PICK ME UP, ANOTHER LOBBY!

As we left the rift of space time, we discovered Party 2 was already waiting on the square ready with their weapons.

Master had summoned them to try the ninth floor after us no doubt.

"How was it?"

Zecht asked. He already guessed we just went to the ninth floor.

"It was a subjugation mission inside a garrison. You'll be ambushed by 50 goblins, well-armed. They're divided in two groups of 25. One group will march from the western gate, and the other half from the east."

I made sure my voice reached not only Zecht but to his comrades as well.

After hearing the kind of challenge they would soon face, Party 2 immediately huddled together and discussed their strategy.

I would had told them more about Loro and the things we found around the garrison. But there was no time.

Zecht only had fewer than ten seconds to give quick instructions to his teammates before the fairy appeared and urged them to enter the rift.

From the look of their confident faces and nodding heads, however, Zecht's comrades had heard just enough from him to know what to do.

"Party 2 is becoming stronger."

Jonah said while watching them enter the rift.

Darius strongly nodded to his words.

"Their teamwork is getting better every day."

Shanny also supported the notion.

"It's turning a little overwhelming now to face their entire party in training with just the four of us."

She turned her gaze at me.

"Serafina, you need to start coming to the training ground more often or Party 2 will start beating us every time."

I smiled at her gesture.

"Really, now? Have they turned that good?"

As I said before, I had been sparing only little time to go to the training ground.

Those trips were intended to practice our formation as a party.

We indeed had to occasionally ask Party 2's help since we needed sparring partners to test our tactics.

The entire time I had been to those training matches, however, we always won against Party 2.

There was just a big advantage of having a mage in our ranks.

Though back then my presence did not really add much to our strength.

Jonah and Shanny were already overwhelming forces from our group. Darius was a powerful addition to our ranks and Trudy knew how to provide adequate support to all of them.

I sometimes would peer outside the windows of the magic hall and saw these four defeating Party 2 numerous times in training.

So it was definitely intriguing when they said they could barely keep up with Party 2 anymore.

"It was only natural that Party 2 would turn up this good. Zecht and Norn did very well to guide their less-experienced comrades."

Trudy said gladly.

Her face then turned saddened as she gazed to the second floor. Jyrgil's laughter could be heard coming from there.

"If only Party 3 could follow their example."

My other comrades let out distasteful sighs after hearing Trudy.

Aside from Party 2, my teammates had also been training with Party 3 ever since their formation.

But Party 3 was never involved in the exercise where I was present.

"Jyrgil might be strong. But he did not have any sense of teamwork."

Jonah commented.

"He tends to make it awkward for his teammates to step in and support him."

Darius added.

"Sometimes even just the two of us would be enough to handle all five of them."

Shanny said.

Now I understood why I never faced Party 3 in training.

My comrades probably thought they were not worth my time.

"It's a pity though. From what I've seen during our weapon practice together, Ashta and the others are actually capable fighters. Apart from Jyrgil, the rest of Party 3 works well together."

Trudy said.

She turned to me with pleading eyes.

"Is it really necessary to have Jyrgil in Party 3? I know he's a 3-star, but I think Party 3 could benefit from losing a powerful member if it means better teamwork."

Trudy had a point.

Even before their 2-star promotions, Jonah and Shanny were unstoppable in the lobby.

Both of them could overwhelm the 3-stars Zecht and Norn in training due to their good synergy with one another.

Teamwork could go a long way to make a party strong.

But Jyrgil's potential as a 3-star was too big to be discarded like that, despite his terrible attitude.

Even though I thought well of Ashta, she and the rest of Party 3 were still far below Jonah and Shanny in terms of strength and quality.

If their teamwork was indeed that good, they would still be able to provide a better resistance against my comrades in training no matter what Jyrgil was up to. Certainly good enough that they could not be overwhelmed just by two people from Party 1.

The rest four of Party 3 would definitely not measure up against Party 1 and 2 as they were.

They could not afford to lose a 3-star from their ranks at the moment.

I could see replacing Jyrgil in Party 3 if master summon another 3-star to the forged land.

But for now, I would not want to resort exchanging Jyrgil with a hero of lesser quality than him.

I would consider it if there were someone on the first floor that had the same potential as Jonah or Shanny, at least.

However, from what I had been seeing on the first floor training ground, there was none that I could find.

The purpose of Party 3 was to become an adequate replacement to Party 1 and 2 should we fell in the trial.

Now that a Quintal Trial was right in our faces, the lobby could not afford to have Party 3 lacking should the need arise to replace Party 1 and 2.

We had to resort to a compromise that was well-suited to our situation at the moment.

"I'll have a talk with Jyrgil. If he still can't cooperate well with his teammates after we return from the tenth floor, I'll ask master to replace him."

My own comrades raised their eyebrows upon my statement.

"After the tenth floor? After the Quintal Trial?"

Trudy asked.

"I expect master would summon more 3-stars after the Quintal Trial. Since that was when Darius and the others arrived as well. We could find Jyrgil's replacement then."

I said to her.

They immediately nodded to my decision. Understanding my reasoning.

"Well, it's not like we currently need Party 3 to climb the tower and clear the Quintal Trials."

Jonah said.

"That's right! There're still us. And should we fail, master still have Party 2 to rely on!"

Trudy said cheerfully.

Shanny immediately smacked her back.

"Our failure means our deaths, Trudy! Stop saying nonsense like that!"

Suddenly a bright purple light shone over our heads and came out from there the fairy.

[You guys are pretty chatty after a mission.]

She said with judging eyes.

"What's the matter, warden?"

I asked.

Upon my question, the winged-creature passed a rainbow-colored stone to Trudy.

[It's your turn to get a second star, gentle maid. Hurry to the promotion chamber!]

We all raised our eyebrows upon the announcement.

Indeed. Trudy should had reached level ten after clearing the ninth floor just now.

"Well, since the promotion will take a while, I'll be seeing you guys later."

Trudy said while taking the promotion stone.

"Sure! Meet you back on the second floor."

Shanny said as she, Jonah, and Darius made their way to the grand staircase circling around the rift of space time.

I was about to join them when the fairy flew over to me.

[Hold on, witch! I got something to tell you!]

I sat myself on one of the square's bench.

I had a feeling what she would say would take a while.

"What is it?"

I asked.

[Listen up! This is important. I won't be telling you again after this.]

"Then please, go on. I have much work and training to do now that we're preparing to climb the tenth floor."

[Okay, so I want you to know that master just levelled up the Hero Reaction Research multiple times.]

"I believed it was on level 3 before we climbed the fifth floor. The development allowed me to see those death notifications along some other information inside the trial."

[Right! And now master had levelled it up to level 5.]

I raised my eyebrows curiously.

"Level 5? What kind of blessing would we receive now?"

[When that research reached level 5, a new upgradable blessing called 'communication' is made available. It allows party leaders to communicate with each other from long distance.]

An ominous feeling suddenly struck me.

Cold sweats began beading across my temples.

What the fairy just told filled me with a sense of dread.

Long distance communication between party leaders?

Why would we need such a blessing?