The sheer force of the wind at the mountain’s peak made it a struggle just to stay upright. Atlas felt his balance waver for a brief second, the gusts nearly sweeping him sideways. Gritting his teeth, he shifted his stance, digging his boots more firmly into the rock to brace against the unrelenting current.
Kurogasa moved ahead with ease, his figure slipping through the wind like it barely touched him. His cloak and the weapons strapped to his waist flailed wildly in the air, but the man himself remained steady.
Atlas, however, had to fight for every step. He pulled out his Wavebreaker Spear and drove it deep into the rocky earth, using it as an anchor to counter the wind’s erratic fury.
"My Lord... this place is perfect for your quest," Kurogasa called out, his voice nearly swallowed by the thunderous howl of the wind.
Despite the effort it took to stay upright, Atlas managed a grin. He swept his gaze across the brutal landscape ahead. He took a deep breath, the cold biting at his lungs, and swallowed hard.
Then, his eyes lifted toward the sky, where several large, bird-like monsters soared with unsettling grace, riding the powerful currents as if the wind itself obeyed them.
Flying monsters?
Atlas leaned forward, every muscle drawn taut, his breath shallow against the altitude and the cold. The wind screamed through the crags, tugging mercilessly at his cloak and biting into his limbs.
Even standing felt like a battle, as though the mountain itself demanded he prove his right to be here.
"My Lord..." Kurogasa said. "A place this cruel is also a place of clarity. The wind tears away weakness. What remains is truth. And power."
Atlas closed his eyes briefly, letting the words settle into his core. Then, drawing in a deep, deliberate breath, he focused.
The elemental particles in the air shimmered faintly around him and he called them to him, weaving them into a thin barrier that clung to his skin like a second layer of will.
For a moment, the burden lifted. But the wind did not yield. It pressed back harder, wilder.
He gritted his teeth.
Step!
Stable.
Another step!
Still standing.
Again!
A sudden blast of wind tore through the ridge, crashing into Atlas with brutal force. It slammed into his chest, staggering him sideways.
With a sharp grunt, Atlas drove his spear into the ground, anchoring himself before the gale could hurl him backward. His muscles screamed under the strain, and the wind roared louder, as though it was trying to rip him from the mountain altogether.
Yet, for some reason, Atlas felt a strange sense of joy in the struggle.
"What do you think, My Lord?" Kurogasa asked.
"Yes, of course I’ll conquer this!" Atlas shouted back.
And so he pressed on, step by grueling step, forcing his body forward through the brutal gusts.
At first, his pace was slow as he tested himself against the wind’s punishing resistance. But the moment he felt a gain, even the slightest inch forward, he drove himself to go harder.
Run...
Slowly at first...
Keep going...
With each passing step, his movements grew more fluid. The strain remained, but it no longer dominated him. His body adjusted, found its rhythm. His strides lengthened. His balance steadied.
Run.
Faster.
Push!
And for a brief, exhilarating moment, pride surged in his chest. He felt as though he’d finally begun to master the ridge, to own his movement through the storm.
But then his eyes drifted sideways, toward Kurogasa.
The Ninja Rat stood a good distance away, arms crossed, his silhouette untouched by strain. He watched in silence, his expression unreadable.
Atlas’s heart sank.
He turned, just slightly, to look behind him.
He’d barely advanced more than a few dozen paces.
The pride that had carried him a heartbeat ago vanished. His hands curled tighter around his spear until his knuckles ached.
"No. I’m not stopping."
He bared his teeth, eyes narrowing against the wind.
"I’ll get there."
A shrill, piercing screech sliced through the air, yanking Atlas out of his concentration.
"What the hell was that?!"
His head jerked upward, eyes scanning the sky. Something enormous was circling above, flying low.
"The bird monster..."
There was no question. The creature had locked onto him.
Atlas clenched his jaw, fists tightening around the shaft of the Wavebreaker Spear. The bird-thing circled overhead like a predator toying with its prey.
Then, without warning, it dove, rushing at him from behind with terrifying speed.
Atlas spun the spear fluidly, adjusting his stance, grounding himself with precision. His boots dug into the rocky terrain, muscles coiled and ready for the clash.
In a blink, he twisted hard, narrowly slipping past the monster’s talons as they slashed through the air where his body had just been.
He’d dodged it, but only just. The force of the dive, the sheer pressure of displaced wind, slammed into him like a wave, sending him sprawling sideways across the ground.
Atlas crashed into the ground, skidding across the dirt in a cloud of dust and debris. Gritting his teeth, he jammed his spear into the earth to halt his momentum, forcing himself upright once more. His breathing was heavy, but his grip remained firm.
Atlas’s lips curled into a grin.
"Damn it... but this is going to be fun."
He spun his spear, slamming it into the ground for balance.
"Come to me!"
[Rare - Bladewing Ravager Lv. 75]
The creature circled him, its massive wings cutting through the air, adding to the chaotic winds around him. Atlas remained rooted to one spot, his eyes locked on the bird’s movements, waiting for its next move.
Suddenly, a powerful gust slammed into him from the side, making him stagger.
And then. His instincts screamed.
Behind!
The bird was diving toward him from behind.
[Elite - Tempest Guard (Conditional Passive Skill) Lv. 8 activated.]
Atlas snapped into a defensive stance, gripping his spear tightly as the bird closed in.
[Elite - Thunderpierce Thrust (Active Skill) Lv. 7 activated.]
With precision, he thrust his spear forward, aiming directly for the creature’s neck as it barreled toward him. The spear shot out, its tip crackling with lightning.
But the bird was faster than expected.
It beat its massive wings with a brutal force, sending a shockwave that knocked Atlas backward before his spear could land the hit.
DAMN IT!
Atlas’s body was flung through the air, tumbling backward, weightless in the wind’s grip. If he didn’t hit solid ground soon, he’d be thrown off the mountain entirely.
He had the Mountain Leaper Bands to reduce fall damage, sure. But that wasn’t the issue.
Because the bird was already diving again.
With terrifying speed, it closed the gap, its sharp talons stretched out, aiming straight for him.
Atlas swung his spear to block the incoming attack. The bird’s claws latched onto the spear, locking it in a death grip.
And then it took off, dragging Atlas into the sky.
The sheer force of the bird’s ascent hit Atlas like a battering ram. His grip on the spear tightened as his body jerked violently, flung around in the air.
The wind tore at him from all directions, but he refused to let go.
"No way I’m losing this spear!"