PICK ME UP, ANOTHER LOBBY!

Entering the third week of our tenth floor preparation, master stopped sending the parties to the trials.

We had entered the period of inactivity prior the climb.

The next time our names were called to the square, it would be to enter the tenth floor.

The Quintal Trial drew near.

Since we were no longer deployed to clear the eighth and the ninth floors, we had more time to ourselves.

It meant more time for training.

As such, I was able to participate in the training match so early in the day.

"It's about time you show up. We've been missing you, pretty lady!"

Zecht shouted from across the dueling cage as he and Party 2 were preparing to fight.

"That's right! You've been spending more time than usual in the magic hall lately!"

Norn cheerily added.

I softly chuckled upon their longing.

"Well I hope this battle will make up for lost time."

Party 3 just finished sparring against Party 2 when I arrived.

Not surprisingly, Party 3 lost miserably.

They had returned to the lodging for an early lunch given the bitter defeat they just tasted.

I turned to my comrades.

"How are you guys feeling? Does the new weapons feel uncomfortable?"

I asked.

Yesterday, Gerrits and I finished creating enchanted weapons imbued with spells and elemental attributes.

Using the elemental stones and my enchantments, we managed to create weapons with special effects that would benefit us in battle.

"So this is an enchanted weapon, huh?"

Jonah said while thrusting it forward, leaving a faint reddish glow on its trail.

Shanny swung her sword. There was a slight heat emanating from the slash.

"It's a little heavier than my usual sword. But it felt like it could cut through anything."

She said examining the blade.

I shook my head.

"Not everything. But it can slash through steel easily, given enough force. So can Jonah's spear too."

Those weapons needed to as such be given how armored the monsters we had been facing since the sixth floor.

"The shield also feels so much lighter and yet it felt more robust."

Trudy commented.

"We were able to acquire better quality ores from the Isralta Mine. Thanks to that, I was able to cast better fortification enchantment on the shields without them breaking down from the spell's pressure."

Darius stared at the arrows in his quiver as if they were made of diamonds.

"Incredible! I heard all the legion commanders of the imperial army and the temple's paladins wields enchanted weapons. To think I would be using the same weapons they used."

"I had Gerrits mix the arrows' materials with fragments of the wind elemental stone during their crafting. Each of your arrow should be able to penetrate through three goblins at once, if not four, thanks to the wind attribute."

I told him.

I stared at his second quiver hanging over his waist.

"Meanwhile, your other arrows are imbued with fire element and enchanted with my Second Circle fire spell. They act just the same as Jonah's exploding spears."

"You want me to use them in this training match?"

Darius asked with a smirk. He was excited to try the exploding arrows.

"Let's save them for the monsters. But you're free to use the wind arrows. We've plenty of them. I've told Tarran the same for this fight."

I threw my gaze to the other side and saw Party 2 already comfortable with their enchanted weapons.

They had got used to theirs after their match against Party 3 earlier.

Needless to say, Gerrits and I produced enough enchanted weapons for all three parties.

Since the 3-stars already had weapons when they first came here, we crafted exact replicas from scratch and added the enchantments during the crafting.

It would be foolish of me to not do this much after what I went through in the fifth floor.

Poor Harl and the gatherer parties had to work hard to gather all the materials necessary for the weapons.

After they all familiarized themselves with their new weapons, Party 1 and 2 finally took their battle formation.

"Don't think you, Party 1, can trash us again just because Serafina's here."

Norn said with a cunning smile.

"Yeah! We got an ace under our sleeves!"

Zecht added with the same smile.

I chuckled once again for what they said.

"Oh don't you worry. We also have our own trump card hidden."

I replied while feeling the brown stone kept within the pocket of my black and white dress.

I grabbed a handkerchief I brought from the magic hall and used my spell to fly it to the cage's ceiling.

It started floating down, swirling back and forth as it slid in the air.

"We'll begin as soon as the handkerchief land on the ground."

I announced to the two parties.

Everyone raised their weapons and tensed their shoulders.

While fixing their gazes to their opponents, they kept track of the falling handkerchief out of the corner of their eyes.

As soon as the fabric gently touched the marbled floor, Jonah and Shanny rushed forward.

Party 2 did not follow their examples. Instead, four of them quickly kneeled down.

Only one member still stood ready with their weapon pointed at my two comrades.

Tarran.

Swoosh!

The boy fired an arrow toward Jonah and Shanny.

And another. And another. And another.

Noticing the volley of arrows coming their way, Jonah and Shanny raised their weapons and started to parry the projectiles away.

It was then that Tarran nocked another arrow and pointed at a particular spot over Jonah.

Swoosh!

Pierce!

To Jonah's bewilderment, an arrow struck his left shoulder.

An arrow could never touch him thanks to his Projectile Defense skill.

So why?

It was then the notification popped in the corner of my vision.

['Tarran (★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Weakness Detection'!]

"Well done, Tarran! You did it the way I taught you!"

I heard Norn's voice on the other side. She was still kneeling with the rest of Party 2.

I had heard about Norn's special skill from Trudy when she was recording everyone's skills on her book.

It was a skill that spot vulnerable points on the opponent.

That was why during our first battle, Norn was able to launch near-effective assaults against Jonah.

With Jonah slightly impaired, Shanny retreated a few steps back. Tarran's barrage persisted.

Slash!

An arrow grazed Shanny's thigh.

She staggered and another arrow landed on her shoulder.

Both Jonah and Shanny were injured. This was the first in all of our matches against Party 2.

The two of them tried to make a tactical retreat back to us, trying to step sideways and make unpredictable pattern.

But Tarran's arrows were already flying toward Jonah's and Shanny's paths before they even thought of going that way.

It was as if the projectiles were waiting for my comrades to step into their trajectories. As if the boy had predicted their movements.

['Tarran (★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Insight'!]

Another skill.

This one belonged to Zecht.

Trudy said it allowed one to understand, predict, and control the flow of the battle.

Jonah and Shanny were pinned down. They could not move without being struck or grazed by Tarran's arrows.

And once they were too preoccupied with the projectiles to focus on anything else, two shadows rushed from their sides.

Zecht and Norn.

Clang!

Trudy and Darius managed to dashed forward in time to parry the 3-stars' assaults.

It was then that Maddock and Luan appeared and rushed past the two engaging pairs and aimed at the wounded Jonah and Shanny.

I was about to cast my fire spell to intercept the 2-stars when two arrows were flying straight at me.

[Shield]

The two bolts bounced off the barrier.

I noticed the crack on my shield thanks to the enchanted arrows.

Tarran's bow was now directed at me.

He was aiming my head like a hawk hunting a field mouse.