Ats stood at the very edge of the isnd, fnked by his elite subordinates oher side. To his right stood Manna, Edrik, Baldrid Kurogasa, while on his left were Lyrassa, Karian, Milo, and Mira.

  Behind them, the bat units were lined up ly, anized into their four respective teams.

  The enemy isnd drew nearer, its features sharpening with every moment. As it approached, its vastness became undeniable—signifitly rger than Gacha Haven. The densely built structures hi a Lord who had endured numerous battles and had developed their domain into a formidable stronghold.

  This time, the two isnds hovered at the same altitude, a clear indicator of an impending all-out frontation. As they closed the distahe warzone began to materialize in the space between them. Massive ks of earth asded from the void, stretg and iwining to form a bridge—a battleground that ected the two isnds at their very ter.

  The battle, however, would not ence for another 10 minutes. Until theher side could engage in bat. Still, the Lords could step into the warzone a in the ter if they wished, although a protective barrier remained in pce, preventing any hostilities before the appoiime.

  From the opposing side, their Lord became visible—a figure standing at the forefront and dead ter. It was Ragnor of The Infernal Reach.

  A t human warrior, he had long, flowing blonde hair and wore bck armor streaked with molten red veins. In his hands, he carried a massive fming greathammer.

  Orikiail about him, however, was his golden hair—it seemed to slightly undermihe intimidating aura of his hulking physique and his fearsome armor.

  Ats watched as Ragnor desded from his isnd and strode fidently into the warzone. In respos stepped down from his own isnd and began to approach as well.

  Ats was his Nightfall Sentinel Armor Set—a suit of obsidian-bck armor with blue ats radiating ahereal glow of energy. He had also paired it with the Mana Glider Cloak, which draped over his arms, shoulders, and back, adding a anding elegao his already formidable appearance.

  The two Lords walked slowly until they met at the ter of the warzone.

  Ats’s troops stood with stern aermined gazes, their focus evident. Meanwhile, the opposing forces appeared much more rexed, some wearing faint smirks and eveing out quiet chuckles. Their demeanor made it clear—they uimated the smaller force before them, whose numbers seemed barely a quarter of their own.

  "Ats of the Gacha Haven," Ragnor said, his gaze slightly downward due to his taller stature.

  "Ragnor of The Infernal Reach," Ats replied, his tone calm yet carrying a hint of mockery in its posure.

  "Are you a new Lord?"

  "This is my first battle season," Ats answered evenly.

  Ragnor's lips curved into a faint smirk. "I see where that fidenes from."

  "Thank you for the pliment.”

  "You’re leading your people straight to their graves."

  "Sorry?" Ats arched a brow. "Whose graves exactly?"

  Ragnor’s smirk lingered. He seemed to realize Ats showed no trace of fear, responding instead with a calm defiance, even ced with subtle mockery.

  "I’m a humble man,” Ragnor said.

  "And what does that mean?"

  "I’ll give you five minutes."

  "For what?"

  "Whetle begins, I’ll allow you five mio surrender," Ragnor said. "If you waste that time… I will kill everyone. I’ll leave nothing behind."

  Ats paused for a moment, meeting Ragnaze before replying, "You surely are fident in yourself."

  "fidenes from experience.”

  "I agree with ynor. fidence does e from experience.”

  They locked eyes in silence before Ats finally spoke. "I’ll give you two minutes. If you don’t surrender before that time, I will ensure no one on your side is left standing."

  As Ats’s words echoed across the warzohe rea frnor’s side was instantaneous. Laughter erupted, as his troops jeered openly.

  "Did he just say two minutes? Oh, that’s generous! What a kind Lord he is!"

  "Maybe he thinks we’re scared of his little cloak and glowing armor!"

  "Two mihat’s about how long it’ll take us to wipe his entire army off the map!"

  "Careful, ds," a spear-wielding soldier chimed in, "we’d better not surrender in three mihat’d just be rude!"

