CHAPTER 270: CHAPTER 270 - STORM GENERATOR

Atlas stood in front of his rank-1 Outpost Fortress, a place he honestly rarely used. The design was simply too old-fashioned, far behind the times. Built from solid stone, the structure was durable, but inside it had little to offer. There was only a control room, usually operated by Edrik, and a modest meeting hall that wasn’t all that impressive.

Things changed drastically once he reached rank-2. The new structures showed a remarkable improvement. He went over each unlocked feature carefully, one by one.

[New structures unlocked at Rank-2. Upgrade benefits available.]

[Now able to construct three structures at the same time.]

The upgrade Atlas valued the most was this new ability to speed up construction. Even though three structures could now be built simultaneously, the process would still take days, or even weeks, to complete everything within Gacha Haven. Still, this meant he could prioritize the most important buildings first without losing time.

[Upgrade: Fortress Stage 1 "Outpost Fortress" → Fortress Stage 2 "Crystalline Bastion"

The appearance had become far more refined, with customizable size and layout options for future expansions. The main fortress was, after all, the heart of the island, the Lord’s domain. It contained the main chamber, the meeting hall, and layers of defense. If the island was ever attacked, this place would serve as its final line of safety.

Atlas opened the virtual island interface in front of him. With a sweep of his hand, he dragged the new fortress model to the center of the island. The placement, however, forced him to shift several other structures around to make room for the towering upgrade.

Edrik stood beside Atlas as he shifted the fortress into place.

"The residential huts take up the most space to build," Atlas muttered.

Edrik gave a slow nod. "What about the upgrades for them, my lord?"

"Now the Residential Huts can hold up to ten people," Atlas replied. "They come with better facilities. Proper beds, adjustable room sizes, and all the basic needs included." He paused before asking, "And how many inhabitants does Gacha Haven have at the moment?"

"Three hundred and ten combatants, ninety-one workers, not counting the elite subordinates," Edrik answered.

Atlas nodded thoughtfully. He knew they already had forty Residential Huts. Even so, people still had to rotate resting places, and some were still using tents.

"I think we should aim to build a hundred Residential Huts once the key structures are complete," he said firmly. "That way, we’ll be ready for when the population grows larger. But I doubt we can fit that many on the main island... not until we merge with Shattered Ember."

Edrik gave another slow nod, knowing full well that many huts would need to be relocated for the new fortress to rise.

"For now, we can manage a few more days with the current setup," Atlas decided. "The fortress takes priority."

With that, Atlas confirmed the command and began the construction sequence.

[Fortress Upgrade in progress. Estimated completion time: 10 hours.]

Atlas began rearranging the structures already built on the main island, shifting them carefully as he tried to create a more organized design for the future.

Mira had already drawn up a blueprint for him, showing how the island could be developed more efficiently. According to her plan, the main fortress would stand firmly at the very center, while the newly unlocked buildings would be placed around it in key positions.

[Noble Meeting Hall]

[A grand chamber where Lords and envoys can gather for diplomacy. Increases Reputation and Influence, allowing treaties, alliances, and trade agreements to be made directly on the island.]

"This Noble Meeting Hall should be placed close to the fortress," Atlas said quietly. "It will be vital for meetings between Lords."

He queued the structure for construction, though he knew it wasn’t an urgent priority just yet.

[Hall of Heroes]

[A ceremonial hall honoring victories and champions. Inspires loyalty and grants morale buffs to all troops, boosting their combat effectiveness when defending the island.]

"Hall of Heroes," he murmured as he queued the next structure.

His expression hardened slightly. He understood its importance, but the weight in his chest remained. Building it felt like preparing a grave for the warriors who would fight and fall under his command.

[Noble Estates]

[Luxurious housing reserved for elite subordinates and honored guests. Raises loyalty, attracts stronger recruits, and symbolizes the prosperity of the island.]

Atlas queued the Noble Estates as well, knowing these residences were essential for the island’s most important figures. Morganna, for instance, could never be expected to live in shared housing. Other key subordinates also deserved the same respect. One Noble Estate per elite subordinate was not too much to ask.

He arranged several of them around the main fortress, while preparing to assign others to Shattered Ember. Some of his trusted figures, Baldric, Kurogasa, Dullorak, and Karian, would likely prefer their estates there rather than on the central island.

There was one new structure that caught Atlas’s eye.

[Storm Generator]

[Powerful energy spires that draw on water and lightning elements to fuel the island. Enhance mana barriers, strengthen defensive beacons, and can unleash devastating lightning strikes during sieges.]

"Storm Generator?" Atlas murmured, his gaze narrowing.

Edrik smiled knowingly. "The system clearly feeds you what you need, my lord. You’ve grown into someone who fights with the storm itself... and now, the island mirrors that."

"Is this expected because of my current path as a Tempest Reaver?" Atlas asked.

"Yes, my lord," Edrik replied without hesitation. "The island’s progress adapts to its Lord’s growth. Just as you evolve, so too does the land, shaping structures like this to fit your power."

Atlas gave a slow nod. His eyes lingered on the description, already imagining the battlefield blazing with lightning.

[Required Materials for Storm Generator Construction]

[1200 Refined Stone Blocks]

[800 Hardened Iron Ingots]

[300 Elemental Crystals (Water-aligned)]

[200 Elemental Crystals (Lightning-aligned)]

[5 Storm Cores (rare essence harvested from Tempest-class monsters)]

He exhaled through his nose. "We can’t build it yet. Several materials are still missing... but once we secure them, this structure will become one of our strongest defenses."

"Tempest-class monsters..." Edrik repeated the words slowly, his brows furrowing. "Lightning itself is a composite element. Monsters bearing it are rare, far from ordinary. Finding even one will be difficult... and we need five Storm Cores."

Atlas nodded slightly. "A structure this powerful wouldn’t be given easily. We’ll have to hunt those monsters down. But there’s a problem... it won’t be effective if I fight them directly. Our elements are too similar. My lightning against theirs will only cancel out."

Other structures Atlas had obtained, whether through the Gacha or from victories over rival Lords, remained the same. The Flame Beacon, Healing Spring, Elemental Beacon, Guardian Sentinel Statue, Shadow Gate, and the Mana Turbine Core Mk.I all showed no signs of natural upgrades. That much had been expected.

Still, the system offered the option to raise their levels manually. Upgrading them to Level 2 would not alter their form, but it would sharpen their effectiveness. In other words, they could be pushed further, though at the cost of time and resources.

Still, he had already constructed a fair number of them. He would add more when the essentials, especially housing for the people, were secured.

"Done," he murmured, satisfied as the last structure entered its build queue. "What’s next?"

And then, almost as if in answer, a new notification appeared before him.

[Selvara from Tideveil Sanctuary, Scout Division 1, has issued a Challenge.]

[Karmina from Bloodroot Hollow, Scout Division 1, has issued a Challenge.]

Atlas straightened slowly. The challenger had finally arrived.