ã€ŠMy Wife is the Asura Empressã€‹


 Chapter 1 Going Through The Portal

    "Hey look, that''s the adopted son of the Havenglow family."

    "What is he doing here? Wasn''t he in Veras city for his engagement with the young miss of the Mailon Family?"

    "Didn''t you hear that he was rejected by her father because he has no innate talent?"

    "I wonder why the Havenglow family adopted this trash then."

    Rio was walking toward the auditorium for the first day of his school. He was hearing such harshments since he hade back from Veras city but it didn''t affect him much.

    He was a very good-looking young boy. A single gaze at him would make the innocent hearts of the young maiden beat frantically. He had crimson-colored hair and had sea-green eyes while his eyebrows were sword-like. He was 184 centimeters, taller than many of the students around him.

    He took a seat in thest row of the auditorium. It was almost full since he camete but the headmaster still hadn''t arrived.

    Students were wearing their gray uniforms and waiting for the headmaster.

    A few minutester, a grey-haired elderly man appeared.

    He had a mustache that curved down around both sides of his mouth and connected to his beard which only covered his chin. Almost like a French-cut beard walked onto the stage. His neatly styled hair was slick with a light shimmer. He seemed to be someone very powerful with a unique aura.

    He didn''t use a Mic and boosted his voice using mana so it would sound all around the auditorium, "Today is the day you will all be sent to thend of Asuras for the first time in your life. You have joined the military school as you all know it became necessary to start your three years of training before you be part of society.

    As the Dhovrix race invaded our two hundred years ago, we had no choice but to fight them. Our strength paled inparison and we lost even though we were greater in numbers.

    However, our scientists made a breakthrough in technology and we were able to build a Portal that led us to the Land of Asuras which gave us the strength to contend against the Dhovrix race as we found the magical beasts that gave us powerful skills.

    Dhovrix race had taken over one-third of the earth''s region and they would have expanded their borders if we didn''t find this treasurend that allowed our strength to grow. Because of thend of asuras we were able to stop the Dhovrix race from taking over our earth.

    but, we are barely equal to them in strength and we don''t know their true strength. They might start a war again so we need to be prepared.

    To save humanity, and not let them steal more from us we need the power to face them. So we will give you training that will help you grow and help the human race fight against the dhovrix race."

    Students started whispering to themselves as they heard that humans were still barely equal to them. They grew up thinking that the human race had already surpassed the Dhovrix race but they were kept in the dark.

    Headmaster continued, "Today, you all will go through the portal and be familiar with thend of asuras. You don''t have to fight beasts or monsters there before your sses start, that is in one month.

    You just need to get used to that ce and report to us if you have been teleported to our nearby shelters. We will try our best to assign you a superior in your shelters even if you''re teleported to a faraway one. We will contact their headquarters and ask them to assist you."

    "Why are they not telling us about the shelters that are under the asuras? I heard they have taken control of a few of our shelters. They make those of us ves who teleport there unluckily."

    "They know that if we knew, most of us would run away but the government didn''t give us a choice. We would be breaking thew if we don''t do as the headmaster says."

    "Isn''t this same as bing a ve of government instead of the ve of Dhovrix."

    Headmaster had a good hearing but he ignored thesements as it was the same every year. He further added, "If you don''t have your AI watches then collect them from the school office and head to the portal area. Make sure to report to us after you return from your journey. Good luck to all of you."

    Saying that the headmaster walked out of the auditorium.

    Rio looked at his AI watch given by his new mother and thought inwardly, "I still can''t understand what ulterior motive thatdy had to adopt someone like me."

    He started walking towards the portal that was situated at the gate of the school.

    There were two guards at the entrance of the portal. They saw his school card and let him enter the portal.

    The Portal was like a medicine capsule with a silver painted door and AI installed.

    He went inside and felt that it was veryfortable. But there was nothing inside and only one person was allowed to use the portal at a time.

    He tapped his watch that rang with some notification sounds and synced with the portal as its door closed.

    A text appeared on the screen of the AI watch with the letters, "Teleport."

    Rio tapped it and his body was drowned in white light. He felt as if the ground was ascending but the blinding white light didn''t let him see anything.

    After a few seconds passed, the portal door opened and he stepped out of it.

    But what he saw in front of him had turned his mind upside down.

    There was a big magic circle below the portal capsule and it was situated in a white hall that was big enough to cover ten houses of a peasant family.

    Eight middle-aged men and three women in their thirties were standing around it. Two things they had inmon were the color of their eyes which was red and the uniform they were wearing which was blue with purple lines that went vertically down.

    They were all looking at Rio as if he was their new ughteringmb. He could see pity in some of their eyes but three of the men had mocking smiles on their faces as if thinking about what would happen with this new human.

    "Their eyes are red and they are wearing the uniform of the Asura Race." His heartbeat started thumping when he understood what happened.

    He instantly ran back to the portal and started tapping his watch so he could return to earth.

    "Oh...shit... it''s not working." Rio cursed inwardly.

 Chapter 2 Land Of Asuras

    "Oh...shit... it''s not working." Rio cursed inwardly.

    Even after ten minutes, it didn''t work. The AI watch was not syncing with the portal.

    "Human child, don''t waste your energy. We are letting you try so you coulde out on your own but that doesn''t mean you should make us wait. Kindly follow us to his Majesty or we will do it forcefully which you wouldn''t like." A woman''s calm voice came from outside the portal.

    Hearing that they would forcefully take him away, he came out.

    ''It would be better if I cooperate with them before finding a way to escape from here.''

    He said "Okay I''ll follow you. Lead the way."

    The people in the room were surprised how this human child had no fear of them and agreed easily to listen to them.

    Most of the time, when a human teleported here they would cry, and try to resist until they were broken mentally or physically.

    The woman who spoke earlier said, "follow me."

    After saying that, she started walking towards the exit of the gate. With no option left, Rio followed behind.

    They walked out of the room and went straight for five minutes. Then they took the stairs to climb down and walked towards another hall which was on the first floor.

    Rio felt like he hade back to the old age of kings and queens. The first floor looked majestic and luxurious, there was white marble on the floor with a red carpet that went straight in the direction of the room where the woman was going.

    He looked around him and saw no one was following them but he understood that even if he started escaping here he would only be inviting death as he was in the tiger''s den.

    They came near a big entrance where two guards were standing. The door was made of ck metal.

    Guards bowed to the woman and opened the entrance.

    They entered the hall and there were empty chairs on both sides of the walls. The carpet went up to the throne where a middle-aged man with a height of 2 meters was sitting on it.

    He had a gentle smile on his face but his white hair came down to his shoulder. His eyes were crimson red and his skin was pale in color. He was giving off an aura that sent a chill down Rio''s spine.

    A girl was sitting next to the men on another chair on his left side, which appeared special just like the throne.

    Rio''s gulped nervously and forgot that there was anyone else in the room beside her.

    ''Ah, wow!''

    Rio let out his admiration as he gazed at her as if she was a descending fairy from heaven.

    ''Stunning.''

    That was the first word that came to his mind for her mesmerizing look.

    ? Her white hair came down below her waist but a little part was also falling down her bosom which was big and ideal in proportion and hidden behind the beautiful ck dress to not cause chaos to Rio''s innocent mind. A red ribbon was worn on her neck that appeared like a flower.

    Her white hair glistened in the light of the magical stones ced on the side of the walls. Her scarlet eyes looked like jewels. She could be considered even more beautiful than all the girls he had met ever in his life.

    Even those celebrities in movies paled inparison to her. If she passed by on the streets, everyone would naturally all stop to stare at her.

    "Cough¡­ cough¡­We are also here, young boy. Don''t just give all your attention to her." the middle-aged man who was sitting on the throne spoke.

    "Ah¡­ sorry. I got mesmerized by her beautiful red eyes. I apologize." Rio said with a bittersweet smile.

    The women from earlier bowed to the man sitting on the throne and left the hall.

    "Do you know why you''re here?" The white-haired man asked.

    "Nope." He shook his head.

    "Let''s introduce each other first then I''ll exin to you. I''m the Emperor of thisnd, my name is Dn. and this is my daughter, Lia, who will be the empress in the future." Emperor Dyan said with a sweet smile and then gazed at Rio.

    Looking at his response, he understood that the Emperor was waiting for him to introduce himself.

    "I''m Rio, an adopted child of the Havenglow family." He said with a nonchnt voice.

    "When were you adopted?" Dn asked with raised eyebrows.

    "Last month." He replied and saw pity in the Emperor''s eyes.

    "Oh¡­ I see. I thought all humans are vile creatures, they only know how to destroy nature until they find another world to do it all over again." Emperor spoke, then he paused and looked at Rio to ask, "What''s your opinion about this?"

    "I believe the same but good and evil are present everywhere. Not all humans are bad, and not all Asuras are good. Some good people are forced to do evil things for their survival.

    As you know, the Dhovrix race invaded earth, and humans were forced toe here for survival as they are weak against the Dhovrix race." Rio said as a matter of factly.

    "Don''t you fear I''ll kill you if you take the side of humans in front of us?" A sweet melody voice came from beside. Lia was smiling at him coldly with her beautiful red eyes.

    "I already know I''m a dead man the moment I was teleported here. Will you spare my life if I show you fear?" Rio looked back into her eyes which made her grit her teeth and clench her fist.

    "Lia, don''t scare him, he is not entirely wrong with his words." The Emperor turned to look at his daughter.

 Chapter 3 I Have Four Conditions

    His eyes moved to Rio and he continued, "Listen, boy, I''ll go straight to the point. I needed someone who could inherit my powers and you''re the perfect candidate for it." Dn said with a severe voice.

    "Why would you pass down your power to someone from the human race whom you consider an enemy?" Rio asked with puzzlement.

    "Because it can only be inherited by someone who was born with no innate talents. We investigated some human prisoners who were teleported here. They told us that 60% of human children are born with no innate talents.

    Among that 60%, Most of them don''t even get their AI watch as they want to pursue a different career. The remaining humans, who choose toe to this Land, have many other shelters where they can get sent away.

    We rarely get a human prisoner and the one that is around her age without any Innate talent, You''re fortunately the first one.

    So that solves my problem. So will you inherit my powers?" Dn exined.

    "This can''t be a coincidence, the prophecy said the boy would''ve his hair color the same as the shade of love, blood, and death. I can''t believe his words came true." He thought inwardly as a mysterious glint flickered in his eyes.

    Dn was thinking about the prophecy that came true. He didn''t want to reveal it so early when the Emperor didn''t even believe such things. But it was told by his old man and he wanted only the well-being of his daughter so Dn was left with no choice.

    "Don''t you think that after you pass down the power I''ll use it against you and your daughter?" He asked with a questioning glint in his eyes.

    "Are you provoking me on purpose?" Lia spoke with murderous intent. The temperature in the room lowered.

    "When I will pass down the powers I''ll also make you marry my daughter and the marriage includes you to be bound in the oath. It won''t let you go against both of us and if you do your body and soul will shatter into nothingness." The emperor exined sweetly as if he was telling his soon-to-be-son-inw how much he loves him.

    Rio swallowed nervously and sat down on the floor.

    "What happened? Are you scared of dying or you''re scared of bing a traitor of the human race?" Lia asked amusingly.

    "No¡­ not that." Rio shook his head and he was still dazed.

    "Then what is it?" Dn asked this time as he was also puzzled.

    "I can not believe that I would be marrying the most beautiful girl living in the current time," Rio spoke as he was still lost in his thoughts.

    "Stupid¡­" Lia mocked him while her heart fluttered hearing someone praise her on her face.

    People feared her so much that no one dared to speak openly as their life was valuable. They didn''t want to risk their life by misspeaking and fanning the wrath of the Asura''s Emperor.

    "You don''t look like that would be happy just because you''re marrying a pretty girl after giving your heroic speech on humanity and good or evil. What''s your reason behind it?" Dn asked with curious eyes as he figure out this boy was not that simple.

    "Last night, the girl''s father rejected me saying that I have no innate talent and I''m not worthy of her." Rio smiled while speaking each word.

    A realization struck both father and daughter. They gazed at the boy on the floor.

    "That exins why you were dazed. But do you agree to inherit my powers?" Dn spoke to him to probe if he would agree without force or not.

    "I have four conditions," Rio spoke as if he was thought of such conditions long ago but he had made it on the spot.

    "Are you so tired of living that you''re asking us to agree to your conditions? Who do you think you are?" Lia red at him.

    "I think I''m your future husband." Rio chuckled.

    "You¡­" Lia found this boy annoying.

    "Okay, tell me what''s your condition. As long as it''s fair enough I''ll fulfill it" Dn agreed with a bittersweet smile.

    "First condition is that I''ll not kill a human without a fair reason," Rio spoke about his first condition and he knew they would have a problem with this.

    "Have you not gone to military school yet, kid?" Dn asked.

    "How do you know?" Rio asked while scrunching his eyebrows in surprise.

    "Yourck of knowledge exins it. When the human scientists set up their portal, they linked it to those devices on your wrist that you call an AI watch. Whenever a person is about to die in this Land, the security mechanism automatically activates and their bodies get teleported out of here and they can not enter our world for a month to three months, depending on the damage dealt on them.

    Humans set up this safety mechanism so their strong warriors don''t be the meal of beasts. " Dn exined as it was his favorite subject to research in the human way of life. He would question the ves about humanity and their way of life.

    Rio''s eyes widened hearing this information but he still had one doubt. He asked, "What if the AI doesn''t activate and break? Do humans really not die here?"

    "There are circumstances where humans can''t avoid dying such as a giant beast swallowing them and a sudden powerful strike that would kill a human instantly without allowing the AI watch enough time to activate.

    Since you don''t want to take a human''s life unfairly for a good reason, I''ll leave it to you how you deal with them. Just chase them away.

    Because I''ll need you to protect ournds against them. They attack the beasts and fairies that are under our protection. Unlike humans, these beasts don''t have a safety mechanism for escape.

    They drop their skill which the human race wants and disappear from thisnd forever." Dn said with a sorrowful voice.

    "If what you''re saying is true. Then I''ll help you to protect them and do what I can to send humans back to earth." Rio said with some hesitation.

    "Okay... what are your other conditions?" Dn looked at this young boy with interest who was going to walk a path to go against the human race while thinking about their safety as well.

    "I will kill anyone or anything who woulde my way to disrespect me or harm those dear to me. I won''t discriminate by race and gender. This includes Asuras as well." Rio spoke with a cold glint in his eyes.

    "That''s natural. If someone tries to disrespect the husband of Asura''s empress, they deserve death. I understand. Tell me your other two conditions so we can move forward." Dn wasn''t patient and said to hurry him.

    "My 3rd condition is that no one will restrict my freedom and thest, I won''t allow her to marry another man besides me. She has to be loyal to me." Rio said while a chill crept up to his spine as a killing intent was directed towards him.

    Lia was ring at him with a murderous look in her eyes which was putting a lot of pressure on him. But he had to put forward his condition no matter what.

    "Your 3rd condition is Okay but Lia can restrict your freedom if she needs you. As for the fourth one, it''s obvious. The marriage oath will put you both in a binding that none of you can break. You will need each other''s permission to marry someone else." Dn said after looking at his daughter whose face was bing beet red by their conversation.

    He continued, "Since all your conditions are agreed upon, let''s initiate the marriage. Hold each other''s hands."

    Rio stretched his right hand towards Lia who was ignoring him like thin air after hearing her father''s words.

    Dn pointed with his eyes at her to give her hand forward as he saw she was reluctant.

    She slowly moved her hand and ced it on his warm hand.

 Chapter 4 The First Kiss

    Rio felt a cold featherly hand kept on his palm. His heartbeat was thumping faster. He never imagined the girl, who moved his heart when he first saw her in enemynd, would marry him.

    "Now pray to God to take each other as husband and wife and swear on mana, blood, family, ancestors as well as heaven that you will both love each other dearly and support each other in difficult times. You would be happy in each other''s glory and take care of each other if you''re sick." Dn exined the process with a cheerful voice as he was happy his daughter was getting married.

    "I, Rio Havenglow, pray to God to take this girl right in front of my eyes, who is more beautiful than the angels of heaven, as my wife. I swear on my mana, my blood, my family, my ancestors, and heaven to always love her dearly. I will be happy in her glory and support her In her difficult times. I''ll take good care of her whenever she is sick. I''ll keep these words as long as she doesn''t betray me." Rio said while looking into her jewel-like red eyes.

    Lia''s coldness melted slightly hearing his oath. She felt warmth taking over her heart.

    She looked at her father as she was nervous, but he cheered her with his eyes.

    She spoke after some hesitation, "I, Lia Devlin, pray to God to take Rio Havenglow as my husband. I swear on my mana, my blood, my family, my ancestors, and heaven to always love him dearly. I will be happy in his glory and support him In his difficult times. I''ll take good care of him whenever he is sick."

    She spoke these words but was looking in a different direction because her face was getting redder.

    "That''s perfect. Now seal the deal with a kiss and marriage will be officially done." Dn said while smiling ear to ear while smoke wasing out of Lia''s ears because of shyness.

    Dn indicated to Rio with his eyes.

    He understood and moved towards Lia. He was a head taller than her so when he stood in front of her, she could see his sea-green eyes.

    He grabbed her waist with one hand and supported the other hand to her head. Then he moved his face closer to hers. He could feel her flowery scent invading his nostril.

    Lia didn''t resist and closed her eyes. She felt warm lips pressing down on hers while Rio felt an electric current running down his body. Her soft lips like the petals of a rose were intoxicating. Their heartbeat was resounding in each other''s ears.

    A light shone around them and a warm feeling entered their body. Dn saw a leaf tattoo appearing on their shoulders.

    "Whoa¡­ who would''ve expected for heaven to bless you two. I have only heard about it in legends. Those leaves on your shoulder are a blessing from heaven where they link your soul to each other. You would feel each other''s location even from a long distance and allow you to talk to each other in your thoughts." Dn was dazed seeing the results while Lia was embarrassed from the kiss.

    She didn''t want to admit it but she wished for the kiss tost a little longer. She felt a weird kind of bliss.

    Rio touched the tattoo on his shoulder which was the same as the one on Lia''s.

    "Now, you''re my son-inw. I''ll announce this news to everyone." Dn said.

    Rio moved his hand in front of his face and said "Wait a second."

    "What happened?" The duo of father and daughter looked at him with raised eyebrows.

    "I would be in trouble if you spread the news of a human marrying the Asura Empress. Please alter the words that I''m also an asura and make sure no one knows even here that I am a human." Rio said as he was worried he would be captured by humans.

    "Oh¡­ you''re right¡­ We should keep some information secret. I wouldn''t want my newly wed daughter to be a widow." Emperor Dn said with a bittersweet smile.

    He continued, "Later, I''ll help you learn a spell that will disguise you as an Asura. You can go with Lia to see your room for now. We will start your training from tomorrow''s morning. Have a memorable night, you two."

    Saying that he winked at them and walked out of the hall.

    The awkward silence fell between them.

    "I still don''t understand. I don''t believe that he wanted me to marry you just because he wants me to inherit his power. There is more to it than how it appears." Rio decided to break the silence by asking her his doubts.

    "You are not as stupid as you look but why didn''t you ask him?" Lia asked with an amusing glint in her eyes.

    "Don''t you fear those oaths that you''re making fun of your husband and calling him stupid? I didn''t ask him because he wouldn''t tell me and besides you''re my closest bonding in this foreignnd among Asura so I asked you." Rio said as he knew she has be his closest family in this life.

    "The holy oath doesn''t restrict wives from teasing their husbands and yeah, there is another reason why a human was chosen to be my husband." Lia said with a stiff voice.

    "What reason?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows as he looked at her with curious eyes.

    "When I was born, they said I''ll be the greatest enemy of the human race and I''ll be killed by the human warriors on my twenty second birthday. But¡­" Lia spoke with a grave tone then she paused in middle as she was hesitating to say any further.

    "But???" Rio asked back.

 Chapter 5 Empress Villa

    "But to reverse the wheel of destiny I have to marry a human and¡­" Lia stopped speaking and her face turned redder when she thought about the next word of the sentence.

    "And??? Can''t youplete your sentence in one go? You''re keeping me in suspense like a dark mystery movie." Rioined.

    ''And he can love me enough to go against all the human race, only then can I be saved.''

    She didn''t say this piece of information as she didn''t want to force him to love her just for pity. She wanted someone who truly cared for her.

    "You don''t need to know everything. I''ll show you your new home. Follow me." Saying that She started walking out of the hall.

    Rio hurriedly followed behind her as he was worried he would get lost in this huge mansion and the asuras would kill him if they saw a human walking freely in their mansion.

    Lia walked out of the hall and went into a wide corridor. After walking for a while, a room appeared at the left side of the corridor.

    "That door will lead you to our personal library, only me and my father can go in there. But now you can also use it. Although we have a royal library but some books you can only find here which we kept away from the others."

    She pointed towards the left door while walking ahead.

    "Aren''t you afraid I''ll sell these books and take them out to the human world?" Rio asked her as he saw she was showing him trust just on their first day.

    "That oath wouldn''t let you betray me unless you want your existence to vanish." Lia kept walking while telling him with a stiff voice.

    ''I''m literally trapped in her clutches.''

    Rio swallowed his saliva nervously.

    She went out of the building through a big door and they entered a garden.

    Moonlight was reflecting on the surface of the pond in the middle. There were red roses like flowers around the pond which bear red berries of pebble sizes.

    The garden was big enough to cover twenty auditoriums of his military school. It was surrounded by big walls on top of which a few asuras were patrolling.

    He saw different types of trees and each one looked different than the one on earth. Some had colorful leaves and some had glowing fruits. One even had dolls hanging from it but these dolls looked like either beasts or humans.

    But the one which attracted his attention was the tree in the center of the garden. It was thirty meters tall and it had white glowing leaves with rainbow-colored fruits.

    His eyes widened looking at that tree as he could see palm size fairies hovering around that tree and some even sat on the branches.

    Lia saw his expression as he was looking around the garden.

    "I take care of this garden myself and no one touches it without my permission. Even you can''t harm or pluck anything from here. Otherwise, it will be considered betraying me." She said with a threat in her voice.

    Hearing her voice Rio came out of his daze state as he was lost watching the tree in the middle of the garden.

    "What''s that?" He pointed towards it while ignoring what she said.

    "That''s a rainbow fruit tree. Father brought its seed from an ancient ruin. We haven''t found a second one. Nature spirits take care of it for me. If you touch it then I''ll personally kill you even if it means for me to die." She red at him as she saw he was attracted to her beloved tree.

    "Shouldn''t I be jealous of that tree that you care about more than your husband?" Rio shook his head in disappointment and looked at the side of the building they came from.

    The building was extended for hundreds of meters and it was 30 meters tall. The stone was made to make it look white but he wasn''t sure what materials the engineer used. The top of the building was made conical just like the castle in the medieval age.

    It looked like they came out of the backdoor of the castle where the throne room and stateroom were present.

    There was a small vi beside the pond, where Lia was going. It had two female guards around the entrance with spears in their hands. It was built inside the walls but it was separated from the main castle.

    The vi was designed in a circr shape. There was a fountain in front of it. The only thingmon with the castle was that it was also made of white stones.

    Lia entered it while Rio followed her behind. However, the female guards ced their spears in front of Rio as he was about to go ahead. Spear almost hit his head and he tripped backward on the ground to dodge it.

    "Others cannot enter the Empress Vi." One of the female guards red at Rio whose hair was brown.

    They were wearing the blue uniform but the purple stripes were thicker on her cloth. Their hair was short and the other guard had ck hair. Their eyes were red just like other asuras.

    "Don''t stop him, he will live here from now on." Lia''s voice sounded from behind who had turned to look at Rio who was patting his clothes to remove the dirt from tripping on the ground.

    The guards removed their spears and bowed to her "I''m sorry your highness."

    Rio then walked towards Lia who had already entered the Vi.

    Female guards were gazing at Rio as if he was a heavenly prince to be able to enter the empress vi. No one besides the Emperor had ever stepped in here besides some trusted female maid and guards. So they were astonished by seeing him enter the vi.

    Inside he could see a staircase leading to the second floor, while on the left side were a few rooms but one door was opened, which showed it was a kitchen where maids were busy making food for the empress.

    On the right were big windows with sses that showed the beauty of the garden and the pond. The flower-shaped chandelier on the ceiling was making a small tank glow which had golden fishes swimming around. The couch was ced in the middle with a table.

    Lia walked past it and took the stairs, she entered a luxurious room that was big enough to be called a hall.

 Chapter 6 Punishment

    There were couches on the side and a king-sized bed in the middle. A vase with flowers was ced beside her bed and small magic lights were glittering in her room. A door was attached to the wall which might be a bathroom.

    She walked to the window and drew the curtains wide open.

    "You will live here from now on. Although I don''t want to live with you in the same room, I have to ept you since we are already bound in the oaths of heaven." Lia said with some bitterness in her eyes as she was gazing at the moon. She looked at it as if she was thinking something.

    "Don''t worry, I can sleep on the couch until you ept me in your heart." Rio said as he guessed what she was worried about.

    Hearing his words, she turned around and looked at him as if she wasn''t expecting him to say this. She murmured, "You''re really a weird one."

    "What did you say?" He couldn''t hear it so he asked her to repeat it.

    "Nothing¡­" She didn''t want to repeat it and continued, "That door will lead you to the bathroom."

    Footsteps were heard, and a sweet voice came, "May I enter, your highness?"

    "Yes, you cane." Lia''s eyes moved to the door and Rio also turned back.

    A girl who appeared to be in her early twenties entered the room wearing a maid costume. She was a blonde with a ponytail. She was the second prettiest girl Rio met in thend of asura. Although she wasn''t at Lia''s level, she could easily rival movie stars in his world.

    "Dinner is ready, your highness. Where would you like to have your dinner?" The blonde-haired girl asked politely.

    "I''m not hungry," Lia said.

    "But I''m hungry," Rio spoke hurriedly, thinking he would sleep without eating anything.

    "You won''t get any food tonight. That''s your punishment for kissing me." Lia voice was heard in his thoughts and she coldly red at him.

    "Are you for real? I was just following your father''s order." Rio retaliated.

    "So will you jump from a cliff if he asks?" She was staring daggers at him but the maid wasn''t able to hear what Lia was saying to Rio.

    "Of course not. I''ll only do things that have some benefits for me." Rio showed his big smile.

    "This is Yami, the chief maid. You can ask her for anything you need from tomorrow morning." Lia told him but she didn''t forget to speak thest part of the sentence word by word as if reminding him that he was destined to be punished tonight.

    "Okay, I understood." Rio walked towards the couch with dropped shoulders andy down. He turned his head towards the couch back like a saddened kid whose demands were not fulfilled by his mother.

    "Yami, he is your new lord. Don''t let anyone harm him." Lia said to the blonde-haired girl.

    "Who is he, your highness?" Yami asked with puzzlement. Although no one dared to ask Lia anything, Yami was special to her as they grew up together. She trusted her a lot and considered her like a sister.

    "He is mine," Lia said in a small voice so Rio couldn''t hear as her face became beet red after saying the piece of information.

    ''She probably brought a new ything for her.''

    Yami thought inwardly as her mind didn''t go in direction that Rio could be her Husband.

    "Okay, your highness. Have a beautiful sleep." Saying that Yami left their room.

    ''He is acting like a cute child.'' Lia looked at Rio with a gentle smile who was sleeping in the corner with his back towards her and walked to her bed to sleep.

    ***

    *Ssh!*

    A cold wet sensation on his face jolted him awake from his beautiful dream.

    "Ahhh¡­" He opened his eyes and fumed in anger as he saw water spill on his face.

    "Wake up¡­ it''s alreadyte¡­ don''t sleep like a horse. Father is waiting for you." A mischievous voice weed him who disturbed his sleep.

    Seeing her fairy like face reduced his anger by 80 percent but he was still annoyed.

    "Couldn''t you wake me up in a gentle way?" He sat up and asked with a bitter voice while wiping the water from his face with the sleeves.

    "Wasn''t I already gentle? I was thinking of throwing a bucket of freezing water. If you want I''ll be less gentle next time." She said while crossing her arms while her eyes looked as if she was nning something mischievous.

    "Just wake me up like a loving wife." Rio said while stretching his body and yawning.

    "Come with me, or you will bete for your first training ss." She said while walking towards the door.

    Seeing her leaving, Rio stood up and chased behind her at a fast pace while fixing his clothes and ruffling his wet hair.

    They went to the castle and entered a room. It had two couches ced opposite to each other near the windows which were showing the beautiful scene of the garden.

    Emperor was already waiting there while a maid was cing the tea cups on the table that was in the middle of both couches.

    "Young man, it seems your wife didn''t let you sleepst night." Dn gave a knowing smile to his new son-inw.

    "Father¡­" Lia was embarrassed hearing it as her face flushed red and she red at the Emperor while her eyebrows were scrunched.

    "Hahaha¡­ Okay,e sit here. We will start your lessons with the basic knowledge first as you don''t know much about it."

    The newlywed couple walked to the couch and sat opposite to Dn.

 Chapter 7 First Training Lesson

    "You can leave, Lia will serve me the tea." Dn said to the maid. He was going to talk about things that no one else should know besides the trio so he had to ask her to leave.

    "As you say, your Majesty." Maid bowed to them and walked out of the room.

    "Okay, I''ll start with the basics. There are different ranks of beasts, they are categorized by the color of their cores such as Yellow, Purple, ck, Red, Silver and Golden, where yellow being the lowest and golden being the highest. When you kill a beast, it drops a core. If it''s yellow in color you will receive a beast soul and a stats point of yellow rank. These two things are the reason why humans invaded ournds and hunted innocent beasts for their greed." Dn''s voice filled with coldness while saying thest sentence.

    Lia poured some tea in his cup and passed him.

    He grabbed the teacup and took a small sip. He looked at Rio and said, "Your job will be to save these beasts that are in our protection. A beast under Asura will have our marks on them which are those purple stripes you may have seen on our guards'' clothes. You canmand them as a lord to fight alongside you."

    "Do I need to look for the purple stripes? Aren''t all the beasts under your supervision?" Rio asked with a puzzled face.

    "We haven''t been able to do that yet as there are still more than 70% undiscoverednds. So, there are many beasts who haven''t pledged their loyalty to us. Be vary of these beasts as they will attack you, I don''t want my little daughter to grow old alone." Dn said with an amusing tone in his voice.

    "If I can''t kill the one I have to protect and the undiscovered one might kill me, then how am I supposed to be stronger like other humans?" Rio asked while he saw Lia was filling a cup of tea again.

    He thought, "I''ll have to take it myself. She didn''t even let me have my dinner."

    "That''s a good question. Just like how beasts drop a core, humans also leave behind a part of power in the form of energy pills before they are sent away by their AI watch. Absorbing these pills will grant you one of their stats points and beast soul of highest rank they possess." Dn said before taking a sip from the cup.

    La hovered the cup of tea towards Rio and indicated to him with her eyes to take it.

    Rio''s eyes widened seeing her serve him tea and a smile bloomed on his face. He took it and said lovingly "Thanks, Wifey."

    Hearing him call her "Wifey", the cup from Lia''s hand almost fell as she was going to have her tea.

    Emperor Dn was smiling ear to ear seeing his new son-inw getting along with his daughter.

    "But we asuras get our strength from cultivating our body by forming a core near our heart and we don''t get stats points when we kill a beast but we do get their beast souls. Do you understand now?" Dn exined and took a sip from the cup before putting it on the table.

    "Yes, I understand now. Like how Asuras make core in their body, humans make a root which helps them absorb the beast cores. But I don''t understand these so-called innate talents" Rio asked while scratching the back of his head with a bittersweet smile.

    He felt that someone elbowed him on his side. He looked beside him and saw Lia indicating to him to drink his tea that she served him.

    "Sorry, I was too focused." He floated the cup in front of his mouth.

    *Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*

    He put the tea cup on the table after finishing it in one go.

    "I wouldn''t have robbed you of your tea if you drank it slowly." Lia mocked him.

    "You won''t understand so I''m not going to exin to you." Rio said while cheering in his mind.

    Emperor Dn was happily seeing the love birds interact with each other and when they were done, he decided to answer Rio''s question, "Innate talent is something everyone is born with but humans believe only 40% are lucky to be born with it.

    Some innate talents are already awakened and don''t need any help to be awakened while some never find the switch that it requires to be awakened and stay dormant because they were told they are unworthy since they were born."

    Rio''s eyes shone as he heard he still had a chance to awaken his innate talent. He was also told he was unworthy because of having no inner talent.

    Dn continued, "These innate talents are also categorized by ranks such as F, E, D, C, B, A and S.

    My innate talent as the Emperor of the asura is only A Rank while Lia is blessed by heaven. Her innate talent is at S Rank.

    If you had knowledge of innate talents based on human findings then your face would''ve been filled with astonishment because humans don''t even know about the existence of S rank. The highest they have known is A Rank innate talent only."

    Rio felt ashamed as he didn''t know much about these basic knowledge. He was an orphan until one month ago and grew up by using the inheritance left behind by his grandfather.

    "Sorry, my sses will start after a month, then they might teach me these things. Government keeps it a secret from us until we enroll in military school." Rio said with a bittersweet smile.

    "Don''t worry. Even after you graduate from your school, there will be many things they won''t be able to teach you.

    It''s not like your innate talent is none, you just haven''t Awakened it yet.

    These innate talents decide your growth potential and how far you can go. However, you also receive a special skill when you awaken your innate talent.

    Someone with an A rank innate talent can absorb red cores and receive red Tier beast souls easily but someone with C rank will have a hard time doing it. Not only that, but many fail to ever advance their roots to the red stage in their life. Even among Asuras, if they have lower innate talent they won''t be able to advance their cores to red stage or even worse ck." Dn exined.

 Chapter 8 Ancient Devlin Skills

    "If it''s that way then why did you marry me to your daughter? You could''ve found someone with a better innate talent." Rio asked with a puzzled face while his eyes gazed at the Emperor with suspicion.

    "Haha... why do you act like you have married a lioness who will chew you alive. Heaven decided it to be you, there must be some reasons behind it that we will find in future. Besides, I can pass down my powers to you and when I die you can absorb my core that will help you to make your innate talent A Rank. I''ll give you our family manual that will help you to break your body limits to absorb my core and assist you inherit my innate talent." Dn said amusingly as he saw his son-inw''s doubtful gaze.

    ''She is not a lioness but a demoness.''

    Rio didn''t say it out loud as he was worried he would get bullied by her.

    "You will remain hungry tonight as well if you talk bad about me." As if she heard his thoughts, Lia''s voice sounded in his mind.

    They were able to feel each other''s location and they could talk in mind from anywhere. They received this blessing by the heaven when their special bonding was sealed by a memorable kiss.

    Rio spoke hurriedly, "No, No¡­ she is a very caring and loving wife. She even served me tea, I was puzzled because I''m really not worthy of her."

    Rio''s words were filled with bitterness in the end and for some reason Lia''s heart ached seeing him say that.

    "As long as you keep my daughter happy, you''re the worthy one. I don''t see any cunningness from you like other humans. You''re a weird one, Rio." Dn spoke with a glint in his eyes.

    "Weird one?" Rio murmured while his face was filled with confusion.

    "Let me pass you my inheritance."

    Saying that, Dn hovered his hand in the air and pressed his palm on Rio''s forehead.

    He closed his eyes and a glimmering light flowed from his forehead to hand which went through Rio''s forehead.

    Rio felt a cooling sensation entering his body through the forehead. This effect stayed for a few seconds then Dn removed his hand.

    The calmness only stayed for a few seconds. An electric current ran down from his veins as if it would burst open. He gritted his teeth and endured the pain. Bits of sweat poured from his forehead.

    His watch, which was inactive, started shing and new information was scrolling on its screen like crazy.

    A screen floated in front of his eyes, which was the result of the AI watch.

    [You have acquired the Ancient Devlin''s Skills and Cultivation Technique]

    The AI watch was developed by Scientists to measure the human stats they received from the beast in Asura''snd. It also reported the information of acquiring new beasts souls and skills as well as any technique someone learnt or acquired.

    Additionally, the safety ejection feature when badly injured helped to save many humans on this foreignnd.

    Rio calmed down after this information came to him.

    He opened his "profile" by thinking about it in his thoughts as the AI watch worked by monitoring his brain waves.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: N/A]

    [Physical Power: 10]

    [Skills]

    [Soul Link: Your soul is linked with Lia Devlin. You can feel each other''s location and talk to each other from anywhere.]

    [Ancient Devlin Breathing Technique]

    [Devlin Might (N/A): You need to drink Devlin''s pureblood to Awaken this.]

    [Devlin Transformation: Transform Your body to Devlin. In this form, you receive 20% additional Stats. Mana Cost: 10]

    [Devlin Movement Technique: Teleports to 20 meters range. Mana Cost: 5]

    [Judgment of Devlin: You can perform a 1000% damage strike to finish your enemy. It has 10% chances to instantly kill the target. Mana cost: 90% of total mana]

    >>>>

    "Whoa¡­" Rio''s mouth was agape seeing his stats windows which had some foreign skills appeared on it.

    "What happened? Are you okay?" Lia asked with some concern as she was worried when she saw him in pain a few minutes ago.

    It was hard for anyone to learn Devlin''s family Ancient skills. Even among asura it was hard and the technique would crumble the body if the person is not rted to family by any means. It was a blessing that helped Devlin''s bloodline to keep their skills and secrets in safe hands.

    Lia was worried Rio might fail and die since he was not even an asura. She was clutching her hands so hard in panic that nails had stabbed in her soft skin and blood could be seen.

    However, he was rted to Lia with a beautiful bond since they became husband-wife now. So, the Emperor told her that it was safe but she was still worried.

    "Look, here." Rio showed his AI watch to her as his stats appeared on the small screen.

    Dn also leaned forward to see what he was showing.

    They had expected for him to have these skills but they didn''t know he could read them on his AI watch.

    "This stuff is good. Can you get some for us from your world when youe back?" Dn said while looking at his AI watch with excitement on his face.

    "Didn''t you get one from Human prisoners?" Rio asked him with a curious look.

    "Sometimes I doubt if you''re even a human. We asked all the prisoners one by one, we only received a single answer that the AI watch can''t be reset." Dn looked at him as if he was a naive child who hadn''t gone out to see the world.

    He scratched his head awkwardly as he was embarrassed to know less than an asura about humans.

    "Okay, I''ll bring two with me for you guys." Rio said with a bittersweet smile.

    "This says you need Devlin''s pureblood to Awaken that skill." Lia said, raising her eyebrows while pointing to the third skill.

    "Oh...you''re right. I missed it out of excitement. Do you guys have anyone with the Devlin''s pureblood?" Rio asked nonchntly while looking at the duo of father-daughter with questioning eyes.

    "You''re asking as if they will give you their blood and even if they give you, you need to be¡­" Lia stopped midway beforepleting her sentence as she found the other half hard to share with him.

    "What do I need to be?" Rio raised his eyebrows.

    "You don''t need to know." Lia coldly said to him.

    ''You need to be their beloved one otherwise the blood will reject you and you might not be able to advance with your root to ck stage or higher.''

    Dn thought in mind as he  understood his daughter. She didn''t want to tell him for some reason.

    "Is she nning to give her blood to him? But that won''t work unless she has given him a good ce in her heart. I hope this boy doesn''t hurt her feelings." He thought inwardly while gazing at his daughter.

    Lia was not close to anyone besides him and Yami. He couldn''t understand what she was thinking. If Rio received her blood and awakened that skill it meant he had already established an important ce in her heart.

    "Use that breathing technique to form a mana core. Try advancing to the Yellow rank then I''ll give you your first mission. If you need anything you can ask your wifey." Dn chuckled and teased the kids.

    He stood up and walked out of the room.

 Chapter 9 Advancing To The White Stage

    *Growl*

    Rio''s stomach made a sound and he smiled in embarrassment at the girl beside him.

    "Let''s go back." Lia said to him and started leaving the room.

    "It looks like she is finally gonna give me food." Rio spoke in his mind and hurriedly followed behind.

    Sun was glistening in the sky as it fell on the couple''s body. Their shadow hugged each other as they reached the Empress Vi.

    "It would be night at my ce on earth, they said the day cycle of our city and Thisnd is opposite to each other." Rio thought inwardly.

    Lia entered the Vi and sat on the couch. She gazed at Rio and patted the seat beside her.

    Rio walked to the couch and sat beside her.

    She extended her hands and a ck hole appeared on top of her palm from which a white bottle came out.

    "How did you do that?" Rio asked with his mouth agape.

    "It''s a rare beast soul that lets you store things." Lia answered Rio while inspecting the bottle in her hand that was the size of her index finger.

    Rio saw a blue liquid was glowing inside the bottle. He curiously looked at It as he didn''t know what it was.

    Lia handed it to him and said "Drink it."

    Rio took it and removed the stopper. He tried smelling it, cing it near his nose but he failed to find any scent.

    He looked at Lia with a bittersweet smile. She red at him which made him gulp all the content down.

    His throat burned as if a me was burning. The sensation went towards his stomach and his face became red. Sweats started pouring down.

    "Close your eyes and use the breathing technique. It will help you form your mana core." Lia said to him with a nonchnt voice.

    Rio did as he was asked but his eyes were scrunched and he was gritting his teeth. The cloth he was wearing had already be wet from all the sweat.

    He activated the technique and his breathing pattern became stable. The me in his stomach was bing lower.

    "Try feeling all the mana around you and send them your thoughts to enter your body." A melodious voice was heard beside him.

    He could see darkness around him but as he stayed calm he could see tiny dots around him that were almost negligible to the eyes. They were glittering like stars.

    He focused on these tiny mana particles but they didn''t listen to him.

    "If you love something, set them free. They wille to you if they want you." Lia saw his struggle and understood that he was doing it wrong.

    Hearing her words, he stopped trying and only thought about those mana full of love.

    He was calm like a ''Buddha'' practitioner. He felt like he was disconnected from his surroundings.

    Mana particles seeing his serenity felt an attraction towards him. They started observing him.

    He saw, one of the mana particles had started flying towards him at a slow pace. It hovered around him as if thinking something.

    After some hesitation it entered his body through his forehead. As the first one entered, the other mana particles all attention picked on Rio. They all started rushing towards him like blue butterflies dancing gracefully in pairs.

    Like a broken dam, they entered his body. They started merging with the blue liquid he consumed earlier.

    The blue liquid which formed the me churned continuously and absorbed the mana that wasing towards Rio.

    His stomach felt as if it would burst open.

    "Argh¡­" He cried out in pain as blood spurted from his lips.

    Lia, who was beside him, caressed his head with worries filling her eyes and whispered, "Just a little more, don''t give up."

    As if he got motivation, he ignored all the pain and became rxed. Blood kept dripping from his lips. He stilled his heart and mind.

    Lia wiped the dripping blood away with a towel like a caring mother while keeping her hand on his back to support him.

    *Bang!*

    A resounding sound came from Rio which alerted everyone nearby.

    Guards came to check if their empress was safe. They saw the white haired beauty wiping blood from Rio''s mouth.

    They were Astonished but Yami, who also came out to see, waved them away as if they were flies.

    Rio saw the blue me which absorbed the mana splitting into two parts like Amoeba cell splitting into two daughter cells.

    One part took the form of a root-like structure and moved towards his Dantian and the Second part moved towards his heart which was round in shape.

    After they split up, more mana started flowing towards him which entered his body. Half was absorbed by the root-like structure and half was sucked by the round-shaped newly formed thing, which was known as a core.

    The storm in his body came to a serenity and he could feel his body regaining tranquility.

    He slowly opened his eyes and saw that Lia retrieved her hand back from his head which was covered in some  reddish-ck colored thing.

    Not only her hands, even the towel in her other hand was covered in simr material which was giving off a rancid smell.

    He saw information floating in front of him.

    <<<<

    [You have formed a Root.]

    [You have formed a Core.]

    [Your root has advanced to White stage.]

    [Your Core has advanced to White stage.]

    >>>>

    He scrunched his nose and said "What''s that, it''s smelling bad."

    Yami who was watching him said "Look at yourself you will understand."

    Rio looked at his hands and body by turning his head down, sure enough he was covered in reddish ck material. Even the couch was ruined because he was sitting on it.

    "What''s this?" He asked with a darkened face.

    "To be daring enough to make our empress wipe your forehead with a towel and clean you while you''re covered in that thing. You don''t know how blessed you''re. I wonder why she favors you a lot." Yami said to him with an annoyed voice.

    She didn''t like that her empress lowered herself for another person. She loved Lia a lot and understood that the empress wouldn''t do something like this for anyone.

    "You know I''m handsome and she loves me." Rio gave her a bright smile and turned to Lia to show her his AI watch, "See this."

    Lia ced the towel on the couch and looked at the AI watch. Her face was filled with astonishment.

    "That''s pretty rare." Lia mumbled in his mind.

    "What''s rare?" He asked with a curious look and talked in her thoughts.

    "I have never heard anyone forming a root and core together." Lia said while looking at him as if he was an alien.

    As they were talking to each other in thought, Yami misunderstood them and continued saying, "Your highness, you didn''t give that body refining liquid to me either. You even refused to give it to the youngdy of the Mistde n who is your childhood friend even when the emperor asked you. Why did you give it to him then?"

    She asked her as she was displeased seeing him getting better treatment.

    Lia said with a cold voice, "Do I have to tell you everything and ask you for permission before doing it?"

    "I''m sorry, your highness. I have forgotten my boundaries. Please forgive me." Yami bowed to her as she was confused why Lia talked to her this way for an outsider.

    "Prepare a meal for us and ask someone to clean this up." Liamanded her.

    "You, follow me." She stood up and turned to walk upstairs towards her room.

    Rio shed a mischievous smile to Yami to show her that Lia loves him more and followed behind like a little child chasing his mother.

 Chapter 10 Intense Bathing Session

    They walked to their room and Lia opened the door of the bathroom to enter it.

    The inside of the bathroom was so shy that Rio''s eyes shone and his jaw almost dropped to the ground.

    It had a wide bathtub that was ten times bigger and two times deeper than any he had seen before.

    He was unsure if it was a bathtub or swimming pool but after seeing the structure of it he was confirmed it was a bathtub. The material made for it was white in color. There were white stairs built outside and inside to enter the bathtub.

    There were small glowing pebbles-sized magic lights ced around the bathtub structure that lit it up from the inside. The ceiling was transparent so he could see the clouds, however you wouldn''t be able to see from the other side. It was especially created by expert architects.

    There were three showerheads to the left of the room whose switch was moon-shaped while two were ced above the bathtub as well. There were other tools as well but he ignored them and focused on the fierce girl''s action.

    Lia went towards the bathtub and sat beside on the outer stairs. She beckoned Rio.

    He went towards her and looked at her with questioning eyes.

    "Go inside it after putting away your clothes." Lia said to him with a nonchnt voice.

    "What¡­ no... I''m a shy person. I won''t do such a thing in front of a girl. I''ll never do it." Rio shook his head and index finger in front of her while closing his eyes like a great schr.

    He opened his eyes to see that Lia was ring at him while crossing her hands.

    "But I''m shy¡­" He said with a little voice and walked inside the bathtub like amb to the ughter house.

    She kept ring at him which almost froze him.

    "Please fill it with the water then I''ll take off these clothes and satisfy your desire to peek on my enticing body." Rio said proudly while rubbing the tip of his nose with his finger.

    *Bang*

    A fist suddenly bonked his head and he rubbed his head. He looked at the source of violence "Sorry, I misspoke."

    Lia turned around the moon-shaped switch that was ced on the top of the bathtub and water started falling inside.

    Rio saw, there was a tiny bathtub drain hole in the middle of the surface which let the water pass at a slower speed. It kept the water in the bathtub fresh and clean while not making it overflow.

    The water soon filled the bathtub. Rio started taking off his shirt then put it outside the bathtub. He took off his pants and underwear which he hid inside pants before keeping it outside. He was embarrassed to show her this stuff.

    Lia''s face became beet red as she saw him taking out his underwear and hiding it. She could also see his little brother down below in the water but it was a little unclear. She pretended not to say it out loud.

    Lia was mesmerized by his looks and the naked body. His bare chest was inviting her like a cunning demon. She ignored these thoughts and focused on what she was here for.

    She took out a lot of bottles and started unsealing them. She turned around the moon-shaped switch and the water stopped going inside the bathtub. The bathtub drain in the middle of the surface also closed which made the water inside the bathtub stay stilled.

    She emptied the bottle contents in the bathtub one by one. When she spilled thest one, the water started making bubbles and turning dark green.

    Rio first looked with curious gaze then he felt the temperature of water rising.

    His tranquil eyes reced that of chaos. It felt bearable at first but after a few seconds passed, he started jumping which caused the water to ssh.

    "Oh¡­ oh¡­ this is hot¡­ Are you nning to cook me alive in this bathtub and have me as a soup for your lunch? I can''t evene out without my clothes." Rio cried out in pain as his flesh was burning by the hot water.

    "That was my n." Lia amusingly said.

    "Okay, I''lle out even if it means to give your eyes a heavenly treat." Saying that Rio was about to ce his leg out but¡­

    *Bang*

    His head got bonked by a fist again.

    "These are the high quality medicinal herbs that will help your body with cultivation, absorbing the mana and beast soul. They are grown by me in my garden yet you don''t value it." Lia said with a disappointing voice and a sorrowful glint flickered in her eyes.

    "Sorry, I didn''t know." Rio apologized while gritting his teeth, he continued, "Please tell me next time beforehand so I can be prepared."

    "Okay, I''ll think about it." Lia said with a nonchnt voice.

    He scrunched his eyebrows and closed his eyes. After some time passed, his body started going numb from the pain.

    His skin pores slowly started absorbing the water medicine. The water temperature lowered as the water started turning light green.

    Lia sank her hand in the bathtub to check it and then she turned around the moon-shaped switch.

    The bathtub drain opened and water started lowering in the bathtub while water fell from the showerheads that were above Rio''s head.

    The cold tiny droplets of water collided with his body and chased away the numbness from the pain. His face regained serenity and the burning sensation stopped.

    A soothing effect enveloped his body.

    He felt reinvigorated and enjoyed the water kissing his naked skin.

 Chapter 11 Eating Together!

    Lia felt relieved seeing him calm down. His crimson wet hair made him look charming. She kept gazing at him as he enjoyed water washing his body.

    Water had turned to its original color by now.

    Rio shook his head which caused his wet hair to stter water around him including Lia''s face.

    He opened his eyes and saw water dripping down her ravishing face.

    He ced his hand in front of his head to defend against the uing strike from her but it didn''te even after a few seconds passed.

    Water stopped falling from the showerhead and he felt a towel covering his head.

    She had handed him a white towel and said "Cover yourself before water runs out and expose your treasure down there."

    Hearing her words, he turned his head down to look at the water level which was going lower. He hurriedly covered himself with the towel.

