Waking with a yawn to the first rays of dawn, Thorian started his day. A smile graced his face as he checked the results of his late-night training.

Mana Manipulation II Description You have broken through the beginner threshold and set a proper foothold on your magus journey. This skill allows you to control your internal mana to an intermediate degree and exert some influence over external mana. In mana-rich environments, this skill enables you to display power beyond your typical level. Proficiency 0%

Reading the skill description, Thorian smiled proudly. He stretched out his hand, focusing intently on the mana swirling around him. Gradually, he gathered it into his palm where it burst into a bright red light, transforming into a small fireball.

Even without tapping into my internal mana, I can conjure such a spell. In desperate situations, where all my mana is exhausted, this would prove invaluable.

Pleased with his progress, Thorian decided to review his older spells to gauge how close they were to advancing to the next level.

Minor Elemental Affinity Description You possess a rare affinity for all elements, marking you as a unique existence. All elemental skills that you invoke are more potent and effective than usual. Proficiency 92.3%

Elemental Synergy I Description As a master of the elements, you wield the power to fuse the four basic elements into six secondary ones. When you attain full mastery of any two basic elemental skills, a plethora of new abilities, linked to the resulting secondary element, becomes available to you. The potency of these new abilities will mirror that of the less advanced skill used in the fusion. It's important to note that the same pair of basic elemental skills cannot be used more than once to form a combination. Proficiency 83.5%

Elemental Sight Description Supercharge your eyes temporarily with mana allowing you to identify different elements in your environment. Proficiency 56.6%

Setting aside Elemental Sight for now, since it was only halfway mastered, Thorian pondered over Minor Elemental Affinity, which was on the verge of reaching maximum proficiency. Perhaps it will evolve into a fully-fledged Elemental Affinity once I hit that threshold? he mused, stroking his furry chin.

Regardless, the real focus should be on Elemental Synergy. Given its name, it’s bound to evolve.

With that thought, Thorian checked his progress with his Fire Arrow skill. To his dismay, the proficiency was still at 24%, despite his relentless practice over the past week.

This is the nature of High-magus spells; they are not easily mastered.

Letting out a sigh, Thorian was about to abandon his efforts when a spark of insight ignited within him. Wait, why focus solely on mastering second-advancement spells? I could enhance the first-advancement skills that aren’t fully developed and combine those instead.

Greater Fireball Description This skill allows the user to conjure a large ball of fire and hurl towards a swarm of enemies, burning them all with its flames. Proficiency 84.5%

Wind Blast Description This skill permits the wielder to channel the raw force of the gales, creating a concentrated blast of wind aimed at their opponents. The Wind Blast not only inflicts great cutting damage but also has a high chance to knock back and disorient enemies, disrupting their formations. Proficiency 73.9%

The proficiency levels aren’t stellar, but that’s to be expected since I rarely found these skills useful, Thorian mused, scratching his chin while squinting his eyes. He shrugged, No matter, their worth lies not in their effect but in their potential to enhance the proficiency of Elemental Synergy I. Currently, I’m under little pressure, so I can afford to slowly progress these less utilized skills.

Contemplating the possibilities that would open up once Elemental Synergy was upgraded, Thorian couldn’t help but grin wildly. If the principles of Elemental Resonance applied to Elemental Synergy, then mastering the latter would unlock spells of the tertiary elements for him. The thought of wielding such advanced and sophisticated skills made his heart flutter.

I could summon storms, conjure Aetherflame, and breathe life into wood golems. The versatility that spells of the tertiary elements would offer is simply phenomenal.

Realizing he was getting lost in thoughts of future glory, Thorian shook his head with a smile and calmed his heart. He then rose from his bed and proceeded to wake Nox from his slumber.

As the shadow assassin sluggishly came to life, Thorian took care of his hygiene and dressed. The two then left the house, ready to face the new day.

“You look more giddy than usual, did something good happen?” Nox inquired, eyeing Thorian’s smile.

Hearing this question, Thorian cleared his throat, “I’m just satisfied with the progress you’ve made yesterday. You learned mana body reinforcement fairly quickly for an assassin.”

“I wonder about that,” Nox said, his eyebrows knitting together in suspicion at Thorian’s answer before he shrugged it off. “In any case, it’s good to see you in high spirits. So, what’s the plan for today?”

