Floki had the best sleep he had experienced since arriving in this world. When he woke, his body felt completely invigorated, ready to take on the day.

Floki Manor was fitted with special illumination crystals at every corner, providing more than enough lighting. He also discovered a bathroom with a finely perfumed bath, where the water refreshed itself every eight hours and the scented soap never ran dry. It was a magical space, and he took his time enjoying the bath.

With time to spare, he strolled through the manor, observing its many features. Among them was a small training room that reduced stamina drain, allowing the user to train for extended periods without exhaustion.

The house was so comfortable that he decided to handle every task he could indoors, starting with preparing quests.

’Fuck, Quest Provider has upgraded to D-rank. I forgot to check its new effect before I slept last night. The other special skills have upgraded as well.’

The realization struck him, and he immediately opened his character panel, moving straight to the special skill section.

[SPECIAL SKILL:3]

[Quest Provider (D)] [Stone Reinforcement (D)] [Knight Summoning (D)]

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Quest Provider (D-rank)

Your authority stabilizes, allowing smoother execution of granted quests. You may now assign up to three active quests simultaneously.

Quest creation becomes less rigid. While still requiring clarity, minor omissions are automatically corrected by the system. Rewards can now include small stat boosts or temporary enhancements in addition to experience points.

ADDED DETAILS:

~1) Partial quest tracking is unlocked, allowing you to monitor progress in real time.

~2) Minor penalties can now be enforced automatically upon failure.

~3) Quests no longer require full written form. You may now assign them verbally, as long as the details are clear. Rewards can also be decided mentally.

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’These are much-needed additions. Especially the fact that I no longer need to spend shop coins on scrolls and pens or rack my brain coming up with quests. If only the number of active quests could be higher,’ he muttered, letting out a small sigh.

Still, he was not dismayed.

He had managed to get work done with only one active quest at a time. Having three meant triple the progress, which was far from bad.

His gaze shifted immediately to the Stone Reinforcement skill.

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Stone Reinforcement (D-rank)

Your bond with the earth strengthens, allowing the stone coating your body to become denser and more responsive. The hardened layer now absorbs and disperses incoming force, reducing damage from both physical and low-tier elemental attacks.

You gain limited control over the stone itself, enabling partial reinforcement of specific body parts for offense or defense. Your earth affinity deepens, granting minor terrain awareness and increased stability, making you harder to stagger or knock back.

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This one was impressive as well.

Curious, he decided to test it. He activated the skill, guiding his mana to form a stone gauntlet over his raised left hand.

A thick layer of dark brown rock formed over it, solid and dense with defensive strength.

With careful control, he pushed more mana into it, reshaping the gauntlet and forming sharp claws along the knuckles.

’Not bad..’ he muttered before dismissing it, turning his focus to the skill he had been most eager to use.

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Knight Summoning (D-rank)

Your authority strengthens, allowing you to summon one or two knights based on your preference (you are currently limited to a maximum of two knights). Their equipment and combat instincts improve, making them more efficient and durable in battle.

At this stage, your knights begin to exhibit refined techniques, acting with greater coordination and discipline. Their loyalty remains absolute, forming the foundation of your growing command.

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’Two knights!’

He nearly roared in delight. The thought of commanding two powerful fighters like Breeze widened his smile.

The knowledge of how to use the skill settled clearly in his mind.

Without hesitation, he attempted to summon both knights at once.

[ Mana insufficient to summon two knights at once. ] 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

’Sigh..’

Meditation was not an option right now. Instead, he opened the shop and browsed through miscellaneous items until something caught his attention.

[ Band of Summoning (Uncommon) - Usage 2/2: Reduce the cost of mana during summoning spellcasting by 50%

Cost: 100 Shop Coins. ]

Spending one hundred shop coins was equivalent to two hundred skill points, and he currently had over six hundred. Without hesitation, he made the purchase.

A black rubber band inscribed with green runes appeared in his inventory, and he quickly equipped it.

He attempted the summoning again.

At once, the illumination crystals around the room began to flicker. A sharp gust of wind surged through the space, scattering small objects.

Two large magic formations appeared on the ground before him, their runic engravings glowing with a divine hue.

From the circles, pillars of sharp green light shot upward, reaching toward the ceiling.

Within those pillars, two humanoid figures began to take shape. Even at a glance, their presence carried weight, their forms radiating strength and confidence.

Then, just as suddenly, the summoning ended. The engravings and magical effects faded, leaving behind two fully formed, armored figures.

The first was a middle-aged man with a bald head and red facial hair. Strange tattoos covered one side of his face, giving him a rough, imposing appearance.

He stood over 6’8, with a massive build. He wore steel armor that further emphasized his size, and a blue cape was attached to it.

His blue eyes shifted toward Floki, studying him with a sharp, judging gaze.

Floki felt the weight of that scrutiny. His expression hardened instinctively, and he subtly invoked the effects of [Elite Authority], asserting his dominance.

The bald knight felt the subtle pressure and presence. It was not very strong. But it was all he required before he accepted the summon fully.

He dropped to one knee gently. A greatsword appeared in his hand, which he drove into the ground with a heavy thrust as he bowed his head.

"By rune and oath... I yield to your authority," he said in a firm voice.

"Garrick Voss kneels."

As the words left him, his sharp blue eyes rose to meet Floki’s. The earlier judgment had vanished, replaced by quiet, unwavering reverence.

[ Your Summon: Runic War Knight, Garrick Voss, accepts your authority. ]

Floki stepped forward.

He mirrored movements he had seen in movies, drawing his longsword before tapping it lightly against Garrick’s broad shoulders.

"I, Floki Ironside, The White Tempest, accept your oath."

The bond formed in that instant, acknowledged by the magic itself.

Floki then turned to the second knight.

He had not paid him enough attention earlier, not because he was any less imposing than Garrick, but because he already knew him.

Standing in a relaxed, almost slouched posture, the second knight casually observed the interior of the manor, ignoring the oath taking place beside him.

Slowly, his gaze drifted back to Floki.

A wry smile formed on his lips.

"What a pain.." he muttered, about to continue.

"Respect. Subject."

Garrick moved instantly. His greatsword swung through the air and stopped just centimeters from the other knight’s neck, defending his master’s authority without hesitation.

Breeze only grinned.

"Easy.. easy.." he said, raising his hands in mock surrender, his tone light and teasing.

Then he turned fully to Floki.

"I didn’t expect you would summon me so early. I didn’t even get the chance to relax."