Chapter 203: Chapter 203 - Bound Wolf Collar
[You have received Rank-A Item: Phantom Torch]
[Only visible to allies.]
Atlas blinked at the strange-looking lantern-like object floating before him. "A Phantom Torch?" he murmured, reading the description.
He explained it aloud to the others. "It seems only allies can see its light... not enemies."
A few murmurs rose across the hall. At first glance, it didn’t look like much. Certainly not as flashy as a flaming gauntlet or a dragonfang ring. But the more Atlas thought about it, the more he could see its value. A guiding light invisible to enemies... in the dead of night, this could prove priceless.
"Alright, enough of these warm-up items," Atlas declared with a grin. "Next pull, we’re aiming for something extraordinary!"
"FIRE!!" the crowd bellowed back, voices echoing with excitement.
Atlas raised his next set of tickets, their edges glowing faintly in his grip. "Another ten pulls. That makes forty in total. Let’s see what we get."
With a swift motion, he tossed them into the air. The tickets burst into shimmering golden flames, their glow flickering like fireworks under the festival lights as everyone leaned forward in anticipation.
The energy of the festival shifted in an instant. Even Luna, Ember, and Celestia, who had been composed until now, were leaning forward, their eyes glued to the spectacle.
The tickets spun gracefully in the air, their golden shimmer drawing every gaze. The crowd hushed, anticipation thick in the night air as the colors began to shift.
Brown. Brown. Brown.
Then, Purple!
"FIRE!" the crowd roared, the shout booming in unison. Excitement erupted, spreading like wildfire.
Another shimmer, another Purple!
"FIRE!!!"
The cheers grew louder, the energy skyrocketing as the entire gathering joined in, their voices shaking the ground beneath them.
Brown. Brown. Brown. Brown.
And then, the final ticket.
It didn’t shift immediately. Instead, it trembled in midair, vibrating as if resisting, its light flickering chaotically.
The crowd fell silent, breath caught in their throats.
The ticket shook harder, the glow sparking like lightning. And then it burst, flashing RED.
The eruption of screams was deafening.
"FIIIIIRE!!!"
The entire festival exploded into chaos and joy, cheers thundering like a shockwave across the island.
Atlas’s eyes widened, disbelief flashing across his face.
"A Rank-S pull... this early?"
His very first 10-pull on the exclusive character banner had given him Morganna, and now. Just 40 pulls in, he had landed another Rank-S.
This was monumental.
Atlas’s hands trembled slightly, itching to reach for the glowing red ticket, but he restrained himself. The anticipation in the air was electric, everyone’s eyes were locked on him.
Then the crowd erupted.
"Come on, Lord! Open it already!"
"Don’t keep us waiting!"
"You’re killing us with the suspense!"
Atlas chuckled, clearly savoring the moment. He knew that aside from the Rank-S, two Rank-A items were also waiting. No need to rush, this deserved to be enjoyed.
With a wave of his hand, he cleared the Rank-B pulls in one swift motion, their rewards scattering neatly into his inventory.
"I know you’re all impatient. I am too," he said with a grin. "But let’s take this slowly. Savour it together. We’ll start with the Rank-A first."
Turning to the first purple ticket, he tapped it gently. A soft glow pulsed outward, coalescing into a thin silver band that floated in the air before him.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Camouflage Band]
[Temporarily changes clothing to match surroundings.]
Atlas scanned the description. "Not bad. Another tool for stealth and spying."
He stored it away, glancing at the crowd. "Don’t worry, I’ll be distributing items later. Everyone will get their turn."
Now, for the second Rank-A pull.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Bound Wolf Collar]
[Summons a loyal battle companion.]
Atlas raised an eyebrow.
A summoning item? And a wolf-type familiar, no less.
He already had his own reliable familiar, so this could be more useful in someone else’s hands.
His gaze shifted to Celestia. "Celly, do you want this? As a healer, I’m sure having a familiar would help protect you."
Celestia’s eyes lit up. "A cute little cub? Yes... I’d love that!"
Atlas stepped down from the stage, handing the wolf collar to Celestia.
Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him, laughing. "Thank you, Atlas!"
Atlas stepped back, chuckling as Celestia immediately equipped the item.
The moment it touched her skin, the collar’s dark material shifted. Turning pure white, perfectly matching her outfit.
A magic circle flared to life in front of Celestia.
Atlas instinctively stepped back, giving her space.
The crowd stirred, murmurs of curiosity spreading as more people stood up, eager to watch.
A shadow began forming. From within the light, a towering silhouette took shape.
As the glow faded, a massive wolf emerged, far larger than any ordinary beast.
Its fur was sleek and powerful, its piercing eyes sharp and alert. And as it took its first breath, it let out a deep, menacing growl.
For a moment, the crowd fell silent.
Then, "Whoa, that thing is massive!"
"That’s a Rank-A familiar?!"
"It looks like a damn beast from a legend!"
Celestia, however, wasn’t fazed. With zero hesitation, she rushed forward and threw her arms around the wolf’s neck, ruffling its fur excitedly.
"Awwww, who’s a good boy?~" she cooed, snuggling into the massive beast.
The wolf huffed, seemingly annoyed but allowed it.
Ember crossed her arms, smirking. "Yeah, sure. A cute little cub, Celly."
Celestia giggled, completely ignoring the sarcasm. "I’ll take care of this beast like it’s my own baby. Thank you again, Atlas."
Atlas smirked, nodding before making his way back onto the stage.
The crowd was restless now. The moment he reached the top, all eyes were on him.
No one could wait any longer. It was time, time to reveal the Rank-S pull.
Atlas tapped the floating red ticket.
At once, a surge of dark energy erupted outward, tendrils of shadow twisting through the air like living things, curling and lashing against the ground. The aura condensed, swirling until it began to take shape, the vague silhouette of a person.
Atlas blinked.
"Wait, what character did the Lord say could appear again?" someone whispered.
"This one looks menacing. Another powerful unit for sure."
"But... Why does this feel familiar?"
"Can you all shut up? Let me enjoy the suspense without your chatter!"
"You shut up yourself!"
The crowd’s bickering only fueled the tension, but Atlas barely heard them. His chest tightened, breath caught as he watched the figure forming before him.
"Wait... the rate-up character wasn’t even a Shadow-element pull."
Then it clicked. Rank-S pulls carried a fifty percent chance of producing a non-rate-up character. If this wasn’t Serenith, then his next Rank-S would be guaranteed to be her.
Even so, a Rank-S was still a Rank-S. And every single one he’d obtained so far had proven invaluable. What would it be this time?
The shadows finally began to fade, revealing a figure, translucent, ghostlike.
A man.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"No way... my guess was right!" someone shouted.
The realization spread instantly. Dozens of eyes swiveled in the same direction, to the back of the gathering.
There, standing stiffly beside Zara, was Milo. The black-haired man clutched his deck of cards tightly, his eyes darting nervously between the spectral figure materializing before Atlas... and the crowd, who were now staring directly at him.
[You have received 1 Rank-S Character: ...]