Observing the scene, Thorian stood dazed for a moment as guards rushed toward Elian. They didn't walk past him or push him aside; instead, they moved straight through his body as if he didn't exist in the same physical dimension.
"What in the world is happening?" Nox joined Thorian's side, his expression one of profound confusion. Gazing at the noble's lifeless body and the guards detaining the young boy, he stood in shock, "I… I can't even begin to understand this situation."
"How did they pass through you as if you don't exist, my lord?" Vigil approached Thorian, his face mirroring the confusion. "And that young boy, too. You should've been able to stop him, but he passed through you as if he were made of air."
"The floor quest is complete," Thorian explained after gathering his thoughts. "Our task for this floor is done, and the world no longer acknowledges our existence."
Looking at Elian's dying body on the floor, Nox sighed, "Talk about a pointless quest. We had to protect him from a hundred different bandits along the way, only for some random kid to come and finish the job."
"That means his death was inevitable," Thorian responded. "These floors appear to be recreations of events that have already occurred in some other world. Our job is likely to uncover the mysteries hidden within and alter the history of this world."
"That's quite the mission we've been given," Vigil chuckled. He then glanced back at the guards carrying Elian's body away. "If that's the case, what was the purpose of this floor? It certainly doesn't seem to be ensuring the noble's safe passage."
"It probably relates to the secret information he was meant to convey," Thorian concluded, before biting his lip. "It's unfortunate we couldn't get the whole story from him, but he did leave us some clues. As we proceed to the next floors, we must keep those clues in mind."
He then let out a deep sigh before facing his comrades with a renewed expression. "Regardless, this is now in the past. Elian's death was inevitable. Let's return to the real world; it must be late at night out there."
With those words, Thorian and his party teleported out of the abyss and returned to the surface. As Thorian had surmised, the two moons shone in the night sky. The city was eerily quiet, with only a few guards roaming around, their lamps and torches lighting the way.
Having completed their task in Locksley, the group quickly departed the city and headed to Wolvendale. Upon reaching the village, they found most inhabitants already asleep, with only the guards on the outer wall and patrolling guards still awake.
Yawning, Nox remarked, "It seems we're well past bedtime. I'm pretty tired too."
"Then let's head home," Thorian smiled. "Upgrading the village facilities can wait until tomorrow when I'm more alert."
After saying goodnight to Vigil, the two made their way home. Not wanting Nox to keep sleeping on the couch, Thorian used the remaining stone units to upgrade the house to a tier 3 one.
The stone house was not only more robust but also significantly larger, boasting two bedrooms, a living room, and even an old toilet. After ensuring Nox and Magnus were comfortable in their new room, Thorian went to bed and fell asleep instantly.
* * *
Oswald Strongheart POV
Earlier in the day
The days following Locksley's liberation from Nalia's grip seemed to blur together. Oswald spent his time from dawn until dusk engrossed in either dungeon exploration, diving into the abyss, or managing the reforms his lord had initiated. He was aware that if he allowed himself any downtime, it would be consumed by alcohol and frivolous company. Oswald was determined not to succumb to such distractions or to wallow in self-pity.
Gripping his spear firmly, Oswald shook off his wandering thoughts and focused on the task at hand. The Armored Gilded Spiketail let out a ferocious screech as it was bombarded from all sides. Great fireballs and pillars of flame melted its exoskeleton and boiled its flesh from within. The rapid strikes and slashes from the assassin hindered its mobility, and the ice shields enveloping them rendered the monster's attacks futile.
With a powerful war cry, Oswald unleashed his aura thrust technique, his spear glowing with a brilliant green light. He leaped forward and drove his spear deep into the Spiketail's mouth, piercing its brain.
As the guardian collapsed, and the dungeon lady's voice declared their victory, Oswald turned to Aqua, who stood at the entrance of the golden grotto, looking down at them. "It seems we've grown accustomed to the third layer; it's not much of a challenge anymore," Oswald observed, glancing at Aqua. "Do you think it's time to advance to the fourth?"
His human teammates, intrigued and eager, looked at Oswald as he made his suggestion, their faces alight with curiosity and anticipation. They too were keen to progress to the fourth floor, anticipating the enhanced experience points and rewards it promised.
"Not yet," Aqua replied, shaking his head. "The difficulty spike from the third to the fourth layer is significant. At your current level, the treant's roots would hinder you excessively, and the toxic gas filling the room would slowly overcome you."
"Come on, didn't you mention it has a clear weakness?" David, the human assassin, challenged Aqua with a smirk. "With my speed, I could easily bypass its roots and destroy its core."
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
Upon hearing this, Aqua jumped into the room, chuckled, then addressed David, "Oh, I wasn't aware your agility stat had already surpassed 150. If that's the case, I see no issue. Feel free to tackle the fourth layer alone and take on the corrupted treant."
Caught off-guard, David stuttered and looked down, embarrassed, as the rest of the party burst into laughter.
"I've never witnessed such an immediate reality check," John, the party's priest, laughed heartily. "That must be a new record."
"Hey, I'm still hopeful!" David retorted, then started to count on his fingers. "I just need... 19 more levels to hit an agility of 150."
"You'll need fewer than that," Aqua chuckled. "Once you upgrade your class, you'll gain an additional 10 points per level."
