Beholding the formidable creature at the head of the three Tailmashers, Thorian's brows knitted together. A Thundermasher? Can they manage to face it alone? He cast a sweeping gaze across the battlefield.

By comparison in number, the kobloid forces seemed dwarfed. Their three evolved warriors were locked in ferocious combat against the swarm of chaskas. Each of their mighty axe strokes claimed a life of an oversized feline, yet the relentless tide of adversaries did not wane.

Meanwhile, the priest lingered at the rear of the tumult, his stature now elevated, his fur transformed from a dirty white to a silvery hue reminiscent of the assassins. Only the vibrant blue markings and lunar tattoos distinguished him clearly from his deadly counterparts.

With a fervor imbued in his eyes, the priest chanted a lengthy incantation until a silver radiance enfolded the warriors. Their movements instantly quickened, each blow they delivered carried enhanced might.

A supportive skill? And one that affects a large area at that? These evolutions are truly wondrous. It's roughly equivalent to the power of a first advancement shaman or a similar tiered class.

Yet, while the tide of battle was decidedly in favor of the kobolds on one flank, Nox and Forlune found themselves in a precarious situation. Despite Aqua's protective watershield enveloping them both, and his Triple Jet Stream assaulting the Tailmashers, they were still struggling against the Thundermasher.

Each swing of its lightning-imbued claws left Forlune paralyzed and scorched, rendering him vulnerable to a merciless lashing from the beast's tail. The Thundermasher had the ability to amalgamate the trio of boulders on its tail into a colossal one, using it to strike the moon kobold with fearsome force.

Yet, fortune was not entirely lost; the priest had another ace up his sleeve. With a concise chant, a beam of moonlight descended upon the beleaguered Forlune, mending his wounds.

Long-range healing as well? Thorian's face bore a complex mix of surprise and delight. We need more priests to evolve.

Concurrently, Nox grappled with the three Tailmashers. His shadow skill enveloped the beasts in a sinister aura, amplifying the effectiveness of Aqua’s abilities. However, the liberated Thundermasher soon intervened, making the odds even more perilous for Nox.

Should I intervene?

Thorian's foot grazed the edge of the watchtower, poised to leap into the fray at a moment's notice. Nox was now contending with four adversaries simultaneously, and while three were battered, the fourth proved unyielding. The Thundermasher moved with astonishing speed, keeping pace with Nox even as the latter employed his shadow skills. Kobold's dark aura collided with the Thundermasher's blue lightning, but the overwhelming luminescence was gradually eroding the shadows.

Just as Thorian braced himself to join the battle, a resonant roar arrested his movements. His muscles tautened instantly, his attention abruptly pulled towards the source of the roar: the three warriors.

Their combined might reverberated in an awe-inspiring howl, striking terror into the hearts of their feline adversaries. Even the Thundermasher halted its assault, casting a glance intermingled with rage and fear at the origin of the roar. This gave Nox a brief reprieve, allowing him to retreat and put some distance between himself and his foes.

Aqua wasted no time capitalizing on this chance. He directed his Triple Jet Stream solely at the Thundermasher's face, causing the beast to howl in agony. The watery assault shattered its nose and jaw and gouged one of its eyes, blood dripping down its mangled visage.

Rejuvenated by the lunar beam, Forlune rose to his feet and barreled towards one of the Tailmashers. Witnessing the moon kobold's courageous charge, Thorian couldn't help but smile as he summoned a sphere of water.

Just as Forlune's axe cleaved into the belly of his target, Thorian launched his spell at another Tailmasher, which was darting towards the moon kobold from the side. Just as the beast prepared to strike Forlune, the waterball collided with its chest, sending it sprawling to the ground.

I suppose it's time to begin practicing this spell.

Armed with a clear strategy, Thorian hurled waterball after waterball at the Tailmashers, skillfully denying them any suitable angle of attack on his comrades. Meanwhile, the three warriors were cutting a swath through the petrified chaskas, their bodies swiftly joining the growing pile of defeated foes.

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Bodies blanketed the earth before the wall, the majority of them heaped directly against it. In a matter of hours, there would hardly be a patch of ground untouched by the fallen.

The chaskas contributed incessantly to the gruesome pile, succumbing to the warriors' axes by the dozen each passing minute. Unyielding, the kobolds carved their path towards the other end of the battlefield where Nox and Forlune were engaged in their arduous combat.

As the minutes slipped by, Aqua and Thorian provided sustained long-range assistance to Nox and Forlune, who employed a strategic hit-and-run tactic. It wasn't long before the three warriors eradicated the remaining chaskas, leaving only the Thundermasher and a severely injured Tailmasher in their wake.