“We’ll head to the Lab first,” Thorian responded, patting the parchments in his pocket. “We need to take our daily elixir, but I also have to deliver these recipes I acquired. They’re no use just gathering dust in a warehouse.”

“Recipes too?” Nox raised an eyebrow. “Just how big of a windfall did this trial hand you?”

“Big enough to raise a country,” Thorian grinned broadly. “Unless someone is as ludicrously fortunate as we are, we should be unparalleled in this kingdom.”

Nox chuckled, his tone light, “Now I see why you’re in such a good mood.”

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With those words, the two set out for the Alchemist Lab. After consuming an elixir each, Thorian handed Hamur more than a dozen recipes he had acquired from Tza'har's legacy.

"M-my lord... This is too much for me! How can I accept such a gift?!" Hamur's eyes widened in astonishment as he looked at the endless stream of scrolls emerging from Thorian's pockets.

"Don't say another word," Thorian said with a stern glare. "I need you to master these recipes as soon as possible so you can inscribe and share them with the other alchemists."

Hamur stared at Thorian in shock for a moment before sighing in resignation, "I understand, my lord. While some of these recipes call for rare materials, I'll begin with those that require more common ingredients and share my findings with the others."

"I’m confident you’ll do well," Thorian patted Hamur on the back. "You and the blacksmiths are the backbone of our army, supporting our warriors. I have high expectations of you."

With a respectful bow, Hamur watched as Thorian made his way to the blacksmith's forge. There, similar to his interaction with Hamur, Thorian presented Faber with all the blueprints he had obtained, including the design for a mana cannon. Although it was currently unfeasible to produce due to material constraints, Thorian remained unfazed.

Soon enough, we'll advance to town level and unlock the miner profession. Then, we can begin mining the mana crystals necessary to power the electrical mana cannons.

After distributing the treasures from the legacy, Thorian and Nox proceeded to the cultivation hall. As usual, Thorian filled the bathtub, drank his elixir, and settled into meditation.

The two and a half hours swiftly passed, and Thorian finally opened his eyes.

Cultivation Realm Qi Gathering Seventh Stage (79.5%)

Seeing his progress, Thorian thought with a smile, Looks like tomorrow is the day.

He rose from his lotus position, cleansed himself in the murky bathwater, and then accompanied Nox to the waste disposal area to rid themselves of the residual black goo. Afterward, they returned to the village.

The morning continued as usual, with Thorian and his teammates clearing all the dungeon layers. After conquering the third layer of the Thunderous Citadel, the group made their way back to the village a few hours past noon.

"Nox, tell Vigil to come as soon as he can. We’ll meet at the gate," Thorian instructed after stowing the loot from the dungeon in his personal warehouse.

Hearing the command, Nox's brow raised before a look of understanding crossed his face. "Are we heading to the abyss?"

"We’ve ignored it long enough, haven’t we?" Thorian responded with a grin. "It's time to make some real progress with our levels."

Excited, Nox immediately used his shadow transportation to teleport, while Thorian walked towards the outer eastern gate.

While waiting for his teammates to arrive, Thorian observed the human soldiers passing through the gate. Some had just completed their dungeon runs with monster supervisors, while others were just arriving.

Looks like they're more relaxed now. They’re no longer arriving in organized, stiff cohorts. Instead, each team comes and goes as per their own specific schedule.

Thorian couldn’t help but smile at the sight. The fact that even the footsoldiers were this relaxed among kobolds, goblins, and orcs, gave him true hope for the future.

At the same time, Thorian couldn't help but cast a worried glance towards the forest. With them coming and going freely, our security is lax. It's impossible to escort each and every one since my men also have duties elsewhere.

After a moment's thought, Thorian reached a conclusion. We need a proper road, from here to Locksley.

Yet as soon as the idea formed, a slew of complications arose. A road might prevent the soldiers from getting lost, but it doesn't inherently increase their safety. They could still be ambushed by monsters lurking in the forest. Moreover, the road would require regular maintenance, and we currently lack the means to effectively repel the monsters.

Deep in thought about this problem, Thorian arrived at a possible solution. We need barriers at regular intervals along the road.

