Chapter 14 - Aetheric Throne of Dominion

The next ticket burned away, and suddenly, an object appeared, filling the entire room. What is this? Atlas instinctively stepped back, giving the mysterious item enough space to fit. It was... a floating chunk of land?

[You have received Rank-A Item: Aetheric Throne of Dominion]

[A majestic throne that sits on a floating chunk of land, summoned at will. It hovers a few meters above the ground and moves as the user directs it. The throne provides a protective barrier and boosts both defense and mana regeneration.]

Ah... a floating throne!

Without hesitation, Atlas stored the item in his Inventory and stepped outside. Once outside, he summoned the throne again, and this time he could see it clearly—a small, floating piece of land with a grand seat resting on top.

He grabbed onto the edge of the floating platform and jumped on top, settling himself into the throne. The seat was incredibly comfortable, with soft cushioning that made him smile as he sat back for a moment, enjoying the feeling.

This is amazing, he thought. Now, how do I control it?

Using his mind, he willed the throne to move, and to his surprise, the land lifted smoothly, floating higher until he was above the Fortress. From his elevated position, he could see Mira, Edrik, and Karian gathered by the small pond. Off to the side, Morganna was still sitting near the tent, casually snacking and drinking, seemingly uninterested in the commotion.

Mira was the first to notice him, her face lighting up with excitement as she began jumping and waving her arms.

"My Lord! What's that? That's so cool! Can I try it?" she shouted from below, catching the attention of Edrik and Karian, who also looked up at him with curiosity.

Morganna? No, she didn't even glance his way—still not interested, it seemed.

Atlas grinned as he directed the floating land toward them. The movement was smooth, and the descent effortless. He could feel how flexible and responsive the throne was. 

Imagine sitting on this throne while everyone battles below, commanding my forces from here. How cool would that be?

But then, another thought crossed his mind: Should I fight too?

He remembered that he had awakened with what felt like a stupid talent back then. But now, he was a Lord. 

Maybe it's time to improve my combat potential as well.

"My Lord, that's amazing! How did you get it?" Mira asked excitedly. 

Edrik gave a respectful bow toward Atlas.

"Come, Mira, want to try it?" Atlas asked as he stood up from the throne.

"May I?" she asked, almost bouncing with enthusiasm.

"Yes."

With a gleeful laugh, Mira easily leapt from the ground to the platform. "Woah… hahaha," she giggled.

The platform was spacious enough for others to stand on as well. Curious, he wondered just how many people it could support.

He sat back on the throne, testing an idea. "Edrik, Karian—come up here. I want to see how much weight this thing can handle."

Edrik and Karian nodded and effortlessly jumped onto the platform as well. The floating land didn't so much as wobble or sink under their added weight. It was incredibly sturdy, holding them all with ease.

Satisfied, Atlas guided the floating land around the island, smoothly gliding above the terrain. However, he made sure not to venture beyond the island's edge, unsure of what might happen if the throne left the safe area. The description had mentioned it could float only a few meters above the ground, and he didn't want to risk plummeting into the abyss below.

After a few rounds of floating around the island, Atlas's stomach rumbled. Am I hungry again? He thought, slightly amused. It seemed like he was starting to settle into this new reality, especially since his magical fridge provided food on demand.

He unsummoned the throne, and Mira immediately returned to the small pond, already busy with her hoe. 

Wait, does she already have a weapon? Or is that just a regular hoe? Atlas wondered as he watched Edrik and Karian help her in the garden.

Atlas headed toward the tent, noticing how Morganna deliberately turned her face away as he approached. Ignoring the cold shoulder, he entered the tent, grabbing some snacks and drinks. He sat down in a camping chair nearby, not far from Morganna, who still refused to look his way.

"Hi."

"Don't talk to me, trash."

Still not friendly, huh? Atlas sighed internally as he popped some dried fruit into his mouth and drank some water. 

His attention drifted toward Mira, Edrik, and Karian, whose conversation carried clearly across the area.

"Edrik... hey, you're doing it wrong. Don't dig there! It's not neat," Mira complained.

"Oh, but this spot has a great view from the Fortress."

"No… hahaha, you clearly have no idea about gardening, do you? Hahaha."

Meanwhile, Karian was using his greatsword to dig, which caught Mira's attention.

"Hey, Mr. Dragon Warrior! Are you sure using your weapon to dig is a good idea? Hahaha! Use your hands—that's a dragon hand, isn't it? Strong enough, right?"

Atlas couldn't help but smile as he watched them. They were blending together with ease.

Alright, with 10 standard tickets used and still 190 left, Atlas was ready to continue summoning. 

Let's finish this! Who knows what interesting things I'll get next? He thought with anticipation, taking out another 10 standard tickets and tossing them into the air.

The tickets floated up and spun slowly, revealing their colors as they descended—brown, brown, brown. Come on, give me something good, he thought to himself. The next ticket shimmered—brown again. Then another, and another. Please, S-rank, please. Finally, one flickered purple before the rest returned to brown.

The results? Nine Rank-B and one Rank-A.

Looks like I can't always count on hitting the jackpot, he mused, but shrugged it off. 

Without much delay, he started opening the Rank-B tickets, ready to see what they would yield. 

[You have received 20 Units of Mana Crystals]

[You have received 50 Units of Iron]

[You have received 5 Elite XP Orbs]

[You have received 100 Units of Stone]

[You have received 100 Units of Wood]

[You have received 50 Units of Iron]

[You have received 20 Units of Mana Crystals]

[You have received 100 Units of Wood]

[You have received 1 Rare Magic Missile Scroll.]

Atlas glanced at the newly acquired skill scroll—Magic Missile. It was the second one he'd pulled, with the first being Fireball. But there was one issue... Why are all these skills for Mages? he wondered, glancing at his team. None of them were mages, and he hadn't summoned anyone with magic capabilities yet.

Still, he shrugged it off and stored the scroll in his inventory. Better to be prepared in case I summon a mage later on.

Now, with a bit more anticipation, he moved on to the Rank-A ticket. 

Let's see what I get this time, he thought.