Faced with the combined onslaught of the evolved kobolds, the final two adversaries stood little chance. They were soon brought to their knees and subsequently defeated.

"I've leveled up," Aqua declared, a note of satisfaction underscored by his emerging smile. "I've now attained the highest level for my class."

"Congratulations," Thorian commended. "You're now eligible to advance your class. You have the choice to transition to a water mage straight away and gain increased power, or you can choose to hold off."

The water kobold, initially nodding along with Thorian's words, cocked his head at the last comment. "Wait? What am I waiting for, exactly?"

"Potentially a superior class," Thorian explained, grinning. "The more basic skills you master, the better the class you can progress into. For instance, if you acquire proficiency in Wind Gust alongside Waterball, you'll be eligible for the Ice Magus class, which wields wind, water, and ice magic."

"That's... That's amazing!" Aqua's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "I want to become an Ice Magus. I'll be significantly more powerful that way."

But as Aqua's initial excitement faded, a note of confusion surfaced. "However, how do I learn the Wind Gust skill? You've said something about a guild earlier. Do I simply go there to get the skill?"

"No, you'll need Arcane Coins to purchase it," Thorian corrected, shaking his head. "The quest you received from Melina rewards Arcane Coins. You must have completed a few of them by now, right?"

Aqua's eyes glazed over as he browsed his invisible screens. After consulting his Journal, he turned his gaze back to Thorian and replied, "I've completed three quests. All I need to do is gather 100 units of wood and clear a dungeon. What is a dungeon, though?"

"For the wood, you can utilize the trees the orcs have chopped down and left beside the Altar. I'll have everyone collect some later," Thorian suggested. "As for the dungeon, we will clear one very soon. We just need all the brown kobloids to evolve so we can fortify our defenses here."

Aqua initially furrowed his brows before casually shrugging, "I see. That seems like a sensible plan."

"King!"

While the two magi conversed in the watchtower, a voice from below interrupted them. Looking down, Thorian spotted Caedar bowing to him.

"Thank you, King. Thank you for giving me an opportunity. Thank you for allowing me to evolve."

Hearing Caedar's heartfelt words and taking in his earnest expression, Thorian matched the gravity of the moment. "You don't need to thank me. Most of the effort to evolve was your own doing."

He then let his gaze drift across the battlefield, strewn with the bodies of their adversaries, "And in this battle, you've more than repaid the favor. You've displayed your bravery and honor." Thorian then turned his attention to the other warriors. "All of you have. You are extraordinary and commendable warriors."

"You're overdoing it with the praise, King!" Crimen hollered, his laughter reverberating across the battlefield.

"We merely did what was expected of us," Bellafor chimed in, a chuckle punctuating his words.

Thorian's gaze landed on the priest standing solo near the wall, "Priest, I am proud of you too. Even though your class doesn't equip you with many tools for combat, you still ventured out and hunted enough to evolve. Your courage hasn't gone unnoticed."

With a gracious bow and a smile, the priest responded, "Thank you for the praise, my King."

Meanwhile, Nox was helping Forlune to his feet. Despite the priest's healing, the moon kobold was still fatigued and slightly injured. When he heard Thorian's praise for the warriors, he could only look down, his face a tapestry of mixed emotions.

"You too, Forlune."

At the sound of his name, the moon kobold glanced up in surprise. Thorian, catching the look of astonishment on his subordinate's face, could only offer him a sympathetic gaze.

"Even in the face of grave danger, you didn't retreat and confronted the most formidable adversary. You are a true leader."

Forlune's eyes widened, then he shook his head, "It's nothing. I simply did what was required."

Hearing the moon kobold's response, Thorian smiled gently. He then turned his attention to the shadowstalker, "Nox, you performed excellently. I needn't say this, but you possess immense talent."

Nox responded to Thorian's praise with a boisterous laugh, causing Thorian to shake his head in amusement. He then addressed the warriors once again, "I hope you won't mind, but I need to borrow Nox for a bit."

“Just take that lazy bum, it’s okay,” Bellafor guffawed. “He was just sitting around for all this time. It was only when that weird purple thing appeared and lots of those cat monsters came out of it that he started fighting.”

"Hey!" Nox shot back. "You guys were slaying monsters too fast for me to lend a hand!"

Not wanting to entertain their squabbling, Thorian intervened, "Enough with the childish banter. We have more work ahead." He then directed his attention specifically to Nox, "Follow me, we're going to hunt together."