    He came out of the bathtub and asked "What will I wear now, I only have one set of clothes that has already be wet."

    He looked grumpy and looked at Lia who was still sitting on the stairs of the bathtub.

    Lia said, "I''ll ask Yami to buy some new clothes for you. Wait for me outside, I need to clean myself too."

    Rio looked at her and realized the reddish-ck material had tainted the sleeve of her clothes. There were droplets of water on her hair and face as well.

    He showed a bittersweet smile and his mood calmed down.

    ''She made me go through pain to refine my body but I can''t be ignorant to her care behind her actions. How can she be so nice to me?''

    Rio was gazing at her which made Lia question him, "What are you looking at?"

    "Nothing." Saying that he turned around and walked out of the room and closed the door.

    Lia sighed, and looked at his clothes that were tainted in reddish-ck material.

    "I can''t let someone else wash his underclothe", her face turned red like a cherry after saying these words and thinking how she would have to do it herself.

    She grabbed his clothes and walked towards the other side of the bathroom.

    She wasn''t embarrassed to fulfill her duty as his wife although she was shy to show it.

    Lia wouldn''t do this for her newlywed husband but she remembered the words of her grandfather. It caused her to show some faith and give this boy a chance. After all, He was really different than all the humans she met before.

    The water sttering kept ringing in the room.

    An hour passed...

    Rio waited outside on the couch he slept onst night.

    After waiting for a long time, he mumbled, "Girls take a lot of time to bathe and get ready. It''s the same for Asuras."

    As he was mumbling he saw the door opened with a *Creak* sound and a fairy-like girl with an alluring body walked out.

    "Oh¡­ Heaven¡­" Rio nervously gulped his saliva down seeing the mesmerizing beauty in front of him.

    Her wet skin enhanced her seductive body to a higher realm. Small droplets were still present in her white hair. Her cherry-like lips and jade-like smooth skin put Rio in a daze. Her beauty could cause the downfall of a nation.

    She was wearing a white dress which matched with her hair and made her resemble an angel. She was only missing two featherly wings on her back.

    "Wait for me." Lia walked past him and went downstairs.

    After a while, she came back and went to the dressing table tob her hair.

    Rio gazed at her back with eyes that were mesmerized by her beauty. Lia could naturally see his action in the mirror and she didn''t tell him but her heart felt tickled.

    Rio thought she wasn''t watching him staring at her back.

    After a momentter, someone''s footsteps were heard and disturbed his beautiful dream-like reality.

    He turned around to see Yami entering the room, with a long cart that was filled with covered bowls of food.

    Yami''s eyes were filled with surprise as she saw Rio was only in Towel.

    "Why is this guy so presumptuous?" She cursed him inwardly seeing how he was carefree around Lia.

    He felt her hot gaze and became shy.

    "I know I have got a sexy body but can you stop looking at me that way." Rio said bluntly with a proud smile.

    "Shameless." Yami mocked him while pushing the cart inside the room.

    "ce them near the couch, we will eat there." Lia''s voice sounded from the dressing table.

    She retrieved a portable table from her Spatial beast soul before cing it near the couch Rio was sitting on.

    She proceeded to cover the table with a clean white cloth and put two tes and silver utensils for two people. She started cing the bowls filled with the food on the table.

    Lia walked towards the couch and stood in front of the table.

    "Happy Meal, Your Highness." She bowed to Lia before pushing the cart outside the door.

    Rio finally rxed after Yami left. He was embarrassed because he was only in Towel that was exposing half of his body.

    "Do you always eat this much food alone?" He asked with a curious expression.

    Lia didn''t reply to him and sat beside him on the couch.

    After not receiving an answer, he murmured in a lower voice, "No wonder you have developed well in the right ces."

    *Bang*

    A fist suddenly bonked his head and reminded him that he shouldn''t misspeak.

    "Let''s eat." Lia spoke as if nothing happened.

    "Your way of showing love is very intense my dear wifey." Rioined with a bittersweet smile while rubbing the ce she hit him.

    She took a bowl and a spoon to serve food into both of their tes.

    There were eight bowls of food on the portable table, and each bowl was filled with enough food to feed two people.

    After Lia was done serving them food,

    They started indulging in the food on the table together.

    "Whao... I have never eaten such food before. It tastes even better than the food I ate at Havenglow''s family house." Rio thought inwardly and shoved food inside his mouth.

    Lia gazed at the monkey who was eating his food without any manners like a hooligan.

    She ate her food in a graceful manner like a noble youngdy.

    Rio was full after eating two tes, meanwhile our empress ate four tes of food.

    After a while, Yami came back to the room to clean up the table.

    She bowed to Lia before pushing the cart, with eaten tes and bowls, out of the room.

 Chapter 12 Devlin Transformation

    Lia went down again without telling him.

    "She didn''t even tell me when she would return. I can''t go out in a towel. Asura might think I''m an idiot since my current fashion style is out of this world." He signed.

    Fifteen minutester, Lia came back.

    She came to him and took out a set of clothes which she handed him.

    "Yami sent other Maids to buy them from the shop. You can change into these clothes." Lia said to him.

    He took them and his hand felt the fine quality of material that was used to make them.

    ''These clothes are so light and soft.''

    He wore a thin white t-shirt and reced his towels with blue pants. He put an unbuttoned navy blue coat with a golden trim that showed little more than the muscr chest beneath that was covered with the white-t-shirt.

    His new clothing made him look like royalty.

    Lia took out a silk belt and tied it on his waist whose two endings hung down to his knees. It bloomed his noble aura to another level.

    She fixed his cor while Rio looked at her action in a daze.

    "Now, you only need to use the devlin transformation skill to resemble someone from our royal family." Lia said after fixing his cor.

    "What do you mean?" Rio didn''t understand her.

    "Try using that skill you will understand." Lia said mysteriously while crossing her arms with an amused expression.

    Let me check if I have enough mana. He opened his profile and a screen floated in front of his eyes.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: N/A]

    [Root: White Stage]

    [Core: White Stage]

    [MANA: 20+20]

    [Physical Power: 10+0]

    [White: 0]

    [Skills]

    [Soul Link: Your soul is linked with Lia Devlin. You can feel each other''s location and talk to each other from anywhere.]

    [Ancient Devlin Breathing Technique]

    [Devlin Might (N/A): You need Devlin''s pureblood Awaken this.]

    [Devlin Transformation: Transform Your body to Devlin. In this form, your defense is boosted by 200%. Mana Cost: 10]

    [Devlin Movement Technique: Teleports to 20 meters range. Mana Cost: 5]

    [Judgment of Devlin: You can perform a 1000% damage strike to finish your enemy. It has 10% chances to instantly kill the target. Mama cost: 90% of total mana]

    >>>>

    "Why is my mana 20+20?" Rio mumbled to himself with a puzzlement.

    Hearing his words, Lia raised her eyebrows and said "Let me see."

    Rio couldn''t show her the floating screen so he opened his profile on the AI watch and showed her.

    Seeing his stats, her eyes flickered with astonishment.

    "I have never heard of someone having double the amount of mana at the white stage." Lia spoke with a surprising tone in her voice.

    "What do you mean double the amount of mana?" Rio''s heartbeat became unstable hearing her words.

    "When someone''s at white stage, they can only have 20 mana but for you it''s 40. You have double the amount of mana than the normal person probably because you formed root and core at the same time." She turned to him and exined in a nonchnt tone.

    "Is it a gift or a curse?" Rio asked with a questioning voice.

    "It''s a gift but don''t tell anyone or it will be a curse. Don''t even let my father know." Lia said with a serious voice.

    "Will you hide things from your dad for me? Ain''t I a human you hate?" Rio chuckled.

    "You don''t need to know." Lia coldly red at him and continued, "Now use the devlin transformation skill. You have more than enough mana."

    "Okay." Saying that he thought about the name of the skill in his mind and a white light glowed in his body.

    His crimson hairs started turning white color and grew to neck length size. His sea-green eyes turned red.

    A defensive aura was covering him that made him feel safe but it wasn''t visible for others. It boosted his defense by 200%.

    He could see the surprise in Lia''s eyes. Her eyes were mesmerized by his transformation and seeing her reaction, he walked towards the dressing table to look at himself.

    Lia followed him behind and stood behind him.

    "Whao¡­ I look like your little brother." Rio eximed in surprise but his happiness was met with a violent reply.

    *Bang!*

    Lia bonked him on his back.

    "What did I do wrong now?" Rio turned to look at her and asked with puppy eyes as if he was deeply wronged but her.

    "Don''t call yourself my brother" Lia said with a mosquito-like voice while her face became beet red and she looked in another direction to hide her shyness.

    Rio understood his mistake but he didn''t think she would dislike it this much. However, he was her husband so it was really bad to call himself her brother.

    ''Now, you only need to use the devlin transformation skill to resemble someone from our royal family.''

    He remembered her words from earlier and asked with puzzlement, "So you meant this? Now I also have white hair like you and the Emperor. But aren''t there others with simr hair color?"

    "It is unique to our bloodline. There aren''t any other asura who will have white hair. Even among the devlin family, white hair means pure blood. You might find silver or gray hair but white hair like mine and yours is unique to us." Lia exined with a serious voice.

    "Then how do I have white hair with devlin  transformation skill, since I''m not even an asura." Rio''s eyes were filled with questioning glint.

    "Because you''re connected to me. So if an outsider uses transformation skill then their skill will resemble and give them power simr to their partner. It also helps when they have children in future." Lia spoke with a stiff voice but then she remembered what she spoke at the end and she avoided his gaze.

    He decided to change the topic to end the awkwardness between them, "What''s the n for today, your highness?"

    "Your white rank stats points are 0. You should cultivate here. Your task is to gain a single white Stats point. When you have it, I will bring you somewhere." Lia said to him while going to her bed.

    "Okay, as your excellency says." Rio teased her and walked towards the couch and sat in a meditative position.

 Chapter 13 Fruit Of White Egleshew

    He closed his eyes and started using the breathing technique.

    After some minutes passed, he could feel world energying towards him and entering his body from his skin pores.

    He felt 1/100 of water droplet-like strength entering his body every 10 minutes. This feeling made his body and mind be serene.

    After an hour passed, he forgot his surroundings and entered a deep meditative state.

    Lia walked out of the room and closed the door behind noiselessly.

    ***

    [One White Stats point gained.]

    An AI Watch voice sounded in his mind and he opened his eyes slowly.

    He felt his strength had increased by a little but more importantly he was done with the task Lia asked him.

    He looked around the room but Lia was nowhere to be found.

    He deactivated his Devlin Transformation and went downstairs.

    He found Yami in the kitchen who was working with the other maids.

    "Do you know where the Empress has gone?" He asked her.

    Hearing his footsteps and voice, Yami turned her eyes towards him and replied, "Her highness normally stays in the garden. She asked me to tell you to find her there in case you wake up from your meditative state."

    "Okay, thanks." Saying that he turned around and left from the exit door of the empress vi.

    Outside was enveloped in the little darkness as the Moonlight and magterns were shinning to reveal the beauty of the garden.

    ''It''s already night, I was in a meditative state for almost 8 hours.''

    He walked around the garden but it didn''t take him long to spot a ravishing figure in a purple dress.

    Her white hair was shining with the reflection of the Moonlight. Small fairies were hovering around her whose wings were glowing. Her mesmerizing figure looked ethereal.

    When Rio got closer, she turned around and her eyes showed a glint of happiness which she hid instantly.

    "You look elegant in this purple dress but the white dress you wore today was my favorite." Rio said bluntly.

    "Today?" Lia raised her eyebrows then she continued, "You were in the deep meditative state for almost 30 hours."

    "What???" Rio''s facial expression was filled with surprise.

    "Don''t be surprised. It''s not long for someone who has gone into a deep meditative state. You were lucky to enter a deep meditative state on your second try. It takes people years or decades to do so and they can stay in this state for a week to month." Lia exined and walked to him elegantly.

    "Don''t they get hungry?" He asked the girl who was standing right in front of him.

    "You absorb world energy which is more nutritious to your body than food. You should spend your time in the library or you will embarrass yourself in front of other asuras." Lia said with an amused expression on her face.

    "Oh... I have to tell you something." Rio said with a proud smile.

    "What is it?" Lia raised her eyebrows.

    "I gained a white Stats point and the task you gave me." Rio rubbed his nose with his finger and waited for her to praise him.

    "You will need nine more stats points to reach the yellow stage. If we use this method, it will take quite a long time." Lia mumbled.

    After thinking a little she said, "Come with me."

    She moved towards the other side of the garden while Rio followed behind her. She looked like a fairy walking in the night as Moonlight glimmered on her beautiful hair and body.

    She walked past a lot of trees that Rio couldn''t recognise. There were a lot of different nts such as shrubs, ivy, bush, herbs, mushrooms, trees and so on.

    Some of them had berries like fruits and some of them had weird looking transparent balls hanging on them in which you could see the image of the beasts, humanoids, armors and even many different things Rio didn''t recognize.

    ''She has such a crazy hobby of collecting these weird nts.''

    She stopped near a tall tropical grass with hard, hollow stems that looked like bamboo. An ivy nt was coiling around it which had some white beads attached to it like fruits.

    She plucked one of the white beads out of it and handed it to Rio who was standing behind her.

    "Consume it," She said in a calm voice.

    "Am I going to face torment of pain again like how it always happens when I''m with you?" Rio hesitated and said with a fear in his eyes.

    He inspected the white bead in his hand that was soft like other berries.

    Lia rolled her eyes at him, "Even if it gives you pain it will make you stronger. I won''t do something that will harm your life."

    Rio gulped nervously and ate the white bead.

    As it entered his mouth, it dissolved instantly. He felt a rush of energy going towards his heart. His white core absorbed the energy and he felt strength spreading inside his body.

    [Fruit of White Egleshew eaten. One White Stats point gained.]

    His eyes shone as he read the text floating in front of him.

    "Whoa...It gave me a white stats point." Rio''s mouth was agape.

    She plucked out nine more White Egleshews and handed him, "Eat them all."

    It was tiny in size that his palm was able to hold them all at once.

    He ate them all by stuffing the White Egleshew inside his mouth.

    They dissolved instantly even being high in quantity and a massive energy flowed towards his white core which absorbed them instantly.

    He felt a massive boost in strengthpared to the first time he ate White Egleshew.

    [Nine Fruits of White Egleshew eaten. Nine White Stats points gained.]

 Chapter 14 Its A Secret

    "It gave me 9 white stats points." Rio said while smiling ear to ear but he saw Lia was frowning while looking at him, he asked "What happened?"

    "It''s not happening." She mumbled while confusion painted her face.

    "What''s not happening?" He asked with a questioning tone and started worrying.

    Lia''s eyes shone as if she remembered something, "I think I understand now."

    She turned to pluck one more White Egleshew and gave it to Rio, "Consume it."

    He scratched his head but he ate it.

    It dissolved in his mouth and he felt the energy was going towards his dantian instead of going towards the core.

    His root absorbed it and a text appeared in front of his eyes.

    [Fruit of White Egleshew eaten. One White Stats point gained.]

    "I received another white Stats point." He said to her but he was curious to find reason about her contemting look from earlier.

    "I guessed it right. You can absorb double the amount of stats points than a human or an asura. It''s probably due to making a root and a core at the same time. This might be the reason behind having double the amount of mana than someone at white stage." Lia spoke with a grave tone.

    His eyes shone with happiness as he found out he could gain double stats points that others. This would make him stronger than the others on the same level. However, he couldn''t understand why his asura wife looked worried.

    "Isn''t that a good thing? Why do you look afraid? Are you worried that I might betray Asura after bing strong?" Rio said with a gentle tone but his eyes were filled with doubts.

    "Not that." Lia refused his ims.

    "What is it then?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows.

    "From ancient times, people have been wary of those who have great strength or an enticing treasure. They are full of greedy nature and want it for themselves. Those in power might silence you before you fully mature." Lia said with a bitterness in her voice.

    He understood her logic but he had faith in her. Observing her so far, she had treated him better than all the people he had met in his life so far excluding his grandfather.

    "Isn''t that a good thing? I''m still weak, you can have my life if you want." Rio teased her but also tested the waters.

    "You''re not understanding, Rio. I''m afraid, if father finds out he might kill you without a second thought. You will be the biggest threat to this world if you somehow awaken your innate talent which is sure to happen seeing your potential to make a root and a core at the same time." Lia spoke with a sorrowful glint in her eyes.

    He gulped nervously and a chill ran down his spine.

    He understood it was a great blessing but he didn''t think the emperor would kill his daughter''s husband.

    "Why are you calling me a threat? I''m bound by an oath to never betray you." Rio retaliated.

    "Never betraying me doesn''t guarantee to never betray asuras." Lia looked straight into his sea-green eyes.

    He was speechless and didn''t say anything.

    "Listen carefully. Don''t ever tell anyone about your stats points or mana and Don''t reveal your AI watch to anyone including those who you trust most." She spoke with a serious tone and warned him.

    "I don''t understand why you''re doing this." Rio mumbled.

    "Doing what?" Lia looked at him with a frown.

    "Why would you save me who can be a great threat to your world and your family? You only know me for a few days." He was suspiciously looking at her for answers.

    "It''s a secret that even my father doesn''t know... I will tell you when the timees." Lia turned around to avoid his questioning gaze.

    She plucked nine more White Egleshew and gave them to Rio.

    There was only one left on the ivy nt after plucking the nine more.

    He stuffed them in his mouth and they dissolved just as previously. A massive energy rushed towards his root and got absorbed.

    [Nine Fruits of White Egleshew eaten. Nine White Stats points gained.]

    Rio smiled at Lia and said, "I got another nine White Stats points again."

    But before he could say more or receive her reply, A yellow light enveloped his body. He felt something broke inside him and boosted his bodily limits.

    He closed his eyes and a surge of mana rushed towards him like honeybees to the flowers.

    His root and core grew in size by a tiny amount and their color changed to yellow.

    The light covering his body lowered as time passed and came to an end.

    He opened his eyes and looked at Lia who was gazing at him with a face filled with tranquility.

    ''It''s not happening.''

    He remembered her words from earlier and said "So you meant this? Now I get it."

    Lia nodded her head with the elegance of a noble youngdy.

    He looked behind her at the remaining White Egleshew hanging to the ivy nt.

    "What will happen if I eat one more?" He asked with greedy eyes like a hooligan.

    "Find it out yourself" She plucked out the remaining White Egleshew and handed him.

    He ate it nervously and the white bead entered his mouth. They dissolved like before and gave him some energy but no text appeared like before.

    He saw the ivy nt withered and shrank after Lia plucked out the White Egleshew from it.

    A single tiny bud was formed at the root of the bamboo-like nt.

    "Sorry, I destroyed your White Egleshew nt." Rio apologized to her with a bitterness in his voice.

    "They aren''t destroyed. They will grow back in ten years of time." Lia said with a nonchnt voice as if it wasn''t a big deal.

    *Growl!*

    His stomach made an embarrassing sound and revealed the fact he hadn''t eaten for thirty hours.

    "Sorry about that." He said with a bittersweet smile and scratched the back of his head.

    "Let''s return to our room so we can eat." Lia said and walked towards her Vi alongside Rio.

 Chapter 15 Who Is This Lioness?

    They arrived in their room and Lia prepared another bath for Rio with the medicinal herbs. He showed little resistance this time for the Bathing session and it went smoothly.

    They ate their dinner and decided to head to sleep.

    Sun rose in the eastern sky and weed a new day as it glistened on top of empress vi.

    Rio slowly opened his eyes. He yawnedzily and stretched his body.

    ''She didn''t wake me up in a rough way.''

    He looked around him to find her.

    Lia was near the dressing table. She was wearing a white dress that bloomed her beauty.

    ''Last night I told her I liked white dress. Is she wearing this for me?''

    Lia saw his movement in the mirror and turned around.

    "You woke up. Father told me to send you to meet him for training. He said you have reached the yellow stage and you should get somebat training." Lia spoke whilebing her beautiful white hair.

    "How did he find out?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows as it was only a few hours ago he reached the yellow stage.

    "There are Royal guards guarding the castle. You can even see them on the high walls, they may have probably seen you when you were enveloped in yellow light and informed Father." Lia said with a stiff voice and put theb down.

    "I have one more question I wanted to ask you. Why did I have to go through white stage to reach the yellow stage? Didn''t the emperor say that it started from the yellow rank cores that humans absorb?" Rio asked with a puzzled face.

    Lia turned around to look at him and exined, "Unlike humans, who are dependent on the core to raise their roots, beasts and asuras cultivate for years to raise their core. We asuras start from white stage and you also formed a core using ancient devlin technique so you started from White stage same as an asura."

    "Doesn''t that mean humans can also have white stats points if they find a white stage wild beast''s core?" He asked with a curious smile as if he solved a big problem the world was facing.

    She shook her head gracefully and said, "It doesn''t work like that. Wild beasts inherit the same rank of core as their parents when they are still a fetus unlike us asura or humans who have to start from zero. As the river of time flowed there weren''t any white stage beasts left as many reproduced when they reached the yellow stage."

    "Won''t the same happen to yellow ranked beasts as more time passes and be as rare as unicorns and Phoenix feather?" He asked as his eyes were filled with questions.

    "It''s easy to evolve your core to yellow stage from the white but the journey up ahead is difficult. So many beasts remain in the yellow stage for life. And one more thing, Phoenix and unicorn aren''t rare in this world." Lia said thest part with a hint of pleasure as if to give him shock.

    "What¡­" he looked dazed but then he calmed down a few secondster as this wasn''t earth and he should be ready for unexpected oues.

    He said after standing up, "Okay, I''ll go meet him but I am not familiar with the castle and where to find him."

    "I have already told Yami. She will bring you to father." Lia said as a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes.

    "Okay, I''ll go then." He felt awkward as if Lia wasn''t talking to him normally. This was the first time she was sending him with someone else.

    ''I''m probably overthinking.''

    He walked out of the room and went downstairs.

    "I would havee with you forbat training but Father restricted me toe as I wouldn''t be able to see you suffer in pain." Lia sighed inwardly like a doting mother whose child was going on a war for the country.

    ***

    He asked Yami and she brought him to the room where he got his first training ss with the emperor.

    After he reached the room, Yami asked for permission from the Emperor and they entered the room.

    There was one more person standing in the room while the emperor was sitting on his seat.

    That person turned around to look at Rio, Her red eyes gazed at him as if she was longing for something or someone that she lost but when she saw his sea-green eyes, she stared at him with a murderous intent.

    She gave an aura of a terrifying wild beast but her figure told differently. She had blonde colored hair that came to her shoulder.

    She was 174 centimeters tall which made her taller than Lia who was around 168 centimeters. She looked the same age as Lia as she also appeared around eighteen years old.

    Her seductive figure was covered in different armors. She wore a blue dress on top that was white at her perfect sized bossom.

    A metallic gorget was covered by a blue shawl that was wrapped around her neck and its end was kissing her ck greave above her ck pants that hid her slender legs. Her hands were covered in ck gauntlet and one of her shoulders had a ck pauldron.

    A ck scabbard was hanging on her waist that was hiding her weapon.

    "Helia, don''t scare him. He is the one you need to train." The Emperor said to her.

    She took back her killing intent from him but she was still looking at him as if he was her prey.

    ''Finally, there is someone who will teach this Shameless idiot a lesson.''

    Yami bowed to the emperor and left the room while gloating inwardly.

    "She is prettier than Yami and many girls I met but she still pales inparison to Lia. But, she is looking at me as if I killed her parents." Rio thought and gulped nervously as a chill ran down his spine.

    "Who is this lioness that''s looking at me as if she would chew me alive." Rio asked the emperor bluntly.

 Chapter 16 I Hate You To The Core

    Helia raised her eyes at his remarks because he was the first one to make such ament openly.

    "She is my niece from myte sister. She will give youbat training." Emperor Dn said.

    "I refuse." A voice sounded in the room but it wasn''t Rio who spoke, It was Helia.

    "Why?" Dn raised his eyebrows at her.

    "You already know why, uncle." She spoke with a chilly voice.

    "That''s the more reason I want you to train him since you won''t go easy on him and won''t show mercy because of me." Dn chuckled.

    Hearing his words, Rio looked at him as if he was teasing him but he could see the emperor was dead serious.

    "Okay, then I''ll train this guy if I''m allowed to make him go through the pain and torture however I desire." She smiled coldly which made her look like a psychopath murderer.

    "You can make him go through pain but don''t cripple his body parts or anything otherwise Lia will hate us both." Emperor Dn warned her.

    "She favors him that much?" Helia asked Dn with a frown.

    "Yeah, something like that." The Emperor nodded.

    "You two don''t have to talk that way about me while I''m here," Rio said with an annoyed voice.

    "Don''t worry, we have a great battle arena. As long as you train there and get any injury, it will be healed." Dn exined with a sweet smile.

    ''I now understand why Lia didn''t bring me here. She was worried about me.''

    He sighed as he understood why she was acting differently today than the other day.

    "Okay," Rio spoke while dropping down his face.

    Although, he knew it was going to be torture to train under someone who hated him from the moment she saw him. He believed, they wouldn''t kill him or cripple him as he was Lia''s husband.

    Moreover, he wanted to get better and gain strength to show all those people that called him trash for having no innate talent.

    ''Worst case scenario I can send a message to Lia to save me via telepathy.''

    He calmed down as he thought about her.

    "Then you both should go and start the training," Dn spoke with a nonchnt voice.

    "Okay," Helia said and left the room without asking Rio to follow.

    Emperor indicated to him with his eyes to go with her.

    Rio took a long breath and followed behind her like amb to the ughterhouse.

    They passed the corridor and exited from a big metallic door.

    Sun was enveloping their figure which was separated by distance as Rio was following behind her.

    They entered an open field where an enormous grass field was present but there were other buildings situated at the border of the grass field as well.

    It was also surrounded by a bigger wall and guards were guarding it.

    He couldn''t find an entrance to go out the walls even here.

    ''I have yet to find the main entrance of the castle that led to the outside world.''

    Rio looked around the field there were many buildings and he was wondering what are they for. He thought to ask Helia but he was afraid she would snap back at him.

    Helia was moving towards a massive oval-shaped building.

    He entered the battle arena behind her via a big door.

    The interior of the building reminded him of an indoor sports stadium as well. There were tens of thousands of empty seats around the spacious field. The center of the battle arena was a field with green grasses.

    There were long trees at the corner of the spacious building that spread green light around the building.

    "These trees look magical. What do they do." He thought inwardly.

    *m!*

    The door of the oval-shaped building closed behind him.

    He felt an ominous feeling as the door locked behind him and the temperature in the room lowered.

    He could feel a chilly air invading his body and killing intent had frozen him on the spot.

    He looked ahead of him toward the source of the culprit.

    The blonde-haired girl who was standing ahead of him disappeared from her ce and stood right in front of his face. She grabbed his jaw, stabbing her nails inside his flesh, and looked dead into his sea-green eyes.

    She yelled in a threatening voice word by word, "Do you know what you are? A virus. You, humans, are a disgusting gue.

    Just like a virus, You humans move to a new area, and you multiply and popte it to the very end to destroy all the natural resources and when you are done, you find a new area to destroy.

    You, piece of shit, I hate you to the core. I hate all humans. I feel like vomiting just from looking at your disgusting face. You, humans, are vile creatures that would even kill their own kins. I find those wild beasts better than you lowly creatures. I can''t stand a second in front of you."

    She paused and held his jaw roughly to stab her nails into his flesh to engrave more pain which caused the blood to gush out.

    She continued while smiling maniacally, "But, I''ll fulfill the order given by the uncle and I''ll make every single day of your training a living hell that you will pray to God why you were even born."

    Her red eyes were full of anger as she wanted to cut him into thousands of pieces.

    She then pushed him away after saying these words.

    He was thrown to the ground by her immense strength.

    Rio couldn''t understand the situation and her personality towards him that took a 180-degree turn after being alone together.

    He touched his jaw and rubbed it. It was feeling as if a few hot needles pierced him.

    However, his previous question about the trees got answered as those green lights covered his figure and those wounds made by the nail marks healed.

    His skin became smooth like before only some bloodstained left which told the story it really happened.

 Chapter 17 My Wife Is The Asura Empress

    He stood up and looked at her in confusion. He couldn''t understand anything why she did it to him.

    What was he supposed to do now after what she did?

    Her voice sounded "I''m already done with my message to you so you don''t ask any nonsense in the future. For the training, I''ll attack you from here and you have to dodge it."

    He frowned hearing her unreasonable words but he was helpless as She didn''t even wait for him to reply. She brought out a dagger from thin air. Its deadly sharp de shone in the light of the illuminating stones that she had already swung in his direction.

    Before Rio could even blink his eyes a sharp de tore apart his newly bought robe and pierced his flesh on the right shoulder.

    "Argh¡­" He cried out in pain.

    Blood gushed out from it as he felt a great deal of pain spreading. He felt as if hundreds of bees had stung him in the same ce.

    He was from earth and he never experienced a battle where someone used a dagger to pierce his body.

    There were fights where people used their fists or legs to attack him but no one used such a rough way as a deadly sharp dagger.

    "Don''t stay there like a fool. I won''t stop attacking you until your body is decorated with ten daggers and gives me pleasure. Your job  is to avoid as much as possible." Saying that Helia threw more daggers at him.

    *Swoosh!*

    The air vibrated as it traveled towards him rapidly.

    Hearing her words and experiencing her actions, he felt he was done for as every cell of his body screamed at him to run away.

    He moved to the side to avoid her daggers but he was toote and three more daggers stabbed into his right hand tearing apart his clothes along with the flesh.

    Blood flowed from his right hand continuously and his body felt heavy from the weight of the dagger dyed in his own blood.

    He felt so weak in his heart and knees that he knelt on the ground.

    "Is that how much you humans can endure? Let me find out for myself." Helia''s chilly voice sounded.

    Another six daggers flew towards him and pierced his flesh in both of his thighs.

    He copsed to the ground and his body cried in agony.

    He was taking longer breaths and his body was shaking as the pain was invading his mind and body. His clothes turned red from his own blood as they flowed on the ground.

    He felt as if he was losing consciousness and his body bing numb.

    However, at that exact moment, the daggers vanished from his body and a soothing green light embraced him to release him from his misery.

    The agonizing pain went away and his flesh healed at a faster pace. Within five seconds, he was fully healed.

    He felt as if he just had a nightmare. He looked towards the source of his living nightmare who was looking at him with an amusing cold smile.

    She looked as if she was a devil, disguised as a beautiful young maiden to seduce him and release him from his tormenting pain by taking his life.

    She hurled several more daggers at him but this time he didn''t waste time.

    He rolled to the ground and dodged her attacks.

    Those des stabbed into the grassy field. It cut down the green de of grasses.

    She raised her eyebrows as he dodged them and recalled the daggers as they disappeared from the spot.

    Grass des that were broken, recovered to normal just how Rio healed.

    She threw ten daggers at him fiercely and he jumped to the side to avoid them.

    He felt a tingling feeling on his back and two of the daggers dig into the flesh of his leg. He grabbed them while crying out in pain and threw them out.

    As he did it, he rolled to the ground instinctively to avoid the uing daggers which stabbed the ce he was before.

    He got better at avoiding the dagger as time passed but daggers still pierced him from time to time.

    As he improved at dodging theing attacks, she increased the number of daggers she threw from ten to thirty.

    He was pierced by ten daggers more than twenty times during the training.

    After pinning him to the ground with ten more daggers she came to a stop.

    "Tomorrow I''ll wait for you here in the morning." Saying that she started walking out of the battle arena building.

    "Wait¡­" He called out with an agonizing voice.

    "What?" Her infuriating voice sounded.

    "I have no clue why you hate me but¡­" He paused and stood up while removing daggers from his body one by one. His wounds healed on their own as the healing green light from the trees enveloped him as he took out the des.

    Helia narrowed her eyes at him.

    He continued with a determined voice while throwing away thest dagger, "One day I will make you regret it that you will cry for how you treated me unfairly today."

    "I will never have any guilt for treating a ''garbage'' like a ''shit''." She mocked him.

    "Wanna bet?" Rio amusingly said and stared into her red eyes that were filled with coldness.

    "There is nothing to bet about for such a useless thing. You can never make me feel regret for my action today." She snorted at him.

    "Are you scared?" He smiled at her to provoke her more.

    "You¡­" She red at him with her red eyes full of resentment and naked murderous intent.

    "Hahaha¡­I can understand You just know how to oppress the weak and nothing more. But mark my word, One day you will regret and shed tears for your unreasonable action of today." He was making her walk into the trap that he was weaving so he repeated his words again to provoke her.

    She took a long breath and said, "I, Helia Rainheart, swear on heaven and my core if I ever regret my action today, for making this disgusting creature in front of me, suffer in pain I will ept him as my lord."

    A golden light shed and enveloped her then vanished away.

    "What was that?" Rio was taken aback.

    "Unbreakable oath. If I ever regret What I did today to you, my core will shatter and my body will crumble. But I''m 100% confident that I will have no guilt even cutting you in thousands of pieces right here right now." Helia proudly smiled.

    "At least you should have said ''I will apologize to him'' or maybe ''I won''t hate every human blindly without a reason'', But why did you have to say I will ept him as my lord? I don''t need ady like you when I already have an angel-like Wife who is the most gorgeous in the world." Rio berated her and shook his head.

    She thought he is a fool for dering and giving someone randomly the top spot.

    "Just because you find her pretty, she became the most beautiful? What a fool¡­" She mocked him and snorted.

    "I bet even all the asura in this world would have the same opinion as me and find her as the supreme epitome of beauty.

    She is beyond the realm of cuteness. Let me say, she is sexy and damn attractive. Her mesmerizing jewel-like red eyes, her beautiful smile, her sense of fashion, her sweet style. Everything she does, everything she says. Makes me cherish her more. She is unforgettably the cutest¡­ She flutters my heart as she is my closest bond in this world. " Rio spoke as his eyes were enamored.

    "Who is your wife?" She didn''t want to believe him but she still asked while narrowing her eyes at him.

    He cast his Devlin Transformation skill and spoke word by word as if announcing the whole world.

    "My Wife is The Asura Empress" His crimson hair turned white and grew bigger to the neck length size. His sea-green eyes became red and a protectiveyer enveloped his skin that boosted his aura.

    Helia stumbled back as she heard his words and saw his Devlin transformation.

 Chapter 18 She Is Vicious

    Her world turned upside down when she saw his Devlin transformation. As the cousin of Lia and niece of Dn, she was also blood-rted to the Devlin family and knew about the secret skill. It was hard for an outsider to learn it.

    For what reason, he could use this Devlin transformation, Rio answered himself.

    If what he was saying was true then she wouldn''t be able to face Lia again.

    ''In this world, I only cherished two people in my heart. First was Big brother who was the little heaven I lost and the second is Lia who took me out of my sorrow when I was desperate to die .''

    Helia was frozen on the spot and her mind was a mess.

    She saw a leaf tattoo on his shoulder that was peeking out from his tattered clothes.

    ''That''s a blessing mentioned in legends, which is given by heaven to us Asura when two soul matese together by the wheel of destiny.''

    Her eyes widened seeing the green leaf engraved on his skin which was covered in his blood.

    Her mind was a mess, her heartbeat was unstable.

    "If this is true then...Uncle¡­" She gritted her teeth and left the room before looking at his handsome face which was filled with smugness.

    Seeing her leave, his asura transformation deactivated and he came to his real appearance.

    He swayed in the air and fell to the ground.

    *Thump!*

    Although the healing tree recovered his wounds, he had no stamina or energy left. He was devoid of any energy.

    He was just giving her a strong confrontation so he could intimidate her to fall for his trap.

    Emperor could ask anyone to give him training but he still picked his niece. That meant he trusted her more than others. His motives behind choosing her were so She won''t go easy on Rio but if he didn''t reveal he was Lia''s husband she would''ve killed him or crippled him sooner orter.

    Although he wanted to y it safe to hide his identity that didn''t mean he would risk his life. Emperor Dn forced him to reveal it.

    ''If I didn''t do it, she would''ve made my training days a hell. I hope she shows some resistance tomorrow with her fierce nature.''

    He wasid down on the floor and remembered how he got better at dodging her attacks as time passed.

    After 15 minutes passed, footsteps sounded.

    He moved his eyes and saw Yami entering the arena.

    She walked to him and said, "His excellency told me to clean you first before you go back. He doesn''t want the Empress to see you in this condition."

    "Okay." Rio stood up from the ground and walked out of the battle arena.

    Sun was about to go down and invite the darkness to wee the night.

    Rio walked alongside Yami and entered the castle. After going through a long corridor, they entered a bathroom that wasn''t as majestic as the one in the empress vi but it had a simr bathtub with a showerhead.

    Rio coldly said to her, "You wait outside."

    "Okay," Yami said with a polite tone as she felt bad for him after seeing his tattered clothes and blood stains.

    She ced a set of clothes in the room with a towel and went outside.

    Rio enabled the showerhead and water washed his long day tormenting memories. His tired body rxed in the cool droplets of water.

    He felt as if he hade from a war that went on for many days.

    "The Emperor wants to hide it from Lia. Does he fear she will go against him?" He mumbled inwardly.

    "Although she acted like she was taking revenge for old grudges. It helped me to improve my battle sense. In the future, I won''t have this luxury when I''ll fight wild beasts or other humans." His words took a halt as he thought he had to fight others from his race.

    He sighed and came out of the shower to put on the new clothes she brought. It looked the same as the one he wore before.

    He walked out of the room and followed Yami to return back.

    ? ***

    In a spacious room, Emperor Dn was sitting in front of a blonde-haired girl who was ring at him.

    "Haha¡­ I didn''t know he would dare to reveal it himself." Dnughed like a grandfather next door.

    "So this is true?" She was fuming with anger at her uncle.

    "Yes, as you already know Lia is destined to die on her twenty-second birthday and the only way to reverse her destiny was to find a man from anothernd who would go against heaven''s will and all the human race for her.

    The old man died after saying the time of this man''s arrival. So our only hope is to follow his words since he really appeared as the old man said." Dn said with sorrowful eyes.

    "He hasn''t even awakened an innate talent yet," Helia said.

    "That''s why I asked you to train him so you can push him to a desperate end where he finds his switch to shake his dormant powers." Dn chuckled.

    "You knew I detest humans more than anyone or anything yet you made me train him and even said to use pain as long as he doesn''t get crippled. If Lia ever finds out she will hate me." Helia clenched her hands and her eyes showed sorrow.

    "But it was a good lesson for you toe out of your blind hate for humans. Now you would have some sense while youe across people from his race." Dn said with a serious voice.

    ''First, this man made me train a human and made me fall for his trap. Second, that annoying boy who provoked me to make an Unbreakable oath.''

    She stared dagger at him and understood she had fallen for it. She got yed by two annoying men and she walked directly into their crutches.

    "This is why I hate all men. They are devious. " She snorted at him and turned to leave.

    "Oh¡­ I just remembered. Didn''t you say to Lia that when you grow up you would marry the person she marries? Hahaha¡­" Emperor Dnughed heartily.

    Helia, who was about to walk out of the room, almost tripped.

    *Swoosh!*

    A dagger pierced the air and stabbed into a gap between both of Dn''s thighs. A cold wind passed through his crotch.

    The Emperor stoppedughing and cold sweats poured down his spine.

    "She is vicious." He gulped nervously as this happened and thought of the oue if she hit his little brother with that sharp de.

    Helia walked out of the room without showing her beet-red face.

    ***

 Chapter 19 First Beast Soul

    Night had already enveloped outside the castle as Rio took an hour to rx in the water.

    Lia was in the same ce as thest time. Little fairies were hovering around her.

    Yami went to the empress vi while Rio walked towards the lonesome figure whose beauty could cause the downfall of the nation.

    She turned back to look at him as her face showed worry.

    "Was it painful?" That was the first question she asked.

    "No¡­ The trainer is a soft-hearteddy. I was mesmerized by her beauty. But she isn''t as pretty as you." Rio spoke with a smile and hid the truth.

    "I thought father would be harsh on you. You can tell me if they cause any problems for you." She said with a lower voice.

    "Our souls are linked so I can call you for help if the time arises. Don''t worry as if I''m a little kid." He said with a bittersweet smile and scratched the back of his head.

    "Why is your hair wet?" Lia frowned.

    "I took a bath beforeing here as I was covered in sweat. I didn''t want you to hate me for stinking like a dead fish." Rio joked as he lied again.

    "I wouldn''t hate you." She said with a calm voice, after pausing a little she asked, "What did she teach you today?"

    "She was teaching me how to dodge attacks and improve reaction time." He spoke with a gentle smile hiding the bitterness in his heart as he thought about how she actually taught him by decorating his body with daggers dyed in his blood.

    She looked at him and contemted something.

    Rio was worried his lie was caught.

    He asked worriedly, "What happened?"

    "I was thinking how you still don''t have a weapon and what would suit you. With the Devlin skill, a sword would match you perfectly. Come with me." Lia said and brought Rio to the other side of the garden.

    There was a tree with swords hanging on them with yellow leaves. It was 3 meters tall and the crown spread in a 2-meter range. He could see the swords hanging on the tree as fruits.

    There were three types of swords hanging from this Yellow-leaf tree.

    They all looked silver in color but their sizes and aura differed.

    The most majestic one was only one in number hanging in the center of the yellow-leaf tree.

    "You are already at the yellow stage so it won''t be a problem for you to have your first beast soul. This is the ''Silver-Bloom'' tree and these sword-like fruits you see are the beast souls." Lia exined while pointing to the sword-like fruits hanging from the tree.

    "Beast souls can grow on trees? Doesn''t that mean we can lower the killing rate of beasts if we grow these in higher numbers?" He spoke in an astonished voice as his eyes shone with the light of hope.

    "How will you provide your fellow humans with cores to absorb the stats points?" She said with an amusing voice and poured water to extinguish the tiny spark of hope he had to solve the problem of both worlds.

    She continued after enjoying the contrasting expression on his face which changed quickly, "Besides, these trees are very rare. You would only see them in my garden or in case youe across a lucky encounter."

    Rio dropped down his shoulder and looked as if covered in a dark smoke of desperation.

    Lia extended her jade-like smooth hand and a light covered a sword-like fruit, the one in the middle that looked special among other beasts'' souls hanging on the silver-bloom tree.

    It detached from the tree''s branch and flew to her like a falling leaf.

    She grabbed it gracefully and handed it to Rio who looked at the sword in amazement.

    He took the sword which felt dull and as if dormant. It looked like a doll more than a real sword and looked at Lia with questioning eyes to ask if she was teasing him.

    "Pour some of your mana in it and this beast soul will be bound to you." She said with a gentle voice.

    Rio did as she said and a tiny amount of mana rushed towards the hilt of the sword.

    It vibrated as it received his mana and the dormant-looking toy came to life. A silver light glowed and bloomed like a lotus spreading its charm.

    It was a 1-meter long double-edged sword of lightweightposition with a blooming flower petals shape on its hilt which was yellow. Besides being sharp and strong, the sword gave a chilly aura and glimmered in the Moonlight.

    "Whoa¡­" His face blossomed with a smile and he felt he made a connection to the sword in his hand.

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage silver-bloom king gained.]

    He heard an AI voice in his mind which confirmed his suspicions.

    He was smiling ear to ear when he remembered there were swords of three different sizes on the tree.

    "Why were there three types of beast souls on the same tree?" He asked her while he inspected his new sword.

    "There are three tiers among beast soul on each stage for the same type. Normal, mutated, and King. You can recognize them on the tree. There is always one king among these beast souls when they grow in trees so the one you have is the silver-bloom king beast soul." Lia said and cleared his doubts.

    "How long will it take them to grow another silver-bloom king sword?" He asked her while gazing at her alluring face which was making the moon in the night sky jealous of her elegance.

    "It will take a few years" She spoke and looked at him waiting for his next question as if she knew what he would ask next.

    "Why did you give it to me then?" He asked, puzzled.

    "What do you think?" She answered with another question. Her face looked mysterious while her eyes were amusingly looking at the naive boy whose face was puzzled.

 Chapter 20 She Is My Closest Bond In This World

    She continued, "You haven''t taken your medicinal bath today. We should return."

    They started walking back to the Vi while Lia said "You can store the beast soul in your mind-sea. Justmand it to return with a thought."

    "What''s mind-sea?" He raised his eyes.

    "Just do it you will understand." She said and walked alongside him towards the vi.

    Hemanded the sword to return and it disappeared from his hand.

    He saw in his mind a dark room and a light flickered inside. The silver-bloom king sword appeared there while glowing in light and stayed in the darkroom which Lia called mind-sea.

    He was surprised as he experienced it firsthand.

    He tried calling it again and the sword appeared in his hand while the hilt was ced on his hand perfectly.

    "This is amazing." He mumbled.

    Lia made him bathe in medicinal herbs and made him go through another torment of pain with hot water.

    It wasn''t as bad as the training with Helia so he didn''t mind it much.

    They ate their dinner and slept for the day.

    ***

    The next day, Rio woke up early for training and ate a light breakfast before leaving the vi.

    Yami took him to the castle where he changed his clothes to a singlebat practicing robe.

    It was a simple gray shirt and ck pants.

    He went towards the battle arena and arrived to find out that Helia was already waiting there.

    Although he waste, she didn''t stare at him like a vampire hungry for his blood.

    "Today I''ll teach you how to use a weapon," She said while nervousness painted her face.

    After saying the first sentence she rxed and broke the awkwardness between them.

    She continued, "Do you have any weapon you wanna practice with?"

    Rio chuckled and said, "I just received one yesterday."

    With a single thought to his mind-sea, a 1-meter-long sword appeared in his hand.

    "That''s the silver-bloom king sword from Lia''s garden. To give him a beast soul from her garden, which she doesn''t even let anyone touch, shows his importance in her heart" Helia thought inwardly.

    He swung his sword as he watched on TV and she shook her head in disappointment seeing how her sister was married to this foolish guy who didn''t even know how to use a sword.

    ''I''ll train him well so he can be worthy of her and protect her.''

    A light of determination flickered in her eyes and she inspected Rio from head to toe.

    He stopped swinging his sword foolishly as he felt her hot gaze which was different from yesterday.

    "Why do you all asura girls love to look at my sexy body as if it''s a heavenly treat for your eyes? I prefer that murderous intent filled in your gaze to how you looking at me now. " Rio took his steps back and stumbled.

    "Attack me with your sword however you want." Saying that Helia appeared in front of him and a sword appeared in her hand different from the one present on her waist.

    She swung her sword towards him who tightened his grip on his sword and met with her strike.

    He was pushed away by the impact and his hand felt numb.

    Before he could even rx, she shed at him vertically and he had to ce his sword in a horizontal way to stop it in track from striking him.

    His steps dragged on the ground as he collided with her strike while grasses were ruined by his shoes as a line was formed from the impact.

    ''Her attacks are too overpowered.''

    He was pushed from one side to another side of the battle arena as she attacked him continuously.

    After 30 minutes he was breathing heavily as hey on the ground while spreading his hands and legs.

    "Why are you not using mana enchantment?" She asked him with questioning eyes that were ring at him fiercely.

    "What''s mana enchantment?" He said while turning his neck in her direction to gaze at her.

    "Those filthy humans didn''t even teach you how to use Mana enchantment? How can they be so useless?" She snorted in a dissatisfied voice.

    "I have only recently reached the yellow stage and my school will start in a few weeks." He said while looking at the ceiling of the building and avoiding her beast-like gaze which was filled with anger for humans once again.

    "How about your family? Didn''t they give you basic knowledge about mana usage?" She asked in her usual dominating tone.

    "I am an orphan, I grew up alone although the Havenglow family adopted me out of nowhere a month ago. I was reluctant to join them but I was forced by the government since they are one of the most influential families in my world." He said with a bittersweet smile and sat up on the ground.

    Helia tightened her fist as she saw a longing emotion flickering in his eyes.

    She also lost her mother and brother but she knew how it felt to have a family. Emperor Dn and Lia never treated her like an outsider.

    But he never had a family before. He doesn''t even know how it feels to be around someone who loves you.

    ''She is my closest bond in this world.''

    So he wasn''t lying. Revtion enveloped her mind as she started seeing him in a different light than others of his race.

 Chapter 21 Mana Enchantment

    He stood up and faced her with his sword but her voice made him halt in his track.

    "I''ll teach you how to use Mana enchantment. It is a technique to infuse your body parts with little mana to increase their efficiency. The more mana you infuse the stronger they will be and you will be able to infuse higher strength.

    Make sure to pour little mana, the amount your body can endure, otherwise, your flesh and muscle will start cracking slowly. You also need to keep monitoring your mana usage as a one-time infusion can onlyst up to 10 minutes of enhancement in strength." Helia exined with a stiff voice.

    Rio became dumbfounded hearing her exnation then he saw her extending her hand which started glowing blue.

    "Try it" her cold voice came.

    He extended his hand like her and tried sending mana towards his hand.

    After pouring mana for a little, his hand started aching.

    "Argh." He cried out in pain.

    "Don''t be hasty. Just use a little mana." She berated him.

    He only sent a little mana this time and his hand also glowed blue. He felt as if his hand was breathing with the strength to tear apart the trees and break the stony boulders.

    "Pour mana in your sword in a simr way. Since it''s a beast soul it will be easier for you to do it." Shemanded him like a general to her soldiers.

    He did as she said. The silver-bloom king sword aura doubled and felt as if roaring its glory to the world.

    She moved towards him with her sword and attacked him.

    This time he felt the numb feeling in his hand lessened but he was still pushed backward and he gripped his sword tightly.

    "Try pouring mana in your legs and eyes." Her domineering voice sounded in his ears.

    He sent little mana to his eyes and legs.

    His eyes glowed blue and he saw the surroundings be slower. He could see the veins of the leaf of the healing tree in the corner of the arena.

    His legs cried out in strength and he felt he could jump to touch the ceiling.

    He curled his knees.

    A few secondster, like an arrow released from the bow string, he rushed towards her at an incredible speed.

    A smile blossomed on his face.

    "Oh¡­ the cub will now attack his mother after its w grew" Helia spoke with a mocking smile and waited for his uing strike.

    "You''re not my mommy," Rio said and attacked her head-on.

    Her face had be red from hearing his remark "Mommy".

    She had heard from maids that among lovers a male partner called their female partner mommy if they were older.

    Some people used this word among lovers so her face was flushed like a cherry thinking Rio might be younger than her as he looked sixteen.

    The sword collided and she wasn''t prepared which caused a slice on her blue top.

    Her cloth tore apart slightly and blood gushed out from it revealing her pale shoulder.

    She jolted awake from her embarrassment seeing her cloth tearing apart.

    A chilly aura enveloped Rio and he felt a coldness creep up to his spine.

    He was attacked countless times.

    They collided in the air twenty times in a span of 1 minute but their figure was moving at a face pace. It looked as if a video was ying in rapid motion.

