After hearing the story of my headmaster, the two wildlings demanded me to resume the Barrachian exercises.
They definitely had become determined to master the magic variables. Moments ago they were eager to practice their own sorcery specialty.
Eventually I had to excuse myself to return to my other work in the magic hall.
But Vallerynne and Matrias insisted on staying in the magic training hall until they could replicate the flower shape.
So I let them continue practicing on their own.
From what I had heard from Pavarin, the two mages did not return to the lodging at all that evening.
The members of the raid team were working hard to improve themselves.
Master was certainly aware of the spirit of the heroes and took advantage of it.
Since Devisha had stopped levelling up on the fourth floor after reaching level 3, we were ordered to move on.
For the next six days, master made Party 1 frequent the eighth and the ninth floor.
The bigger challenges on those floors allowed us to practice our formation more extensively.
We applied certain conditions to our roles in order to simulate certain scenarios.
One time we did not let Darius and Jonah use their exploding projectiles. Other time we did not let Shanny use her Berserk skill. Another we did not let me use my offensive spells. And other time we did not even let Darius use any of his arrows.
Sometimes we applied all the restrictions at once.
These disadvantageous scenarios were very likely to happen in the Quintal Trials.
And to make it more realistic, we did not set the conditions before entering the battle.
I would announce which restriction would be applied only after the mission window appeared. My comrades then would have to quickly ready themselves in seconds before the monsters could attack us.
The situation in a Quintal Trial always changes so suddenly and without warning.
It would be foolish of us to not prepare for such scenarios.
The simulations were also useful to hone our coordination with Devisha.
As expected from her performance on the third and the fourth floor, the Tsahanam mercenary capably adapted her role in each situation.
Now that Devisha had levelled up a few times, it was beginning to be apparent in our eyes that the 3-star was growing to be a more powerful comrade than Trudy was.
We could not expect such rapid development from our former party comrade.
Despite how well we thought of Trudy, she was originally a 1-star.
The woman's growth rate could not be compared to the 3-star mercenary.
I hated to admit it, but Trudy was right about Party 1 needing talented heroes who could develop much faster.
Soon, we would continue climbing further than the tenth floor. Devisha needed to be up to par to the rest of us so she would not hold us back.
We could not afford a member to become a burden.
Party 1 was meant to forge the path ahead. Clearing the trials ahead of everybody else.
The tower floors we cleared for the first time were often unknown upon the first visit. Harboring risks that could claim our lives should we lowered our guards even just slightly.
All five members of Party 1 would need to be the best that the lobby had to offer. Party 1 could not afford to have any less given the great burden we shouldered.
Such thoughts were in my mind as my party was clearing the ninth floor for a number of times.
Dozens of monster corpses were already scattered inside the garrison. Leaving a handful for us to deal with.
[Goblin Lv.10 x13]
We were currently applying all of the restrictions.
All I could do was casting simple shield and telekinesis spell to ward off any attack against me or intercept arrows against my comrades.
Shanny and Jonah were battling against eight goblins on the west side of the garrison.
Darius was occupied fighting off a pair with his daggers on the east. He could not use his bow and arrows due to the restriction.
Devisha was battling three near me.
Most of my attention lied on the 3-star newcomer.
Two goblins raised their machetes and attacked Devisha at the same time.
The Tsahanam mercenary easily blocked their swings with her curved blades. The force of the two monsters did not even push her back slightly.
The third one tried to ambush the veil-cladded woman from the back, but she took notice of the monster, unsurprisingly.
Devisha tilted her scimitars and let the previous two goblins slid their machetes to the sides, away from her.
The two goblins tumbled on their feet because of the gesture.
The Tsahanam mercenary then somersaulted forward, avoiding the third goblin's underhanded strike.
She poised her curved blades toward the backs of the previous two goblins and dashed back to them.
Slash!
Devisha claimed their heads before the monsters could turn their necks to face her.
The third goblin screeched at the sight of their comrades murdered.
The monster charged and swung its machete toward Devisha whom was right in front of the creature.
Unfazed, the veil-cladded woman leaped to the air, avoiding the third goblin's attack once more.
Slash!
['Devisha (★★★)'s Basic Dual-Swords Technique has levelled up to level 4!]
Devisha claimed another snouted head while mid-air. Her scimitars were stained black with the goblin's blood.
It was then that the whole battle concluded.
Jonah, Shanny, and Darius had taken care of their own foes.
The mission window promptly appeared to each of us.
[Stage Clear!]
[MVP – 'Devisha (★★★)']
[Reward – 5,000G]
We were soon engulfed in the familiar bluish-white light and returned to the mirrored chamber.
