It was a horrible sight.
The fallen heroes were actually trained combatants. Certainly more skilled than the greater part of the empire's common military.
Under normal circumstances, they would never lose their guards and got killed in those manners.
But the Quintal Trials always pushed heroes to the extreme that forced them to go beyond their limits.
Failing to overcome the pressure would only mean death.
Thankfully, other than the advanced heroes, there was one raider that understood this lesson.
The Tsahanam archer of Party 8 rushed throughout the battlefield with intense wary eyes.
He was terribly exhausted.
But his focus was still perfectly maintained.
I remembered that look since that was what he looked like when he cleared the 19th floor by himself.
The man agilely shifted between weapons to deal with the monsters he encountered.
Firing his arrows, switching to daggers when arrows had run out, grabbing a spear to open up a path, changing to sword to cleave down an obstacle.
He would use everything in his disposal. Even picking up the weapons of his fallen comrades scattered about.
The man was right.
Had he trained himself only with the bow, he probably would not survive this far into the mission.
[Several of Hero 'Ahsan (★★★)'s skills have been combined to create a new skill!]
['Ahsan (★★★)' has obtained the skill, 'Basic Integrated Weapon Arts Level 8'!]
With great effort, the advanced heroes were able to kill off the Impianas once more.
But the hordes of lesser monsters were still overwhelming.
Even with their strength, the heroes could not overcome them all. Not when the mages were at their limit.
[Retreat to the tower! Don't fight the monsters in open space!]
Celeste ordered the remaining heroes on the ground.
They swiftly made their way back to the tower, taking down any monster that tried to pursue them as they went up the stairs to the top, where they reunited with the mages.
Kiran, Meifa, and Aludra were battling hard to fend off the flying monsters or those that tried to climb the tower.
Celeste and the others immediately helped them by securing the ledges.
[I can't control the Impiana much longer! It will break free soon!]
Meifa shouted while clenching her scepter.
[Kill the monster! We must not let it turn on us!]
Celeste shouted back.
With the instruction, the Tchakran mage swung her scepter down which made the controlled Impiana to crash land somewhere beyond the walls.
One of the golems still fighting the enemies crushed the large beast with a stomp of its rocky feet.
Losing their monster helper, the heroes now had to deal more monsters than ever.
Everyone had been injured at this point. Even the healer. With the smallest of wounds still pouring with a stream of blood.
Seeing the current state of the heroes, Aludra reached for the Healing Stone and crashed it on the tower's ground.
['Aludra (★★★)' has activated the Healing Stone!]
Warm light enveloped all the heroes and rapidly healed their wounds.
But as soon as they were healed, the heroes were soon inflicted with new injuries.
Prime Beastling climbing along the tower's walls, Killer Spider swinging their long limbs to the heroes, the Gatormoles rattling the entire structure, Blood Crows swooping in and clawing the heroes every second, Poison Stinger shooting arrow-sized thorns at the same rate.
The fight was intense and furious.
Losing focus for even half a second could cost lives in this situation.
But the remaining heroes did not give up and fought on.
Dharma blocked any incoming projectiles with her shield and crushed the monsters with her mace as they climbed the tower stairs.
Sigmund cut down the wall climbers with his axe.
Gaoling used her glaive where Sigmund's weapon could not reach.
Ahsan rapidly fired at the fliers with his bow.
Kiran did the same with killing spells that barely worth a First Circle magic.
Aludra tried protecting everyone with her shield while constantly trying to purify the immediate air around them from poisonous gas. She already released her own golems to the ground, providing whatever help they could give, despite how insignificant they might be.
Meifa, no longer had the strength to heal or casting compulsion magic, used whatever mana she had left to wield blades with telekinesis and joined the fight.
Celeste rushed herself to wherever she was needed and constantly slaying monsters with her sword.
The heroes fought on and on.
Despite the monsters gradually overtaking the tower bit by bit, the heroes never gave up.
Shriek!
A terrible scream echoed from above.
[Prime Impiana Lv.36 x15]
Fifteen Impianas burst forth through the clouds and descended fast toward the fortress.
Dozens of glowing orbs manifested around the heavenly beasts, preparing to eradicate everything on the surface.
A hint of terror flashed in the heroes' faces.
But they fought on still, refusing to completely submit to their apparent looming fate.
The many glowing orbs flickered and lightning began to descend on the heroes.
And that was when everything stopped.
[Time Remaining]
[00:00]
Everything froze around the heroes.
All the monsters. The Impianas.
Every single thing including the lightning bolts heading toward the fortress, they were suspended stiffly in the air without having any ray of light move.
The heroes watched the still scenery in confusion.
[Wh-what's happening? Why is everything frozen like statues?]
Ahsan breathily asked with a deep frown.
[I remember seeing something like this in one of those Quintal Trial records.]
Aludra said.
Celeste nodded to the mage-engineer.
[It was the 5th floor. At the end of that mission, everything froze like this as well.]
[Then does that mean we're also at the end of the 25th floor's mission? We've completed the Quintal Trial?]
Gaoling asked with hopeful eyes.
[The mission window dictated us to survive the hordes of enemies. I assume we only have to do it until the timer runs out, which it already did.]
Dharma said with a mulling gaze.
[In that case, why haven't we yet been brought back to the lobby?]
Sigmund pointed out with a frown.
Upon his question, a series of windows emerged above the heroes.
[Master, congratulations on surviving the hordes of enemies!]
[Hidden Objective Unlocked!]
[Master, there are many more dangerous monsters hidden in this jungle. The fate of humanity is still threatened by their presence!]
[Subquest (Branch Type)]
[Objective – Survive additional hordes of enemies!]