    "I didn''t know you and Lia¡­ I still don''t regret my actions. Although I am forbidding myself from drawing your blood. I''ll teach you a lesson for making thisdy angry" Helia snorted inwardly.

    Rio was punched on his body and kicked on his butt many times while their swords hit each other.

    After an hour of colliding in the arena, Rio ran out of mana and copsed on the ground.

    She enjoyed seeing him groaning on the ground.

    It took thirty minutes instead of an hour to recover his full mana due to the special effect of the healing tree.

    They started once again. He started learning her pattern but her speed was faster.

    The fiercebat practice continued until they heard a door ''creaking'' sound as someone entered the arena.

    It was Yami standing near the entrance.

    Her face shed with astonishment as she saw It was Helia whose clothes were torn apart with blood while Rio''s clothes were only covered in dirt.

    "Tomorrow at the same time," Helia said before leaving the battle arena avoiding Yami''s curious gaze that was staring at her torn clothes.

    Seeing Yamie to fetch him, he followed her to the castle. She was giving him a curious look from time to time.

    He took a bath and returned back.

    He met Lia in the garden and she asked him to they should go back.

    "Let''s sit here for a while," Rio said to her and sat on the ground in front of the big tree that had rainbow-colored fruits and white glowing leaves.

    Little fairies were hovering around it.

    "Okay." Lia also sat beside him and they watched the palm-sized fairies dancing around them.

    ***

 Chapter 22 Killing A Human First Time

    His routine for the next few weeks was simr.

    In the morning after breakfast, he would practice with the fierce girl Helia who fought with him until the evening.

    With time, he was able to dodge her attacks andnd more strikes on her. She started increasing the strength used for him which made him understand she was going easy on him from the very start.

    In the evening, he would bathe and sit with Lia in the garden to enjoy the beauty of Moonlight, fairies, and especially his wife.

    She would make him bathe in medicinal herbs and have their dinner before they went to bed.

    As the days passed, Rio improved greatly in sword fighting and gained massivebat experience. He became closer to Lia but felt a distance from Helia as she still gave him cold treatment inbat training.

    On the 27th night aftering to thend of the asura.

    Rio and Lia were walking in the garden when Yami came hurriedly.

    "Your highness, please return to the vi. A prisoner has run away. It''s unsafe here." She said with a grave tone.

    "Who ran away?" She asked with a frown.

    "I don''t know your highness." She bowed to her.

    "Okay, we will return back. You can go now." She said with a cold voice as she remembered her dream from the morning.

    Yami bowed to her and left.

    ''My eyes of destiny gave me another dream.''

    She was contemting and thinking about the dream from the morning in which Yami and His father were talking about a secret n behind her back.

    Rio asked while facing her, "What prisoners do you guys keep here in the castle?"

    His voice jolted her awake but before she could answer him she saw Rio''s eyes flickered with murderous intent who was standing in front of him and facing her.

    His figure disappeared from her sight and she felt a strong gust of wind behind her.

    A sound of flesh cutting was heard in her ears and she turned around to see as a sword pierced Rio''s shoulder and protruded from the other side along with his flesh as well as blood.

    Hot crimson blood spurted from it and sttered on her fairy-like face as Rio took the strike on himself that wasing for her.

    A human was standing there whose sword had stabbed Rio''s shoulder. He was tall and bulky but his body was marked with many cuts. He looked injured andcked energy.

    He appeared behind them out of nowhere and was about to strike Lia when Rio saw him.

    If he wasn''t skilled how could he escape the eyes of many guards and even Lia who didn''t feel his appearance when he appeared behind her?

    She was contemting her dream so she could''ve missed it. But she felt something was fishy behind this whole incident.

    The bulky manughed evilly and pointed his empty hand towards Lia but before he could do anything.

    A scythe enveloped in ck smoke howled in a terrifying voice and struck him vertically as his body split in two.

    Blood came out of his body like a red flower blooming.

    A cloud of ck smoke covered his body and started burning in ck fire.

    Rio, who just used his skill "Judgment of Devlin" after "Devlin Movement Technique", grabbed the de of the sword out of his shoulder and threw it away.

    The bulky man''s body was incinerated by the vicious ck mes of his strike.

    Rio gritted his teeth and fell to his knees.

    "argh!"

    He puked out everything he atest night while tears flowed from his eyes.

    Lia held his body from behind and patted his back.

    "argh!"

    He vomited again and felt devoid of energy from body and mind.

    Executing that strike had taken his 90% of mana but killing a human for the first in his life made him filled with disgust and guilt.

    Lia supported him to stand up. He looked dazed while Lia embraced him from the back to help him walk.

    He was unable to calm his mind and She understood his mental state.

    The ck mes dissipated, and only the badly charred body remained.

    Yami had already run to Lia but she was stopped in her track after seeing Rio''s condition.

    Emperor arrived with guards there as hearing themotion.

    He called for a priest and it came soon after as if already prepared in advance.

    The priest cast a healing spell on Rio and his wound healed at a visible speed.

    Although the physical injury vanished the mental blow was still there which shook him to the core.

    "Young boy¡­ It seems like you have never killed anyone before." Emperor Dn said with some concern and paused to look at the charred corpse to the side

    He continued, "That prisoner was at ck stage. Even if he was injured, It''s praiseworthy that you were able to finish him with only one strike."

    "He needs to rest," Lia said with a chilly voice to him.

    Saying that she started moving towards her Vi while supporting Rio.

    "Let me help you, your highness." Yami came forward to help but Lia ced her hand in front of her and made her stop her footsteps.

    Emperor sighed seeing how his daughter was treating him and Yami after Rio got injured.

 Chapter 23 First Hug

    They walked slowly towards the empress vi and entered their room.

    She supported him to sit on the king-sized bed and sat beside him.

    "What are you worrying about?" Her sweet voice sounded beside him.

    "I killed someone. I''m a murderer." Rio, who didn''t reply to the emperor, spoke for the first time after killing the prisoner in a sorrowful voice.

    Tears dropped from his eyes like a little child.

    Lia caressed his head and asked, "if you were given a chance to turn back time, would you spare him and let him attack me?"

    She blew andmine in his thought process as he started looking at her with astonished wet eyes.

    "Tell me. would you spare him, Rio?" Lia asked again with a sweet voice as if a mother was telling her little child not to cry for his broken toys.

    He shook his head while gazing at her loving expression towards him.

    "Then calm down. Tears don''t suit you." She said as she wiped his tears from his wet face with her fingers stroking his cheeks.

    "But It''s not easy. I killed him." He looked dazed and sorrowful.

    "In this world, and I believe even in your world they kill each other. Some kill others for greed, ego, blinding in power and for many bad reasons which is a sinful act. However, there are those like you who wield a weapon to save the innocents and people they love. It''s not wrong to kill someone for saving someone you care about." Lia spoke with a sweet voice to lower his guilt.

    He blinked at her continuously and felt the knot of guilt getting loose when she twisted words to make him realize he wasn''t entirely wrong.

    He dropped down his face as the shback of killing the human came back to his mind.

    At the same time, he felt a soft hand wrapped around his back. A flowery scent invaded his nostril and his face was buried in her soft bosom. He enjoyed his face on her featherly warm chest.

    An electric shock made the hair of his pores stand up from such actions but it wasn''t from his lustful thoughts. It was because of her lovingly caring nature towards him to make him feel better.

    Instinctively, his hands also wrapped around her back. She caressed the back of his head and he rxed in her loving embrace.

    A boy who grew up alone without any love. A boy who had no family and loved ones. For this boy, this was his first hug he could ever remember.

    His heart tickled and felt the warmth of love for the first time in many years. He felt as if he was in heaven, he forgot all his mental tiredness and the agony of guilt. He rxed in her loving embrace.

    "Thank you" He mumbled in her thoughts.

    "Why thank you?" She asked back in his thoughts.

    "For being nice to me" He replied.

    "Shouldn''t I be nice to my innocent husband who just killed someone for saving me?" She giggled.

    "Don''t remind me," He retorted.

    Lia supported him toy down on bed and slept while Lia kept him in her embrace.

    She kept ruffling his hair as if he was a little child.

    "Those nightmares that the eyes of destiny gave me changed since our soul linked by heaven''s blessing. Last defense in my heart against you was shattered when I saw that killing intent in your eyes to protect me. You change my fate or not, I won''t treat you unfairly." She spoke in her heart.

    Stars glimmered around the moon as if celebrating the beautiful night and two souls of two different worlds epting each other in their hearts.

    ***

    Lia woke up to the sensation of something pressing against her chest.

    ? When she opened her eyes, she saw a crimson haired boy''s head was snuggling to her bosom, his hands wrapped around her like hugging a pillow.

    Her face flushed red but then she remembered what happenedst night and how sheforted him.

    She calmed down and gently rolled Rio off her body.

    She sighed in relief when she saw that he was still sleeping.

    She stood up and started getting ready to go to the castle.

    ***

    In a room, a middle aged man with white hair was sitting on a couch. He was having his tea while reading the reports of the activities happening recently.

    He heard light footsteps approaching his door. The person didn''t even ask for permission and mmed open the door.

    "Why did you do this?" A chilly atmosphere enveloped the room as Lia coldly red at the Emperor Dn.

    "What do you mean, Lia?" He tried to hide his nervousness. He knew this would eventually happen but he didn''t know it would happen this early.

    "Don''t pretend to not know anything. You know what I''m talking about. Why did you n this behind my back to test Rio?" She fiercely stared at him.

    "Oh¡­ you''re talking aboutst night. The guards were drunkst night and they mistakenly left the keys inside. I already ordered those guards to be executed for making such a mess." Emperor Dn said with a bittersweet smile.

    "I already saw you and Yami to n about it in my destiny vision. You don''t have to fabricate more lies." She berated him.

    He started avoiding his gaze from her as he heard he was caught red handed.

    "Answer me. Why did you do this without my permission?" Her domineering voice was sounding in the room.

    "He would be leaving for his school. I needed to test him before he left. If he can''t even go against one human, how will he face the whole of humanity for you?" Emperor Dn said while his eyebrows scrunched.

    "You can''t just treat him like he is your experimental rat. Don''t forget he is my husband." She said with a threatening tone.

    "I don''t have much time left, Lia." A saddened voice came from the Emperor Dn. His voice halted as he recollected an uing grave problem.

 Chapter 24 Your Body And Soul Are Mine

    He continued, "The demonic red worm will consume my heart in less than three years. I want Rio to be ready before I leave this world. We don''t know which n will turn their fangs against the royal family after I leave. You''re not strong enough to face them alone, neither is Helia. If the old man''s prophecy is true then Rio would be the one.

    I just want him to be ready for that day. It cannot happen if I go easy on him. He already passed my tests with full marks. He even tamed Helia who hates the mere sight of humans." Dn spoke in a sorrowful glint in his eyes.

    "You made them meet knowing she would despise him?" She narrowed her eyes.

    "Don''t worry. She trained him all these days and she also said he is not like other humans. She was telling me how she saw a sad longing for his family as he is an orphan." Dn said with a smile as he remembered the violent Helia telling him about Rio when they had a cup of tea together.

    "Helia trained him all these days and she even felt pity for him?" Lia''s eyes were astonished after hearing the story.

    She remembered their conversation

    ''Was it painful?''

    ''No¡­ The trainer is a soft-hearteddy. I was mesmerized by her beauty for a little. But she isn''t as pretty as you.''

    Her heart felt warm as she remembered how he praised her whileparing to her own cousin-sister.

    "I was monitoring their training so he was safe. But I needed them to get along well so they can both support you. If Helia parted ways with you because of Rio then you would have lost one of the most trusted aides and one of the strongest sword by your side." He said with a nonchnt voice.

    "I don''t want you to force things on Rio. If you harm him for your political motives then don''t me me for being unreasonable." The white haired beauty coldly spoke to Dn and turned around to leave the room.

    Dn dropped down his shoulders and sighed in disappointment as he realized how his daughter treasure a foreign boy a lot in less than 4 weeks.

    ***

    Rio woke up to the sound of footsteps. When he opened his eyes he saw Lia entering the room.

    She had a coldness painted on her face and eyes but when she saw Rio was gazing at her, it melted down and became warm.

    "Did you sleep well?" She asked him while entering the room.

    "Yes, but I don''t remember anything before I slept. How did I end up in your bed? Did you take advantage of my enticing bodyst night?" Rio asked her with doubtful gaze in sarcastic manner while fearing she might get mad.

    "What kind of question is that? Your body and soul are mine by thew of heaven as I''m your wife. Tell me if I''ll not take advantage of your ''enticing body'' then human girls will do?" She asked with serious voice while crossing her arms in front of him and her eyes were filled with a mischievous glint.

    "That¡­ I mean¡­ aren''t we going so fast. Shouldn''t we start by holding hands first." Rio said while his face became red and he stammered while speaking.

    Lia forced herself to notugh seeing his reaction.

    "Last night there was a prisoner who tried to attack me and you saved me by killing him." She spoke with a gentle voice and helping him to recall what happened.

    Realization struck him as he remembered what happened. His face darkened at first then it change back to beetred as he remembered how he was crying in her embrace and how she hugged him to sleep while ruffling his crimson hair.

    "Sorry¡­ I just remembered now what happened." He said with a bittersweet smile and scratched the back of his head.

    "Go wash your face. Yami would be bringing food soon. You had threw out all the foodst night. Your stomach will start roaring if you don''t eat soon." She spoke to him while going to dressing table.

    "Okay." Rio went to wash his face while Lia was doing her hair.

    After sometimes, Rio came out of bathroom to find Yami was going out of room with the cart while foods'' bowls were ced on the portable table.

    They ate together while he kept peeping at her face time to time. He was afraid she would be mad for thest night.

    They finished the food together and Yami came back to clean up before leaving the couple together.

    "Will you not go for your training today?" She asked him.

    "My sses will be starting soon. They told us to report to school after we find our superior at shelter or we teleported to foreign shelters. I''m here for 28 days now. They would be thinking I''m either dead, lost or captured. Although there aren''t anyone to worry about me I still need to go back." Rio spoke with a bitterness in his voice.

    "Who said there aren''t anyone to worry about you?" She narrowed her eyes at him as the room temperature lowered.

    "I meant in other world." He gulped nervously as he was worried she would hit him again.

    "That''s better." She coldly said and continued, "When are you going back then?"

    "Today, if that''s fine?" He probed her.

    "When will youe back?" She spoke with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

    "Never." Rio joked while keeping a serious tone.

 Chapter 25 Bang! Bang! Bang!

    "When will youe back?" She spoke with a hopeful glint in her eyes.

    "Never." Rio joked while keeping a serious tone.

    *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

    Nine consecutive punches were gifted to Rio as his joke gone wrong.

    "Ahh..." He rubbed his shoulder and looked at the source of violence.

    "Say that again." She coldly red at him.

    "I mean I''ll return in 1-2 months," He said to test the waters again. For some reason, he liked to tease her after their bonding became strongerst night.

    *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

    "Ahh...sorry¡­ I was wrong¡­ Forgive me, your highness." Rio begged for mercy but the violence continued.

    She hit him with both hands while he ced his hands in a defensive manner to protect his head.

    *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

    "I''ll listen to my lord''s decision ande back whenever she says," He said while groaning in pain from the rain of her fist which wasn''t filled with mana but a normal fist attack.

    Her violent giveaway stopped after he spoke the words she wanted to listen to.

    She took out an old scroll from her storage-type beast soul and sat beside Rio.

    "Try learning this skill from this magic scroll." Lia handed him a thick brown paper that was three timesrger than his both palms.

    "What is this?" He scrunched his eyebrows as he inspected the scroll.

    "It''s a teleporting skill that will lead you to the home that you set. I''m not sure if it will work from another world but if you mistakenly get teleported to another shelter in this world you can always use this to return back home." Lia said with a nonchnt voice.

    "That''s amazing. But how to use this?" Rio looked at the scroll and he couldn''t understand anything.

    "Just drop a blood of yours and you will find out." She said while bringing out a needle.

    "Okay," He took the needle from her hand and pricked his finger.

    A drop of blood fell on the scroll which spread to cover the whole scroll.

    It started hovering in front of them before burning in red mes.

    Rio''s mouth became agape seeing what was taking ce in front of him. An AI voice sounded in his mind.

    [You have acquired the Ancient Astral Recall Technique]

    A string of information flooded in his mind and information floated on the floating screen.

    He checked the two new skill names that appeared in his profile skill section.

    <<<<

    [Astral Home Fixation: Mark a location as the Astral Home. Mana: 90% of your total mana. Cooldown: 30 days.]

    [Astral Recall: Teleport you back to Astral Home. Casting Time: 3 seconds. Mana: 10. Cooldown: 1 hour.]

    >>>>

    His eyes shone as he read this skills information.

    He tried using the first skill and a white light enveloped the couch they were sitting on.

    "Why did you use it here?" Lia frowned at his action.

    "Where should I use it then?" He asked with questioning eyes.

    "You could''ve set it in one of the rooms we have in the vi." She berated him.

    "Is there a problem if I set it here?" He asked in confusion.

    "What if I''m changing and you teleported here?" She asked with a beet-red face.

    He coughed and said while mimicking her tone from earlier, "What kind of question is that? Your body and soul are mine by thew of heaven as I''m your husband. Tell me if I''ll not see your ''enticing body'' then who will do?"

    *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*

    The punches fell on him after that for a pretty long time. His screams were heard by the guards and Yami below the stairs.

    After some time passed¡­

    She apanied him to the portal capsule in the castle. He acted like a good boy as if he learnt his lessons this time to never tease this demoness.

    They stood near the portal that was like a medicine capsule.

    "Come back as soon as possible or you know what will happen," Lia said to him with a threatening tone.

    "Yes, your highness. I''ll remember that." He said politely fearing she would beat him for another half hour before he leave.

    "Good." She smiled.

    "Does my lord have any other orders?" He said while putting his hands on his chest and bowing.

    "Take care of yourself and don''t let them find out who you''re," She said with worried eyes.

    "Okay, I''ll go now then. See youter." He said and started going towards the capsule while waving his hand without turning back.

    ''Am I forgetting something?''

    He frowned while entering the portal capsule. He was forgetting something but he was unable to remember.

    ''What am I forgetting? What am I forgetting?''

    He tapped his watch that rang with some notification sounds and synced with the portal as its door closed.

    Lia''s eyes were filled with sorrow as she saw the capsule door closed.

    However, it opened again making a sound of capsule door opening and a figure came out.

    Her eyes widened as she saw the scene in front of her.

 Chapter 26 Rio Havenglow Is Alive

    A crimson-haired boy ran toward her before stopping in front of her and said "I forgot something."

    "What?" She asked with a puzzled face.

    She saw his faceing closer to hers which caused her heartbeat to beat faster. She closed her eyes as he kept getting closer.

    A hand wrapped around her alluring body as she found herself enveloped in a warm embrace. She could feel his hot breath on her neck as he hugged her.

    Rio hugged her as it filled both their body and mind with serenity. They were both resonating with a moment of bliss.

    They stayed like that for a few seconds as if not wanting to part away before a whisper sounded in Lia''s ears.

    "This." Saying that he ran back towards the capsule before closing the door.

    ? Lia was frozen happy in her ce while she looked dazed.

    She never thought he would be courageous enough to do this although she wanted to do the same but it was a man''s duty to take the charge even in her world.

    A few secondster, the capsule opened and there was nobody inside.

    Lia sighed and started walking towards the vi which now felt empty without that human boy who had be an important part of her life.

    ***

    Blinding white light faded, and he was in front of a silver-painted door.

    The feeling of getting teleported made him feel a little nauseous. He couldn''t get used to it while using it only twice.

    The Portal capsule door opened and he walked out of the portal.

    The two guards at the entrance of the gate were different from the ones he saw when he first used the portal.

    He walked out of the portal room and saw it was night outside.

    ''No wonder guards are different. It''s nighttime here. I should report first to the school office about my return.''

    The Moonlight glittered on his silhouette as he started walking towards the school office.

    The school campus was expanded into an enormous area. The Portal capsule was situated at the entrance of the school gate but it was inside the campus.

    There were trees on both sides of the path he was following. The school office was the first building on the left side. Behind it was a dormitory and on the right side was a shopping area.

    He could see senior year students and teachers leaving and entering the shopping area.

    He ignored them and went straight to his destination.

    In the office, there was a scrawny middle-aged man working on aputer.

    His eyes moved towards Rio and he raised his eyebrows seeing an unfamiliar person at thete houring to the office.

    The crimson-haired boy looked to be a first-second-year student by his appearance. Since he never saw this boying to the office. He guessed that he was either from another school or a new student.

    "I came to report about my shelter in thend of asura," Rio said.

    "Isn''t it toote? What were you doing for so long?" The middle-aged man asked.

    "I was teleported to an unupied shelter. It was surrounded by a snowy mountain. I went to look for ces around the shelter but then when I came back I saw a beast near the portal. I hid in the storage room and waited for the beast to leave but it didn''t leave until today." He said with a bittersweet smile and scratched the back of his head.

    "Where did you find the food?" The middle-aged man asked with a doubtful gaze.

    "Storage room had an emergency food supply. Due to the shelter being located on a snowy mountain, food didn''t spoil much and it was edible." He said with a nonchnt voice.

    The middle-aged man felt pity for him. He said, "It was unfortunate, kid. At least you weren''t teleported to Asuras and you came back alive. There are still 11 students missing who didn''te back. Show me your student ID so I can update your information in the school database."

    ''Who said I wasn''t teleported to the Asuras? Oh, wait¡­ where is my student ID?''

    Rio patted both of his pant side pockets hurriedly to see if they were still there.

    "Found it, it''s here." He delighted inwardly and took out from the left one.

    He saw they had marks of being washed in water but the school ID was made of waterproof material so it wasn''t ruined.

    "Here," He showed it to the middle-aged man while thinking "It probably got washed along with my clothes when Lia made me bathe for the first time."

    The middle-aged man''s face changed after reading the surname on the school ID.

    "I updated your information in the school database." He said it while hiding his surprised expression from the boy.

    "Okay, thanks. I''ll go now." Saying that Rio started moving towards the door to leave.

    The middle-aged man dialed a number after confirming Rio left the ce and couldn''t hear him.

    After a few seconds, someone received his phone call.

    The middle-aged man spoke, "Inform the Madame, Rio Havenglow is alive and he has returned."

    ***

 Chapter 27 You Know My Parents?

    As the school database got updated, news of Rio''sing back reached people who were waiting for his arrival or were worried about him.

    A gray-haired middle-aged man in one of the rooms on the top floor of the teacher''s living quarters was preparing a report for the new ss that was going to start in two days.

    *Ding!*

    His phone rang to show the notification that he received a message.

    He looked at his phone screen and a mixed expression of astonishment and happiness shed on his face.

    "Oh¡­ he finally came back." The school headmaster sighed in relief.

    In one of the buildings at the Grand Dew Garden, the VIP Quarter for special students in Rio''s school, a Magenta haireddy who looked to be 17-18, saw her phone and smiled at the notification.

    "Oh boy, you made thisdy wait for you so long." A mysterious smile formed on her face.

    In a Luxurious room, A blue-haired woman in her mid-30s was looking at a picture of another youngdy. The blue-haired woman''s face looked sorrowful.

    The youngdy in the picture resembled the blue-haired woman but she was prettier and her eyes gave an aura of tranquility. She looked more mature even when she appeared younger in the photo as if she had faced many hardships and battles at a very young age.

    A notification rang beside her and she checked the phone screen.

    "Little Rio is back." she cheerfully said in a loving voice as a delightful and vibrant expression took over her previous saddened face.

    She hurriedly stood up and took her overcoat to leave the room.

    Rio, who wasn''t aware of all of this event, caused by the effect of arrival, was freely moving towards the entrance of the gate.

    "I should rent a room for tonight. It''s bad to disturb the Havenglow familyte at night. I might feel morefortable at a hotel than at their house." He thought to himself as his footsteps reached the entrance.

    It was 10 at the night and the road was lit with street lights.

    A stylish red racing car came rushing in his direction.

    Before He could take a step to the side to give it a way to pass, it stopped in front of him.

    The car door opened upwards in a stylish manner and a blue-haireddy came out of it.

    Her blue hair wasing down to her waist which was tied with a white ribbon near the neck of her neck. She was wearing an overcoat and a casual dress which indicated she didn''t prepare much before rushing out to reach this ce.

    Rio was dumbfounded seeing thisdye out of the blue.

    Before his mind could respond to her sudden arrival, she moved toward him and took him in a warm embrace.

    "Little Rio, I shouldn''t have let you go to thend of Asura. Do you have any idea how worried I was?" She said with a sorrowful voice.

    As if remembering something, she let him go of her hug and started inspecting his face and body, "Are you alright? Did you get hurt anywhere?"

    "Why are you showing so much care?" Rio rudely asked her with a stiff voice.

    "Who talks to their mother this way? If I do not care about you then who will?" She looked at him with eyes full of warmth.

    "I''m not your child and you adopted me two months ago. It doesn''t make sense for you to show care for a nobody out of nowhere. Even if you were my real parents, I would''ve talked to you the same way." Rio said coldly.

    She looked at him with widened eyes as if she couldn''t understand why he hated those two people so much.

    "They abandoned me as if I was trash. I don''t understand why people n a child if they don''t have the guts to take care of the child''s responsibility." He spoke with a darkened face as a me of grievance fluttered inside his heart.

    ''He isn''t wrong but¡­''

    After hearing these words she understood him. She can''t me him for how he grew up all alone.

    No one should be devoid of their loved one when they are little. When he used to see other parents his eyes always got moist. People had other rtions besides parents.

    Those without their mother and father had siblings or grandparents but he had an old man who had adopted him. Even the old man passed away an old age after which Rio''s life became hell.

    When he was sick, he had no one to take care of him or feed him. He stayed hungry or dragged his poor body to the hospital in the worst-case scenario on his own.

    He continued with a bitter voice, "Even if you were my real mother and found me out of nowhere I would still question you why you are showing so much care all of a sudden as if realizing you have a child after 16 years."

    She quietly looked at him and her expression showed hesitation.

    ''Should I tell him who his parents are? But it will be a problem if others find out. Father might kick him out of the family knowing his birth parents'' identity as it will remind him of the man he hates the most.''

    "Rio... I won''t tell you who your parents were but  I''ll tell you about them so you don''t hate those two." She struggled so much but finally decided to reveal enough so he doesn''t hate them.

    "You know my parents?" As if someone blew andmine under his foot, he was shaken to the core hearing her words.

    He grabbed her by both shoulders, which came to his nose only despite wearing high heels. A fierce look of curiosity shone on his face.

    She nodded while her eyes became moist.

    Seeing her nod, his heartbeat became fast and he looked astonished while his eyes were staring at her to speak more to satisfy the thirst of his curiosity that he had for a long time.

 Chapter 28 Truth About His Parents

    He also wanted to know why they would leave a little child to grow on his own.

    After seeing the longing in his eyes for the answers, she decided to speak but she needed to leave as they were at the entrance of the school''s gate.

    "Get into the car, I''ll tell you but not here." She spoke in a loving tone.

    Rio let go of her shoulder and walked to the other side of the car. He opened the door and sat inside.

    The blue-haireddy sighed and went inside the car. She started the engine as it roared and burst out of the school periphery.

    She drove directly to the Maple Hills area which was owned by the Havenglow family. It passed through an empty road and entered a gate guarded by two security guards.

    The gate automatically opened as it was set up by artificial intelligence.

    Inside the gate, it resembled a garden. A beautiful fountain was located at the front of an enormous two-story house.

    The car suddenly came screeching to a halt in front of the house.

    A blue-haireddy came out of the car along with Rio and they entered the house.

    He hade here before but right now it waste at night so he couldn''t find anyone as they might be in their own room.

    The blue-haireddy took the stairs and went to her bedroom. Rio followed her inside even though he thought it wasn''t right but he wanted to know the answer.

    "Take a seat. I''ll prepare food for you. You haven''t eaten good food for a long time. Thankfully you found a storage room or I don''t want to even think what would''ve happened." She said with a worried voice after putting the overcoat on her bed.

    She knew what happened to him as she read the information on the school database.

    Rio ced his right hand in front of him to make her stop in her tracks.

    "Do you think I would want to eat in this state of mind? I want the answers first. Tell me how could they be so unreasonable and how could they abandon their child? Tell me who they are and where they live so I can ask them myself." He spoke and his voice shook. A grievance was flickering in his tone.

    The blue-haired woman looked into his eyes full of resentment.

    She said, "I will tell you but I have a condition."

    "What condition?" He frowned coldly.

    "I''ll only tell you enough so you don''t hate them but I''ll tell you about their identity if you get into the top 10 ranking in the next uing military school tournament. Do you agree?" She asked with a questioning voice.

    He gritted his teeth but he had no option, "Okay."

    "Oh, I forgot. I have one more condition, you have to call me the second mother," She said.

    "Okay, but it will depend on your rtionship with my parents and if I forgive them after knowing what you say." He contemted a little but agreed.

    He could see a concerned look in her eyes since he met her. He never understood her unreasonable love and why she adopted him but today he would get to know.

    "Rio, your parents didn''t abandon you. They are not selfish people who will do bad to their own blood and flesh. They didn''t do wrong to you. It was the fate of this world that caused it.

    Sixteen years ago, they were attacked by the dhovrix race and you were in your mother''s womb for nine months at that time. Your father went to face the enemy while you were about to be born. I wasn''t there with your parents when this all happened and I regret it so much.

    We received news that after you were born your mother sent you to a ce far away from the battleground so you could be saved and she fought alongside your father.

    However, they lost their lives in that fight. I tried to find you everywhere but it was as if you disappeared from thisnd.

    60 days ago, when you went to give a sample of your blood to get an AI watch, it matched DNA with your mother, and finally, I was able to find you." She exined with a sorrowful voice and her eyes were shedding tears as if the people she was telling about meant a lot to her.

    Rio, whose eyes were full of bitterness, now had red eyes. His face was decorated with the salty droplets from his moist eyes that came out on their own.

    He was crying for the people he med. But now he realized his mistake.

    "They died in order to save me and I med them my whole life." Saying that his buttocks collided with the floor as he sat there and tears flowed down his cheeks while his shoulder dropped in sadness.

    Seeing him sit on the ground, the blue-haireddy sat beside him and took him in her embrace.

    She caressed his hair like a mother and let him silently tear. Her heart ached to see him cry but she understood it was necessary to put down the heavy weight of emotions.

    They stayed in that position until Rio''s heart felt light from the mental pain that he released through the tears.

    Seeing him rxed she let go of him.

    He asked with his doubtful gaze, "What''s your rtionship with them?"

 Chapter 29 Second Mother

    "You can say I was closest to your mother." She twisted her words.

    "Still, why would a friend of my mother treat me like her own child." He looked at her with eyes filled with suspicion.

    "You''re her shadow, Rio. You are herst souvenir for me. And, your question, ''Why would a friend of your mother treat you like her own child?'' That''s because I don''t love you any less than my own child." She said with a loving tone.

    "Why is that?" He scrunched his eyebrows.

    "Get the top 10 ranking in the Military school Tournament next year and you will have your answers. You can think of me as your godmother. Now, go to your room and I''ll bring you some food then you can sleep." She flicked his forehead with a warm smile and stood up to go out of her room.

    He sat there for a little while then walked out of the room to go to the fourth room on the second floor. This was the room given to him by his second mother.

    He opened the door and went to lie down on his king-sized bed on the left side of the room. Moonlight was reflecting on the Windows sses which were behind the bed.

    The room was lit up with an AI smart bulb that would turn on and off by a meremand and it brightened the room very well. It also had the option to change the color of light and brightness.

    There was a desk and study table at the corner of the wall and afy blue couch with a round table on the right side of the room.

    There was a white reclining chair in a pod shape with a head-mounting device that would cover head to eyes. It was a VR pod but it was more expensive than the one Rio had seen on TVs.

    The bedroom had two rooms attached to it. One was a private portal capsule and the other was a bathroom.

    A private portal capsule would require an average person a fortune to afford and they might not be able to buy it even after working their whole life but it wasn''t a problem for a powerhouse like the Havenglow family.

    After 15 minutes, his door opened and his second mother entered the room.

    Behind her, was a maid, who followed along and looked to be in her twenties. Her brown hair came to her pale shoulder.

    Rio ignored her appearance and focused on the cart that she was pushing.

    Four bowls filled with food and two tes as well as silver utensils.

    "Nancy, ce them on the table near the couch." His second mother said.

    Nancy pushed the cart to the table and set up two tes with silver utensils.

    "Rio,e or it will get cold. I cooked it earlier so it''s still hot." The blue-haireddy said while taking a seat on the couch.

    Rio, who sat up on the bed by their sudden arrival, walked to the couch before asking, "Why are there two tes?"

    "Madame hasn''t had her dinner for three weeks since no news of yours came even after seven days. She was forced to have her morning meals by younger Miss Rose but Madame would still skip her dinner." Nancy blurted it out in a polite manner.

    Her Madame red at her to not speak what she shouldn''t but Rio was taken aback by what he heard.

    He didn''t say anything and sat beside her. He would only get his answer if he got top ten in the next year''s tournament.

    Nancy ced food on both of their tes and they started eating.

    "Food is delicious." He mumbled which caused a smile to bloom on his second mother''s face.

    After dinner, Nancy dragged the cart out of the room.

    The second mother and Rio were left in the room. She was waiting for Nancy to leave so she could talk to Rio alone.

    "There is something you need to know. It wasn''t me who arranged your engagement with N. It was my husband. He and N''s father are close friends but N''s mom had already arranged her engagement with her friend''s son.

    So when she found out that her husband arranged it with you, she berated him and he had no option but to break the engagement. It wasn''t because you have no innate talent. The media has the nature to twist the news to make it spicier.

    The Mailon Family can''t reveal this news to outsiders as they fear the Oldman of our family. They will carry out their engagement after a year by the time my father doesn''t value this matter much." His second mother exined.

    "No problem. I don''t really care about that marriage." He said with a mysterious smile.

    ''Does he already have someone he likes? That would be a big problem.''

    The second mother raised her eyebrows seeing his happy expression.

    "You must be tired from the struggle caused by that beast not letting youe back. Rest now, little Rio." She said in a loving voice and caressed his hair before kissing his forehead.

    "I''m not a child." Heined as she kissed his forehead like a little child.

    Although heined Rio''s heart felt warm as he saw her affectionate actions and motherly love in her eyes.

    "You will remain a little child for me even after you have kids of your own age." She teased him onest time before leaving and closing the door behind her.

    He was speechless but probably that''s how his real mother would also do. So he gave up and epted it.

    Rioid down on his bed and thought about the things that have happened since he returned.

    He wasn''t able to sleep as he slept in thend of asura and it was still day there.

    He closed his eyes and tried resting. He could hear his heartbeat and breathing.

    ''I can finally sleep on afortable bed but I don''t know why I''m missing that couch.''

    Heined inwardly.

    "Rio¡­" a familiar voice sounded.

    "Lia???" He jolted awake and sat up on the bed and looked around him.

 Chapter 30 Youre Not My Brother

    He didn''t find anyone around him and astonishment engulfed him as he realized the voice sounded in his mind.

    "This telepathy even works here?" He asked back.

    "What do you take heaven''s blessing for? Of course, it would work." She responded back.

    He was dazed and asked with a grin "Are you already missing your sexy husband?"

    "Are you missing bonking your head by your loving wifey?" She teased him.

    "Don''t remind me of that. My shoulders are still aching." Heined.

    "Did anyone doubt your story about not being able toe back for almost a month?" Lia asked in a worried voice and change the topic. She was thinking about it since he left via the portal.

    "I don''t think they doubt it. My story doesn''t have a loophole but my second mother wouldn''t allow me to return any time soon since that beast mighte back to trap me or harm me.

    I''ll have to find another portal capsule that doesn''t inform others that I went to thend of asura. There is one in my room right now but it would be a problem if my adopted family find out that I disappeared from my room." Rio exined.

    "How will you return then?" She asked with a saddened voice.

    "My sses are starting in two days then I''ll try to look for a way to find a portal capsule. Buying a new private capsule portal and setting up in a rented room is better but I don''t have that much money." Rio said with a bittersweet smile via telepathy.

    He didn''t hear her response after he said that it wasn''t possible toe back.

    "Don''t worry. Worst case scenario I''ll juste via the school''s portal capsule and return in a few days to tell them I found a new shelter or maybe the beast died." He spoke with a determined voice hoping Lia would speak again.

    "Who is this second mother?" Her questioning voice asked him what he wanted to hear.

    "Oh¡­ She is someone rted to my real parents." Rio started telling her all the incidents from start to finish including the matter of the Mailon family and his engagement with N that were broken because of her mother.

    They talked for hours until Lia sent him to sleep so he wouldn''t feel tired for the next day.

    ***

    Morning arrived with a nostalgic event as a ss of water was poured on his face and he hurriedly opened his eyes toin to Lia.

    But realization drowned him as he remembered he was no longer in thend of asura.

    A girl who looked to be 14-15 was standing near his bed with an empty ss.

    Her shoulder-length blue hair was tied behind with a pink ribbon. She looked a lot like his second mother. Her face was like a doll and her eyes looked mischievous as if she would cause trouble.

    She was 165 cm tall, which made her shorter than both her mother and her adopted brother.

    "Wake up. Mom wants you to go down for breakfast." She said with an annoyed voice.

    "Can''t you wake me up like a good little sister?" Heined.

    "I would but you''re not my brother. And I don''t like you even a little bit. My hatred for you soared because Mom didn''t eat because of you. I wish you were captured by the asuras or killed by that beast." She said with bitterness in her voice and eyes full of hatred.

    Rio clenched his fist hearing her words but he didn''t say anything. He would''ve talked back and berated her if his second mother didn''t show him motherly affectionst night.

    ''She is just a child.''

    He was now burdened by her love and forgave this little girl.

    She walked out of the room and Rio went to the bathroom to wash up.

    After five minutes, he went downstairs and found his second mother and her daughter waiting for him.

    "Rio,e sit here." She beckoned him and patted the chair beside her.

    The girl beside her gave him a hateful re as he walked to them and sat on the left side of the blue-haireddy. The second mother was sitting in the middle of both children.

    Nancy proceeded to serve them food and they started eating.

    "When will Big sistere back?" His sister asked.

    Rio knew it wasn''t a question directed to him so he kept eating his food.

    "Lily is busy with your grandfather at the shelter. They might not return anytime soon. Don''t worry, Rose. Next year, you will turn sixteen and you can go to thend of asura." She said to her daughter.

    They were done eating as Nancy cleaned the table. Rose also left the house as she finished her meal.

    The second mother''s green handbag was on herp. She brought out two things from the little bag and put them on the table.

    One was a rectangr golden card with a tag "Grand Dew Garden" of his school ID''s size. Another was a cell phone the size of his palm.

    "This is the ess card to your apartment at the Grand Dew Garden on the school campus. It will be tiresome for you toe back home every day. It will save you time and energy." She moved the VIP card towards him after saying these words.

    Rio hesitated but then took it and inspected the card. It was covered with a gold-ted cover.

    "Keep this phone as you don''t have one. I have saved my number, Rose''s number, and Nancy''s number. If you need anything or face any problem just inform any one of us." She took the phone and handed it to him.

    "Thank you." He said with a gratitude-filled smile.

    "Don''t show formalities between us. You''re not a stranger." She said and caressed his hair.

    "My sses will be starting soon. Can I return today?" He asked her as he thought it would be better to go back and find another portal capsule.

    "You can return today if you want but I would be happy if you stayed with us until school starts" She showed her reluctance and said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

 Chapter 31 First Day Of The Class

    "Okay¡­ I''ll stay then." He didn''t want to make her sad and it was only two days so he agreed to stay.

    "Tell me what your shelter terrains look like. I''ll send people to locate it so we can evacuate you to our shelter." She said in a nonchnt voice

    Rio exined a structure of shelter that he built up in his mind.

    She made a phone call and asked someone to look for his shelter''s location.

    Two days passed as usual. The second mother woulde to talk to him and they would eat together along with Rose.

    He talked to Lia when night enveloped thisnd and Rose woke him up in the morning with the same method she used for the first time.

    ***

    The red racing car roared and it burst towards the school gate. Students'' and teachers'' attention was focused on the car as it entered the gate. It followed the road towards therge teaching building and suddenly came to a stop.

    There were a lot of students as the ss started today for the first year.

    They were wearing casual new dresses which showed they all wanted to give a good expression for their first ss to their teachers and fellow ssmates. It also showed that a formal school dress wasn''t suggested except for special days like the first day of school.

    They were entering the teaching building but when they heard themotion they turned back to look at the car that arrived.

    It was known that even the headmaster wasn''t allowed to drive their vehicle inside the campus and stop directly in front of the teaching building.

    There was a parking lot made for keeping vehicles of students and teachers.

    A beautifuldy with blue hair came out of the car along with a crimson-haired boy.

    "Look, she is Aliyah Havenglow. She looks simr to one of the hero statues in the School''s Monument Building"

    "Don''t you know she is the younger sister of Amirah Havenglow?"

    "Are you talking about the female hero who destroyed the Dhovrix race in thest battle?"

    "Are there any other Amirah Havenglow then?"

    "Who is that boy with her?"

    "He is the adopted son of the Havenglow family. I don''t understand why he is so lucky to be adopted by one of the strongest families."

    "The one whose engagement was broken by the Mailon family because he had no innate talent?"

    "Yeah."

    "Then how did he get admission in this school where they don''t ept anyone with an innate talent below C rank?"

    "Don''t you see who is standing beside him?"

    "Yeah, I get it now."

    Students murmured to themselves as the duo came out of the car.

    "Do you want me to call the headmaster to help you with your first day of the new ss?" Aliyah said like a doting mother.

    "No¡­ you shouldn''t disturb the headmaster for little things." He gulped nervously as he heard thisdy talking about making the headmaster do the tutorial for him.

    "Okay, if little Rio feels shy then I won''t. Don''t forget to call me if you need anything." As if she read his mind she answered him.

    She hugged him in a dotting manner as if her child was going to a faraway ce and won''t meet her anytime.

    He felt embarrassed as the students were looking at them.

    Students had their jaws almost touching the ground as they didn''t expect an adopted child to be treated like the real one. Even most students'' real mothers wouldn''t show such love and affection for them in public.

    She went back inside the car and the engine roared. It burst out of the campus and sped away into the distance.

    Rio sighed in relief after she left. He was worried she would embarrass him more by treating him like a little child.

    He was in front of the teaching building, which was expanded by 100 meters alone.

    There were three floors as it was a three-story building. The first floor was for the first year, the second for the second year, and the third one was for the third year.

    There were many windows on the building''s front. At the top of the building, there was a big board with the title tag "Golden Seal Military School".

    There were four sections each year and Rio was in Section A.

    He moved towards the entrance of the first floor ignoring the crowd who were giving him looks of astonishment and contempt. He passed through the door and looked around to find his ssroom.

    He saw stairs that led to a higher floor along with an elevator at the end of the building to go to the second floor.

    He saw a ssroom with a sign board for section D on the right side so he turned around to the left side where he found his ssroom in section A.

    ''Found it.''

    He walked towards his ssroom along with a few students who were already inside the building.

    The inside of the ssroom was not like what he imagined. It was three times bigger than the ssroom at his previous high school and this room was cylindrical.

    There were seats for students to sit in the center but around the rounded wall, there were many VR pods with reclining chairs.

    They didn''t look as expensive as the one Rio had in his bedroom at Havenglow''s house.

    Rio saw a few students were already in their seats busy talking to each other to get along on their first day of the ss.

    He didn''t recognize any of them so he went to sit on thest seat to avoid their gaze.

    After 15 minutes passed, all the students, which were fifty in number, had already taken their seats.

    A figure in a green dress entered the ss. She was an enchanting youngdy with brown hair and brown eyes that were filled with a proud look.

    She was not wearing a revealing dress but it was unable to hide her alluring body curves, especially her busty chest. She looked to be in herte twenties and her height was around 175 cm which made her taller than all the females present in the ss.

    "Hello, Students. I''m Milena West, your new ss teacher. I''ll be handling the training sses as well as the theory sses you receive. Although there are two teachers normally assigned to two different subjects, your circumstances are special.

    In our ss, we have three kids from the seven silver sword families of the federation. So I was specially assigned for this ss." Milena said and looked at the students who were looking in the direction of two girls who were sitting in the front row in different seats.

    Some of the students even turned around to look at Rio and whispered among themselves.

    Seven Silver Swords of the Federation included the Havenglow and Mailon families. These families had at least one person at the Silver stage, which made them listed in the seven silver swords of the federation.

    She continued, "Every Monday will be a theory ss of one hour which you cannot skip unless you''re stuck in thend of asura or have some emergency. Tuesday and Wednesday will bebat training where you will fight against beasts and bosses using your skills in the VR pod. The timing will depend on how much time you need to kill a beast at the yellow stage.

    It''s an artificially designed virtual world to prepare you guys against the dangers in thend of asuras. Killing a normal yellow rank beast will give you one point. If you have Twenty points then you don''t need to attend the ss. It will reset on the first day of every new month."

    Most students were aware of the pattern of sses at the school. But there were some students who didn''t know and Rio was one of them.

 Chapter 32 Nyla Mailon, Your Ex-Fiance

    "I''ll start with your first ss with the basics. There are five stages among humans'' roots and beasts'' cores. Yellow, Purple, ck, Red, and Silver.

    Many of you may have already formed a root after absorbing your first yellow stage core. We, humans, ascend the stage of our roots by absorbing the cores we receive from killing a beast. You also get a beast soul when you kill these beasts.

    A person at the yellow stage cannot absorb a core from a beast of the purple stage or get a beast soul of a higher stage than themselves. If you have any questions you can ask me now." She exined about the roots and cores.

    "She didn''t mention the white stage and golden stage like Emperor Dyan told me. It seems like Humans haven''t faced golden stage beasts yet." Rio thought inwardly.

    A student asked "Teacher, if absorbing a core helps us ascend our core then why there aren''t any shops for these cores and beast souls in our world? That way someone at the ck stage could easily farm cores of lower stages. We could buy these cores to ascend our roots."

    A few students who knew the answer to his questionughed.

    "There are two reasons. First is that these beast cores only stay for one hour and they vanish. The Second reason is that the portal capsule doesn''t let us carry things from thend of Asura to our world.

    For beast souls, it can not be transferred outside thend of asura. Whenever you try transferring these beast souls on earth they self-destruct. Nobody is able to find the reason why.

    Since we are talking about this topic, I want to clear you one more thing. If you try to carry any high-end devices, metals, or powerful weapons to thend of asura, it will self-destruct as well while the white light envelops you in the portal.

    It is one of the reasons why we cannot use our advanced invented weapons of earth on these beasts from thend of asura." Milena exined with a stiff voice.

    Her ss continued for an hour then she left the ss and let students go for the day.

    Rio walked out of the teaching building and took a path that led to the north direction where Grand Dew Garden was. It was in the northeast of the school campus beside the Teachers'' Quarter building.

    "Hey hey¡­ stop¡­"

    A figure suddenly came in front of him and stopped him in his tracks.

    Rio was taken aback as she suddenly came on his way. But he was even more surprised by her beauty. She wasn''t as beautiful as Lia but she could rival Helia easily.

    Her red bouffant dress was blooming her ravishing beauty. Her doll-like face was blossomed by a bright smile that was apanied by her cherry-like red lips and green eyes that were beautiful as the glittering stars.

    Her mid-back length hair which was Magenta in color fell down on her shapely twin peaks that were a little revealing due to her red dress.

    She was giving off an aura of a happy, easy-going person with whom you will never be bored.

    "Why?" He asked after understanding the situation. Her beauty could have made him dazed but he was used to being with Lia so it was not a big deal for him anymore.

    "I''m N, Your ex-fiance. I need to talk to you alone. Can we have a coffee together so We can talk?" She said in a requesting way.

    He felt a little bad as he found out this was the girl whose father rejected him.

    "Sorry, I''m busy and I don''t wanna talk to you." Saying that he started moving away.

    She came again in front of him and said "Just ten minutes, please? I want to clear up some misunderstandings."

    ''What n is she fabricating?''

    He raised his eyes at her and agreed in the end, "Okay."

    "You seem to be going to the Grand Dew Garden. Let''s have our conversation at my ce then." She spoke with a cheerful voice.

    He wasn''t familiar with that ce so he followed her.

    They passed the teaching building area and went deeper into the campus in the north direction.

    There was a pond in the middle which was reflecting the blue sky on its surface. There were yellow flowers around the pond and also on the path that led to the right side.

    N walked towards the direction where colorful flowers were nted as if weing the people who entered.

    Rio could smell the floral aroma of flowers that were flowing around the moist air of the pond.

    A rxed smile blossomed on his face as he entered the Grand Dew Garden with N.

    There were five two-story buildings present at the Grand Dew Garden. They looked stylish and modern , built with big windows on the front.

    N walked to the First one near the pond. There was only one door to enter the building, which was on the very left side.

    She opened it with a gold-ted ess card simr to the one Rio received from his second mother.

    There was a narrow space in front of them. A stair was erected upwards and a door was ced on the right side of the wall.

    She said, "This stair will lead you to my apartment on the second floor. This door is for the empty first-floor apartment. I hope my sister doesn''t get into this building."

    "Why don''t you want your own sister to be your neighbor?" He asked with a doubtful voice.

 Chapter 33 Going To Her Apartment

    "Because she is a demon. You would''ve heard of the evil step-sister and stepmother stereotype, right?" She spoke with a hint of amusement in her voice.

    Rio understood what she meant as he was familiar with it from the stories he read in school.

    They took the stairs and went to the second floor.

    N unlocked the door to her apartment with the ess card and she entered.

    Rio hesitated to enter as it was a girl''s apartment. He wasn''t used to this kind of situation. He was feeling shy because N wasn''t even his wife like Lia.

    "Come inside¡­ don''t be shy, Rio. You were almost my half-husband." She sarcastically invited him as she saw his hesitation.

    He rolled his eyes at her and entered finally by the little push N gave him with her words.

    The Center of the hall had two couches opposite each other with a round table in the middle.

    On the left side was a rack in the wall with some kitchen utensils and a table in front of it with some cooking appliances.

    The right side had a window that showed the view of a pond with beautiful flowers outside.

    Behind the couch, there were two doors. One of the doors was open and showed the bedroom inside. There was a bed in his sight with a white bed sheet that had purple flower patterns. A teddy bear was ced near her purple pillow.

    There was a door at the end of the bedroom which was probably an attached bathroom. At the corner of the kitchen rack and bedroom, there was another door that reminded him of the portal capsule room in his room in Havenglow''s house.

    ''If I also have a simr room then my problem might be solved.''

    "Does everyone get a private portal capsule in their room?" He asked her.

    "Nah, only we at Grand Dew Garden have them. You will also have one in your apartment." She said with a nonchnt voice.