He was aware that implementing such a solution wasn't immediately feasible. However, once Wolvendale fully transitioned into a town, such measures would be within reach, albeit expensive.

"And here we are." Lost in his considerations, Thorian was startled when Nox, accompanied by Vigil, suddenly appeared behind him.

Turning sharply, Thorian exhaled a sigh, "One day, you're going to give me a heart attack with that cheekiness of yours."

"Sorry, my lord. I told him not to do it," Vigil said, scratching his head and bowing, while Nox was grinning broadly.

"No matter, let's get moving," Thorian shook his head and motioned for them to follow.

They moved swiftly through the forest, reaching the western gate of Locksley. As they approached, a guard tentatively stepped forward.

"Lord Monster King, I've been assigned to guide you upon your arrival," he stammered.

"Take it easy, young one," Thorian chuckled, reassuring him. "We're friends with your people."

"Yeah, I know," the guard replied with a nervous chuckle. "We apologize that Sir Oswald isn't here to personally welcome you. He went to visit the village that his grace, the young master, is overseeing."

"So he left you in charge of guiding us to the abyss in case we arrived," Thorian deduced.

"It is as you say, Lord Monster King," the guard confirmed with a nod.

"You can call me Thorian," Thorian smiled, gesturing for the guard to lead the way. "Then let us proceed."

"Right away, Lord Thorian," the guard promptly led them onward, with Thorian and his companions following closely behind.

Observing the nervous guard, Nox chuckled and exchanged glances with Thorian, while Vigil could only offer a helpless smile.

"Have you had the chance to challenge the dungeons?" Thorian asked, attempting to ease the tension.

As they walked, the guard stuttered for a moment before responding, "Not yet, Lord Thorian. I have just been accepted into the army. This is only my third day as a guard."

Thorian shook his head inwardly. How cold of Oswald to assign such a task to this greenhorn, he mused. But perhaps it's an opportunity.

"That must mean he trusts you greatly," Thorian replied, shifting the perspective with his words. "Soon enough, you will have the chance to challenge the dungeons with us. There you will gain the power to protect your family, as well as the riches that come with it."

"Surely, you're joking, Lord Thorian," the guard chuckled, somewhat incredulous. "I'm just a rookie. There are many others more deserving than me."

"In this brand new world, everyone starts as a greenhorn," Thorian countered. "What matters is your grit and determination, and the courage to seize the opportunities that come your way."

Hearing this, the guard glanced back, half-confused. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Lord Thorian."

"I'm suggesting you volunteer for the dungeon expeditions," Thorian clarified. "Right now, while everyone is still fearful, the opportunity is ripe. Once your comrades grow accustomed to us and begin to see us merely as slightly hairy humans, that chance will vanish," Thorian explained with cheerful laughter.

Contrary to Thorian’s jovial attitude, the guard’s expression was frozen; He struggled to find the words to answer.

"You don't need to decide right now," Thorian continued, his voice gentle as he walked beside the guard. "Just think about it. I'm not pressuring you into anything."

"Thank you for the advice, Lord Thorian. I’ll be sure to keep it to heart," the guard managed, regaining his composure and nodding slightly before taking the lead once again.

They traversed uninhabited back alleys before reaching the entrance to the underground tunnels. After bidding the guard farewell and descending the stairs, Nox turned to Thorian with a puzzled look.

"Thorian, why were you so interested in that random guard?" Nox inquired. "He didn’t seem to trust us much."

"That's exactly why I chose to engage with him," Thorian explained. "It's one thing to win over the higher-ups, but if the guards, footsoldiers, and civilians are uneasy about us, then we're not making real progress. We need to demonstrate that we have their best interests at heart."

"Still…" Nox sighed. "It seemed like he was just responding in a way he thought would please us."

"That's also fine," Thorian shrugged. "The important thing is to plant the seeds. They will grow, as long as we continue to nurture them."

While Thorian was looking forward with a wise expression, Nox’s expression was one of confusion. He sighed with an exasperated tone, “Thorian, I didn’t understand a word of that.”

Hearing this, Vigil chuckled. "The lord means that as long as we continue to show goodwill, strong trust will eventually build between us."

Sighing at the need for Vigil to explain such a simple metaphor, Thorian shook his head and motioned for them to follow him. "Forget about that for now. The abyss awaits us."