CHAPTER 268: CHAPTER 268 - ELEMENTAL PARAGON

Atlas had returned to Gacha Haven carrying a mountain of tasks that needed to be handled in this phase. Especially now that he had advanced to Scout Rank right in the middle of the Lord Battle season.

First, there were plenty of new structures unlocked that he could begin building on his island. But that could wait. He couldn’t focus on construction yet. He had to set his priorities straight.

Ranking up in the middle of the Lord Battle season was far from ideal. At this stage, they were entering a completely new tier without having built anything yet, still relying on structures from the previous rank.

One option was simply to evade challenges and accept the minor penalty once the Lord Battle season concluded. But no, Atlas had no intention of taking that path. He would manage everything carefully, weighing every detail with clear eyes, so that he could achieve the best possible results with risks that were calculated, not reckless.

Greed was not always a strength. He needed to remain in a position where every move carried risk, yes, but with enough backup and preparation to cover any potential shortcomings. That was why he had so many elite subordinates at his side. Each of them was ready to act as his counselors, no matter how difficult the circumstances became.

So far, no one had sent Atlas a battle challenge, which was a good sign. Still, he was certain that within the next 24 hours, all five of his challenge slots would start filling up.

Atlas had already assured Luna and the other allied lords that he would not be using the "Challenge Swap Tactic" strategy they had discussed earlier. Fortunately, none of the alliance lords had suffered any devastating defeats so far. Some had retreated in battle, but those losses were recoverable and had not resulted in any deaths.

There was so much he needed to get done!

Now, while there was still time, he gathered his elite subordinates to go through their priorities one by one. And first on that list, the most exciting task of all... Was choosing the class for his next advancement.

Though only Edrik, Kurogasa, and Dullorak were present in the room. Edrik even pointed out that Karian would simply argue for choosing the class with the highest star rating, so his opinion was already represented without him being there.

[1. Stormforged Dominator (Advanced Elemental Commander)]

[2. Bloodshadow Harbinger (Vampiric Spear Duelist)]

[3. Elemental Paragon (Universal Elemental Spear Saint)]

[4. Warden of the Veil (Defensive Commander + Anti-Mage)]

[5. Tempest Reaver (Storm + Blood Hybrid Specialist)]

Atlas took a breath and steadied himself as five class options appeared before him. Each came with a short note that explained what the class did, before he would dive deeper into the details.

Stormforged Dominator felt like the upgraded version of his current Tempest Warden. Still, Atlas hoped for more than a simple upgrade to Tempest Warden.

He nodded slowly, then pulled up the overall notes for each class and went through them one by one with his elite subordinates.

[1. Stormforged Dominator (Advanced Elemental Commander)]

[A stormlord who commands floods, lightning, and oppressive weather to overwhelm armies.]

[Abilities: Maelstrom Cage (Active), Stormcall Legion (Ultimate), Tidebreaker Guard (Passive), Tempest Overdrive (Active)]

[Scores:]

[Single Target: ★★★★☆]

[AoE: ★★★★★]

[Support: ★★★★☆]

[Survivability: ★★★★☆]

[Versatility: ★★★★★]

One thing Atlas had learned from his previous class advancement was this: the skills he would obtain after completing the quests did not always match one hundred percent with what was written in the class options. Most of the time, he received more. What he did know for certain was that every quest he took on influenced the skills he would eventually acquire.

As he expected, the first option was the upgraded version of Tempest Warden. Its rating was nearly perfect, though it still struggled in single-target damage. The same weakness as the previous version of the class. Support and survivability also fell a little short.

Still, this was a solid choice if Atlas wanted to continue down the path of Water + Lightning, optimizing his synergy with Zefyros to the fullest.

He explained the same to the others, and then gave his conclusion:

"This class offers maximum AoE potential, just like what I’ve mastered over the last fifty levels. It’s excellent for battlefield control, especially since we’re built for wars against large forces. And it has great synergy with Zefyros. The drawback is its weaker single-target power, which we’ve already discussed, and there’s still no ultimate solution for that. Besides, it neglects Blood and Shadow. Two advanced elements I know would be a waste to keep ignoring."

He nodded slowly. "This is good if I want to become a pure storm commander."

Almost everyone agreed with Atlas’s decision.

Alright. Next, Atlas wanted to see if there was an option that suited him better.

[2. Bloodshadow Harbinger (Vampiric Spear Duelist)]

[A vampiric warrior cloaked in shadow, thriving on lifesteal and attrition while striking with precision.]

[Abilities: Bloodveil Shroud (Active), Hemorrhage Spear (Active), Crimson Rebirth (Passive), Umbral Execution (Ultimate)]

[Scores:]

[Single Target: ★★★★★★]

[AoE: ★★☆☆☆]

[Support: ★★☆☆☆]

[Survivability: ★★★★★★]

[Versatility: ★★★☆☆]

He gave a small smile as he looked over the second class option. This one clearly focused entirely on his blood contract with Morganna. Amusingly, both its Single Target and Survivability ratings actually exceeded the usual five-star scale.

Atlas spoke aloud. "This is a super strong class for a supreme duelist. The only problem is, it has poor AoE, overlaps with Morganna’s role, and offers no storm synergy. Still, there’s one skill here that looks tempting, Crimson Rebirth? Wow."

He turned to the others. Dullorak, in his wise form, gave his measured judgment.

"If I may... this is indeed a class perfectly suited if you wish to walk the path of a solo fighter. But it does not align well with your greater role as a lord."

Atlas gave a short nod. "Yes, I have to agree with that. Besides, we already have Morganna to handle this role."

Atlas decided to set Bloodshadow Harbinger aside for now, placing it firmly at the bottom of his list. Next came Elemental Paragon, and he had to admit, this one left him impressed.

[3. Elemental Paragon (Universal Elemental Spear Saint)]

[A spear-saint who embodies the four basic elements, seamlessly shifting between Fire, Water, Earth, and Air.]

[Abilities: Elemental Shift (Active), Spear of the Four Winds (Active), Elemental Spear Domain (Ultimate), Flow Convergence (Passive)]

[Scores:]

[Single Target: ★★★★☆]

[AoE: ★★★★☆]

[Support: ★★★★☆]

[Survivability: ★★★★☆]

[Versatility: ★★★★★]

"This class fully utilizes every basic element. I should be able to upgrade to High Affinity with all of them, and it would make unlocking the advanced elements from these basics far easier. It fits perfectly if I aim to evolve into a High Human later, doesn’t it?" he said, glancing at the others before continuing. "But still... This class sacrifices my unique affinities with Blood and Shadow. If only Elemental Paragon also covered Dark and Light."

He gave a small nod. "For now, I’ll put this one on equal footing with Stormforged Dominator."

Kurogasa added his insight. "There is another point, my lord. This class also emphasizes spear techniques. It may feel less effective if you wish to broaden into other weapons, such as the bow. It is still possible, but the growth will not be as smooth."

"Understood," Atlas replied.

"Okay, next."

He already knew the next two would be even more intriguing.