Chapter 202: Chapter 202 - Endless Rope
Atlas was guaranteed a Rank-S pull on his 80th attempt. But even then, it wasn’t certain he’d land the featured character. This time, the newly released Rank-S, Serenith.
If he wanted to play it safe, he’d need to go all the way to 160 pulls to secure her. Still, he knew the true value of each pull couldn’t be measured so simply. Even Rank-A characters had proven themselves indispensable in his team.
Edrik, the master of management and strategy. Kurogasa, the peerless infiltrator who could wield countless weapons. Karian, the brutal yet precise frontliner whose fighting style blended raw strength with technical mastery.
Even Mira, the cheerful, "cute" gardener who had become something far more. And of course, Baldric, the blacksmith whose worth had long since outgrown his Rank-A label. Thanks to him, Atlas had achieved one of the alliance’s most significant milestones: the production of flexible armor, already being distributed to some of the island’s people.
So yes, another character would always be welcome. A weapon would always be welcome. Items, blueprints, artifacts. Every piece had its place.
And tonight, Atlas had plenty of pulls to make. Enough to boost his strength, and his island’s, to a whole new level.
Alright then. Time to move on to the second Rank-A item of the night.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Moonveil Blade]
[Attacks heal for 5% of damage dealt at night.]
As the purple ticket dissolved into light, a sleek silver blade materialized before him.
The weapon pulsed faintly, shimmering as though moonlight itself had been hammered into steel.
Atlas paused, struck by the weapon’s aura. It felt almost fated, perfectly suited for someone he had in mind. The drawback was clear, however: its true power only awakened under the cover of night. A shame, perhaps... but still, in the right hands, it would be a weapon of incredible worth.
His eyes slid toward Luna. He already knew. This was meant for her.
Without hesitation, he stepped toward her. Almost as if she understood what was coming, Luna rose gracefully to meet him. Atlas stopped before her, holding the blade out.
"You should take this," he said. "It fits your theme perfectly."
Luna hesitated, her eyes fixed on the blade, uncertainty flickering across her face. "Atlas... are you sure about this?"
From the side, Ember let out a cough, smirking. "Luna, don’t stall. Take it already! I want my turn too."
Atlas chuckled. "It might not be as grand as the sword you already wield, but I’m certain it’ll be a fine addition."
Luna’s lips curved into the faintest smile. "A gift is a gift," she said softly, finally reaching out to take the blade.
Her fingers closed around the hilt with quiet reverence. "And this is precious. Thank you, Atlas. I’ll treasure it, for the sake of our alliance."
Her hand traced along the smooth, silver surface, pausing when she felt the faint hum of energy beneath her touch.
For a long moment, she simply studied the weapon, her expression calm. But Atlas noticed it, the subtle flicker of interest sparking in her gaze.
Still, Atlas wasn’t finished. He glanced over the crowd, feeling their anticipation surge like a tide. With a confident stride, he returned to the stage, raising his voice so all could hear.
"We won’t stop until a new companion joins us tonight!" he roared.
"FIRE!!" the crowd answered, their shout echoing with enthusiasm.
"Alright, another ten gold tickets! That makes twenty so far."
He pulled the tickets from his inventory and tossed them into the air. One by one, they burned away, unveiling their rewards. This round, however, wasn’t as generous. Only a single Rank-A appeared amidst the haul.
Several useful items materialized, but nothing too extraordinary. Atlas decided to store most of them for the army.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Warden’s Bulwark]
[Perfect blocks restore stamina.]
He picked up the gleaming shield, already thinking of who among his people could wield it best. For now, though, he set it aside. Even as he caught the hungry looks from his defenders, their eyes practically glued to the artifact.
"Don’t worry," Atlas said with a small grin. "Edrik will help distribute this to the right hands."
The response was immediate.
"Aww, come on! Just let me hold it for one night. I promise I’ll give it back... probably."
