The portal's crimson hue pulsed rhythmically, casting an eerie glow across the faces of the gathered adventurers. The once-bustling atmosphere around the World Tower's entrance fell into a stunned silence, broken only by the soft whispers of confusion and disbelief.

Leo stood as if turned to stone, his eyes locked onto the shimmering surface that had so violently expelled him moments before. The air thickened around him, heavy with tension and the weight of unvoiced questions pressing in from all sides. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing like a drum in his ears. His mind raced, scrambling for an explanation, when suddenly, a massive notification materialized before the gate.

A resonant chime echoed, and golden letters appeared mid-air, their message both clear and damning:

CURSED BEINGS ARE PROHIBITED FROM ENTERING THE WORLD TOWER

Below the message, intricate runes pulsed with angry red light, their arcane patterns shifting and intertwining, emanating a force that actively repelled Leo's presence.

Detected user under Blight of the Vanquished curse.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Heads turned, eyes searching until they found their target. Leo felt the weight of countless stares, a pressure almost as tangible as the force that had expelled him from the portal.

Above his head, the words "Blight of the Vanquished" glowed with an ominous, blood-red light. The curse that had been his silent companion since his battle with the Dragon Lord was now a blazing beacon, marking him as something other, something dangerous.

Leo clicked his tongue in irritation, a subtle gesture betraying his simmering frustration. Inside, his mind raced, formulating his next move. He rose to his feet, brushing off the dust from his clothes with deliberate slowness. His jaw clenched, the only outward sign of the turmoil within.

Maintaining his composure, Leo turned and made his way back to Ai, each step deliberate amid the sea of staring eyes. The white cats wove through the crowd, their playful movements contrasting sharply with the somber atmosphere.

Whispers grew louder, a rising tide of speculation and fear.

"A system user... actually barred from the tower?"

"The curse... it truly exists?"

"I thought it was just a legend..."

Snatches of ancient lore mingled with fresh fear in the hushed whispers that spread through the crowd.

"We all knew the curse weakens its victim," a battle-scarred warrior murmured, his eyes fixed on Leo.

"But this... this is something else entirely."

"Aye," his companion nodded, her voice tight with apprehension.

"Barred from the World Tower itself? What kind of power does this curse truly hold?"

The crowd shifted uneasily, their gazes darting between Leo and the now-placid portal. A young mage, her robes still pristine, voiced the thought many were too afraid to utter:

"If it can deny entry to the World Tower, what else might it do? What other secrets does this curse hide?"

The air hummed with an almost palpable tension as adventurers grappled with this unsettling reality. Some edged away from Leo, as if mere proximity might infect them. Others leaned in, morbid curiosity overriding caution, desperate to glean any information about this legendary curse now brought to life before them.

But as they watched Leo move with purposeful strides towards Ai, doubt mingled with their fear. The curse's ability to bar entry was undeniable, yet the man before them showed no obvious signs of weakness. In that moment, everything they thought they knew about the curse was called into question, leaving only uncertainty and the unarguable truth in its wake.

Hidden within the shadow of a nearby pillar, a cloaked figure observed the scene intently. Clad in dark, form-fitting attire, her face concealed except for piercing eyes that missed nothing. She moved with the fluid grace of a predator trained in the arts of stealth and espionage.

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Her eyes, sharp as a hawk's, had not left Leo since the moment he'd been expelled from the portal. Now, as the implications of what she'd witnessed sank in, a shiver of excitement ran down her spine.

"The cursed system user," she breathed, her words barely a whisper. "This information is invaluable. I must report to the Queen at once."

With a flick of her wrist, a small scroll appeared in her hand. Her fingers flew across its surface, recording every detail of what she'd seen.

As Leo reached Ai, the mysterious woman melted back into the shadows. In the blink of an eye, she was gone, leaving behind only the faintest rustle of leaves to mark her passing.

The tension around the World Tower's entrance continued to build. Leo stood at its center, the glowing curse a constant reminder of the barrier that now stood between him and his goals. As adventurers whispered and pointed, his mind was already racing, searching for a way forward. The path to saving Amanda and Roxanne had just become far more complicated, but he was far from defeated.

