Chapter 33 - New Recruits and a Sweet Deal

So, an elder rat ninja? 

Atlas smiled, intrigued by Kurogasa, the new summon standing before him. At first glance, Kurogasa appeared immensely capable. His curiosity got the better of him, and he quickly checked the summon's status.

[Name: Kurogasa]

[Level: 55]

[Strength: 145 | Agility: 317 | Intelligence: 87 | Constitution: 89 | Stamina: 150]

[Job: Specialized Fighters]

[Precision Strikes (S) - Rapid Reflexes (S) - Unseen Movement (A) - Dual-Wielding Dexterity (S) - Mind over Matter (A) - Hoarder's Instinct (A) - Observation Mastery (A)]

Just as he'd expected—three talents rated S! And the rest? All A-rated. This was Kurogasa in his "downgraded" version; who knew how powerful he could become as he continued to grow?

[Precision Strikes: Kurogasa's experience gives him an uncanny ability to hit weak points, maximizing the damage of each attack, especially when he is undetected.]

[Rapid Reflexes: His agility allows him to dodge most attacks instinctively, making him exceptionally hard to hit in close-quarters combat.]

[Unseen Movement: With a talent for moving without making a sound, Kurogasa can blend into his surroundings, slipping away unnoticed even in dangerous areas.]

[Dual-Wielding Dexterity: Skilled in wielding two small weapons or using his tail for added strikes, he can attack with multiple tools and weapons seamlessly.]

Atlas noted that four of Kurogasa's talents perfectly complemented his fighting style, particularly his skill in wielding multiple tools and weapons.

[Mind over Matter: Even in exhausting conditions, Kurogasa's mental discipline allows him to push through fatigue, hunger, or injuries better than most, making him a resilient survivor.]

Mind Over Matter, this highlighted his resilient nature as a beastkin rat, giving him an impressive level of survivability that would be invaluable in tough situations.

[Hoarder's Instinct: Kurogasa has a strong inclination to stash small, seemingly useless items he finds interesting or shiny, which occasionally makes his pockets cluttered]

Hoarder's Instinct, well, this one might not be particularly useful in battle.

[Observation Mastery: He notices tiny details that others might overlook, from subtle shifts in posture to hidden compartments. This allows him to analyze his enemies' weaknesses or spot hidden traps.]

Observation Mastery, this talent was ideal for his role as a ninja, enhancing his perception and making him a formidable scout and strategist.

"Welcome to the team, Kurogasa. But please, do me the favor of calling me by my name—just Atlas," Atlas replied with a nod.

"This is how I show my respect to my leader, My Lord," Kurogasa responded humbly.

Atlas smiled, amused by the Ninja Rat's formality. He couldn't help but wonder if this master had other ninja apprentices… like, say, Ninja Turtles?

"Please, join the others," he said, gesturing toward the group.

Karian, Edrik, and Lyrassa stood to welcome their new companions, but the highest among them remained seated, legs crossed, watching with an uninterested expression.

Atlas turned back to face the Awakeners, surprised to see that some who had simply been standing before now moved forward, a few even breaking into a run. The one at the front dropped to one knee before him.

"Lord Atlas, your display of greatness has left me in awe. I'm convinced you are destined for greatness. Please, accept my loyalty," he pledged earnestly.

Another quickly followed suit, kneeling beside the first. "Lord Atlas, please, accept my loyalty too. I'm a trained chef, fully licensed. I'll cook you the best meals you've ever had!"

"My Lord, please allow me to serve you as well. I am an archer."

Those further back, still with their hands half-raised, stood frozen, bewildered. Should they, too, declare their loyalty? Doing so would mean pledging themselves fully to the Lord, no longer acting as merely paid mercenaries.

Five, six, twelve, twenty-seven—all knelt, one after another, each offering their devotion.

Atlas took a small step back as more and more of them eagerly proclaimed their loyalty to him. When the number reached thirty, he lifted his hand.

