Unable to cross through the barrier of the first node, Thorian exhaled deeply and opened his eyes. His meditation session had come to an end.

Rank up!

Oh, my cultivation Stage has ranked up? Display Panel.

Ding

Status Panel Race Flame Kobold Level 4/30 (exp: 30/650) Class Magus Level 18/20 (exp: 230/450) Lifespan 40 years Cultivation realm Qi Gathering Second Stage (5.3%) Stats Strength 41 Agility 46 Constitution 23 Mana 53 Qi 14 Free Points 6 Skills Minor Fire Affinity (Passive) Flame resistance (Passive) Fireball (Active) Combustion Touch (Active)

Checking his stat panel, Thorian's gaze focused on his class level. I'm close to hitting a wall in my class. I can't advance until I master all four basic spells.

Taking advantage of this brief moment of tranquility, Thorian inhaled deeply. The night was still young, and he had a multitude of tasks to complete within his territory before he could attend to other matters. A part of him yearned to simply dismiss all these responsibilities. Instead of devoting hours and days to securing the village and ensuring it wouldn't self-destruct without his constant supervision, he could venture out and concentrate on his own development. With his present power, eliminating five hundred humans who hadn't yet acquired their classes wouldn't pose much of a challenge. He could also locate and conquer dungeons, reaping significant rewards.

No, that's a foolish notion. Thorian shook his head. This territory holds more value than both the human hunting quest and the dungeons combined. I must dedicate every waking moment to it until it achieves full stability.

Putting those thoughts to rest, Thorian checked his display panel once again and concentrated on his fireball spell to reveal more information.

Fireball Description You conjure a fiery orb and hurl it at your enemies, leaving them charred and weakened. Proficiency 87.35%

Seeing the proficiency at the end of the skill description, Thorian nodded in approval. Good, I'm almost done with Fireball. I just need to focus on the other three skills.

Following his train of thought, Thorian glanced at the patch of forest where the orcs were cutting trees. The first building I'll upgrade is the Magus statue. I need the guild to be built as soon as possible.

Rising from his cross-legged position, Thorian was assaulted by a disgusting stench. Looking around, he saw the black goo had spread all over the place, its viscosity, and volume even greater than usual.

Is that the filth from my Vermillion Bird meridian? What a god-forsaken body.

Thorian approached the Territory Altar, surprised by the number of cut trees surrounding it. The orcs had accomplished more than half of the work that had taken the kobloids a good part of the afternoon and night in just a few hours.

I should be able to upgrade the Magus Statue with this much.

Wearing a broad smile, Thorian placed his hand on the demon's face and commanded it to absorb the trees. Once they were entirely disintegrated, he checked his resources.

Territory Resources.

Resources Gathered Experience 1230 Wood 1150

Upgrade Magus Statue.

Magus Statue Description The Magus Statue embodies the essence of arcane knowledge and mastery over the elements. By channeling their magical energies, the Magus can wield destructive spells to vanquish their foes and devastate the land before them. Upgrade

Gathered Experience: 750

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Wood: 1000

Do you wish to upgrade the Magus Statue into the Magus Guild?

"Yes, I wish."

A noise from the west indicated that the upgrade process had begun. From a distance, Thorian could see a wooden building taking shape where the statue of the woman Magus once stood. Eager to explore the newly constructed guild, Thorian hastened toward it with quick strides.

Upon entering the newly built Magus Guild, Thorian was immediately struck by the modest yet captivating atmosphere of the interior. The wooden structure, though simple, exuded an aura of mysticism and potential. The guild's low level was reflected in its relatively small size and limited furnishings, but it was evident that it had been designed with growth and expansion in mind.

On the left side of the guild, there was a room dedicated to testing the potential of aspiring magi. The room contained an assortment of magical artifacts and testing devices, designed to measure the innate magical aptitude of those who wished to join the ranks of the Magus Guild.

Good, we can finally recruit proper magi and not just haphazardly choose them.

While the room on the left was important, Thorian's interest lay in the room on the right. There, he spotted the guild master's desk, cluttered with scrolls, half-dried parchments, and massive arcane tomes. However, most intriguingly, the guild master was nowhere to be seen.

"Yagh, I can't reach," a small squeaky voice came from the other side of the room. Thorian furrowed his brow in confusion and walked toward the desk. As he checked behind it, he discovered a small creature with lavender skin and a head that was disproportionately large compared to its tiny body. Its hair was white, and although unkempt, it looked silky smooth.

Seeing the poor creature struggling to jump off the chair and reach the desk, Thorian couldn't help but feel sympathetic.

"Do you need some help?"

The creature turned toward Thorian, frowning, but as it looked at him, its expression changed from confusion to pure surprise.

"You are the lord?" The creature asked with wide eyes. "I have never seen a monster become a village lord. That is marvelous!"

As the creature opened its arms wide, Thorian lifted it onto the desk and said, "Well, I happen to be quite special."

"And you're a magus too?!" The creature's eyes glistened. "Not only are you special, but you are also wise. Magi are the wisest and strongest, capable of turning the tides of a battlefield with a single spell."

Thorian furrowed his eyebrows as he examined the lavender fluffy creature. While he had never seen one that looked like this before, he had heard of a species with a similar description.

“Are you a Buzzlekin?”

"Yes, I am," the creature proudly placed its hand on its chest. "I am Thimblewick Fizzlegrin, seeker of the highest truth and this village's magus guild master."

Thorian raised an eyebrow at Thimblewick's sudden declaration. He had encountered guild masters of many different species in his past life, but a Buzzlekin was a first.

Now that I think about it, Melina wasn't the Village Hall receptionist of this territory when I visited it in the past. The magus guild master was also that elder Nymph, Safia.

While Thorian was lost in his thoughts, Thimblewick cleared his throat. "Ahem, ahem. Do you require anything? Maybe a skill?"

The Buzzlekin wore an expectant look on his expressive face as he lightly rubbed his hands together like a stereotypical merchant. Observing the guild master's demeanor, Thorian wasn't sure whether to laugh or be serious.

"I need the waterball skill first to get rid of this stench," Thorian answered.

"A civilized monster, now isn't that rare?" Thimblewick nodded approvingly as he rummaged through the scrolls on his desk. Upon finding the scroll he was searching for, Thimblewick handed it to Thorian with a childish smile. "This is the waterball scroll. Since you are the lord and you're the first to purchase a skill, I'll offer it to you for only 200 arcane coins."

Thorian nodded in agreement with the Buzzlekin's proposal.

It’s been so long so I’m not exactly sure, but I believe that they cost 500 coins normally.

As Thorian accepted the skill scroll, Thimblewick chuckled childishly before muttering to himself, "My first-ever deal. I'm so happy…"

Thorian shook his head at the peculiar scene before saying, "I'll leave you for now. The other magi should come soon to buy their skills too."

"Good doing business with you. Until next time!"

With Thimblewick waving at him with a smile, Thorian left the Magus Guild and tore open the skill scroll. The yellow parchment shimmered with a sky-blue light before disintegrating into specks that Thorian's body absorbed.

Waterball skill has been learned.

Waterball Description You summon a watery orb and launch it at your enemies, drenching them and knocking them off balance. Proficiency 0%

I need to use my basic skills whenever possible. The more time I spend without fully maxing them out, the longer I'll be stuck without a class advancement.

With his mana now full, Thorian headed straight in the direction of the orcs. He needed to return and hunt the monsters beyond the wall to continue progressing.