After a few tense moments, the portal's angry red glow began to wane. The pulsing crimson hue ebbed away, replaced once more by the swirling, multicolored vortex that had initially captivated onlookers. The vibrant colors danced and intertwined, casting a mesmerizing tapestry of light across the faces of the gathered adventurers. The imposing notification that had hovered ominously before the gate flickered and vanished, leaving behind only unspoken questions and the haunting memory of its forbidding message.

The World Tower stood impassive, its mysteries still locked away behind the now-placid portal. But for Leo, the challenge had only just begun, the curse above his head a constant reminder of the obstacles he had yet to overcome.

As Leo reached Ai, the healer who had been tending to the injured adventurers rushed forward, her eyes brimming with gratitude. "Thank you," she breathed, her voice thick with emotion. "Your kindness saved lives today."

Leo's gaze swept over the group, lingering on each face marked by the recent brush with death. His expression remained stoic, but a flicker of emotion—an indistinct blend of compassion and calculation—glinted in his eyes.

Leo's gaze swept over the group, his expression neutral. "It's fine," he said simply, his tone neither warm nor cold. "Just remember this favor when the time comes."

The healer's smile faltered for a moment, surprise and uncertainty warring on her face. But as the weight of his words sank in, she nodded slowly, a look of solemn understanding settling over her features.

"Of course," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "We owe you our lives. Whatever you need, whenever you need it."

As Leo turned, his eyes fell upon a still form lying apart from the others. The sight of the lifeless body, a pure reminder of the tower's unforgiving nature, sent a chill through the gathered crowd. Leo's jaw tightened, a muscle working beneath the skin.

"My condolences," he said, the words heavy with a weight that spoke of personal loss. The healer's companions bowed their heads, grief etching lines into their faces.

Turning to Ai, Leo's voice took on a note of urgency. "We have nothing left to do here. Take us to Amanda."

Ai nodded, her fingers dancing through the air with inhuman precision. A shimmering map materialized beside her, continents and oceans rendered in glowing lines of energy. With a few more calculated gestures, she zeroed in on their destination.

Move to Elven Domain?

The crowd of adventurers gasped in unison as Ai tapped 'Yes.' Instantly, a brilliant magic circle blazed to life beneath Leo and his companions, its intricate runes and symbols weaving together in a mesmerizing display. Energy hummed and crackled around them, threads of raw power twisting through the air. The force built swiftly to a crescendo, making the very atmosphere vibrate.

The ground trembled underfoot, and an electric charge set teeth on edge and raised goosebumps along every arm. It was as if the fabric of reality itself was pulsing, the sheer intensity of the magic nearly overwhelming those who stood nearby.

In a blinding flash, they vanished, leaving behind a stunned silence and a swirl of unanswered questions.

The light faded, and Leo found himself standing at the edge of a forest unlike any he had ever seen. Ancient trees towered overhead, their colossal trunks dwarfing even the tallest watchtowers of the human kingdom. Their leaves shimmered with an otherworldly iridescence, casting dancing shadows on the forest floor.

The air was thick with magic, each breath infused with the earthy scent of ancient woodlands and whispers of arcane secrets. An otherworldly aroma permeated the atmosphere—a blend of sweet nectar, rich loam, and an elusive, ethereal note that tingled on the edge of perception. It was intoxicating and slightly disorienting, making Leo's enhanced senses tingle with each inhalation.

For a moment, Leo stood transfixed by the majesty of the Elven Domain, Leo's newfound abilities picked up on something else. A presence, or rather, multiple presences, moving within the depths of the forest. Giant figures, their exact nature unclear, roamed among the trees. Subtle tremors pulsed through the earth beneath his feet, each one hinting at the passage of colossal beings hidden within the forest's depths.

The boundary between the familiar world and this realm of ancient magic was palpable. Leo stood at the threshold, keenly aware that each step forward would take him deeper into a world of wonder and danger, where the rules he knew might no longer apply.