This marked the final battle of the season, and Ats had swept through every enter with unbroken victories. Even now, he secured yet another decisive win.

  [Are Shards: 5,025]

  [Gold: 5,458]

  [Rank Points: 140 (Rank-1 Seeker, Division 3)]

  [batants: 65]

  [Workers: 16]

  With the battle cluded, all troops retreated back to Gacha Haven, their home isnd. Behind them, the warzone began to dissolve, the floatih crumbling and falling away, once again separating the two floating isnds.

  But this time, Ats had won an All-Out frontation, granting him full cim over the enemy's floating isnd and everything on it. Slowly, the defeated isnd began to drift tacha Haven, preparing te with its new master’s territory.

  Ats received a UI prompt, allowing him to choose where to attach the new isnd. He carefully selected a position that would maximize both utility and defense before finalizing the process. The quered isnd shifted and aligned, seamlessly joining with Gacha Haven.

  The acquired territory already had several structures that could be put to use, though some would o be relocated for strategic purposes.

  Ats also hat he would o struct additional defensive points around the expanded perimeter of his ner domain.

  The new isnd itself bore the scars of its previous owner's trol over terrain. While there were patches of grass and clusters of trees, much of its surface was scorched, dry, and rugged—a stark trast to the well-tended beauty of Gacha Haven, which Mira aeam had maintained with meticulous care.

  Despite its current state, Ats k was only a matter of time before the new nd would be transformed. Under Mira’s capable hand, the barren ndscape would soon flourish and blend seamlessly with the rest of Gacha Haven.

  Ats reviewed the results of the war o time, taking stock of his gains. His experience points had climbed signifitly:

  [Exp: 212,231/217,396]

  He needed only about 5,000 more experience points to reach Level 50, a milestoeo achieve as soon as he finished dealing with the aftermath of the battle.

  His system reflected an additional 20 batants and 5 workers, all ated for in the updated tally.

  However, as he observed the numbers more closely, he realized something uling—the total t of his troops was still lower than it should have been, even after fact in the new recruits from his victory.

  Frowning, Ats approached Edrik, who was debriefing the team leaders following the battle. Notig his Lord’s approach, Edrik turo face him.

  “We lost five batants,” Edrik reported.

  Ats’s hands trembled momentarily as the weight of the statement hit him. His jaw tightened, and he ched his fists, f himself to remain steady.

  He had always known this reality couldn’t be avoided—anyone who joihis game did so with the full uanding of the risks. It was a world of absolutes: kill or be killed.

  Drawing a deep breath, Ats stepped forward toward the four team leaders who stood in a line. His gaze swept over each of them, taking in their faces: Zara, leader of Team Aether; Kaida, leader of Team Bze; Garen, leader of Team der; and Ronan, leader of Team Dusk.

  His gaze moved across their faces. The expressions were heavier than usual, with a gravity that even silence couldn’t ceal. Only Ronan, whose ft demeanor mirrored Edrik’s, remained unreadable, as if untouched by the weight of the moment.

  "We will create a mo," Ats finally said. "It will bear the names of those who fell today, as a symbol of honor and remembrance."

  He paused, letting the words settle before tinuing. "We will also provide financial support to the families they’ve left behind."

  He sed their faces. "Is there anything you’d like to say?"

  For a moment, no one spoke. Then Kaida, the fiery and outspoken leader of Team Bze, stepped forward.

  "My Lord…" she began, her voiusually subdued.

  Ats turo her, notig the way she bit her lip, as if holding baething deeply personal.

  "Kaida?"

  Kaida, who was normally the loudest, most spirited among them, seemed like a shadow of herself. Her head dipped slightly, her usual posure visibly fraying.

  "I… failed my two members," Kaida said, her voice trembling as it trailed into silence.

  Ats uood theh the cheerfulness and boldness she always exuded, Kaida carried a deep sense of responsibility. When tragedy struck, the weight of her guilt was nearly unbearable.

  Ats stepped closer aly pulled her into a f embrace. Kaida leaned against him, resting her forehead on his shoulder as the walls of her quiet resolve crumbled.

