The kobold gave a dismissive shrug. "Nothing much. Ever since the boys evolved, we've not had any more trouble." With a smug grin, he puffed out his chest, the glimmer of his new equipment catching the torchlight. “But this beauty really made everything easier. Haven't taken a single scratch since the moment I put it on.”
“It’s really good, right?” Ventus, always eager to remind others of their shared trials, interjected. “We had to work really hard to beat that boss and get it, you better be thankful.”
“I don’t have to be thankful for anything,” Forlune scoffed at the suggestion, his voice dripping with dismissive scorn. “We’ve made a deal, pure and simple. I am going to get you five pieces of equipment that suit you, so don’t go around yapping about it.”
"Better follow through," Ventus shot back, his tone turning sharp. “Or I'll strip that armor right off your chest that you're so prideful about..”
As they continued their banter, Thorian settled into a chair around the round table, motioning for everyone else to do the same. "Let's begin the meeting."
Turning to Nox, who was situated to his left, Thorian inquired, “How was your first night with Whisperwind? What have you been doing?”
Nox emitted a weary sigh before replying. “He just had me inscribing skill scrolls for the whole time while he was testing the new recruits.” His expression then brightened considerably.“ But in the end, he did let me do my class advancement ceremony. It looked so pretty with stars and bright lights filling the room.”
“Lucky you,” Ventus murmured under his breath, a tinge of envy tinting his words.
Vigil, however, directed a warm smile towards the shadowstalker. "Congratulations, you're the first among us to advance his class, if I'm not mistaken." His gaze then shifted to Thorian, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. “Unless you have already done so, my king.”
"No, not yet," Thorian responded, shaking his head. He turned his attention to his most trusted ally. "Nox, congratulations. What kind of advancement did you get?”
Scratching his chin pensively, Nox looked up as if searching the rafters for the right words. “There were many options that I saw, but after talking with the master, we chose shadow reaper. He said that it combined my stealthy shadow skills with really strong hard hitting spells. It felt like a good mix of the two.”
Shadow reaper, huh? Whisper step unlocks the reaper class - I guess this is a variant of it due to his racial abilities. It seems like there is a lot of synergy between races and classes.
Saxum remarked, his voice rich with admiration, "You're growing stronger by the minute, aren't you? I'm glad you're with us, you would be a terrifying enemy.”
Ignoring Saxum’s compliment, Forlune clicked his tongue and retorted, an edge of mockery to his tone, “I wonder if your new skills can make a dent on my armor.”
Choosing to let Forlune's prideful comment slide, Thorian redirected the group's attention. "The primary purpose for this meeting is to discuss our next course of action."
"We are at your command, my king," Saxum responded readily, his loyalty evident in his tone. "Simply provide us with our directives and we will carry them out."
Vigil met Saxum's gaze, voicing his own perspective. "While I share your sentiment, I believe our king seeks more than blind agreement. Ignoring potential problems will not erase them. Instead, it only intensifies their impact when they inevitably surface."
Intrigued by the priest's comment, Thorian pursued the topic. "Do you have a specific concern in mind, Vigil?"
"Yes, I do," Vigil confirmed, nodding his head. "The forest presents real dangers. Our group can handle the Tailmashers and Thri-kreens, particularly with a few evolved kobolds in our ranks. But it's the elusive and crafty creatures that blend into the surroundings which pose the greatest threat. Thanks to the experience you've instilled in us, I managed to navigate my men safely through a labyrinth of traps. However, less powerful groups might struggle with this. Navigating through the forest could be particularly challenging for them."
“We didn’t have that issue at all,” Ventus couldn't help but interject, a boastful edge to his tone. “If I don’t know what I’m seeing in front of me, I just throw a Gale Slash at it. That usually solves any problem quickly.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Thorian cast a fleeting glance at the wind magus before returning his attention to the priest. "Your concern is noted. It suggests we need to reassess our approach to these excursions."
Falling into a thoughtful silence, Thorian drew on his considerable military experience to quickly formulate a plan. "Moving forward, we'll conduct dungeon expeditions with platoons of approximately fifty men each. These groups will be accompanied by between five and ten evolved kobolds. Their role will be to ensure the group's safety and navigate the forest's threats, thanks to their prior experience and familiarity with its dangers."
Once Thorian concluded outlining his plan, Forlune raised a concern. "Wouldn't this leave our village vulnerable?"
Saxum was quick to counter, "We're expecting a significant influx of new recruits soon. As they bolster their strength, we'll have plenty of manpower to secure our walls."
