Chapter 1 - Ultimate Gacha
"You’re already dripping wet... how are you going to last the whole way, Atlas?"
"At least warn me before you go in from behind!"
Atlas raised his right hand to shield his eyes as the storm winds lashed violently across the open ground around them. They had just left the cover of the forest, stepping into a wide clearing. Only to find the winds here made moving forward a brutal challenge.
He glanced ahead at the rest of his party: the other three were managing far better than he was. No surprise there. Hell, he was the one with the lowest level among them.
"Atlas, if you keep dragging your feet, we’re leaving you behind!" one of them called over his shoulder with a laugh. Probably meant to be playful, but to Atlas, it grated like nails on stone.
His role on this expedition was a support. Not in the sense of healing or casting barriers, more like scouting ahead, gathering resources from fallen monsters. And as of late, they’d added looting duty to his tasks too. Which was why he now carried a ridiculously heavy pack strapped to his back.
It slowed him down, dragging at his every step, while the others, already several paces ahead, seemed completely at ease. The fierce wind only made it worse, pushing against him with every stride.
They had just escaped a monster’s pursuit back in the forest. What had started as a six-person hunting expedition was now whittled down to four, Atlas included.
They came to a halt at the edge of a cliff. A wooden bridge stretched before them, linking the two towering cliff sides. It swayed violently in the storm winds that had only grown more vicious.
"We’re almost at the small settlement on the other side. Finally," said the massive guy with the hammer slung over his back. "We could use a break. And hey, not bad for today’s hunt, right?"
"Yeah, though with a storm like this, and only the three of us left in the party... I don’t think we’ll be pressing on any further," added another.