  "You carry this guilt because you care deeply for your people, Kaida. That makes you a great leader. But you don’t have to carry it alone—we’re here with you."

  For a moment, they remained like that, enveloped in a shared stillness.

  When Ats finally stepped back, he saw the strain in her red, glistening eyes. Despite the tears, Kaida mao pull herself together.

  "My Lord," Garen said as he stepped forward.

  The rgest of the team leaders, he stood with a quiet strength, though his expressiorayed the pain he carried. "I lost one of my team members too."

  Ats gave him a solemn nod.

  "I know how much your team means to you, Garen. Losing someone you fought beside is a heavy burden. If there’s anything your team or their family needs, let me know, and I’ll make it happen."

  That ated for three of the five falleuro Ronan expeg him to speak.

  But Ronan said nothing. He stood still, his usually meticulous and calcuted demeanor oddly out of p the current text. Ronan wasn’t the type to withhold information or avoid responsibility—his precision was one of his defining traits. Ats’s brow furrowed slightly. If Ronan wasn’t speaking, somethi… off.

  "Ronan?"

  Ronan lifted his head and bowed slightly. “My Lord, six of my team members suffered severe injuries, but all of them survived.”

  Ats nodded slowly. That ated for Ronan’s team. Now, only oeam leader remained silent. Ats turned his attention to Zara, who stood with her head lowered.

  Taking a step toward her, Ats called softly, “Zara?”

  She raised her head, meeting his gaze. But what Ats saw was strikingly different from the emotional reas of Kaida aren. Zara’s face was as expressionless as ever—not devoid of emotion, but unnervingly calm, as though death had bee a familiar panion for her.

  “I lost two of my team members,” she said pinly.

  There was no trembling, no anger, no visible grief. It was as if Zara had long since made peace with the brutality of loss.

  "You’ve found a way to stay steady, Zara, even in the face of loss.”

  Ats couldn’t help but wonder, What has she been through to view death this way?

  “My Lord…” Zara tinued, breaking his thoughts.

  “Yes?”

  “If you permit it, I would like to go to the lower nds ahe families of my fallen teammates.”

  Ats nodded. “I’ll apany you, Kaida, and Garen to meet them. It’s the least we do.”

  Edrik approached from behind, his tone measured as he spoke, “Ats…”

  Ats raised his right hand to stop him, signaling that he didn’t o say more.

  “They chose to dedicate their lives to Gacha Haven,” Ats said firmly. “This is the least I do to honor their sacrifice.”

  Zara gave a small nod. “Thank you, My Lord,” she said simply.

  The following day, Ats desded to the Lower Lands apanied by a small group, including Zara. Their destination was a quaint towhe coast, where small settlements were surrounded by modest city walls—nothing as grand as those of the rger cities.

  They stopped in front of a small house led amidst trees and a flourishing garden. It was evident that the octs were gardeners, tending to their livelihood with care.

  The door creaked open, revealing a woman in her fifties. Her expression shifted from surprise to shock upon seeing Ats and Zara standing there. But then, as if something clicked in her mind, she rushed forward and gripped Zara’s shoulders tightly.

  “Young Lady Zara…” she said, her voice trembling. Tears streamed down her face as she choked back a sob.

  “Young Lady…” she repeated, her words breaking into a wail as she pulled Zara into a tight embrace.

  Ats watched the se, his brow furrowing slightly. Young Lady? The title seemed out of pce for Zara, who rarely dispyed any sign of nobility or privilege.

  Yet the way the oke to her—with a mix of familiarity, respect, and grief—suggested a history Ats hadn’t yet uncovered.

  Zara, for her part, stood still, allowing the woman to g to her. Her expression remained calm, though her eyes softened slightly.

  "Edward... failed..." Zara finally said.

  At her words, the woman's sobs grew louder, her grief p out urained.

  "Did Edrotect you... until the very end?" the woman asked through her tears.

  "Edward alrotected me," Zara replied, her usual posure faltering as her voice cracked. She paused, her lips trembling before tinuing, "Even in his final moments... he gave his life to save mine."

  This time, it was unmistakable—tears streamed down Zara's face. Her pain and gratitude iwined in those tears, a silent tribute to the one who had sacrificed everything for her.