After their light-hearted banter, the party distributed the dungeon rewards. Fortunately, the treasure chest was of golden quality and contained a set of yellow storm light armor for Oswald.
With the rewards shared, the group exited the dungeon and returned to Locksley. As they approached the city gates, David remarked, "Exploring dungeons alongside monsters, huh? Imagine the surprise people would have if they knew what we were up to."
"When you put it like that, it does sound strange," John agreed. "But we're not teaming up with just any monsters. We're allied with exceptionally strong, sentient creatures. Honestly, apart from their appearance, I see no difference between them and regular people."
"The appearance is the key issue," Blair, the fire mage, mused. "Living with the kobolds for a while, you get used to it. But that initial shock is hard to ignore."
"Yeah, if the lord intends to further this alliance, overcoming that shock is our biggest hurdle," John sighed. He then turned to Oswald and asked, "What about you, boss? What's your take on these kobolds?"
Reflecting for a moment, Oswald replied, “Honestly, I prefer them over most people. They're straightforward, direct, and don't harbor secrets. They're more my kind of crowd.”
Hearing this, John paused for a second before chuckling, “Of course, that's your take, boss.”
While Oswald looked puzzled at John's reaction, David chimed in, “Hey boss, fancy a trip to the pub afterwards? Drinks on me.”
“Drinks on you?” John raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Has a second sun risen today? Oh wait, it has.”
“Shut it, you idiot. And you should shower more frequently than once a month, you smell worse than the rats in the sewers,” David pushed John playfully, his annoyance clear. “I wasn’t speaking to you; I was addressing the boss.”
“Unfortunately, I have responsibilities to attend to,” Oswald replied with a smile. “But you guys should enjoy yourselves. You’ve earned a break for today.”
“Always with the work, boss. You need to relax a bit,” John advised, clapping Oswald on the shoulder. His expression briefly turned serious before he smiled again, “Just look after yourself, alright?”
“I will, don’t worry,” Oswald reassured him.
With that, the group dispersed. Oswald braced himself for the tasks ahead, taking a deep breath before his expression solidified with resolve. After conquering the sixth, seventh, and eighth floors of the abyss with his main team, he shifted his focus to Locksley-related duties.
His work involved overseeing the recruitment process initiated by his lord, William. After welcoming the new recruits, he managed the food distribution system they had implemented. Most of the arcane coins collected from quests, dungeon raids, and the abyss were pooled to purchase food rations from the shop.
This system was far from perfect, but in a world where many citizens couldn’t earn arcane coins through economic activities, it was the best solution available. Thankfully, the monster king, Thorian, assured them that this situation was temporary. As they upgraded the fortress system, more opportunities for citizens to earn arcane coins would emerge.
Having completed these tasks, Oswald’s last duty was dealing with the recent insurrection. In the previous day's election, the head of the Bloodworth family had tried to sneak his name onto the ballot. With support from the Bloodworths, Callfields, and other minor noble families, they aimed to overthrow the lord and seize control of Locksley through the fortress system.
Such a desperate and foolish attempt to cling to power. They’ve completely misjudged Locksley's current state.
Oswald, being a first advancement spearman, faced no danger in arresting them. Most nobles and their guards had remained isolated in their homes throughout the chaos, failing to grasp the shift in power dynamics until it was too late. While Nalia was alive, they relied on her and her organization for protection. But those days were over, and they were now vulnerable, dependent on the mercy of the stronger forces.
After guiding Thorian and his team to the abyss's entrance, Oswald headed to the lord’s palace to meet with William.
“My lord,” Oswald knocked on the door to William’s study.
After a few seconds, William emerged, rubbing his eyes and sighing from the paperwork he had been buried in before his expression softened and he smiled at Oswald, “How did you handle the nobles who attempted that quaint coup yesterday?”
“We’ve incarcerated them,” Oswald reported. “They’re now in the main prison's lower floor, awaiting your judgment.”
Nodding, William said, “Let's deal with that now. Lead the way.”
Oswald led William to the tower on Locksley's edge. Initially destroyed by monster hordes during the apocalypse, it had been restored after fully implementing the fortress system.
As they entered the tower, Oswald couldn't help but inquire, “James is living in Thorian’s new village, correct?”
“Yes, I spent most of today there,” William confirmed. “It went better than expected. The walls and fortifications have been raised, so there should be no external threats to him. As for Thorian’s people, I observed them all day, with and without Thorian. They seemed extremely loyal to him and, as instructed, showed great respect for James.”
“That's reassuring,” Oswald expressed relief. “Frankly, I feel more comfortable with James among Thorian’s people than if he were surrounded by humans. At least with the monsters, their intentions are transparent, and they don’t engage in deceitful schemes.”
“That’s true for the kobolds and orcs,” William agreed. “However, generalizing can be risky and expose you to unforeseen dangers. It’s important to see reality for what it is, not what you wish it to be.”
Oswald frowned, puzzled by William's caution, but before he could seek clarification, they arrived at the basement where the nobles were detained.
“William, you’ll regret this!” Varen, head of the Bloodworth family, yelled bitterly.
“Do you think the people will remain silent as you dispose of us?” the head of the Callfield family spat on the ground. “Will they really accept you as their lord when you ally with literal monsters?”
“That concern is mine to address,” William stated coldly. “As for you, I’ll decide your fate.”
He then turned to Oswald with an icy gaze and commanded, “End their suffering.”