Audi's eyes widened in shock. "So I'm just level 10?! Give me the Second Cursed Tablet!"

Hel smirked but didn't move. "Even if I gave it to you, it wouldn't be enough. Not against the true strength of the Guardians of the Ten Plagues."

Audi clicked his tongue in frustration. "The what now?"

Hel's expression darkened. "They were once the Ten Legendary Heroes who defended the Negative Floor. But the corruption of the Tower twisted them into something else. Now, they serve as its enforcers, ensuring the Zombie King remains sealed."

She gestured toward the flickering flames around them. "Each of them rules over a specific floor, acting as the guardian of their domain. They are known by the curses they embody."

The Ten Plagues of the Negative Floor:

80th Floor – Blood – The waters turn to blood, ruled by the Blood Plague Guardian.

70th Floor – Croakers – A relentless invasion of frogs, ruled by the Croakers Plague Guardian.

60th Floor – Vermin – A catastrophic outbreak of lice, ruled by the Vermin Plague Guardian.

50th Floor – Swarmers – A devastating infestation of flies, ruled by the Swarmers Plague Guardian.

40th Floor – Decay – Livestock disease, spreading death among all creatures, ruled by the Decay Plague Guardian.

Guardian of 30th to 1st Floor

Sores – Painful boils that afflict all living beings, ruled by the Sores Plague

Wrath – A storm of fire and hail, ruled by the Wrath Plague Guardian

Devourers – A swarm of locusts that consume everything, ruled by the Devourers Plague Guardian. (Holds the Third Cursed Tablet)

Gloom – Three days of darkness that drive all into madness, ruled by the Gloom Plague Guardian.

Requiem – The death of the firstborn, ruled by the Requiem Plague Guardian. (Holds the Fourth Cursed Tablet)

Audi clenched his fists. "So not only are they incredibly strong, but four of them also hold the Cursed Tablets? If I want all seven, I'll have to face them."

Hel nodded. "Yes. And be aware… the Ten Plagues don't fight alone. Each commands a legion, armies built to withstand the horrors of the Negative Floor."

Audi hesitated. "Then what about Floors 30 to 1? Who rules those?"

Hel smirked. "The top five Plague Guardians rotate between those floors. They act as an elite vanguard, constantly moving and ensuring that no one reaches the lowest depths of the Negative Tower, where the Zombie King is sealed. If you challenge the Negative Floor, you will encounter them."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

A chill ran down Audi's spine. Even if he could evade one or two, there was no escaping all of them.

His eyes flicked back to Hel. "Then I need that Second Cursed Tablet now."

Hel shook her head. "Not yet. First, you need to prove that you can handle its power. You must defeat me."

Audi blinked. "What."

Hel smirked. "If you can't even take me on, you'll die the second you face a Plague Guardian." She tightened her grip on her weapon. "So before you go chasing after Cursed Tablets… fight me."

Audi groaned. "But I'm hungry!"

Hel sighed. "Then eat fast—because the battle starts now."

Audi paused, then frowned. "Wait… If the Guardians are so strong, how have you managed to hold onto the Second Cursed Tablet for so long?"

Hel smirked. "They did come after me. But I managed to escape because of my skill—GraveDigger."

Audi raised an eyebrow. "GraveDigger?"

Hel nodded. "It allows me to dig through different floors that I've conquered. If a battle gets too dangerous, I can burrow into a safer zone before they overwhelm me. Right now, I can hide anywhere between Floors 81 to 100."

Audi's eyes widened. "That's awesome."

Hel's smirk faded. "Not for long. The Guardians don't give up easily. They'll keep hunting me down, and eventually, they will find me." She met his gaze. "That's why we need to train you—fast. Because when they come for us again… we fight."

Audi exhaled, steeling himself. He still wasn't sure if he was ready. But one thing was certain—he had no choice but to become ready.

Then, a sudden thought struck him. "Wait… I have the First Cursed Tablet, don't I?"

Hel nodded. "Yes. But that tablet only unlocked your skill. Almost everyone who enters the Negative Floor has that Cursed Tablet."

Audi tilted his head. "Skill? So… [Skill Acquired: Regains]?"

Hel grinned. "Exactly. Just like how it unlocked my GraveDigger skill."

Audi's eyes narrowed. "Then what about you? What's your power level?"

Hel smirked. "I'm also level 80… normally."

Audi's body tensed. "Normally?"

Hel's smirk widened. "With the power of the Second Cursed Tablet… my strength reaches level 100."

Audi took a step back. "Wait, hold on. You're saying you're already as strong as I could be, even with the tablet?"

Hel raised her weapon. "That's right. So if you want this power… come and take it."**

Audi clenched his fists. "Then where are the remaining three Cursed Tablets?"

Hel's smirk disappeared. "I don't know… but before the Grave Floor was created, some said they saw the Tablets on the Greatness Floor."

Audi's eyes narrowed. "The Greatness Floor? I thought the Cursed Tablets were here because of the Zombie King. And what happens if I complete all seven Cursed Tablets?"

Hel's expression shifted. "How do you know that?"

Audi lifted his hand, gripping the First Cursed Tablet. "It's written here."

Hel's eyes widened. "Wait… what?! How can you read that?!"

Audi smirked. "Because of my skill—Regain. I remember my past life before I became a zombie… I was reading a manuscript."

Hel's breath hitched. "That's impossible…"

[First Cursed Tablet: The Zombie King's Last Stand & The Negative Floors]

"Foreseeing the destruction to come, the Zombie King used the last of his strength to forge the Negative Floors, imprisoning the most dangerous fallen angels and titans—the adventurers once known as the Ten Legendary Heroes. Yet, his power has waned to a mere 0.5%, and the abyss teeters on the brink of chaos…"

The imprisoned beings grow stronger, feeding on his decaying magic. The seals weaken, sending ripples of instability through the Tower. The Queen senses a familiar presence—Audi's aura has awakened, and she declares war on the Heaven Floor.

Audi and hel "So the Ten Legendaries Heroes were The Ten Plagues of the Negative Floor"