[All the parties that I called, hurry up and gather at the first floor square! I don't have all day!]
The fairy shouted throughout the lobby.
It had only been a few hours since Master scouted the twentieth floor with the First Advanced Scouts.
After the scouting attempt, Master immediately left.
They no longer reformed the scout squad and send anymore parties into the Quintal Trial.
When Master returned this afternoon, I expected they would start having mock battles with me to relay what the scouts discovered on the twentieth floor.
But Master did something else instead.
[Forming 'Exploration Team'.]
[Party Configuration – Party 6, Party 25, Party 26, Party 27, Party 28]
[Total Heroes – 25]
[Raid Leader – 'Fangli (★★★)']
Sigyn finally approved one of my recommendations that I proposed a while ago.
After Party 2's journey to the Exploration Dungeon, I suggested to Master the formation of 'Exploration Team'.
Their duty was to frequent the Exploration Dungeon and bringing back bounties and information that would benefit our climb effort.
We had improved the Dungeon Depth Research to the point that we could deploy five parties at once into the Exploration Dungeon.
Even with the improvement, however, Master had been delaying to approve the proposal.
I assumed they were waiting until we had enough manpower for the division.
But I now believed Sigyn had a specific agenda in officially forming the Exploration Team.
[Come on! Come on! I got other things to do, you know!]
Alam urged the explorer parties that were appointed by Master.
I watched them gather at the first floor square as I sat on a nearby bench.
Party 25 of the First Advanced Scouts was chosen for the Exploration Team.
That would make it for certain that Master would no longer use that particular squad to scout the Quintal Trial.
Master also appointed Party 26, 27, and 28. They were the rest of the Reserve parties not assigned to scout the twentieth floor.
The slightly surprising appointment would be Party 6.
I supposed Master wanted a strong party to lead the Exploration Team.
It might have to do with why Master was sending them to the Exploration Dungeon in the first place.
[Exploration Deployment.]
[Exploration Location – Damai]
[Exploration Duration – Five Days]
[Requested Item – Advent Stone]
Master was requesting only one item for this exploration trip.
An Advent Stone.
I asked Alam about it but she would only tell us what it was once we actually had our hands on it.
We already had our own guesses on what the Advent Stone actually was. So the explorers would not be searching blindly.
But whatever it really was, Master wanted to have it after catching a glimpse of the twentieth floor.
"Are you all set?"
I asked Fangli, the appointed leader of the Exploration Team, once I approached the party in the square.
He was also the leader of Party 6. So that was probably why Sigyn chose him to this station.
"Everyone's accounted for, Your Excellency. We've also received the equipment and supplies Master provided us."
The 3-star Tchakran replied.
Sigyn gave the Exploration Team the high-grade supplies they also provided for the First Advanced Scouts.
They expected the explorers would need those items wherever Master intended for them to go.
"As I said before, this Advent Stone Master is requesting is probably a rare artifact that can only be obtained in those peculiar ruins in the Exploration Dungeon."
I told Fangli and the other explorers.
From our past exploration experience, we learned of rumors regarding a mysterious stone that was located at the end of the peculiar ruins scattered in the Exploration Dungeon.
It was said that such stone could grant immense power.
I would say it was the Advent Stone Sigyn wanted us to find.
I continued to the explorers.
"You'll find one such ruin in Seraphold. According to the rumors, your squad will have to reach the ruin's furthest depth to find the artifact.
"From our current intel, the ruin in Seraphold was composed of at least four stratums. Each stratum was infested with monsters and traps. So be cautious.
"The monsters inside will get stronger and more dangerous as you traverse deeper into the ruin. You might find yourselves a challenge as equal as the Quintal Trial in there."
My last sentence made all the explorers put on wary expressions.
Safe to say, all the heroes in the forged land had understood just how dangerous the Quintal Trials really were.
"We'll do our best, Your Excellency."
Fangli said to me with firm tone.
As I nodded to his determined words, I continued to declare.
"I believe this Advent Stone will be really important for our climb effort.
"So if you managed to bring it back, I will make a recommendation to Master for your parties to be excluded from the climb effort and permanently post all of you in the Exploration Team.
"Or if you wish to remain with the Raid Team, I will arrange for your transfer to the Main Forces and be relieved from scouting duty."
The explorers' faces lit up when I gave my promises.
At this point, they were all aware that remaining in the Reserve Forces were basically the same as being in the Evaluation Center.
The only difference was the fact that the Reserve raiders got to sleep on comfortable beds and eat nice meals.
[Alright! Time to depart! Enter the rift, all of you!]
Alam finally instructed the explorers.
As they were pouring into the shining rift of space-time, Quinda of Party 6 stopped by me.
"I will bring back this Advent Stone for you, mistress."
I raised my brow upon her word.
"You're no longer my maid, Quinda. You're a raider now. Don't you remember?"
The tall girl immediately bowed apologetically.
"Ah! Yes! Of course, Your Excellency!"
I smiled at her reaction.
Despite having a halberd on her back and a full armor all over her body, Quinda still behaved as timid as she was in her servant days.
"If you do bring the Advent Stone back, you won't have to worry of being a raider anymore. You can be an explorer and spend your time travelling through Dunia in the Exploration Dungeon."
I told her.
The tall girl, unfortunately, shook her head.
The timidity vanished.
A clear determination flared in her eyes.
"Thank you, Your Excellency. But I'd prefer to remain as a raider and join the Main Forces. I would like to fight by your side, you see. I would like to be of help to you."
I expected her to say that.
Foolish girl.
"In any case, you'll need the Advent Stone first. You won't find it if you dawdle in the lobby like this. So get going already."
"Ah, of course! I'll see you later, Your Excellency!"
Quinda said as she rushed into the rift following her fellow explorers.
['Exploration Team' is beginning exploration!]
[Exploration Location – Damai]
[Requested Item – Advent Stone]
[Time Remaining Until Return – 4 days 23:59:59]
Considering the time difference, it would be around 15 days until the Exploration Team would return.
I imagined we would at least scout the Quintal Trial one more time before then.
If Sigyn was as smart and as thorough as I thought they were, then they would at least take some time to prepare for the next scouting.
The First Advanced Scouts might had failed to complete the mission.
But their attempt was definitely better than the scouts from the Evaluation Center.
There had to be information that we could use from their experience.
Information that would help for our next scouting and, eventually, the actual climb.
[Whew! Master is making me work extra hard today!]
Alam said after the explorers departed.
"A search for an Advent Stone before the fourth Quintal Trial. Just what exactly is it, warden?"
I asked her again.
The fairy simply shrugged at me.
[What's the point in telling you about the Advent Stone if you don't have it? Just save your question until the explorers brought it to the lobby. IF they find it, of course.]
Another mystery.
If I had to guess, this Advent Stone would be something that could only be used in the forged land like the Replay Stones and the Promotion Stones.
I wondered if the Advent Stone was indeed the rumored stone from the Exploration Dungeon.
What kind of immense power could it grant us?
[Master is proposing a mock battle to 'Serafina (★★★★)'.]
For Dunia's sake, that Advent Stone better helps us clear the twentieth floor.
It would take no less than an immense power to simply withstand the fourth Quintal Trial.
['Serafina (★★★★)' has accepted the mock battle!]