  "Hey, Lord Ats, maybe give us ten seds to think about it, yeah?" another soldier cackled, throwing his arm around a rade as they both howled with ughter.

  Ats allowed a faint smile to tug at the er of his lips as he turned away and began walking back toward his team.

  Initially, he hadn’t po kill every st one of them. Leaving a few survivors would have been acceptable, especially if he mao take down their Lord first. But their plete ck of respect toward him and his troops struck a nerve.

  Granted, such behavior was on in the world of Lords. The more viciously they mocked and demeaheir oppos, the stroheir fidence gresychological edge that often transted into battle readiness.

  Ats paused mid-stride, gng back over his shoulder. For now, he would wait for the battle to begi he couldn’t deny that, in ard, Ragnor was right—fidence was born of experience.

  And Ats had millennia of experience behind him. If anyone here had the right ta was him.

  From his fortress, the deep, thunderous toll of a massive bell reverberated across the battlefield. DONG! DONG! DONG!

  Moments ter, the bring call of a rally horn shattered the air, its anding tone unmistakable. BA! BAAWW-BAAAWW!

  Though Ats didn’t look back, he could feel it—the elemental particles in the air swirling faster and wilder, reag to the powerful auras being unleashed by every fighter present.

  The tdown began.

  10... 9... ... 2... 1.

  The battle had begun!

  Ats instantly sehe fire elemental particles surging with incredible speed. From the dire of the enemy forces, he could see clearly as Ragnor’s troops became enveloped in shimmering elemental shields—energy barriers that acted like armor eng their bodies.

  Ragnor, the opposing Lord, leaped forward, smming his massive greathammer into the ground. Instantly, the area around him darkened, as if scorched by an intense heat. The earth cracked and split beh him, jagged fissures radiating outward.

  From those gaping crevices, a bzing red-e light erupted, and soon magma began flowing through the fractures, spilling out and spreading in every dire.

  The fiery fissures crept closer to Ats’s position, carving a path of destru across the warzone.

  Edrik, standing near Ats, muttered under his breath, "His system allows him to tailor the enviroo his advantage."

  “And they chose a volic battlefield for this fight?” Ats responded softly.

  A faint smile curved his lips. "Isn’t that the training ground for everyone here?"

  He gnced back over his shoulder, and his smile deepened as he caught the eager, determined expressions of his troops.

  "The battle begins now!" Ragnor bellowed, surging forward as he led the charge.

  Such a ander! His troops roared in unison, rushing behind him in perfect synization.

  Ats leapt into the warzone, summoning his Wavebreaker Spear. The on materialized in a surge of energy, ing him in a radiant aura of water infused with golden crag lightning.

  "Steel your resolve! There is reat! Face your enemies with all you have, and fight to the very end!"

  Ats’s voice thundered across the battlefield, filled with anding power. His troops roared in unison, their t shaking the air.

  "VICTORY OR NOTHING!"

  Raising his spear high into the air, lightning arced and crackled fiercely around it. Though he didn’t o make such a dramatic gesture to activate his abilities, Ats khe power of morale. He roared to ighe fighting spirit of his army.

  "O'S WRATH!"

  A deafening screech echoed as Zefyros, his spirit beast, maed before him, h midair.

  CREAAAKKK!

  The ground shook as a massive surge of water rose in front of him, climbing high with overwhelming force. The waves were instantly ed in fierce bolts of lightning, sparking with energy.

  CREAAAKKK!

  Zefyros let out anhty cry, merging seamlessly into the rising waves. The colossal tide charged forward, sweeping across the battlefield with unstoppable momentum, extinguishing the streams of magma in its path.

  "SEA OF STORM!" Ats roared once more.

  Dozens of magic circles appeared in the skies above, glowing with watery blue light. From them, tless spears of water rained down in a coordinated assault, eafused with crag lightning that added deadly precision to the onsught.

  The battlefield transformed into a storm of water aricity as Ats sprinted behind the waves, pushing the assault with ferocity.

  "VICTORY OR NOTHING!"