    "You should take a seat on the sofa. I''ll make coffee for us. Give me two minutes." She hovered her left half in front of her by folding all her fingers except the middle and index while her face kept a sweet smile which caused her eyes to take a crescent shape.

    ''If I didn''t meet Lia I might have been charmed by her elegance and cute gestures.''

    He took a seat on the couch while N went to the kitchen table on the left side.

    After two minutes, she brought a tray with some cookies and two cups of coffee.

    She sat on the couch opposite him before handed him a cup of coffee and cing the tray on the round table.

    She looked at Rio who was ring at her as if asking her to speak and not extending this meeting long.

    "Don''t look at me like that. I didn''t put anything funny in the coffee to cause you to go on many toilet trips. You can trust me." She said with a proud smile.

    He was speechless by her process of thought.

    "Ten minutes have passed long ago. Should I leave then if you''re done?" He said with a t tone.

    "What ten minutes, Twenty minutes. I''m your fellow schoolmate. Can''t you talk without remembering the grudges of the past?" She said in an apologetic tone but a smile was still on her face.

    He rubbed the middle of his forehead hearing her logic to be friendly with her.

    "Okay, don''t be impatient. At least drink that coffee I made for us. I''ll Start then." She indicated by moving her eyes to the cup in his hand.

    *Slurp!*

    He took a sip from the cup.

    ''It''s really good.''

    The coffee was creamy and sweet. It was perfectly made.

    "Engagement with you was arranged without my agreement and It was broken without my agreement as well. My stepmother doesn''t like me so she wants to send me away from the family as soon as possible.

    I was less worried when I heard dad arranged my marriage with you because I thought you would understand me more than the son of my stepmother''s best friend, who is a yboy.

    Her best friend wanted her son to be married to my stepmother''s daughter. So instead of Talia, who is her biological daughter, she wants to send me to marry her best friend''s yboy son." N exined in a sad voice.

    This was the first time since he met her when she was not being cheerful or happy. It was as if the glimmering full moon was going through an eclipse.

    "Why would I understand you?" He asked her in a nonchnt voice before taking a sip from the cup.

    "When I was born my mother passed away so my stepmother and step-sister told me from a small age that I killed my mother. Father doesn''t like me much either. Although he doesn''t say it on his face, he agrees with his wife and daughter.

    From my father''s side, my grandmother is the only one that loves me. Grandfather stays busy at the shelter and he likes Talia more because she is at the purple stage like me even though she is younger than me by a year." She spoke in a down voice as her gaze was looking down at the cup of coffee in her hand.

    "I''m sorry." He apologized as he heard about her sad past.

    "You don''t have to say sorry." She smiled and came out of the eclipse moment she was going through because of remembering the sad memories.

    He felt better seeing her happy face as it brightened the heart of people around her by just looking at that smile.

    "Are you still mad at me for breaking the engagement?" She asked him with a lower voice as if asking a child to forgive her.

    "Nope. It''s fine. I''ll leave then." He put the cup on the table and got ready to stand up.

    "Wait¡­ I haven''t finished the main topic." She said in a hurried voice which made him halt his action and made him stay on the couch.

    ? "What now?" He asked.

    "Please don''t get mad after what I''m going to ask you." She hesitated and calmed herself by taking a deep breath.

    He wondered what she wanted to say to him. He waited for her to speak.

    "Will you marry me, please?" She requested in a pleading voice while hands pressed together and palms touching each other with a slight bow.

    She dropped andmine that caused his mind to go into chaos, he was bbergasted.

    As If a hammer was struck on his head, he was shaken and was wondering if the girl had gone insane.

 Chapter 34 Ill Conquer You

    Her question made an awkward silence between them.

    "Please Rio." She asked while her hand was still in that gesture of hands pressed together and palms touching each other with a slight bow.

    Her words brought him back from the shocked phase he was going through.

    "But why?" He asked while narrowing his eyes at her.

    "I don''t want to marry that yboy." She said in a dissatisfied voice while her hand no longer maintained the requesting gesture.

    "Just marry the one you like. What''s the problem?" He asked with a puzzled face.

    "I won''t be able to marry another boy as you know how powerful my family is. They wouldn''t let me marry someone from a smaller family.

    Stepmother wouldn''t let me marry in other strong families as she can force dad to break the engagement with even the Havenglow family." She said with a bitter tone and tilted her head downwards to ce it on her open palms.

    "And why would she agree if you marry me?" A questioning look was painted on his face as he wasn''t able to understand her.

    She tilted her head upwards and said, "We were once about to be engaged so if we get married it will appear natural to the public and our family reputation won''t be ruined.

    Also, my stepmother or family won''t be able to do anything to you as you''re from the Havenglow family that all the other six silver swords families fear."

    He understood her logic and he might have thought to help her but he was already a married person. There was no chance he would associate with another woman behind Lia''s back.

    "Oh...I get it. But I can''t marry you. I hope you find another solution. Take care." He stood up to leave.

    "But Why?" She asked him with a saddened look.

    "You can''t just ask someone randomly to marry you because you don''t want to marry the person your family wants you.

    I have no connection with you so don''t involve me in your matters." He didn''t want to be rude but he really couldn''t marry her. It was better to be harsh with his words so she doesn''t chase him and give up here.

    "Rio¡­ can we be friends?" She asked although she didn''t hope he would agree as he was way too rude with his words just a few seconds ago. She still thought to try and ask him.

    But an unexpected answer came.

    "Okay¡­" He mumbled and realized something.

    "Technically, she would be my first friend. This word seems so foreign to me." He sighed inwardly.

    "Thanks¡­" She smiled cheerfully while her eyes flickered with a mischievous glint.

    ''One day I will conquer you, Rio Havenglow. I promise you will be mine.''

    She dressed in this manner and wore a little revealing dress for her bosom to charm him but her n failed. Not only Rio wasn''t seduced by her alluring body he didn''t even look at her like other boys would do.

    Other men would make her ufortable by staring at her body but this boy was totally different. She didn''t see a single hint of lust in his eyes.

    She was moved by his charming behavior as a gentleman.

    "Hopefully I can go now?" He asked her for permission this time as she made him stop a few times when he wanted to leave.

    "That''s so sweet of you. I wish to keep you here but will you stay?" She teased him.

    He shook his head and started going towards the door.

    N followed behind him while taking the cookies in her hand.

    "Rio¡­ you didn''t eat these." She handed him.

    He took it and asked, "Why are you following me?"

    "I''m your friend so I''m going to help you settle in your room." She said in a sweet manner while closing the door behind them.

    "Does a friend have to do that?" He frowned and ate the cookies she gave him while continuing to walk.

    "Show me your ess card then we can find your apartment." She asked while stopping at the outside of the first building they came out of.

    Rio took out his ess card and showed it to her.

    She took it from his hand and a smile blossomed on her face which caused Rio to shudder.

    "You''re not just my friend now." She said while entering the first building where her apartment was.

    "What do you mean and why are you going back without giving me my ess card to my apartment?" His voice sounded from behind. He followed her inside the building with a puzzled look.

    "You''re also my neighbor and your apartment is on the first floor." She spoke and opened the door of the apartment on the first floor.

    ''is this a coincidence?''

    Rio was surprised as he heard her saying they had an apartment in the same building.

    They entered the hall which was simr to N''s room.

    ''Why does it feel like those scenes from a TV series where couples enter their new house together.''

    Rio was relieved to see a door for the portal capsule at the corner of the room between the kitchen rack and bedroom.

    She went to open the bedroom door as if it was her own apartment. Rio followed behind her.

    A king-sized bed was ced without any mattress or nket. There was a study table to the side of the wall along with a window and a cupboard. There was also a VR pod simr to one he saw in the ssroom.

    "Why do we have VR pods in our room? Isn''t that very expensive to give to every student?" He asked her while pointing to the VR pod.

    "Our room?" She asked him with an amusing tone and her eyes were filled with mischief.

 Chapter 35 Our Room?

    "Our room?" She asked him with an amusing tone and her eyes were filled with mischief.

    "I didn''t mean that¡­ I mean you may also have one in your room and I have one here." He said hurriedly as he saw her misunderstanding him.

    "You know we can make your statement true¡­ But anyway¡­ VR pods are only for us special students who live in Grand Dew Garden. We can attend our battle training sses from our rooms. You only need to go for theory sses." She exined in a gentle manner.

    "I need to bring back my bags from the school office. The second mother told me she would send it there in an hour." Rio said to her as he saw the cupboard.

    "Okay¡­ let''s meet here in ten minutes." Saying that she left before Rio.

    He couldn''t understand this girl as he saw her going outside the building. He caught up to her.

    "Why meet again in ten minutes?" He asked her as he walked alongside her.

    "Why are you reluctant to meet your sweet friend? It''s a bad habit, Rio." She said in a sarcastic tone thinking he would understand her sarcasm.

    He scratched his head awkwardly as he thought it might be wrong between friends.

    She found it amusing as she saw his reaction.

    They walked together to the school building while N showed him ces and introduced them to him.

    She went towards the shopping area on the right side while Rio entered the office building.

    After ten minutes¡­ he was back in his apartment and N followed behind him.

    He ced the bag near the cupboard and asked "What now?"

    "Let''s wait a few minutes and you will know." She said in a mysterious voice.

    She moved towards the cupboard and opened it.

    She started unpacking his stuff and cing them in the cupboard.

    Rio shook his head looking at her action and went to check the portal capsule.

    He opened the door at the corner of the kitchen table and bedroom door.

    He went inside and found there was nothing inside but it was simr to the portal capsule at the school gate.

    He tapped his watch that rang with some notification sounds and synced with the portal as its door closed.

    A text appeared on the screen of the AI watch with the letters, "Teleport."

    ''Oh¡­ this works the same way¡­''

    He didn''t take the next step and proceeded to open the door of the portal capsule toe out with a happy look.

    However, he remembered something and ran towards his bedroom. What he saw made his face turn red.

    N was almost done with setting up his cupboard but she was currently putting his underwear inside.

    She turned around and saw his beet-red face.

    "What happened?" She asked as if not knowing the reason.

    "Nothing¡­" He didn''t say it as it was embarrassing to talk about it.

    N ced his empty bag in the cupboard as well and closed it.

    *Ding-Dong!*

    A bell rang in the room which indicated

    That someone was at the door.

    "Finally, it has arrived. Let''s get it." She said and moved towards the door of the hall.

    "What arrived?" He asked her with questioning eyes and followed behind her.

    She opened the door and there were two boys at the door in staff costumes. They were carrying something rectangr.

    "Carry it inside and ce them in the bedroom." N beckoned them.

    They followed her instructions and went to the bedroom. They unpacked the package.

    It was a ck mattress, a white bedsheet with purple flower patterns, and a purple pillow simr to the one N had in her room.

    N instructed them to ce the mattress on the bed after which they left.

    Rio was watching from the side with a dazed look.

    "Why do I feel like I''m in your bedroom and it''s not mine anymore?" He mumbled.

    "Who says mine and yours between friends?" She shook her head.

    She ced the bedsheet on the bed and put the pillow at the head of the bed.

    "It''s all done. If you want to have a drink, or coffee or need help you can just call me on my phone and check If I''m in school. If I don''t respond, it means I''m in thend of asura." She said to him in a nonchnt voice.

    "Thanks." He said with a smile.

    "You''re wee. Now give me your phone." She asked him while hovering her palm in front of him.

    He took out his phone and gave it to her.

    She dialed a number and saved it with her name before returning it back to him.

    She took out her phone which had a missed call from his number. She saved it with his name and a heart emoji beside it which she didn''t let Rio see.

    "All done." She handed him the phone.

    "I will go now¡­ see you tomorrow, Rio¡­" She walked out of the room without waiting for his reply.

    "I want to ask why we need to meet again tomorrow but then she would say it''s bad manners between friends." He sighed inwardly and closed the door in the hall.

    *Ding!*

    His phone screen shed as a message arrived and caused him to look at it.

 Chapter 36 Then I Want This Nobody

    [Hey wanna have lunch together?]

    It was not even two minutes and she sent him a text message.

    Rio read her name on the phone screen which was saved as ''N'' with a heart emoji.

    ''I won''t be able to understand these girls.''

    He typed a text and sent her.

    [Okay, sure.]

    It was going to be lunchtime soon so he thought it''s better to go with her as he wasn''t familiar with the school campus.

    *Ding!*

    [Meet me near the office building.]

    He read her replied text and left the room to meet her as she asked.

    The second mother had told him that he could use his phone to pay the money if he bought anything at school so he didn''t forget to take it with him.

    He used the app to login into his bank ount where he had money he inherited from his grandfather.

    Even though his second mother opened a separate bank ount for him where she sent funds every month, he didn''t want to use Havenglow''s money.

    There were two reasons. First, because he didn''t need it. Second, he didn''t want to take favors from the Havenglow Family. It would be different if it was only the second mother who gave him her own money but she was giving Rio money from their family business.

    ''What if theye to kill Lia in the future? What if tomorrow they turn out to be people who killed my parents?''

    He hadn''t seen tomorrow or the future so he didn''t want to feel a burden if a day came when he had to fight them putting his life on the line.

    Cloud was covering the sun as it was around noon. There were students walking around the campus.

    He found N waiting for him near the office building.

    She was carrying a purple hobo bag which wasn''t with her in the morning.

    "Let''s go¡­ I''ve booked a private room in the restaurant." She said in a cheerful voice.

    "Okay¡­" He walked alongside her.

    They went to the shopping area that was inside the campus on the right side of the office building.

    It was crowded right now as other students were also going to the school canteen which was part of the shopping site.

    There were many buildings in the shopping area but the one N took him to was a three-story building. The restaurant had a board with the tag "Star Melting Pot Restaurant". The building was painted blue as it appeared elegant and stood out among other buildings.

    They went to the third floor, as the first and second floors were for the general public and private rooms were on the third floor.

    There were eight chambers made on the third floor and each one of them was not visible from the outside.

    She went to the third chamber along with him. Inside, there were twofortable green chairs with a big table in the middle. There was a ss window near the table that was showing the blue sky outside.

    N and Rio sat opposite each other and she took one of the menus from the table.

    It was like a smartphone with a big screen. You just had to select the food you wanted to eat from the different categories as there were pictures and descriptions of each of them.

    "Pick what you wanna eat¡­ Today''s lunch will be on my ount." She said while opening the menu.

    "Order the food for two people you will choose for yourself and I''ll pay for my food." He refused her offer.

    "Who says ''I''ll pay for my food'' between friends? You can just take me out for dinner next time." She urged him with an adorable smile. Inviting the naive prey into her honey trap.

    She even nned a dinner with him just because he refused to take her offer for eating on her money.

    He didn''t say anything and waited for her to pick. She took his silence as a ''Yes'' for dinner next time.

    After five minutes, their food arrived.

    "Tomorrow will be my first battle training ss." He said to her while they were eating.

    "Are you nervous?" She paused to look at him.

    "Nah¡­ I just haven''t used a VR pod before." He said with a bittersweet smile.

    "That''s not a problem. Let''s finish lunch and I''ll give you a demo of the VR pod." She said in an excited voice.

    "Have you met your fiance?" He was wondering about the fiance she was talking to him about earlier.

    "Not after the engagement has fixed but before the engagement was decided I used to see Ruben in the Land of asura and even when he came to our house with his mother," N said with a hint of bitterness in her voice.

    "Are they strong?" He asked.

    "Nah, They are not as strong as our family. Astor family only owns one red-stage shelter in thend of asura. They don''t have a silver stage in their family like the seven silver sword families. This is one of the reasons they want to pull the Mailon family''s daughter to their side so they can use the free ride from a higher level family." She exined.

    ''Why am I getting bad premonitions from just hearing this name?''

    "Red-stage shelter, Astor family" Rio mumbled this name and engraved it in his memory. He felt an intuition that it mighte in handy in the future.

    "I really don''t like that Ruben. Recently, I got a call from him but I didn''t receive it. His family also lives in Veras city so I don''t like going back home even when I want to go to my grandmother." N said in an annoyed voice.

    "What are his age and innate talent rank?" He asked with a stiff voice.

    "He is 21, B innate talent rank and Purple stage. Dad was saying he will help him reach the ck stage before my engagement with him." She looked downhearted.

    "Such a talented fellow you have for your fiance. He might change after you marry him. They say love can change a person. I believe you can change him with your love and care." He spoke with an envious tone. Not because he was her fiance but because he had innate talent and a family who adored him. Unlike others, he had neither of them.

    "If love can really change a person then I would want to melt your heart. Instead of wasting my life with him, I would rather wait for you." N said with a happy tone.

    "He is more talented than me. I don''t even have innate talent and You don''t know when the Havenglow family would kick me out. I''m nobody." He said emotionlessly.

    N stood up and looked into his eyes as if thinking something. Rio was taken aback seeing her stand all of a sudden after he berated himself.

    "What''s she nning now" He thought inwardly and stared into her eyes which were gazing at him.

    ''Don''t fool me, Rio. I know you''re saying these things so I lose interest in you but I won''t give up.''

    She leaned to Rio''s side slowly, which caused Rio''s heart to be unstable. She passed his lips and came closer to his ear.

    ''Is she a vampire or somethinging this closer?''

    He could feel her hot breath on his skin.

    "Then I want this nobody," N whispered in a coquettish voice and sat back in her seat as a sweet smile bloomed on her face.

 Chapter 37 Youre Slaying This Young Ladys Heart

    He didn''t reply to her and focused on his food.

    They finished their meal and N paid the bill using a card she had in her purple hobo bag.

    They came to Rio''s apartment and went to his bedroom where the VR pod was.

    She fixed her clothes and hair as if preparing for something grand. She cleared her throat with an "Ahem" and turned her eyes towards Rio.

    "Military schools and the outside world y a popr game ''Kingdom of Beast.'' This game lets you fight different ranked beasts people have encountered in thend of asuras.

    It even has Boss mode which lets you fight some beast''s Bosses from each stage that you can''t find in thend of asura. There is also an open arena for dual and team matches. But this game has no use except for school sses, tournaments, and sharpening your battle skills.

    This VR helmet you see, can record all attributes of your body. Anything you do in the real world with your skills you can do in the game.

    The only downside is that it can''t record your abilities and attributes to the master server. It gets deleted when you put the VR helmet down." She exined about the VR pod that was in front of them.

    She said, "Go put it on your head, I''ll guide you."

    Rio moved towards the pod andy on the white reclining chair. He put on the head-mounting device that covered his eyes, which was the VR helmet.

    "Press the start button and the login screen wille up. You need to make an ount using your AI watch as it will automatically sync when you select ''Create an ount.''

    This will send you to the character creation menu. There, you can modify your avatar and set an in-game name. Then you''re ready to go for the next step" her sweet voice sounded beside him.

    He touched the start button on the helmet and his AI watch shed. An AI voice sounded in his mind.

    [You are now connected to the VR Helmet.]

    Option with the "Create an ount" title floated in front of his vision. He selected it with a thought.

    He saw many colorful parallel-lines like light running in front of him and the next second he was in a white room.

    His body was disyed in front of him. There was an option to modify the height, skin tone, hairstyle, hair color, tattoos, and armor.

    Rio just took a preset battle armor that was fully ck and a white mask that hid his facepletely. It had blue stripes going from above the eyes to down below the jaw which made it look quite stylish.

    After picking what he wanted, he selected "Confirm."

    A message appeared in front of him.

    [Select a Name]

    He typed "Rio."

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    ''What should I pick? Maybe RedHairHero?''

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    ''That is also not avable. Okay, let''s hope this works.''

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    [Not Avable. Try again.]

    [Your username has been set to EastWind]

    After failing continuously to find a name he wanted he finally saw the message that released him from his annoyance.

    ''East Wind'' had many meanings but Rio knew two of them. First was the Destruction of the wicked. The second one was a frightening force that set down waste to all in its way as It hunts down the unworthy and plucks them from their root.

    "Finally this is done¡­ it was unexpected for nobody to pick this unique name." Rio sighed in relief as the name got epted in the character creation menu.

    He was transported to another empty room with white walls after those colorful parallel-line light animations happened in front of him.

    There were different options floating on the sides but he decided to inform N first.

    "I created a character." He spoke to N as he walked around the empty room in the VR game.

    "What''s your username in the game?" She asked in a curious voice.

    "EastWind without space" He mumbled.

    "Okay, wait here. I''ll go to my room and log in. I''ll send you a friend request so don''t forget to ept it." She said and walked out of the room at a fast pace without waiting for his reply.

    After 2 minutes, a notification came and a message appeared in front of Rio while he was waiting in the empty room.

    <<<<

    [One New Friend Request]

    [PurpleFairy wants to be your friend]

    [ept/Decline]

    >>>>

    ''Is purple her favorite?''

    He selected ''ept'' as he guessed who it could be.

    <<<<

    [You are now friends with PurpleFairy]

    [You have been invited by PurpleFairy to join her world]

    [ept/Decline]

    >>>>

    ''ept.''

    The scene around him changed and he was transported to another empty space.

    He saw a figure waving their hand at him who was standing twenty meters apart.

    She was wearing purple armor and a white ribbon was tied to her silky Magenta hair.

    They both moved towards each other.

    "Oh boy, Your cool-looking crimson hair was already making my heartbeat go on a rampage. Now, this white mask is adding ayer of mystery around you. It is forcing me to have a crush on you.

    You''re ying this youngdy''s heart with your bewitching looks. Heaven won''t forgive you, EastWind." N said in a sarcastic sorrowful voice and put the back of her palm on her forehead in a dramatic manner while inclining her head with closed eyes in heaven''s direction which made her look like a bullied girl by our dear Rio.

 Chapter 38 By Any Chanceâ€¦ Are You Into Boys???

    "Are you done with your filmy lines or you have more to say?" He said while looking at her. His expression was unknown due to the white mask on his face.

    "It''s not a filmy line and I have more to say. Hear me out.

    Roses are red,

    sky is blue,

    You don''t know my dear,

    But my love is true."

    She narrated in a loving voice as if telling a lovely poem to therge audience around her while enjoying and feeling every word of the lines with her heart.

    She waited for apliment to arrive in her closed-eyes position but no praise came.

    "If you''re gonna continue fooling around I''ll leave then." He said in a cold voice.

    "Okay, sorry. I won''t do it. But can I ask you something?" She said in a questioning tone while bringing her palm on her jaw to cover one-fourth of her face as if thinking something.

    "Say." He said.

    "By any chance¡­ Are you into Boys??? Even If you''re into boys I will support you like a best friend. You can trust me, partner." She winked at him and blurted out the suspicion in her heart she was having since he rejected her.

    ''This girl is on another level with her thoughts. What does she do in her free time?''

    "Nope¡­" He only said that much.

    "Okay¡­ I''ll now start with the introduction of this training method that school uses. You can spawn yellow stage beasts of all three tiers. Just select the option to spawn the beasts you prefer.

    If you choose to spawn a random beast at yellow stage, the system will randomly send a beast at the yellow stage to fight. It can be any of the three different tiers of yellow stage. Either a normal, a mutated or a king tier. Normal beast gives one point, mutated gives three and king tier will give ten.

    We are right now connected to the school server so all the kills you do will be added to your monthly point as long as someone doesn''t attack the beast you are fighting.

    If I hit the beast while you''re inbat with it then the following battle won''t grant any points. Let me show you how it works." N stepped forward and went ahead in the middle of the room.

    She selected the option "spawn a random beast at yellow stage" from the floating menu in front of her.

    Room transformed into a grass field and Rio was also standing there. A small breeze passed beside his cheeks and fluttered his crimson hair.

    It looked as if he was standing in real life and not a virtual world.

    He saw a 2 meter ck colored rat with yellow stripes on its tail spawned in the distance from thin air. It''s body materialized in a second.

    It looked at them with its yellow eyes and shrieked.

    *Eeechhhh!*

    The sound made him clench his hand as it sounded around him.

    The horrendous beast raced on its four feet to attack the humans as if it was real. The ground shook as it bolted towards N.

    Rio, who was standing a little distance away from N, felt fear in his heart. This was his first time facing a beast. Even though it was AI he was thinking how he would face such a terrifying beast in real life.

    She hovered her right hand to the side and a Spear longer than her height appeared in her hand. It had purple stripes at its triangr head that had thorny edges.

    She gracefully revolved it in her both hands. Yellow me wasing out from the tip of the Spear and making it look beautiful as the fire danced and swirled around her body.

    However, the yellow fire wasn''t hurting her even a little bit. It moved around her as if it was friendly to her.

    Yellow stage giant rat was getting closer to N and Rio felt a little uneasy in his heart as it was going to hit her.

    When it was just a meter away, she finally moved her Spear and a straight strike went towards the beast.

    A Spear covered in scorching me prated its body that burned the flesh making a crispy sound.

    Blood gushed out instantly with the smoke caused by the me making the beast closing its eyes and staggering on the ground before falling.

    N took out her Spear from the giant rat head and turned around to look at Rio. The corpse of the giant rat disappeared after bing shiny tiny particles.

    His mouth was wide open. He didn''t expect this cheerful child-like girl to be this strong.

    She was even having that gentle smile on her face while thrashing the Spear in the beast''s head as if poking the cheek of her favorite teddy bear.

    A chill ran down his spine as he realized she wasn''t the flower who needs to be taken care of.

    She is a cunning carnivorous flower that lures insects with her deadly charm, traps them, eats them, and then expels them when finished.

    She ced her left hand above her navel in an elegant manner and bowed towards him as if a dancer bowing to the audience after finishing their beautiful performance.

    Rio came out of his astonishment and heard her voice, "Now, your turn. Show me what you got."

    Before He could reply, he saw a simr giant rat materializing and appearing in front of him. Beast was ring at him with murderous eyes as if Rio had flirted with its wife.

 Chapter 39 Fighting A Yellow-Stage Beast

    This time it spawned near Rio, but he didn''t summon his beast soul. He told everyone that he was stuck in a snow mountain shelter for a month. If he brought out his sword then it would be suspicious.

    Moreover, he didn''t trust N. She was just a person he met today. Even if she was very friendly towards him right now, she could be the reason for his downfall if he didn''t act carefully.

    He poured some amount of mana into his legs, his eyes, and his hands. He felt as if an immense strength was roaring toe out of his body.

    A blue light covered his fist and he looked at the giant rat which was ring at him with hatred.

    Before the giant rat could move towards him, an unexpected scene happened.

    N saw a figure race toward the giant rat at an incredible speed. He crushed the very grasnds beneath his feet as he marched by the impact of strength in his leg.

    In less than three seconds, he was already nearing the giant rat which was looking at Rio with mixed emotion as the hatredbined with surprise in its expression.

    Realizing the threat from the human, it howled in anger and thrust with ws towards the uing human.

    Rio dodged it by stepping aside as the movement of the giant rat was slowed down due to mana enchanted eyes. He stomped hard on the ground beneath his feet and jumped straight aiming for its head.

    He smashed his right fist into the giant rat''s head making a bone-cracking noise with a hole and washing his hand in blood and flesh which made him feel disgusting.

    Blood gushed out like a broken dam, and scattered around him like dead missiles.

    An AI voice sounded in his mind as the giant rat became lifeless.

    [Yellow-Stage Normal Giant Rat killed. One yellow battle point gained.]

    He let go of the giant rat corpse by withdrawing his hand.

    The corpse of the giant rat disappeared along with the scattered blood and flesh.

    It appeared as if no battle took ce because even the grasnd destroyed by his destructive foot''s impact had recovered to normal.

    *p-p!*

    N apuded and moved towards him while saying, "As expected of my prince. Killing a yellow beast in one strike. That''s what you will have to do tomorrow in ss. By seeing your performance I can tell you would easily rank in the top 100 of the school''s elite ranking."

    A puzzled look painted on his face, he asked "What''s the school''s elite ranking?"

    "Our school has an elite ranking for our students. It decides who is better than the others. Being in the top 100 at the Golden Seal military school, where there are many geniuses, raises your value in the eyes of the federation." She said with admiration in her eyes.

    "You''re just praising me for no reason. I''m only at the yellow stage." Rio said as he thought she was exaggerating it by iming his rank in the top 100 of the school''s elites.

    "You don''t understand, Rio. The military school runs for three years and the elite ranking counts everyone without considering their year. You killed that giant rat just enchanting your bare hands.

    Imagine what would you do if you had a weapon in your hand and you enchanted it with mana. You must remember that it requires talent to be able to use Mana enchantment but you were doing it wlessly.

    I can guess your strength. You are at the peak level of the yellow stage. I don''t know how you did it but you won''t lose to anyone at the yellow stage with the mana enchantment of yours." N said with a hint of excitement in her voice as she looked at the charming boy in front of her.

    "Unlike others who have 50 mana at the yellow stage, I have 100. That''s the reason I can use more mana in mana enchantment but I need to be careful. I forgot that I should''ve 0 yellow stats points in others'' eyes.

    If I fight tomorrow in the arena they will all know that I was lying about being stuck at the snow mountain''s shelter.

    My double white stats points make me have strength at a peak level of the yellow stage since you only need twenty physical powers to be at the peak of the yellow stage.

    I didn''t expect that even if I didn''t use my beast soul, I would expose myself.

    Now I can only hope either N doesn''t look at my records or she doesn''t betray me." Rio thought inwardly as he exposed himself in front of her and worried about it.

    "Hello, Rio??? Why are you looking at me like that? Am I that sexy for you? Sweetie, have you got mesmerized by my beauty? Ah¡­I''m melting from the embarrassment." She ced her both hands in front of her face as if hiding from Rio and can''t look into his sea green eyes.

 Chapter 40 Fighting A Yellow-Stage Beast (2)

    "I''m going offline. Thanks for the tutorial." Saying that he took off his VR helmet.

    N looked at his disappearing self and saw his name turning gray on her friend list.

    Her evergreen happy face became devoid of brightness and she took off her helmet as sadness flickered in her eyes.

    She stood up and went out of the bedroom.

    ***

    Rio took out his phone and searched on the inte ''Does a VR helmet keep the record of a practice battle at military school? Can anyone see my battle points?''

    Many search results came out.

    He clicked on the first one and started reading. After finishing the article, he sighed in relief.

    "So I''m safe as long as we don''t especially record the match and I don''t make my battle points public. That means I can farm points today. I need 19 more yellow battle points for this month." A bright smile bloomed on his face realizing he could make more points today alone.

    He felt bad about N as she helped him a lot and he just left her virtual world like that.

    ''If I didn''t meet Lia first I''m sure my heart would be stolen by this crazy girl. She is better than those people I have met in my life so far. She is a nice friend.''

    He mounted his helmet back and went into the game.

    The empty room appeared once again with the transition effects. He checked his friend list which was onlyposed of N. It showed a gray icon beside her which indicated the title ''offline.'' Unlike before when it was a green icon with the title ''online.''

    He looked at other menus floating in the corner of his sight and found an option "Spawn a random yellow stage beast."

    He selected it and the surroundings changed to grassy fields.

    A giant rat appeared, simr to the one before. But Rio didn''t use the Mana enchantment this time.

    He summoned his king Silver-Bloom sword. Arge double-edged sword with a blooming-flower shape on its yellow hilt.

    Rio waited for the giant rat patiently. As expected the AI-programmed beast marched towards him to attack after observing its prey a little.

    The beast was getting closer every second. Rio tightened his grip on the hilt of the silver-bloom sword.

    As it was just a meter away, he swung the de in a curve and cut apart its body into two as if a knife through the butter.

    Rio walked away from the corpse and its body leaked blood while the top part slid down from the bottom causing him to feel unpleasant.

    [Yellow stage Giant Rat killed. One yellow battle point gained.]

    Rio practiced with the giant red for ten minutes and killed around fourteen giant rats. He had a total of fifteen yellow battle points and to gain little resistance towards the bloody scene.

    ''I wonder when the mutated giant rat will appear. I only need five more battle points.''

    He thought the game only spawns the giant rat but it was actually different. One needed to kill a certain number of giant rats to unlock a different yellow stage beast.

    He killed two more but after that, an abnormal giant rat appeared.

    This was a 4-meter-tall giant rat with two tails. The yellow stripes were simr to the old ones but thicker.

    ''is this a mutated one?''

    Unlike before, it didn''t rush toward him and only watched him like he was its prey.

    Rio didn''t move either and observed what it would do.

    After two minutes passed, it finally decided to attack him.

    *Aeeeeechhhh!*

    It howled in anger as the sound reverberated in the area. Rio felt his heartbeat getting faster and fear engulfing him even though it was virtual reality.

    This time he used mana enchantment on his eyes and legs so he could see the uing giant rat.

    He felt the ground shaking as the giant rat marched towards him while aiming at him with its reddish-yellow eyes.

    ''I should check how much damage I can do to it without mana enchantment. My sword is a king tier, The worst should be a tie, it shouldn''t lose to another king tier beast of the yellow stage.''

    Beast was about to collide with his body and tear it apart but Rio moved and sliced at its body.

    The giant rat''s flesh was stabbed by the sharpness of the de and blood came out but it didn''t cut it apart like before.

    The defense of this beast was a lot more than the previous giant rat he fought with. He failed to kill it with one strike and appeared behind the beast.

    ''It''s Strong¡­ let''s end the fight quickly.''

    He didn''t waste another second and enchanted his silver-bloom sword. The aura of the sword in his hand doubled and its valor could be felt in the air.

    The 4-meter-tall giant rat felt a threat directed towards its life as it turned around to look at the silver-bloom sword with a fearful gaze.

    The beast was already close to Rio and he didn''t let it run away.

    He stomped the ground with his mana enchanted legs andunched himself towards the beast''s body in the air like a rocket crossing the distance in a second.

    Deadly sword''s de came in contact with the body of the 4-meter-tall giant rat, and passed it as if the body was made of fluid.

    Rionded on the ground while he heard a ''thud'' and sttering sound behind him as half of the beast body fell down scattering blood and its organs around.

    [Yellow-Stage King Giant Rat killed. Ten yellow battle points gained.]

 Chapter 41 First Battle Training Class

    "I finally have 27 yellow battle points. I have enough for this month. After attending ss tomorrow I can go back to thend of Asura." Rio excitedly said.

    He turned around to see the corpse which made him feel nauseous.

    "How will I handle such a gruesome sight in a real fight?" He sighed inwardly and logged out of the game.

    It was already 3 pm and he was done with his lunch.

    ''Lia might be sleeping right now. I should cultivate since I have nothing to do.''

    He sat in a lotus position on his bed and closed his eyes. He used the breathing technique as he used the first time in thend of asura.

    After a minute passed while sitting in the lotus position, he could feel the familiar world energying towards him and going into his body.

    He felt a tiny water droplet-like strength entering his body every 30 minutes. This feeling made his body and mind enveloped in calmness but the umtion of strength was slower than thend of asura. The world energy in his room at military school felt one-thirdpared to the room at Empress vi.

    After an hour passed, he forgot his surroundings and entered a deep meditative state.

    He didn''t realize how much time passed but when he opened his eyes again it was still light outside.

    He checked his phone to see the time and realized it was eight in the morning.

    ''This is unexpected. Did Lia not try to send a telepathy messagest night? I have one hour left for ss. I should get fresh and prepare. I can go straight to her after finishing my ss. Hope she isn''t mad.''

    *Ding!*

    A message arrived on his phone and he checked his phone. There were eight unread messages.

    <<<<

    [Hey, what are you doing, Rio?]

    [Wanna have dinner together? You said you would pay the next time we have dinner together]

    [Don''t ignore me]

    [Rio?????]

    [East Wind???]

    [Are you there???]

    [Good Night Rio. Have a beautiful dream]

    [Hey sleeping beauty, good morning. I hope you had a good sleep.]

    >>>>

    ''Why do I feel like the invention of the phone was a mistake? How to handle this girl without being rude? I should just reply to her now.''

    He typed a message and sent it to her.

    [Morning. I''m going to ss.]

    After Sending the message he went to get fresh and take a shower.

    After forty-five minutes passed he opened the door of his room and walked out towards his ss.

    Sun was hiding behind the dark clouds as it appeared rain might pour down today.

    The battle training ss would be happening in the ssroom of the first year for section A.

    He entered his ssroom which was half filled with students and went to sit on his favoritest seat.

    A morousdy with brown hair arrived after ten minutes.

    "We will start your first battle training ss. Many of you may have already heard about a game called ''Kingdom of Beast''. It is a game based on virtual reality where you can fight different beasts on various stages that you might even encounter in thend of asura.

    We at military school use this game to give youbat training and experience for your future battles. Not only that, you can even challenge your fellow ssmates for battle.

    This helps us to reduce the death rate in thend of asura as the students will have some battle experience and make fewer mistakes while facing those deadly beasts" Teacher Milena exined.

    She pointed to the VR pods, "You guys would understand better after seeing it so go and pick one of those Helmets to put on your head."

    Some students, who already had experience with the VR pods, started going and mounting the helmets on their heads. Others, who were not familiar with it, observed their other ssmates and picked a VR pod, and followed their steps.

    Rio also moved towards one of the pods andy on the white reclining chair. He put on the VR helmet and his AI watch shed.

    He logged into his ount automatically and appeared in an empty hall.

    Teacher Milena instructed other students to create an ount and asked them to join a private room called "1 A Golden Seal".

    Rio looked for an option to join the room and searched for "1 A golden seal". He found the private room instantly and entered it.

    The school inte was connected to his VR pod so he didn''t require any password to enter the room assigned for his section.

    He appeared in an empty space with others of his ssmates but unlike before it wasn''t the same.

    It was a coliseum and Rio andpany were on the higher level where seats were present but they were all standing in a spacious ce where the seats ended. There was grasnd in the middle which was at the lower level. It was big enough to y a football match.

    Some students were amazed at seeing the arena around them as it was their first time using the VR pods. Others didn''t look that bothered and just waited patiently.

    Teacher Milena was standing in front of them as she was also using a VR pod.

    "This is a virtual battle arena. Here you can fight a beast and gain experience. I won''t exin much since seeing will be much better than listening to it. Who wants to go first and demonstrate to us how it works?" She introduced the fighting ground for them and looked at them with inviting eyes.

    A girl hovered her hand in the air, "I''ll go."

    Her ck dress made her look bewitching. Her face was painted with a proud smile and her brown eyes looked at others as if they were beneath her. Her shoulder-length hair which was brown in colour was tied in a ponytail. She looked to be the same age as him.

 Chapter 42 Talia Mailon

    "Okay, Talia. Select the ''Enter Battle'' option in your menu. It will send you to the middle of the arena." Teacher Milena guided her.

    She followed her instructions even though it was not needed and appeared in the middle of the arena.

    When Talia went to the middle of the arena, Students started discussing among themselves.

    "She is Talia Mailon, one of the star students in our ss."

    "I heard she is already at the purple stage."

    "Yeah, She is considered more talented than her sister, N Mailon."

    "Even If she is more talented, the queen of my heart will continue to be the PurpleFairy, N."

    "It''s not just you. N Mailon is one of the new generation''s top beauties. Along with the older daughter of the Havenglow family and the youngdy of the Cloven Family, she will remain the national crush."

    Rio heard these murmurs around him and thought while gazing at Talia in the arena, "They don''t look like sisters at all."

    "Be ready. I''m going to spawn a random yellow stage beast." Teacher Milena''s voice sounded beside Talia in the arena as she nodded.

    It was a virtual reality so even without enhancing voice with mana,municating at arger distance wasn''t a problem.

    A normal giant rat materialized a few dozen meters away from her. Talia didn''t wait for the beast to attack her and rushed toward it like a demon. Her dress fluttered in the wind and she was already nearing the beast.

    A Spear appeared in her hand that was simr to the one N used and she stabbed it in the body of the giant rat.

    The beast cried in pain before copsing on the ground while blood scattered around her.

    Beast was only at the yellow stage and she was at purple so this oue was natural.

    Unlike the mes, one N used, Talia had only attacked with brute strength.

    Some students cheered for Talia as she finished the beast in one hit while others were busy in their own battle as if not interested in her.

    Rio wasn''t surprised because he could do the same with the king giant rat beasts and he had even seen N doing it more gracefully.

    ''I''m sure N''s strike was a lot stronger than hers. I don''t understand why people call this girl more talented.''

    He was lost in his thoughts and kept staring into the stadium with a doubtful gaze.

    Teacher Milenamanded other students to try.

    Except for three students including Rio, everyone entered the grasnd.

    Some worked in groups to fight a yellow beast while a few students handled it all alone.

    However, they all struggled to fight the beast as this was the first time for them and they were not at the purple stage like Talia and one other girl, who was also from one of the seven silver sword families. Their movement was not as polished as Rio who was bullied by Helia in training.

    Students practiced and got injured badly during the battle. After they passed a threshold of damage which was considered ''death'' by the system they appeared around Rio.

    Since it was a virtual reality, they respawned in a safe zone after taking fetal damage and ''dying''. The pain sensor they felt during the fight was adjustable so many had kept it below twenty percent.

    Rio was observing Talia from start to end as she was fighting other beasts.

    She didn''t use those mes at all even when a king giant rat appeared.

    She struggled a little while fighting with the king giant rat but she was able to kill it with three strikes.

    ''Does N love to show off or there is more to it than what the eyes see?''

    He stared at Talia with a doubtful gaze as many questions formed in his head.

    Atst, Talia came back to the sitting area where Rio and thepany were present.

    A brawny guy with ck hair walked to Rio and asked "Wanna duel?"

    "Not today" Rio looked in his direction with dreary eyes and replied with a stiff voice as if he wasn''t interested.

    "I thought you would have at least some courage to ept a duel but the trash son of the Havenglow family only knows how to hide behind his mother." He chuckled with a mocking smile.

    Rio frowned at his harshment which took a turn to be worst.

    Although he had expected this to happen in his new school but he didn''t expect it woulde this soon.

    Other students heard their conversation and chimed in.

    "Hahaha¡­"

    "Brian¡­ don''t bully him. He willin to his mamma"

    "I didn''t know he was a weakling that can''t even fight a beast in a virtual arena. Such a coward¡­"

    Studentsughed while surrounding him, and made fun of him one by one.

    Teacher Milena heard themotion and raised her eyebrows as she went toward the troublemaker.

    "Silence¡­" She red at all theughing students with a cold glint in her eyes.

    Theughter came to a stop as they feared she would expel them.

    Teacher Milena had kicked out a few students in the past for causing trouble in her sses at military school even from the big families and the school didn''t question her why.

    For this reason, everyone was fearful of her and didn''t want to be in her bad books.

    "He can''t participate in the battle because of special circumstances. So don''t bother him when you don''t understand the reason why he is not going into the arena." She exined to the students in a fierce tone but she didn''t tell them why he can not fight.

    She had especially received orders from the Headmaster to take good care of Rio and she was told of his special circumstances that he was stuck in a snowy mountain.

    Rio didn''t feel difficulties with those harshments as he grew up hearing far worse. It had be natural for him to endure it easily and he had a good resistance towards such bullies. It was nothingpared to what he had faced in the past.

    He selected the option from ''chat'' to send a ''whisper'' and said "Thanks."

    "Don''t mention it." Teacher Milena, who was standing nearby, closed her eyes once slowly as if telling not to worry about it, which her words expressed.

    The ss ended as two hours had passed.

    Rio walked out of the teaching building and started going in the Grand Dew Garden direction but before he could go far he saw a familiar figure appearing in front of him.

    "Caught you, Rio." A sweet melody voice filled with joy sounded and a girl in a green skirt with a white top appeared in front of him.

 Chapter 43 Accepting Talias Challenge

    "What do you want, N?" He frowned and stopped in his tracks.

    He wanted to go back to thend of Asura as soon as possible and didn''t want to get dragged by N. He was feeling bad for not responding to her text but he saw itte which wasn''t in his control.

    He thought inwardly, "She didn''t wear a revealing dress but her charm only enhanced. She deserved to be in the top 3 beauties of the new generation as the students were talking."

    "Your heart but I know you won''t give me that easily so let''s have lunch for now." She said with a cheerful smile.

    ''I get to know you, Rio. I''m studying you closely. You''re my favorite subject. You might try to push me away so I don''t catch feelings for you but you''re way too nice and don''t wanna be rude.

    How can I let go of such a sweet guy? Feelings can be developed slowly but being good friends with each other is the first step to building any good rtionship.''

    She knew she was shameless to him when ites to teasing him and said things boldly.

    However, she was doing things to weave a good bonding between them. If they spend more time together they would have this opportunity.

    So, she had made ns to find him outside the teaching ss as she knew about his schedule and had a ssmate''s sibling in his ss. When his battle training ended, she came right away to ask him to go for lunch with her.

    Rio was about to answer her but another girl appeared near them and her voice sounded beside him, "Hey, you should be careful of this girl. I''m warning you as a good ssmate. She caused her own mother to die when she was born."

    Talia was standing beside him and acted as if she knew him. Her tone indicated she was saving someone from a monster.

    N''s face lost all its happiness as she heard such provocativements about her. She thought he might misunderstand her and believe Talia''s words.

    Before Rio could respond to this newly arrived human, Talia said in a hushed voice, "Do you know her mother was a bit*h? Dad doesn''t even think she is his daughter. You wouldn''t wanna befriend a girl like her."

    N, who was standing in front of him, had her eyes filled with tears after hearing a curse towards herte mother. She turned around and left with a rushed step while wiping her face with the white sleeves of her cloth.

    Rio''s heart ached to see the cheerful girl cry and leave. He even replied to her coldly when she greeted him first in the morning that nicely.

    He felt as if anger engulfed him and turned his head to look at Talia with coldness flickering in his eyes.

    "I don''t even know you and you came to bother us. Who do you think you are? Why do you have to put your nose between other people''s business where it doesn''t even belong?

    What''s your problem? Do you have some screws loose in your head? Why did you have to talk badly about your own sister? I didn''t know the youngest daughter of the mailon family has such a wicked heart." His loud voice was heard by other students and they started looking at the duo.

    Talia was unprepared and never thought this boy would snap at her because she warned him about N. Nobody had talked to her this harshly.

    She had everything power, money, and beauty. She was not used to getting berated by others. Boys would talk sweetly to get her favor as she was from one of the strongest families in the federation.

    Her face became red from anger and she gritted her teeth.

    "You''re really a ''trash'' as the ssmates were saying. You can''t even fight a yellow stage beast but you have the guts to talk to me like that. If you''re daring enough then show me in the battle arena." She said with a hatred-filled voice and red at the boy in front of her.

    She knew he wouldn''t ept her challenge so she talked about the battle arena. Besides, even if he epts he wouldn''t be in the purple stage like her who had a great family background. She knew this guy got his golden spoon two months ago.

    She was nning to go after Rio and seduce him as he was the only son of the havenglow family. Even if he was an adopted son, his value was shown yesterday morning when his second mother came to leave him at school.

    She didn''t get a chance in the ss as there were many students and she wanted to do it outside the ssroom.

    She found a good chance when she saw N and him talking and he was cold towards her step-sister which indicated he didn''t like her. So she came to add fuel to the fire.

    She thought he might like it as N''s engagement was recently broken with him and he didn''t like his ex-fiance.

    But she was wrong, for Rio, N was his first friend and it angered him when she talked bad about her.

    "I don''t have time to waste on someone like you who runs around insulting others." He said with dreary eyes.

    Hearing his reply, a smile was forming on Talia''s face as she was going to insult him more as she thought he feard epting the challenge but his next reply caused her blissful moment to vanish.

    "However, I''ll fight with you in the battle arena but what benefit is there for the winner?" He said to her with an amused expression on his face and coldness glinting in his eye, making the audience stare at him as if he was okay in his mind.

 Chapter 44 This Frozen Beauty Is So Cold

    She didn''t expect him to ept her challenge so she was taken aback.

    When someone became sixteen years old they could get their AI watch from the federation which was like a license to enter thend of Asura.

    Talia also got her AI watch on her sixteen birthday but she had the support of the Mailon Family which helped her cross the yellow stage faster than others.

    Mailon family used their contacts to make the superiors at Talia''s yellow shelter assist her fight yellow stage beasts and increase her yellow stats points which helped her to enter the purple stage.

    Compared to Rio, who got his AI watchst month, Talia had it for five months.

    She didn''t take long to respond as she was confident in her strength and thought nobody was her match in the same age group.

    "The loser will apologize." She spoke with a proud smile.

    "If I win, you have to apologize to N." He said with a cold smile.

    "You think you can win??? Haha¡­ I like your humor¡­" She mocked him with an amusing voice.

    Some of the other students who were surrounding them also burst intoughter along with her.

    "Looks like someone''s scared." He said while his eyes glinted and lips went upward forming a provoking smile on his face.

    "You¡­" She red at him with killing intent. Remembering his background she hid the bloodlust while clenching her fist and said, "Okay. I''ll apologize to her if you win."

    "What if you go back on your words?" He set up his and beckon her to fall for his n with his provocative smile. His old habit of inviting people to his trap was something no one knew.

    "I''m not a Mailon if I go back on my words." She gritted her teeth in anger.

    Rio turned around and started walking towards the Grand Dew Garden while waving his hands in the air without turning back "See you on Monday. I''ll fight with you at the battle arena after our lecture ss."

    Themotion had caused a big crowd. Gathered Students had watched the duo early and started among themselves after Rio left.

    "He can''t even fight a yellow stage beast. How will he fight someone at the purple stage?"

    "He is a fool."

    "Don''t forget he is from the Havenglow family. It''s not hard for him to reach the purple stage if they support him."

    "Then why didn''t he fight the yellow stage beasts and epted Brian''s challenge?"

    "Maybe he finds them too easy to waste his time? didn''t you see he was showing no interest in Brian''s challenge or his harshments?"

    "We can''t say that now. Let''s wait for Monday, we will find out the truth."

    A second-year female studentmented while looking at his back view while he was leaving, "He is so cool. He defended our ssmate, N."

    "What do you mean defended?"

    First-year and second-year students started discussing the incident that happened earlier.

    The news spread like wildfire and many in the school find out how Talia came to make fun of her sister and Rio took a stand for her.

    The students didn''t hear Talia insulting her mother as she was using a hushed voice but they all saw N leaving with tears and Rio snapping at the younger sister.

    The majority didn''t like Rio and but there were some who were supporting him for standing up for N. Most of the supporting voice was female students who cheered for Rio as he defended a girl.

    There were even rumors going around saying things like, "Rio and N are childhood lovers. Mailon family is bullying the older daughter and separating the two love birds."

    The rumors were just gossip for people to entertain after all.

    Our Rio, who was unaware of all this, was standing in front of the second floor of his apartment.

    He was hesitating if he should ring the bell or not.

    After collecting some courage, he pressed the switch for the doorbell.

    *Ding-Dong!*

    He waited but no response came. He rang the doorbell a few times and the Door opened slowly.

    A girl, whose eyes turned red from crying, appeared. Her hair was wet which indicated that she had washed her face before opening the door.

    "What do you need?" She said with an emotionless face.

