They needed to recuperate and check their equipment for any damage to prepare for the battle ahead. Charging recklessly into battle to level up or earn merit points without doing so would be dangerous and could make them a liability to the others, ultimately leading to their deaths.
Elias felt the same way. His Sunlight Reserves had refilled to fifty percent since the battle ended, due to the lack of sunlight penetrating the castle. His Stone Bear Armour was damaged from withstanding the blunt attacks of the Thorn Juggernauts, and combined with the injuries he had accumulated, which were healing rapidly thanks to his immense vitality, he wanted to rest before charging into battle again.
Although this was a multiplayer dungeon, there was nothing stopping them from killing each other to rob one another of their resources.
Seeing all of them agree, Emperor Gravnik inwardly sighed in relief. Although he still doubted their strengths, he had no choice but to believe in them because of the sacrifices Archpriest Vlamir and the Golden Priests' Order had made to summon them from another world.
With their presence, he regained a glimmer of hope that their Empire, and world, could be saved, and he didn't want to see them walk to their deaths.
"Although my companions are tired from their previous battles, I do not share the same weakness. I would like to head to where the General is handling the Thorn Juggernauts and aid him in eliminating these monsters," Silver Knight, who had been quiet for some time, suddenly spoke.
Emperor Gravnik looked at him, briefly hesitating. Although he didn't want them to rush into battle without proper preparation, he also wanted to reduce the strain on his soldiers and show them a glimmer of hope that their nation might finally have a chance of surviving this dreadful war.
In the end, Emperor Gravnik nodded.
"Okay. The Second Prince will escort you to where General Avandal's is, so he can be briefed on the information and won't register you as outsiders," he said, gesturing toward Prince Kaland.
"But before you leave, may I know who among you is the leader of your group?" Emperor Gravnik asked curiously.
"We don't have a leader. We each act on our own," Silver Knight replied, shaking his head.
"I have a party leader if that counts," Iron Maiden said, pointing at Elias. "It's Sunshine." She had joined his party because she was mesmerized by his unique transformation. This was the first time she had seen a human with a physique surpassing hers. Most of all, Sunshine was only Level 13, yet he could keep up with those at higher levels.
That alone was impressive enough to prove his worth as someone to be taken seriously.
Also, Elias had been bold enough to quickly create a party while others, including herself, were still contemplating whether to send a party invitation or not. That alone was enough to show his decisiveness as an individual, proving his overall capabilities to be extraordinary.
"He's also my party leader," Night Ninja said, pointing at Elias as well.
He didn't see himself as someone capable of leading a group due to his reserved personality. So he had accepted Sunshine's party invitation, planning to decide later whether to leave if either Iron Maiden or Silver Knight decided to form their own party, as they were currently the strongest in the party.
However, upon seeing that Iron Maiden was already a party member, he quickly dismissed that thought.
Though Silver Knight and Wolf were also strong, having two tank-like Awakeners facing a monster head-on would give him the perfect opportunity to maneuver around the enemy and launch a sneak attack from behind. Even though Sunshine was only Level 13, his speed and transformation were terrifying enough to keep up with them.
They were the ideal teammates for him to make full use of his current abilities.
Elias nodded in response. "I'm the leader of the Sun Crusaders. Iron Maiden and Night Ninja are my party members," he said.
He glanced at Lyrac and Silver Knight. "It's relatively new, so we're still open to accepting new members."
Meanwhile, Lyrac and Silver Knight narrowed their gazes at Elias. They hadn't expected that Iron Maiden and Night Ninja, the former being as strong as Silver Knight, would join Elias's party.
Lyrac ground his teeth in frustration. 'I can't believe it. Are they blind or just stupid?' Although he doubted that Elias was truly Level 13 and had no class, he still wouldn't join Elias's party for this reason. He didn't trust Elias.
He also couldn't believe that neither Iron Maiden nor Night Ninja had waited to assess the dangers of the dungeon before joining a party.
Most of all, it reduced his own chances of recruiting potential party members. If he were to create a group now, it would be only him and Silver Knight. With Silver Knight's personality, he wasn't sure if the knight would accept his invitation.
He couldn't poach the Sun Crusaders' party either, as it would be reckless given their current situation. In other words, his only option was to either join Elias's party or try his luck with Silver Knight.
Wolf smiled as he turned to Silver Knight. "Ahem! Silver Knight, what do you think about the two of us creating a party? Since the dungeon allows us to form a party, there must be benefits in doing so."
"I have no reason to create a party with you," Silver Knight responded with a snort. He turned to Emperor Gravnik. "If there's anything important you'd like to share, I suggest it can wait until my return. For now, I would like to head over to where the General is."
"Sure, you may leave immediately. Prince Kaland and a portion of the Red Rose Knights will accompany you to ensure your safety," Emperor Gravnik replied with a nod.
He didn't concern himself with the Awakeners' argument or risk offending anyone by taking sides. To him, all that mattered was that they could work together to save his Empire.