Coming out of the Verdant Labyrinth, Thorian decided to check out his status screen. Display Panel

Ding

Status Panel Race Flame Kobold Level 20/30 (exp: 123/4400) Class Elemental Magus Level 9/40 (exp: 451/1520) Lifespan 40 years Cultivation realm Qi Gathering Fourth Stage (3.5%) Stats Strength 78 Agility 84 Constitution 53 Mana 73 Qi 60 Free Points 60 Regular Skills Minor Elemental Affinity (Passive) Flame resistance (Passive) Elemental Synergy I (passive) Dual Casting (passive) Fireball (Active) Combustion Touch (Active) Waterball (Active) Wind Gust (Active) Rock Bullet (Active) Thunderclap (active) Mist Veil (active) Molten Shield (active) Dust Devil (active) Icy Barrage (active) Druidic Dome (active) Fire Pillar (active) Wind Tornado (active) Cultivation Skills Dark Flame Meditation Dark Phoenix Flame Arts: First Form [Dark Flame Palm] Production Skills Blacksmith I Alchemist I

A wide grin spread across Thorian's face as he studied the expansive status screen before him. It is finally looking like a proper panel. And seems like I should distribute my Free Points, I have been hoarding them for quite a while already.

Ether Line Nexus had proven invaluable to Thorian over the past two days, enabling him to conserve his mana efficiently. However, he recognized the reality that he couldn't always rely on the safety of his territory during battle. To make matters more complicated, the first advancement skills like Fire Pillar and Wind Tornado were mana-intensive. With his current mana pool, Thorian could only cast these spells around ten times each before depleting his reserves, even when leveraging the Wolvendale’s attribute. Considering this, he decided to assign a portion of his hoarded points to bolster his mana.

Mana: 73 -> 100

Thorian's offense primarily relied on his magical skills, rendering the Strength attribute less valuable for his strategy. Instead, he opted to distribute the remaining points between Agility and Constitution, ensuring he was nimble on his feet and resilient in combat.

Agility: 84 -> 110

Constitution: 53 -> 59

As the points were allocated, a sense of lightness swept over Thorian, making him feel as swift as a breeze. His agility had now exceeded that of most first-advancement assassins, positioning him as the fastest mage within his category. Armed with his comprehensive array of skills, Thorian felt an invigorating sense of near invincibility.

Once I get some movement-focused Martial techniques, no one would ever hope to strike me with their skills.

Thorian's advancement to the Elemental Magus class furnished him with unparalleled long-range prowess, both offensively and in utility. His racial abilities, along with the Dark Phoenix Flame Arts, granted him a level of close-quarters strength that rivaled most warriors and assassins. The only potential gap in his repertoire was a mobility skill like Nox's Whisper Step, which would allow for rapid battlefield repositioning. However, Thorian's extraordinary agility emulated such a skill's effect to a degree. And if he required an additional burst of speed, he could always rely on Harald. It wasn't a baseless notion that Thorian considered his current abilities to be invincible.

“King, what is this dungeon we are looking for?” Ventus's query snapped Thorian from his contemplation. They were currently deep inside the Sherwood forest, surrounded by long vines and tall trees.

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Turning his gaze to the yellow kobold, Thorian paused for a moment, regaining his kingly demeanor. "We're searching for a lightning-element dungeon. The creatures within wield the power of lightning, and the rewards echo this elemental theme."

"Wait, Is this true?" Ventus questioned, visibly excited. "Does that mean I could get more lightning spells?"

“I did say you would find it to your liking," Thorian replied, a smile playing on his lips.

Overhearing the exchange, Saxum couldn't help but shake his head.“You’re a fortunate one, Ventus. You should leave some luck for the rest of us.”

Ventus sheepishly grinned at the compliment. “I wish I could, but sadly it’s just my talent. I was simply born lucky!”

The atmosphere shifted slightly as Aqua chimed in, somewhat despondent. "I guess my abilities will be largely irrelevant in that dungeon then. Lightning and water aren't exactly the best combination."

Thorian tilted his head at the disheartened Aqua, "I find your perspective rather intriguing. From my point of view, you might actually be our most valuable asset in that dungeon."

Confusion washed over the team, especially Aqua, who was visibly taken aback. “I do not understand, my king. Isn’t lightning even more powerful with the presence of water?”

"Yes and no, it really depends on the context," Thorian replied. "If you flood the area with water and the enemy uses long-range lightning attacks like Ventus, then yes, we would indeed find ourselves in a problematic situation."

His eyes settled on Aqua, a playful grin on his face, as the team eagerly awaited his next words. "However, if the enemy envelops themselves in lightning or is partly composed of electricity, your water spells could be their undoing. They would struggle to utilize their abilities without risking self-electrocution. Only the high-tier monsters, possessing robust Lightning Resistance or Immunity, could withstand your onslaught."