    "I thought you might be sad so I came to check if you''re alright." He said with a bittersweet smile.

    "Thank you for your concern but I''m alright." She spoke with a straight face and a chilly voice.

    ''This frozen beauty is so cold''

    "Wanna have lunch together?" He asked with an awkward smile as he wasn''t used to this side of N.

    "No, thanks for asking. You should maintain a distance from a girl like me whose mother was a bit*h and who caused her own mother''s death." She said in an annoyed voice.

    She continued speaking as if she didn''t want to give Rio chance to talk, "I''m going to thend of asura. So bye."

    Saying that she closed the door in his face and went to her bedroom.

    She sat on the bed while wrapping her hands around her knees and started tearing quietly.

    Rio was an orphan but he didn''t have a stepmother or step-sister who reminded him that he killed his parent. He didn''t have a father who avoided him as if thinking he is the reason for his mother''s death.

    N''s past wasn''t happy either. She had a family but one that caused to hate her own existence.

    "Why didn''t I die instead of you, Mom? How long do I have to endure? I wish I was never born." She cried like a little child andy down on her bed while hugging her teddy bear.

    She was feeling as if she should kill herself. She was hating herself.

    Anyone who would see this cheerful girl tearing up so adorably would want to give her a warm hug and wipe those pearl-like tears. But there was no one here, She was crying all alone.

    She didn''t know about things that happened after she left so she misunderstood Rio.

 Chapter 45 Hi, Wifeyâ€¦Im Back

    Rio was downhearted as he walked back to his room. He took out his phone and checked the school database.

    The phone second mother had given him had some special privileges that he didn''t know about.

    When he scrolled down to other students'' names he was able to see their information.

    ''This is amazing, I can look at their shelter''s name. Let''s check which shelter they are at.''

    He checked his ssroom students'' shelter names first.

    There were many names but he only recognized the three from the list.

    <<<<

    Name: Talia Mailon

    Shelter: Purple Dawn

    Name: Brian Cunningham

    Shelter: Yellow Skull Post

    Name: Sophia Wilson

    Shelter: Purple Tower of the Outcast

    >>>>

    He paused at the name of "Sophia Wilson".

    ''Another silver sword family.''

    He didn''t think much and kept the phone aside.

    He stood up and his face was painted with a sense of thrill, "Finally, I can go back. This time I need to register at a shelter, otherwise ''Second mother'' won''t let me go to thend of Asura until she rescues me from my imaginary snowy mountain."

    He walked out of the bedroom and entered the portal capsule. A word tag ''Teleport'' shed on his AI watch. He tapped it as his eyes glinted with joy.

    Although he could use [Astral Recall] but it would not let him use it again toe to his room at the Grand Dew Garden.

    If he used Teleport at the castle to return, it would send him to the school''s gate portal capsule which he used the first time to go to thend of asura.

    Right now, his ''point of return'' was set to the school''s gate so he changed it by using the one he had in his room. If the next time he used any teleport in thend of asura toe back he would arrive at his room since he just set it as his ''point of return'' by using it just now.

    ***

    The Portal capsule door slowly made a gap in a big hall and a figure came out of it. There were some guards standing with blue color armor with Purple stripes on them which went vertically down.

    They knew he was a special human who even the Emperor favored so they didn''t stop him and let him go without questioning.

    It was Night in thend of Asura as the moon was shining in the sky among the glimmering stars. The garden was as beautiful as before. He could see the fairies moving gracefully around the rainbow tree.

    ''I''m finally back. It feels great to be here.''''

    He was happy as he walked towards the empress vi.

    "What if she is sleeping right now?" He thought inwardly and approached his destination.

    The female guards were standing in front of the gate. When he tried to take the path to move inside they put their spears in front of his way and said with a stiff voice, "You can not enter."

    He scrunched his eyebrows and felt annoyed. These two had seen him with Lia many times entering the Empress Vi yet they still stopped him.

    "But I live here." He retaliated.

    They looked at each other with hesitation then one of them spoke "Her highness is currently resting. You need to wait until morning then we will ask her if we should allow you to enter or not."

    He rubbed the middle portion of his forehead as he faced these unreasonable people.

    ''They aren''t fully wrong. They don''t know my real identity so it''s fair enough. Let''s use [Astral Recall] then.''

    After thinking peacefully he calmed down and decided to use another method to sneak into the bedroom. He turned back and walked away as he didn''t want to do it in front of these guards.

    The guards were gazing at his retracting view and the two female guards started discussing with each other.

    "I hope we didn''t anger her highness."

    "She will understand why we stopped him. It''s her resting time so we can''t let a stranger enter."

    "Do you really think he is a stranger? She was even angry at the Emperor after he got hurt that day."

    "I thought that was just a rumor."

    "Didn''t you see how she was supporting his body when they returned to the vi? Even Yami is treated coldly by her highness after that incident."

    Their discussion continued for a while as they weren''t able to see the crimson-haired boy who found an empty dark space behind a tree where nobody could see him.

    He didn''t want to disturb Lia''s sleep by using telepathy. He didn''t even know if she was sleeping or not. Although he could ask Lia if she was awake, he wanted to give her a surprise.

    He cast ''Astral Recall'' by thinking about it in his mind.

    A white light enveloped his body and his figure vanished from the garden.

    A white light shed near the couch as Lia stood up from her bed seeing a figure appear on the couch covered in white light.

    The light faded away and a boy with crimson hair was standing there beside the couch.

    "Hi, Wifey¡­I''m back" He waved at her and a bright smile blossomed on his face.

    Author Note:

    ______________

    Thanks for staying with the journey of Rio.

    Now, the story will be a little spicy as I believe the time hase for some sparks to happen.

    You can support the book by leaving a 5-star review to this novel so it can get more exposure and new readers dive into this book by reading your good review.

    ? ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the Harem members'' images on:

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 Chapter 46 How About A Kiss?

    Their eyes met and their faces were painted with different expressions. Rio was smiling ear to ear while Lia''s face was enveloped in surprise.

    He could see the color change in her eyes'' emotions as they turned from sorrow to surprise and in the end it became euphoric.

    Lia moved towards him in rushed footsteps and threw herself at him as she embraced him with both hands.

    "Seems like someone missed me here¡­" He chuckled and teased her.

    *Bang!*

    His leg was kicked by her naked foot but she didn''t let go of him from her grasp.

    ''It''s the best feeling to be hugged by the most beautiful girl of both worlds.''

    His heart felt a warm sensation as she was holding him dearly.Her clutches on his back were tight as if she wouldn''t let go of him even if he wanted to leave her grasp.

    Her ample twin peaks were tightly pressed on his chest, her flowery scent was invading his nostril and her cold skin, which was as soft as the newborn baby, was filling his heart with pleasure and giving him ecstasy as if he was in seventh heaven.

    ''It feels like home when I''m with her.''

    He also missed her and didn''t like much in the human world without thisdy next to him. But he was bad at expressing these emotions.

    Huggingst time before returning to earth was unexpected and he thought they might meette so he embraced her in the heat of the moment.

    But he never imagined hugging her after going back as he considered it would be too soon to hold each other this close as they didn''t go far in their rtionship.

    Regardless of that, Lia had a different opinion. After the prisoner''s incident, thest hurdle in her heart was shattered and the gap became nil as she epted Riopletely.

    Therefore, she didn''t feel shy to embrace him closely andst time it was him who hugged her all of a sudden so why can''t she do the same?

    She separated from him after a moment and asked with a sorrowful quiet voice, "For how long are you going to stay?"

    "An hour maybe" He lied as he wanted to see how she would react.

    She turned around and went back to her bed.

    "Hey... What happened? Say something, Lia." He walked to the bed and asked.

    She didn''t reply to him and changed the direction of her face so he couldn''t see her. It looked as if a daughter was ignoring her daddy after throwing a tantrum.

    "I can stay for the whole night but that will be risky. You know ''second mother'' would get mad if I use a portal capsule toe here before she finds a solution to rescue me from the shelter I''m stuck in as per the made-up story." He tried to exin his reasons but she kept giving him the silent treatment.

    "Okay...I surrender. I''ll stay for a week but what reward will you give me for taking the risk?" He said with a mischievous smile.

    The devil first fabricated his n and put the trap on the ground to make her believe him.

    His real intention was to stay in thend of asura for a week from the start but when he saw her being impatient about not staying here he made his strategy.

    "Anything you want." Her sad voice sounded beside him as she turned to stare at him.

    He sat on the bed and said while looking at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes "How about a kiss."

    He pointed at his cheeks with a bright smile which took him a lot of courage to ask but he thought at most she would bonk his head but it would be better than the silent treatment she was giving.

    ''Why are they both acting weird? Women are a mystery. I''ll never be able to understand them.''

    Lia raised her eyebrows at him and looked at his mischievous-filled eyes. She understood he was just kidding but she was going to tell him in her own way that he shouldn''t y with fire.

    Lia moved her right hand towards his cor to grab him into her grasp and dragged him onto the bed which caused him to lie down on the bed.

    Rio was taken aback as he felt a strong strength holding his shirt and he was forced into the bed in a lying position. He was helpless as Lia was a lot stronger than him in strength.

    "if she used this much strength in bonking my head I would have died countless times." He thought and gulped nervously.

    She pushed him onto the bed beside her and climbed on him. Rio saw his waist between her thighs as if she was riding a horse.

    Rio was taken aback as he saw her wild action. His heartbeat became faster as he felt her two buttocks falling on his waist.

    "I was only kidding, I promise." He said nervously as he saw her hot gaze.

    Her beautiful fairy-like face was staring at him as if he was her meal. Her lips were forming an evil smile which sent a chill down his spine.

    She unbuttoned his shirt one by one and his naked chest appeared.

    He could feel her cold fingers touching his bare chest as she slid the shirt down his shoulder so his neck could appear.

    He shivered and waited for the oue. He knew she wouldn''t harm him so his imagination was running wild.

    Lia could hear his fast heartbeat and his nervousness was pleasing to her eyes.

    ===//===

    [SnowNote]

    I''m going premium from the next chapter but I hope you guys read until the 74~77 chapter (even using fast passes) because that''s where many secrets will be revealed.

    I assure you that those plot twists would be S-rank and make you fall in love with the story as well as the Harem.

    It''s also the point where MC and plot would face a massive development.

    _________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the Harem members'' images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 47 Eyes Of Destiny

    She dived in with her face and bit him on his neck. Her teeth stabbed his flesh as pain invaded him and sent an electrifying shock through his body.

    She was neither forceful with her actions nor she was gentle. It was enough to give him pain and pleasure at the same time at perfect equilibrium.

    She stayed in that position and waited for him to scream but he didn''t show a such reaction.

    The young boy was suffering from the pain of her love bite but she didn''t do it hard enough to cause a bleed. He was currently enjoying her fairy-like body hugging him and her featherly juicy lips touching his neck.

    Her melons, which were too soft and well-endowed, pressed together on his body which was making this moment blissful for him.

    For every man, this was a treasurend they all wished to experience once in a lifetime.

    If you ask a straight man, "would they want to experience this treasurend", 90% would say ''Yes'' without hesitating, in case they are daring enough, to be honest with their answers.

    This would tell you the level of ecstasy Rio was going through.

    As for Lia, This was the first time when she went so wild with him. Even though it was her mischievous n but he was pleased and enjoying it.

    She raised her eyebrows as her n failed to make him scream and continue to endure it.

    She let go of his flesh with her teeth and used her tongue to lick it in a round movement. She did it slowly with her warm affection and followed the path where her teeth left the marks.

    She was doing it to lower the pain she caused him after she felt bad about her actions.

    Rio felt an electrifying pleasure entering his body as her wet tongue made him feel tickled. The movement of her tongue on his naked skin was making him go crazy. He felt intoxicated by her sudden action and his body started getting hot. His hormones were going into chaos.

    "Lia¡­ if you keep going further then I will not able to control myself. Do you want to continue?" He whispered in her ears as if drunken.

    Her face became beet red hearing his words as she understood what he meant. She stopped licking his neck and slid away from his body.

    She justy beside him. Their shoulders were touching each other and both of them didn''t know how to speak as a very hot moment passed between them just a few seconds ago.

    They were both looking at the ceiling.

    "What was that?" Rio decided to tease her again.

    "A kiss," Lia said in a tiny mosquito-like voice.

    "Did you invent it?" He asked.

    "No¡­ but I have read in fairy tales stories that vampires used to kiss their husband or wife this way." She said while remembering those books she read in her childhood.

    ''So they also have vampire stories in this world?''

    "You kissed me, shouldn''t I kiss you back?" He asked with a t tone as if asking about today''s weather.

    "You can as I''m already yours and you''re mine. Don''t you remember the oath?" She turned towards him and told him as if it was all natural.

    "I remember but I thought it would be hasty and you might dislike me." He said while looking into her eyes.

    "Yeah. I dislike you a lot that I hug and kiss you. You became so intelligent after just living with me for a month." She said with an annoyed tone as she didn''t like how he was very bad at taking initiative. As a man, he should be the one to paddle the cycle but she had to do everything.

    "Are you making fun of my intelligence?" He said while raising his eyebrows.

    "What do you think?" She asked back with an amusing smile.

    "I saw you were sad when I arrived. Has something happened?" He changed the topic as he remembered she was upset.

    She didn''t reply to him as she turned around to avoid him.

    "Don''t do that again or I''ll go back to earth." He threatened her with his bold move.

    She moved again and hugged him as if not wanting to let go. She was holding him in a tight grasp.

    ''Did she miss me? But why?''

    He couldn''t understand her emotion at all as a maiden heart was aplicated mystery in this world that nobody could solve.

    She treated Rio a lot better after she received the dream from her eyes of destiny. She could see the future and that is what her eyes of destiny do. It would give her foresight of a future in small pieces and there was no way to stop these dreams to happen.

    As there were a few dreams she saw that took ce in reality and she couldn''t change their oue even after knowing.

    However, after Rio came into her life these dreams started changing. All those dreams, which were worse than the nightmares, started transforming. Each of them had a new oue after her grandfather''s words came true.

    ''Little child, don''t cry¡­These nightmares will change in the future. Do you think this Grandfather of yours would lie to you? Just wait for that one man from the foreignnd who will turn this world upside down. The moment hees into your life he will crush the destiny with his undying will and change your fate.''

    She remembered her grandfather''s words as she finally believed him after she saw that boy with her own eyes.

    Her head was ced on his shoulder as she hugged him tightly and snuggled into his embrace.

    _________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the Harem members'' images on:

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 Chapter 48 The Night We Slept Together

    Her head was ced on his shoulder as she hugged him tightly and snuggled into his embrace. Rio sighed and epted the reality.

    "How was your first day of ss?" She asked him in a quiet voice.

    "It was not bad. We had to fight a giant rat." He started telling her about his school and sses from start to end.

    He didn''t even hide anything about N.

    "I''m lucky to have a friend like N. I treat her rudely yet she neverins." Rio epted his fault in front of his lovely wife.

    However, our dear Rio forgot the rule that every man should remember, ''Never praise another girl in front of your woman unless you want chaos to embrace you.''

    "Are you missing her?" Lia probed him.

    "Nope¡­ but today she was different and her step-sister was mean to her." He proceeded to tell her about the incident that happened before he came here.

    "Her sister sounds like a demon," Lia said as she didn''t think a blood rtive could be this mean to you.

    She remembered something and continued, "So you haven''t eaten anything since N closed her door on your face?"

    She spoke the second part in an amusing voice as she find it funny how this little guy was rejected by N for lunch who chased him first.

    "Nope." His tone was downhearted and sounded as if he was bullied.

    "Wait here... I''ll ask Yami to bring food for us." She said with a gentle smile and sat up to go out of the room.

    A few minutester, she came back and saw him sitting on the bed.

    She also climbed back onto the bed and sat beside him.

    "Did you ept me in your heart already that you even hug me easily?" He asked while cing his hand on his jaw as if thinking something.

    "Is it hard for you to understand even after all that?" She asked with an annoyed voice.

    "So you won''t mind if I hug you to sleep like a pillow?" He asked her with a mischievous voice.

    "You''re asking as if you haven''t done that before." She coldly red at him.

    "When?" He frowned as if he was wronged for something he didn''t do.

    "The night we slept together." She said but her face turned red after realizing her sentence had another meaning.

    ''Oh... I almost forgot.''

    He remembered the day when he was feeling down and Lia took care of him. She treated him with warm affection and care. She was even rude to her father for him.

    His heart was tickling with a hot feeling and realized their rtionship started developing from that day onward.

    Footsteps were heard and a voice came from outside the door.

    "May I enter, your highness?" Yami asked in a polite tone.

    "Yes,e in," Lia said.

    She was pushing a cart with food likest time. She raised her eyebrows seeing the person in the room who waved at her with a bright smile.

    ''How did he appear here out of nowhere? But It''s better. Empress'' face has gained back its brightness which vanished a few days ago.''

    Yami was delighted to see Rio as it brought a gentle smile to her empress''s face as well.

    She proceeded to ce the food on a portable table like before.

    Seeing two tes, Rio thought inwardly, "She skipped dinner like the second mother? Are they sisters or something that they act in the same way?"

    "For how long you haven''t eaten?" He asked with a questioning voice.

    "Her highness often skips dinner these days," Yami replied.

    Rio gazed at Lia who was looking in different directions to avoid his eyes.

    Yami left the room after cing the food on the table.

    Rio proceeded to serve food to both of their tes as he saw Lia was busy avoiding his gaze.

    She moved her eyes at the food and a smile bloomed on her face as Rio put food on her te.

    They proceeded to eat, Lia ate more than him as always but they were both joyful in their hearts as they ate together again.

    Yami came back to clean up and bring back the tes.

    "When do you wanna sleep?" Lia asked him with a nonchnt voice.

    "Let''s sleep now." He said andy down on the bed.

    She also did the same andy beside him. Before Rio could close his eyes, he felt a hand wrapping around his chest and a head ced on his shoulder.

    A smile blossomed on their face and they slowly closed their eyes as their hearts became serene in each other''s embrace.

    The sleep drowned them as they both didn''t sleep properly for thest few days. They both missed each other''s existence beside them but didn''t tell each other as they were both bad at expressing their feelings.

    The great saying was true ''You understand the value of something when it is no longer with you.''

    These few days'' gaps helped them realize how much they wanted each other which they hid when they were together.

    ***

    Author Note:

    ______________

    I hope you guys enjoyed the rtionship development between our main leads. It took a lot of time for them toe closer to each other.

    ''The wilderness'' will begin in the uing chapters after some little introduction to the world of Asura.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character (especially harem members) images on:

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 Chapter 49 The Outcast Shelter

    The morning was bright, and the glistening sunlight clearly showed the two figures on the bed in each other''s embrace.

    Lia was hugging Rio as if he was her teddy bear. They were both lost in their dreand but a smile was stered on their faces.

    After some moments passed, she slowly opened her eyes and found herself snuggling into Rio.

    ''I wish I could stop the time and we could stay like this. Ah...I almost forgot. I should get that for him. It will help him in his uing missions.''

    She remembered ''something'' and sat up on the bed. She gazed at Rio''s sleeping face and inclined towards him.

    She was fearing he might open his eyes and her heartbeat was getting faster. Since she hade this close to his face she decided to execute the task she wanted to do.

    She pecked his right cheek and left the bed slowly without making a noise.

    She went towards the bathroom to get fresh which caused her to not see the boy''s eyes which were a little open and peeking at her back.

    He kept pretending to sleep and smiled internally.

    After 30 minutes, she came out of the bathroom with wet white hair that was covered in a towel and went to her dressing table.

    Hearing footsteps, Rio finally decided to wake up. He stretched his body and yawned pretending that he was just woken up.

    Lia turned around to see him. They both looked into each other''s eyes, not knowing how to start the conversation.

    They were both bad at expressing themselves at the initial stage of the rtionship and they didn''t want to talk about how they slept together hugging each other.

    Atst, Lia decided to ask him about his ns and break the silence.

    "What do you wanna do today?" She asked and turned back to continue to do her hair.

    "I have to get to a shelter and register so the second mother doesn''t stop me from using the portal capsule. That''s my first goal." He said nonchntly and gazed at her alluring figure.

    "Ahh...I should''ve remembered that you need to fix that problem first. Don''t worry, we have a way to send you to the shelters we own but from there you have to walk to the one you want.

    Do you have any shelter''s name in mind that you wanna go to?" She asked him while turning around to look at him.

    "I know the names of afew shelters where some of my ssmates have registered. It''s Purple Dawn, Yellow Skull post, and the Purple Tower of the Outcast." He said while remembering the names he read beforeing here.

    "Purple Dawn and Yellow Skull Post are at the border of Shamor Empire. So it''s better you register at the Outcast." She urged him in a rxed tone.

    "Why is it better to register at the purple tower of the Outcast and not at those other two? " He asked with puzzlement.

    "Father will give you an answer to that question. Let''s focus on registering at a shelter first so you can use the portal capsule openly and stay here freely.

    The Outcast has five shelters under humans which includes a silver stage shelter. So going there will be better for you and save you some time.

    If you go from the Yellow tower of Outcast to the Purple Tower of Outcast, it won''t take you a long timepared to other shelters in a different area.

    As all the Outcast shelters are in one big region and they are all under humans." Lia exined and looked at his curious gaze.

    "Can''t I directly go to the purple tower?" He asked as his eyebrows were scrunched.

    "You will rarely find a yellow stage beast near a purple stage shelter. So you need to go to Yellow Tower first which is a shelter at your level. You can easily spot a Yellow stage beast there.

    Also, our Mistborn Shelter is near the Yellow tower of the outcast. So you have to go there first anyway. It will take an hour by foot to reach the yellow tower of the outcast from Mistborn Shelter." She spoke while walking step by step to the bed he was sitting on.

    "But I''m supposed to save those beasts from humans so going there will only be like a formality." He said with a bittersweet smile.

    "Nah... That shelter is very far away from our empire. Those beasts aren''t under our banner so you do not need to worry about protecting them.

    A beast under our banner will have our marks on them which are those purple stripes you see on the guards'' armors at the Vi Entrance.

    Just avoid killing them unnecessarily while you''re with humans." She calmly said and stare into his sea-green eyes which were finally no longer filled with puzzlement.

    "As you say, my lord." Rio teased her while she was standing close to him.

    She avoided his mischievous eyes and spoke, "I''ll bring you to the teleporter tower after we do our breakfast. Let me ask Yami to bring the meal to our room. You should get ready."

    "Okay¡­" He said while still gazing at her fairy-like face which turned around to walk away.

    She went downstairs and didn''te right away. He decided to get fresh before having his breakfast.

    When he came back out of the bathroom, he saw Yami cing their food on a portable table near the couch but Lia had not returned.

    As he was thinking of asking Yami, he heard light footsteps approaching and a white-haired beauty entered the room.

    She sat beside him and waited for Yami to leave.

    As she left, Lia took out two old scrolls from her Spatial beast soul.

    They were thick brown paper simr to the one she gave him previously for [Astral Recall Technique] but the size was a little smaller this time.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 50 Spiritual Shock

    She handed the scrolls to Rio and spoke, "Learn these both spells."

    He was used to getting such things from her so he took both of the scrolls and put them on hisp as the portable table was full of bowls.

    Lia brought out a needle to give him likest time.

    He took it from her hand and pricked one of his left-hand fingers.

    Two droplets of blood fell on both of the scrolls on hisp and started enveloping them entirely.

    It suddenly moved upwards from hisp and floated in the air. It hovered in front of them before burning in red mes.

    Rio wasn''t surprised this time as it happened the same way with [Astral Recall Technique] Scroll.

    An AI voice sounded in his mind as usual.

    [You have acquired the Spiritual Shock Spell]

    [You have acquired the Disguise Spell]

    A stream of knowledge flooded his brain and text floated in front of him.

    <<<<

    [Spiritual Shock: Attacks the soul of Opponent. Those at the same stage or lower will faint and those at the higher stage will suffer from a stun effect (duration depends on the power gap). Mana: 20. Cooldown: 30 seconds.]

    [Ancient Disguise: You can change the appearance of the body (Limited to Humanoid Form). Mana: 10]

    >>>>

    He read the skills information and looked at Lia with questioning eyes for an exnation.

    "[Spiritual Shock] will help you during your uing missions that Father is going to assign you. It will activate a human''s AI watch to send them back to earth. This skill attacks the soul so the brain sends signals to the AI Watch that the body is in danger.

    Security mechanism will activate instantly and teleport the human out of thend of Asura for a day at least since the damage was only done to their soul and they can recover it after a good sleep." She exined in a nonchnt voice.

    Lia had tested this spell before so she knew this would help him. She wanted to make it easier for him as he would be facing his own race. Taking it slowly would be easier for him to handle the situation in the Long term.

    She didn''t want to force him to grow but developed slowly. Otherwise, she feared he would break internally or change into someone different.

    "That''s great¡­It will save me a lot of effort." Rio eximed in surprise.

    He didn''t think that deeply about her motive to give these scrolls to him. If he figure it out he would realize just how much she cared about him.

    "Be careful though as It won''t work on those whose strength is greater than yours. You might need to injure them first to make it work." Lia warned him as she didn''t want him to get harmed.

    "Got it but what about the second skill?" He asked with a curious gaze

    "That''s [Disguise] Spell. It will help you change your appearance to the one you want. You need another get-up that looks like an Asura.

    You can''t use your Devlin form or a human to use the teleport tower as our marriage isn''t announced to the Empire." She exined but her voice wavered as she remembered She never went out of the castle together with Rio.

    "Okay, but how does this work?" He asked and scratched his head with a bittersweet smile.

    "Just use it you will know," Lia spoke with a gentle voice.

    Rio walked to the dressing table which had a big mirror. He cast the spell by thinking about it and waited for any transformation but nothing happened.

    "It doesn''t work." He spoke with a doubtful tone as his eyebrows be scrunched.

    "It won''t work if you just cast it. Try imagining your hair as green then cast the spell." She giggled and moved towards him.

    "Okay¡­" Rio said nervously.

    He closed his eyes and started imagining himself with long green hair.

    Unknown to him, a white fog covered his head before fading away.

    He could feel his hair growing anding down his shoulder. When Rio opened his eyes he saw green hair dropping down on his shoulder. A gentle smile came to apany him on his face.

    "Don''t get happy just yet. You need to make a perfect Asura get-up that you will use outside the Empress Vi." Lia said from the side and took away his happy moment.

    He nodded and closed his eyes again. He rxed his mind to think carefully and remember all the Asuras he met so far.

    ''That Middle-aged Asura-Woman I met the first day? Nah. Guards? Nah. Emperor? Nah. Yami? Nah¡­Helia? Hmm¡­''

    He found his target and smiled inwardly.

    ''If I take a simr appearance as her, people will think I''m her distant family member.''

    After deciding who he would copy he started making changes to his appearance.

    A white fog covered his head again and started twirling around his face which caused changes to happen.

    His hair color became blonde and sea green eyes turned blood-red. His face changed a little and gained a warrior-like appearance but it didn''t lose the charm he had before. He still looked handsome but seeing him one would think he had spent time on the battlefield for so long.

    "You remind me of that man in your new Asura form." A surprised voice sounded beside him and Rio turned around to look at her.

    "Who is ''that man''? Who are you talking about"? He raised his eyebrows and nced at Lia to ask in a voice filled with jealousy.

    Author Note:

    ______________

    WPC results came out today and this Book came as the Silver winner. Probably It didn''t get a Gold spot because Rio doesn''t act like a viin.

    There wasn''t any Gold winner so this book stille as the winner for the Top spot and currently appears in the "New Novel WPC winner banner" at the very front.

    Thanks for supporting the novel.

    __________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 51 Leon Rainheart

    "Leon Rainheart." She said while turning around to walk towards the windows. She gazed outside in the distance as if thinking of some memories from the past.

    ''Rainheart? Why does it sound familiar?''

    His eyebrows scrunched hearing that name as if he had heard this surname before. He looked at her back and felt she was very distant from him.

    "He was my older cousin. 11 years ago his mother got very sick from an incurable illness. All the priests in the empire failed to treat her. His little sister, who was only eight, asked Grandfather for a solution as we had lost all hope to save Leon''s mother.

    At first, he was reluctant to tell us anything. But her constant weeping and stubborn request caused him to break his silence.  He told us that there is indeed a solution to cure the disease.

    It was the moon berry fruit that grew in the ssy River of the Bloodhill wilderness where a silver stage shelter of humans was present. If we wanted to save her, someone had to bring this moon berry fruit from the ssy River.

    We sent many warriors there but they never returned. The health of Leon''s mother kept getting worse as days passed. The head priest told us she wouldn''tst more than a month. His little sister kept crying seeing her mother in pain and dying slowly.

    Leon doted on his sister a lot and didn''t want to see her in tears. So one day Leon decided to go by himself without informing us at all." Lia narrated the story with a sorrowful voice.

    Rio kept gazing at her back and listened carefully. He was afraid to say anything in the middle to interrupt her.

    She continued, "When his sister found out about this she was happy that her mother would finally be saved. She waited for her big brother at the teleporter tower every day in the hope he would return. It caused my heart to ache to see my cousin-sister upset, so I apanied her on a daily basis.

    Unfortunately, Leon didn''t return for 28 days. On the evening of the 29th, we saw a space rift opening in the teleporter tower and a figure bathed in red blood from head to toe came out of it.

    He moved slowly towards his little sister with a gentle smile on his face which was not recognizable because of the injuries and blood. He left a trail of blood on the floor as he walked because blood kept dripping from his body.

    He handed her a crescent-shaped fruit which was moon berry fruit and took her in his embrace while kneeling on the ground. His little sister recognized him even though he was barely discernible and cried miserably while she was hugging him.

    The Head Priest had run to the tower to heal him. His little sister separated from him so the head priest could heal him.

    Like a statue, Leon didn''t move again. He was kneeling on the floor while looking at his little sister with a doting smile on his bloody face without any speck of life energy in him" Lia''s voice wavered at the end as she spoke in a downhearted voice.

    She looked downcast and lonely while she was gazing in the distance.

    Rio walked towards her and deactivated his [Disguise] spell. He caressed her head which made him feel her silky white hair.

    She moved her sleeves upwards to wipe her moist face before turning around to look at him.

    "Tears don''t suit you either even if you look cute." He said in her own words she told him a month ago.

    "I''m not crying." She said in an annoyed tone and didn''t want to ept it.

    "I shouldn''t have asked about him. It caused you to remember a sorrowful past." Rio said in a bitter voice.

    "Don''t worry about it," She spoke while she tried to act strong so he doesn''t feel bad.

    "We should have our breakfast before it turns cold," He said in a hurried tone while pointing to the portable table.

    His intention was to change the mood as the tension grew and caused sadness to envelop the room.

    "Okay let''s have our meal." Lia moved towards the couch along with him.

    They ate together and Rio talked about the school. Hearing his talk, Lia slowly regained a radiance on her face.

    After some time passed, Yami came back to clean and left while pushing the cart with emptied bowls outside the room.

    "Don''t you want to know what happened after he died? Did we save his mother or find out who was behind it?" She probed him with curious eyes.

    "I have those questions but I don''t want them at the cost of making you upset." He mumbled.

    "I''ll not get upset but you need to know why we Asura hate humans. One of the reasons is the incident with Leon. His mother died on the same day as him as if waiting to go together to the afterlife. The head priest inspected his body and found a tiny piece of an AI watch stabbed into his flesh.

    We wanted to find the reason behind his death but grandfather told us that heavenly stars are aligning against us.

    Even if we went there we would have lost many lives since we don''t have any shelter in that area. There are 6 red stage shelters and a silver-stage shelter in Bloodhill wilderness all imed by humans.

    It''s very far away from the empire and an unknown location to us as we haven''t explored it So we didn''t go against his decision." She calmly spoke in a nonchnt voice.

    "What happened to the little girl?" He asked as a questioning glint flickered in his eyes to know about Leon''s sister whose life drowned in the tragedy.

    __________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 52 A Sweet Lie

    "She lost both her mother and brother on the same day. She couldn''t ept reality and became depressed. It was hard for a little child to handle all this but she slowly healed from it. However, her personality changedpletely.

    From a cheerful squirrel to a deadly beast who made a greater name just like her brother. She received the recognition of the ''Roaring Protector'' sword which Leon always carried with him. Besides the pair of brother and sister, nobody has ever been able to lift it." Lia spoke as if telling a heroic story.

    "That girl in the story reminds me of thatdy trainer who gave mebat lessons" He mumbled as he remembered the ck scabbard the blonde girl used to carry with her.

    "Are you hiding something, Rio?" Lia looked at him with a doubtful gaze as if asking him to say it himself.

    She knew Helia trained him who considered humans her mortal enemy. It was hard for her to believe she didn''t do anything to Rio.

    ''I didn''t expect her to find out this soon that Helia was my battle trainer.''

    "What would I hide?" He chuckled and gulped nervously.

    "Didn''t she attack you?" Her questioning eyes demanded an answer from him. She carefully observed his expression to monitor if he was lying or not.

    ''I don''t want to cause bitterness between you and her to ruin your sisters'' bonding''

    "She didn''t attack me in front of the Emperor but I knew she had some old grudges against me so when we were alone training I had already used [devlin transformation], which caused her hatred towards me to reduce significantly." He lied with a smile on his face.

    He tried to keep his story as genuine as possible since he could see her suspicion-filled eyes staring at him.

    Lia sighed rxedly as if her worry had ended.

    "Let''s go so I can register at the Outcast tower." Rio urged her as he wanted to escape the situation.

    Lia nodded her head with a gentle smile.

    They walked together outside the Empress Vi where female guards were standing.

    Seeing Rioing out of the Vi they raised their eyebrows but didn''t ask anything because Lia was apanying him.

    "Piper, did you see that? How has that guy gone inside without us letting him in?" The female guard with brown hair looked vignt.

    "How would I know?" Piper shrugged.

    "Shouldn''t we inform her highness of his suspicious activity?" She was wary of Rio''s action.

    "I am having a bad premonition about it, Molly," Piper said worriedly.

    "I''m going to tell her so he isn''t able to sneak into the Empress Vi again." She said and hurriedly followed behind at a fast pace.

    Molly hurriedly moved towards the duo who were about to enter the castle.

    "You will put us in trouble." Piper shook her head in disappointment and followed behind her.

    "Your highness, wait." She said hastily.

    Lia turned around to look at the female guards who were approaching them.

    The white-haired beauty didn''t like anyone to interrupt her especially when she was spending it with this guy who would be leaving soon to register for his shelter.

    "I have something important to tell you." She said in a hurried voice. She didn''t even realize the mood of the environment because of her hasty action.

    "Okay," Lia said in a stiff voice.

    "Your highness, Last night this guy wanted us to let him enter the Vi and we didn''t let him go as you were resting, he might have used some underhanded method to sneak into the Empress Vi," Molly said.

    Hearing her words, Lia''s eyes filled with coldness. A chilly aura enveloped the surroundings. Even Rio who was standing beside her shivered and felt as if he needed to wear warm clothes.

    *Plop!*

    Molly fell on her knees as the pressure of Lia''s aura was overwhelming for her to handle.

    "Didn''t I tell you he will live in the Vi and not to stop him?" She red at her and said in a majestic voice.

    "Sorry, Your highness. I was wrong." Molly blurted out as it was very hard to face the aura of her highness.

    She was hardly able to pick her words and saying things in defense required her to think clearly. Molly didn''t dare to say anything as she could feel this white-haired beauty wouldn''t listen to anything against the boy.

    "Don''t bully her, Wifey. They had good intentions and wanted nobody to disturb your sleep. Just forgive her." Rio said using telepathy.

    Lia calmed down as she heard his voice and spoke coldly to her, "Treat him as you treat me."

    Saying that she turned around to leave with Rio.

    Molly stood up and wiped the sweat from her forehead as she felt countless daggers had stabbed on her the moment Lia put her aura on her.

    "You were lucky she calmed down easily," Piper said as she saw the duo entering the castle.

    "Our highness is too strong. I don''t even think a red stage beast would be her match." Molly said as she was astonished by Lia''s strength.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 53 Teleporter Tower

    Lia and Rio entered the castle and walked out from another metal door exit to go towards the teleporter tower.

    Sun was glistening in the sky and causing their shadows to hug closely as they were walking alongside each other.

    They entered an enormous grass field which Rio recognized as this was the ce where the battle arena was present.

    However, they weren''t going to that oval-shaped building. Instead, they went toward another building which was in the shape of a lighthouse.

    It was around 60 meters tall kissing the sky and 40 meters wide taking its root at the bottom. However, the radius of the building wasn''t constant as it diminished the higher you looked. At the top of the tower, it only appeared to be 10 meters with a spherical crown in the shape of a wheel.

    Two guards were standing at the entrance of the teleporter tower. They both bowed as they saw the white-haired girling in their direction.

    The guards frowned seeing the blonde-haired boy beside their highness.

    As they approached the tower, Rio''s mouth became agape and he gasped in amazement to witness the majestic sight of the building. The architectural design was on another level as it expressed the importance of this ce.

    Looking from far and observing closely differed. Thest time when he came, he went to the other side to go to the battle arena and didn''te this close.

    They passed through the big gate to enter. Many asuras were present inside the tower. They all bowed when they saw Lia before continuing with their own business.

    However, some of the asuras stared at the new boy apanying their highness with curiosity.

    There were four rooms on the first floor and Spiral staircases were present in the middle spacious portion to go on the above floors. These stairs were like automatic elevators built using mana stones and magic arrays.

    Rio wasn''t sure how many floors it had but he could see a circr ascended tform on each floor which was in his sight.

    Right in front of them, four asura warriors walked to the circr ascended tform on the second floor that was visible due to the structure of the building.

    One of them, who looked to be the superior among them, took out a fist-sized brown paper that was engraved withplicated magic circles. He tore it apart which caused the paper to float around and magic circles started forming in front of them.

    A small crack appeared in the thin air which was swirling and sucked the standing warriors inside. Space rift closed as their figure vanished from the ascended circr floor.

    ''Whoa!''

    Lia was going ahead when she noticed her partner wasn''t beside her. She turned around to find out shocked Rio gazing in the disappeared warriors'' direction.

    She smiled gently and walked to him with graceful steps.

    "That''s a portal array on the ascended tform. You can use any of these tforms to visit one of our imed shelters. In that room there, you can ask for the [Teleport Glyph] of the shelters we own." Lia pointed towards a room to the right side.

    Rio came out of his dazed expression as soon as he heard her melody voice and carefully listened to her to not miss out on anything.

    She continued, "Tearing it apart while standing on the ascended tform will activate the magic array and send you to the inscribed shelter point."

    Rio heard her statement and realized that the magic array was a lot better than the portal capsule he used toe here from earth.

    Asuras could teleport to the shelters they wanted, meanwhile, when humans used a portal capsule for the first time they would randomly be sent to any shelter in thend of Asuras, and safety was not guaranteed. They would have to walk to the shelter they want their AI watch to register for the point of return.

    "You guys have more advanced teleporters than humans." He praised the asuras after he saw their magic array at the teleporter tower.

    They entered the room Lia was pointing at earlier.

    Two middle-aged men and an old man were sitting behind arge reception desk. The trio had their eyes red asmon asuras traits.

    They all stood up seeing Lia''s arrival and bowed their heads toward her.

    The old man spoke in a polite tone, "Do you need anything, Your highness?"

    "[Teleport Glyph] for Mistborn shelter." She said in her usual cold voice for outsiders.

    "Yes, your highness." Oldman opened a drawer and took out something from it.

    "Here, your highness." A fist-sized brown paper engraved with magic circles was ced on his spread palms and his head was bowed in respect.

    Lia took it and turned around to leave with Rio. They walked out of the room to enter the other room beside it.

    There was a circr ascended tform present here as well.

    Earlier Rio had noticed nobody entering this room for some reason so they didn''t use the magic array present here.

    He thought inwardly "Probably it is reserved for the Royal family."

    "You know what to do, right?" Lia asked while gazing at him as if he was her little baby who has recently learned to walk.

    Rio nodded in affirmation with a confident smile.

    "Here. Stay safe and inform me if anything goes wrong." She handed him the [Teleport Glyph].

    "Thanks, my dear Wifey." Rio took it from her hand and pecked her milky-white cheek by inclining as they were standing closely.

    He could feel his lips pressing against her soft cheeks for a little before separating. Her flowery scent invaded his nostril in that moment of the second when he closed the distance.

    Lia was taken aback by his sudden action. She didn''t expect him to be bold enough to suddenly kiss her on the cheek.

    However, she didn''t know that when she pecked his cheek in the morning he was pretending to be asleep so he didn''t hesitate to return it back.

    At the end of the day, she was his wife, his closest bonding, his family. She meant a lot to him which he wasn''t able to express truthfully before.

    Although it was kind of a forced marriage but he was more than happy to marry her. He wouldn''t turn down the proposal even if he had more options because he could feel the affection Lia showed towards him every time they were together which caused a warm ticklish in his heart.

    He started feeling that marrying her was one of the happiest things that happened to him whenever he spend time with her alone.

    He wanted to treat her with twofold greater love than she gave him. So his action was reasonable as he started to understand Lia.

    He climbed the ascended tform and tore the brown paper apart which was the [Teleport Glyph].

    A space rift opened and his figure disappeared into it.

    Lia saw his figure waving to her with a smile before he vanished.

    An adorable smile was stered on her fairy-like face because of the romantic encounter earlier.

    Her heart was fluttering with bliss as she remembered the feeling of his warm lips touching and kissing her cheek.

    It was well said that no one would be able to understand the secret of a maiden''s heart.

    She stood there while gazing at the ce where Rio disappeared for a few dozen minutes.

    On this day, Rio finally went to taste the vor of the wilderness for the first time in his life.

    He had no idea that the unknown paths, mysteriousndscapes, deadly beasts, new friends, and great adventures were waiting for him with open arms to unfold on the other side of the empire.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 54 Mistborn Shelter

    Mistborn shelter was present near the Monkline mountains. It was a purple stage shelter in a cave behind a waterfall that hid it perfectly.

    A space broke apart and a figure was thrown out of it.

    The force of ejection from the rift was light so hended perfectly on the ground.

    The floor was simr to the ascended tform at the teleporter tower.

    ck Stone walls were imnted with magic stones which chased away the darkness.

    There were two asuras standing nearby talking to each other. When Rio arrived from the space rift they just nced at him for a second and continued their talk. They appeared to be in charge of guarding the room.

    Rio hurriedly walked out of there as he wanted to go to his destination without wasting time.

    Outside of the room had a narrow corridor that was three-way out.

    He didn''t think much and took the middle one.

    It led him to the entrance of the shelter which was in the shape of the thorns stabbed to the ground and the cave ceiling as if beast teeth were closed together.

    Two of asura''s warriors were standing there and guarding the entrance.

    They saw a blonde-haired boying in their direction. One of the guards tapped a fist-size button on the wall as he was assigned this task by his superiors.

    Thorn-like barrier retreated and the entrance was big opened for Rio.

    He could hear the water hitting the surface outside.

    He walked out of the cave and saw a mesmerizing scene in front of him.

    A gigantic waterfall weed his sight. A hazy mist formed all around its surroundings and caused streams of water to form into a river.

    It was a magnificent sight to behold.

    He moved ahead but couldn''t avoid getting wet due to the mist which drenched his clothes.

    The warmth of the sun invaded his body as he stood near a ce where he didn''t get affected by the waterfall or its mist.

    The Mistborn Shelter was hidden behind the waterfall in a cave.

    He could see the river going towards the south. His left and right had mountains as It appeared to be a valley.

    He didn''t know which way to go.

    ''Ahhh¡­ I forgot to ask the location of the yellow tower of an outcast from this shelter.''

    He scratched his head embarrassingly.

    "Hey, Lia???" He sent her a telepathy message.

    "Have you finally remembered?" Her amusing voice was heard in his thoughts.

    "What remember? I was just missing my beautiful Wifey." He refused to ept as he really did forget to inquire about it.

    "You don''t have to butter me. Just go 150 steps to the East and look for another cave. Go inside until you find a stone button. Tap it once to open the door which will lead you to the outside." She instructed him as she was well aware of his intention behind the sweet talking to avoid embarrassment.

    She knew that he didn''t ask her about the location of his destination. She also didn''t bother to tell him as she wanted him to contact her.

    Although he could ask the warriors at the mistborn shelter but She believed he would rather ask her.

    "Okay, thanks. I''m going." He started counting his steps ''one'' ''two'' ''three'' and moved towards the east.

    Soon, he found the cave as it was a small entrance. Barely one person could enter this hole in the wall.

    He walked inside and followed the narrow path.

    It was illuminated by magic stones which were ced 10 meters gaps as if there were to light up the path and show direction.

    After going for fifteen minutes, he saw a fist size button on the wall simr to a mistborn shelter.

    He tapped it and a staircase ascended from the ground an opening was revealed at the end of the stair which was very high from the ground.

    He climbed the stairs and came out of the door which was at the very top of the cave.

    His eyes were invaded by sunlight which made his face scrunched. The sudden bright light aftering out of almost a Dark cave caused this.

    This entrance was also hidden by a waterfall. He couldn''t stop getting wet again and escaped the area to avoid it.

    The entrance behind him close after he walked out.

    In front of him was another river with a valley.

    "There is a river outside the cave you told me to enter. Where should I go now?" He asked her via telepathy.

    "Follow the river and you will find the yellow tower of the Outcast shelter. Be careful of the beasts lurking near the area." Lia warned him about the danger.

    "Thanks. I''ll go now." He said to her with a sweet voice and started walking carefully at the edges of the river.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 55 Mutated Armored Turtle

    The sight in front of him appeared to be a beautiful painting of nature by a great artist.

    He didn''t experience going to ces like this where mother nature spread its grace. He was mesmerized by its divine-level beauty. The sound of flowing water made him feel rxed.

    However, his peaceful time onlysted less than fifteen minutes.

    A beast jumped out of the water andunched towards Rio, who was walking alongside the edges of the river.

    He saw a 50-centimeter entitying towards him at an incredible speed.

    He activated [Devlin Movement Technique] and vanished from the spot.

    The beast hit the ce where Rio was standing and looked around dazed.

    Rio was already standing 10 meters behind it and a double edge sword with a blooming flower-shaped hilt was in his hand that he summoned.

    ''Ah...That was close.''

    His heartbeat throbbed fast as the beast attacked him early out of nowhere.

    It was around 50 centimeters and 40 centimeters in shape. It looked like a meaty Boulder but it reminded him of turtles from his world. The shell on Its back looked as if it was made from metal. Two Yellow stripes were present below its eyes.

    This wild turtle became enraged as bloodlust filled its eyes.

    It shot toward its prey again doubling the speed.

    Rio was prepared this time, he enchanted his eyes and his grip on the hilt of the sword tightened.

    As the beast neared him, he swung the king silver-bloom.

    The wild turtle''s face showed panic as the de made contact with its body. Agony danced in its eyes as the sword passed through the beast.

    Blood seeped like spray from the newly made leakage and its two halves body fell behind Rio as it stayed in motion due to thew of inertia.

    King silver-bloom sword didn''t even put the metal shell in its eyes as it cut it apart like tofu.

    [Yellow stage Mutated Armored Turtle killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Armored Turtle to gain zero to 4 yellow stats points randomly.]

    [No beast soul gained.]

    Rio raised his eyebrows upon hearing the notification. This was his first time killing a wild beast and it was a mutated one which made him wonder if they were really rare like others said.

    Unfortunately, he didn''t even receive a beast soul.

    He turned around to look at the two halves of the Armored Turtle. Blood was scattered around on the ground along with its organs which made him feel nauseous.

    He was having a hard time staying here any longer as the rancid smell of blood was too strong.

    There was a tiny pebble size Stone covered in blood in the middle of the corpse. It was glowing yellow as if it was a jewel.

    ''is that the core of the beast?''

    Rio took it in hand and moved away from the spot.

    He went ahead while inspecting the core in his hand.

    "It seems to be the beast core but How should I absorb it?" He looked puzzled.

    After carefully thinking, he remembered his first encounter with the beast soul.

    "Should I inject some mana as I did for the silver-bloom sword? Let''s try." He mumbled.

    He stopped in his tracks and a tiny amount of mana flowed inside the pebble-sized Yellow-Stage beast core.

    It changed its shape from solid to liquid and entered his palm making him feel his strength raised a little bit.

    [Core of Yellow-stage Mutated Armored Turtle absorbed. Two Yellow Stats points gained.]

    Hearing the notification, his lips raised upwards forming a smile.

    His eyes shone with excitement as he tasted the fruit of battling and raising strength.

    But then the smell of blood, which sttered on his clothes earlier, pulled him back to reality.

    "I need to Calm down. One small mistake would have cost me my life." He said with a bitter voice.

    He stared into the distance as the river was going in a curve line. Without wasting more time, he continued walking.

    Another Armored Turtle shot out of the water but it was smaller in size and speedpared to the one he fought.

    He effortlessly sent it to the afterlife without even using mana-enchanted eyes.

    [Yellow stage Normal Armored Turtle killed. Absorb the core of the normal Armored Turtle to gain zero to 2 yellow stats points randomly.]

    [No beast soul gained.]

    He didn''t get any beast soul.

    He proceeded to absorb the core the beast dropped.

    [Core of Yellow-stage Normal Armored Turtle absorbed. 0.5 Yellow Stats points gained.]

    "Only 0.5? No problem. Something is better than nothing, I guess." Heforted himself and kept going.

    On his way, he killed 7 normal and 2 mutated Armored Turtles. He gained a total of 8 yellow stats points.

    The valley came to an end. The stream of water went east along the mountain''s foot. In the north was a grass field with shrubs and trees.

    He could see a tower in the distance. It was approximately 1 kilometer away.

    ''Finally.''

    He was tired of fighting the Armored turtles so his face became bright seeing the tower in the distance.

    Behind the tower, the number of trees was greater in numbers but he ignored it for now as he wanted to register at the yellow tower of outcast only.

    He had no intentions of going on more exploration today.

    As he was focused on the tower ahead, he felt a tingle near his neck.

    ''Danger.''

    He vanished from his spot as his intuition warned him of the threat.

    A beast had collided with the ce he was in before.

    It was a mutated Armored turtle that came out from the river as Rio was standing near the area where the stream of water turned to the east.

    A chilly sensation ran down his spine. He was not sure how he gained the six senses that warn him beforehand of the danger but he thanked his intuition for alerting him.

    Without letting the beast give it any chance to attack, Rio moved towards it using enchanted eyes and foot, stabbing the de in its head.

    Beast didn''t understand what went wrong as its eyes became lifeless.

    [Yellow stage Mutated Armored Turtle killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Armored Turtle to gain zero to 4 yellow stats points randomly.]

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage Mutated Armored Turtle gained.]

    ______________

    Author Note:

    ______________

    Are you guys liking the wilderness part so far?

