Chapter 201: Chapter 201 - The Emberclaw Gauntlets
Atlas immediately pulled up the Exclusive Character Banner. In an instant, the screen flared to life, brilliant colors flashing as the display shifted into a freshly renewed banner.
A figure burst across the screen, soaring through the sky. A winged woman with long, flowing crimson hair that streamed past her thighs, whipping wildly in the wind.
She was clad in sleek, form-fitting armor of red and black, every curve sharpened with elegance and danger. Her expression was playful, brimming with confidence, as she casually balanced a massive bazooka over her shoulder, as if the weapon weighed nothing at all.
[Serenith - The Crimson Skyblaster]
Atlas raised an eyebrow. "Another female character?"
She was definitely unique. Her tight, modern-looking outfit, combined with the mechanical-like wings, gave her an almost hybrid appearance.
"Is she a Beastkin?"
He studied the banner more closely, but besides her wings, there were no clear traits that suggested she was.
Still, with her fiery red hair and wild energy, she gave off the same kind of vibrant personality as Mira.
"Too many chaotic personalities in one place. But at least the island will be more lively."
He shifted his focus to her weapon. The name displayed on the banner:
[Crimson Thunder]
"A long-range fighter with a brutal weapon choice, huh?"
Combined with her flight abilities, Serenith would undoubtedly be an extremely valuable addition to the team.
Atlas didn’t waste another second. Tonight was the perfect time to pull.
Not only would it add to the celebration, but it was also the best chance to demonstrate his ability to Luna and the others.
As a brief pause settled in the celebration, Atlas rose to his feet and walked to the stage, drawing the attention of those around him.
Luna, Ember, Celestia, and Brigid observed curiously.
With a confident smile, Atlas raised his voice, addressing the crowd.
"Tonight is not just a celebration of our victory, but also the beginning of something greater. Our alliance for the future."
A wave of applause erupted, excitement rippling through the gathering.
Atlas let the cheers settle before continuing. "And to mark this occasion, I’m going to do something... special. A little ceremony, if you will."
That caught everyone’s attention. With a flick of his wrist, Atlas pulled out 10 golden tickets, letting them gleam under the festival lights.
"Tell me, have any of you ever played a gacha game?"
Luna and Celestia exchanged glances before both nodded knowingly.
Atlas smirked. "Then let me show you what gacha pulls look like when they happen in the real world."
With that, he tossed all ten tickets into the air.
The golden cards twirled and spun as they soared, catching the light beautifully before their back covers began to change colors one by one.
The crowd leaned forward in anticipation.
Brown. Brown. Brown. Brown.
Atlas clicked his tongue. "Come on, give me something good on the first try."
Then, a flash of purple.
"Fire!" everyone shouted.
The crowd cheered along, while Luna, Ember, and Celestia watched intently, intrigued by the ritual.
The next set began shifting. Brown. Brown. Brown. Then, another purple!
"Fire!"
The last one, Brown.
"Not bad. Two purples."
And this was only the beginning.
Atlas turned toward Luna and the others, noticing their expressions still filled with curiosity and confusion.
Luna folded her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Atlas, are you telling me you can actually pull something extraordinary from those gacha tickets?"
Atlas simply smirked.
Before he could respond, Ember let out a sharp laugh. "Oh damn, Atlas. Is that why you have so many elite subordinates? You pull them from the gacha?! Hell, that’s insane!"
Celestia’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Atlas, that’s so cool! Can you pull another Mira for me?" she teased, giggling.
Atlas chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, something like that has happened before. But instead of getting two Miras, the previous Mira got upgraded."
Luna, Ember, and Celestia exchanged looks, their curiosity growing.
Atlas grinned playfully. "No, she didn’t get an upgrade in cuteness. It was more of an upgrade that you probably don’t want to know about."
He let out a small laugh, watching their mixed reactions.
Just then, from the front of the stage, Mira, completely unaware of the conversation, turned toward Ember and waved sweetly.
Her signature innocent smile practically sparkled under the festival lights.
Ember glanced between Mira and Atlas, then back again.
"...You know what? I don’t wanna know."
Atlas stood tall, quickly skipping past the lower-ranked items and focusing only on the two Rank-A pulls that remained.
Without hesitation, he tapped one of the tickets.
The golden card ignited into flames, burning away as a glowing object emerged from the light.
A pair of sleek, crimson gauntlets materialized before him, burning faintly with a fiery aura.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Emberclaw Gauntlets]
[Adds fire damage to melee attacks.]
Atlas reached out and grasped the item floating before him, studying it for a moment. It was perfectly suited for a close-range fighter. Something that practically fit his own combat style, especially when paired with his already overwhelming elemental aura.
Only... this time, he had something else in mind.
Turning his gaze toward Luna and the others, he raised the item slightly. "This is the Emberclaw Gauntlets. An artifact that enhances fire-infused melee attacks," he explained with a smirk.
"So it’s real after all, haha!" Ember exclaimed, her voice bubbling with excitement, while Luna and Celestia remained stunned, their eyes fixed on the gauntlets in disbelief.
Atlas nodded. "I plan to gift items to those who’ll benefit from them the most."
Stepping down from the stage, he walked straight toward Brigid. The silent warrior woman rose slowly, her expression unreadable, her calm, steady eyes locking onto his as if to ask silently what his intentions were.
Without hesitation, Atlas held the gauntlets out toward her. "I believe these will suit you best."
Brigid’s gaze fell to the artifact in his hands. For a moment, she hesitated, her silence heavy. She stared at the gauntlets as though weighing not just their value, but what it meant to accept them.
Finally, her eyes lifted back to meet his. "I think this is too valuable. Are you certain about this, Atlas?"
Atlas simply smiled. "Consider it a token of our alliance. As the leader, it’s my duty to strengthen everyone in it."
The entire hall fell silent, breath held, every gaze fixed on the two of them.
Would she accept?
After a long pause, Brigid finally took the gauntlets, holding them with surprising care before glancing back at Atlas.
Then, just barely, a small, rare smile curved her lips. "Thanks, Atlas."
...Oh? She’s actually cute when she smiles.
The moment Brigid accepted the gift, the hall erupted with cheers and applause, the sound echoing through the fortress.
Wasting no time, Brigid slid the Emberclaw Gauntlets onto her hands. The instant they locked into place, they ignited, flames bursting forth in a brilliant blaze that bathed the area in crimson light.
She summoned her sword, and the fire immediately surged from the gauntlets, racing up the blade until the entire weapon was consumed in roaring flames.
Without hesitation, Brigid swung.
The blade carved through the air, leaving a blazing arc of fire in its wake. The sheer heat of it forced Luna and Ember to instinctively duck, their eyes widening.
Ember blinked, then broke into a wide grin. "Okay... that’s seriously cool."
Atlas chuckled, clearly satisfied, before turning and making his way back onto the stage.
The night’s celebration was far from over, and it had only just begun.