Ats crouched down in front of Milo, who was trembling as he bowed before him, hands shaking.

  “Milo, it’s over. No one is going to punish you,” Ats said calmly. “Now, sit up. I want to talk to you.”

  Milo quickly sat up, though his face was still pale, his lips quivering with fear.

  “My Lord… five me… I caused such a mess… if you want to lock me up, or anything else, I’ll accept it. Just please… don’t hurt me…”

  “No, listen.” Ats’s voice was firm but gentle.

  “Now, tell me what happeo you. Tell me about your friend, Raze, and what made you transform into him. There’s no punishment. I just want to uand.”

  Milo nodded slowly and began to expin. Raze was like another personality within him, or perhaps more than that, a separate presence sharing his body, as if two souls and two minds inhabited one form.

  “But your stat points with him are different, right?” Ats asked.

  “Yes, My Lord… we both level up together, but I… am… weak…”

  Ats houghtfully. “So the transformation is triggered when someoouches you?”

  Milo gave a small nod in firmation.

  Ats studied Milo thoughtfully for a moment. From what he’d seen, it seemed Raze still maintained some awareness of his surroundings and even had enough trol to engage in banter with others.

  Although it was Garen who had initially touched Milo, Raze had focused on fighting Karian and Kurogasa instead. Maybe it was because Karian had directly challenged him?

  Ats was also sure that Raze could have fought with even more iy, yet her side had delivered any fatal blows.

  “Wele to the team, Milo. I already tell you’ll be a valuable asset. What was your previous rank?”

  “Ch-champion, My Lord…” Milo replied hesitantly.

  “So, the same rank as Lyrassa,” Ats noted, smiling. “You must have been through a lot to reach that rank. I know your experience, knowledge, and insight will be useful for me, and for all of us.”

  Milo nodded slowly, still looking pale.

  “I trol you—or rather, trol Raze—with my authority,” Ats said calmly. “I could stop you if I o, but I choose not to. So, rex.”

  Milo looked up at him, bewildered.

  Ats extended his hand, reag out to pce it on Milo’s shoulder. Kurogasa, Karian, Edrik, Lyrassa, and even Manna watched closely, ready to interve the slightest hint of trouble.

  “We’re gd to have you with us,” Ats said, giving Milo’s shoulder a firm pat.

  Everyoheir breath, brag for the worst.

  But… nothing happened. Ats straightened, and Milo, who had been tense, anticipating an untrolble transformation, looked down at his shoulder in stunned disbelief, bewildered by the quiet that followed.

  Ats walked over to the others waiting by the portal, with Milo trailing nervously behind him.

  So, was it true that Milo would transform into Raze if someoouched him? Or was it more likely that his fear of causing trouble was driving that belief? Perhaps he hadn’t transformed when Ats patted his shoulder simply because he was too exhausted?

  “Hey, everyone, meet our eammate, Milo,” he announced.

  But as soon as he spoke, everyone’s faces turned pale, and they hurriedly disappeared into the portal, leaving only Mira standing in front of Ats.

  “Hi, Mr. Grumpy… tomorrow, you’re in charge of helping me fix the garden, okay?” she said and giggled.

  They returo Gacha Haven, and no one dared to share a hut with Milo, so a separate space had bee aside for him. However, Milo opted to sleep in a tent instead.

  The m, as the group gathered for breakfast, ughing and chatting, suddenly, they all fell silent, their gazes snapping to one spot.

  There stood Milo, grinning awkwardly and shuffling a deck of cards nervously. “Hi! Wao show you a card trick?”

  No one answered. Instead, they all scrambled up and bolted in every dire.

  Milo headed toward the kit. When he arrived, one of the cooks, a young woman, gasped in surprise and dropped a pan with a loud g.

  “Ah, no!” she yelped, clutg her stomach. “Sorry… I, uh… I have a stomachache!” And she quickly dashed off.

  The other cook, looking equally uled, slid a lunchbox across the table toward Milo from a distance. “Sir, here’s your food.”

  Iernoon, Ats gathered everyoo reassign each team with their new supervisors. At the front of the group stood Zara, Kaida, Garen, and Ronan, with the rest of the troops lined up behind them. Fag them were Ats and the key team members: Edrik, Karian, Lyrassa, and Milo.

  “Alright, today I’ll be assigning each team a new supervisor,” Ats announced. “With four supervisors now, we focus more effectively on your training.”

  Everyone gulped, a sense of nervous anticipation filling the air.

  “Lyrassa will lead the team…” Ats began, but before he could finish, all four leaders and even some of the troops raised their hands in desperation.

  “She’ll be w with Kaida,” Ats finished.

  Kaida ughed, thhly pleased. “Ahahahaha… finally! Being with Edrik was s. He’s way too stiff.”

  “Shut up, Kaida,” Edrik muttered.

  “Milo will lead…” Ats tinued.

  Instantly, everyone froze, pale-faced and breaking into a cold sweat.

  “Zara. I’m sure Milo’s experience will be useful to you,” Ats said, nodding toward her.

  Zara flinched, momentarily startled, then quickly posed herself. “I’m ready, My Lord,” she answered with forced fidence.

  Finally, Garen was assigo Karian, making a team of two massive-built warriors, while Edrik aired with Ronan, two men who both carried an air of mystery.

  Afterward, Ats reviewed his Gacha pulls, feeling quite satisfied with the results. Four S-rank pulls out of 150 attempts, plus he still had reserves to spare.

  [Exclusive Character Banner Summary:

  Total tickets used: 10

  Total Rank-A pulls: 2

  Total Rank-S pulls: 1

  guaranteed Rank-A in 9 pulls

  guaranteed Rank-S in 80 pulls]

  [Exclusive on Banner Summary:

  Total tickets used: 20

  Total Rank-A pulls: 4

  Total Rank-S pulls: 1

  guaranteed Rank-A in 5 pulls

  guaranteed Rank-S in 79 pulls]

  [Standard Banner Summary:

  Total tickets used: 120

  Total Rank-A pulls: 23

  Total Rank-S pulls: 2

  guaranteed Rank-A in 9 pulls

  guaranteed Rank-S in 80 pulls]

  For now, though, he decided to hold off on using the rest. His focus was on maximizing the potential of what he already had: building every necessary structure, training the troops, and preparing quality ons and armor for them.

  Ats had successfully built four Fme Beas, which should be more than enough to support his early battles.

  Afterward, they tiheir rigorous training, leveling up and honing their skills. Ats remained focused on optimizing his overall stat points. Time was short, just a few days left, but he inteo make the most of every moment.

  Ats sprinted across the terrain, passing the troops who had joined him in this training. Barefoot, he ran fidently over the rocky ground near rivers of va. The troops watched in awe as Ats ran with newfound speed and ease, spinning his spear expertly as he moved.

  “Whoa… the Lord’s already adapted that quickly?”

  “What is his resolve even made of?”

  “e on, we ’t fall behind!”

  Finally, the seventh day of training arrived. Ats stood in an open field surrounded by hills, while the rest of the troops watched from a distance.

  This would be his final challenge before cluding the training.

  In the distance, a deep, thunderous growl echoed through the valley.

  Ats, bare-chested and barefoot, spun his spear in preparation, his staeady and ready.

  ***

  (Author’s Note:)

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