Master made us clear the thirteenth floor four more times.
In the process, I levelled up once.
The others did not, however, but they still acquired a good amount of experience points.
Just like on the twelfth floor, we frequented the trial once every two days.
So another week was spent before we entered our resting period prior our climb continuation.
During that time, Party 2 managed to find a proper replacement for Harl.
Jordane, the 2-star squire Trudy recommended, ended up becoming Party 2's fifth member after they held a selection among the second floor trainees.
A tall and lean curly-haired swordsman. Barely twenty years of age. Face almost as timid as Jansen's the herbalist.
Four days earlier, Party 2 resumed frequenting the twelfth floor along with Jordane.
The party could immediately continue with their climb since Jordane had already reached the eleventh floor and levelled up enough.
The former trainee did not have any problem fighting the soldiers just like Trudy said.
Also, according to Zecht, the 2-star squire adapted really well with the rest of Party 2.
Though Jordane did not have overwhelming compatibility with any of the Party 2 members like Harl with Tarran, the swordsman made it up with his innate strength and individual skill.
His knight training prior arriving to the forged land allowed him to quickly understand what was required of him as a member of the raid team.
It was shown during our strategy meeting for today.
"Jordane, assuming the fifteenth floor has a defend mission, the goddesses statue is located in the center of the Tamelan Square, enemies have breached all the way to the First Wall district, all your forces have retreated to the square, how would you guard the statue?"
I asked the 2-star squire.
"How many heroes do I have left in disposal, my lady?"
He asked in dignified tone. I heard he was raised in a respectable middle-class family.
"Enough. You have enough heroes for whatever your plan is."
I replied.
The young man nodded and mulled the problem for a short moment.
He then raised his head and gave his answer.
"I would place guards on the three gates leading into the square. Five each for the southeastern gate and the northeastern one. While ten people at the western gate since it's the largest of the three.
"I would also station guards by the doors leading into the city hall and by the seven other entrances of the buildings surrounding the square. It's possible the enemies would infiltrate the square through those buildings instead.
"All heroes will maintain their position until one side is breached. Then we'll all retreat to the pyramid-shaped stage, the Tamelan Rise, at the center of the square where I assume the statue is placed.
"The heroes will guard all four sides of the pyramid. Spearmen at the very bottom of the steps. Followed by swordsmen. Then archers. And mages at the very top, by the statue.
"We'll all keep on fighting until the last enemy is killed."
Jordane concluded with convincing tone.
Acceptable.
He was definitely listening during the past few meetings he had been able to sat in.
I was worried, at first, that he would not be able to quickly grasp the complex and elaborate strategy we had been preparing all this time.
"That is a sound plan, Jordane. But make sure you take advantage of your manpower and environment. You assumed you have mages with you. In that case, you could have them create additional barricades using their spells, eliminating entry points and possibly even preventing all the enemies from entering the square in the first place."
"Ah, I see. I didn't realize."
"Learn what your allies can do. It's just as important as learning your enemies."
"Understood, my lady!"
I nodded to the former trainee and turned to the hovering map of Tsuchi in the middle of the magic hall's library.
All members of the raid team were present. Attention focused on the grand sketch of what could be the stage for the third Quintal Trial.
Pavarin and the other servants were scattered across the library, attending the raiders by serving them drinks and meals during the long meeting.
After all, we sometimes had to eat our dinner here due to how packed our schedule was.
Having many people come and dine inside the magic hall every night would worry any caretaker. So Sharine had been using the servants' help to keep the library clean and tidy during-and-after our session each night.
Trudy was also in attendance.
The combat instructor had been trying to sit in all of the strategy meetings.
She claimed she managed to learn so much more about combat and warfare through our discussions.
"The mission remains the same. It is the beginning of the trial and you need to reunite with the other parties at the goddesses statue in the Tamelan Square. Your single party is deployed in the Jhanduera Park in the Third Wall district. Enemies have already surrounded the entire site."
