did carry a lot of valuable items.
The territory of Gacha Haven had also doubled in size. Atlas now had far more space to work with for defense. At the same time, it meant much more land that needed to be covered and protected.
Even so, Atlas’s task in the current Lord battle season was finally complete. Only one battle remained, one that should take place soon. And this time, victory was guaranteed to be in the hands of his alliance.
Without wasting any time, Atlas soon found himself once again on the mini floating land where he usually faced Bolin. This time, however, there should have been only one enemy lord left, the last one from the opposing side who still had the right to launch an attack.
A man stood there, wearing a robe of white mixed with icy blue tones. He had long black hair tied behind his back, and his eyes carried a gaze that was both sharp and calm at the same time.
The man walked forward, and Atlas responded immediately, stepping closer as well. Soon, they stood facing each other, not too far apart, though still separated by the transparent barrier between them.
The man then brought his hands together in front of his chest and bowed lightly toward Atlas, a greeting that carried a distinct Eastern style.
"Han Feng of the Frozen Lotus Land," the man said as he introduced himself.
Atlas replied in the same manner, introducing his name and his island in return.
At the very least, this man did not show the same arrogance as the alliance leader Atlas had already defeated.
"I have already defeated your alliance leader. There is no point in continuing this battle. It will only bring more trouble for you," Atlas said calmly after that.
The man smiled faintly and bowed once more. "Indeed, Lord Atlas. I understand very clearly what you are trying to say. However, with all due respect, I am the second in command of the alliance," he said.
"I can see that, considering how Bolin deliberately held you back until the very end," Atlas replied.
"I have a proposal for you, if you are willing to hear it," the man continued.
"Tell me."
"Before anything else, I have already opened access to my island. You or anyone from Gacha Haven may visit and inspect everything there. Troops, buildings, facilities, all of it is open. I will personally make sure that you or your people receive a short tour to understand exactly what my island holds."
Atlas fell silent for a moment, then glanced over his shoulder where Edrik stood behind him. Edrik nodded slowly, clearly understanding what Atlas meant.
After that, Edrik vanished from the spot and immediately moved to accept the invitation extended by the lord before them.
Atlas remained there for some time, doing nothing and simply waiting while Edrik, Kurogasa, and several others visited the enemy island. Their task was to observe everything the opposing lord intended to show, and uncover anything that might matter.
After a while, Atlas began receiving reports from Edrik.
[Edrik: "My lord, this lord is extremely strong. His troops are high level across the board. His defenses are complete, covering land and air without gaps. The island is fully self-sustaining. It can provide food, training facilities, beast units, and all essential resources on its own."]
[Atlas: "Conclusion, Edrik?"]
[Edrik: "In terms of total power, he is almost equal to Bolin. Possibly even stronger."]
Atlas nodded slowly after hearing that answer.
He had the option to reallocate resources and forces from every lord within his alliance and move them all to Lumea for the next battle. However, it was clear that doing so would still result in heavy losses on both sides.
Unless Atlas was willing to deploy all of his Elite Subordinates, victory would not be fully guaranteed.
But even then, this would still be a massive war. Worse, they had no knowledge at all about the system abilities possessed by the lord standing before him now.
"Now tell me," Atlas said calmly, fixing his gaze forward, "what kind of proposal do you want to make?"
The man in front of Atlas showed a faint smile and bowed lightly once again. Then he spoke.
What he said next made Atlas freeze for a brief moment, his expression shifting in clear disbelief.
What?!