[Reward – Experience Points, Gold, Rare Materials (depends on the objective's completion), Bonus Stage, Reduced difficulty on the 30th floor's mission (depends on the objective's completion)]
[Warning!]
[After choosing to perform the subquest, the mission's duration will be extended and the mission's difficulty will be increased. So choose wisely!]
The heroes observed the system logs with perplexed expressions.
[Is it saying that the mission is not yet over? That we still have to continue fighting?]
Aludra questioned.
Celeste nodded.
[It seems so. Apparently Master will be the one to decide if we're going to keep on fighting or not.]
Ahsan snapped at her comment.
[Are they insane?! Why is it even a choice?! Can't Master see how screwed up we are?!]
[He's right, Celeste. We can't keep on fighting in our current state. It'll be suicide.]
Meifa said almost pleadingly.
[The rewards of the subquest seem very valuable. But there's no sense in attempting the subquest if we're certainly going to die trying.]
Sigmund said to the mage-swordswoman with a composed voice, stating mere facts.
Celeste nodded to all of their words.
[I completely agree with everything you just said. Let's just hope that Master understand our situation as well.]
[The 10th floor had a subquest too. I believe the involved heroes were able to voice their opinions to Master at the time.]
Kiran pointed out while leaning exhaustedly on his magic staff.
Celeste sighed after hearing him and looked to the sky.
[Hopefully Master would take heed to our pleas.]
At that moment, another window emerged.
[Master, you can instruct the heroes to perform the quest!]
[1. Perform perfectly – Survive and completely annihilate every additional hordes of enemies]
[2. Perform – Survive the additional hordes of enemies]
[3. Reject]
[The heroes' attitude toward the subquest are as follows:]
['Celeste (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Kiran (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Meifa (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Gaoling (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Aludra (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Ahsan (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Sigmund (★★★)' – Very Negative]
['Dharma (★★★)' – Very Negative]
[Warning!]
[After choosing to perform the subquest, the mission's duration will be extended and the mission's difficulty will be increased. So choose wisely!]
None of the heroes wanted to do the subquest, understandably.
But Master could still force the heroes should they wish to.
That being said, given what had truly happened, I knew what Sigyn would choose.
[3. Reject (selected)]
Familiar bluish-white light began to engulf the remaining eight heroes of the Third Advanced Scouts.
Celeste and the others immediately dropped to their knees with terribly relieved expressions.
[Stage Clear!]
['Celeste (★★★)', 'Kiran (★★★)' levelled up!]
['Meifa (★★★)', 'Gaoling (★★★)' levelled up!]
['Aludra (★★★)', 'Ahsan (★★★)' levelled up!]
['Sigmund (★★★)' levelled up!]
['Dharma (★★★)' levelled up!]
[MVP – 'Celeste (★★★)']
[Reward – 200,000G]
The projected environment around me began to dissipate.
All the lights rapidly retreated to the giant mirrors on the walls and restored the regular lighting of the mirrored chamber.
[Recording Over!]
['Serafina (★★★★)' has earned the experience of the 25th floor. The Replay Stone has been used up.]
I finally learned what happened in the fifth Quintal Trial.
It was a grand mission like the others with its own immense difficulty.
But there was not exactly any significant event or character that could relate to our mission in saving Dunia.
His Highness Radjah was not in Phirdaus. Or at least not within the scope of the mission we were in so far.
We did not encounter any of the faction I saw in the imperial palace. Unless we counted the monsters.
If the 25th floor held significance in the grand scheme of the tower, then the greater part of it must lie in that subquest.
Celeste must had wanted to inform me about it before I cut her off back then.
Despite being an optional objective, it was truly a significant part of the Quintal Trial.
One of the rewards included a bonus stage which was unheard of before.
The difficulty on the 30th floor would even be reduced if we performed the subquest.
Then the 25th floor likely served similar purpose as the 5th floor which made the next Quintal Trial slightly easier, no matter how significant the reduction.
How would the subquest affect the 30th floor?
Would the sixth Quintal Trial still take place in Phirdaus?
How does everything we did so far in Phirdaus mattered to Prince Radjah's mission to save the world?
I wondered those questions as I exited the mirrored chamber and returned to the first floor square.
Loud noise from the second floor immediately diverted my attention away from those mysteries.
A large crowd seemed to had gathered on the second floor square, including within were some of the administrators.
Alam appeared in front of me before I could check what was going on.
[Serafina, I've got something to tell you.]
"Is it about what's happening up there?"
I nodded to the second floor square.
The fairy frowned and turned to see.
[Oh, that? Master summoned another twenty advanced heroes while you were watching the record. All 3-star heroes, though. Nothing to get too excited about.]
More advanced summoning.
We already cleared the fifth Quintal Trial.
So I supposed it was time to summon more advanced heroes.
[Anyway, I wanted to inform you about Master's new order. It's about the 25th floor's subquest.]
I raised my eyebrow upon her words.
"The subquest can still be challenged?"
Alam smiled after hearing me.
[You caught on quick.]
"I doubt Master would give an order about the subquest if it can't be challenged anymore."
[You're absolutely right. The subquest can still be challenged by a new raid squad consisted of five parties.]
This was interesting.
Our previous subquest could not be reattempted.
There was a strict warning of that restriction back then.
Thinking again, I did not see such warning on the 25th floor's subquest window.
I supposed those mysteries would soon be solved.
"Has Master decided which squad they will send?"
Alam chuckled at my question.
[Need you ask? Who else can take on such difficult mission?]
Hearing the warden, I smiled at her and teleported myself back to the fourth floor of the lobby.
I casted my gaze to the residences of the Main Forces.
"Time to see how strong we've become."