Roselia nodded and stepped forward, her sword gleaming with her battle aura. "You take the leader. I''ll handle the rest," she said calmly, already focusing her energy on the advancing party members.

    Leon raised his staff, summoning his first spell. "Golden Fortress!" A massive, glowing wall of golden metal materialized between him and Maximillius''s men, effectively isolating the leader.

    Maximillius''s eyes widened. "You fool you just trapped yourself with me?!, And I am Dragon Slayer Warrior, I have advantage over you" he laughed as he said.

    Leon tilted his head and smirked. "Not really. I just didn''t want my test subject running away." He pointed his staff, and the air around them began to hum with power.

    "Golden Convergence!" Leon shouted. Shards of glowing metal began to coalesce in midair, forming an intricate array of whirling weapons. Blades, spears, and projectiles hovered menacingly before launching toward Maximillius with blistering speed.

    Maximillius swung his sword. "Dragon Slayer Barrier!" A fiery crimson shield erupted around him, deflecting the first wave of projectiles. However, the intensity of Leon''s spell caused cracks to form in the barrier almost immediately.@@@@

    "You''re strong!" Maximillius admitted, gritting his teeth. "But I''ve faced stronger!"

    " killed better mages" he said slashing at him.

    Leon chuckled. "Have you, though?" He shifted his stance and activated another spell. "Metallic Oblivion!" The projectiles dissolved into a mist of golden particles, which reformed into chains that lashed out and wrapped around Maximillius''s arms and legs, immobilizing him. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

    Meanwhile, Roselia darted through the rest of the group like a blur, her sword cutting down anyone who dared to attack her. Her movements were precise and lethal, leaving no room for retaliation. Within moments, half the group was incapacitated, their equipment scattered across the forest floor.

    Maximillius struggled against the chains, his fiery aura intensifying. "You''ll regret this! My father will—"

    "We''re being watched," he said, his tone calm but alert.

    Roselia responded with equal composure, "It''s normal. An SSS-rank quest like this, left pending for so long, has undoubtedly accumulated a lot of wealth as a reward. Now that we''ve returned, it''s no surprise people have set their sights on us."

    Leon gave a slight nod, scanning their surroundings without drawing attention. "Let''s head straight to the Association, submit the quest, and leave immediately for the Death Tyrant King," he said decisively.

    Roselia nodded in agreement, her expression serious. Together, they made their way through the crowded city streets, maintaining a steady pace as they moved toward the Adventurers'' Association, keenly aware of the prying eyes tracking their every move.

    As they approached the grand hall of the Adventurers'' Association, the atmosphere grew tense. The ornate building stood as a testament to centuries of adventurers'' legacies, with towering columns and intricate carvings depicting epic battles and heroic deeds. Inside, the murmurs of adventurers filled the air, and all eyes turned toward Leon and Roselia as they entered.

    Leon ignored the gazes, heading straight to the counter. The receptionist, a sharp-eyed elf with a professional demeanor, greeted them with a polite smile. "Welcome back. You''ve completed the SSS-rank quest, I assume?"

    Leon nodded and placed a sealed document on the counter. "Here''s the proof of completion and the required artifacts."

    The receptionist took the document, her hands steady despite the weight of the task. She opened it carefully, revealing the crest of the Archmage Valtheris, along with detailed records of the dungeon''s completion. She glanced at Leon and Roselia, her expression betraying a hint of awe.

    "Impressive. Few have survived such a quest, let alone completed it. The rewards will be substantial, but they''ll take some time to process. If you''ll follow me, we can handle the formalities in a private room," she said.

    Leon shook his head. "No need for formalities. Just transfer the rewards to my account. We''re in a hurry."

    The receptionist hesitated, then nodded. "Understood. The reward includes gold, Ascender Points, and now you have accumulated 1000 Points, you can now upgrade your grey card to Bronze. I''ll ensure everything is added to your account immediately."