Seeing their training was well underway, I walked myself out of the dueling chamber.
We had decided that I would only join the training exercise once the Reserve parties could withstand my comrades for a much longer time.
It would be a while till they would reach that point, so I decided to check on the other squads' training.
We were currently in the vast training ground on the third floor of the lobby that Master assigned to the Reserve Forces.
The training ground had numerous large dueling chambers lined up in its facility.
Six to ten parties could easily fit inside each chamber for sparring purposes.
All of them were currently occupied for the joint training exercises between the Main and the Reserve Forces.
We chose to train in the dueling chambers as the lobby's healing power did not work inside these places.
They were the perfect locations to simulate real battles.
I left the one where my party was training with the First Advanced Scouts and went to the one next door.
Whooshh!
A torrent of fire rushed through a group of raiders in one part of the chamber.
Yuxia rapidly sent elemental assaults toward his opponents as Norn confronted them head on with her halberd.
In another match on the other side of the chamber, Tarran and Jordane replicated the tactic with the same effectiveness despite only relying on arrows and a sword.
In yet another match, Zecht, Trudy, and a couple of Apprentice Instructors were fiercely dueling against other Reserve parties.
I had assigned Party 2 and several first floor instructors to spar against the Second Advanced Scouts as well as the 2-star parties in the Third Advanced Scouts.
Trudy, Zecht, Norn, and Tarran had survived a Quintal Trial before. They would know how to prepare these inexperienced raiders.
The talented Apprentice Instructors, the capable Jordane, as well as the 4-star elementalist should also be able to provide enough challenge to ready this set of Reserve Parties for the Quintal Trial.
Seeing their training was proceeding well, I moved on to the next dueling chamber.
Party 6 to 11, the last six Reserve parties, each had a pair of 3-star heroes in their ranks.
Naturally, these groups would be considerably stronger than the remaining Reserve parties which only had 2-star heroes.
That was why I had arranged special sparring partners for them.
"Is that the best you can do, daywalkers?!"
Graihan shouted as he easily dodged Weirui's enchanted tasseled blades and Ruana's arrows.
The lycanthrope swiftly moved and evaded the projectiles as if he had literal springs in his steps.
Whatever projectiles he could not dodge, Graihan would parry with his thick sharp claws extending from his hands.
The Party 11's advanced heroes kept focusing their assaults on the agile 4-star to keep him from approaching them.
They knew close-quartered combat against the lycanthrope was a death sentence.
However, Arian was fast approaching from their rear, aiming for their weak spot.
Accompanying the Kutub hunter was a trio of energetic youthful boys.
"Let Graihan handle the 3-stars! We will isolate the rest! Darille, Reon, take the flanks! Jain, support us from the rear with your arrows!"
The three additional raiders that Graihan picked to join his party were a trio of young boys that once worked as servants on the third floor lodging.
Like Quinda, they were the ones that were enamored by the roles of the raiders and decided to join the climbing force.
The three had been training together ever since and had formed a great synergy with one another.
Graihan noticed their chemistry as well as good physicality that he made them his party comrades along with Arian.
It was a good decision considering what was unfolding before me.
The remaining members of Party 11 had seen the Kutub hunter's ambush coming.
They proceeded to intercept Arian and her young comrades.
Clang!
Arian and the boys fiercely engaged their opponents.
They pushed hard toward the 3-star pair that were locked with the lycanthrope.
['Arian (★★★)' has gone berserk!]
The Kutub hunter pressed on.
Aided by the vigorous youthful boys, Arian managed to break through Party 11's defense.
Weirui and Ruana had no choice but to divert their attention from Graihan and aid their comrades pushing Arian back.
With his enemies' barrage lessening, Graihan finally had a clear opening to counterattack.
The lycanthrope sprinted toward the 3-stars and successfully engaged them in a close-ranged combat.
Arian and the youthful trio kept pressuring the other members of Party 11, preventing them from aiding the 3-stars.
Graihan kept on attacking the Tchakran telekinesist and the former ship guard as they desperately formed distance with him.
He chased them off till Party 11's formation broke apart.
It did not take long for the lycanthrope's group to finish them off.
"Pathetic. Next bunch! Hurry up!"
I had assigned Graihan's group of Party 5 to spar with Party 10 and 11.
The lycanthrope was an outstanding fighter on his own.
Paired with Arian and three other raiders, they were formidable.
The lycanthrope's group was a suitable sparring partner for parties with advanced heroes in their mix.
I had also been observing Party 5 for a while now.
They had developed a strategy suited for their composition.
Graihan would act as the vanguard and attract the enemies' attention.
With Arian coordinating the others, the rest of Party 5 would then aim for the enemies' weak spots which were created by Graihan's distraction.
Or the roles would get switched
Arian's lot would distract the enemies while Graihan would sneak in and strike the enemies where they least expected it.
It was a strategy suited for the party's excellent mobility.
As Party 5 continued their sparring with the Reserve parties, I proceeded to the next dueling chamber.
[Maha Jwala]
A grand stream of flame rushed forth from one side of the chamber to the other.
Anaiya of Party 7 had concentrated a lot of mana for this spell.
Swoosh! Slash!
Something was heard cutting through air.
A thin screen of wind sliced through Anaiya's flame current and parted it cleanly in half.
The Third Circle spell was dispersed in an instant.
"R-ridiculous!"
The elemental mage cursed as she stared at her opponent at the far side of the chamber.
Ulrica stood tall with her dark armor. A magnificent giant axe was firm in the Near-Kin's grasp.
Considering the trails of flame hovering around the axe's ivory blade, the weapon was certainly the thing that blocked Anaiya's fire spell.
"It's fine, Anaiya!"
Rizarde told the mage.
The former head knight was the second 3-star and the leader of Party 7.
"Just use your magic to pressure them! Focus on creating openings for us!"
"Got it!"
Anaiya replied as she readied another elemental spell.
Ulrica chuckled at their stunt.
"Alright. I've let you guys deliver the first strike. It's our turn now."
The Near-Kin turned to Matrias and the three women behind her.
"You all know what to do."
With firm nods from her comrades, the leader of Party 3 turned back to her opponents and put one foot forward.
Electric currents suddenly manifested all over her feet.
Zoom!
In a split second, Ulrica disappeared from where she stood and emerged just before Rizarde's party.