    __________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 56 Yellow Tower Of The Outcast

    His bad mood from earlier diminished as he heard the notification.

    In his mind-sea, a yellow light flickered and a mutated Armored turtle figure appeared.

    He was astonished even though this was his second time experiencing it.

    He put it aside for now and grabbed the yellow-colored pebble-sized core.

    ? A yellow liquid absorbed into though the palm into his body but he didn''t feel any strength-boosting effect like before.

    [Core of Yellow-stage Mutated Armored Turtle absorbed. No Yellow Stats point gained.]

    "Why is it not giving stats points any longer?" He frowned.

    The intense bloody scent caused him to scrunch his nose and he decided to leave this topic for the future.

    "I''ll look for an answerter. Let''s register at the shelter first." He deactivated the [Disguise] spell and ran towards the shelter using mana-enchanted legs.

    The yellow tower was around 30 meters tall and 10 meters wide. The shape at the top was conical. He didn''t find it that special as it paled inparison to the Teleporter tower which was one of a kind.

    Two human warriors in their early twenties, who were patrolling outside the yellow tower of the outcast, saw a figure rushing at an incredible speed toward their direction.

    "Hey, Euan. Look there, a high-level beasting in our direction. We need to inform Sir Henry." One of the warriors said in a panicked voice.

    "Hahaha¡­ that''s not a beast, stupid. look carefully." Euanughed at him.

    The first warrior''s mouth became agape as the sprinting figure started bing clear.

    It was a crimson-haired boy whose clothes were drenched in blood.

    Rio slowed down as he neared the shelter. It took him another two minutes to reach in front of them.

    He waved at them and the first guy whose name was Louie looked at Rio as if he was a ghost.

    He had recently joined the shelter so he wasn''t used to this. He hadn''t seen anyone at the yellow stage running at this speed.

    Considering the fact, Rio had eight yellow stats points, his real strength already equaled someone in the purple stage.

    "Where have youe from?" Euan asked, raising his eyebrows as this was the shelter under the Wilson family. So he didn''t let an outsidere here.

    "I was transported to a random unupied shelter and someone helped me escape it. I havee here to register." Rio said with a bittersweet smile.

    "What''s your name?" He asked with a stiff voice, staring at him suspiciously.

    "Rio Havenglow" He mumbled.

    Hearing the Havenglow name, both of their eyes shone as this was a legendary surname for the human race.

    Not knowing this family name would be impossible for anyone unless they were too ignorant or too young.

    Euan worked for the Wilson family so he kept in touch with all the news going around the seven silver sword family.

    He remembered Rio''s name as he was a hot topic.

    He said, "Let me confirm with our superior in charge of this shelter."

    He turned around to go inside the yellow tower.

    After two minutes, two people came out of the metal gate.

    Euan was with another man who appeared to be in histe twenties.

    "I''m Henry Doyle. I was informed by my higher-ups to look for the snow mountain in the shelter''s area nearby. We never thought you woulde out on your own. Please forgive us for making you wait outside." He said politely.

    "Can you help me register at this shelter?" Rio hurriedly asked.

    "Let''s go inside. I''ll immediately start the process."

    They went out together through a metal gate. Rio wasn''t sure what materials were used to construct the building but it wasn''t built by humans.

    There were five floors and seven rooms on each floor. A staircase was on the side.

    They went into one of the rooms, where there was a desk and a few chairs. A few notebooks and pens were present on the desk.

    Henry took out the notebook and started to slide away the pages. After going onto the most recent page, he wrote down some information and kept the note away.

    "All done. I have registered your name. Your room is first on the second floor. You will find a portal capsule inside to return back home. Try not to go into random rooms as it would break the rule of the shelter.

    Infuse your mana with the button outside the door. The room will be assigned to you until you move to another shelter. Have a great time." Henry exined with a bright smile.

    "Thank you," Rio said politely and left.

    He took the stairs to go to the second floor. A silver button was beside each door that he saw on the first and second floors.

    He tapped it, injecting some mana. The door opened and a small room appeared in front of him.

    A wooden bed and a portal capsule, Nothing too grand.

    He walked towards the portal capsule without giving a second look at the bed which didn''t even have a mattress.

    A text shed on his AI watched ''Teleport'', as he stood inside the capsule.

    He tapped it and disappeared from the Yellow tower of Outcast shelter.

    Unknown to him, Henry also went into his room to return. Even before Rio vanished, he hade hurriedly to his world to make phone calls to his superiors.

    ***

    Aliyah Havenglow had returned from thend of Asura and took a shower to go back to sleep.

    A towel was wrapped around her silky blue hair as she went to sit on her bed.

    *Ding!*

    Her phone screen shed and indicated she received a notification.

    She didn''t check it as she was tired from a long day at the shelter.

    *Ding!* *Ding!* *Ding!* *Ding!* *Ding!*

    Five consecutive notifications rang one after another.

    ''What''s going on?''

    She scrunched her eyebrows as she find it abnormal.

    She took a nce which caused mixed emotions to envelop her face.From horror to worry and so on.

    It was hard to decipher her thoughts from these expressions and the glint in her eyes which showed lots of concern.

    She tapped her phone to call. It was ringing but no one answered.

    She called again¡­ The line connected this time as someone received her call.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 57 Motherly Scold

    She called again¡­ line connected this time.

    "Rio?" She asked worriedly after learning he had gone out of the snowy mountain. Her heartbeat wasn''t stable reading the text that her little child took such a big risk.

    "Hiii¡­ I wanted to contact you but then saw your call wasing." He replied nervously as he was amazed she found out so soon.

    He could guess that those three people at the yellow tower shelter exposed him even before he returned to the earth.

    "Why did you sneak into thend of Asura without informing me?" Her angered voice was heard on the speaker of the phone, which was mixed with bitterness and sadness.

    "I thought you wouldn''t let me go so that was the only option. I also met a girl there who was temporarily living in that shelter. She helped me get out of that ce." He offered her a t lie. Hoping she would buy it.

    He didn''t want to sadden her but what option he had left?

    "What if she wasn''t there or had a bad intention? What If there was a beast again and harmed you? You shouldn''t be so careless." She berated him with a harsh voice but Rio didn''t feel bad as he could feel her motherly love in her voice.

    Most children would have disliked it if their parents shouted at them for being careless but Rio''s heart was feeling warm and ticklish as this was foreign to him.

    ''is this how it feels to have a mother?''

    His second mother was angry at him because she was worried he could''ve gotten injured by his carelessness.

    "Sorry, I was wrong." He apologized, which flickered with a saddened tone.

    Hearing his sorrowful voice, she felt an ache in her heart. This caused her anger to calm down.

    She spoke in a sweet manner, "I don''t want to hold you back, child¡­ But you need to understand that life is more precious than chasing powers. You can''t just dive in because you want to be strong. Don''t forget that there are people who would break down if something happens to you."

    His heart shook hearing herst sentence.

    Although it was a lie that he was stuck at a snowy mountain, Rio never had anyone before who would cry for him if one day something happens to him.

    But now, there were at least two people, if not three, who would be sad if he died.

    ''Lia, Second mother, and maybe N?''

    He understood her reasoning and might have not used the portal capsule, as she advised if such dangers were involved.

    However, it was all a fabricated lie and he needed to fix it. There was no other way around it if he wanted to go to thend of Asura again.

    "Yes, I understand. I won''t do it again." He mumbled quietly.

    The second mother heard his response which camete as if he said it after understanding the sensitivity of the matter.

    "Do you want me toe to the yellow tower of the Outcast and fetch you to my silver shelter?" She asked with a doting voice.

    "I''m still at the yellow stage. Do you want to see me get along with those silver-stage deadly beasts?" Rio asked with a sarcastic tone.

    "Don''t worry about that, Little Rio. This second mother of yours can bring you to the Yellow-Stage shelters and help you evolve to a higher stage." She said to him with a nonchnt voice.

    "Nah¡­ if you keep protecting me like a mother hen then I won''t be able to grow." He refused her offer.

    "You''re just like your mother, won''t take help from anyone. Okay, Do what you like but you can always ask me if you need anything. Be careful though." She said in her usual caring manner.

    "Thank you." He said quietly.

    He could feel her motherly affection in her voice as she genuinely doted on him like a mother.

    ''When would I find the truth?''

    He couldn''t understand why she would be loving him like her own child.

    "You must be tired from the long journey. You should rest. Take care, Rio." She decided to end the call and not disturb him.

    Rio didn''t know what to say as he didn''t speak anything. The connection line ended.

    He checked his phone for the newly frozen girl''s messages, but there wasn''t any notification from anyone.

    "I wonder if N will stay cold to me." He sighed inwardly.

    His eyes stared at his sleeves which had dried stains of blood.

    He scrunched his face and stormed into the bathroom.

    After taking a rxing shower and changing back into new clothes, he decided to return.

    A white light drowned his figure and he disappeared from his room.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 58 Shamor Empire

    He appeared on the couch as usual but Lia was nowhere to be found.

    He went downstairs to look for her.

    Yami was busy in the kitchen preparing for lunch.

    Rio didn''t find her there either, so he decided to send her a telepathic message.

    "Hey Wifey, I''m back. Where are you???" He asked her in an eager tone.

    "I havee outside the castle. I''lle back soon. You should look for Father in the castle. He wants to talk about your uing missions." She told him in a sweet manner.

    "Where to find him?" He questioned.

    "Just ask Yami." She said in her gentle voice.

    "Okay, have a good time outside." He bid her farewell.

    He asked Yami who led him to the castle.

    Dn was in his study room doing some paperwork.

    Yami asked for permission from the Emperor and they entered the room.

    Dn indicated Rio sat while doing his paperwork, and Yami left afterward as her task was done.

    He waited for 10 minutes quietly and saw the Emperor was closing the papers and keeping things aside.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting. I wanted to finish this before having a good talk with you." Dn smiled mysteriously.

    "No worries¡­ It''s fine." Rio wasn''t sure how to respond since the Emperor himself was apologizing.

    "I was impressed by your actionsst time when you protected Lia against the human prisoner who was escaping. I believe the time hase for you to start with the missions. Before that, you need to understand how the empire works. So listen carefully." The Emperor said and stood up to spread a rectangr map on the study table.

    The Map was simr to his world. The greatnd was surrounded by water. But the continents weren''t at the gaps as it was connected to form a big one. The direction was indicated on the map with NEWS on upright left down respectively.

    "This is a map of thend of asura or you can say the blue star. Our Shamor empire is in the very east currently upying ten percent of thend. The other twenty percent consists of the wilderness and shelters we had imed. The rest of the seventy percent area that we haven''t imed, we call it corruptednds.

    Shamor empire is a safe ce where asura lives. There are five major cities, managed by four great ns and three powerful sects.

    Mistde n, Rainheart n, and spirit heart sect as well as Ancient Society Pce, arepletely loyal to us. On the other hand, Strongze and Wolf Mountain Sect have neutral standing.

    Currently, we only have one n that doesn''t like the royal family. It is the old royal n that ruled the Shamor Empire before us." He paused and stared at Rio as if waiting for an uing question that he was already aware of.

    Rio knew he would need to learn about this world''s geography, history, and politics but he didn''t know Dn would teach it himself.

    "Didn''t Yami mention that the daughter of Mistde was Lia''s childhood friend?" Rio was thinking inwardly as he heard many foreign names in one go.

    The mistde and Rainheart were the only two names he had heard before.

    "Why don''t you pluck out this rebellious n if it''s a threat to the royal family?" He asked doubt as Dn expected.

    The Emperor continued, after receiving the question he was waiting for, "The simple answer is that We don''t want to have a civil war while giving humans a chance to triumph over us.

    The standing of the other two neutral powers can go against us anytime to support the Cliffdane n if we make rash decisions.

    Their foundation is stable and can''t be neglected. They have very deep roots, which is the reason they possess thousands of years old heritage."

    "How is this going to help me in the uing mission? Don''t tell me you want me to infiltrate their n as a spy." Rio was confused why the emperor was telling him all this so he blurted out nonsense out of instinct.

    "Haha¡­why would I make my son-inw a spy? Just listen, I''m not finished yet. To suppress these neutral powers and the enemy n we need to have more shelters under our control. It not only helps us against humans but also makes us prepare for uing future battles we may have among asuras." Heughed heartily and exined.

    "If you just have to im shelters you can send anyone. Why send the innocent me to dirty my hands?" Rio narrowed his eyes as he was suspicious of this man who wasn''t honest with him in their first meeting.

    He couldn''t forget how Emperor hid the main reason for Lia marrying Rio. Dn told him that it was due to transferring powers which can only be inherited by someone who has not awakened innate talent yet but the main reason was prophecy.

    "If we start taking down shelters openly, then those neutral powers along with our enemy n may also start preparing against us. I don''t want to alert them.

    They weren''t a problem as long as I am still here. However, I barely have time left. Before I leave, I want to make sure

    they don''t be a threat to Lia." His eyes shone with a mysterious saddened glint.

    "What do you mean you barely have time left?" He scrunched his eyebrows hearing him say that. His heart thumped as he felt some ominous information was going to be revealed.

    __________________________

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 Chapter 59 Dragon Nectarine Fruit

    "Don''t forget this, Rio. A great sage once said, Greed makes a man blind and foolish and makes him an easy prey for death.

    This greed became the reason for my downfall. I wanted to ascend to the unknown stage beyond the golden stage. I found records in ancient books that a ce in corruptednds has a mysterious Dragon Nectarine tree that can help a person ascend to the next stage.

    I ventured deep into corruptednds, where I found the ce with the mysterious tree in a ruin. There were 10 ice-like transparent and cold fruits on the tree.

    In the record, it was said one can only pluck one of these Dragon Nectarine fruits. I took one fruit and consumed it. The effect was sudden as massive energy rushed into my body and filled the dantian to the brim. I felt that I would reach the next stage by refining the energy essence stored in my dantian.

    But I went to pluck two more, the moment I touched the fruit, I was thrown out of the ruin by a majestic force, and the energy in my dantian transformed into a red worm which started slowly sucking away my life essence." Dn''s voice was filled with bitterness.

    One could tell by looking at his expression how much he regretted the unnecessary desire that devoured him whole.

    Rio''s face darkened upon hearing the story. He wasn''t close to the Emperor but at the end of the day, Dn was the father of Lia.

    He didn''t want his wife to be an orphan like him. He didn''t know the agony of losing a father but he knew the pain of having none at all.

    ''I don''t want her to be saddened.''

    He clenched his hand as he thought about Lia''s condition if Dn passed away.

    He wanted to do something for her as it was always his wifey who supported him. He has never been able to repay the kindness and love she showered Rio.

    "Is there no way to save you?" He hurriedly asked with a tinge of hope.

    "Maybe if My old man was alive, he would''ve known a cure," Dn spoke with a bittersweet smile.

    "How much time do you have left?" Rio asked.

    "Less than three years." The Emperor responded without any worry.

    "Three years¡­" Rio clenched his fist and gritted his teeth. He was only in the yellow stage and he was clueless about how to save the Emperor.

    Being weak made him helpless. The crimson-haired boy was of no use because of his low strength.

    "Don''t worry about me. If you want to do something for your dear father-inw then help me im and clear out all the human shelters around Sharon empire. I can happily leave my body thinking Lia would be safe without my protection. Humans and these anti-parties wouldn''t be a threat if we have enough shelters under us." Dn said in a nonchnt voice looking at Rio with hopeful eyes.

    "How are these shelters going to help?" His face was painted with puzzlement.

    "Each shelter has an Emperor spirit of the region. They keep their heart stone in their statue chamber. When you drop blood on their heart stones, you will be the sovereign of that Emperor spirit and their shelter.

    The Devlin family has a secret technique that assisted us in bing the new ruler of this empire. This can help us to control all the beasts under the emperor spirits and the shelters of the heart stones we possess. So the more shelters you im the bigger strength we acquire." Dn spoke while looking at him with an expectant glint in his eyes.

    "How many of these shelters do I have to clear?" Rio asked with a questioning tone.

    "There are 150 yellow, 50 purple, 30 ck, and 16 red stage shelters around the shamor empire''s border.

    Because these shelters collide with the empire''s periphery region, many humans attack the beasts for skills and cores that have pledged their loyalty to us ." Dn spoke with a bitter voice.

    "150 yellow stage shelters? 50 purple stage shelters? how am I supposed to do that? This will take me a lot of years to im. Here I don''t even know how to im a shelter and we are running out of time." Rioined with a bittersweet smile.

    "Haha¡­ We don''t have to waste our time on the yellow or purple stage shelters as we can im themter after we have higher stage shelters and beasts under us.

    You''re still at the yellow stage so it''s better if you go after the yellow stage shelters first that are under humans around the shamor empire''s periphery. It will be like your practice match before the official battle starts." Dn chuckled and exined.

    "That''s better. 150 was an astronomical number." Rio sighed in relief hearing he didn''t have to im that many yellow stage shelters.

    "That''s all you needed to know. Let me pass you the secret technique that will help you control the beasts under us ." Dn walked out behind the desk and hovered his hand in the air and pressed his palm on Rio''s forehead.

    A glimmering light flowed from his forehead to his hand which went through Rio''s forehead.

    A cooling sensation entered Rio''s body through the forehead like thest time when the emperor transferred some skills. This process took a few seconds then Dn removed his hand.

    Unlike before, it was easier this time. He didn''t feel any pain or electric current.

    A notification sounded in his mind and

    a screen floated in front of his eyes, which showed him the information.

    <<<<

    [You have acquired the Ancient Devlin Beast Emperor Spell]

    [Ancient Devlin Beast Emperor: Beasts under Devlin''s Bloodline Banner would listen to you as their leader. (Passive)]

    >>>>

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 Chapter 60 Lioness As The Team Member

    He got dazed looking at the information about the spell. It was a very powerful ability that would let him control numerous beasts under the Devlin''s Bloodline Banner.

    His heartbeat thumped with excitement just thinking about It.

    He wanted to try this skill out but there were no Devlin banner beasts avable nearby.

    Rio heard footsteps approaching the study room and someone knocked on the door.

    "Come in." The Emperor said with an eager voice as if he was waiting for the person who just arrived.

    Rio turned around to look at the figure that juste and his face became surprised with some bitterness.

    The Emperor said with a grin as the person walked into the room, "For your first mission, you don''t have to go to the human shelters. First, go to the corruptednds with thisdy and get some experience on how to im a Shelter."

    "Why do I have to go with her?" Rio blurted out instinctively.

    The girl standing beside him didn''t even find it rude and minded him as she expected this reply from him.

    "It''s your first time so you need someone to guide you. Corruptednd is not a safe ce like the one in the periphery of the Shamor empire so you need someone stronger like her to protect you. Also, You have to get familiar with the new ability you just learned." Dn responded.

    "Protect? I would rather feel safe with a deadly beast than her." Rio retaliated and his face shadowed with bitterness as he didn''t want to go with the girl beside him.

    "She won''t harm you, Rio. Because when she was little she used to tell Lia ¡­" Dn stopped in the middle as he was interrupted and his eyes gazed at a dagger dancing in thedy''s hand.

    He gulped nervously and a cold wind swirled around his crotch as he remembered her vicious action fromst time.

    "What did she say to Lia??? Rio frowned as he saw the Emperor hesitating toplete the sentence.

    "Cough¡­cough¡­ nothing. You will find out yourself when the timese." He said hurriedly as he wanted to skip the topic.

    Although he liked to tease his children, he can''t lose his little brother because of his bbering mouth.

    Rio looked beside him and saw her ying with a dagger.His shoulder dropped in sadness as he didn''t like their n at all.

    "She is working alone on this secret mission because she was the only one who can use the [Ancient Devlin Beast Emperor] spell besides me and Lia. Since you have joined our family, you are also given our secret ability which can only be taught to very trusted family members.

    So from now on, you will be working with Helia together as a team to im the shelters under our enemies'' noses.

    When you bring a heart stone of Emperor spirit, either give it to Lia or Me as we will bind it with our blood to make those beasts under our banner.

    As for shelter-rted missions, you can ask Helia as she will be also in charge of giving you missions to im the shelters around the shamor empire. You don''t have to report to me, just find her as she will be the one to guide you.

    That''s all I wanted to say. Ask if you have any doubts regarding this matter." Emperor Dn exined and looked at him to see if he had any questions about all the stuff he had told him.

    The girl who arrived earlier was the lioness, Helia. She was in her usual warrior-like armor with a sword. Although Rio found her gorgeous like N, but he wasn''t happy to see her as he shared bitter memories with her.

    "When do I have to go?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

    "Now¡­ follow me." it wasn''t the Emperor who said it, The blonde-haired beauty spoke coldly and walked out of the room.

    "Good luck to both of you," Dn said with a cheerful smile and bid them farewell.

    Rio followed the lioness half-heartedly as he was not given a choice to pick.

    They walked out of the castle to go towards the teleporter tower.

    Sun was brightly glistening in the sky and forming their shadow which barely touched each other due to the distance between the duo.

    "Hey¡­ wait¡­" Rio spoke and halted his steps as he remembered something.

    "Why¡­?" She turned around to re at him with a frown.

    He wanted to tell her what he just remembered but it would be bad if others heard about it so he walked towards her and stopped very close to her face.

    He gazed into her beautiful red eyes and leaned forward slowly.

    Helia''s heartbeat became faster as she saw him getting closer to her face. Her grip on her sword tightened as she was ready to teach him a lesson if he crossed his lines.

    Although she said she would marry the one Lia married when she was little. That didn''t mean she would allow a yboy to be around her lovely sister. She only wanted the best for Lia.

    If this man in front of her tried anything funny she wouldn''t hesitate to ughter him.

    However, she would only harm Rio if he had such perverted ideas and did what she thought he would do. But that was not going to happen as Rio wasn''t that kind of person.

    His face was getting close to her as his warm breath brushed past her neck and a voice whispered causing a tickle in her ear, "Lia has instructed me to Disguise as an asura before going to the teleporter tower."

    His nostrils were invaded by a fragrance of jasmine flowers as he got near her and came closer to her face.

    He considered her like a rough warrior who didn''t have the gentleness of ady and acted adorably but his ideas, as well as beliefs, got shattered into tiny pieces when he leaned close towards her to whisper in her ears.

    He only became dazed for a second and calmed himself down. At the end of the day, she was the sister of his wife. He was not allowed to think about her in that way.

    Helia on the other hand, loosened her grip on her sword as she realized his pure intention.

    ''He is not a yboy.''

    She sighed in relief as she saw him in front of him. She never felt that he looked at her with lustful eyes, being a female warrior with an alluring body she had experienced it a lot of times while traveling and fighting but this crimson-haired human was different.

    His deep sea-green eyes never had a hint of lust since she met him. They only had fear, sorrow, and some unknown emotion she couldn''t understand.

    Sometimes she even got to see pity and friendliness in his eyes but she never saw the lust for her and he never made her feel ufortable.

    That was also the second reason she started to dislike him less as his character was best even among asuras.

    However, her face changed at an astonishingly fast speed as she saw what was in front of her.

    __________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 61 You Will Never Be My Brother

    Her eyes became moist and she put down her guard because of the sight in front of her.

    She moved forward and threw herself at him as she coiled her hands around him.

    Rio, who had just used his [Disguise] spell, was taken back. He wasn''t prepared and never imagined she would be hugging him in this life.

    For the lioness to act like a little child was very unbelievable for Rio.

    His heartbeat raced due to her hugging him so dearly. The jasmine scent once again weed him.

    Rio tasted the soft and warm sensation of hugging a domineering lioness as her ample bosoms, which were tightly covered in cloths, pressed on his body from the front.

    The feeling was familiar as Lia hugged him usually but getting hugged by another woman was different.

    Helia wasn''t a divine beauty like Lia but she was at a simr level as N who he thought to be the second most beautiful girl among all girls he met or saw on TV.

    Rio felt his shirt getting wet and the body in his hug was shaking as Helia''s eyes were weeping uncontrobly.

    The atmosphere made him dazed he didn''t know how to react so he stood up like a statue.

    "Big Brother." She sobbed with happy-sad mixed emotions, forgot for a second where she was standing and her brother had been long dead.

    She saw Leon many years ago and his image in her memory was simr to how Rio looked.

    There were some differences but not big and people tend to change a little as they grow up and Helia saw her beloved big brother long ago.

    So the sudden transformation of Rio bing Leon caused her past blissful dream that she always wanted to happen toe true.

    She didn''t even question what happened in front of her if it held any truth and was possible bymon sense as she desperately only wanted to believe it even if it was a lie.

    However, after she cried for like ten minutes. Her foggy saddened mind became clear and she started questioning reality.

    She remembered what had happened. Her brothering back alive wasn''t possible and Rio being Leon was not possible either as he was a human.

    Discrimination was at its peak. If Rio hugged her then he would be a yboy but It was fine when she did the same. She was truly unreasonable.

    Her moistened red eyes began to tremble as she hurriedly separated herself. She was drowned in confusion as to what had happened. This was the man she wished to sh only moments before! If he had any funny thoughts...

    "Why did you Disguise yourself as my brother?" She asked with a re and demanding tone as a hint of betrayal was flickering on her expression.

    "I have never seen your brother so don''t me me. I just randomly got this appearance on my second try." He offered her a half-truth.

    His intention was never to be Leon but he designed his new appearance considering Helia as his model in mind. He was innocent as it was heaven n''s to give him some simrities to look like her big brother.

    "If it''s heaven''s will then I should continue to use this asura get up. At Least she wouldn''t harm me thinking I''m Leon, would she?" He thought inwardly.

    Helia gritted her teeth in anger but her heart was melting, looking at the person with a simr appearance, she grew up admiring and loving.

    She wanted to embrace him again but her strong willpower helped her regain her sanity.

    What would you do if one day a person who was your little happy world appeared in front of you? Whom did you always search for and wished that he came back? Won''t you feel overwhelmed emotionally?

    That was exactly how Helia felt. She had mixed emotions. She knew Rio wasn''t Leon but she still wanted to believe he was her big brother. Her desperate heart knew no limits.

    Rio could see her condition as new colorful expressions danced on her face and eyes that mostly stayed emotionless.

    "We already look alike so how about this, you can call me your little brother If you want." He asked her with a gentle smile.

    Although he didn''t like Helia much, but after hearing her story that day he hoped that she would smile again and gain some emotions like a normal girl of her age.

    Our Rio was a gentleman so he offered her that she could call him her brother.

    "Even If you look like big brother Leon. I''m never going to think of you as my brother." She said coldly, her face regaining the coldness from before but

    a memory from the past was ying into her thoughts.

    ***

    "Lia, I won''t let another man take you away from me. You cannot marry to live with him in the future." Little Helia said stubbornly with a sorrowful face.

    "But...Grandfather has said that I have to marry that man from foreignnd if I wish to live." Little Lia spoke to the little girl whose eyes turned moist as she heard her response.

    "Big Brother already left me. You will also leave me. How will I live without you both? Am I that bad, Lia? I don''t want to be in this unpleasant world if you also leave me one day." A stream of tears rolled down her baby-like cheek.

    Lia wasn''t a child who had many people close to her. She gained maturity at an early age due to the nightmares and meeting people who tried bootlicking to gain favor.

    She hardly trusted anyone as she considered them fake because they wanted to make a friendly rtionship for their personal benefit.

    Since her very little age, only three people were able to create an important ce in her heart which was her father, her grandfather, and her cousin-sister.

    "Ah¡­Helia¡­Don''t cry. Okay, I won''t marry anyone. I will not go anywhere without my sister." Lia wiped her tears with her delicate hands.

    "But what about grandfather''s words then? Won''t you die if you don''t marry that man from prophecy? " Helia asked adorably with a saddened face that had a me of hope after hearing her sister.

    "So what should we do then?" Lia asked with a puzzled face.

    "Take me with you to your new home when you marry and meet that man." Helia''s face brightened as if found a good solution.

    Lia hesitated as she knew what it meant to bring her together.

    Author Note:

    _____________

    Just wanted to let you guys know that I might not be able to post daily for this week as it''s going to be very busy. But I''ll try my best to not let it happen.

    Happy Halloween everyone.

    P.S I would''ve posted a message from N and Lia to you guys for Halloween if you were on our Instagram:the.whitesnow

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character (especially harem members) images on:

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 Chapter 62 A Promise To Be Together

    After thinking calmly she decided to make her understand the gravity of her words.

    "Don''t you want to have a family when you grow up?" Lia asked her.

    "But aren''t you, my family?" Helia asked with questioning eyes.

    "No¡­ you have to find a husband in the future and make a family with him." She exined her calmly.

    "If that''s the case. I choose the person that my sister will marry" a Little blonde-haired girl said with a determined face.

    "But¡­" Lia hesitated once again as this was aplicated topic.

    "You don''t want me in the future your family?" Helia asked with a sorrowful voice.

    She didn''t think her little sister would be so carefree picking the same husband as her. But one thing was understandable for her, Helia only wanted to marry the same person as her because she cherished Lia a lot.

    If someone loved you this much, could you easily refuse?

    Considering the fact that it was not that rare for a man to have more than one wife and take another woman as a concubine in the world of Asura, Lia decided to throw the responsibility to our Rio who hadn''t even been to the world of Asura yet.

    "It''s not up to me but the person who wille from the foreignnd. He would have to ept you" Lia said with a worried look.

    "Leave that to me¡­ I''ll beat him up until he agrees," Helia said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    She continued to ask, "So, would you let me marry that man if he agrees in the future?"

    She was looking at Lia with hopeful eyes. She didn''t hear Lia''s response as her sister was thinking deeply about her abnormal request.

    Helia was holding back her tears as if Lia disagreed they would rush out of her eyes again.

    ''I hope the man I''ll marry doesn''t hate me for this.''

    After a few minutes of contemtion, Lia finally answered "Okay¡­ if he epts then we will be one sweet family and we can live together."

    Although She understood what it meant to share her husband but she also loved her sister who was like an orphan. After Leon and her mother passed away, she took care of Helia like a parent despite being the same age.

    Lia''s maturity was a lot greater than a child at her age because of the nightmares she had got while growing up. She mostly spent her time in the library to find an answer to her nightmares.

    It was normal for a man to take more than one wife in her world although her father never married another woman.

    However, she wasn''t sure how the man from the foreignnd would react after finding out about the arrangements waiting for him was. She just hoped he didn''t dislike her sister and her for this unfair n.

    "Pinky promise?" Helia said adorably while hovering her right hand and cing her little finger in front of her.

    Lia smiled and said, "Pinky promise."

    Cheerfulughter of little girls resounded in the room as the pair of sweet sisters built the foundation of the great harem story that''s going to be revealed in the future.

    Our Rio didn''t even know his fate to marry the lioness was sealed right there right then which he couldn''t escape.

    This was also the reason Helia couldn''t agree to call her future husband her brother even though it was hard to ept Rio in her heart yet due to him being a human.

    ***

    ''Why is she so stubborn to hate me?''

    He couldn''t understand why she didn''t want to take him as her little brother if it can bring a little happiness to her.

    Rio was unaware of all the thoughts going through Helia''s mind as he was sold to lioness even before he arrived in this world.

    ''I can''t ept you as my brother because you''re Lia''s husband.''

    She grumbled inwardly as she disliked it to imagine him as the person she begged to be married to in her childhood.

    ''He is a human¡­ I can''t be with someone from their race who killed big brother.''

    She clenched her fist and turned around to walk towards the teleporter tower not wanting to continue this topic anymore as she was quite embarrassed.

    Rio was still amazed at how she hugged him and remembered her soft body pressing on his but he didn''t wander around this thought much.

    He shook his head and followed behind her.

    They entered the tower and Asura''s warriors gave a salute to Helia as if she was their boss.

    She went to the [Teleport Glyph] room where two middle-aged men and an old man were present from thest time he hade with Lia.

    They all became alert seeing Helia enter the room and stood up to give a salute to Helia and looked at Rio with raised eyebrows.

    They saw himst time with Lia but they didn''t dare to ask her about him but this time when it was Helia so the Old man decided to satisfy his curiosity.

    "Wee to the Teleporter Tower, princess." The old man greeted her and looked towards Rio.

    He continued, "I apologize but I didn''t recognize this young man. is he your cousin, princess?"

    Helia''s eyes twitched hearing him calling Rio her cousin. But she was helpless as she didn''t want to blow his cover. People would be suspicious of him if she disagrees now.

    Although the Royal family could create an identity for Rio but Helia understood that their best bet was to call Rio her long rtive or cousin since they looked simr.

    She didn''t want to risk their secret ns behind their enemy''s back. If people saw a random person joining Helia all of a sudden on her expedition it would be suspicious.

    She knew there could be spies of other ns in the Royal family so she decided to y along with Rio''s story.

    "Yeah, he is my long-distance rtive. His parents want me to train him so I''ll be taking him to give him some battle experiences." Helia replied with a t voice.

    The old man was very respected due to his old age so Helia didn''t want to be rude to him. Because she grew up seeing him from little age, it was odd for her to act all mighty and domineering to him despite being a princess.

    The old man smiled and said, "Young man, learn well from the princess. I wish you a great future ahead and hope you make a big name like her."

    "Thank you," Rio mumbled politely.

    The old man continued while moving his eyes to look at Helia, "which shelter''s [Teleport Glyph] do you want, Princess?"

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 63 Blood-Sea Stronghold Shelter

    "Blood Sea Stronghold Shelter." She said with a stiff voice.

    "Okay, give me a moment to find it." Oldman went towards the wall to a box and opened it to take out a [Teleport Glyph] from it.

    He retrieved it and said, "Here, Princess."

    Helia took the fist-sized brown paper from his spread palms and turned around to leave.

    Rio followed behind to enter the other room with the circr ascended tform.

    She climbed the ascended tform and said to Rio who was standing below, "Come quicker before I kick your ass and drag you forcefully."

    ''Why is she so vicious.''

    Rio gulped nervously and climbed the ascended tform. Seeing him beside, she tore the paper of [Teleport Glyph].

    A space rift opened and their figure vanished into it.

    ***

    Blood-Sea stronghold shelter was situated in the Blood Sea of the corruptednd which wasn''t imed by Asuras.

    It was surrounded by water from three sides and Dargus Isle on one side which was connected by a bridge.

    A tiny sh in space appeared which increased in size to form a rift and the blonde-haired duo came out of it.

    Rionded perfectly on the ground with Helia as he had experienced it once so the force of ejection was easily managed by him.

    However, a sshing sound was made and he find out his foot emerged in a reddish-colored liquid. The coldness invaded his leg as his pants got wet by submerging in water.

    The ground was simr to the ascended tform but it was drowned in blood-like water. It wasn''t giving off a scent of rancid blood but was simr to seawater.

    The walls were made up of mossy stones with vines hanging from the ceiling.

    Two asuras were guarding as usual seeming to be tired andzy. When they saw Helia appearing they became alert and straighten their body to salute her.

    Helia ignored them and walked out of the room making sshing sounds on her way. Seeing her leave, Rio followed her hurriedly.

    A cubical building appeared in front of his sight which had its walls made of mossy bricks simr to the ascended tform room and vines hanging from the roof.

    Spiral staircases were there which lead to higher floors.

    The number of Asura''s warriors on the first floor was greater than he had seen in the Mistborn shelter as he saw dozen of people walking around.

    They didn''t salute Helia like the guards at the entrance as if they didn''t recognize her.

    Helia took the route that went straight out towards the exit.

    The outside of the building was surrounded by blood-like water as if floating or built above it. A dome-like structure was present on top of the cubical building of the Shelter.

    He was amazed seeing the scenery in front of him. He hadn''t seen such abnormal water and dome-like building before. So it was natural for him to be surprised.

    Rio could only see a bridge on the left side of the entrance that was connected to an ind far away which was visible due to engulfing in the greenery.

    The mossy stones made bridge was two meters wide and ten meters above the water level.

    A red light flickered around Helia and a 3 meters tall wolf-like creature appeared.

    It was simr to a wolf from his earth with white fur and a pointy tail with a triangr shape at the end. Its ws were as sharp as a dagger which sent a shiver down Rio''s spine. It looked magnificent, majestic, and mighty.

    "Whoa...What''s this?" He blurted out instinctively.

    "It''s a red stage demon tail wolf, a mount-type beast soul that we will ride to go Dargus Isle. If we go on foot it will take us a lot of time." Helia said and stomped the ground.

    *Swoosh!*

    She jumped upwards in the air andnded on the beast''s back.

    She spoke coldly, "Climb up fast, we have to reach that ind where your next training will start."

    Rio didn''t think much and used his [Devlin Movement Technique].

    He vanished from the ground and teleported beside her on the back of the giant wolf mount.

    He sat behind herfortably. She was a few inches apart from him as they had sat very closely.

    Helia raised her eyebrows seeing him use this method to climb up and snorted in annoyance.

    "Don''t fall off, grab something tightly." With a sudden warning from the Blonde-haired girl, the giant wolf mount started moving on the mossy stones-made bridge that went towards the Dargus Isle.

    It started increasing its pace as it marched with incredible speed toward its destination.

    Rio didn''t think it would be this fast all of a sudden as he was caught unprepared. He almost slipped off from the back of the mount but his hands grabbed something soft at thest moment.

    It was Helia''s slender hand, which caused her to turn around to re at him with annoyance.

    "There is nothing else to hold," Rio said with a bittersweet smile but he had to use Mana enchantment to boost his voice to make it sound louder because the fast speed was making It hard tomunicate while riding this mount.

    Rio had nothing else to grab except that and he was afraid that the wolf would get angry if he grabbed those white furs.

    After understanding his reasons, she didn''t mind and focused on what wasing in front of her.

    Their clothes fluttered in the wind as they rode on demon tail wolf for 15 minutes before the Dargus Isle started getting bigger in front of their sight.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 64 Dargus Isle

    An enormous ind, which was facing the blood sea, weed their vision. Many tall trees with crimson leaves were arranged on its periphery.

    Rio wasn''t sure if it was due to the effect of blood-sea or something else.

    Demon tail wolf crossed the bridge and entered the isle as it passed through the tall trees.

    The forest of the Dargus ind was insanely silent which caused a frown to appear on Rio''s forehead.

    Since he had entered the Dargus Isle and passed many trees he didn''t see a single wild beast so he was confused. Even the stillness of the forest appeared as if they were afraid of something terrifying.

    "Emperor said that corruptednd is more dangerous than the wilderness around Shamor empire so why we haven''t encountered any beasts here?" Rio asked with a questioning tone.

    "Beasts in this area are only of Yellow and purple stage. They won''t appear or lower their guards unless I hide my aura and recall the mount beast soul." Helia exined with an emotionless voice.

    ''Ah... didn''t she say the demon tail wolf is at the red stage? doesn''t that mean she is at least at the red stage?''

    Realization drowned him as he forgot to notice these details earlier because he was too focused on his surroundings and getting used to riding the fierce demon tail wolf mount.

    "I thought you would be eighteen at most when I met you. I didn''t know you were older than how you looked. you''ve maintained your beauty very well and didn''t age at all." Rio teased her with a bright smile and praised her after thinking calmly.

    He knew that she was simr age as Lia but he wanted to confirm it. He thought she wouldn''t tell him if he ask directly so he prefer going in a round way.

    Veins popped up on her forehead as she fumed in anger hearing his harshment about her age.

    "I''m eighteen years old, you idiot." She yelled in annoyance and clenched her fist to almost hit him but she was calming herself to not do it as she remembered very well who he was.

    "How can you be Red stage at the age of eighteen?" He looked at Helia as if she was a monster.

    "Truly, a frog in the well" She mocked him instead of answering him.

    ''She is a year older than N yet she is two-stage above her. I don''t think there would be a single student in red stage at the golden seal military school.''

    Rio gasped in amazement as he shook his head to clear his mind to focus on what was in front of him.

    The demon tail wolf had started slowing down as it was reaching a two-story building that was situated in a clearing space in the middle of the tall trees.

    ''This looks as if someone hasn''t lived here for a very long time.''

    The red bricks of the walls had wild nts grown on them as if no one took care of the building for a few decades. The four small windows, which were present on each side of the walls, were covered with thick dirt. The building was fifteen times bigger than a peasant house but it was giving off a creepy aura.

    "Is this a shelter?" Rio mumbled.

    "This is the first yellow stage shelter you will take over. I''ll make it easy for you by stopping the beasts at the entrance. You need to get the heart stone of the Emperor spirit of this shelter to end the battle before he kills you." Helia said with a stiff voice.

    "Don''t you have any confidence that I can defeat it?" Rio spoke as he raised his eyebrows.

    "You''ve just entered the yellow stage. You need to be at least at the peak level with twenty yellow stats points to be able to defeat an emperor spirit of a yellow stage." Helia said it as a matter of factly.

    Rio gulped nervously as he knew he wasn''t at the peak level yet.

    Demon tail wolf had stopped a few meters away in front of the building.

    *Swoosh!*

    Helia jumped from the back of Mount straight towards the ground like a falling leaf in slow motion as if floating.

    Rio used him [Devlin Movement Technique] to appear beside her as he preferred the easy way out.

    She recalled the mount which disappeared with a flicker of red light.

    They traveled around the shelter to find the Door.

    Arge ck metal gate with a fist-size button on the left side of it,

    was present on the opposite side of where they hade from.

    "Go ahead and get his heart stone which would be ced on his statue in the throne chamber. The Emperor spirit would be able to control the beasts under this shelter which are scattered in the area nearby so I''ll take care of them at the entrance." Helia instructed him while summoning her daggers.

    A pair of deadly sharp des appeared on her hands that glistened in the sunlight.

    "Why won''t she use that sword even now? Does she use it as decoration?" He sighed inwardly.

    "Didn''t you say beast won''t appear in your presence and how do you actually know it''s a male spirit?" Rio asked with a puzzled face as he saw her bringing out the weapon.

    "They wouldn''t fear anyone when their Emperor is in danger. As for the second question, You will understand when you reach my level." She responded while rubbing the sharp de of her daggers with each other.

    "Okay." He spoke and saw that Helia''s eyebrows became scrunched.

    Rio gazed behind her, leaves had started fluttering and the stillness of the surroundings erased. A cloud of white dust started raising and the ground started shaking as if an earthquake hase.

    Author Note:

    _____________

    I might not post a chapter until Tuesday but I''ll try my best to publish it if I can find a ce to write.

    An important eventing in real life so there will be people around me who wouldn''t let me weave the story peacefully.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character (especially harem members) images on:

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    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 65 Armor Type Beast Soul

    "He has summoned the nearby beasts. They are all rushing to this ce. You need to move as soon as possible" She urged him in a serious tone without any hint of worries on her beautiful face.

    He heard her warning but his eyes widened seeing what came out behind the cloud of dust.

    A herd of crimson beasts was marching toward the duo destroying the shrubs and trees on its path.

    The red fur covered the rat-like body, which was 160 centimeters in height. Its long-thick tail had yellow shades.

    There were three different sizes of beasts in the herd but the differences could be only told by the thickness and length of their tail as if it was disying their superiority to one another.

    His feet trembled and cold sweat slid down his spine seeing so many horrendous beasts rushing towards him. But their yellow eyes showed a reluctance and horror in them.

    No one could me him for being afraid of the scene in front of him as there were more than fifty crimson-fur ratsing towards him for his life.

    He wouldn''t be worried if it was just five but facing more than fifty was even deadly for someone at the purple stage.

    "Hurry... You idiot..." Helia yelled and her resounding voice filled with annoyance brought him back from his astonished state as he realized the biggest monster was standing beside him who even these beasts feared.

    He nodded and clenched his fist as a determined light flickered in his eyes.

    Rio turned around to go towards the gate of the shelter.

    He wanted to finish the fight soon so he could see her fight those beasts or have a chance to fight them.

    The inside of the building was strange and frightening. There were broken chairs, tables, swords, and scattered books on the floor. Rooms on the first floor were dreary and didn''t look to be his point of interest.

    A dust-filled stair was on the right side to go up to the second floor which Rio took.

    ''If what Helia Said is true then I will have a tiny possibility of winning. Should I just avoid Emperor spirit and steal his heart stone?''

    He carefully ascended the stairs while thinking about what to do when he faced the enemy.

    *Growl!* *Growl!* *Growl!*

    A bunch of painful howlings along with something heavy falling on the ground came from outside the building which was just the beginning of the massacre a demoness was doing outside.

    He could already guess the oue of Those innocent beasts facing the terrifying Lioness.

    However, his face darkened as he remembered something.

    "Ahhh... shit... I didn''t even ask what a heart stone looks like... " He cursed inwardly.

    He hadn''t fought an Emperor spirit before so he had no idea about anything about his uing battle.

    He inspected his mind-sea to summon his King Silver-Bloom sword when his eyes glinted with hope and a gentle smile took over his expression.

    There was another beast soul beside King Silver-Bloom sword.

    He checked his profile on AI watch to look for its information with a single thought.

    <<<<

    Beast soul: Yellow-stage Mutated Armored Turtle

    Type of Yellow-stage Mutated Armored Turtle''s beast soul: Armor

    >>>>

    Reading the data given by AI about the beast soul caused his nervousness to transform into excitement.

    ''Let''s try it out.''

    An enormous boulder-like shadow shot out of thin air, which appeared to be exactly like the mutated armored Turtle.

    The yellow stage beast soul flew to Rio''s chest, turned into a yellow liquid, and started to engulf his whole body.

    In the blink of an eye, his figure, together with his head was all drowned.

    The Turtle''s shell-like yellow armor was full of defense and covered his head to toe as if it were a suit of Medieval times where warriors on the battlefield wore metallic armor.

    This set of armor was filled with great defense, making Rio look majestic as if his whole body was an impregnable fortress.

    There were only a few gaps present near the joints which were there to not restrict his movement in any way.

    Rio moved around on the stairs to test how it feels and there was heavyweight as the armor looked. Instead, the body felt the same as before equipping the armor beast soul.

    "I don''t know why but this armor is giving me some confidence for my next battle. But I know one thing very well Helia wouldn''t like me dying knowing her bonding with Lia.

    She won''t send me alone If the uing fight was life-threatening. Let''s just give it a shot." Rio started ascending the stairs at a fast pace after calmly thinking.

    A big hall appeared in front of him as he reached the top.

    A throne was ced at the end of the hall with a man''s statue with a mask behind it. On top of the statue was a fist size yellow stone that was glowing.

    ''That''s most likely the heart stone...But where is the spirit of the shelter.''

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 66 Crow-Masked Assassin Emperor Spirit

    Rio frowned and looked around the room to find the owner of the heart stone.

    The room was giving off an eerie vibe as it was filled with darkness and only a few candles were ced on the walls decorated with dust and blood.

    He carefully moved towards the statue as he channeled his mana in his body and enchanted his eyes, hands, and legs.

    A tiny pile of dust vibrated on the floor near the statue which didn''t escape Rio''s enchanted eyes.

    ''Ah... this Emperor Spirit can use [Stealth]. I need to lure him out and attack first to gain the upper hand.''

    He knew about this ability from the games videos he watched on TV but he never imagined [Stealth] would exist in reality.

    He stomped his feet andunched himself toward the statue hoping to mislead the enemy thinking he was going for heart stone.

    The pile of dust flew again on the surface of the floor and moved towards to intersect Rio in his path.

    A ck figure with a red gauntlet appeared in front of him. He was aiming its fist at Rio''s head who was already nearing the statue and had no chance of escaping the attack.

    The ck figure was a 176 meters tall Humanoid creature. He was wearing ck armor from head to toe with a red crow mask which was pointy at the nose revealing only his lips, jaw, and eyes.

    Rio could see his yellow eyes which were ring at him with murderous intent and a victorious smile shing on his lips which told the intruder was already dead meat.

    ''is he wearing the mask to hide some ugly marks on his face or just doing it for style?''

    Rio couldn''t tell if the enemy had a handsome face or a scary one behind that mask he was wearing which hid half of his face.

    However, His lips turned upward as the Emperor spirit disabled the stealth. He used [Devlin''s Movement Technique] and vanished in thin air catching his enemy off guard.

    The crow-masked man felt his life in danger and decided to move from his spot but it was a littlete.

    *Bang!*

    Rio struck the shoulder of the Emperor spirit as it was moving away to dodge the attack.

    He felt as if he had hit a stone as his mana-enchanted fist pained hitting the enemy.

    "Ah...shit...My hand..." He cursed out loudly.

    Rio waved his hand in the air vertically while a pained expression shed on his face.

    Crow masked man raised his eyebrows after experiencing the force behind Rio''s attack.

    It didn''t give him another chance and used [Stealth] instantly to vanish again.

    "Not again..." Rioined seeing the enemy disappear.

    He monitored the floor for the location of the enemy. Unlike before, he couldn''t find any fluctuations of dust on the floor.

    He kept observing while gazing with half-opened eyes while summoning his King Silver-Bloom sword.

    Rio felt a tingle near the back of his head.

    ''This feeling again.''

    He disappeared as his intuition alerted him of the uing attack just like back then at the Mistborn shelter region against the Mutated Armored Turtle.

    He wasn''t sure where this six-sense ability came from but he was filled with gratitude for its usefulness.

    The crow-masked man hit the thin air as it missed its target.

    It turned around at a fast pace to meet the uing de with its gauntlet as Rio had already attacked in the same manner as the Emperor spirit.

    *nk!*

    King Silver-Bloom sword''s de and gauntlet shed as the sparks flew caused by the impact. Both of their figures bounced two meters apart by the collision of the attack.

    Rio stumbled on the ground and the crow-masked man wasn''t any better.

    Their eyes flickered with an intense desire to defeat their opponents as they both rushed toward each other.

    Emperor spirit didn''t use stealth like before and fought head-on.

    They shed with each other many times in which they were able tond some strikes on each other.

    Rio''s Mutated Armored Turtle armor saved him from the fetal gauntlet attacks however, the crown-masked guy had its body engraved with cuts here and there.

    ''I can win this.''

    He let go of the counts and kept injuring the enemy. Crow masked man was stalling for time as it was waiting for the beast toe and help but there was no assistanceing.

    Emperor spirit gritted its teeth and decided to use its trump card. A yellow light engulfs its body as it transformed into more than a hundred sharp red daggers like the one in his hands.

    The daggers aimed toward Rio''s direction and fell on him like hail.

    He used his [Devlin''s Movement Technique] to teleport out but the range of attack covered the entire space where he could move.

    His figure appeared at the corner of the room to avoid most of the projectile''s attack where one after another daggers hit his body which made a nking sound by shing with his Mutated Armored Turtle''s armor.

    After nine daggers hit the armor, cracks started appearing. His face darkened as he saw the armor breaking slowly.

    ? He didn''t want to lose the precious armor beast soul which were like a cheat to him. It was another matter if he had more than one but he only had a single.

    On the twelfth dagger hit, the armor almost broke. There were only two more daggers left to hit his body.

    He decided to call the beast soul back since even a single hit would shatter it as he unsummoned it to mind sea and moved slightly to not get hit on the vital organs.

