Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 49 - The Raze Effect

Atlas crouched down in front of Milo, who trembled where he knelt, bowing low, hands quivering with fear.

"Milo, it’s over. No one is going to punish you," Atlas said, voice calm and steady. "Now, sit up. I want to talk to you."

Milo scrambled upright, though his face remained pale and drawn, his lips still trembling.

"My Lord... I-I’m so sorry... I made such a mess... If you want to imprison me, or do anything else, I’ll accept it. Just... please, don’t hurt me..."

Atlas furrowed his brow deeply. Judging by Milo’s reaction after returning to his normal form, it was clear he retained memories of being Raze. Yet he seemed to have no control over his own actions during that state.

Is this going to become a double-edged sword?

Something that might endanger even his own allies?

Still, it wasn’t something that needed interrogation right now. If the worst came to pass, Atlas could always use the authority system to subdue Milo, or rather, Raze.

But then he glanced toward Karian, who was grinning, clearly satisfied, and Kurogasa, ever nonchalant. Both of them seemed more entertained than disturbed.

They really do miss war. These fallen Lords... they’ve been craving battle, haven’t they?

He turned his attention back to Milo, who was still nervously pleading.

"Llisten. Milo," Atlas interrupted gently.

"Now, tell me what happened. Tell me about your friend, Raze. What made you transform into him? You’re not being punished. I just want to understand."

Milo nodded slowly, then began to speak.

"My Lord... umh... he is something... that... umh..." His words came out haltingly, broken and unsure.

It took some time, and a great deal of patience before Atlas was able to piece together the general idea behind what Milo was trying to say. Essentially, Raze was an alternate personality that existed within him.

"But your stat points with him are different, right?"

"Yes, My Lord... we both level up together, but I... I’m still weak..."

Atlas nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "So the transformation happens when someone touches you?"

Milo gave a timid nod of confirmation.

Atlas watched him closely, his expression thoughtful. From what he had witnessed during the battle, Raze wasn’t a completely mindless beast. He had maintained situational awareness, even exchanging sharp banter with Karian.

More importantly, he hadn’t gone berserk and attacked anyone indiscriminately. He had specifically engaged Karian and Kurogasa.

It’s clear Raze was only entertaining the fight with them. He ignored the troops completely. Could it be that he responded only because Karian directly provoked him?

Not to mention, despite the ferocity of the clash, neither Raze nor the others had attempted to land a truly lethal strike. The restraint was evident.

"Welcome to the team, Milo," Atlas said at last. "I can already tell you’re going to be a valuable asset. What was your previous rank?"

"Ch-champion, My Lord..." Milo answered.

"So, the same rank as Lyrassa," Atlas noted, nodding approvingly. "You must’ve gone through a lot to earn that. I trust your experience, your insight, and your strength will be of great use, to me, and to all of us."

Milo gave a slow nod, though his face remained pale and strained.

"I can control you, or rather, control Raze, through my authority," Atlas said, voice calm and reassuring. "If I ever needed to stop you, I could. But I won’t. So relax."

Milo blinked up at him, stunned, as if the words hadn’t quite registered.

Then, Atlas extended his hand and placed it gently on Milo’s shoulder.

Instantly, everyone tensed!

Kurogasa’s grip on his chain shifted slightly. Karian leaned forward, ready. Edrik narrowed his eyes, Lyrassa took a cautious step closer.

"We’re glad to have you with us," Atlas said simply.

Every soul nearby braced themselves for disaster.

But... nothing happened.

Atlas calmly pulled his hand away and straightened. Milo, still stiff as a board, looked down at his shoulder in silent disbelief.

Without a word, Atlas turned and walked toward the others waiting by the portal. Milo followed behind him, uncertain and visibly shaken.

So then... was it really true that Milo transformed into Raze upon being touched? Or had fear, deep, festering fear of hurting others, shaped that belief into something stronger than fact? Perhaps he hadn’t transformed this time simply because exhaustion had drained every spark of energy from him?

The question lingered in the silence.

"Hey, everyone, meet our new teammate, Milo," Atlas announced with a casual wave.

But the moment the words left his mouth, the entire group went pale. Without a second of hesitation, they rushed into the portal as if their lives depended on it, vanishing one after another, leaving only Mira behind, standing directly in front of Atlas.

"Hi, Mr. Grumpy," she chirped, flashing a playful grin. "Tomorrow, you’re helping me fix the garden, okay?" She giggled, standing very, very close to Milo.

Milo froze, eyes wide, and instinctively took a step back. It was clear Karian and Edrik had also subtly shifted their positions, making sure to keep just out of accidental reach.

Atlas chuckled softly and gently patted Mira on the shoulder. "Come on, Mira, let’s head back... I’m not in the mood for a roasted bunny tonight," he said with a smile.

Mira puffed up her cheeks and let out a dramatic pout. "My Lord... how many times do I have to say this... I’m not fully a bunny! I have a human body, okay?! I mean, sure, I have ears and a tail. But that doesn’t mean you get to make stew jokes! And no, I don’t eat only carrots, and no, I do not like being scratched behind the ears. Well... maybe a little, but that’s not the point!"

**

They returned to Gacha Haven, and it was immediately clear, no one dared share a hut with Milo. A separate space had been arranged for him, but Milo chose instead to sleep in a tent just outside the main camp. Atlas respected the decision, understanding it was the simplest way to put everyone at ease, at least for now.

The next morning, the group gathered for breakfast, the usual buzz of laughter and light conversation filling the air. But it all came to a sudden, awkward halt. Every head turned sharply in the same direction.

There stood Milo, smiling nervously, shuffling a deck of cards in his hands. "Hi! Want me to show you a card trick?"

No one responded. Instead, the entire group scattered, some bolting away in panic, others diving behind tables, as if he’d just pulled the pin on a live grenade.

Trying to keep his composure, Milo made his way to the kitchen. As he stepped inside, one of the cooks, a young woman, gasped and dropped a frying pan with a loud crash.

"Ah, no!" she blurted, clutching her stomach. "Sorry, I, uh... I have a stomachache!" And she darted away like her life depended on it.

The remaining cook, a young man, handed over a food box with visibly trembling hands. novelbuddy-cσ๓

"Sir, here’s your food," he said, his voice shaking.

As soon as Milo took the box, the cook backed away in tiny, cautious steps, face pale. "Hope you like it... the food was, uh, cooked by... by her... hehe..." He gave a weak smile and quickly retreated.

Atlas watched the scene unfold from a distance. He could see how deep the unease ran. How Milo’s presence, or perhaps the memory of Raze, was enough to unsettle the entire camp.

At least for now, there was little he could do to restore everyone’s trust in the poor street magician. As long as Raze stayed dormant, people would continue to tread carefully around Milo. But surely, they needed to know him better. Not just Milo, but Raze as well.

Maybe more training sessions at Flare Peak would help. Let the others witness Milo’s strength and learn to read the signs. Let them understand that the power within him wasn’t a curse, but a weapon to be wielded with care.

He was a Champion-Rank Lord. That meant decades, perhaps centuries, of experience. No one climbed that far alone. Surely, once, he had troops, allies, maybe even a kingdom. There was so much to uncover.

And the more Atlas thought about it, the more intrigued he became. There were layers to this man. And behind each of them, the lingering mystery of all the fallen Lords he’d summoned. He had every intention of peeling each one back.

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