[You have received 1 Basic Survival Kit.]
[You have received 100 Units of Stone.]
[You have received 50 Units of Iron.]
[You have received 100 Units of Wood.]
[You have received 50 Units of Iron.]
[You have received 50 Units of Iron.]
[You have received 100 Units of Stone.]
Atlas flipped through the seven brown tickets, and once again, the gacha delivered a generous stash of materials. He knew they'd come in handy soon, especially for constructing new facilities once the fortress was finished.
But amid the familiar pull, one unfamiliar item stood out. He reached for it and read the description.
[Basic Survival Kit: Includes essential tools like a knife, a small flint for starting fires, a tent, and basic rations for surviving in the wilderness.]
"Ah… this is going to be useful," he murmured.
Sitting down, Atlas opened the kit. Inside was a compact, sleek knife with a modern design, alongside a neatly packed tent.
The fortress wouldn't be ready until tomorrow morning, so while they had shelter coming, for now, the tent could make a real difference. He hesitated for a moment, debating whether to use it now or hold onto it for a harsher situation.
As he weighed his options, Edrik and Karian approached.
"My Lord, shall we set up the tent for you? Allow me. You'll rest more easily while we await the fortress's completion," Edrik offered.
"Yes, that's a good idea," Atlas replied, handing over the bag.
Edrik gave a small, respectful bow and turned to Karian. With nothing more than a glance, Karian picked up on the unspoken cue. He gave a quiet nod and followed Edrik without needing a single word exchanged.
Alright, three tickets left. Let's get the Rank-A out of the way first. Atlas reached out and touched the floating purple ticket, and instantly, something large began to take shape before him.
At first, it hovered in a transparent, cuboid form. But then it started to expand, growing bigger and more solid, until it fully materialized into a defined object.
"Wait a second…" Atlas narrowed his eyes, unsure what he was looking at.
[You have received Rank-A item: Auto-Replenishing Refrigerator]
"Wait. What? Auto-Replenishing Refrigerator?"
[A refrigerator that refills its contents every 24 hours with fresh food.]
Oh… wow.
A refrigerator that restocks itself. Seriously? This was beyond amazing! With something like this, a person could live in total isolation and still thrive. No hunting, no foraging, just open the door and eat. The value of this item was insane!
And judging by its size, it wasn't small either. It looked big enough to feed five to ten people easily over the span of a day, maybe even more, depending on the contents.
A moment later, Karian hauled the refrigerator into the tent, which had somehow transformed from a simple shelter into a spacious, dome-shaped interior.
How had all of that come out of such a small bag earlier?
As Atlas opened the fridge, a wave of cool air rushed out and washed over his face, offering sweet relief from the heat and the dry, whipping wind. His previously drained expression brightened with sudden energy as he took in the sight before him.
Vegetables, meat, milk, fruit. All of it looked incredibly fresh. There were even frozen meals neatly arranged in one of the drawers.
He grabbed a few bottles of water and casually tossed them toward Edrik and Karian.
"Drink up! Looks like we won't have to roast Karian's leg anymore. We've got food for days!"
A little while later, they'd built a simple stove from gathered stones and kindling. Over the fire, they placed slabs of frozen meat and packed meals, watching eagerly as the heat brought them to life. The scent of sizzling food quickly filled the air. Seated comfortably in their camping chairs, they finally let themselves relax.
"This is the best emergency supply we could've hoped for, My Lord," Edrik said.
"Yeah, no kidding," Atlas laughed, cracking open a chilled bottle of cola. "This is amazing," he added, taking a long swig before digging into a thick cut of meat. "And I'm starving."
The three of them sat around the fire, indulging in their unexpectedly lavish feast. The food was so plentiful it almost felt unreal. Atlas ate with an easy, while Karian tore through his portion, swallowing 200 grams of meat in one bite.
Time slipped by, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, the floating island was gently cloaked in twilight. Only the soft glow from the tent and the steady flicker of firelight lit up their little corner of the sky.
Atlas moved on to the next Rank-A ticket. He needed to wrap this up quickly.
[You have received Rank-A Item: Floating Lantern]
[A lantern that floats in midair, providing light to dark areas and guiding adventurers through treacherous terrain.]
"Ah! This is exactly what we needed!"
The lantern activated instantly, lifting itself gently into the air as it cast a soft, golden light over the camp. The glow was warm and comforting, and it immediately transformed the surrounding space. It was obvious now, this item was far more practical than it seemed at first glance.
The lantern followed the person who activated it, almost like a loyal pet. It even came with adjustable settings: patrol mode, auto-follow, and more. An unexpectedly versatile tool.
As the stars began to pepper the darkening sky, the entire scene softened into a peaceful, almost surreal calm.
That's when Atlas turned and noticed her.
Morganna.
She stood perfectly still, her posture stiff, her eyes glowing with a faint red hue as they locked onto the group. There was something intense in her gaze, something that made Atlas pause.
He hadn't realized she'd been watching them this whole time.
Was she… hungry?
"Now tell me, what do vampires eat?" Atlas asked.
Edrik looked ready to launch into an answer, but Karian beat him to it.
"They eat humans, my Lord. Drain their blood dry until there's nothing left but a corpse. A gruesome, bloodless husk."
"Oh, that's… horrifying," Atlas muttered, glancing back at Morganna.
"That!" Edrik interrupted, glaring at Karian. "What kind of nightmare world are you living in?"
"Yours, isn't it?" Karian replied with a sly smirk.
Edrik exhaled sharply, composing himself. "Vampires can eat normal food, like meat, and drink cola. But their true hunger is for blood. That's what replenishes their strength and satisfies their core need."
Atlas listened closely. "So, hypothetically… if we just cut ourselves a little and let her drink that, would it work?"
"It would, My Lord," Edrik nodded.
"And… do they need a lot of blood?"
"No, not at all," Edrik said. "It's similar to donating blood. A small amount can sustain them for quite a while."
Atlas gave a slow nod. He picked up a piece of grilled meat and a bottle, then stood and began walking toward Morganna.
Back at the fire, Karian leaned toward Edrik and whispered, "Edrik, you're not joking, are you? The Lord's never dealt with vampires before."
"Of course not," Edrik replied with quiet certainty. "Your vampire's a wild one. But she's a Vampire Queen. Noble lineage. They can handle regular food, but when it comes to blood, they're… selective."
"Selective? Like how?"
"They've got preferences. Same as we favor some foods over others."
"And what if she doesn't like the Lord's blood?"
Edrik gave a knowing smile. "He's an active Lord, sharp, running a system that's incredibly powerful. He'll make an excellent leader. Or are you volunteering your blood instead?"
Karian frowned, glancing toward Morganna. "Wouldn't that be better than letting the Lord risk himself?"
Edrik let out a long sigh. "That's idiotic. If she doesn't like your blood, she might tear you apart on the spot. Remember, she can't harm the Lord. But the rest of us? She could kill without hesitation."
Their eyes turned to Atlas, who now stood before Morganna, speaking to her. But before they could make out the words.
Everything changed.
In an instant, Morganna lunged.
Her figure blurred, a flash of black and red.
"My Lord!" Karian shouted, springing to his feet in panic.
But it was too late.
Morganna had already sank her fangs into Atlas's neck.