    The thirteenth and thest fourteenth dagger didn''t meet any resistance like before and stabbed his right shoulder one after another.

    Crimson blood flowed from his shoulder and intense pain invaded his body as if thousands of ants eating his flesh. His face scrunched from the agonizing sensation.

    Rio grabbed his right shoulder with his left hand to remove the dagger with a flushed face and looked at the sight in front of him.

    [Yellow-Stage Crow-Masked Assassin Emperor spirit defeated.]

    Hundreds of daggers scattered on the floor turned into a firefly and moved towards the head of the statue like a falling leaf in reverse motion which vanished eventually into the heart stone.

    "Have I won?" Rio murmured and gazed at the glimmering heart stone on the top of the statue which was the same height as him.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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 Chapter 67 War Goddess

    He moved towards it carefully and plucked the glowing heartstone.

    [Heart stone of Yellow-Stage Crow-Masked Assassin Emperor spirit gained. Put a drop of your blood to make a master-servant contract with the Yellow-Stage Crow-Masked Assassin Emperor spirit.]

    A notification was given by the AI watch informing him about his newly acquired item.

    It was a transparent glowing stone that fit in his palm. The yellow color was flickering constantly with a number disying on it.

    [59:38]...[59:37]...[59:36]...[59:35]

    "What will happen after the countdown gets finished?" He mumbled in puzzlement.

    *Thud!*

    The loud collision of something getting thrashed sounded outside the building as he realized an intense fight was still ongoing.

    He moved his eyes to inspect the throne chamber once and decided to leave.

    His wounds were not deeper but they still caused his clothes to drench in blood.

    Rio walked out of the building while holding his shoulder. His mouth became agape and his jaw dropped at the sight that weed him.

    Dozens of dead bodies of Beasts with their limbs and organs along with their beast cores were scattered on the ground. The rancid smell drowned the environment caused by all the ughtering.

    A blonde-haired girl was walking casually as if she was taking a stroll in her garden while shing her dagger left and right which drew blood each time with a head losing its body and flying here and there.

    She even used her leg to kick away some beast that tried to disturb her rhythmic dance of dual de which caused them to get thrashed on the ground. The body turned into smithereens after colliding with the surface of the battlefield.

    The strength behind her kicks was enough to destroy in the air but she didn''t want to dirty her legs so she rather chooses to m them on the ground.

    ''Is she a war goddess???''

    He gazed at Helia withplicated emotions as he saw her amazingly cleaning these beasts without any effort.

    "When can I be this strong?" He sighed inwardly.

    Helia stopped her actions all at once seeing Rio standing with a fist size glowing stone in his right hand.

    "Command these beasts to stop attacking me." She yelled at him but her eyes showed some concern seeing his shoulder drenched in blood.

    ''But how?''

    He wanted to ask the method but decided to chant a word first, "Halt."

    All the beasts stopped in their ce and started looking at Rio as if waiting for his nextmand from their new lord.

    "Why can I order them without contracting with the heart stone?" He asked with questioning eyes.

    "Because just having Emperor spirit heart stone in your possession gives you authority over the Emperor spirit itself and the beasts under its banner.

    As long as Emperor spirit isn''t too proud to ept you as their master and doesn''t self-destruct it will work this way." Helia exined while recalling and keeping away her daggers.

    She walked towards Rio while bringing out a small green bottle from thin air, which was the work of, most likely, the Spatial beast soul simr to the one that Lia and Yami had.

    The green bottle was 5 inches long with the width of a thumb. A cork was ced on top to seal the content inside.

    She said while looking at him, "remove your clothes."

    "Hey... you can''t sully my purity," Rio said in a sarcastic voice while walking backward and crossing his hands in a defensive manner to hide his chest.

    Veins popped up on her forehead as she rubbed the middle of her temple.

    "if you weren''t Lia''s husband I would''ve beat you into a pulp" She snorted at him.

    Hearing her threatening voice, he decided to not tease her more and unbuttoned his shirt to remove his upper cloth.

    A fine muscr body appeared in front of Helia. He was charming and had a nice enticing body that could make a girl drool if they saw him in this state.

    His blonde hair and having simr look to Leon was making him more alluring to the girl in front of him as that was the man she loved most and Rio wasn''t her brother at all so this worked against her to cause her to develop a soft spot for his devilish charm.

    She felt her hormones going against her and made her a little ufortable but she stilled her heart.

    She wasn''t used to seeing a half-naked young man every day so it was very unusual for her.

    She moved her eyes to his wounds which were leaking blood.

    Helia was hesitating but seeing his injuries she removed the cork and bring out the content from the bottle.

    A green liquid fell on top of her fingers. She moved her hands closer to the wounds on his shoulder and applied over it with gentleness and great care.

    Soft slender fingers touched his shoulder and he could feel her fine smooth skin brushing against his which was delicate despite being a warrior.

    ''I wonder how she maintains her hand''s smoothness after using a sword or daggers and being so a rough fighter on the battlefield.''

    He was clueless but a scorching pain jolted him awake.

    "Argh... It''s burning" Rio cried out in pain as his face became scrunched.

    "I forgot... my sister married a kid." Helia mocked him in a teasing voice and made fun of him.

    He red at her but then looked at his wounds with widened eyes which started healing at a fast pace.

    New flesh started forming and his wounds soon started vanishing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

    The skin was as new as before and couldn''t be said to be injured if not for the blood marks that were left there to tell the mishap.

    After his wounds healed he gazed at Helia withplicated eyes.

    "Why are you staring at me?" She asked with an annoyed voice.

    _____________

    Author Note:

    _____________

    Are you guys liking the story while Helia apanies Rio? Hope you guys are okay with this setup.

    Let me know in thements your opinion about it.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

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    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 68 Helias Unknown Emotions

    "How ironic...A month ago you were the one giving me wounds, hated me to the core, and swore to make my life hell. Today you''re the one applying medicine over my injuries." Rio said with a bittersweet smile.

    She fell silent and turned around to walk away from him to avoid his piercing gaze.

    ''In my blind hatred for humans, I didn''t realize it sooner but even without [Disguise] he resembles big brother Leon.''

    Her frozen heart was slowly melting towards this annoying human she hated once.

    There were a few reasons to trigger this oue.

    The first reason was that he was the husband of her dear sister who was the person she currently cherished the most. Because Lia took care of her when her world copsed and she went into darkness called ''Despair''.

    The second reason was that she begged her sister in the past to be married to the same person Lia marries so they can be together forever.

    Third, the most fetal, was that He resembled Leon greatly in his [Disguise] form which started breaking knots in her heart.

    How can she not feel her heart fluttering for someone who looked simr to the person she once loved dearly?

    There was a saying among women that they wanted to marry someone who took care of them and had characteristics like their father.

    For Helia, it was her brother. She wanted someone who was like her big brother.

    As if God was ying pranks with her, A person came into her life who was Lia''s husband and looked simr to Leon. At the same time, he was from the human race which was her mortal enemy.

    Unconscious of these changes, she had started to not hate Rio and it was slowly transforming into an unknown feeling which was far from being love or hatred and couldn''t be described.

    Even with all these reasons, conquering her heart wasn''t that easy so Helia remained distant from him.

    He followed her while asking, "What is this countdown for, and what to do with these beasts who are looking at me as if I''m their daddy?"

    "After the countdown ends, Emperor spirit can revive ande to fight you unless you don''t have the heart stone. But since you have the heart stone, it will assist you in the next battle.

    You canmand these beasts to follow you for now to the next shelter. I won''t help you so these beasts will be all you have against the next shelter fight." She exined to him while summoning her Red-stage wolf mount.

    "Won''t I lose easily since most beasts are massacred by you?" He blurted it out without thinking twice.

    "If I didn''t kill them then an idiot would''ve got ughtered. Although I wouldn''t mind you bing their lunchtime snacks but I don''t want to see Lia upset.

    The next shelter doesn''t have many beasts under itsmand so don''t worry about losing." Helia said the first part in a mocking tone and the second half in a stiff voice.

    She climbed the mount and beckoned him to mount up.

    He turned around to look at the scattered corpse and remembered something.

    "Wait... Let me get those cores. I can increase my yellow stats points." He said and started walking towards a dead body nearby.

    "They can''t be absorbed by you unless you kill them yourself or have thest hit in killing them." Helia poured down water to extinguish his lit-up hope.

    He turned around with dropped shoulder and climbed up the wolf quietly while ordering the beast to follow him with a thought.

    Seeing him sad, Helia tried tofort Rio, "You can absorb the cores of beast killed by these subordinates following you since they are under yourmand."

    His eyes shone with joy as he became filled with excitement for his next destination.

    They moved towards the next area which went through the tall trees.

    After thirty minutes of traveling, Another shelter came into their view.

    It was simr to the one before with a little difference of being tall walls around the structure of the building.

    Helia had killed over forty beasts in thest fight so only thirty-four beasts were following him.

    He didn''t wait for her to tell him to proceed andmanded the beast to storm inside with him through the front opening in the wall which was an open space.

    This time, Helia had already hidden her presence as she wanted him to face a real battle.

    This caused The Emperor beast to call his subordinate beast scattered around the nearby region as soon as he detected an intruder infiltrating the walls of his shelter.

    Before Rio could enter through the gate, the ground started shaking.

    He turned around and saw beasts in crimson fur were running in his direction which was simr to the one under hismands. Their body had an additional shell-likeyer that boosted their defense.

    ''They are only two dozen but their defense is greater. Although they are running slower than these beasts around me, it will be hard to tell who would win in one on one fight.''

    An ominous feeling took over him because he had to fight these beasts alone unlike before when a war goddess assisted him.

    He narrowed his eyes seeing the beasts marching towards his way and getting closer every second.

    _____________

    Author Note:

    _____________

    Taming the Lioness'' heart is hard. Hopefully, Rio would be able to do it in the future.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character (especially harem members) images on:

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    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 69 Crow-Masked Tank Emperor Spirit

    "Stop them here and take advantage of their low agility caused by heavyweights to avoid injuries." Hemanded them and ran inside the shelter from the big gate.

    The Interior of the building was simr to the previous shelter with a stair on the right side to go to the second floor.

    Without any second thought, he summoned his sword and shield which had recovered by now.

    He entered the throne chamber and found the Emperor spirit waiting for him.

    His opponent was simr to the previous spirit only difference was that it looked bulky and had thick armor over its body. His gauntlets were not as deadly as the previous one.

    Rio didn''t wait and charged toward the enemy. His king Silver-Bloom sword hit the enemy on his chest and only left a few scratches.

    ''He doesn''t even care to dodge it.''

    He raised his eyebrows and nced at the Emperor spirit.

    ''Should I just take the heart stone and end it?''

    His eyes moved toward the glowing stone on top of the statue''s head.

    He shook his head slowly in disagreement and attacked the enemy again.

    Emperor spirit didn''t take Rio in his eyes at first but seeing him constantly striking him with great force he decided to return the favor and started retaliating with his own weapon.

    The heavy gauntlet was heavier in weight even if they weren''t as deadly as the old one it caused his hands to be numb when the king silver-bloom sword shed with it and sparks flew in the air.

    The weight caused the momentum to be greater and pushed Rio far away.

    "What should I Do?" Heined in a hushed voice.

    "Use mana enchantment on your sword, stupid." A mocking tone sounded from behind and he realized that Helia had followed him inside the shelter.

    She was surprised that Rio won the previous battle with some minor injuries so she was curious to watch him this time taking down another emperor spirit.

    The Crow-Masked figure didn''t take Helia much in his eyes because she was hiding her aura and power so he could focus on Rio without being terrified by her.

    ''Ah... I didn''t require it recently so I almost forgot that I can use Mana enchantment on my king silver-bloom as well.''

    He circted his mana and it was sent to his sword.

    A confident smile formed on his lips as he bent his knees and stomped the ground tounch toward the Emperor spirit like a rocket.

    The crow-masked man covered in his armor felt threatened by the uing strike and tried to move away from his spot but it didn''t have a simr level of agilitypared to the previous Emperor spirit.

    It was heavier in weight just like the beast who was under his banner.

    The king silver-bloom sword passed through his left shoulder and eliminated the hands from his body.

    A pained look appeared on his face but Rio didn''t give him any time and shed back at his neck.

    Blood spurted on the floor while his head rolled like a red football on the ground.

    [Yellow-Stage Crow-Masked Tank Emperor spirit defeated.]

    The scattered blood and body on the floor turned into a firefly and flew toward the head of the statue as it happened previously.

    A satisfying smile blossomed on his face

    as he moved towards the glowing heart stone.

    He plucked it out from the head of the statue and a notification yed in his mind.

    [Heart stone of Yellow-Stage Crow-Masked Tank Emperor spirit gained. Put a drop of your blood to make a master-servant contract with the Yellow-Stage Crow-Masked Tank Emperor spirit.]

    Like before, The yellow color was glimmering with a number showing on top of the heart stone.

    [59:49]...[59:48]...[59:47]...[59:46]

    He turned to look at Helia with a confident smile she ignored him and walked out of the throne chamber.

    He followed behind and they exited the shelter.

    Beasts were fighting each other even though they were now under Rio''smand.

    He hurriedly ordered them to stop and looked around the area to observe the condition.

    Seven armored beasts and two agility-type beasts died in the previous battle.

    He went to collect the cores from their dead bodies. Both beasts had red fur on their body and rat-like appearance. He ignored the ones that were part of his alliance and only grabbed the beast drowned in armor.

    A total of seven Yellow-stage cores shone on his hands.

    He sent a tiny amount of mana into the pebble-sized Yellow-Stage beast cores as they changed shape from a bunch of cores to a small amount of liquid and vanished in his palm making his strength improve slightly.

    [Core of Yellow-stage Normal Crimson-Armored Rat absorbed. 0.5 Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Yellow-stage Normal Crimson-Armored Rat absorbed. 0.5 Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Yellow-stage Mutated Crimson-Armored Rat absorbed. two Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Yellow-stage Mutated Crimson-Armored Rat absorbed. three Yellow Stats points gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    _____________

    Author Note:

    _____________

    Sorry Everyone, I was busy writing my Second Novel ''My Dual-Cultivation System.'' [Don''t forget to put - between ''Dual'' and ''Cultivation'' in case you want to read it.]

    I needed to give it more time to design the world and character but now it''s almost done so I''ll try to keep up with the update.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character (especially harem members) images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 70 Sweet Bathing Session

    He gained a total of 7 stats points from these beast cores, making his yellow stats reach 15.

    A smile bloomed on his face as Rio advanced in strength greatly within a day.

    "We need to report back to the Castle" His moment of happiness and celebration was interrupted by a blonde-haired girl''s stiff voice.

    He turned around and saw her bringing out a [Teleport Glyph]. She was giving him a fierce re to hurry.

    Rio didn''t waste more time and joined her hastily as he was worried she would yell in anger.

    Helia activated the Portal as a space rift opened up in front of them from which they vanished.

    ***

    They parted ways at the Teleporter Tower as Helia told him to give Emperor spirit''s heart stone to Lia or Dn so they can bind it with their blood to make conquered shelter''s beasts under Devlin''s Royal Family banner.

    After it''s done, she could send the Asura warriors to guard the yellow shelters he had imed.

    "I would only give them to Lia as these are my hard heart stones. It belongs to my Wife rather than that Emperor who fabricates some evil ns most of the time." Rio mused as he left the Teleporter Tower.

    It was dark outside as the moon and stars

    were spreading the light around the Castle.

    "How far was the Blood-Sea Stronghold shelter that it''s already night here?" Rio thought in amazement as he realized the castle was in a different Time zone than the new shelters he captured in the corruptednds.

    He was already nearing the Empress Vi and didn''t find Lia outside in her personal garden.

    The female guards didn''t dare to stop him this time. Rio freely entered his happy ''Home'' that he considered in his heart.

    Lia was arranging a big cupboard in the room. She was wearing a white dress that was revealing her ravishing figure.

    There were different clothes and suits for nobility in the first section while the ground level was arranged with two pairs of expensive shoes for the young couple.

    When she heard the footstepsing she turned around to find the eager eyes that became happier after meeting hers.

    "Whoa...Who will wear all these clothes?" He said in an amazed tone as his vision weed things in the cupboard.

    "Do you think I''ll wear these?" Lia asked in a questioning voice and her face looked mad as he didn''t understand for whom she bought all these clothes.

    "Nah... But this isn''t a bad idea. Especially if you only wear a shirt you will look spicy" He expressed his opinion shamelessly.

    Her already mad face turned red like a cherry from thinking about his wild demands.

    Rio walked in front of the cupboard and saw the different clothes she had brought.

    He felt a hand touching his shoulder and saw Lia was looking at the tore clothes with a worried gaze.

    "How did that happen?" Her worried voice was filled with the motherly love that he felt from his second mother earlier today.

    Although she was his wife but he received the love of a big sister, a best friend, a mother, and a beautiful loving partner all from the same woman.

    This made Lia truly and amazingly the best partner as she was all in one.

    She was probably the most ideal wife a man can dream of which made Rio very fortunate for having her by his side.

    "It''s just got ripped during the fight against the Emperor Spirit. Ah... I forgot to give you this."  He said in a hurried voice and took out one heart stone from both of his lower pockets.

    Lia''s face showed surprise seeing the heart stone.

    She took them in her hands from Rio and asked him to be careful next time and not get injured before asking about his day.

    He exined everything from going to the teleporter tower to absorbing the cores as well as making his yellow stats points up to 15.

    After listening to him, Lia proceeded to bind the heart stone with her blood and told Yami to inform the Emperor about it.

    Lia was quite happy to receive these heart stones as it felt like a husband giving his lovely wife his first sry.

    "Come with me." She asked him to follow her as she moved towards the bathroom.

    A shy room with arge bathtub appeared in front of him. This was the ce where he used to get his bathing session with medicinal herbs.

    Lia filled the bathtub to the brim and beckoned Rio to go inside it.

    Unlike before he didn''t resist and started fabricating a mischievous n in his mind.

    She opened the two showerheads above with the moon-shaped switch which caused the water droplets to fall on his body.

    He stared at her elegant face and saw her hands grabbing his shirt then she unbuttoned them one by one slowly and revealing his muscr body.

    This wasn''t the first time when she did it so he was waiting to see what she would do next.

    After she removed his upper clothes, Lia took out a bottle and some droplets of white liquid fell in her palms as she rubbed both hands and proceeded to apply on his head.

    Her delicate hands stroked his hair in a gentle manner and foam started falling on his bare shoulder.

    "Am I Child to you?" He finally asked her after staying silent for so long and waiting for a moment to execute his evil n.

    "If you''re not a child then what are you?" She replied as she kept moving her fingers and washed his hair unaware of his unknown thoughts.

    Lia didn''t get a reply as she was sitting on the ascended stairs of the bathtub and cleansing his hair.

    A hand suddenly grabbed her wrist Lia saw the crimson-haired boy was gazing at her with a mischievous smile.

    With a ssh, she was dragged into the bathtub and her body was immersed in water.

    Her clothes were sticking to her skin as she was soaked in the water, revealing her enticing figure.

    The water droplets from the two showerheads made her fully drenched.

    Rio grabbed her waist while sliding away the hair that was blocking her bewitching face.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character (especially harem members) images on:

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 Chapter 71 Are You Scared, Husband?

    He stared into her scarlet eyes that were as deep as the ocean.

    She was gazing back at him with a coyish face and her eyes were glinting with annoyance.

    ''Hmph...he dares to tease me...''

    Seeing his mischievous smile, Lia dived in with her face and went towards his ears as she stabbed her teeth into his neck.

    A pained sensation invaded him as he gritted his teeth.

    ''Ah...why does she love being a vampire and biting me.''

    Rio was used to her vampire fantasies and abnormal fetish of biting a lover. He tried to not show his weakness and let her give up on her own when she gets tired.

    Feeling him tightening his muscles and not expressing his agony through voice, Lia decided to not punish her husband and let go of his neck.

    "Wifey, we are not done yet." He said in a roguish tone which wasn''t expected from him.

    Lia heard his voice as she just released her teeth from imprisoning his flesh.

    Seeing her withdrawing face, Rio ced his hand behind her head and sealed her soft lips with his own as a rose fragrance invaded his nostril.

    Lia wasn''t prepared she widened her eyes and blinked as she was astonished at this oue.

    The sudden yful action of Rio caught her unready.

    However, it didn''t take her long to get used to it as she slowly closed her eyes to enjoy the warm sensation of his lips pressing onto hers.

    An electrifying pleasure was going through their mind that gave them immense happiness.

    Rio was gently sucking her juicy lips caused by the ongoing shower as water droplets keep falling on the duo''s body to increase the heat in the moment.

    He tightened his one hand on her slender waist and second on her head to guide her as they kissed intensively.

    Lia''s featherly lips brushed passed his warm ones. They kissed each other like they wanted to be kissed as it felt soft, moist, hot, and breathy.

    Love birds weren''t trying to win a battle but seeking harmony and deeper connections. It was the sharing of one breath, one feeling, and a blissful moment.

    The hot steam rose to her cheeks as Rio''s tongue touched Lia''s '' tongue, swift and deliciously wild, then straight, resolute, filled with curiosity about the charm thaty within, seeking to taste down his Wife andpletely be lost in it.

    A warm ticklish sensation as if many butterflies flying and rushing towards her delicate heart was the level of ecstasy she was feeling while Rio wasn''t any better as words were not enough to express the pleasure he experienced.

    After a moment of battle, when they were almost breathless as they separated.

    With a coyish face, she came out of the bathtub, revealing her curvaceous body that was visible due to the wet cloths

    that were sticking to her curves to make them more apparent.

    Lia walked out of the bathtub shyly and didn''t even dare to look into his eyes.

    However, she didn''t forget to left a set of clothes and a towel before locking the door behind her.

    Rio was dazed for quite some time as he was lost in his wondend. He could still feel her delicate skin on his. That was the most beautiful feeling he had ever experienced.

    The lingering feeling stayed with him as the water droplets washed him.

    Rio shook his head with a bright smile as the water droplets of his hair scattered in the air.

    After some time passed, He changed into the dry clothes that made him look extremely handsome and walked out of the bathroom.

    What weed his sight gave him a mix of fright, joy, and amazement.

    The white-haired beauty had changed into a set of ck clothes and it was very revealing and tight as her well-endowed bosom was struggling to escape the confinement. Her milky neck, which didn''t have the ribbon she was wearing before, was bare open as if weing him to taste a bit.

    Lia was sitting on the bed with a sharp dagger in her hand, giving him an evil smile.

    A cold shiver ran down his spine as he gulped nervously but at the same time, he was mesmerized by her alluring figure that was encouraging him to show some courage.

    She traced her three fingers on the surface of the dagger and looked at him with a yful glint in her eyes.

    Lia beckoned him with her index finger in a seductive way that Rio found hard to resist.

    ''Did I enrage her?''

    He slowly moved towards her direction while his legs trembled thinking of the oue.

    After reaching the bed, a cold voice escaped his wife''s cherry-like lips, "Are you scared, Husband?"

    Rio felt his heartbeat thumping but he wasn''t sure if he was scared of her or mesmerized by her ravishing figure.

    He shook his head in response as Rio was trying to calm himself.

    "Don''t be scared, you will be fine. just follow what I say, Okay?" Her coquettish voice sounded as she smiled.

    Rio subconsciously nodded while standing in front of her as the crimson-haired boy trusted0 her that she wouldn''t harm him.

    Lia grabbed his shirt and dragged him onto the bed with the help of her massive strength as shey him down beside her.

    The white-haired beauty was giving him a maniac smile as if she would love to drink his blood after engraving her name on his body.

    ''is she really the girl I married?''

    He couldn''t understand how things escted this far.

    Rio was nervous as he had cold sweats pouring down his forehead. He was lying beside her on the base of his shoulder while looking into her mysterious eyes.

    Lia used the sharp dagger and traced the surface of the de while moving slowly from his head to his neck as if he is a delicious dinner for tonight.

    However, what she did next made Rio jump in fright and widen his eyes.

    ====///====

    [SnowNote]

    Be ready for something unexpected to happen that will shake the very foundation of this story and the Duo but not in the next chapter.

    Wait for it, as it will happen in the uing 7 chapters.

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 Chapter 72 Offering Herself To Husband

    The sharp de of the dagger moved towards her neck as she made a small cut on her milky-white skin. Blood started seeping out in a small amount as the cut was very precise and tiny.

    Rio was already frightened as he wanted to stop her but if he moved he could''ve caused Lia to hurt herself more.

    She only made a little cut and said in a loving manner, "In our Devlin family when our pureblood epts their partner, we offer them our blood to show the immense love we feel for our better half. In case their partner declines, which doesn''t happen, it will be considered that their partner doesn''t love them.

    Although I epted you in my heart long ago, but I wanted you to take that one step that you hesitated all this time. After all, our marriage was a forced one. So today, I want you to have my blood to deepen our bonding.

    I wish for Husband to truly ept me as his wife. I have fallen for you and lost my heart to you. This Lia loves Husband a lot..."

    She was looking at him with an inviting gaze as her words were filled with deep affection for the man who conquered her heart.

    Her expression told that the thirst she felt can only be quenched by Rio''s eptance.

    Lia was resolute in her childhood that she would never be charmed by another man as she loath the stranger. She only cared about very few people that didn''t even exceed five.

    But the arrival of the man from prophecy shook all hermonsense as she was freed of the heart-wrenching nightmares that never ended before.

    Rio gave her surprises one after another as he even killed another human for her while injuring himself for someone who forcefully trapped him in her clutches.

    Wasn''t he supposed to hate her and just act like how an arranged marriage looked? What was there need to show her affection? She could never understand.

    This guy even went to the wilderness and got injured to gain a heart stone for his wife while presenting it into her hands with an affection-filled smile that was telling her he don''t me Lia for anything.

    How could she be not moved by his selfless action in a world filled with people who only wanted to make rtionships for some ulterior motives?

    She fell for him badly and decided to offer her blood as a showcase to deepen their bonding forever.

    Rio felt his heart aching as he saw blooding out of her neck but he listened to her words and remembered not to deny her.

    He calmed down as this was Devlin''s Royal Family tradition.

    The crimson-haired boy ced his hand between her head and gazed at her inviting eyes that were nervous and filled with love.

    Rio moved down the bottom of her face and kissed her blood-seeping neck to soothe the pain she was feeling.

    He used his mushy tongue to lick on her creamy skin in a loving manner to express his eptance and affection for her.

    An electrifying current ran down Lia''s body as this was too sensual to rise the hormones in her body.

    Rio kissed her neck passionately it increased their appetite to devour and have each other more.

    Her two massive melons were pressing down below his chest as he moved his left hand to gently grope them.

    "Mmnh..." Lia gave out a sweet pleased cry.

    The soft sensation of her bosom caused his mind to run wild.

    The dreand of every man desired in their lifetime, was finally in his hand as he drowned in the pleasure of physically loving the most beautiful girl in thend of asura and even in both worlds.

    He fondled those twin melons slowly while licking her neck.

    Rio remembered her words as she mentioned and decided to dab the blood from her neck as he sucked it with love, enjoying the moment to the fullest.

    ''It feels like a baby is drinking milk from their mother. Eh...If she finds out what I''m thinking she might use that sharp dagger to y with me.''

    He ignored the unnecessary thoughts and focused on important business that was in front of him

    The sweet taste of her blood entered his mouth and poured down his throat which caused a bunch of notifications to ring in his mind.

    <<<<

    [Pureblood of Ancient Devlin''s Bloodline Consumed.]

    [You have Awakened the Devlin Might]

    [Beast soul of purple nightmare worm Killed. Purple nightmare worm Curse has been lifted.]

    [You have Awakened the Sealed Innate Talent]

    >>>>

    A bunch of notifications was heard in his mind as he drank Lia''s blood.

    A golden light brightened his mind-sea and made him feel dizzy and ultimately it caused him to sway in the air and fall freely like a leaf.

    Seeing him fainting on her body, Lia couldn''t understand what happened. Her eyes were filled with worry as she patted his face to find out more about his condition.

    Lia ced him perfectly on the bed and inspected his body for abnormality which made her finally see the lit-up screen of the AI watch.

    She read the notifications appearing on top of the screen and frowned.

    ''Purple nightmare worm...isn''t it the cursed beast that seals memory and someone''s innate talent who doesn''t have mana in their body. But who dared to do it to Rio?''

    Her face was filled with the coldness that showed she would cut apart the person who dared to harm her Husband but her eyes were worryingly looking at the Boy breathing in a gentle and steady manner as if drowned in wondend.

    They were having a sweet loving time together but this unexpected oue disturbed their blissful hot night.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 73 Meeting The Godess

    One of the Silver Shelters, Land Of Asura

    The room was dimly lit as it was nighttime and the person in the room was about to go to his bed.

    The maroon-haired Oldman present in the room raised up his eyebrows, "Ah...I totally forgot about that Bastard. The connection with my beast soul has been severed. It can only happen if...."

    After thinking carefully, heughed...

    "Hahaha... He has finally died...I didn''t have to dirty my hand for my granddaughter..."

    ***

    Rio found himself in a big hall which was drowned in white as if the walls were made from growing marbles but His intuition told him it wasn''t as simple as it looked.

    A pond was on his left side with golden flowers blooming on top of the water''s surface as the glimmering butterflies flew around.

    In front of him was a statue from which bright light wasing. To be exact, the white figure was glowing and illuminated the whole surrounding.

    "That''s strange. You havee earlier than expected." A majestic voice sounded in the hall which was feminine.

    "Who are you? Where are you hiding?"

    He raised his eyes and his eyebrows moved left and right to find the source of the unknown voice.

    "That''s not what you should ask, Little Rio. But I''ll answer you anyway and free you from your doubts so we can have a good talk." The gentle voice sounded again and he realized it wasing from the front.

    "I''m what you call God in your world and I''m right in front of you but only my spiritual body is present here. I know what you will be asking so I''m going to answer your next question.

    You''re here because you didn''t take the path of evil even after the so-called Gods and destiny toyed with your life as if you were their ything." The white glowing figure said in a nonchnt voice.

    Rio was dazed hearing such information and he wasn''t believing the person in front of his sight. It was too strange what was going on in front of him but slowly he started calming himself down.

    "But I''m against the humans, how can she say I''m not evil and My life wasn''t that badpared to many others? She definitely doesn''t know anything. " Rio thought she was just trying to fool him as he mumbled inwardly.

    "My child, Equipping a weapon to y the demons and to protect the innocent is a virtuous deed. It''s not a sin as long as you''re doing good karma even if you''re following a path that makes you fight your own race. Most Humans are vile creatures so don''t be burdened by this.  In this Era, it''s hard to find someone like you.

    You were born to be chosen as my possible heir and this is yourst life in the mortal realm. The destiny stars, the heaven, the higher beings, the nature, all the other reams, and everything yed to take your test to change you into who you''re today.

    However, it won''t end right there. You will have to give many other hard trials in theing future to be my certain heir." She said in a serious voice as the goddess gazed at him with intrigued eyes.

    He was dumbfounded to find out that she could read his thoughts.

    Rio had many questions going through his mind. It took a few exnations from the goddess to answer all his doubts as they finally subsided.

    She continued, "Your task is to take down the Monarch beast in thend of asura. There is only one Monarch beast in each stage. Whenever you reach the peak of your level, you will have to defeat the Monarch beast of that stage, or else you will be stuck on the same level forever.

    Once you reach the peak of your current stage you will have your answer on how to find the Monarch beast. Do you understand?"

    "Why do you have to be so unfair to punish me with such a curse and what''s this ''Monarch'' beast?" Rio asked in annoyance.

    "As the name exins itself, it''s the Monarch of all the beasts on each stage, the one who acquires these beasts will be given a reward at the end of life. Since I cherish you my child more than others, I have put a condition on your growth so it pushes you to break past your limits.

    Your current self would me me for this unfairness but your future self would understand the affection behind my doings." Goddess said in a motherly tone.

    "Okay..." He said coldly.

    "I have two gifts for you, Little Rio. You will receive it after you go through your sealed memories. But before that I want you to remember one crucial thing...

    Have faith in those who love you. Especially the girls who can make a greater sacrifice for you, don''t hurt them with your coldness. If you don''t ept them then you would lose this battle against destiny.

    After you exit this realm, your painful sealed memories wille to you, embrace them with a warm hug. A happy future awaits you, My Child. We will meet again, My blessings will be with you." Goddess said these words as if a parent teaching their child how he should have a happy future and n carefully.

    Her voice was filled with motherly care as well as a divine aura.

    After shepleted her words, a white light enveloped Rio as he felt his forehead getting kissed and a big hug embracing him as if he was a small kid.

    He felt his mind rx and cry out in joy. His eyes became moist for unknown reasons as the goddess hugged him for dozens of seconds.

    His surrounding changed and he exited the white hall where the goddess was present.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 74 Mysterious Black-Haired Beauty

    He was standing in an eerie forest, the moon was the only source of light that illuminated the surroundings.

    A rancid smell of blood was in the air which caused him to scrunch his face in annoyance.

    "This is the first blessing you will be getting. Don''t take it lightly as this is the future you can fabricate by the choices you make." A familiar voice of the goddess sounded in his mind.

    Soon, he saw himself sitting on the ground while holding a figure closely.

    It was a girl faintly smiling in his embrace, while a trail of blood was flowing down her lips. She was badly injured as her face was white due to being devoid of blood.

    ''Lia....'' He cried out in agony as his heart shook.

    His perspective changed and he started viewing the sight in front of him as a third person.

    Rio saw the white-haired guy, that was another him, embracing Lia while she was taking herst breath.

    A bright light enveloped his figure and the Scene changed...

    He found himself standing in the ongoing battle.

    Thousands of dead bodies were scattered on the ground along with beasts, drowning the ground and air with the scent and sight of blood. The view was too sinister to make anyone shiver in fear.

    Dozens of warriors were fighting a lone wolf who had white hairs, a fairy-like girl was ced on his back. She was bound to him by some vines while her eyes were closed.

    There were asuras and Humans both attacking him as if he was their mortal enemy. However, their eyes were flickering with fear as they attacked their single target.

    The white-haired guy tried to avoid the fatal strikes but in the end, one of the attacks hit the girl on his back which pierced her heart.

    "Nooooo...Liaaaaaaaaaaa...."

    Both of the Rio fighting and watching the scene cried out in mourning tone.

    White light drowned him again and scenes changed one after another, but in each of them, he saw her dying at the end. Rio wasn''t able to save her no matter how hard he tried.

    He had enough strength to fight all the high-level enemies but Rio couldn''t protect Lia in the end.

    In dozens of scenes, he even saw Helia supporting him in battle while Lia fought alongside him but ultimately they both died.

    The blonde-haired girl even apologized to him while saying if she get another life she wouldn''t mistreat him again. After that, her body became lifeless while her eyes were gazing at Rio with warmth and deep affection.

    Rio saw 1 million more scenarios as his mind started getting numb by watching the person he loved most, dying painfully again and again in front of his eyes.

    But he failed to save them even once.

    His heart had already turned cold and Rio wanted to tear apart all the asura and humans who tried to kill his loved ones.

    A guy who once trembled and cried after killing a human, that tried to harm his loved one, was now transforming to adapt to the fiendish world.

    The gentleness in his heart gradually started molding into an unwavering will to not back down. Rio felt even if he has to destroy the world he would do that to save His Lia.

    This was the the part of blessing the goddess prepared for him. She wanted to give him a lesson on what would happen if he hesitate to taint his hands to clean out the evil.

    When Goddess was assured Rio is prepared for the savage world, she decided to end the sequence of bad oues.

    Finally, a new scene yed this time. He wasn''t expecting it as he was kneeling on the ground with tears enveloping his face.

    He saw two new faces this time, they were both familiar to him but he only remembered meeting one of them before.

    There were four girls, Lia, N, Helia, and also a ck-haired girl. Helia was making fun of Rio while N supported her and Lia watched him getting bullied by her sister. Only the ck-haired beauty was on his side and supporting him.

    ''Who is she?''

    He found the ck-haired girl familiar but he couldn''t remember where he met her before. She was too pretty even above Helia and N.

    Her eyes were royal blue which was filled with serenity and love. Her face was otherworldly but a single gaze would want you to praise the fine piece of art she was. Her bosom was not as big as Lia''s but they were perfect and firm.

    She was the same height as Lia. He felt a strong connection that he never experienced meeting anyone before.

    Rio was mesmerized by the beauty of Lia when he first time met her but this feeling and familiarity with the new girl were so foreign to him. This ck-haired beauty in front of his vision was someone who gave him butterflies in his heart just watching her first time.

    "Why is my heart filled with ecstasy just looking at her once? Why don''t I remember her? There seems to be a stronger connection between us just as how I feel with Lia. How is this possible???" He subconsciously said with a puzzled face.

    Bright light drowned him...

    The scene changed again, and this time the five of them were sitting below a mountain. Rio had his head against the stony wall while N and Helia were asleep their head was ced on hisp. The ck-haired girl and Lia were hugging him from the side while their face looked rxed.

    However, there was a putrid blood scent in the air. A few hundred meters away from Rio andpany, was countless corpse scattered around as if a terrifying battle had taken ce.

    The scene changed a few more times and he saw Lia alive in each of them.

    Among the 1,000,010 visions Rio got, there were only 10 scenes where Lia survived.

    His heart was still in chaos, and he asked in a chilly voice, "What''s the meaning of this?"

    "There are 1,000,010 possible futures. I wanted you to have a glimpse of your future decisions'' oues. It''s up to you now what choices you make..." The Voice of the goddess sounded in his mind onest time before disappearing.

    ====///====

    [SnowNote]

    Any guesses who is this ck-haired beauty?

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 Chapter 75 How I Met Her First Time

    A bright light enveloped Rio and this time the old memories starteding to him like water escaping from the broken dam.

    ***

    *Cough!* *Cough!*

    "I''m sorry my child...I wish I could be with you longer to see you grow...But this is heaven''s will. Remember to Eat well... and... find new friends... In the future, get married to a beautiful wife and make a big family...

    Cough!...Cough!...Cough!...

    Little Rio... You have been a good child all this while." The old man said with a feeble smile filled with pain, he looked devoid of any energy as if his one foot was in the grave.

    He wasying on a hospital bed while taking hisst breath. The old man wanted to talk to the little kid for onest time before saying goodbye to this world.

    A 9-year-old crimson-haired boy, with sea-green eyes and a runny nose, was standing beside the bed. His face, which looked naive and filled with the charm of innocence a child could have, was drowned in redness and tears which was the result of overly crying. He was only 136 centimeters tall.

    "Grandpa, you can not do this to me. Don''t leave me. I don''t want you to go...ummmm... Please stay with me. I won''t forgive you ever, if you leave-eeeee." His sorrowful plea made the heart of the female doctor and nurses ache in pain.

    There were many cases where they had seen people die on the hospital''s bed but this was the first case where an already orphaned child was going to lose his only family in a few moments.

    The old man had adopted this young kid when he was one day old and raised him with love. However, Heaven was so cruel as It robbed Little Rio of the only family he had.

    "Don''t be sad, little hero... Cough!...Cough!...Your grandpa Lov....." The old man''s voice stopped halfway as he kept staring at Rio with his doting eyes open and a feeble smile on his face.

    *Beeeemmm!*

    The heart rate monitor stopped beeping. Instead of the waving lines, it showed a horizontal one forming with a ''Beem!'' sound which told them the patient was no longer alive and departed from this world.

    The female doctor took the card from the dead patient and decided to bring the little kid out of the room who wasn''t willing to leave the old man.

    "No...Please I want to be with my grandpa...Let me hear him, please... He wants to say something to me. I beg you...Big Sister...Grandpa is looking at me. Let me go to him." His sorrowful pleading sent a shiver down all the staff present in the room.

    Rio hovered his left hand in direction of his grandfather while crying and giving ast look as He was dragged by thedy to her office.

    Doctor Lady was instructed by the old man to send Rio to White Bridge city and get him into the city''s middle school after he passes away.

    She was very well aware Rio needs to be calm down mentally so she brought him away.

    Doctor Lady wasn''t a friend of the old man but she had signed an agreement to send Rio to the school and monitor him for the next four years.

    That Woman benefited a hundred times more from this deal than she could earn from her whole career so She wasn''t thinking Rio was a burden but if the woman went back on the agreement then the government would put her behind the cell.

    She took care of Rio as he cried to sleep in her embrace and brought him to White Bridge city.

    "Rio, be a good boy and study well." Doctordy said to Rio before sending him to the school.

    She had already paid the money for his living here.

    Rio, who was silent since his grandfather died, didn''t speak to her.

    He just walked towards the school after getting her permission as she told him to study well.

    "I wonder how long it will take him toe out of this trauma." Doctor Lady sighed as her motherly instinct ached her heart seeing the poor little guy in misery.

    Rio didn''t speak with anyone at all and students started to assume he couldn''t talk. They started to take advantage of him and even bully him.

    He would go to a nearby Monument building in the neighborhood every weekend to see their heroes'' statues. Doctordy used to bring him here and even gave him a weekly pass to enjoy as she told him to study well and be like them in the future.

    Although she left, he came daily to visit those statues. He felt as if he had a connection to this ce but he couldn''t point out what was it. His heart felt like he was at home whenever Rio came here.

    One year passed like that...

    He continued with his studies and visited the Hero statues like always.

    One day, when he was going to enter the building through the door of Monument, a 13 years old boy came and pushed him.

    He took his pass forcefully and mocked Rio, "You don''t need to have this, kiddo. I''ll borrow it for a little while."

    Seeing him take away his pass, Rio became enraged and went to fight him. He punched and kicked but he wasn''t able to do much.

    The bully boy thrashed Rio to the ground.

    Hearing themotion, the crowd of children increased.

    Rio got up again and went to hit the bully.

    The bully teenager got annoyed by Rio''s persistence and decided to go more violent by teaching him a lesson.

    He took an iron rod which was ced a few meters away and almost hit the Rio when a young girl appeared and kicked the bully away.

    Her royal blue eyes were flickering with emotions to retaliate against the injustice that happened in front of her. She had midnight ck hair which was falling down to her sylphlike waist.

    There was something special about her, a serene aura that Rio could feel just by her mere presence.

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 Chapter 76 Layla, Friend For Life

    Seeing the ck-haired beauty, the bully teenager was frightened as her strength was above his. She seemed to be skilled at basicbat training.

    The 13-year-old guy apologized to the girl and ran away after giving back Rio''s pass.

    The girl took Rio to the nearby medical care and gave him first-aid treatment.

    Rio was quiet and followed along as he didn''t even look at her.

    "What happened little guy¡­ won''t you talk to big sister?" Her eyes filled with serenity and care towards the innocent boy who gave her cold shoulders.

    When you don''t give attention to a pretty girl or ignore them, you be attractive to them by default. They love challenging things although it wasn''t the case here for these two but Rio''s behavior still piqued her interest.

    "I''m also an orphan like you. So we are alike. I lost my mother when I was one year old. After that, I was adopted by another family who was a close friend of my mother." She spoke in a sorrowful voice as she narrated it to him.

    The ck-haired beauty''s intention was clear. She searched for his identity in the database as the girl was from a very influential family.

    After she discovered Rio is an orphan, her heart melted for the little guy. The girl knew that she can approach him if he finds out her situation was simr.

    "Even if I talk to you¡­ you would also leave me one day like Grandpa did." Rio, who didn''t talk to anyone for thest fifteen months, finally spoke at this moment.

    "What if this big sister makes a promise to you that she will be your friend for life?" This girl was well aware of the importance behind her words but when you meet someone with a simr past you feel a strong connection with them.

    However, the connection they felt after meeting the first time, was something that would be revealed in the future.

    ? She had a few good friends and they all came closer to her because of her being adopted by an influential family. When the girl found out about Rio''s past, she knew this friendship would be more meaningful than the rest of her other bondings.

    "Really? You will promise me that?" Rio''s eyes shone as if he found a new rope of hope to hold on to.

    She hovered her little finger and tied it around Rio''s one and shook them gently.

    "Promise," She said with a gentle smile.

    She took him to a restaurant nearby as a roaring came from Rio''s stomach.

    The little boy didn''t eat at first and showed tantrums. The ck-haired girl took the food from the te and brought it to near his mouth to feed him.

    After they were done eating, the duo went to an amusement park where they had fun together.

    "Big sister, what''s your name?" Rio asked while looking at her tranquil-filled eyes.

    She hesitated a little then said with a smile, "Umm...I have two names... but my mother used to call me La."

    "Okay, then I''ll call you big sister La." He said with a happy glint in his eyes that were also filled with affection.

    The next day they met again and today Rio also fed her with his hand which caused her heart to feel warmth.

    She missed her real mother when this happened.

    Their days went on like that...

    After 15 months passed, they grew closer.

    Rio was 12 years old and La was 15¡­

    The crimson-haired boy said, "Big sister La when I grow up, will you marry me?"

    "Where has this questione into your mind?" She asked with a puzzled face whileughing and taking it as a joke.

    "Today our teacher was showing us a documentary. In the video, they showed a boy or girl has to find a partner. Big sister La, you will choose me as your Husband, right?" He said with innocence flickering in his eyes.

    "Ah... Rio¡­ don''t make it hard for me. I can not promise you that." La didn''t agree as she knew what it meant.

    "So you were lying when you said you would be my friend for life?" His eyes already turned moist and he started walking away. Rio didn''t even wait for her to say anything and convince him.

    The next day he didn''te although La waited for him.

    She came every weekend to wait for him but Rio didn''te.

    After a month he went to the Monument Building where a ck-haired beauty was waiting for him.

    But Rio didn''t speak to her as if they were strangers.

    La came to him and grabbed both of her ears and said in an apologetic tone, " Won''t you forgive this big sister of yours? Please, Don''t punish me with your silence. I can''t bear to lose you. I''m sorry, Rio."

    "But you broke your promise," Rio said coldly.

    "That''s because marriage requires two people to love." She said in a lower voice.

    "So big sister doesn''t love me?" Rio asked with a frown as if he was wronged.

    "I love you Rio but right now, you''re just a child. Ask me this question if you still want me as your wife when you are fifteen." La responded in a serious tone.

    "Would you agree at that time?" He asked with an unwavering glint in his eyes.

    She nodded with a smile and aplicated emotion was taking birth in her heart.

    After this, they started spending time as usual.

    They loved each other like siblings but their young hearts were stolen by each other as time passed.

    La entered the Golden Seal Military Academy after she turned 16 which caused her to be busier than usual but she stille to meet the Little guy.

    Three years passed...

    Rio was fifteen and his sixteenth birthday wasing soon. La was already neen and she was about to graduate from the Golden Seal Military Academy.

    He said to La, "So my dear future wife, when are you going to marry me and be mine forever?"

    "After youplete your studies." She spoke while pinching his nose with a cute smile.

    "Aheech...I have already passed the exams. Just waiting for the results. They took some blood tests. They said I''ll be getting an AI watch. I don''t know what is that for." Rio said and scrunched his eyebrows when she pinched his nose.

    "You will find it out," La said while seeing his cute face that got annoyed by her little action.

    "I have a question for you." He mumbled.

    "Say." She responded while frowning.

    ====///====

    [SnowNote]

    Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you the First love of Rio''s life. She will be the center of the plot. It will be kept secret how, so the fun remains.

    If Lia is the Naruto of this story then La is Uchiha n, around whom the plot will revolve from time to time.

    As for N, she will be one of my favorites.

    No one forgot you...We also love you, Helia.

    ________________________________

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 77 Heart Wrenching Past

    Rio stared into her bewitching eyes and asked, "Who do you love the most in this world?"

    "There is someone I know for a long time, I love that person the most." Her voice sounded as if a young maiden had her heart stolen by someone and talking about her crush.

    "Who is that someone?" Rio''s heart sank hearing her response.

    "There is someone ''special.'' The best person I have ever met but I won''t tell you who is it." She spoke while a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes.

    "Okay...I have to go now...See yater..."  Rio said in a disappointing tone.

    He got up and started leaving as the boy looked downhearted.

    Rushed approaching footsteps sounded behind him, a slender hand wrapped around his neck and a leg wrapped around his waist as the young maiden hopped onto his back.

    "Who can be this special person, Silly? I love my Rio the most in this entire universe. I know sometimes, you''re a fool, but... you''re my fool." She pecked his cheeks with a loving smile on her cute face.

    Two weeks passed¡­

    It was the day of Rio''s 16th birthday. He was waiting for La in a restaurant while a birthday cake was ced on the table.

    He was checking his old watch, a memento of his adopted grandfather, from time to time. The person who was supposed toe waste.

    A car''s tire screeched on the road as it stopped in front of the restaurant.

    Rio saw from the transparent window. It was a limousine ck car and a limited model that was exclusively eleven in the world since it wasunched.

    A few men in ck suits came out of it and opened the door from which an old man came out.

    The maroon-haired old man was giving off a tyrannical aura as if the whole world would bow down to him. He was 190 centimeters in height which just boosted the mighty air around him.

    Unexpectedly, A ck-haired girl was following behind with a moist face and redness in her royal blue eyes.

    "La..." Seeing tears in her eyes Rio clenched his fist in anger and left his chair to stand up.

    They walked into the restaurant and the men in ck suits talked to others. It was emptied out by people as if it was closed for no services.

    The old man walked in front of Rio and raised his eyebrows, a look of disgust was flicking on his face.

    "So you''re that trash who dares to fool my granddaughter." He said to the little guy in annoyance as if Rio was a disgusting filth before clutching his neck to lift him up and throwing him towards another table.

    Rio crashed into the table but before he could understand anything, he was flying again.

    He copsed on the rack made of ss as the small broken pieces stabbed his body.

    Rio could hear a girl loudly crying to stop but he was thrown a few more times.

    The crimson-haired boy had a few bones cracked and a body full of injuries that were seeping out blood. His figure was dyed the same color as his hair. Thest memento of his grandfather was already broken into pieces and fell somewhere in the mess.

    Seeing Rio on verge of dying, La grabbed the leg of her grandfather, "Please don''t do this to him. I beg you...Spare his life. I promise you I''ll never meet him again."

    Rio just heard these words before he felt his head was grabbed by someone. He opened his eyes a little to see the Oldman who was giving him a look as if the little guy was a disease.

    "For now, I''m sealing his memory about you. If I ever see you with him again, He won''t see the sun of another day in his life." That chilly voice was thest thing he heard.

    A stabbing pain invaded his head before Rio lost consciousness.

    ***

    "La¡­"

    Rio woke up yelling the name of the first love of his life, sweat pouring down his forehead and clothes drenched.

    "Hey...everything is gonna be alright." A soft sensation of getting hugged by someone weed him while a hand was rubbing his head.

    Rio looked baffled as the boy realized he was woken up.

    He saw Lia was hugging him while they wereying on the bed.

    Rio wrapped his hand around her and hugged her tightly as he remembered 1,000,010 possible futures from the blessing. He was hugging her as if she would disappear if he let her go.

