CHAPTER 315: CHAPTER 315 - DEFENSE BEGINS IN THE DIRT

Atlas sat among his elite subordinates, enjoying the feast that day. All across the open field, long rows of tables had been set up, covered with plates of steaming dishes prepared for the celebration. Everyone looked relaxed and content, sitting together in small groups, savoring the food and the long-awaited moment of peace.

Orren, their master chef, hadn’t cooked everything by himself, of course. Several assistant cooks had worked tirelessly by his side. Still, seeing how they managed to prepare meals in such massive quantities every single day truly showed how demanding the task was. Even with their current 163 workers, the number still felt small for the scale of Gacha Haven’s growing population.

Fortunately, recruiting workers was far easier, and much safer than finding new combatants. After each victorious battle, they usually managed to secure a few more workers from the defeated lords. Most of them chose to stay willingly.

Most of these workers came seeking gold, security, or sometimes the rare chance to level up. Some were even given the opportunity to convert into combatants if they wished to pursue that path. But for many, joining a lord’s domain wasn’t just about survival, it was about passion.

They could finally put their skills, creativity, and dedication to real use, building something lasting under the protection of a powerful lord.

Compared to the combatants, the workers lived a far more stable life. They weren’t thrown into the chaos of battle, and even if their current lord fell, they were often transferred safely to another.

While enjoying the meal, Atlas also took the opportunity to discuss several crucial matters that needed to be addressed soon.

The first step was restructuring Gacha Haven itself, reorganizing the layout and prioritizing which new structures needed to be built.

Increasing the number of defensive installations was his top priority. Among them were the Flame Beacons and Guardian Sentinel Statues, both essential for strengthening their outer defenses. Atlas intended to fill the entire perimeter of the island with these two defensive structures if possible. Doing so would significantly boost their defensive power beyond their actual combatant numbers.

Fortunately, the terrain of Gacha Haven had become even more suitable for defense in recent times. The elevated and uneven terrain across the island also gave their aerial units a huge advantage. They could easily maintain their positions at various lookout points and react swiftly to any airborne assault.

The addition of over two hundred flying troops had given Atlas a tremendous boost in power. With that many aerial units under his command, his ability to defend the skies had reached an entirely new level.

Krythalis, with his unique enhancement abilities, made them even deadlier, amplifying their speed, coordination, and damage output to impressive levels.

Still, Atlas knew it wasn’t enough. His forces were stronger than ever, yet far from complete. What he needed next were units capable of dealing powerful long-range attacks, as well as automated, unmanned units that could fight without risking lives. He also needed structures capable of covering wider defensive zones, installations that could shift the balance of any large-scale battle.

And above all, there was the Storm Generator. Atlas understood that it was a priority, something he had to build soon, no matter the cost.

**

After finishing his part of the celebration that day, Atlas, accompanied by Edrik and Mira, soon departed aboard the Nimbus Carriage. They had planned to visit one of the floating islands that afternoon.

The carriage sped swiftly across the sky, covering what was actually a fairly short distance, since their destination was one of the alliance lords’ islands, situated quite close to their current altitude.

From afar, the island quickly came into view. It was smaller than Gacha Haven, yet noticeably greener, its lush vegetation visible even from a distance.

As the carriage drew closer and entered the island’s boundaries, it became clear that most of the land was covered in vast forests and towering trees. Perhaps sixty percent of the island’s area.

On one side lay flower fields in full bloom, nearby fruit orchards, and residential areas seamlessly blended with nature, as though the trees themselves were part of the structures.

This floating island belonged to Gwyndelle, or Gwen, a young elf whose lord ability allowed her to accelerate the growth of plants.

The carriage descended into the central area, where a fortress surrounded by trees stood, its main structure blending beautifully with the forest around it.

Once the carriage landed, Atlas stepped down first, followed by the others. A short-haired blonde elf girl stood waiting, smiling warmly at him.

"It’s truly an honor to have you visit my island, Atlas. Welcome," she said.

Atlas approached, and Gwen stepped forward to greet him with a gentle hug.

"How did the results of the lord battles turn out for you?" he asked.

She nodded softly. "We managed to defend five battles, and two of our attack tokens were met with defenses as well. Though, in one of them, I had to retreat afterward."

"I suppose that’s not a disappointing outcome," Atlas replied.

"It shouldn’t be. We ended with an A score," she said, smiling faintly.

"An A score, glad to hear that, Gwen."

The elf girl then led Atlas on a walk around the area near the main fortress, where a wide flower field stretched out in full bloom, bathed in sunlight and filled with the sweet scent of blossoms carried by the breeze.

Mira, walking between them, looked overjoyed.

"I think a large flower garden like this would look beautiful in Gacha Haven, don’t you, Mira?" Atlas said.

"Yes! And if we combine it with the carrot fields, the mix of colors would be stunning," she replied excitedly.

"Yes, that would be lovely," Atlas said with a soft chuckle.

They soon sat down in the central garden area, where a round iron table and matching chairs stood slightly elevated, giving them a clear view of the scenery around them.

A few workers came to serve them food and drinks, and after a short while, Atlas reached into his storage and brought out the Rank-A Item: Guardian Seed Cuboid that he had obtained from the Gacha.

Gwen tilted her head curiously before opening it, revealing numerous seeds glowing faintly within.

"Lyrassa mentioned that these are a type of living plant mainly useful for defense," Atlas explained.

Gwen nodded thoughtfully. "These seeds are incredibly valuable... and the quantity?" she paused for a moment.

"The amount is decent," Atlas replied. "But if they’re to be used purely for defensive purposes, it won’t be enough to cover a large area."

The elf girl nodded slowly. "So, what would you like me to do with them, Atlas?"

Atlas fell silent for a brief moment before speaking. "I was thinking you could cultivate and reproduce more seeds from these plants, and study their full potential as well. That way, I can plant them on my island in greater numbers later. If you don’t mind, I’d like to share some of these seeds with you, so you can grow and develop them. Then, later, we can share the new seeds with me and the other alliance lords."

Gwen smiled warmly at his words. "You’re being far too generous with this kind of offer, Atlas."