[★!Super Success!★]
['Serafina (★★★★)' has created 'Intermediate Advent Stone (Divine Malaikat Spirit)'!]
Upon the notification window, the silver feather evaporated into light.
The huge surge of energy immediately ceased and the Advent Stone stopped deforming.
As the enchantment vessel stopped shaking, the newly-formed Advent Stone leaped out and landed to my palm.
The rock which formerly had this radiating coarse crystal feature had now become a glimmering smooth silver diamond.
It was truly an object crafted through the forged land's power.
The strange aura I would sense from the silver feather could now be felt from the Advent Stone.
I simply had never taken hold of such a peculiar item before in my life.
[Whew! I was afraid it would not work. Glad it turned out all right.]
Alam said as she observed the silver Advent Stone.
I frowned at her.
"Was the fusion process supposed to fail?"
[Given the rarity of the fusion item, we would normally need a better-grade Advent Stone and other supporting materials. But you did it anyway! Congrats!]
"Why didn't you warn me beforehand?"
[What's the point worrying you? Master has ordered you to perform the synthesis, so you can't refuse. And it's not like we have other Advent Stones lying around.]
"Still, I would not mind a bit of a warning next time."
The fairy simply shrugged at my exasperation.
[Fine, fine! Come on, we're not even halfway done yet! We still need to open the dungeon with the Advent Stone and obtain the seal!]
She said as she vanished with the Advent Stone.
I could only sigh at the fairy's behavior.
But I understood her eagerness.
I was quite eager myself to obtain this seal.
So I teleported myself to the first floor square where the space-time rift was located.
[Master, opening the Advent Dungeon!]
A notification window appeared as I emerged on the square.
Suddenly the rift tremored for a few seconds. Something was changing inside.
[Alright, Serafina! Take the stone with you! And Master wants you to have these as well!]
Alam said as she handed me the Advent Stone as well as a vial each of mana potion, advanced health potion, and Power Potion.
"Why would I need these?"
[Didn't you remember what I said? You'll be going to an Advent Dungeon. You'd want these potions!]
I sharpened my gaze upon her words.
A battle.
Of course. Even in the Weekday Dungeons you would have to fight monsters to obtain elemental stones.
Why should not we fight to obtain a seal that could grant us great powers?
[Are you ready, Serafina? I mean, can you do this? If you're still tired from the synthesis earlier, you probably can ask Master for time to rest. I think they'll let you since you're their Vice-Master.]
The fairy asked concernedly. Genuinely.
She really did want us to reach the top of the tower.
I shook my head at her advice as I grabbed the Advent Stone and the potions from her.
"That's fine. I am ready. I will go and obtain my seal."
Alam immediately put on a bright smile upon my words.
[That's the spirit! Now just enter the rift and find the portal to the Advent Dungeon. Insert the Advent Stone you had with you and go through the portal!]
"And what do I have to do once I entered the dungeon?"
[Well, every dungeon is different. But you basically kill everything that tries to kill you. And then you grab the loot that is left behind.]
The fairy said nonchalantly.
I nodded at her instruction.
"Don't get killed and claim my prize, understood."
Alam then gave one final instruction before I entered the rift.
[Serafina, don't die in there! You may not be the only 4-star in the lobby. But I'd rather work with you than these weirdos! So don't leave me with them, alright?!]
I only smiled at the fairy as I walked through the rift of space-time.
As soon as I entered the mirrored chamber, a new sight welcomed me.
Three grand mirrors usually stood in this vast room.
But there was now an additional one at the furthest right.
[Prove your strength!]
[Advent Dungeon]
[Difficulty - ???]
The tremor I sensed earlier must had been because of this fourth mirror's emergence.
It must be the portal Alam mentioned.
[※Caution!]
[If you die in the Advent Dungeon, you cannot revive.]
[There is a failure rate in the engraving process. Heroes who fail the engraving process fall into a 'corrupted' state.]
A warning message emerged as I approached the new mirror.
I already knew the Advent Dungeon was dangerous.
But it seemed there was also a risk in obtaining a seal.
[※Caution!]
[The higher the seal grade, the harder the difficulty.]
[Choose an easy difficulty at first!]
This would be my first seal, and the first attempt to obtain one in the lobby.
I would not know how difficult an Advent Dungeon could be.
