As Leon and Roselia exited the castle, the oppressive darkness that once enveloped the area seemed to lift, replaced by a soft, eerie calm. The distant sounds of wildlife cautiously returning to the land echoed through the night air.

Roselia stretched her arms above her head, sighing. "Finally, some fresh air. That place was suffocating."

Leon adjusted his staff on his back, nodding. "I''ll admit, it''s good to be out of there. Though, I have to say, this crown might make all that trouble worth it."

Roselia glanced at the Crown of the Deceased Queen, a faint glow radiating from the intricate carvings on its surface. "Do you even plan to use it? I am not really the ''commander of the undead'' type."

Leon shrugged "No, but it''s a unique piece. You can either keep it as a backup or trade it to someone who could use it more effectively. It''s better in the hands of someone who''ll maximize its potential."

Roselia nodded. "Makes sense. Someone specializing in necromancy or summoning would kill for an artifact like that."

As they walked down the winding path leading away from the castle, Leon''s Tower system interface pinged, drawing his attention.

{ Quest Complete: Plague Queen''s Wrath

Rewards:

50,000 Gold Coins

Rare Crafting Materials

Exclusive Skill Scroll: Necrotic Veil

Bonus Reward for Exceptional Performance:

Title: Purifier of Darkness }

"Interesting," Leon muttered, scanning the rewards.

Roselia tilted her head, curious. "What now?"

"System gave me a new title. Purifier of Darkness. Should boost my effectiveness against undead and shadow-based enemies," he explained.

Roselia raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. Makes you even better at dealing with stuff like this."

Leon grinned. "Yeah, though I hope we don''t run into something like that again anytime soon."

As they reached the base of the hill, they saw a small campfire glowing in the distance, surrounded by a group of adventurers. The party seemed to be discussing something animatedly, their voices carrying through the quiet night.

Roselia tapped Leon''s shoulder. "Should we check it out?"

Leon nodded. "Might as well. Could be a chance to gather information or trade."

Leon nodded. "We will. Stay safe, and good luck with your quests."

With that, he and Roselia began their trek toward the town, leaving the adventurers behind.

Roselia glanced at Leon as they walked. "So, locals, huh? Did you know about them before?"

"A bit," Leon admitted. "Each floor has its own quirks. I''d read that some floors are home to full civilizations, but seeing it firsthand is... different."

Roselia smirked. "Well, seems like they see us as big shots. Guess we''ve made an impression."

Leon chuckled softly. "Let''s not get complacent. The higher we go, the tougher it''ll get."

"That''s what makes it fun," Roselia replied with a mischievous grin.

They soon returned to the quest hall, but instead of a warm reception, they found themselves walking into an unpleasant scene.

****

Few minutes earlier

"Didn''t I tell you not to give this quest to anyone?!" a young man in dark robes snarled, gripping the receptionist by the collar. His voice carried a haughty arrogance, his tone laced with menace.

The receptionist, a composed woman with sharp features and an unyielding demeanor, stared at him impassively. "I cannot withhold any quest from an Ascender," she replied, her tone professional but firm.

The young man''s face twisted in rage. "You bitch! I am the son of the Death Lord! The ruler of the 10th floor!" he shouted, his grip tightening as he shook her slightly.

Despite his aggression, the receptionist remained calm, brushing his hand off her collar. "Whoever you are, no one has the right to interfere with the tower''s rules. That includes you, Young Master Hades."

Hades, as the young man was addressed, bristled at her words, his hand twitching as if he was about to strike her. Just as he raised his hand, another figure stepped forward—a tall, older man in a pristine butler''s uniform.

"Young Master Hades," the butler said in a calm, measured voice, placing a restraining hand on the young man''s arm. "It is unwise to attack a representative of the tower. The repercussions could be severe."

Hades snorted, withdrawing his hand reluctantly. "Fine. I can''t attack her. But I can attack those fools who dared to take my quest," he hissed, his eyes burning with fury.

The butler inclined his head slightly. "As you wish, Young Master."

One of Hades''s lackeys, a wiry man with a nervous expression, hesitantly spoke up. "Maybe... they were defeated and killed? That would explain why the quest wasn''t marked as completed."

Hades glared at him, his expression darkening. "If they were dead, the quest would''ve returned to the board by now, along with their names. That hasn''t happened, has it?" he snapped, his tone dripping with irritation.

The lackey shrank back under the intensity of Hades''s glare, mumbling an apology.

If during a quest, an ascender dies the quest will be returned to board as it will also have another section added, Casualties, to inform next taker of potential risks.