It took me around three weeks experimenting with the Blessing of Malaikat and all my other skills.
The first week was filled with me fainting while trying to find my limit with the blessing.
On the second and third week, I tried to discover the sort of things I could do with the blessing given my limit.
I learned that I could use the Blessing of Malaikat twice a day. With at least twelve hours in between of each use.
Practically once in the Quintal Trial given the duration of all the missions so far.
Even though I only activated the skill without drawing any power from the blessing, I still had to wait twelve hours before I could activate it again.
There were a lot of conditions which restricted the use of that special skill.
But there was a great reason behind that arrangement. Many great reasons, in fact.
No matter how tired and spent I had become, the blessing would restore my physical state the moment I activated the skill, including healing my wounds, no matter how severe they were.
I already tested it by severing my hand while inside the dueling ground that suppressed the lobby's healing power.
The blessing immediately regenerated the entire limb once I activated it.
That skill would be useful for emergency situation when I was badly injured.
If I deactivated the skill right after activating it, my stats would return to the way they were normally.
But my fatigue would also be completely gone. And my mana vessel would be fully recovered too.
So I could use the blessing to reset my condition entirely.
It would be useful during missions with extensive duration.
Even so, that would not make full use of the blessing's power.
My capabilities were enhanced manifold under the skill's effect.
I could cast high-level spells that I normally could not even with my current status and new skills.
Casting a Seventh Circle spell was still difficult as I currently was.
It was still possible if I spent all my mana and had the Malaikat grimoire to help me.
However, I could not reserve all my power just for a single spell.
It might be enough on the 20th floor.
But the future Quintal Trials would demand much more.
From my experiment, I discovered the blessing could allow me to cast a single Seventh Circle spell without causing any side-effect.
My condition would not be fully restored, however.
The blessing would still heal my wounds after activating it.
But once I casted a Seventh Circle spell with the blessing's power, my current fatigue and the state of my mana vessel would return the way they were before the blessing's activation.
That meant I could cast that degree of sorcery anytime I wanted once.
Even after I had drained all my mana, I could still cast a Seventh Circle spell using my blessing, and I would still have no mana after deactivating the special skill.
While my mana reserve was still full, I could activate the blessing and cast a Seventh Circle spell, and I would still have a full supply of mana in my vessel after the blessing was lifted.
I tried other variations by spreading the power to my other skills.
If I just casted a Sixth Circle spell with the blessing, I could extend the duration of Absolute Perpetuity to five seconds.
Ten seconds if I casted two Fifth Circle spells instead.
A whole minute if I did not cast any spell while the Blessing of Malaikat and the Absolute Perpetuity were activated.
There would be no negative symptom on myself if I used the blessing only for those feats.
An absolute discharge of power without trading anything from my current state of self.
I only discovered that limit after experimenting with it so much.
If I tried casting anything stronger than Seventh Circle or try extending the Absolute Perpetuity even more, I would start having negative symptom.
From headache, dizziness, to losing consciousness. It all depended on how much power I drew from the blessing.
I lost consciousness for fifteen days after using the blessing to cast several Seventh Circle spells on the 20th floor.
That just showed my current limit as a hero.
Once I levelled up even more and grew much stronger, I should be able to cast several Seventh Circle spells with the blessing without any side-effects.
I probably would not need the blessing to cast those spells at that point.
And once I levelled up my seal and improved the skill, I could probably draw even more power and cast even stronger spells and activate the Absolute Perpetuity for much longer.
I might even be able to activate the blessing multiple times without restriction.
With that newfound potential, it was now possible to reach Samesta's level.
Previously she seemed to be standing on a height that I could never even dreamed to reach.
But my seal and the blessing had become the ladder that I could use to climb toward that impossible height.
Yes.
We could defeat Samesta. Samesta and all her followers.
We would defeat them all, eventually.
We had to defeat them if we wanted to save Dunia.
But if we wanted to defeat them, we had to confront them first.
And the only way to confront them was by climbing the tower.
[Party 1, come to the first floor square!]
Alam's voice resounded throughout the lobby.
After three weeks, a considerable number of second floor trainees had reached the 19th floor of the Main Dungeon. Including the parties with the advanced heroes like Celeste and the others.
They were about ready to move on to the 21st floor and join the Reserve Forces.
For that reason, Master had turned their attention back to the Main Forces and made us frequent the trials again.
"Are you all ready?"
I asked my party comrades inside our mansion.
Jonah nodded.
"This will be our first mission after the 20th floor. I wonder where we'll go."