"Why does Edrik get to decide everything? He’s too stingy! I’d make that shield look way cooler."
"Hah! If you give it to him, he’ll probably just use it as a dinner plate!"
"My Lord, please! Look at me. Do I not look like the perfect Warden of Bulwarks? ...No? Okay fine, maybe after a few drinks?"
The crowd burst into laughter, their disappointment turning into a chorus of playful banter, the festive mood unshaken.
Atlas knew better than to expect his luck to be as absurd as the first time he had pulled Morganna in a single roll. Still, with plenty of tickets in hand, he had every reason to believe something incredible might come his way tonight. Maybe on the 50th... or the 60th... or even the 70th pull. As long as the featured character appeared, it would all be worth it.
He grabbed another ten tickets, raising them high. The night was still young.
"Are you ready?!" he shouted.
"FIRE!" the crowd roared back.
The tickets flew into the air, burning one by one as their colors shifted.
Brown. Brown. Purple!
"Nice, early Rank-A!" Atlas grinned.
"FIRE!" the crowd bellowed again.
Another purple burst into existence.
"FIRE!!"
Brown. Brown. Purple. Brown. Brown. Brown.
"FIRE!!!"
Atlas laughed, pleased. "Three Rank-A in one pull. Luck hasn’t left me yet!"
He swept through the brown-ranked items quickly. Most were duplicates, a few were new, but nothing truly game-changing. Still, the experience orbs and skill scrolls alone made the pull worthwhile.
Now, only the purples remained, the real treasures.
Atlas held them up, one by one. "Alright... let’s see what we’ve got."
[You have received Rank-A Item: Dragonfang Ring]
[Boosts melee attack power.]
The first purple prize materialized as a gleaming silver ring, its centerpiece carved from a sharp, dragon-like fang. Atlas lifted it, studying the description before explaining it aloud.
"A ring that boosts melee attack power. I know a few people who could use this well. Edrik will distribute it later to whoever it suits best."
"I want that!" Garen shouted immediately, raising his hand like a child in class.
"Oh come on, you already got something before! Don’t be greedy, hahaha!" another warrior called out, sparking a round of laughter.
Atlas grinned, slipping the ring into his storage before moving on. He could barely wait to see the next prize.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Endless Rope]
[Unbreakable and extendable.]
The item that appeared next was... a rope. A plain-looking coil, save for the faint magical shimmer pulsing across its length. Atlas frowned, picking it up with a raised brow.
"Unbreakable and extendable rope?" he muttered before turning to the crowd. "Alright, tell me. What exactly am I supposed to use this for?"
"Maybe tie up all the lazy soldiers so they don’t sneak off duty!" one voice called.
"Or better yet, use it to drag Baldric out of the forge before he forgets what sunlight looks like!" another joked, earning a wave of laughter.
Then Milo, stuttering but sly as ever, piped up. "W-what about... using it to tie me up, My Lord?"
The entire hall burst into laughter, heads whipping toward him.
Atlas sighed, rubbing his temple, fighting a smile. "Alright, you lot definitely have wild imaginations. Let’s just put this in storage and let Edrik decide how it’s actually used."
"I say we tie up Edrik with it, hahahaha! That way he can’t keep bossing us around!" another soldier joked.
Edrik slowly turned his head toward the man, his piercing glare enough to silence half the room.
"No, Edrik, I was just joking!" The soldier quickly raised his hands in surrender, laughing nervously as the hall roared again.
So far, the two items he had pulled weren’t exactly useless... but they certainly hadn’t lived up to his expectations.
Perhaps his hopes had been set a little too high after such an incredible start. Still, there was no telling what surprises might appear next. And besides, he had promised to set aside something for Celestia and Ember as well. Hopefully, fortune would grant him an item that could truly entertain the two of them.
Atlas raised his hand once more, his grin sharp with anticipation. "Let’s go on to the next Rank-A item!"
"FIRE!!" the crowd roared back.