"Let's go back to the Quest Hall and ask for quests that specifically give alchemy ingredients as drops," Leon said, and the others nodded in agreent.
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They made their way back to the Quest Hall, navigating through the bustling streets of Sin City. Unlike other floors, where law and order were sowhat maintained, Sin City was ruled by strength and reputation. People either avoided trouble or thrived in chaos.
As they entered the grand hall, the scent of ink and parchnt mixed with the faint tallic sll of blood. The receptionist, a tall woman with fox-like ears and a playful smirk, glanced at them.
"Back so soon?" she teased. "What can I do for you this ti?"
Leon stepped forward. "We're looking for quests that reward alchemy ingredients—rare ones, preferably."
She raised an eyebrow. "Ah, alchemists, huh? Not many people take those quests seriously. Most just go for monster hunts or treasure raids. But let's see..." She flipped through a thick book before pulling out a few quest sheets.
"Here are so that might interest you." She handed over three options:
[Venomous Bloom Hunt] – Retrieve the petals of the Nightshade Bloom, a rare plant guarded by venomous insects deep within the Blackthorn Swamp.
Reward: High-grade alchemy materials and 800 Ascender Points.
Difficulty: A-rank.
[Heart of the Magma Lotus] – Collect the fiery core of a Magma Lotus that grows near active lava pits in the Volcanic Rift.
Reward: Fire-elental alchemy materials and 1,200 Ascender Points.
Difficulty: S-rank.
[The Crimson Serpent's Core] – Defeat the Crimson Serpent and extract its alchemical core.
Reward: A legendary alchemy catalyst and 2,000 Ascender Points.
Difficulty: SS-rank.
Leon whistled, impressed by the options. "Damn, these aren't easy."
Milim grinned. "But that makes them fun, doesn't it?"
Roselia scanned the quests and tapped the first one. "This one should be the easiest to start with. It's dangerous, but manageable."
Roman chuckled. "Easiest? You call venomous insects and a deadly swamp 'easy'?"
Lilian smiled. "Compared to the other two? Yes."
Leon nodded. "Alright, we'll take the Nightshade Bloom quest first. After that, we'll see if we're ready for the Magma Lotus."
The receptionist smirked. "Brave choice. Try not to die, alright?"
Leon took the quest paper and turned to the group. "Let's gear up and head out."
Coming out of Sin City, Leon sighed. "All this acting is killing . The Venomous Bloom? I can just wipe them out with a single spell of mine," he said.
"That's the point," Roselia replied. "We need to maintain a low profile unless you want to show everyone that Fang, who should be on the higher floors, is just casually running around as a beginner-correction he is a beginner."
"just think how a bunch of upper floors will co to wipe you out"
Leon nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I get it."
In Sin City, like any other city, they gathered information. One rumor was widely circulating—many Ascenders from the upper floors were scouring the lower floors to find Fang, which was just Leon's Ascender na in the Tower.
From that point on, they decided to keep a low profile.
The group gathered their supplies and set off toward the Blackthorn Swamp, a place infamous for its poisonous mists, unpredictable terrain, and deadly creatures. The deeper they ventured, the more the air grew thick with moisture, and the buzzing of insects filled the silence.
Leon activated his Sage Eyes, allowing him to see through the murky surroundings and detect potential threats. "Be careful. There are more than just venomous insects here," he warned.
Milim stretched her arms. "If anything attacks, I'll just blast it away!"
"Try not to burn the flowers we ca for," Roselia reminded her.
As they moved deeper, the ground beca muddier, and soon, they found themselves surrounded by Mist Crawlers—massive centipede-like creatures with translucent bodies that exuded a paralyzing mist.
"They rely on the mist to hunt," Leon noted. "If we let it spread, we'll be sitting ducks."
Roman grinned. "Then let's not give them the chance."
With a swift motion, he summoned a gust of wind, dispersing the mist before it could thicken. Lilian and Roselia launched precise magical attacks, burning through the Crawlers before they could retreat into the ground.
Naval, who had been silent up until now, gracefully stepped forward, slicing the last one with an ethereal blade, leaving behind only a faint shimr in the air.
"Efficient," Leon complinted.
Naval simply shrugged. "I don't waste movents."
After dealing with the creatures, the group carefully scanned the area. It was Roselia who finally spotted a cluster of Nightshade Blooms, their dark purple petals glowing faintly under the moonlight.
"These flowers bloom only at night," she explained. "They absorb mana from the surroundings, which is why they're so potent for alchemy."
Leon knelt down, carefully cutting the stems with an enchanted dagger to preserve their properties. "We got what we ca for. Let's get out before sothing bigger shows up."
Just as he said that, the swamp began to tremble.
A deep, guttural roar echoed through the air as a massive creature erged from the murky waters—a Swamp King Basilisk, its golden eyes gleaming as it locked onto them.
The Basilisk was an apex predator, known to petrify its prey with its gaze before devouring them whole. However, before it could use its ability, Leon activated Sage Eyes, countering its effects.
"Don't look directly at its eyes!" he warned the others.
Milim cracked her knuckles. "Finally, sothing worth punching!"
Before anyone could stop her, she leapt at the Basilisk, delivering a devastating punch to its head, sending it crashing into a nearby tree.
Roselia sighed. "She never listens."
Lilian and Naval used barrier magic to shield the group, while Roman took the opportunity to enhance Leon's sword with a powerful enchantnt.
"Go for its heart!" Roman instructed.
Leon nodded, dashing forward. Using the opening Milim created, he pierced the Basilisk's chest with his sword, unleashing a surge of mana.
The creature let out a final roar before collapsing, its enormous body shaking the ground.
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