บท 31: Chapter 31 - Setting the Stage for New Allies
Atlas and the others gathered around the dining table, trying out all the snacks he'd brought. Karian, of course, was quick to grab whatever he liked and devour it at lightning speed. At one point, as Karian reached for another snack on the table, Morganna gave him a fierce look. He immediately hesitated and let her take it instead.
Afterward, Atlas pulled out the Awakener Devices he'd acquired earlier and distributed them.
"Activate these with your Mana," he explained. "They're essentially communication devices with a range of other features. I'm sure we'll find them useful. I've gotten one for each of you."
He handed out the devices, and Edrik was the first to respond, quickly pressing a few interfaces on the screen and securing the device into his pocket. Karian, however, seemed a bit puzzled, struggling with his oversized thumbs on the small screen while Edrik watched in amusement, not offering any help.
Atlas noticed Lyrassa simply staring at her device, not interacting with it. He moved closer, guiding her thumb to touch the screen. The device lit up green, signaling activation.
"See? That's all there is to it. Feel free to explore it, and let me know if you have any questions."
Lyrassa stayed quiet, hesitantly tapping the screen with her index finger, a bit nervously exploring her new device.
Atlas glanced over at Morganna, who was also staring at her device. He walked over and offered gently, "Hey, need a hand?"
She didn't respond, but neither did she turn him away.
He moved closer, standing at her side, and his shoulder lightly brushed hers as he pointed at the screen.
"Here, place your thumb right there."
The Vampire Queen followed his instructions, her device lighting up with a soft glow. After a moment of watching the screen, she began tapping and navigating it on her own.
Had any of them worked with advanced technology before?
Yet, as he observed her, it was clear Morganna wasn't as hesitant as Lyrassa had been; she adapted swiftly. Perhaps, in her own world, she'd been familiar with technology, just of a different design and purpose.
After finishing up his explanation of the Awakener Devices and ensuring everyone was connected to him, Atlas turned his attention to some messages from the Awakener Association.
They'd sent over a list of the supplies he needed. He took a sharp breath as he skimmed through it. The items would quickly drain about 300 gold from his funds. But at least this would allow him to build four Flame Beacons as soon as he returned to Gacha Haven.
Surprisingly, Fire Crystals weren't as expensive as he'd anticipated. True, he could hunt for more, but a full day of hunting had only earned him 30, while he needed 100 just to construct one Flame Beacon.
No matter. The flame towers would be a valuable asset for defense against attacks, and four should be enough for the initial phase.
However, one item immediately caught his attention: the World Shard.
He needed three of these to build a Gateway Altar, which would allow him to summon awakeners more easily. But the price was steep, between 150 to 200 gold per shard. And now, the Association was offering him three for a total of 480 gold coins?!
Should he take the offer? 480 gold coins? That was a huge amount. With that money, he could almost pay for over 100 awakeners. Buying these World Shards now would nearly drain his gold reserves.
Without a Gateway Altar, he'd be forced to keep returning to the lower lands to recruit awakeners, wasting valuable time.
Visiting the lower lands might be enjoyable if he encountered advanced, welcoming cities like Veylamar, where they were now. But having to stop in harsh or hostile territories would make gathering resources a real challenge.
The 480 gold coins were extremely precious to him at this stage. He decided he'd delay for a week; if he could secure more funds in other ways, he could reconsider the purchase.
Besides, a single Rank-A item pull could fetch a good amount of gold if he sold it. Just imagine the value of the Epic-grade greatsword he'd pulled for Karian—it would be worth a small fortune if put up for sale.
But no, that sword was rare and valuable, and he couldn't part with it. He'd have to find another way to secure the funds he needed.
Atlas had secured all the essentials he needed. Food supplies, some critical tools, seeds, additional weapons, and clothing. Now, he could only hope to gather 30 awakeners quickly and head back to Gacha Haven.
While he enjoyed his time in this city, which truly felt like a paradise for anyone with the money to buy what they wanted, he knew he couldn't afford to get too comfortable. He had to make the most of his time here.
That evening, he returned to the Awakener Association for a presentation to the assembled awakeners, followed by interviews and selection rounds with those interested in his offer.
The event took place in a spacious room lined with rows of chairs facing a small stage prepared for Atlas and his team. He stood before the crowd, looking out at the faces of the awakeners who were intently studying him.
Yes, that's the look of assessment!
They were gauging him, analyzing his potential as a Lord, as if to judge just how capable and promising he truly was, as a new awakened Lord!
Once everyone had gathered, he received the final count, around 70 people had shown up. Not a small number at all. But no, selecting 30 out of 70 was too high a ratio, and he doubted they'd all meet his criteria.
He'd already set clear requirements for his recruits. In terms of level, he'd asked for a minimum of level 35, and as for roles, he specified a need for combatants, support, and workers. Judging by the turnout, he was pleased with the balance in skill sets.
His next task was to present himself to the group. He needed to gain their trust first, and then he'd narrow down the candidates to those who were willing to put their faith in him.
Well, he wasn't bad at talking. With a confident smile, he stepped forward and began.
"Three days ago, I was just an awakener with F-rated spear talent," he began. "My other abilities? Useless in combat, barely scraping by with B and C ratings. I was trash. No, I was trash among the trash."
"But tonight," he continued, "that so-called 'trash' spear talent rated F? It's now rated B. And I've gained a new, superior S-rated talent. Those pathetic B and C skills? They've evolved to A-rated."
His speech clearly held their interest, and he knew their skepticism was melting just a little.
"Not only that," he said, gesturing to the figures seated behind him, "I also have people I trust by my side. And yes, I summoned them myself."
He gestured toward Karian. "Feel free to challenge Karian, the Dragon Warrior, one-on-one. He'll take you on, any of you, without breaking a sweat. And as for the others, well… you can imagine their abilities."
He continued. "All this in just three days!"
He paused, letting his words sink in. "I'm confident in leading my island to greatness. And if anyone doubts that… you're free to challenge my words."
Hands shot up around the room, one, two, ten, twenty… soon nearly everyone had their hand raised. But no, they weren't volunteering to join. They were eager to challenge him, maybe even mock his apparent overconfidence.
One man stood up, sneering. "That's ridiculous! Who the hell would believe your nonsense? There's no way anyone can accomplish that in three days. Either you're a scammer, or you're looking to exploit us."
Atlas offered a thin smile, unfazed by the reaction.
***
Author's Note (Important)
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