I immediately turned to Devisha and observed her.
[Devisha (★★★) Lv.8 (Exp 8/80)]
[Class: Rogue]
[Strength: 26/26]
[Intelligence: 10/10]
[Stamina: 25/25]
[Agility: 27/27]
[Skills: Basic Dual-Swords Technique Lv.4, Basic Dagger Technique Lv.3, Dagger-throwing Lv.2, Switching Lv.2, Trap Detection Lv.1, Stealthy Movement Lv.1, Nimble Movement Lv.2, Fire Resistance Lv.1, Projectile Defense Lv.2, Pain Resistance Lv.1]
After more than a week of us frequenting the third till the ninth floor, Devisha had finally levelled up to level 8.
That was the highest a 3-star could reach from clearing the available trials below the tenth floor.
Along the way, Devisha also managed to improve some of her combat skills. It showed within her increased performance in battle.
Her sword technique level would become higher had she not used her daggers in combat as well.
She preferred using daggers against lesser number of enemies or individual encounters for the sake of swift takedowns, while scimitars for simultaneous encounters and large-sized opponents.
A good progress, however.
Even so, judging from our own experience, Devisha would stop progressing from this point on.
"How many experience point did you get just now?"
I asked the 3-star newcomer.
"Just two."
She replied with a sigh.
As expected, Devisha finally plateaued.
Despite being the MVP of the trial earlier she only gained that little experience.
It would take dozens more time of us clearing the ninth floor to level her up again.
If she did not stop gaining experience in the middle of the way that was. It happened to us when we were preparing to climb the tenth floor, the second Quintal Trial.
Needless to say that the rest of Party 1 received no experience point whatsoever while we were trying to develop Devisha.
Master would had noticed Devisha's progress had stunted.
It was likely we would not be returning to the ninth floor tomorrow.
Which meant we would be entering a resting duration within the next couple of days.
After that, we would finally continue our climb once more.
"Ready yourselves. If master doesn't call for us tomorrow, then the eleventh floor will be our next trial."
I addressed my comrades.
Their faces turned more tense. Their grip on their weapons became tighter.
We were already aware that the eleventh floor would not be as difficult as the Quintal Trials.
But the eleventh floor still meant new challenges. Unknown challenges.
Only a fool would face uncertainties without any sense of wariness.
More importantly, the eleventh floor would probably provide us a clue on what we would face on the fifteenth floor, our third Quintal Trial.
The thought of Quintal Trial was never pleasing.
We then left the rift of space time and was immediately welcomed by the fairy's echoing voice.
[Zecht, Norn, Tarran, Harl, Yuxia! Come to the square!]
Just when Party 1 was done developing its new member, Party 2 was just beginning with theirs.
"It's our first trial together and even the first trial ever for Yuxia, so it's probably going to be the third or the fourth floor."
I heard Zecht said to his party when we passed them by on the grand stairway connecting the floors of the lobby.
"Zecht, Tarran, and I will make sure nothing happens to you two. So don't be nervous and simply give it your all."
Norn said to their new members. Tarran nodded encouragingly beside her.
"I'll do my best!"
Harl shouted spiritedly.
"Don't you worry! I'll exterminate the monsters before you people can raise your weapons! We'll be in and out just like that!"
Yuxia announced confidently with a snap of his fingers. The wide sleeves of his eastern robe swayed according to his exuberant gesture.
This time I believed the eastern man.
The 4-star elementalist had been studying and training rigorously for the past week. Sometimes he did not even sleep and kept on training through the next day.
Thanks to his great effort, Yuxia was now able to cast a Second Circle fire spell under ten seconds, while a First Circle in an instant.
Those should be enough to make him useful in battle.
A First Circle spell could usually claim 3 to 5 enemies at once, while a Second Circle 8 to 15. Though it really depended on the enemy distribution and the caster.
Yuxia's endurance was quite improved as well.
Trudy said now he was able to run twice as fast and almost twice as long as when he first trained with her before needing to rest.
The 4-star newcomer would at least not be helpless on the third and the fourth floor.
It was because of this improvement that Yuxia now found himself going into a trial with Party 2.
But I still did not allow the 4-star to manage his training alone.
Even after forgetting his wildling method and learning the proper way, the man still needed one whole minute to cast a Third Circle spell.
It was a significant improvement since I saw him casting the same spell for the first time. But not significant enough to escape my tutelage.
He still needed my thorough attention.
If he were to attempt the third Quintal Trial, I intended him to master all of his elements first.
Indeed. He would still need to be thoroughly trained.
The fifteenth floor needed to be faced with the full power the raid team could muster.
I would make sure of that.