Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 23 - Early Access Bonus

"Luna? Who is Luna?"

The name didn’t ring any bells.

"Jackpot," he called out, "tell me. Can a package from another Lord even be accepted at this stage? And is it safe?"

[Host, the System will scan the contents and ensure they’re safe, if that’s your concern.]

"Alright," Atlas said, taking a breath. "Please accept the package for me."

No sooner had he confirmed the request than a drone appeared in the distance, its metallic form cutting through the morning light. It hovered just beyond the protective barrier.

A large stack of items materialized right in front of Atlas.

Startled, Atlas instinctively stepped back to give the pile space. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel-com

His eyes locked onto the message attached to the delivery, and when he read it, he froze.

The contents stunned him.

[2000 Units of Wood]

[2000 Units of Stone]

[2000 Units of Iron]

[1000 Units of Wood Ingots]

[500 Mana Crystals]

[100 Lava Shards]

[50 Magma Core Fragments]

[100 Elite Exp Orb]

[50 Bloodstones]

"What the hell?! This many items?!"

With this mountain of supplies, he could upgrade his island infrastructure in no time.

Edrik and the others gathered behind him.

"My Lord," Edrik said with a knowing smirk, "it looks like someone’s trying to propose to you."

"Propose?"

"I mean, during this early phase, most Lords are scrambling to build alliances. They want someone reliable to back them up. I think another Lord sees real potential in you, and sent this as a gesture."

Atlas glanced back at the tag. "Yeah, it says the package came from someone named Luna. But I don’t remember ever meeting anyone by that name."

"Luna?" Mira spoke up, head tilted, eyes narrowing in thought. "Ah... Luna..."

Atlas raised an eyebrow. "You know something, Mira?"

She nodded quickly, her face brightening. "My Lord... uhm... yesterday, while I was in the garden, two girls came by! One of them wore a blue outfit..."

Mira recounted the entire encounter, mimicking their voices and even reenacting bits of the conversation.

Atlas listened, sighing as the pieces started falling into place. As Mira continued with her enthusiastic retelling, he rubbed his forehead, then chuckled.

"Wait... don’t tell me those two thought you were the Lord of this island?"

"It seems that way, My Lord," Edrik answered.

"No, My Lord, I never said that!" Mira cried. "I promise!"

"No, it’s fine. It sounds like they just misunderstood the situation." Atlas crossed his arms. "But what happens when they find out they sent all this to the wrong Lord?"

Edrik’s smile faded slightly. "My Lord... forming alliances with other Lords, especially ones from higher ranks, isn’t always a clean deal. There’s always a price. But... I suspect this Luna didn’t do it for politics."

"You think she sent all this... just because of Mira?" Atlas asked, glancing at her.

Edrik nodded. "That’s my guess. Sympathy, maybe. Or curiosity."

"Yeah," Atlas said, looking over the pile once more. "I can see that."

"They might be disappointed once they learn the truth about this island," he said at last. "But now that the supplies are here? Yeah, no way I’m sending them back. I’ll make the most of what they’ve given us." A grin tugged at his lips as he spoke.

"My Lord," Edrik interjected gently, "forgive me, but I feel I should warn you... this could make an enemy out of someone. Not because I doubt our strength, but because caution is sometimes the wisest move."

"That’s fair," Atlas replied. "And I do understand the risk. But I’ll still take it. Whether we like it or not, the Lord battles will bring enemies to our doorstep eventually. I’m not going to pretend to be harmless just because this is my first real challenge."

Edrik gave a respectful nod. "I’d say you’re ready for this, mentally. And I respect that, My Lord."

Without missing a beat, Atlas shifted his focus to what really mattered: infrastructure. If he wanted to survive and thrive, he needed to make smart decisions in this early phase. The Flame Beacon was still his top priority, it would seriously boost the island’s defense systems. But without enough Fire Crystals, it remained just out of reach. More trips to the volcanic islands would definitely be necessary.

He let out a breath and moved forward. Time to queue up everything they could build for now.

"Jackpot," he said, straightening up, "start construction on the following: two Lumber Mills, two Quarries, two Training Grounds, one Blacksmith Workshop, and two Residential Huts."

[You have spent 160 Units of Wood, 100 Units of Stone, 20 Iron Ingots to build a Residential Hut.]

[You have spent ...]

[You have spent 240 Units of Wood, 80 Units of Stone, 20 Iron Ingots to build the Lumber Mill.]

[You have spent ...]

[You have spent 160 Units of Stone, 40 Iron Ingots, 40 Units of Wood to build the Quarry.]

[You have spent ...]

[You have spent 200 Units of Wood, 100 Units of Stone, 30 Iron Ingots to build Training Grounds.]

[You have spent ...]

[You have spent 80 Units of Stone, 150 Units of Iron, 20 Units of Wood to build Blacksmith Workshop.]

With his current squad, Atlas was confident they could handle the first battle, unless, of course, they ran into a Lord who had already locked down powerful alliances and secured early resources.

But what he needed now wasn’t just elite summons. He needed numbers. Workers to build and maintain, soldiers to defend and conquer. A real army.

To tackle this, he gathered Edrik and the others for a strategic discussion.

The first solution on the table was the Gateway Altar, a structure specifically designed to summon Awakeners in exchange for gold or similar resources. The catch? He was still short of three World Shards, rare materials required to construct it. Without those, this option would have to wait.

The second option was far more immediate: Recruiting Awakeners from the Lower Lands.

He’d travel down, meet potential recruits face-to-face, and bring back anyone willing to serve, either long-term or on a temporary basis.

The price? Mostly gold, but not always. Some recruits, especially those desperate for stability or advancement, would expect Exp Orbs, equipment, and maybe even living space or a role in the island’s growth.

Each method brought its own pros and cons, but they all served the same vital purpose: expanding his forces, securing his defenses, and preparing for whatever came next.

Atlas let out a long sigh. There was still so much to organize, starting with workers for the island. Blacksmiths, craftsmen, without them, the infrastructure would stall. And according to Edrik’s estimate, he’d need at least 30 to 50 troops ready for the first battle.

Could he just rely on Gacha pulls to fill those roles? Technically, yes. But that wasn’t the smartest move. It made more sense to stabilize the basics first, and save the Gacha for rare upgrades or unexpected breakthroughs.

That left the lower lands as his best option.

They were currently stationed above the Saharia Continent, it might be exactly the kind of place to find recruits, workers, warriors, or maybe even the right kind of allies.

Atlas weighed his options one last time. They had enough gold for now, and time was ticking.

"Let’s go visit the lower lands," he said, decision clear in his voice.

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