"Master deployed Party 2 and 3 to the 19th floor yesterday. Maybe we'll be sent there."
Shanny replied.
"The parties have been rearranged. Master probably wants us to adapt in the familiar floors first."
Devisha said from under her veil.
It was logical.
Out of the entire Main Forces, Party 2 and 3 received the most changes. Party 2 mostly given those in Party 3 had fought together before.
But Tarran was the only new member we had and he was an archer like Darius.
There should not be too much of a difference in our party's dynamic.
Moreover, Jonah, Shanny, and Tarran had developed intermediate weapon skills.
They were on par with the 4-star Ulrica, Djhotti, and Graihan when they first came to the forged land.
Devisha would definitely catch up to them soon too.
And there was also my own improvement.
I doubted we needed to go to the 19th floor to rehearse our party's teamwork.
"Wherever we're deployed, we must be ready to face the challenge put upon us."
I told my comrades.
Tarran strongly nodded.
"I'll give my all Sister Serafina!"
The boy had been calling me 'Sister Serafina' ever since he was assigned to the party.
Tsahanam folks used 'sister' and 'brother' honorifics to their close ones or fellow Tsahanam folks while they were abroad.
The Tchakrans also used the same honorifics to their fellow disciples if they were in the same martial arts sect.
And Tarran used the honorifics for everyone in the same party as he was.
So I was glad he considered me comrade as well.
"Then let's be off."
I said while I teleported us all to the first floor square.
My comrades were slightly surprised when I performed the magical stunt.
"Is it alright for you to use this much magic before the trial?"
Devisha asked.
"Teleportation has become quite trivial to me. If I were to challenge the 15th floor again, I could clear the mission in under a minute."
I said confidently.
Jonah smiled upon my words.
"You really have become much stronger, Fina."
"We all have. And we will continue to be stronger."
I replied while approaching Alam.
[Are you guys ready?]
She asked.
I nodded.
"Send us to battle, warden."
After hearing my reply, the fairy flew to the large stone gate depicting two winged maidens embracing each other.
She assumed her typical exaggerating pose and chanted her usual phrase.
[Open the rift of space and time!]
A magnificent radiance formed on the stone gate.
My comrades and I then walked into the open rift.
As soon as we entered the mirrored chamber inside, I turned to the mirror on our furthest left.
[Climb the tower and save the world!]
[Main Dungeon]
[Floor conquered - 21 -]
Four Quintal Trials challenged and we had reached the 21st floor.
Where would Master send us now?
[Main Dungeon, the current challenge floor is the 21st Floor.]
[The doors will open after ten seconds. Get ready!]
As expected.
The 19th floor was not a suitable challenge to test the new Party 1.
I already heard from Trudy and the instructors about the 21st floor since Master made them went there to reach level 20.
So I knew what to expect.
The challenge on that floor should help make our party's bond more cohesive.
Shingg!!!
Familiar bluish-white light engulfed my comrades and I.
Our environment shifted from the mirrored chamber into something else.
The moment the light dissipated, we found ourselves standing in the middle of a dense jungle.
Tropical trees, hanging vines, and thorn bushes were all over us.
The air was extremely hot, thick, and humid.
Simply standing and breathing had become quite a chore.
"So the tower has taken us to Phirdaus."
I declared upon seeing our surroundings.
Djhotti had not been to the 21st floor yet. But he had seen the trial through Replay Stone after hearing from the others about its mission.
The dwarf confirmed that this jungle we were in was the deadly Phirdaus Forest itself.
"I read that Phirdaus has an extremely warm climate. But I didn't expect it to be this severe."
Jonah said while sweating profusely.
Him and our other comrades.
We were all affected by the intense air condition.
I supposed the Fire Resistance skill did not help against this environmental trait.
"Let's take care of that issue first."
I said while casting an enchantment which blocked the hot moisture of the air.
Everyone's complexion turned better after my spell.
We should start making heat resistance potion for the other parties that had no access to the enchantment.
And it was just one of the problem of this mission.
Visibility was very poor given how dense the vegetation was. Barely any sunlight penetrated through.
I also spied multiple poisonous plants that could be dangerous upon the touch. The vines and bushes had thorns with venom in them.
Trapped within the dark treacherous environment while breathing hot humid air was quite a torture already.
It was not a perfect environment for combat.
But it was for that very reason the forged land heroes were brought here.
[Floor 21]
[Mission Type – Subjugation]
[Objective – Annihilate the enemies!]