Upon seeing the brown kobold's expression, Thorian's face broke into a warm smile. "You've performed remarkably. Congratulations," he praised.

At that moment, Rumblestone sauntered over to the young kobold, extending a massive hand. The kobold clasped it gratefully and rose to his feet. Rumblestone's hearty laugh echoed around them as he shook his head in amusement. "You truly surprised me. I didn't anticipate you'd use your armor skill in such an aggressive manner," he confessed.

In response to the Mountain Goliath's compliments, the brown kobold merely chuckled. "It was purely instinctual in the middle of the battle. I hadn't premeditated it," he admitted modestly.

Rumblestone gave the kobold's shoulder an appreciative pat, admiring his fighting spirit. "You have keen instincts," he declared, before posing a pivotal question, "But what path will you choose, warrior? Do you desire to immerse yourself in the heart of battle, or would you prefer to control the chaos from afar as a strategic leader?"

The brown kobold's brows knit together in confusion. “I'm not entirely sure what you mean, but I suppose I'd prefer to be a leader? I already lead my band of kobloids; I'd like things to stay that way."

At the kobold's reply, Rumblestone let out a robust, hearty laugh. “Good, that's an excellent answer. Given your choice, I'd recommend 'Taunting Shout' as your starting skill. It would synergize perfectly with your rock-hard armor."

As Rumblestone laid out his proposition, the brown kobold cast a questioning look towards Thorian, seeking his approval. Thorian, upon noticing the kobold's pleading eyes, couldn't help but smile. “It’s an enticing suggestion indeed. Acquiring these two skills so early on would make you one of the most formidable frontline soldiers in the region.”

Bolstered by Thorian's approval, the brown kobold gave a firm nod, “Alright, I choose this 'Taunting Shout' skill."

“Good choice,” Rumblestone approved, his gaze wandering away from the kobold and onto a distant point. Thorian understood that the Guild Master was likely viewing a screen much like the ones he had access to.

"Oh, I see it now," the brown kobold exclaimed, his brows shooting up as he gazed at an unseen point in the air. Observing the pair respond to invisible prompts caused Thorian to chuckle at the absurd spectacle.

It’s funny how such a thing is now considered normal. After ten years, it’s almost hard to even notice the ridiculousness.

Once the brown kobold had secured his starting skill, Rumblestone appraised him curiously. "Why not purchase an additional skill? Since it's your first, you'll get a 200 Arcane Coin discount. It would cost only 300."

A look of confusion spread across the kobold's face as he turned to the Guild Master. "Arcane Coins?" he echoed inquisitively.

Thorian cut in swiftly with an explanation. "He hasn't yet received any quests," he clarified. "We were pressed for time, and not all have been properly inducted as citizens."

Rumblestone offered a wry smile before nodding in understanding. "That is quite a pity." He then turned to the brown kobold, his grin broadening. "Nevertheless, once you've completed your quests and earned some coin, come find me. I'll be able to sell you a new skill. We can even spar again to discover the one that suits your fighting style best."

The brown kobold chuckled nervously and gave a dismissive shake of his head. "That won't be necessary. You could just show me the skills, and I'll choose the one I like."

At the kobold's reply, the goliath feigned a disappointed pout. "Oh, that's too bad. I was eager for another sparring match."

Meanwhile, Thorian was lost in thought, scratching his chin. Finally, he made a decision. He addressed the brown kobold, saying, "Once we return to the eastern gate, take your men and tour the village. Head to the Hall and ask Melina to show you how to get quests. You can also visit the Guilds, so the kobloids can choose their classes."

"Come to mine first," Rumblestone interjected, addressing the brown kobold. "I want first dibs on promising new talents before that shady character gets his hands on them. He'd spoil their pure and courageous spirit."

The brown kobold chuckled in response and reassured, “I can at least promise you that much."

With their plans set, Thorian and the kobold bid farewell to the Guild Master before making their way toward the eastern gate. Along the way, Thorian explained the concept of quests and the benefits of their rewards. He also introduced the notion of Arcane Coins, emphasizing their role as the universal currency within the territories.

Upon reaching the gate, the sounds of battle echoed from beyond the walls. Thankfully, only the kobloids Thorian had seen injured before were resting within the village, indicating no fresh casualties.

As the gate swung open, Thorian could see that the skirmish was nearing its conclusion. Led by the trio of assassins, the kobloids were dispatching the remnants of the goblin pack that had dared to threaten the village with their spears and daggers.

Turning to the brown kobold at his side, Thorian queried, “What's the average level of the kobloids?”

The kobold scratched his head, considering Thorian's question. “I'm uncertain at the moment, but before, they hovered around level ten. A few reached level eleven, and one managed to hit twelve."

