Floating Islands: SSS Gacha Lord-Chapter 39 - Flare Peak Fitness Camp

Atlas broke into a sprint down the hillside, the blistering heat of the scorched earth burning through the soles of his bare feet. He couldn’t afford even a heartbeat of distraction. One misstep could send him tumbling dangerously close to the glowing river of magma below. A fall like that wouldn’t end with bruises, it would be fatal.

[Name: Atlas Blackthorn]

[Level: 44]

[Strength: 170 | Agility: 94 | Intelligence: 49 | Constitution: 68 | Stamina: 75]

Though he had reached level 44, his stats were still fairly unremarkable. Altogether, he had 456 stat points. Kurogasa, on the other hand, stood at level 55 and commanded an overwhelming 788 stat points.

The gap between them wasn’t just significant, it was vast. With numbers like that, Kurogasa’s power edged close to that of a level 78 fighter. It was a glaring reminder of just how wide the gulf was between them.

Level alone wasn’t what defined a fighter’s true strength. Real power came from the art of distributing stats wisely, mastering unique skills, and honing individual talents. And even when all those elements aligned perfectly, they still weren’t enough on their own. Strength lay in understanding, knowing the exact moment to unleash a skill, when to push forward, and when to fall back.

There were so many variables, so many moving parts. This path he’d chosen offered no easy victories, no shortcuts. Surrounded by figures of immense power, Atlas was resolute. He would study them, learn from them, and absorb every shred of wisdom and technique they had to offer.

Imagine it! Experience was everything. Someone like Kurogasa had stood against hordes of high-grade beasts and survived battles that most people couldn’t even fathom. His mental toughness and battlefield intuition were already leagues beyond anything Atlas’s future enemies could hope to match.

Levels and skills might set the rules, but experience? That was how you broke them. How you stretched past your limits and did what no one thought possible.

Just like now.

Atlas charged forward, barefoot on the scorching terrain, every step a fresh wave of agony. The ground beneath him was so blistering it felt like his skin was being stripped raw.

Ten minutes. That’s all it had been. And yet it felt like he was already at his limit. His body screamed for rest, but this was just the beginning and he still had to endure it for another four hours.

Beside him, Kurogasa ran with an unnerving calmness. His breathing never faltered. His eyes stayed focused, his pace unbroken. Every so often, he’d glance at Atlas with a look that felt suspiciously like a... smile?

Alright, technically, Atlas couldn’t really see him smile. After all, Kurogasa had the face of a rat. But there was something in the subtle twitch of his whiskers... It was unmistakable. The Ninja Rat was smiling. Probably enjoying the sight of Atlas flailing through the hellish heat?

And just to twist the knife a little deeper, Kurogasa wasn’t even trying. He ran as if the ground were cool and forgiving, spinning occasionally to jog backward, not even bothering to check his footing. He moved with a confidence so complete it made Atlas feel like a clumsy child in comparison.

Twenty minutes. Motherf—!

His throat was parched, and his sweat had stopped flowing. He was probably out of bodily fluids at this point. Could he actually die of dehydration?

But Kurogasa didn’t offer any relief, just kept running alongside him, entirely relaxed. The damn rat was running with casual ease, even smiling at him! (Let’s not discuss again how a beastkin-rat manages to smile.) It was as if watching his Lord struggle this much over a simple run was just proof of his weakness.

Yet Atlas knew that, realistically, his body could handle this. At level 44, he’d already surpassed the limits of an ordinary human, several times over, in fact. His real challenge here wasn’t his physical endurance; it was his mental fortitude!

Imagine it like this: physical strength, flexibility, mana capacity, all of that could be enhanced magically with stat points. But mental fortitude? That couldn’t be hardened so easily. Even someone like Atlas, already at level 44, still needed to train his mental resilience to catch up to his level... or even surpass it.

Take Kurogasa, for example. At level 55 now, who knew how powerful he’d been before he was summoned? For him, running across blistering terrain like this was practically child’s play.

Mental fortitude! Mental fortitude! Mental fortitude!

Push! Push! Push! Push!

Atlas forced himself onward, summoning every ounce of willpower to resist the urge to stop. He was stronger than this, damn it! He was level 44!

This was just running. Running across a rough patch of ground. Sure, the magma nearby was dangerous, but as long as he kept his footing on the scorched earth, he’d be fine.

Oh! Forty minutes! Motherf—! And he wasn’t even a quarter of the way through!

But no. He remembered Kurogasa had made it clear: if Atlas wanted a real challenge, this was it. Four hours of running in a place like this was still within his limits. He just needed to figure out how to push himself through it.

Push! Keep going! He was stronger than this! Run harder! Run faster!

Meanwhile, Kurogasa was running backward, casually leaping over streams of magma as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

Did rats have eyes in the backs of their heads or something?!

Sure, Kurogasa was barefoot too, but he had tough rat feet! Not thin, human skin like Atlas’s.

An hour and a half in, and he was still going. But he was a bit shocked, why hadn’t he passed out yet? Hadn’t he run out of bodily fluids at least an hour ago? How was he still managing to run?

Maybe dying wasn’t as easy as he thought? Or perhaps this was normal for someone with 456 total stat points and a Strength stat of 170?

His breathing grew more labored, each gasp sharper, his heartbeat thundering in his chest at an unimaginable pace. But he hadn’t passed out... or died! He kept going.

Two hours in, and he was still running. Kurogasa stayed right beside him, following at an effortless pace, still smiling.

Damn it!

Every time Kurogasa glanced his way, Atlas couldn’t shake the feeling that the Ninja Rat was smiling at him.

Three hours. Motherf—!

Atlas felt like he was on the verge of collapsing, like his soul itself might slip out, but he kept going. He was still surviving. This was what magic could do.

Three hours and forty minutes. He was still alive?! His movements felt heavy, each step a struggle, his legs barely keeping him upright. But somehow, he hadn’t fallen yet, hadn’t failed. He was astounded by his own resilience.

Three hours and fifty minutes. Just ten more minutes? Seriously?!

He suddenly realized he could probably go another hour if he had to. This strange rush of joy flooded him. He laughed, feeling a wild exhilaration, an unexpected euphoria as he ran, his mouth open with laughter and sheer relief.

Four hours!

When the time hit, Atlas finally slowed to a stop, his body feeling light, almost weightless, like even a breeze might lift him. But he stood there, steady, alive, and victorious.

He looked over at Kurogasa, who bowed with a proud smile. "You did it, My Lord."

Atlas dropped to the ground, laughing breathlessly, half-gasping as he struggled to catch his breath.

"You did it. That wasn’t ordinary endurance. You showed incredible mental fortitude today. You’ve proven to yourself that you’re a true lord. Be proud of yourself."

Atlas laughed, lifting his face with a wide smile. "Thanks... I’m happy."

Kurogasa nodded. "Ten-minute break, then we start the second training exercise."

"Alright!" he replied, ready for more.

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