Aqua's brow furrowed as he considered Thorian's explanation, "Is that truly how it works?"

Meanwhile, Forlune's attention was fixated on Ventus, an amused glint in his eyes. “Doesn’t that mean you got it the hardest here?”

"What do you mean?" Ventus countered.

Forlune stroked his chin and grinned, “Well, if Aqua can just handle the weak monsters just fine, we will only need to deal with the high-tier ones. But since those guys have strong Lightning Resistance, your spells would be pretty useless.”

Realization dawned on Ventus as he grasped the issue Forlune was alluding to. Rather than dwell on the apparent disadvantage, he shrugged and huffed, "That's no issue for me. My most powerful skills are my wind ones, and they should work just fine!"

Thorian nodded approvingly at Ventus, seeing a reflection of his younger, more impulsive self in the ambitious kobold. I had that same issue in the past. Fire dungeons are truly the worst matchup for Fire magi. Even as one of the strongest Fire Archmagi, I couldn’t deal with dungeons that a Water Grandmagus would be able to clear.

“Anyways, forget about that,” Ventus waved his hand dismissively before turning his gaze back to Thorian. "King, where do we find this dungeon?"

Thorian paused for a moment before responding, "We'll need to search within caves."

"Caves?" Saxum raised an eyebrow, curiosity etched on his face. "So it's a cave dungeon?"

"Not quite," Thorian clarified. "The entrance is located within a cave, but the actual dungeon is quite different. Like the Verdant Labyrinth, we will be teleported inside once we locate it."

With this new information, the group proceeded on their quest, venturing into every cave they encountered. They battled numerous monsters lurking within, gradually pushing deeper into the forest. Eventually, they came upon a cave that differed from the rest. From the outside, it appeared ordinary, but once they stepped inside, they could perceive an alternate source of light emanating from within.

As they advanced further, the narrow passage opened up into a vast chamber. Bathed in an ethereal blue glow, the chamber's luminescence came from clusters of blue flowers dotting the area.

"What are these?" Forlune voiced out, eyeing the electricity-buzzing flowers with curiosity.

"These are pulse poppies," Thorian elucidated, his eyes reflecting his shock. "But the quantity here is staggering…"

"Why the surprise, King?" Ventus asked, furrowing his eyebrows. “Are they dangerous?”

Feeling the weight of everyone's gaze upon him, Thorian shook his head. "No, it's not about danger. Pulse poppies are valuable resources, coveted by seasoned alchemists. They are ingredients in many significant recipes."

"Ah, so they're treasures," Vigil chimed in.

Thorian couldn't help but marvel at the spectacle before him. If a merchant stumbled on this, they would have made a fortune in my past life.

Pulse poppies featured in numerous alchemical recipes Thorian was aware of. Quite fortuitously, some of these recipes could also be the potential rewards from the dungeon they were about to explore.

“So, what do we do now?” Ventus inquired. “Do we take them? Do we go to the dungeon first?”

"We'll collect these first," Thorian ordered, a determined look in his eyes. "We're fortunate to have found this site intact. We can't risk venturing into the dungeon, only to return and find this place ravaged by some dumb beast.”

With Thorian's directive, everyone set about gathering the blue electric flowers. The task required precision, as each flower needed to be carefully uprooted rather than haphazardly plucked. Thorian ensured that his teammates understood the proper method of harvesting pulse poppies before allowing them to assist. He continued to supervise their efforts closely to prevent any wastage of these high-quality ingredients.

So, the group began the meticulous process of gathering the pulse poppies. Given their lack of appropriate pouches, they had to resort to using their clothing pockets and cupping the flowers within their hands. Naturally, this method significantly limited the amount they could each collect.

Consequently, multiple trips from the cave to the village became necessary. Throughout this time, Thorian stood guard in the cave. While his companions ran their errands, several Thundermashers attempted to invade the cave, only to be deterred by Thorian's spells. With his Dual Casting ability, he was now capable of unleashing the Wind Gust Fire Ball combo single-handedly, thereby enhancing his firepower without having to resort to the more mana-draining first advancement spells.

After about ninety minutes of this routine, the group finally managed to harvest all the pulse poppies from the cave chamber. At Thorian's behest, the flowers were stored within his own home.

Finally, the group gathered around a large, dark blue gemstone that was lodged within the wall at the far end of the cave, pulsating with electric arcs.

"Well then, it's finally time," Thorian commented.

"I've been waiting for you to say that, King," Ventus immediately darted toward the gemstone, eager to plunge into the dungeon.

Thorian, along with the rest of the group, joined the yellow kobold at the gemstone, just as a notification appeared before him.

Congratulations, you are the first to discover the medium-scale dungeon: The Thunderous Citadel. You will receive double the rewards and a higher chance for extra rewards if you clear it.

Choose the difficulty layer you wish to enter.