It began right when Sigyn left.
Nobody else aside from the three of us sensed it. Not even the other 4-stars.
So this resonance was not something akin to the whispers from the subquest artifact which only the 4-stars could hear. It was not star-based.
The one thing that singled the three of us was the fact that we were here in the lobby the longest.
Even so, Trudy and Tarran that appeared around the same time as us still did not sensed it.
So the reason could be more specific than one's duration in the forged land.
Perhaps it was actually the amount of Quintal Trial journeyed.
Jonah, Shanny, and I had experienced three Quintal Trials so far. That was currently the most a hero could undergo in the lobby.
Maybe the time we spent growing through the trials helped us establish some sort of connection with Master, hence us feeling that peculiar sensation.
So far the uncomfortable sensation was turning fainter. It grew faint as each day passed by.
We suspected that once the sensation truly vanished, Sigyn would then return.
It would be a while yet till it happen. That was why Jonah thought I would not be relieved from my overwhelming work anytime soon.
That being said, Jonah and Shanny did not sense the peculiar wave which resonated with my seal. The one that appeared right before the situation with the Fourth Advanced Scout worsened.
Only I felt that resonance.
Perhaps it had to do with the seal I possessed. The system message did say my seal was activated when the wave emerged.
I still did not understand the meaning behind it.
So many mysteries and too many problems to solve.
"Well, that sucks."
Shanny commented with a frown.
She then nodded to the 4-stars she was sparring with.
"I was hoping you would help us even the odds against these guys."
"Don't give up hope yet. I might still be able to do you a favor."
I said as I walked to Djhotti.
"Keeper, you're needed at the forge. We're ready to begin the project."
"Right away, Great Mage. I've been waiting for your summons, actually."
The dwarf said with a slight bow.
He then turned to Jonah and the others.
"I'm afraid I won't be able to participate in the rest of the training session. Go on ahead without me. I will try to join you whenever I have time to spare."
"Ah yes. Fina told us about it. I'll see you later then, Keeper. Thank you for your guidance."
Jonah told the dwarf.
"Spirit of Agni be with you, shepherd. Everyone as well."
Once Djhotti excused himself, I opened a portal to the Chief Crafter's workshop on the second floor of the lobby.
The sparring raiders immediately readied themselves to continue training as the dwarf and I were passing through the portal.
"I say that was it for the warmup. Let's start the real training, shall we?"
Ulrica said with a challenging smile.
Graihan smirked excitedly alongside her.
"Yeah, let's."
['Ulrica (★★★★)'s exclusive skill Tears of Sky God is activated!]
[Exclusive skill activated! 'Graihan (★★★★)' is transforming!]
The Near-Kin suddenly exploded with electrifying energy. While the lycanthrope assumed his beastly form.
Facing such powerful opponents, my comrades readied themselves by equipping the enchanted rings they used on the fifteenth floor.
The portal closed behind us as their duel was about to begin.
Waiting for us at the workshop were Gerrits, his best crafters, and my pupils.
All over us were a collection of the lobby's finest crafting tools.
The remaining processed subquest crystal as well as a great number of precious crafting materials were arrayed on a long table inside the workshop.
As planned ever since we were able to process the subquest crystal, we were finally going to make weapons from the special material.
We had only been able to craft simple enchanted rings so far.
But now we would be making enchanted weapons and equipment that would greatly help us in the fourth Quintal Trial.
Gerrits and Djhotti had finished drawing up their plans for the weapons and equipment, as well as preparing several materials that needed to be processed beforehand.
My pupils and I had also designed the enchantments that would be instilled in the planned objects.
Most of the created pieces would go to Party 1, considering we would serve as the vanguard on the twentieth floor.
We intended to equip our members with powerful equipment that would even our odds in the Quintal Trial.
"Even with your help, Great Mage, it would take at least a week to craft everything we planned."
Djhotti said.
I nodded.
"Master likely would still not return by then. Even if they did, I'm certain Master would wait until the crafting process is finished. So we'll take our time, Keeper."
Even though it was weakening, the peculiar sensation was still quite prominent in my sense.
It would be more than a week until the sensation truly vanished.
We should have everything ready by the time Sigyn returned.
"None of us will be getting any sleep, will we?"
Yuxia asked me with a sigh.
"Don't forget that this project pertains to your own survival as well."
I said to him.
I then turned to all my pupils.
"Unlike last time, the three of you will also be going to the Quintal Trial. Every single thing you do till then will determine your survival."
