As Thorian looked at the deluge of notifications that appeared in front of him, he smiled contentedly. However, before he could check his status panel, a new notification appeared:
Congratulations, you were the second fastest team in the kingdom to clear the twentieth floor of the abyss.
All team members shall gain 10 additional Free Points as a reward.
Again, the second team? Thorian furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and frustration. Just who could be faster than us? The golden prince in the capital shouldn’t have awakened yet. So, who could be this strong?
While Thorian was lost in his thoughts, Forlune chuckled. “It seems like we just keep getting more rewards. Well, I’m not complaining about that.”
“I haven’t seen this many level-up notification at the same time,” Zogarth chimed in. “I want to see just how many stat points I gained from this one floor.”
Hearing that, Thorian also decided to check his progress after the significant amount of levels he had gained.
Display Panel
Ding
Race Elemental Lord Kobold Level 26/45 (EXP: 196098/295000) Class Elemental High-Magus Level 11/50 (EXP: 110000/295000) Lifespan 70 years Cultivation Realm Qi Gathering Seventh Stage (2.7%) Stats Strength 214 Agility 213 Constitution 208 Mana 243 Qi 200 Free Points 102
This status panel looks more ridiculous by the day. Achieving this level of power in my past life took at least a year and a half.
Do you wish to continue to the twenty-first floor? Note that the next ten floors are narrative ones. You will need to reorganise your party to include only 3 members to proceed.
“Should we leave it at that?” Thorian turned to the rest of his party upon seeing the notification. “We will need to reconstruct our party if we wish to continue.”
“I think this is a good stopping point,” Forlune replied. “For the later floors, since we can’t keep this party, I'd like to form my own.”
Thorian nodded at Forlune’s suggestion, then turned to Zogarth. “What about you? Do you want to lead your own party?”
“Whether you wish for me to create my own party or stay with you, I will follow your command, my lord,” Zogarth simply said.
Chuckling at this, Thorian responded, “It would be better for you to form your own party. You’re a leader, and you need all the experience you can get in that department.” He then looked at Aqua and Vigil before continuing, “And what about you two?”
“I would like to start my own party, my lord,” Aqua said. “Since we’re both magi, our roles overlap too much. I think I could be more useful in another party.”
“That is a sensible logic,” Thorian nodded, then turned to Vigil, who appeared lost in thought, “And you?”
Vigil paused for a moment before deciding, “I would like to continue in your party, my lord.”
“Good,” Thorian nodded, then glanced at the notification. “Well then, time to return to Wolvendale.”
With those words, Thorian’s party immediately teleported back to the entrance of the abyss. As usual, Zogarth had to crouch immediately to avoid breaking through the roof of the underground room.
After Zogarth squeezed through the door, the group made their way out of the underground tunnels. Thankfully, there were no onlookers, as most of Locksley’s citizens were gathered near the center at the city plaza, celebrating the return of their lord and the death of Nalia.
Without wasting much time, the group made their way back to Wolvendale, where they found everyone still immersed in feasting and dancing.
As Zogarth watched Brix singing and dancing in front of the firepit, he couldn't help but chuckle. "That little boy really knows how to liven up the mood. Any team would be lucky to have him."
"Then why don't you take him?" Forlune jested with Zogarth, chuckling.
However, Zogarth just nodded with a shrug. "Sure, why not? He'll need to work hard to reach the twentieth floor, but if he does, he's welcome on my team."
Hearing that, both Thorian and Forlune raised an eyebrow in surprise, while Zogarth looked at them, confused.
Shaking his head, Thorian decided to excuse himself. "I'll leave you all to the festivities for now. I have something I must do."
Seeing Thorian about to leave, Forlune raised an eyebrow before interrupting him. "My lord, I know you have a lot of work, but please, make some time to join the feast with us. It would be good for everyone's morale for you to be there."
After a moment's consideration, Thorian agreed. "Give me twenty minutes, and I'll be with you." With that, he departed for the Blacksmith's Forge, doubtful he'd find Faber amidst the ongoing celebration, yet compelled to check.
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"Huh, how unexpected," Thorian shook his head upon seeing fumes coming out of the Workshop’s chimney. There was only one person who would still be working while everyone else was celebrating.
As Thorian stepped into the Workshop, the staff in Faber's hands caught the dim light, revealing its masterful craftsmanship. The staff, nearly as tall as a man, had a core of dark, polished wood that seemed to absorb the light around it, lending it an almost ethereal quality. Spiraling around this core were intricate carvings that mimicked the flow of water and the swirl of wind, with leaves and flames subtly represented in the twists and turns of the design.
At the top of the staff, a framework of black iron held four orbs in place. The fire orb glowed with a deep, ember-like warmth; the water orb shimmered with a deep ocean blue; the wind orb appeared almost transparent, save for the occasional spark of green energy within; and the earth orb glowed softly with a rich brown color.
"You've outdone yourself," Thorian approached, admiration and surprise lacing his voice.
Faber, humility shadowing his features, offered the staff to Thorian. “Forgive me, my lord, it hasn’t reached the height I had hoped for. It is but a failure.”
Thorian, taking the staff, regarded Faber with a mix of confusion and awe, turning his attention to the masterfully crafted four-element staff.
