CHAPTER 271: CHAPTER 271 - CRYSTALLINE BASTION

The next morning, Atlas stepped out of his temporary tent. He had been sleeping there ever since the residential huts near the fortress were cleared away to make room for construction. The sun was already climbing, casting bright light across the island, and he immediately noticed something unusual. Dozens of island residents had gathered together, all facing in the same direction.

He turned to look past them, toward where the Stage 2 Fortress, Crystalline Bastion, was supposed to stand.

And Atlas... froze. His breath caught for a moment.

The structure was massive, far larger than he had imagined. Towering walls of polished stone reinforced with veins of iron rose high into the sky, gleaming under the morning sun. Intricate lines of mana coursed along the stone, glowing faintly as if the fortress itself pulsed with life.

Compared to the previous outpost he had owned before, this looked entirely new. Almost futuristic in design.

As the islanders stepped aside to give him a path, Atlas walked forward, spotting Edrik and several others already waiting at the gates.

The most striking feature was impossible to miss: a massive cubical mana crystal floated above the fortress’s central spire.

"Wow..." Atlas muttered, unable to hold back his surprise. "This fortress alone could house dozens of people."

He stepped through the great iron gates, which swung open on their own as he approached. Inside, he found himself standing in a vast open courtyard, a mix of neatly paved stonework and open earth.

At its heart rose the main structure: tiered, geometric layers climbing skyward, lined with wide glass windows. By his estimation, the central tower stretched at least ten stories high.

Atlas moved further inside, noticing how every door slid open automatically as he approached. The first floor was wide and empty, resembling a grand hall. He could already imagine it being used for meetings, feasts, or gatherings, though it still wasn’t nearly large enough to fit the island’s entire population.

Elevators were positioned along the sides of the fortress, making it easier to access the higher floors, but for now Atlas chose to climb stairs on foot.

The second floor contained a cluster of rooms, though most of them were still bare. Unfurnished, hollow spaces waiting to be given purpose. Atlas moved through each one, making mental notes of how they might be used.

Further up, he found more chambers. One floor was lined with simple living quarters. Small but clean, each fitted with glass-paneled windows that opened to a sweeping view of the island. The air was cool here.

Higher still, he discovered a spacious chamber that stood out from the rest. It was broad, almost suite-like, with polished flooring, built-in shelves, and a balcony that opened directly toward the sky.

Atlas paused there for a moment. "This will do well enough as my quarters," he murmured.

"I’ll take one on this floor," Mira said suddenly. She had been quietly trailing behind, peering into the rooms until her eyes caught on a smaller chamber just across from Atlas’s.

Atlas gave a small nod. "Fair enough. If we can make use of these floors, then there’s no need to rush the construction of too many Noble Estates."

Still, he knew balance was important. He had already queued five Noble Estates. Two on the main island and three more on Shattered Ember.

Afterward, they climbed to the control room on the top floor. It was smaller than the chambers below, but its position placed it directly beneath the colossal cube of mana crystal floating outside. The faint hum of energy could be felt through the walls.

The room itself still needed work. For now, it was bare, waiting to be arranged into something more functional. They would need furniture. Desks, chairs, couches, sleeping quarters, even washing facilities.

Fortunately, the system allowed for such furnishings to be constructed and placed instantly from the build menu. The catch was that materials were still required, and each piece had to be queued for construction. At least the time was far shorter than raising a massive structure like the fortress itself.

Once the basics were considered, Atlas pulled up the interface to examine the Crystalline Bastion’s core functions. To his surprise, four unique features appeared listed on the screen, exclusive to this fortress alone.

[Mana Extraction Node]

[The cube naturally draws mana from the surrounding atmosphere, ensuring the fortress always has a reserve of energy to sustain its defenses and functions without external fuel.]

[Mana Conduction Array]

[Allies fighting nearby experience heightened mana flow, reducing spell fatigue and increasing casting stability.]

[Stormbreak Aegis]

[A fortress-wide defensive shield that activates when threatened. It bends lightning, deflects magical artillery, and dampens kinetic force from aerial or ranged strikes. While active, it creates a shimmering dome over the fortress, making direct bombardment nearly impossible.]

[Cube Resonance Beam]

[The cube can unleash a devastating concentrated beam of pure mana, capable of piercing both earth and sky. This is a siege-scale weapon with high destructive power, reserved for breaking enemy lines or eliminating colossal threats.]

"Okay... so the cube draws in mana gradually, and its charge level is displayed here." Atlas tapped open the virtual panel hovering before him. A neat bar glowed with a soft blue light.

[Mana Charge Progress: 38%]

[Estimated time until full charge: 10 days]

"The mana can be used in three ways," he explained. "To reinforce the fortress’s defenses, to grant buffs to allies within the area... and as a weapon, firing directly at enemies."

Edrik leaned closer to look. "What about its recharge speed, my lord?"

"From zero to a full hundred percent, it takes about two to three weeks. Right now, it’s already over a third charged."

Edrik nodded slowly. "We can test its destructive power during the next defense, I think."

"Yes," Atlas agreed, then paused.

He opened the attack simulation, watching the display unfold. The preview showed a cannon-like blast slamming into a single point, a focused shockwave that cracked the ground and sent sparks of mana flying.

"I think this will only be truly effective against the foe with the greatest power, or when enemies are concentrated in one spot," he said, studying the readouts. "The impact area is not very wide. Its range can reach far, but it only covers the island."

Edrik considered that for a moment, then replied, "Yes, this is clearly meant for defense."

In every Lord Battle Season, each Lord could be challenged up to five times at most by other Lords. They were allowed to respond in two ways: by choosing to defend, or by going into an all-out confrontation. Though the latter required spending one of their two precious Attack Tokens.

Those same Attack Tokens could also be used proactively to challenge other Lords’ islands. The system was clearly designed to make defense the more common scenario. Direct assaults or full confrontations were riskier and far easier to avoid if one planned carefully.

Atlas himself had also spent both of his Attack Tokens in the previous round. One to launch a counterattack on Soren’s island, and the other when he was forced into an all-out confrontation against another Lord.

Now that he was satisfied with the inspection of the main fortress, Atlas turned his attention to the two other structures that had also finished construction: the Noble Estate and the Noble Meeting Hall.