Thorian nodded in agreement. "Exactly. The new brown kobolds and kobloids will be distributed evenly across all four units. You'll be inundated with fresh recruits. Later in the day, once they've adequately leveled up, we'll form the two platoons. The entire operation should take around two hours—roughly one hour for each platoon to venture into the dungeon, clear it, and return."
The group took a few moments to digest Thorian's strategy before signaling their comprehension with a series of nods. Only Forlune remained silent, his brow furrowed in contemplation.
“Do you have an issue with my plan, Forlune?” Thorian queried, observing the moon kobold's introspection. “Tell me, we can solve it if your concern is valid.”
"It's not about the plan," Forlune replied, scratching his head in confusion. "It's about the humans—when are we planning to hunt them? Our quest deadline is fast approaching."
Remembering the challenge that all monsters had received, Nox's eyebrows shot up in realization. "That's true! If we manage to hunt 500, we're promised a special evolution. I wonder what form that would take?"
“We will also get a skill and lots of level ups,” Ventus chimed in.
Thorian nodded slowly in acknowledgment. "Those are valid concerns. However, if we launch an assault on the city before ensuring the stability of our village, we risk serious complications."
He paused, gnawing thoughtfully at his thumb. Moments later, his face lit up in a grin.
"Have you stumbled upon a solution, my king?" Vigil inquired, his own smile mirroring Thorian's newfound optimism.
Thorian nodded and elaborated, "I've accepted a quest that speaks of a pack of dire wolves residing within the forest. These beasts are highly formidable, swift, and most importantly, known for their unwavering loyalty. The quest instructs me to broker a pact with them. If we succeed, we can entrust the village's safety to these wolves. This way, we needn't worry about external invasions or conflicts stemming from our new recruits."
"How will we make that pact with them?" Forlune asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "And when do you plan to do so?"
"Diplomacy is an area in which I excel, so put those concerns aside," Thorian assured, a confident smile gracing his features. "As for the timing, we will venture into the forest at the break of dawn. I'll select a small, elite group to accompany me as we explore the region."
“Take me with you!” Ventus interjected eagerly, his hand shooting up. “Going outside is so much more fun than just killing the same things all day at the wall. That got really boring!”
"Certainly, Ventus," Thorian replied with an amiable chuckle. He then drew in a deep breath to introduce the final topic of discussion. "I'd like to address tonight's guarding duties. Given that each of your units will be reinforced with new members, I propose that you divide your squads. When you split the unit, ensure that each group contains a roughly equal number of veterans. The two factions will then alternate guarding duties throughout the night. One group will rest first, then halfway through the night, they'll switch with the second group. I'll arrange for individual houses for each unit, which will help in locating the resting group."
"Houses?" Nox questioned, an eyebrow raised in confusion.
Thorian clarified, "Houses provide shelter where you can sleep without being drenched by rain all night. Additionally, they come equipped with beds, offering more comfort than the bare, hard ground."
Having covered all necessary points of discussion, Thorian concluded the meeting. The group dispersed, each kobold heading to his respective unit stationed at the village's four gates. Meanwhile, Thorian embarked on a construction spree, erecting an assortment of houses throughout the village.
Desiring to acknowledge the bravery of those consistently defending the village, Thorian prioritized the construction of several stage-two houses close to each gate. These accommodations were reserved for the selfless defenders who spent their days repelling relentless onslaughts from monstrous creatures.
For the village's remaining residents, Thorian created a substantial number of stage-one houses. Though less elaborate, these buildings exuded a welcoming atmosphere. They were clean, well-structured, and marked a significant improvement from sleeping on hard ground or within dank caves.
Once the new recruits had visited all guilds and chosen their classes, Thorian rendezvoused with Lapis. After explaining his plan to the brown kobold, they divided the fresh batch into two distinct groups. The first group consisted of civilians unfit for combat due to health issues or age restrictions. The other was composed of healthy individuals eager to demonstrate their usefulness and pursue personal growth. Impressively, the second group outnumbered the first by a ratio of four to one.
Pursuing his strategy, Thorian escorted the civilians to their new homes where they settled in for the night, while Lapis divided the fighters into four groups, each assigned to one of the village gates. Following Thorian's directive, each unit split into two, deciding on the order of their night shifts by drawing straws.
With his plans implemented successfully, Thorian raised a stage-two house for himself near the altar, a location known to his trusted inner circle of five in case of emergencies.
Finally, after what seemed an eternity of planning and execution, Thorian could retire for a much-needed rest.