Waking from a deep slumber, Thorian refreshed himself before donning his new robe. He then proceeded to the living room, where he found Nox and Magnus asleep on the couch.

We really need to upgrade the village soon so that the houses can have access to two living rooms instead of just one. Nox can’t just be sleeping on the couch all the time.

Nudging Nox's shoulder, Thorian woke him up. "It's time to wake up."

Stretching his arms lazily, Nox looked around with a yawn. "Oh, is it morning already?"

Roused by Thorian's words, Magnus jumped atop Nox, engaging in playful antics. Chuckling at his direwolf's actions, Nox finally woke up fully. He then looked at Thorian and said, "Give me some time to change, and I'll be ready to go."

Nodding, Thorian used the time to clean his teeth with his water manipulation. After taking care of his oral hygiene, he returned to the living room to find Nox ready for the day.

As they stepped outside, they saw the two suns barely rising on the horizon. Looking back at Nox, Thorian said, "First order of business is cultivation. After that, I need you to go to Locksley and talk with William. It would be preferable if he could come here to report to me about the progress on his end."

"Sure, I'll do that," Nox nodded. "But cultivation first. At my rate of progress, I should reach the third stage today. I can’t wait for the stat increase it would give me."

With a chuckle at Nox’s enthusiasm, Thorian led the way to the Village Hall to register their quests. Afterward, they headed to the Cultivation Hall.

Since it was very early, no one else was meditating, allowing them to find two rooms for their cultivation session.

Filling his wooden tub with water, Thorian began his meditation. As usual, his session lasted two hours, during which he gathered colorless and black flame qi.

After finishing his session, Thorian decided to check his progress.

Display Panel

Cultivation Realm Qi Gathering Seventh Stage (17.1%)

Noticing his progress, Thorian sighed. As expected, the growth isn’t as good as it used to be. At least tomorrow marks a week since the last time I used the Thunder Boon’s Elixir, which means I can use it again.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Thorian stood up. Carrying the wooden tub filled with black liquid, he exited the Cultivation Hall. After meeting up with Nox, the two ventured out of the village to dispose of the waste.

Looking thoughtful, Nox complained, “It’s certainly annoying that we have to go this far to dispose of this nasty substance. Surely there must be a better way.”

“If we had a sewage system, this would be a nonissue,” Thorian remarked. “But since that’s not an option now, we just have to make do with what we've got.”

With those words, the two returned to the village. As they reached the outer wall, Thorian looked at Nox and said, “I’ll put your tub back in its place. You can head straight to Locksley.”

"Thank you for that," Nox said, handing Thorian his wooden tub before heading towards Locksley. As the black-furred kobold navigated through the dense trees, Thorian returned to the Cultivation Hall to replace the two wooden tubs.

Afterward, Thorian made his way to the magus guild to register his daily quest. The next hour was dedicated to practicing his elemental manipulation. By the time he finished, he could juggle six fireballs around his body while balancing another four atop his fingers.

Good progress. Once I can freely control all ten fireballs simultaneously, I should reach maximum proficiency in my fire manipulation skill.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Exiting his house, Thorian was greeted by Nox at the door. "I've escorted William to the Village Hall. He's waiting for you there."

Nodding at Nox's message, Thorian proceeded to the Village Hall, where he found William seated at the meeting room table.

"Good morning," Thorian greeted, taking a seat next to William. "I trust everything went smoothly yesterday?"

"There was no problem," William confirmed. "For the moment, the nobles remain uninformed about our situation. However, I have briefed my most loyal subordinates about our meetings, and they fully agree with the terms."

"That's excellent news," Thorian smiled. "Regarding the dungeons, we usually clear them in the morning. It would be helpful if you could bring your first squad here as soon as possible so we can integrate them into our units."

"Consider it done," William agreed, then expressed a concern. "While touring around, I've noticed an increase in orcs within the village. Is this part of an expansion? I hope these new additions won't affect our relationship."

