Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord

"They really pushed you into the ravine, Atlas?" Laura’s face went pale, the faint smile vanishing at once. "But then... How did you survive? That... that ravine is incredibly deep."

"I... got caught," Atlas said. "By a tree root sticking out from the cliff. It was pure luck, honestly. I survived, though I nearly died several more times after that. Still... Here I am now, safe and in one piece."

Laura shook her head slowly. "You really are... unpredictable," she said. "At this point, I would not even be surprised if you have brushed against death more than once, considering how often you used to come here with injuries that were severe, even fatal."

"I suppose that is funny, in a way."

"That is not funny," she replied immediately. "You are the person who made me work the hardest, you know."

"And I suppose you lost an important client after I disappeared."

Laura did not answer right away. Her expression shifted slightly.

"What about you tell me about yourself now," Atlas said. "How is the city? You mentioned that everyone has been busy."

Laura hesitated. Though she tried to hide it, her expression was no longer as calm as before.

"It is related to the Lord of a floating island," she said.

"The lord?" Atlas followed up.

Atlas knew of several lords who originated from this city, as well as others who passed through from time to time. Even though this was only a small city, the surrounding areas held wide hunting grounds.

Because of that, when a lord wanted to train their forces, the areas around this city were often used for that purpose.

Laura lowered her head for a moment, then began to speak.

"These past few months, a lord has been working together with the city ruler," she said quietly. "They sent people who were not ready. Through pressure and threats, they used their authority to force them into battle."

Atlas nodded slowly. This was not the first time he had heard of something like this. It was not something Atlas himself would ever do, but in a city with corrupt rulers like this one, he was not surprised it had happened.

"They are sent back the moment they can no longer fight," Laura continued. "Because of that, the city no longer has enough people who can defend it from monster attacks."

She fell silent for a brief moment, as if choosing her words.

"The western side of the city wall has already collapsed," she said. "Many people were hurt because of it. Every night, monsters come and attack, destroying houses. Many citizens have gathered toward the center of the city for safety, but that only made things worse. There are not many people willing, or able, to deal with the problem anymore."

"Monsters?" Atlas asked. "What level are we talking about?"

Laura paused, as if recalling what she had heard. "Some say they reach up to level one hundred, Atlas."

Level one hundred.

In a city like this, it was normal for very few awakeners to reach levels above one hundred. For a small city, that was expected. And if the number of awakeners had already been reduced, then this situation was clearly a serious problem.

But did Atlas intend to do anything about it?

If he wanted to, he could wipe out those monsters without lifting a finger himself. Sending Zefyros alone would be enough to deal with level one hundred monsters with ease.

Still, what Atlas remembered of this city was mostly hardship. Endless labor. Suffering. The people here were neither the best nor the worst he could imagine.

Everyone only cared about their own lives. If they could gain something for themselves, even at the cost of others, it was considered normal here.

The authorities did not enforce the law fairly. They protected the strong and the wealthy. The weak and the poor were left as victims, turned into tools, forced to work without hope of ever living well.

The city really was that bad.

Atlas had not come back because he missed this place. At least, not entirely. It was only after meeting Laura again, after finding something small that still held meaning for him, that he felt he could appreciate this city, even if only a little.

After all, no matter how bad it was, this was the city where he had been born.

Perhaps Atlas could simply observe first. See just how dangerous those monsters truly were for the people of this city.

Was he really acting like a hero now?

Was Laura’s kindness enough to move him into doing something?

In truth, Atlas had no intention of getting deeply involved, even when he decided to visit this city.

And yet, the real problem here was not the monsters. It was not even the lords. It was the rulers. They were corrupt, focused only on enriching themselves while burdening everyone else.

If Atlas truly wanted to ease the suffering of the people in this city, he could just as easily hang its rulers. He was certain the citizens would be far more grateful for that.

Still, he also knew that whoever took their place would likely be no different. Just as corrupt. Just as cruel.

This city had been shaped by its people as well. Its residents.

Living under such harsh conditions had stripped many of them of their humanity. It was a harsh reality, one that felt almost inevitable in a Union that lacked development, like this one.

In the end, Atlas took his leave.

"I will walk around for a bit," he said. "Thank you for the hospitality, Laura. Contact me if you need anything."

"It was good to see you again, Atlas. Take care of yourself, and come visit again sometime," the girl said as she waved her hand, wearing the same familiar smile Atlas remembered.

Atlas walked away without looking back. Perhaps this would be the last time he met her.

After all, he had already decided that he would not involve himself too deeply in matters of the lower lands.