Another week passed by since Master summoned the ten 3-star heroes and ordered an upgrade to the checkroom facility.
The latter act done by Master inflicted some dread to the heroes that knew what the facility stood for.
But the uncomfortable feeling did not linger long nor it affected the workings of the lobby.
Master had been ordering improvement to all the facilities in the lobby and most people thought the checkroom was simply next in Sigyn's list.
But I would be lying if I said I was not suspicious of the upgrade decision. Especially since it coincided with the arrival of the 3-stars.
I assumed our next Quintal Trial, the twentieth floor, would be an even bigger challenge than all the previous trials we had faced before.
It was logical considering the higher floors would possess greater difficulty.
But I expected the twentieth floor's mission had a much larger risk than the previous Quintal Trials, that Master had to put in extra effort in preparing their army.
All in all, the heroes of the forged land needed to work even harder moving forward.
Not just Party 1, not just the Raid Team, but every hero under Sigyn's rule.
For the past week, Sigyn was still focusing on improving the second floor trainees. As well as hurrying the first floor trainees to climb up to the twelfth floor of the Main Dungeon and move up the ranks within the lobby.
Quite a lot of second floor trainees were recruited for the instructor positions as well as some of the other supporting roles in the lobby.
Master likely wanted to replace the combatant trainees that were transferred to supportive roles as soon as possible.
I was now convinced Master intended to fully reinforce the ranks of Party 3 to Party 11 before the sixteenth floor climb.
We would need plenty more capable 2-star trainees to fill the vacant positions.
As Sigyn's Vice-Master, I had been working to improve the heroes that were already assigned to those parties.
The 3-star newcomers had finished frequenting the first to the ninth floors of the Main Dungeon.
In just a week, they all managed to rapidly climb the tower and reach level 10 without experiencing synthesis.
The mages newcomers also were able to be immediately deployed upon arrival.
After I examined them in the magic hall, I confirmed they were not wildlings and that they were skilled enough to protect themselves in real combat.
Moreover, the 3-star newcomers were accompanied by level 15 instructor candidates that had been frequenting the thirteenth and the fourteenth floors of the Main Dungeon.
The newcomers would be grouped in three and frequent the trials alongside two instructor candidates.
Thanks to the experienced Apprentice Instructors, the 3-star newcomers were able to frequent the floors three to four times a day, allowing them to rapidly climb to the ninth floor in just a week.
We did the right thing by examining the 3-star newcomers before assigning them to their own parties.
The Apprentice Instructors reported how some of the 3-star heroes would only bicker in battle and endangered their own comrades.
I had expected of this outcome considering what happened with Jyrgil and Lisham back when we just cleared the fifth floor.
The 3-star heroes were already experienced combatants when they first arrived to the forged land.
But they also risked of having already developed a strong ego.
Master ordered us to pair up the 3-stars according to their compatibilities with one another.
So we needed to be careful in judging the personalities of our soldiers. Not just their strength.
After observing the newcomers for the past seven days, the Apprentice instructors had given their suggestions of the 3-stars that worked well together.
In the following days the recommended pairs would frequent the eleventh and the twelfth floors alongside the instructor candidates.
Once their compatibilities were proven from their performance in those floors, we would then finally assign the 3-stars in fixed parties, and we would continue searching capable trainees that would complement their ranks.
The whole process would probably take another week or so.
We would be delaying our climb by focusing on the sub-parties.
But this way, the entire Raid Team would be ready when we finally needed to try the fourth Quintal Trial.
[Maha Agni]
A stream of flame burst forth from Anaiya's palms and rushed toward Yuxia at the center of the casting ground.
Emerald eyes remained calm in the face of the raging fire, Yuxia raised his hands swiftly.
[Shield]
A translucent barrier manifested in front of the eastern elementalist, right in the trajectory of the moving flame.
Anaiya's fire parted by the shield Yuxia erected. The magic assault missed its target.
[Maha Topan]
On the other side, Jafar casted his wind spell.
A towering whirlwind emerged in front of the Tsahanam mage and started to slither toward Yuxia like a snake seeking its prey.
Unfazed, the 4-star elementalist turned his hand toward the peculiar gale and flicked his wrist.
[Shield]
Another barrier rose on the casting ground.
It completely blocked the whirlwind's advance and dissipated the wind magic into harmless breeze.
[Maha Indra]
Matrias from a third direction casted his magic.
[Strike]
Tongues of lightning flickered forth from the disheveled man's fingers.
Yuxia hastily swirled his hands toward the incoming barrage.
[Triple Shield]
Three-layered barriers manifested in front of Yuxia right before the lightning struck him.
Crash!
The magic assault shattered the first two barriers Yuxia erected and heavily cracked the final one.
Had Yuxia casted the last shield slightly weaker, that man would likely lost an arm and a leg by now.
The eastern elementalist observed his shattered barriers with disgusted gaze.
He clicked his tongue in anger.
"Again!"
The 4-star ordered the three elementalists sparring with him.
We were currently in the magic training hall, performing combat sorcery exercises.
Yuxia had progressed in his enchantment study and finally learned how to cast a shield.
I had been making him train to ready his shield spell for real battle.
By having other mages constantly attacking Yuxia, the 4-star would train his reaction speed, casting rate, and the strength of his spell.
[Maha Jwala]
[Maha Vayu]
[Maha Ptir]
The elementalists resumed their magic barrage toward Yuxia.
The 4-star proceeded to raise barriers all around him to intercept the assaults.
Crash! Boom!