Upon my words, my pupils' faces hardened.
They understood what was at stake.
Gerrits, the Chief Crafter, then clapped his hands and alerted all the workers present.
"Alright! Everyone, to your stations!"
He turned to a muscular girl with a tool belt on her waist.
Daina, a 2-star blacksmith. She was Gerrits's right-hand woman.
The Chief Crafter chose her to be the interim chief when he went to the Exploration Dungeon a while back.
"Daina, as we've discussed, I will be assisting the Keeper directly. So you'll be in charge of coordinating the other crafters. Make sure nothing disturbs the entire crafting procedures."
"You got it, chief!"
Djhotti then grabbed the processed subquest crystal and brought it to the forge.
Gerrits, my pupils, and I immediately went to him.
The dwarf poured the crystal substance into a smelting pot, hovered his hand over the vessel, and began chanting a peculiar spell.
A vibrant glow began to emit from the smelting pot. The fire on the forge's furnace started raging with intense heat.
This was a special enchantment dwarfs would use to craft their weapons and armors.
Even the lowest quality ore could be forged into a magnificent sword through this dwarven technique.
Imagine what a rare material like the subquest crystal could turn out to be.
"Time to begin the first smelting phase. Bring in the necessary materials."
Djhotti said to Gerrits.
The Chief Crafter then hurried to transport several crystals, rocks, dusts, and peculiar liquid into the smelting pot.
The different materials began to melt and mixed together.
It was then that I turned to my pupils.
"Time for us to step in."
At my signal, Yuxia, Vallerynne, and I began casting additional enchantments to the smelting pot.
[Akarshanam]
Djhotti's role was to craft all the equipment using dwarven technique.
Ours was to imbue them with special attributes.
I would be spearheading the entire enchantment process.
Yuxia would be handling the elemental-type enchantments.
Vallerynne would be handling the non-elemental spells while aiding us in the complex enchantment stages.
Matrias would be helping with telekinesis-related tasks as well as providing us mana through mana transfer which Vallerynne would perform.
We planned to make three weapons from the subquest crystal.
A spear for Jonah.
A sword for Shanny.
And a special-alloy bow for Darius.
We did not have enough material to craft a fourth weapon for Devisha.
But we would still be able to improve her enchanted ring to carry more functions and attributes.
She often switched her weapons in combat. So it would be best to improve her versatility instead.
"We'll now move to the second phase! Prepare the necessary materials! More heat to the furnace!"
Djhotti announced as he smelted the crafting materials.
Daina began to instruct the other crafters according to Djhotti's orders, Gerrits and the dwarf were focused on attending to the smelting pot, while my pupils and I constantly casted enchantment on it.
We began our long work in creating some of the finest weapons the lobby had ever seen.
The first and the second smelting phase took about eight consecutive hours in total.
Djhotti kept ordering to increase the heat on the furnace.
The forge became so hot that I had to cast special shields and cooling spells on all the workers.
According to the dwarf, there were eight phases in the smelting process alone. There were also complex enchantment stages during the forging process itself.
So I could see why it would take a while to craft these weapons.
But we worked on and on.
For about a week and a half, I spent most of my time inside the forge alongside the dwarf, my pupils, and the crafters.
Sigyn still had not return when we were about to complete the crafting process.
But the peculiar sensation connected to Master had waned significantly.
And it continued to do so for another week and a half.
My party comrades were currently practicing with their new weapons and equipment, trying to familiarize themselves with the new abilities provided by the special items.
They would soon able to utilize the new equipment to their full potential.
And it was good timing on their side.
For after four weeks of absence, the sky of the forged land returned to its rainbow-ish color.
The peculiar sensation had entirely disappeared.
Master had returned.
[Gifting 'Manis Summer Dessert Collection' to 'Serafina (★★★★)'!]
[Gifting 'Intricate Crystal Sculpture' to 'Djhotti (★★★★)'!]
[Gifting 'Taga Cigar Box' to 'Gerrits (★★★)'!]
[Gifting 'Scroll Painting: Dragon of Dawn' to 'Yuxia (★★★★)'!]
[Gifting…]
Sigyn had noticed the new weapons and equipment we made.
They immediately rewarded all the heroes involved in the process.
But one order followed all the gifts.
[Item Distribution Order 1:]
[Recipient: All members of the Main Forces]
[…]
With Master's return, the climb effort resumed.
It was time for us to challenge the fourth Quintal Trial which had devoured more than eighty heroes of the forged land.
To the twentieth floor…