[Serafina Magda Zeref (★★★★) Lv.17 (Exp 7/145)]
[Class: Mage]
[Strength: 13/13]
[Intelligence: 128/128]
[Stamina: 33/33]
[Agility: 19/19]
[Skills: Telekinesis Lv.9, Intermediate Enchantment Lv.8, Intermediate Fire Magic Lv.9, Hands that Twist Space and Time Lv.9, Intermediate Research Lv.5, Intermediate Alchemy Lv.8, Mana Transfer Lv.4, Multicasting Lv.4, Mana Shockwave Lv.4, Mana Overflow Resistance Lv.1, Intermediate Wind Magic Lv.7, Mana Detection Lv.6, Golem Summoning Lv.4, Intermediate Water Magic Lv.5, Intermediate Earth Magic Lv.5, Intermediate Lava Magic Lv.5, Intermediate Lightning Magic Lv.5, Intermediate Ice Magic Lv.5, Compulsion Magic Lv.4]
On top of executing my duty as Vice-Master, or rather, in order to execute my duty as Vice-Master, I had been training to improve my skills.
I had improved all my elemental magic to the intermediate phase, ensuring each element skill had at least reached level 5.
My dimensional magic had also improved to level 9 thanks to my constant practice. It had improved enough that I could implement some spells in combat.
I did not know what awaited me beyond this mirror.
There could be a challenge as difficult as a Quintal Trial in there.
But nevertheless, Master wanted me to obtain a seal.
I wanted it as well.
We might need it to clear the twentieth floor.
Nothing would keep me from climbing the tower and save my world.
So I raised the silver Advent Stone and placed it on the mirror.
The glowing rock plunged into the glass surface as if it was made of water.
The mirror began to ripple and radiated with silver light.
[The conditions for opening the Advent Dungeon have been met.]
[Intermediate Descent Dungeon (Temple of Malaikat – Single Hero Only) is open.]
[Entry in 10 seconds.]
The silver light began to flow out of the mirror.
The overwhelming brilliance started to engulf me.
[Dum-dum!]
[The Advent Dungeon is opening!]
I sensed my surroundings shifting.
It was similar to when the bluish-white light would transport me into a trial.
Once the light faded, I found myself standing inside a grand circular room with a huge dome ceiling.
The place was familiar.
Indeed, I had been here before.
It was the temple where we performed our subquest on the tenth floor.
Back then there was a statue at the center of the room. It depicted two winged-maidens that were turned against each other.
The statue was overlooking a pedestal where the subquest rewards were laid out.
But both the statue and the pedestal were not present this time.
The two doors leading further into the temple was present, however.
The sight of them reminded me of something significant.
I immediately turned to observe around the ceiling.
The guardian was not here.
There used to be a huge knight statue resting above the entrance of the temple, which was not present as well.
That guardian caused a lot of trouble for us on the tenth floor.
It caused the Raid Team to lose the former Party 3 and two members from Party 2.
I still blamed myself for their deaths.
Ever since that Quintal Trial I had been trying to make up for my mistakes.
Drrr...
The two doors in the temple slowly swung open.
Drums of heavy footsteps started echoing from further within.
"It's about time."
I whispered.
Soon, dozens of moving statues in the shape of armored knights walked through the two doors.
These knight statues resembled the ones we fought on the tenth floor.
They even assumed the similar circular formation when they first fought against us back then.
[Knight Golem Lv.19 x24]
These knights were stronger than when we faced them last time, however.
I supposed it was to be expected.
But there was no need to worry.
I had become stronger since then as well.
Maha Jwala.
A huge stream of fire burst forth from my palm and swept through the room.
The rows of knights were immediately obliterated by my magic flames.
They perished within the ocean of fire I spread throughout the circular domed chamber.
But the battle did not end there, as expected.
The fragments of the knight statues suddenly hovered to the air and began to cluster together.
All the pieces amalgamated into four slightly-larger knight statues. Each bearing different weapon and armor.
One had a giant halberd. The other had a great sword. Another a huge crossbow. And the final one a large scythe.
[Shadow of Conquest Lv.28]
[Shadow of War Lv.28]
[Shadow of Plague Lv.28]
[Shadow of Death Lv.28]
The four mighty figures then rose above my sea of flames and poised their weapons to strike me.
This seal better worth all these troubles.