"Please, that's enough," he said.

"My Lord, please, allow me to follow you too," one voice insisted.

"Hold on. Listen to me," Atlas replied, and they fell silent immediately. 

"My island is still small, and I don't yet have enough space to accommodate all of you. Remember, this is only my third day. But I promise I'll contact you again. I've kept all of your contracts on record."

"But My Lord," someone pleaded, "I don't mind sleeping outside if it means I can join you!"

"Please, My Lord, allow us."

Atlas raised his right hand once more. "This is my decision," he said firmly. "I'll bring along the first thirty who pledged their loyalty to me." 

With that, he turned to leave, meeting Edrik's gaze as he passed. Edrik gave a respectful bow, ready to manage those who remained.

Atlas strode out of the room, followed closely by his subordinates.

He had already assessed most of the thirty who had pledged their loyalty. Atlas knew that at least seventy percent of them were reasonably skilled in their roles. As for the rest? Well, he respected the quickness with which they'd chosen to follow him.

Life as an Awakener had always been a brutal path. They had made their choice: to either scrape by on the lower lands as common Awakeners or to serve under a lord on the Floating Islands. Fighting to secure their place and risking their lives was the only option available to them.

If they were willing to work hard, and with the right support from him, Atlas was confident they could all grow into something formidable.

Not bad—thirty new recruits without spending a single gold coin. Well, not exactly without cost. Those who pledged loyalty accepted smaller gold payments, but they received rewards in other forms: a share of the spoils, gear upgrades, Exp Orbs, skill scrolls, and the like. It was part of the Lord's responsibility to help them grow, because, after all, they would become his strength.

Now the real challenge was finding a way to house them all, as the single Residential Hut he owned wasn't nearly enough for the whole group.

It looked like he'd need to build more as soon as he got back.

With this, he could put off building the Gateway Altar for a bit. He'd spend at least one night in this city… and maybe the next day too… to enjoy what it had to offer. Honestly, having a bit of fun couldn't hurt. It would also give him a chance to strengthen his bond with his subordinates. 

Good bonding meant a stronger team, after all.

Still, he couldn't help but wonder what Mira was up to up there. Who knew, maybe she'd surprise him with another unexpected benefactor? Free resources were always welcome.

Atlas came to a halt, prompting the others to stop as well. They were still in the lobby of the Awakener Association center. He turned directly toward Morganna, who met his gaze with a look that seemed to say, What do you want?!

"You remember that floating bike from this afternoon. The Dune Phantom?" he asked casually.

Karian caught on immediately, bowing slightly before heading off. Lyrassa, too, gave a small bow and followed behind Karian.

"Feel free to float, it's all right," he called after her.

Lyrassa nodded and lifted herself gracefully into the air, floating ahead to catch up with Karian.

"What do you want?" Morganna said.

"I got access to the Dune Phantom… No, actually, I have one now," Atlas replied. "And… They told me this city has an amazing view from above."

Atlas had received the Dune Phantom as a gift from the Awakener Association. Why were they being so generous? It seemed this was their way of building good relations with promising Lords.

"Flying isn't exactly new to me."

"Well, they also have incredible ice cream at the top of the tallest building in the city, and the view from up there is supposed to be… divine," he added, this time with a slight smile.

Morganna stayed silent for a moment, as did Atlas. The quiet standoff between them began to draw curious glances from the people nearby.

"Hey, isn't that the new lord who's been recruiting everyone?"

"Yeah, but who's the woman with him? She's… wow. So Hot!"

"She's his summon."

"No way! I wish I could summon someone like that."

After a few seconds, Morganna broke the silence. "I'm only going for the ice cream."

"Good enough," he replied, smiling at her response.

Suddenly, Edrik's words echoed in his mind, as if whispered right in his ear: "Atlas, treat her well. Remember, she's your first wife."

Damn it, Edrik, shut up!