"That's a commendable rate of progress," Thorian noted approvingly. “Their class levels should ascend swiftly, which will bolster their strength considerably. Your group should find it easier to handle smaller chaska packs, but you'll still need to exercise caution around a Tailmasher. As for Thri-kreens, your best strategy at your current level is simply to flee."

“Thank you for the advice, I'll definitely remember it,” the brown kobold responded with a solemn nod.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Witnessing the serious expression on the kobold's face, Thorian reciprocated with a firm nod of his own.

“Boss! You're back?” One of the assassins spotted Thorian's return and promptly bolted towards him.

Seeing the assassin's beaming smile, Thorian couldn't help but be reminded of Nox's guileless demeanor.

I guess they’re taking on some of his personality. That’s not a bad thing.

"Yes, I've given our friend here a tour of the village. He even managed to pick up a class along the way," Thorian informed the assassin.

The assassin turned his curious eyes to the brown kobold. "Oh? What class? Did you get the assassin class like us? It's the best one there is!"

"No, I've chosen to be a warrior," the brown kobold replied, his chest puffed up with pride.

Upon hearing this, the assassin clicked his tongue in disapproval. "That's boring."

"And who are you calling boring?" the brown kobold shot back, his eyebrows knitting together. "I'll have you know, the warrior class is perfect for a leader like me. A brat like you wouldn't understand the might of such a class."

Observing the friendly banter teetering on the edge of an argument, Thorian cleared his throat twice, bringing their bickering to a halt.

"Anyway, the plan now is for the kobold to lead his group on a tour of the village and help them all select their classes," Thorian continued. He turned his attention to the assassin and spelled out his instructions. "Since I'll be assuming responsibility for guarding this gate, you can return to your patrolling duties. The eastern side will be secure under my watch."

"You got that, boss," the assassin responded, flashing a two-fingered salute. "I'll go notify the others to shift positions."

"I'll do the same," the brown kobold chimed in. "I'll gather the kobloids and brief them on our next steps."

With a clear plan in mind, the two kobolds sprung into action. The trio of assassins promptly resumed their patrol as Thorian had instructed, while the brown kobold congregated the kobloids to inform them about classes, quests, and various aspects of territory know-how. After a brief explanation, the group proceeded into the village, escorting the injured members along so they could receive immediate healing once some of the kobloids ascended to priest classes.

With Thorian left alone, he couldn’t help but think back about the two brown kobolds.

I should at least name those two, and also the rest of the original tribe. As for the rest of the brown kobloids, I should have someone else do the honors. Maybe Melina?

However, Thorian quickly relegated those thoughts to the back of his mind. There would be time to attend to that task later; his immediate responsibility was protecting the wall and neutralizing any monster that ventured too close.

Upon checking his mana pool, Thorian was surprised to find it almost completely replenished. He could readily feel the effects of the Ether Line attribute; merely taking short rests was sufficient to recharge his mana fully.

The group of kobloids, led by the brown kobold, took nearly two hours to conclude their tour. Firstly, they visited the Village Hall, where Melina briefed them on daily quests and the procedure to accept and complete them. Next, they traversed all the guilds, each kobloid undergoing the Guild Master's test to identify their talent. This entire process was time-consuming, but eventually, they completed it and returned to the eastern wall.

In the meantime, Thorian single-handedly combated all the monsters that dared approach his territory's border. While this responsibility might have seemed daunting to others, for him, it was a significant advantage. He didn't need to share his kills with anyone, thereby claiming all the experience points for himself.

As per his routine, Thorian hunted Goblins, Chaskas, Rabarians, Thumpalopes, and a few Thri-kreens. Intriguingly, it wasn't the giant mantises that presented the biggest challenge; instead, it was the Goblins. Similar to what happened with the orcs, a temporal spacetime distortion occurred in front of the eastern gate, giving rise to nearly two hundred Goblins. With a considerable number of hobgoblins among them, it was a formidable task to repel them all.

Thorian leveraged his height and range advantage to reduce the number of hobgoblins initially, employing a blend of fireballs and waterballs. Having eradicated the evolved species, he could then dive into the fray and accumulate his experience points. By utilizing his Combustion Touch skill and his overwhelming stats, he managed to cut through the swarm of green monstrosities with ease, dispatching several with each strike. The tricky part wasn't the killing, but preventing them from climbing the wall after they scattered. Some managed to infiltrate the village, but Thorian's keen sense of smell enabled him to track them down and eliminate them.

After the two-hour interval, Thorian thought it best to check his status screen.

Display Panel

Ding

Status Panel Race Flame Kobold Level 10/30 (exp: 238/1050) Class Magus Level 20/20 (exp: MAX) Lifespan 40 years Cultivation realm Qi Gathering Second Stage (5.3%) Stats Strength 52 Agility 56 Constitution 31 Mana 60 Qi 14 Free Points 15 Skills Minor Fire Affinity (Passive) Flame resistance (Passive) Fireball (Active) Combustion Touch (Active) Waterball (Active)