"There's no need to worry," Thorian reassured, chuckling. "Orcs are straightforward; they follow the strongest leader. As long as I maintain my strength, which I do comfortably, they won't pose an issue."

"That gives me confidence," William smiled. "Aside from that, the only other significant issue is the election. Today, all citizens of Locksley will vote for their official lord within the fortress system, which now governs Locksley. As I'm the sole candidate, there shouldn't be any complications."

"Never overlook the significance of this situation," Thorian warned, his face etched with gravity. "Should your nobles sense a threat following the incident with Nalia, they might seek to sabotage the election. One should never underestimate a creature backed into a corner."

"If they dare, they will pay dearly," William stated firmly. "But you're right; this could attract unnecessary trouble. I'll ensure loyal guards are present at the city hall to prevent any unexpected candidacies."

"That's wise," Thorian nodded. "That leaves us with one more item to discuss."

"And what might that be?" William inquired, curious.

"After some exploration, we've discovered several territories similar to our own that could become my vassals. For this, I need a vassal lord to represent me in those territories. Since you're now part of my domain, I'm offering one of your most loyal men the chance to take on this role."

"That's a great honor," William said, bowing slightly. "Who do you have in mind for such a position?"

"I'll leave the decision to you," Thorian replied. "It should be either your children, Robert, or Oswald. Choose whoever you believe is most suitable for the role."

"Thank you, Lord Thorian, for this opportunity," William nodded appreciatively. "I'll discuss the matter with them and provide you with an answer today."

With those words, William left the village, escorted by Alacritas. Meanwhile, Thorian called together his strongest fighters for a crucial discussion.

Gathered on a large log in the familiar meeting area on the outer section of the village, Thorian made an announcement. "Today, we will challenge the fifth floor of the Verdant Labyrinth."

"Finally!" Forlune exclaimed, unable to hide his excitement. "I've been longing for a new challenge."

"My lord, I assume you've chosen us five because we're to be the main team," Vigil observed, scanning his fellow warriors. Present were Thorian, Nox, Zogarth, Forlune, and himself.

"Correct," Thorian confirmed. "I believe this team has the best capability to tackle the fifth layer. Aqua, Ifrit, Ventus, and Saxum will take their turn tomorrow after we've cleared it. This strategy minimizes our risks."

"A prudent decision, my lord," Zogarth agreed. "With your prowess as an elemental magus, our need for additional magi is significantly reduced. This isn't to diminish our comrades' skills; it's just that they excel in different groups."

"Ventus is going to be so annoyed that I get to challenge the fifth floor before him," Nox laughed. "But it's only fair. He's had his share of glory while I was out."

Shaking his head at Nox's comment, Thorian wrapped up the meeting. The group then set out for the Verdant Labyrinth, breezing through the first four layers individually. Vigil, lacking strong offensive capabilities as a priest, partnered with Zogarth for these initial challenges.

After conquering the first four layers, the team regrouped to face the fifth, ready for the challenges that lay ahead.

As they ventured into the fifth layer, the team navigated the first section of the dungeon with ease. The armored gilded spiketail, which resided in the golden grotto, was quickly overcome by Nox's solitary efforts.

Continuing their rapid advance through the cavern, they arrived at the corrupted treant's chamber. This adversary also proved to be no match for the team. A well-coordinated assault from Thorian and Forlune was all it took to swiftly eliminate the creature.

Yet, as the treant's roots withered, an unexpected development occurred. Instead of hearing the usual announcement from the dungeon's custodian, a new entity made its presence known. Rising from the remnants of the treant, a humanoid monster appeared, standing no taller than Thorian. This creature was an amalgamation of insect and plant life. Its body was supported by roots instead of muscles, which were encased in a golden exoskeleton reminiscent of the gilded spiketail's armor. Its eyes, emitting a red glow similar to the core of the corrupted treant, fixed upon them with an intense stare.