Elemental Scepter Rarity Quasi-Crimson Sun Class Requirement Magus Advancement Requirement Second Advancement Level Requirement 10 Description Forged by the skilled hands of Faber, the Elemental Scepter is a great work of magical craftsmanship, combining the ancient power of elderwood with the essence of the four elements. The elderwood, harvested from the body of a corrupted treant within the Verdant Labyrinth, channels the raw energies of nature. Each of the four orbs, masterfully set atop the staff, resonates with one of the elemental forces—fire, water, wind, and earth—granting unparalleled control and harmony with the elements. Stat Bonuses Mana +50, Strength +20, Agility +15, Constitution +10 Abilities
Elemental Harmony: Enhances the wielder's ability to manipulate and combine the four elemental magics, reducing mana consumption by 20%.
Elemental Surge: Grants a 25% increase in the potency of elemental spells.
Special Abilities
Quartet of the Ancients: Once a day, the wielder can invoke the combined power of the four elements to unleash a devastating area of effect attack with a 20-meter radius.
Elemental Confinement: Once a week, the wielder can cast a powerful sealing spell that creates a magical prison, combining the forces of the four elements to bind and immobilize a target. The entrapment lasts for up to 10 minutes or until the caster releases the target.
Looking at the description of the staff, Thorian was astounded. A Quasi-Crimson Sun weapon that provides such remarkable stat bonuses? he thought before turning to Faber with a raised eyebrow. “What do you mean a failure? This is the strongest weapon we currently have, and it's not even a close contest.”
“I aimed for it to be a proper Crimson Sun weapon, my lord,” Faber scratched the back of his head. “If I were a better blacksmith, I would have achieved it. I apologize for having used so many of your resources on this.”
Hearing this, Thorian rolled his eyes. “Don't be overly modest. This is an exceptional weapon that has surpassed my expectations. Considering you're just starting your journey as a blacksmith and you're already this close to making Crimson Sun items, I can't even imagine what you'll be capable of creating in two, five, or ten years.”
“Thank you for your kind words, my lord,” Faber responded with a light bow.
Seeing this, Thorian smiled and clapped the kobold on the shoulder. “Now, don't confine yourself to this place. Go and enjoy the feast, dance, and sing with the others. Work is important, but you must also take time to rest.”
“Thank you, my lord,” Faber nodded as he began to tidy his tools. “I'll join you as soon as I've put everything in order.”
With a smile, Thorian left the Workshop. He had initially planned to use this time to condense his mana cloud into a mana heart, but having promised Forlune, he felt compelled to join the celebration.
After storing his Emberstrike Cane in his Storage house, Thorian returned to the village center, where the largest firepits burned. Navigating through the crowd, he found Forlune, Aqua, Zogarth, and many of the top fighters gathered together.
Forlune spotted him and made space. “Come, lord. You have to try these thumpalope thighs; they're far superior to the scrawny chickens we had before.”
“You eat them every day, yet you still get excited about thumpalope meat,” Thorian remarked with a chuckle. “I wish I could be as easy-going as you.”
Laughing heartily, Forlune passed a piece of roasted thigh to Thorian as he sat down. However, as Thorian took a bite, he noticed a shift in the atmosphere. The singing and dancing had quieted, and everyone's attention was on him.
“I think they're expecting a speech,” Forlune whispered to him with a smirk.
Resisting the urge to sigh, Thorian set aside his piece of meat and addressed the crowd. “As you all know, tonight we celebrate the defeat of our mortal enemy, Nalia.”
At his words, cheers and screams erupted, prompting a slight chuckle from Thorian. Once Forlune had calmed everyone, Thorian continued, “And as many of you are aware, overcoming Nalia required a collective effort from all the fighters chosen for the ambush. Individually, we stood no chance against her power. But together, trusting in each other and focusing on our roles, we emerged victorious.”
Thorian's gaze swept across the assembly, pausing on each key figure in turn: Forlune, Zogarth, Aqua, and Ventus. Their roles in the battle had been critical; the absence of any one of them might have meant Nalia still drawing breath. Yet, amidst the gravity of that realization, Thorian's lips curved into a smile, his head shaking slightly in quiet disbelief before he addressed the gathering.
"But it’s not only the fighters who shall share in this glory; everyone else helped too," he began, his voice carrying a warmth that softened the edges of the evening air. His eyes then found Faber and the cohort of blacksmiths. "Without our blacksmiths, we wouldn’t have been properly equipped to fight in dungeons and gain strength."
Thorian's gaze shifted next to Hamur and the assembled alchemists. "And our alchemists, without your pills, we wouldn’t have been able to regain our strength so quickly and continue hunting to grow stronger. And without your potions, some of our strongest fighters would still be bedridden from poison."
At these words, Forlune coughed in embarrassment while Zogarth chuckled. Smiling at the two’s reaction, Thorian looked at Hewer before continuing, "And certainly, without the wooden tubs the carpenters made for us, our stench would have been atrocious. Nalia would have been able to locate us just by our smell as we tried to ambush her."
Laughter erupted anew, lighter and more carefree this time, as goblins clustered around Hewer, offering affectionate pats and nods of gratitude. Thorian waited for the mirth to subside before he spoke again, his expression earnest, eyes alight with a visionary's fire.
"However, this is but the start," he declared, voice resolute yet infused with an infectious optimism. "Together, we will continue to grow stronger, to conquer new territories and amass wealth beyond imagining. Today is merely our beginning."