CHAPTER 305: CHAPTER 305 - CANNONFIRE AND CALM EYES

Atlas, Edrik, and Lyrassa remained sheltered behind the protective barrier cast by Lyrassa, yet even from within its safety, they could clearly see Morganna’s battle outside.

Atlas gently turned Vienne’s head away, not wanting the little girl to witness what her mother was doing.

"Mama... Mama..." Vienne called softly, struggling to look past his arm.

Atlas swallowed hard as his eyes followed the terrifying sight beyond the shield. Morganna was completely cloaked in a swirling aura of black and blood-red energy. A pair of dark wings spread wide behind her, and her body was now barely visible beneath the writhing power surrounding her.

She moved like a crimson storm, flying at incredible speed. From her body, tendrils of living darkness burst forth, rushing toward fleeing enemies and dragging them back into her reach.

More opponents appeared, casting spells from afar, desperate to stop her advance. Yet even when their magic struck her, the impact dissolved into her shadowy aura, the energy absorbed as though feeding the darkness that wrapped around her.

Atlas guided the floating throne farther away once again, giving Morganna more space to fight freely.

At the same time, Atlas received an update that the enemy’s ground forces had begun to appear as well. And their numbers were massive. They were emerging from twelve different portals scattered along the outer regions of Gacha Haven.

This would be troublesome. The ground troops of Gacha Haven consisted of only eight squads, which meant they wouldn’t be able to intercept every assault launched by the enemy.

"How many total troops are we dealing with, Edrik?" Atlas asked.

Edrik paused briefly before replying. "Roughly fifty per portal on average."

"Fifty?" Atlas frowned. "That means their total numbers are nearing the system’s maximum limit for this battle, one thousand combatants."

Edrik nodded slightly. "Considering their levels are mostly above this rank range, they should already be affected by the system’s debuff. Slower stamina and mana regeneration."

Atlas gave a faint smirk at that. "And yet he said not to approach battle with brute force alone? Then why send such a massive army if not to crush us with sheer numbers?"

Edrik didn’t comment further. Instead, he immediately began relaying orders, directing all eight squads to intercept the enemy forces and focus their defense near the routes leading toward the island’s central area.

If all went according to plan, nearly half of the invading army wouldn’t be able to advance easily, as the highlands on the far side of the island would slow their movements. That delay would give Gacha Haven’s squads enough time to confront and engage the others before the enemy could reach deeper into their territory.

Atlas turned his attention once more toward the distance, where the massive azure dragon twisted gracefully through the sky. The opposing lord, Bai Yun, floated calmly within the beast’s gaping maw, observing the battle as though it were a mere spectacle.

"Now... let’s test the fortress’ cannon," Atlas said quietly.

Edrik nodded in acknowledgment and immediately summoned the control console. His fingers moved swiftly, ensuring the targeting system locked precisely onto the enemy’s position in the distance. As long as the target remained within the range of the floating islands, it would be a safe and reachable distance for the cannon’s blast to strike.

It always felt like the system itself imposed an artificial restriction. Despite the islands being able to grow endlessly, the cannon’s attack range was still confined strictly to the battlefield zones around them. In theory, though, the shot should still reach even from far away.

A loud, rising hum echoed from the direction of the central island, building in intensity until it turned into a deep, resonating vibration that filled the air. Then, with a thunderous boom, the fortress cannon fired.

A blazing streak of energy roared through the sky, passing just beneath Atlas’s throne. Everything in its path, the jagged terrain, the floating rocks, the air itself, seemed to melt and disintegrate from the sheer force of the blast.

The shot moved faster than sound, unstoppable, and it was aimed directly at Bai Yun in the distance.

There was no way he could dodge it in time!

In the distance, a deafening roar echoed through the skies as the dragon beast bellowed, shaking the air itself. A massive magic formation materialized before Bai Yun, glowing with an intense blue light that expanded outward like a barrier.

"No way... is he really going to take that hit head-on?" Atlas muttered in disbelief.

The fortress cannon blast struck violently, detonating upon impact with a chain of massive explosions. The shockwaves rippled through the clouds, lighting the horizon in blinding white flashes. But when the blast faded, barely a second after the cannon ceased firing, Bai Yun still floated there, calm and untouched, alongside his dragon.

"Did he just withstand that attack?" Atlas spoke quietly.

"More like..." Edrik replied. "That’s his system ability, my lord."

"I see," Atlas responded.

"Most likely an ability that nullifies or negates certain forms of damage. Perhaps magic-based attacks or long-range blasts," Edrik continued. "From what I observed, the explosion we saw wasn’t from the cannon itself, but from the impact against his magic formation. The blast was completely nullified upon contact."

Atlas exhaled slowly, his gaze narrowing. "Then firing again would be a waste of resources," he said. "Though I’m certain he won’t be able to nullify an attack of that scale multiple times in a row."

Edrik bowed slightly before speaking again. "Should I handle him, my lord?"

Atlas lifted Vienne into his arms, gazing at the bright, eager expression on the little girl’s face. "No," he said softly. "Let me use this as a way to progress myself."

He smiled at her then, brushing a strand of her hair aside. "You’ll stay here with Uncle Edrik, alright?"

"No..." Vienne protested immediately at the mention of Edrik’s name.

"There’s also Mama Lyra here," Atlas said reassuringly. "You’ll be safe with her, okay?"

"Mama Leela..." Vienne repeated, giggling afterward.

Atlas chuckled under his breath, then gently set the little girl down on the throne. She looked delighted, her tiny legs bouncing slightly as if she wanted to leap even though she was still seated.

With that, Atlas summoned his Wavebreaker Spear, and the figure of Zefyros appeared above, descending swiftly to land on the platform of the floating throne with a resounding impact.

"Are you ready, Zefyros?" Atlas asked.

KREEEAAAKKKK!

The creature’s cry echoed in answer.

Atlas gave a firm nod, then turned to Lyrassa. "I’ll be needing your support."

Lyrassa smiled warmly and bowed gracefully. "I will not let you lose your footing even for a moment, my lord."

Atlas looked back at Vienne one last time, gently patting her head. "I’ll be back soon."

Then, facing the distant enemy once more, his body became shrouded in a swirling aura of water and golden lightning. In the next instant, he merged with Zefyros, the fusion transforming the outward appearance of his armor.

Atlas gritted his teeth and tightened his grip around his spear. At the same time, a series of glowing octagonal platforms materialized in the air before him, stretching far into the distance like stepping stones of green light.

A small, confident smile crossed his face. He bent his knees slightly, then leapt forward, landing firmly on the first platform. The moment his foot touched it, he propelled himself to the next, and then the next, moving faster each time until his figure became a blur darting through the air.

"Let’s see," he murmured under his breath, his eyes fixed on the distant figure of Bai Yun. "Just how much of my magic can you really nullify?"