I turned to the sole Kutub hunter among the attendees.
"Arian, how would you direct your party to reach the rendezvous point?"
If ten parties were needed for the fifteenth floor, the girl was certainly going to be a party leader given our current raid team lineup.
I needed to know her decision-making skill.
"I suppose I won't be able to rely on your portal magic in this situation?"
The rough-haired girl asked.
I shook my head.
"Let's assume you cannot. You don't have any mage with you in this scenario."
"The cordon. How equal is its force distribution?"
"Assume every side is equally manned."
The girl nodded and observed the map more intently.
We had discussed this type of scenario several meetings back. I needed to know whether she had grasped the proper strategy for it or not.
The Kutub hunter then gave her answer.
"I will direct my party to force our way through the eastern side of the park, onto the Wasikan Street, and enter the Tsujian Old Town Quarter."
"You're going farther from your objective. Is there any reason for taking this route?"
I asked her with an expressionless face.
I could not give any hint whether she was giving the correct answer or not.
"The northern, western, and southern sides of the Jhanduera Park are packed with guardhouses and watchtowers. Our party would be immediately discovered and completely surrounded the moment we step out of the park.
"The Tsujian Old Town Quarter has plenty of blind spots where we could avoid the towers and patrols. If we continue our way south undetected, we would reach the commoner markets. There, we could use the back alleys and reach a small gate that would lead us to the Second Wall district.
"From there, we would traverse through the abandoned canal routes of Randopa that would take us straight to a sewer gate which could lead us into the First Wall district. We would then sneak through buildings and back alleys to reach the Tamelan Square.
"We'd have to take a long way around this way. But it's safer since we avoided more confrontations with the enemies."
Arian concluded.
I nodded to her in approval.
"That is wise, Arian. But remember that you must risk confronting the enemies if time is of the essence. Always be mindful of your priorities in the Quintal Trial."
"Understood! I promise to improve!"
After that, I continued testing the raid team members' knowledge of our plans. Presenting them with scenarios that might happen during the Quintal Trial.
I mostly tested those outside Party 1. Making them solve situations where the entire Party 1 was suddenly annihilated in the middle of the Quintal Trial.
It was a horrible scenario. But it was certainly possible.
I pressed each of them to come up with an acceptable strategy, nonetheless.
Vallerynne and Matrias, to my surprise, were able to give adequate replies.
They were not lying about having been to battlefields before arriving to the forged land.
The two wildlings, alongside Yuxia, also came up with interesting ideas regarding how to utilize a pair of elemental mages and an enchanter to defend the goddesses statue, in case of a defense mission.
Creating a huge thunderstorm that enveloped the entire city and rain down thousands of destructive pillars of lightning to the enemies.
Or consuming the whole area beyond the statue in a sea of lava.
Or even summoning armies of golems to make up for our small number.
That three pupils of mine had incredible imagination and creativity. Highly confident as well.
They had to be or they would not be able to develop their magic at all as a wildling.
I had to increase the intensity of their magic lesson so they could execute those suggestions of theirs, should the need arises.
Then, whenever I came to test Party 1 members, I presented them with scenarios where I was killed or incapacitated. Asking them what would they do in my sudden absence if they were to be in charge of the party.
Jonah, in particular, was quite disturbed when considering such scenarios.
But I forced him to come up with a solution still.
After all, I had been endlessly running simulations in my mind where Jonah was suddenly killed in front of me during the trial.
What would I do if I saw him die right before my eyes.
It was a horrifying thought. I slightly trembled whenever I tried to think of it.
But I forced myself to imagine such situation and think of what I was supposed to do next to prevent us from failing the mission at hand.
Indeed.
The mission we were embarking in the forged land was bigger than the two of us. Than any of us.
The fate of the world depended on our effort in climbing the tower of trials.
Not even the love between two people could obstruct such divine endeavor.
I, at least, would not allow it.
Even if it was my own love.