    Lia didn''t say anything and just let him rx in her embrace while caressing his head as if a doting motherforting a child who was scared.

    As Lia had seen those notifications, she knew Rio got his sealed memories back. She was just hoping he calms down and doesn''t break down after whatever past he had gone through.

    The young maiden didn''t know Rio was hugging her because he was worried about the possible future and not the tragic past.

    ====///====

    [SnowNote]

    If this story wasn''t a harem, I would''ve never thought of such plot. But a reader demanded for Harem and here we are.

    ________________________________

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 78 Heavens Eyes

    The young maiden didn''t know Rio was hugging her because he was worried about the possible future and not the tragic past.

    Rio spend a few hours in this state before he calmed down.

    He sat up on the bed and gazed towards the window in thin air as if thinking something.

    Lia climb down from the bed to draw the curtains of the windows as Rio was staring at the closed one.

    He broke from his contemtion when bright light invaded his eyes.

    Sun was glistening in the clear sky. Night had already passed while he was going through a major event.

    "What are you thinking?" Lia asked with a tender voice while turning around.

    "Don''t you wanna know who is this La?" He asked with a bittersweet smile.

    "I do but I don''t want you to go through the same nightmare again while telling me. Your wife isn''t that selfish." A doting voice escaped Lia''s cherry-like lips.

    Rio sighed hearing her words.

    "Don''t worry about that. This is something you should know." He said in a resolute voice.

    Lia walked to him and sat opposite the side of the bed to wait for Rio to continue.

    "After I consumed your sweet blood, a few notifications rang in my mind before I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes I was in front of a glowing figure in a temple." Rio started recounting everything that happened.

    He told her how there was only ten future where she survived. Lia could feel his dejection when he told her about how he saw her taking theirst breath in his embrace.

    The second part, about La''s story, was narrated in a cold voice but Lia was able to detect the fine detail in his emotional fluctuation.

    Her face was enveloped in a chilly expression by the end of the story.

    Rio was wondering if this was because of his past with La.

    "How could he...?" A murderous intent flickered in her voice.

    "Let''s forget about him for now. He wouldn''t dare to touch me while I''m with the Havenglow family." Rio said in a nonchnt voice.

    Lia didn''t say anything but her heart was still in chaos. She wanted to cut that old man into thousand pieces for touching her Rio.

    After some time passed and she calmed down, Rio asked, "Are you not worried if I still care about La more than you?"

    "I don''t want to make it difficult for you by asking questions like who would a person love more, their mother or their daughter. Some questions can not be answered.

    Also, If that old man didn''te between the childhood sweethearts. You and La would''ve been still together and I would have be a Viin for forcing our marriage on you." She spoke in a bitter voice as she looked downhearted while saying thest sentence.

    "Maybe it''s all nned by heaven." He said with a bittersweet smile.

    He continued, "But let me confess something. There are two people who I cherish in my heart, you and her. You both have been nice to me and loved this nobody dearly.

    But I can''t deny one thing that La never came to find me because she couldn''t go against her adopted grandfather while my beautiful wife Lia has even gone against her father and the whole asura race just to hide my secrets.

    How can I love another girl more than my Wife whose single thought flutters my heart."

    "You don''t have to butter me," She said with a pout and a hint of redness around her cheeks.

    "But I''m not buttering you. This young man is speaking facts." He said with a proud smile.

    They talked a little more before Lia went downstairs.

    Rio checked the notifications that he had received after copsing. There were even new notifications that Lia hadn''t seen when she was inspecting him.

    <<<<

    [Pureblood of Ancient Devlin''s Bloodline Consumed.]

    [You have Awakened the Devlin Might]

    [Beast soul of purple nightmare worm Killed. Purple nightmare worm Curse has been lifted.]

    [You have Awakened the Sealed Innate Talent]

    [You have Awakened the Heaven''s Eyes]

    [You have Awakened the Heart Sutra]

    [You have Awakened the Life Sutra]

    >>>>

    "Sealed Innate talent?" He frowned when Rio saw these words.

    He never imagined his innate talent was sealed. Rio always thought he was without any Innate talent. It even became the reason for the Mailon family to break the engagement and me it on the boy for having no innate talent.

    He opened his profile to check for new information.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: S]

    [Root: Yellow Stage]

    [Core: Yellow Stage]

    [MANA: 50+50]

    [Physical Power: 10+20+15]

    [White: 20]

    [Yellow: 15]

    ==[Innate Skill]==

    [Heaven''s Eyes: You can see what others can''t see.]

    [Heart Sutra: It''s difficult to shake your mind, heart, and emotions for strangers. You wouldn''t lose your calmness in hard situations.]

    [Life Sutra: You will have a higher Mana, Stamina, Energy, and Healing recovery rate.]

    ==[Skills]==

    [Ancient Devlin Breathing Technique]

    [Devlin Might: 20% Additional Stats points. This effect is boosted to 100% if you''re in range of 1 mile from the person who gave you blood to awaken it.]

    [Devlin Transformation: Transform Your body to Devlin. In this form, your defense is boosted by 200%. Mana Cost: 10]

    [Devlin Movement Technique: Teleports to 20 meters range. Mana Cost: 5]

    [Judgement of Devlin: Do a 1000% damage strike to finish your enemy. It has a 10% chance to insta kill the target. Mana cost: 90% of total mana]

    [Ancient Devlin''s Beast Emperor Technique: Beasts under Devlin''s Bloodline Banner would listen to you as their leader. (Passive)]

    [Spiritual Shock: Attacks the soul of Opponent. Those at the same stage or lower will faint and those at the higher stage will suffer from a stunning effect (duration depends on the power gap). Mana: 20. Cooldown: 30 seconds.]

    [Astral Home Fixation: Mark a location as the Astral Home. Mana: 90% of your total mana. Cooldown: 30 days.]

    [Astral Recall: Teleport you back to Astral Home. Casting Time: 3 seconds. Mana: 10. Cooldown: 1 hour.]

    [Ancient Disguise: You can change the appearance of the body (Can not cross the Humanoid form). Mana: 10]

    >>>>

    "Innate Rank S???" A gentle smile blossomed on his face. His innate talent had caused him sorrow in the past.

    Experts on earth would''ve their mouths agape if they find out this boy had S-rank innate talent.

    People on earth only had talent up to A Rank. The innate rank Rio possessed was beyond a human''s imagination as they never have heard about it in their history.

    After getting a little happier about his innate talent, his eyes moved to the innate skills on the list.

    There was one in which information wasn''t described clearly.

    "And what this Heaven''s Eyes do." Rio thought about the skill, his eyes glinted slightly.

    A feeble light was moving around in the room from the outside like a transparent thick golden snake.

    ''World Energy.''

    For some reason, this word sounded in his mind as he was inspecting it.

    Rio looked outside the windows, a leaf on the tree was swaying in the air but what astonished him was that he could see the Veins on the leaf''s surface. Those fine details were visible to him from this distance.

    Approaching footsteps were heard as Lia entered the room. He turned around to look at her to find a string of information floating in front of him about her.

    <<<<

    [User: Lia Devlin]

    [Race: Asura]

    [Innate Rank: ???]

    [Core: ????]

    [MANA: ???]

    [Physical Power: ???]

    >>>>

    "It''s weird. I can see her profile with this new skill but why there are so many question marks?" He mumbled inwardly.

    "Why are you frowning while staring at me?" Lia questioned him.

    "Come here and see yourself." He showed her his AI watch which caused Lia to remind him again to not tell anyone about it.

    She was happy for him but it would be different if someone else knew about his talent.

    "Those question marks might be because I''m on a higher stage than you," Lia said after thinking carefully.

    "I can find it outter." Rio resounded to her.

    Soon, Yami came with a cart as it was filled with food.

    Rio used his Heaven''s Eyes on Yami to inspect her as she walked into the room.

    <<<<

    [User: Yami Rouge]

    [Race: Asura]

    [Innate Rank: ???]

    [Core: ????]

    [MANA: ???]

    [Physical Power: ???]

    >>>>

    ''Am too weak evenpared to Lia''s maid.''

    He sighed inwardly and focused on the food. Rio hadn''t eaten since yesterday.

    They ate their lunch and spend the day together.

    The next day, he didn''t go on any mission as Lia hadmanded her father and Helia to not bother Rio for a while.

    They spend their sweet time together meanwhile their bonding kept getting deeper.

    It was finally the day for his ss, which reminded him that he has to leave for Earth.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 79 Dhovrix Race

    The duo was standing in front of the portal capsule after embracing each other.

    "Good luck with your battle with Talia," Lia said in a tender voice.

    "Thank you," Rio responded and stared into her deep scarlet eyes.

    He remembered the scenarios Goddess had shown him which ached his heart.

    He took a step forward and pecked her on the forehead before saying, "Take care, Wifey."

    Lia wasn''t expecting such a way of expressing love because kissing someone''s forehead showed great care. It was normally done by a parent to their children.

    Still, it caused her heart to feel warm feeling. Lia felt as if she can rely on this man whose strength was a lot below her.

    Rio turned around to slowly walked towards the portal capsule.

    An unwavering glint was present in his sea-green eyes that told him he was not the same person as before.

    This time, Rio was returning to the earth after going through a metamorphosis. The innocent naive boy that the world knew had been transformed by the goddess''s blessings after going through 1,000,010 visions.

    The time he had to spend watching those deadly scenes was worth forty years. Any man could''ve gone insane but he had the divine protection of the Goddess and a blessing that helped him adapt.

    The portal capsule closed and Rio vanished from thend of Asura.

    ***

    A figure appeared in a room, it was light outside already as the sun was illuminating the sky spreading its mighty presence.

    Rio checked the time as he was a littlete for his theory ss with Milena West.

    He rushed towards the teaching building while fixing his clothes. Rio didn''t have to change into school dress as it wasn''t necessary on normal days.

    Section A of the first year was already full to the brim when he arrived.

    Right behind him, Teacher Milena came and gave him an intrigued look as He waste but she didn''t question him as the boy still entered the ss before her.

    Talia was sitting in the front row, she gave him a mocking smile as today was the day of the challenging battle.

    Rio took her presence as air and went to sit on thest seat as he liked avoiding students'' unnecessary gaze which was looking at him and whispering among themselves about today''s uing hot match.

    Milena West stared at all the students to confirm if everyone was present. Once she was sure, she started the second theory ss of the first year for section A.

    "Today''s ss is very important as the national military school tournament starts in six months. You all need to have a basic understanding of the dhovrix race. So listen carefully.

    In our universe, there are countlesss but not many inhabitable ones, and the ones where life is possible, are filled with beastsparable to a silver-stage beast of thend of Asura or maybe even stronger.

    The where the Dhovrix race lived, had a tear in the space which caused it to connect to another ce from where many terrifying monsters invaded their peaceful cities. The rumors say that God gave their ancestors a key to escape this apocalypse which was a method to cultivate their bodies using the energy present in the environment.

    Although it helped them defend against the cmity, it wasn''t enough to peacefully live as their poption was reduced to one-fourth. Their scientist started looking for a habitable and that''s how they found our earth.

    So that''s how we got invaded by the dhovrix race two hundred years ago." She finished the story with a nonchnt voice.

    Some students had a look of disbelief as they didn''te from an influential family. Rio wasn''t that bothered about it as he had met a God firsthand.

    One of the green-haired girls questioned, "Can you tell us how do they look, and how their strengths differ from ours?"

    "Yes, I was going to exin that next anyway.

    After long research, we discovered that they were simr to us humans in an appearance before the apocalypse.

    A normal dhovrix is much stronger than an average human. Unlike us who rely on the beast of Asurand to get stronger, the Dhovrix race strengthens their body using the energy present in the environment thate from earth and heaven (sky).

    As they started Cultivating, the energy umted on their head, which took the shape of horns as their strength grew. The color of their horn shows their strength.

    A white-horned Dhovrix would be stronger than an average human, a yellow-horned Dhovrix would be equal to a peak yellow-stage human in strength and it goes the same way for other stages." Teacher Milena exined in aposed tone.

    Students present had a look of astonishment after they received the new information on their enemies.

    Another student who was sitting on a seat in the mid row, asked "Teacher, what happened in the battle 16 years ago? We know from the media that it caused dhovrix and humans to sign a peace treaty but there is not much information about the two heroes and how humans survived a desperate war against the Dhovrix race."

    "Well... this is some confidential information we do not leak to normal citizens. However, it''s different for you students who may get to fight dhovrix in the future." With the first line, She made them lose hope to find out the secret but her next sentence relieved their puzzled faces.

    Teacher Milena continued as her facial expression turned solemn,

    "16 years ago, around one hundred thousand ck horned, thousands of red horned and hundred of silver horned dhovrix army attacked the human countries. They wanted to eradicate the human''s from their very root as Dhovrix were afraid we would chase them out of this if we were given enough time.

    We had no chance to face a major force that consisted of such a terrifying strength. Dhovrix as well as humans knew that it was one-way massacre that would put an end to an Era where two races existed.

    However, something unexpected happened that nobody could''ve imagined which changed the fate of both racespletely."

    She ended the sentence with a cliffhanger which caused the audience present to stare at her with a bitter and puzzled expression.

    Some of the unreasonable students even cursed her in their minds as they looked unpleasant.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 80 Legendary Amirah Havenglow

    The green-haired girl from before said in a displeased tone, "Can you not bully us, Teacher?"

    Milena knew how they were feeling after leaving at such a plot twist but the next information was the confidential one which wasn''t known by many.

    "I''ll tell you but don''t leak this information anywhere. You will suffer severe punishment from the government if you did. You guys understand, right?" She asked in a solemn voice.

    Students were well aware of such oues as they had signed a few legal papers before joining the military school.

    They nodded with a bittersweet feeling in their hearts as the young students were already trapped by such provision since the day of their admission at the Golden Seal military school.

    "When the Human race was on verge ofpletely ending at the hands of the Dhovrix race, The abandoned daughter of the Havenglow family and her husband appeared in the middle of the one-sided battlefield. Their arrival was like a messiah of humanity that brought the day of destruction for the Dhovrix.

    Legendary Amirah Havenglow and her husband, Ayan Harper both fought a deadly battle against the Dhovrix race for 2 days and 3 nights. The Mountain of Corpses and the river of blood wereid down by the savage couple.

    I still remember seeing a crimson sky at that time from the ce where we were evacuated to. Even the moon had turned red from the air caused by all the ughtering those two pairs did.

    On the 3rd day when the battle ended, it was broadcasted on TV.

    We saw the scattered corpses and a dried pool of blood staining the war ground.

    That scene sent a chill down to everyone''s core without discriminating by race." Teacher Milena''s face was grave when she exined this.

    The students present had a look of horror, galvanize and surprise at the same time. The astonishment they felt was too great.

    Just two humans fought against a hundred silver stage, thousands of red stage, and one hundred thousand ck stage army all alone. Not only that but they also finished the desperate battle within 60 hours in humanity''s favor.

    Just thinking about their strength caused the students'' blood to boil and feel motivated to work hard. But the number of high-level warriors Dhovrix sent caused them to be wary of their enemy in the future.

    Everyone was dazed hearing the story however, a voice sounded from thest seat, "What happened to the Amirah Havenglow?"

    Teacher Milena shrugged at the crimson-haired boy, who had asked this question. He looked interested in the story about the two heroes as this was also the tragedy when he was separated from his parents.

    She was also the older sister of his second mother so it caused his interest to be piqued.

    She said in a pale voice, "Nobody knows where the couple disappeared and what happened at the end. but we were approached by the Royal family of Dhovrix to race for a truce.

    We humans and Dhovrix race signed a peace treaty and lived together in our own territory after that battle as none of us had other alternatives. Human''s two heroes had disappeared and Dhovrix''s power was weakened greatly."

    She finished her dreadful exnation of the human history and waited for students to digest the information.

    The students were already talking to themselves about the battle between the twin heroes and the Dhovrix race.

    Themotion continued for 15 minutes and died down after a while.

    "Every four years, Alliance holds an international tournament between the genius of both races to encourage good camaraderie and healthy rtionships.

    However, the tournament''s real intention is to keep in check the strength of each other''s arch enemies.

    The next international tournament will be held in a year. The maximum age to participate in the tournament is twenty-one.

    So every year, the government organizes apetition between military schools. It is to find a prodigy they can nurture for the uing event between both races." She exined in a calm voice.

    Talia, who was sitting In the front row said, "There is no use exining this to us as we are still in our first year. We have no hope of winning against the third-year seniors. Especially when there will a lot of theming from other famous military schools."

    "That''spletely wrong, Talia. You are forgetting that this tradition was broken by the genius of the human race. Three years ago, She won the national tournament in her first year, while being a part of section A, at the Golden Seal Military school." Teacher Milena corrected her with a proud smile.

    "You think there would be another prodigy like her again? It might be possible for Her younger sister but she is still only 15. I don''t think others can pull off the same feat." Talia spoke in an assured manner.

    "But we have another one from that family in our ss." Teacher Milena responded in a nonchnt tone.

    "He is not their real offspring. This ''Trash'' can never defeat Lily Havenglow." She mocked Rio in an annoyed tone.

    The bitterness she went through, which was caused by him, was still fresh in her mind. She didn''t forget the insult of that day.

    "Talia...behave." Teacher Milena said in amanding chilly voice which caused the girl and students to quieten down.

    She continued, "For the uing tournament, you need to form a team with students of our military school. The team cannot exceed more than five and must consist of at least two. Submit the names of your team members to me by the end of this month.

    The winner will be specially nurtured by the government for the uing tournament against the dhovrix race so they will receive a lot of support on their located shelters.

    Additionally, Top teams from our school would get thick marks on their future examination."

    Students started looking towards two of the seven silver sword family members in the front row as they would be ideal for a good team.

    "Better find someone from 3rd year. It will help you to increase your chances to get a higher rank in the national tournament." Talia poured down cold water on their clueless hope.

    The youngsters weren''t aware of the harsh truth that teaming up with two of these seven silver sword family members wouldn''t guarantee them any chance to rank up higher.

    However, they all ignored the third of the seven silver sword family members of their ss who were sitting on thest seat while inspecting others with his newly Awakened Heaven''s Eyes.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

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 Chapter 81 Duel With Talia Mailon

    ====//====

    [SnowNote]

    Every core/root can only absorb 20 stats points for each color/stage.

    1 Yellow = 1 Physical Power

    1 Yellow = 1 Physical Power

    1 Purple = 3 Physical Power

    ====//====

    <<<<

    [User: Milena]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: ???]

    [Core: ????]

    [MANA: ???]

    [Physical Power: ???]

    >>>>

    "I can''t see Teacher''s stats either." He sighed inwardly and moved his eyes toward a brown-haired girl in the front row.

    <<<<

    [User: Talia Mailon ]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: B]

    [Root: Purple]

    [MANA: 200]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 47]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 9]

    >>>>

    ''57 Physical Power. I have a total of 45 but with Devlin Might, I get a 20% stats points boost which brings my Physical Power to 54. It''s going to be my first real fight with a human that is also around my level."

    He was contemting the stats points when Milena West''s next sentence brought his attention back to her.

    "I have received news from the school that Talia has challenged Rio. It''s a battle between two young children of the Seven-Silversword''s family. There is going to be a ruckus during this match so I have been assigned as a judge for this friendly battle.

    Since theory ss is over, join the ''1 A Golden Seal'' private room in the Kingdom of Beast using the VR pods." Teacher Milena instructed everyone.

    Students were thrilled and waiting for this duel for a week. When they heard it was going to start, students didn''t waste time and started moving toward one of the VR pods.

    Some of them even informed the school group to inform other students about the duel time as it was a hot topic for a week.

    Talia asked in a requesting tone, "Teacher, can I join using the VR pod at my apartment."

    "Okay... but be there within 10 minutes." She allowed her in amanding voice.

    Talia left the ss to depart for her room.

    Rio also questioned teacher Milena for the same which she answered with a simple gentle nod.

    He left the ss and traveled toward his apartment.

    It wasn''t like Rio wasn''t worried but he knew Talia wouldn''t be a harder opponent than those Emperor spirits he fought before since he had already inspected her stats.

    He entered his room and went for the VR pod beforeying down on a reclining chair.

    Rio put the head mounting device and pressed the start button as his AI watch shed and a notification rang in his mind.

    [You''re now connected to the VR Helmet.]

    There was an option for login which he picked and a colorful parallel line transition happened before the boy was standing in an empty white room.

    He looked for an option to join the private room and teleported to the ''1 A Golden Seal'' private room.

    Rio appeared in a spacious ce at the old coliseum where he had his first battle training ss.

    Other students had already taken a good seat.

    His eyes glinted with surprise when he saw there were around 400 students instead of 48 filling many seats.

    Rio wasn''t a fan of unnecessary attention and crowd but he was helpless to avoid it while being the adopted son of the Havenglow family.

    A figure soon appeared beside him, it was the brown-haired girl, his opponent for today, however, she frowned looking at the white-masked guy.

    Unlike before, he kept his face covered this time as he saw the crowd.

    Rio moved his eyes toward the judge of the match, who was standing a few meters away from him.

    "Select the ''Enter Battle'' from your menu." Teacher Milena instructed the duo.

    She already knew it was Rio behind the mask and his username as Milena received notification that EastWind joined the private room.

    They both nodded and appeared twenty meters apart In the middle of the arena covered in grasnd.

    Students seated around the stadium cheered seeing the duo appearing on the Battlefield. They started discussing in themselves the uing duel.

    "Why is there so much Crowd for this match?"

    "How do you not even know about this? It''s the hot topic around the school."

    "What are you talking about?"

    "The youngest daughter of the Mailon family was insulting her big sister when N''s ex-fiance jumped in to save her. It escted into a duel. Moreover, that Romeo is only at the yellow stage while Talia is at the purple stage."

    "Oh, then he has no chance against her."

    "Are you forgetting about the event that happened three years ago when one of the Havenglow family members crushed geniuses from the senior years?"

    "But She was Lily Havenglow. This boy has only been adopted for less than 3 months into the Havenglow family and I have heard he has no innate talent which was the reason the Mailon family broke the engagement."

    "He can''t be a nobody while being a Havenglow even if he is adopted. Moreover, Mailon Family is bullying the childhood sweethearts. We want justice for the young love birds."

    "That''s interesting..."

    "I know, right."

    "Rio.... go and crush Talia Mailon who dared to insult your girlfriend."

    Themotion was going wild with its entertaining gossip as it was supporting both parties.

    The audience focused their attention on the battlefield while they kept talking to their friends.

    Rio would''ve been nervous if it was before, but he didn''t show many reactions and stayedposed.

    "Are you two, ready?" Teacher Milena''s voice sounded around them.

    "Yes," Talia replied with a confident expression.

    However, a voice declined, "Not yet."

    Crimson-haired boy''s refusal caused a wave ofughter and whisper to transpire in the audience.

    "Is that masked guy Rio Havenglow?"

    "Yeah...he is looking cool with that white mask and ck armor."

    "But Why did he decline?"

    "Haha...Mama boy is scared."

    "As expected of the Trash son of the Havenglow family."

    "Shhh...Don''t go to a conclusion on your own. He must have another reason."

    "Yeah, let''s hear what he has to say."

    ***

    Teacher Milena waited for his response as she stared at him from the spacious ce at the higher location in the arena where seats were located.

    "You''re forgetting to dere the wager for this battle." He spoke in a stiff voice.

    Hearing his response, Talia''s face flickered with a hint of bitterness.

    Teacher Milena also raised her eyebrows, but she calmed down and nodded as she really skipped to announce the stake of the duel.

    "This match was proposed by Talia Mailon on a basis of a bet. If she wins the stake, Rio Havenglow would apologize to her but if she lost, Talia Mailon would ask for forgiveness from her older sister. Do you both agree to this wager?" She asked after announcing the wager to the audience.

    Talia nodded with an annoyed expression along with Rio who had a calm look.

    "Ready?" Teacher Milena asked again.

    This time no refusal came against it.

    "...3"

    "...2"

    "...1"

    "...Begin." Teacher Milena announced themencement of the battle.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

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 Chapter 82 Meeting Nyla Again

    "...3"

    "...2"

    "...1"

    "...Begin." Teacher Milena announced themencement of the battle.

    Both of the contestants stared at each other without starting the fight.

    Rio had his hands in his pocket and stood as if he was enjoying the view in a casual manner.

    Talia, on the other hand, felt irritated by his proud action. She wanted to defeat this trash as soon as possible. He insulted the youngdy for N in front of many students. This tarnished her reputation among her friend circle and at the school.

    "Arrogant..." She snorted in annoyance and rushed towards him while summoning her weapon.

    A Spear appeared in her hand that she usedst time during the battle training ss, the triangr tip with purple stripes and thorny edges.

    Talia was close to the crimson-haired boy but he was just standing there with his unwavering calm posture of keeping his hands in his pocket stylishly.

    ''Hahaha...good that he wants an easy defeat and not waste my time.''

    Her lips turned upwards as she saw Rio still didn''t budge from his ce.

    Those who were supporting Rio in the audience were yelling for him to shift away while his haters wereughing at his foolish act.

    "What happened to him? Why is he stagnating on a ce?"

    "Rio...move away..."

    "Don''t stand there Rio. Dodge it..."

    "Look at that trash. He has be so frightened that he can''t even move."

    All thesements were made in a very small amount of time as Talia was on her way to strike him.

    When Talia was about to stab her Spear into Rio''s chest, Her Spear pierced the air and hit nothing.

    Talia had her eyes wide open with scrunched eyebrows as her target disappeared all of a sudden.

    Rio had vanished from his spot using the [Devlin Movement Technique] right before the attack was going to touch his body.

    This fine detail and timing were done by his Heaven''s Eyes as he could see her in slow motion.

    She cursed outwardly, "What the hell is this?"

    A gust of wind appeared right behind Talia to answer her call.

    Before she could turn around, A de had already passed through her slender body, cutting her in two.

    A deadly silence enveloped the stadium as the audience stood up to see this unforeseen development.

    Their jaw almost dropped to the ground along with a look of disbelief stered on their faces.

    Most of them knew that Rio was going to lose this battle but those, who believed in him, because he was from the Havenglow family, didn''t imagine he would finish this battle with a single strike.

    The crimson-haired boy had simply used mana enchantment to strengthen his body, eyes, and Silver-Bloom king sword.

    It enhanced his single strike to a fatal one that went through Talia''s body like a de cutting through a tofu.

    One of the reasons for her instant defeat was that she underestimated Rio from the start. Talia didn''t even use her armor beast soul at the start of the battle.

    This caused her opponent topletely destroy her using a single swing of his silver-bloom king sword.

    The downhearted brown-haired girl appeared outside the battle arena beside teacher Melena.

    "Talia has been defeated. Rio wins the Battle." Judge''s voice resounded in the stadium which woke up the dazed students from their amazed condition.

    Amotion started among the students in the stadium.

    "How did he do that?"

    "Maybe he also advanced to the purple stage."

    "That trash was just lucky that Talia didn''t use her armor-type beast soul."

    "What are you talking about? Rio would''ve defeated her even if she used more beast soul."

    "I wish he was my boyfriend. He is so cool."

    "N Mailon is really lucky that she has this boy."

    "But where is N Mailon?"

    The conversation continued and Rio appeared beside teacher Milena.

    "It''s time for her to fulfill the bet." He spoke in aposed manner, which was heard by the audience as the contestants'' and judges'' voices were broadcasted to everyone.

    "Okay... but we would need to call N, first." Teacher Milena said and started inspecting the audience list to see if she was present.

    Talia''s face was disying the bitterness to its full glory. She was defeated with a single strike.

    Who could''ve known this was going to happen?

    ''Oh...damn it...''

    She was cursing her ancestors and heaven for giving her thought to approach Rio that day. If Talia didn''t bother her sister, she wouldn''t have be theughingstock today in front of everyone.

    "Hey, look... N Mailon is there." Someone from the audience yelled who was sitting on a seat nearby the judges.

    after hearing about her arrival, Rio turned around as his eyes searched for the cheerful girl.

    N was walking towards him from the audience''s seat.

    Her Magenta hair was falling down to the ravishing milky shoulder that was drowned in a purple dress. Her signature happy smile was painted on her adorable face, which was a little rosy.

    N''s friends were shipping her with Rio all this time while she was watching him from the audience. It caused her heart to flutter in ecstasy.

    After Rio went to thend of Asura, N finds out from her friend how Rio had taken a stand for her after she left in tears.

    N also discovered that Rio had epted a desperate challenge where he would lose with his current strength.

    She knew very well that the boy was only at the yellow stage.

    N danced in joy thinking about the stake of the battle.

    A boy was going to duel with Talia just to make her apologize to Na in front of everyone for insulting his only ''friend''.

    The Magenta haired beauty felt butterflies flying in her heart and jumbled up as she closed the distance with Rio.

    She stopped beside him and indicated with eyes to look in front as he was kept gazing at her.

    N didn''t know that Rio was thinking about the 10 possible future visions in which she was along with La.

    "Talia...go ahead." Teacher Milena spoke to her.

    "I''m sorry," Talia said in a bitter voice as her face was flickering with annoyance.

    Saying that she exited from the ''1 A Golden Seal'' private room.

    The audience all cheered after Talia apologized.

    Rio didn''t wait further and exited after bidding farewell to Milena via [Whisper].

    N, who was waiting beside him, called out hastily, "Heyyy...wait.."

    Seeing that he already left, she pouted in a cute manner before logging out to depart from the stadium.

    ***

    Rio took off his VR helmet and went to get a ss of water from the kitchen area.

    *Ding-Dong!*

    Someone rang his doorbell while he was filling a ss with water.

    ''Don''t tell me...''

    He raised his eyebrows as he had a fine idea who it could be.

    Rio went to open the door as he took a sip from the ss of water.

    A girl in a blue dress was standing there. She had her both fists on her waist, making a pout face.

    "Why did you leave without even saying hello?" Sheined and barged into his room.

    Rio didn''t respond as he saw her grabbing the ss of water from his hand before gulping down all the content in one go.

    "Oh...thank you. I was thirsty since the morning." N replied.

    "That was already half drunk by me," Rio said in a calm voice.

    "Don''t worry about that. A wise man once said drinking or eating the leftover of a partner increases love between them." She threw a punchline with a bright smile.

    "Why are you here?" He wasn''t bothered by her presence but still inquired about the vibrant girl.

    "Can''t I evene to my friend''s room? We are neighbors, Rio." She spoke as if it was a normal thing to do.

    "Who was it that closed the door on my face?" He crossed his hands and looked at her in a cool-headed manner.

    She avoided his intriguing gaze with abittersweet smile.

    "Why didn''t you respond to any of my messages?" She changed the topic and walked into his bedroom shamelessly.

    "I was at thend of asura." He responded in aposed voice and followed her in.

    N took his phone from the bed and handed it to him, "here."

    Rio took it in his hand and gave her a puzzled look. He went through the long list of notifications.

    [7% battery left]

    [321 missed calls]

    [410 unread messages]

    He rubbed his forehead seeing a lot of notifications. His battery was also almost down although thetest phone was equipped with longsting rechargeable Batteries.

    Rio hurriedly moved to check them up one by one.

    [318 missed calls from N]

    [3 missed calls from Second Mother]

    [410 unread messages from N]

    There was a heart shape beside her name which was set by herself.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    _____________

    Dear Esteemed Readers, You can show love and support towards our Lia and N by gifting a castle, golden tickets, or anything you prefer. Castle just gives more exposure to the book.

    It''s not necessary as just your presence would be enough anyway.

    I have gone premium a few days ago and I''ll try to write more often. I thank you all, for being with the story this long, I hope you stay longer at least until the end of this novel.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 83 Head Over Heel For Him

    [318 missed calls from N]

    [3 missed calls from Second Mother]

    [410 unread messages from N]

    There was a heart shape beside her name which was set by herself.

    ''318 missed call. What was it that she couldn''t wait?''

    He frowned and started reading 410 text messages.

    Meanwhile, N, who was standing beside him, looked at him with enamored eyes as if he was the fine art at the museum. She smiled like a foolish girl while he was busy looking at his phone.

    If someone saw her right now, they would say the girl had already lost her heart to this man.

    N was crushing on Rio since the moment she saw him on stage against Talia and fighting her.

    She didn''t imagine someone would actually take a stand for her against her step-sister.

    But there was this crimson-haired, weird boy. He actually epted a desperate challenge against Talia who was a whole stage above him.

    Which girl wouldn''t have a crush on a man who would step in to take a stand for her tears and thrash the one who insulted her?

    The young maiden was head over heels for this man after the incident, whom she had nned to make fall for her instead.

    <<<<

    [I''m sorry, Rio. I was upset after Talia talked badly about my Mom. I shouldn''t have behaved rudely to you.]

    [I had actually gone to thend of asura after you left.]

    [My friends informed me about the challenge between you and Talia.]

    [You don''t really have to fight with her.

    She is a level higher than you so I don''t want you to getughed at by others. I''ll apologize to her so she doesn''t bring the duel up.]

    [Please forgive me, Rio]

    [Where are you, Rio]

    [You didn''t even answer when I rang the door bell]

    [I''m waiting, but you don''t reply]

    [Please call me back when youe back]

    [Rio????]

    [Are you so mad at me that you won''t even reply]

    [I''m sorry Rio... :<...]

    [Rio...]

    [Rioo.....]

    [Sweetieee...]

    [Don''t ignore me....]

    .

    .

    .

    .

    [Forgive me, Rio...]

    >>>>

    ''What would I do with this girl.''

    Rio rubbed the middle of his forehead as he went through all the messages.

    As the girl saw he was finished, she came out of her ''crushing'' mode.

    ''Would he get mad at me that I sent so many messages? Why was I that crazy to send him that many messages?''

    N put both her hands in front of her eyes and spread her finger a little to take a little peek at him. She looked quite adorable while doing this cute act.

    The crimson-haired boy was speechless beyond words.

    He finished reading the never-ending messages and put the phone to charge before sending a text message to the second mother that he was at Land of Asura.

    "So???" N spoke after seeing that the boy didn''t show any reaction.

    "So what???" He repeated her word in aposed manner.

    "Will you forgive me for being rude to youst time?" She mumbled in a pleading tone.

    "It''s fine. You don''t have to apologize. I can understand how you would be feeling at that time." He said in a nonchnt voice.

    "Thank you, Rio... you''re the best...Ummm...Can we celebrate your winning?" N asked with a vibrant smile.

    "No...it''s unnecessary." He refused her while shaking his head lightly.

    "Please...please...please...Rio..." She asked in an adorable manner pping her hand together in a requesting manner.

    "Ahh...how long would it take?" Rio hesitated as he had to return to the world of Asura.

    "Around seven hours maybe?" She asked while smiling inwardly.

    N knew the art of negotiations, ''Ask for a mile to receive more inches.''

    "No...that''s not possible... how about three hours?" Rio answered as he thought Lia would be asleep for five to six hours since it was night when he left.

    "Okay, Deal... let''s go partner... we need to do some shopping for our little party..." N held his hand and dragged him out of his apartment.

    The duo went to the shopping area of the school to buy a few things to celebrate Rio''s victory.

    Students were giving them a happy look as Rio had just defeated Talia.

    Those students, who didn''t able to watch the match, were informed by their friends about the magnificent battle.

    It was mind-blowing where Rio Havenglow took down another Seven Silver Sword''s family child with a single strike.

    Most of them believed It was more of a love war rather than a duel.

    They were pleased with the oue as Romeo took revenge for his N by thrashing the stepsister in front of everyone like how she insulted his childhood sweetheart in public.

    After 15 minutes... They were back in their apartment in N''s room.

    She had bought some drinks, food, and karaoke equipment that the Magenta-haired girl set up in her room while Rio took his seat on the couch.

    N went to serve each other food on the table that they had bought. It wasn''t a lot as they had other items for the nned celebration.

    "Here let''s eat a little...then we would do karaoke and dance." She said in a vibrant voice.

    "Okay..." He proceeded to eat the food she served while N ced her head on her hands. It covered her coyish cheeks as she gazed at Rio while smiling like a foolish person.

    Rio was busy with his food while the young maiden was enjoying looking at her crush with smitten eyes who has started fluttering her tender heart.

    The boy noticed that there wasn''t movement by other person, he moved his eyes to find out the love-struck girl was looking at him like a silly person.

    "Don''t you wanna eat?" Rio spoke while scrunching his eyebrows.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Hope you guys enjoy their fun time together before the next arc starts, which is a few chapters away.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

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 Chapter 84 Bang Your Body Tonight

    "Don''t you wanna eat?" Rio spoke while scrunching his eyebrows.

    It caused her to wake up from her stupefied state and she blinked her eyes a few times before starting to eat from her te without making any sounds.

    They didn''t talk while eating as N was busy peeking at him from time to time.

    After they were done eating, N cleaned the table and brought two sses from the kitchen area.

    She arranged them along with the cocktails and mocktails bottles on the table one by one. The young maiden then stuffed a bowl with different snacks and desserts.

    Rio was feeling thirsty since he hadn''t drunk much since morning. So he grabbed a bottle of mocktail from the table and filled a ss to the brim, ignoring the other alcoholic drinks she ced.

    "Let''s sing karaoke now." She said with a merry smile and took the microphone in her hand.

    "I''ll start with my favorite poem with the music that fits perfectly. it''s dedicated to you, sweetie...So enjoy..."

    She picked up her smartphone and tapped it a few times.

    A music track started ying, while Rio sipped on his drink.

    "Roses areee re-ee-d...,

    Sky is blue-eee... e???,

    You have a nice butt-ttt,

    And I love-eeeee you-uuuue???..."

    Her jolly voice was filled with melody as her eyes were closed while singing it.

    Rio, who was drinking juice from the ss, almost choked...

    *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*

    ''Ahh...where does this girl gets her weird inspiration for such lines...She is one of a kind...''

    Rio was amazed by her creative skills to make the vibes joyful around her. He was slowly getting rxed by the girl''s bright and bubbly behavior.

    It helped tofort him as his coldness had melted slightly towards her which was umted after gaining those sealed memories.

    Rio''s past with La made him cautious of other humans. It wasn''t the case before as he didn''t have those memories back when he met this vibrant girl.

    He was feeling guarded against her after Rio returned back to earth and fought with Talia at Battle Arena.

    But N''s cheerful behavior seeded to make Rio smile again and unintentionally, helped her to win him back a little.

    "It seems, you like my poem so much that you even forgot you were drinking.

    Since you enjoyed my lovelyposition... here is another one just for my Rio..."

    N yed the music again which was paused by her after shepleted her first Poem.

    "Roses are-ee re-ee-d...,

    Sky is blue-eee... e???,

    You snore like a be-aar-rrrr,

    But I''m still in love with you-uuuu...e???"

    She finished her shameless poem as the music stopped and gazed at the crimson-haired boy for recognition who was staring daggers at her for calling him bear.

    Rio nodded as if he decided to fight back and reply using her own poem,

    "Roses are red,

    Sky is blue e???,

    You my dear friend,

    belongs to a Zoo-ooo e???."

    His singing wasn''t filled with melody like N''s as he only wanted to tease her back.

    "Don''t worry sweetie-eee e???, I''ll bring you there too-ooo e???." She said with her merry voice which was musical.

    The renowned poet, who was best at being shameless, didn''t let him win.

    Hearing her response Rio finally gave up on his idea to defeat her. She was at another level whom he never met before.

    "Rio... let''s dance together while I will sing..." She held his hand and dragged him to a spacious ce in the room.

    He stood there in aposed manner and watched her action.

    She ced the microphone near her adorable face and started singing before ying a music track for the song lyrics...

    "Lemme bang-bang bang your body tonight e???,

    Lemme kiss you cuddle you seduce you tonight e???,"

    N sang her melodious song, keeping her eyes closed, and nodded her head in joy as if enjoying each of the lyrical words.

    She tapped the ground with her foot rhythmically which made her look quite a good feet style dancer.

    While Rio was distracted by hearing the lyrics but what could he say since it was a song after all?

    N continued to follow in her footsteps and danced as the lyrics flowed with it.

    "Lemme bang-bang bang your body tonight e???,

    Lemme kiss you, cuddle you, seduce you tonight e???,

    I''m gonna be rough, pull you close, make you surrender to me e???,

    Boy, you can do whatever to make me suffer tonight e???,"

    She swirled around Rio, pulling him by the shirt towards her as N coiled her slender hands around his neck.

    The girl stared into his sea-green eyes while singing the lyrics with a sparkling expression.

    "I''m gonna bang-bang bang you tonight e???,

    Cause I know you''re the one and only in my heart e???,

    Tell me who can love you like me,

    Tell me who can kiss you like me,

    Tell me who can hold you like me,

    Would you really be able to find someone like me e???,

    I''m gonna bang-bang bang you tonight e???,"

    The high beats and beautiful lyrical words matched together to create a magical moment between the duo.

    Those lyrics had a hidden meaning as she sang them for Rio in a loving manner.

    N had especially changed the lyrics of the original song to resonate with her heartfelt feelings for this crimson-haired boy.

    She wrote it earlier as the silly girl could make Rio fall for her.

    However, her n failed as she wasn''t expecting to be the one to be madly in love with this guy who fought for her glory with the evil step-sister in front of the whole school.

    "I''ll push you down, eat you up, work you all the way up, to give you a ride to Heaven e???,

    I''m gonna bang-bang bang your body tonight e???,

    Cause I know you''re the one and only in my heart... e???,

    ''Eat you up? Ride to Heaven? What kind of lyrics is that.''

    Our innocent Rio wasn''t able to understand the hidden meaning behind her lyrical words but he liked thest line of the song.

    She paused while letting go of him and looked toward the ground with a sorrow-filled smile.

    The music slowed down to resonate with the emotional melody of uing lyrics.

    "I''ll give you my smile when ur sad e???,

    I''ll give you my heart if yours get broke e???,

    I''ll cheer you up when you feel down e???,

    I''ll be by your side when you''re all alone e???,

    Even if you don''t ept me,

    Even if you find me annoying,

    I''ll only be yours forever e???,

    Cause I know you''re the one and only in my heart...ever...and...fore-eee-ver...e???,

    The mood in the environment changedpletely with thest part as she sang it with all her heart and emotions expressing her deep love for the crimson-haired boy.

    Rio felt jumbled-up emotions rising inside him as thest part moved his unwavering heart.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    This scene of singing and dancing was an experiment and a new concept I used within my novel.

    Also, do you guys like N''s personality?

    Let me know if you guys liked this chapter. I was quite in a dilemma to create the scene this way.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 85 Let Me Hug You For 20 Seconds

    The mood in the environment changedpletely with thest part as she sang it with all her heart and emotions, expressing her deep love for the crimson-haired boy.

    Rio felt jumbled-up emotions rising inside him as the ending lyrics started melting his frozen emotions.

    ''It was easy to handle his rejection before today. But my chest is hurting so much after gaining this God damn feeling for this dummy.''

    N was feeling very saddened that she didn''t get much reaction from this crimson-haired boy for the hard-worked performance she especially prepared for him.

    She had nned to mesmerize him with her cute song and flutter his heart for her but it was a failure that caused the girl to feel intense sorrow.

    A downcast expression enveloped her face as N''s eyesnded on the cocktails at the table.

    Getting drunk and forgetting everything seemed alluring to her right now to escape all of theseplicated emotions.

    Rio quietly watched her actions as she went to uncap the alcoholic bottle and gulped it down her throatpletely, finishing the content inside in one go.

    ''That much alcohol dose won''t take her long to be intoxicated. But why is N acting as if she lost something so precious? Was I too harsh on her?''

    He felt worried about her well-being. Even Rio didn''t realize he was giving her too many cold shoulders by not letting her take advantage of his naivety like before.

    The boy now had his old memories unsealed that were the sweet days he spend with La. He knew how tofort a girl from his romantic experience of the past but Rio didn''t want to give her any false hope to hurt her even more.

    "I''m sorry, N but I can not use you as a mere tool to save Lia. You''re my friend, not an object that I would use to fulfill my desires or goals and throw you away when it''s done.

    You would be happier with a man who loves you, cherish you, and adores you. I hope you understand that man can not be me." He thought inwardly while watching her drink to her full desire.

    She put the ss down as N didn''t look intoxicated yet.

    "Rio... you say you don''t love me and don''t have feelings for me...So can you let me test if I really have any chance or not?" She said in a tender voice while the Magenta-haired girl gazed at him in a loving manner.

    "How would you test?" He asked while putting his hands in his pocket as the boy was still standing in the spacious ce she dragged him earlier to dance to her selfposed song.

    "Let me hug you for twenty seconds and I''ll find out if you have any feelings for me or not...Okay?" She asked with a pleading tone but her eyes were slowly getting heavier from the alcoholic dose she consumed.

    ''Even if you weren''t from Havenglow Family I would''ve eloped with you to thend of Asura to spend the rest of  my life with you in the wilderness.''

    Rio was her ideal candidate as she thought he was a gentlemanpared to other boys she met in her life.

    He was also the only one due to the reason of being an adopted child of the Havenglow family. This was the root reason for her to choose him as the Mailon family can not afford to offend them.

    However, now it was different as she was willing to be with him even if the girl had to live in an abandoned ce in thend of asura far away from any human contact.

    ''I just pray...this helps this silly girl to give up on me and find someone else who can truly love her.''

    "Okay..." He said in aposed manner.

    A merry smile shed on her face as she pped her hands to celebrate her little achievement and ran towards him as if going for the happiest destination in the world.

    She ced both her hands between his shoulder and the torso that was blocked because of him putting his hands in his pocket.

    Her hand slithered away from that little space to wrap around him as she hugged him tightly, cing her head on his chest.

    She felt immensely rxed and a blissful joyous sensation enveloped her.

    *Thump!*

    *Thump!*

    *Thump!*

    She could listen to his heartbeat but also heard the one beating inside her caused by hugging the person she gained sudden feelings for.

    A trail of tears flowed from her tipsy eyes and drenched his shirt without her even realizing it.

    She grew up without the love of her parents and didn''t open up to anyone before. The bullying by her stepmother and step-sister also saddened her always.

    N was keeping all of this inside her for so long as the girl didn''t remember hugging anyone this closely while lowering her guard down.

    The overflowing dam was broken the moment N was in his embrace and rushed through her beautiful green eyes.

    "For some reason, There is a warmth sensation spreading in my chest...It feels like I would be happy as long as I''m with this dummy..." She mumbled inwardly as the sweet girl embraced this foolish guy tightly.

    N was going through a roller-coaster of emotions. Those cocktails just did the work of fuel to ignite it to the next level.

    Never did she imagine for such oue where N would be head over heels for the guy she nned to mesmerize with her beauty and marryter on.

    A great person once said, "No person is perfect and their imperfections are what makes them beautiful."

    Her intentions were not great but it wasn''t bad either. We all do little things to impress the person we want to marry.

    The girl knew they would develop feelings slowly once they were married. She didn''t want to rush things but time wasn''t on her side.

    But she never thought that this dummy would be the one to steal her delicate heart.

    Rio had no clue what she was thinking all this while. He just stood there, putting his hands in his pocket as if nothing happened.

    An aromatic scent of orchids invaded his nostril when she hugged him.

    Her silky magenta hair rubbed against his jaw and her chubby melons pressed together on his chest.

    He was looking at the ceiling to keep his calmness and unwavering resolve, wandering his eyes that exposed his n to not show his nervousness.

    More than ten minutes passed as she kept herself wrapped around him.

    After fifteen minutes, N looked at Rio''s face while her hands stayed wrapped around him.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 86 My Ghost Would Haunt You

    More than ten minutes passed as she kept herself wrapped around him.

    After fifteen minutes, N looked at Rio''s face while her hands stayed wrapped around him.

    The boy was looking at the ceiling and his eyes movement could tell he didn''t know how to react in this situation.

    "You don''t like me, right? You find me annoying, Maybe You hate me."

    Her intoxicated voice sounded as he inclined his head to look into her green eyes.

    "But you see sweetie...even if you hate me..."

    She gazed right into his intriguing eyes in a loving manner and a creepy smile enveloped with deep affection shed on her moist face.

    "I...

    Will...

    Love...

    You...

    To...

    The...

    Death...

    And...

    My ghost would...

    Haunt you...

    Forever..."

    Those words exploded beside his ears, making him dazed and causing aplicated wave of emotion to rise inside him.

    Rio looked at her bewitching face which was filled with unwavering stubbornness to get him.

    "Did my Rio think he can run away from me?... Did you think, I''ll give up on you???... Ahahaha...That''s so cute of you..." Her jolly voice escaped her cherry-like red lips and separated herself from him.

    He swallowed nervously hearing her statement.

    Rio wondered if he should be happy or cry when there was a young maiden who loved him to this level.

    The drunken girl copsed right after that as a massive alcohol dose and crying caused her to be drowned in sleepiness with a heavy head.

    Seeing her swaying in the air, Rio caught her by coiling his hands around her curvaceous waist, which helped to not let her fall down on the ground.

    He held her up in Bridal carry as she was lightweight and stared at her innocent face with some confusing emotions.

    ''Ahhhh...why is this happening?''

    Rio sighed and moved towards her bedroom.

    They celebrated his victory but it ended up making her sad. His intention wasn''t to upset this girl.

    He ce the young maiden down on her purple bed and covered her up with a purple nket.

    Rio said with a tender voice, "Sleep well...N..."

    He closed the door behind him and left with jumbled-up emotions inside him.

    After ten hours passed...The Magenta hair girl fluttered open her eyes and looked around her in puzzlement.

    ''Ah...my head hurts...''

    She rubbed her forehead with scrunched eyebrows and mumbled in a quiet voice, "What happened earlier?"

    N tried recalling things that happened earlier in the day before she copsed and fell asleep.

    The young maiden remembered how she was drunk and confessed her newly acquired feelings to the foolish boy.

    A bitterness enveloped her adorable face and she climbed down from her bed.

    She walked towards her window and drew the curtains wide open.

    It was dark outside, as ten hours had passed to wee the night.

    Pond, which was surrounded by beautiful flowers, was engulfed in the beauty of the starry night and the moon was glimmering along the sparkling stars.

    The sight was dazzling enough to make anyone rx but the young maiden gazed at the moon in the sky with a sorrowful glint in her eyes.

    N spoke word by word as she expressed her heart content,

    "Gazing at the moon reminds me of you,

    Wondering if you would ever watch it together with me,

    I understand your heart has no ce for me,

    Yet when I am looking at the starry night, it makes me want to dive in all for you,

    It doesn''t matter how long it will be,

    It doesn''t matter if I have to trudge a path of thorns,

    For you darling, I''ll exchange my heart for a little smile on your face,

    For you darling, I''ll cross the river of fire and curses,

    As long as I have hope to make you mine, I won''t hesitate even a little,

    If fate permits, we can gaze at the moon together while our body embraces each other,

    If it doesn''t permit, ¡­"

    Saying that she walked towards the portal capsule leaving behind her words that sounded with a chilly aura.

    "Then I''ll trample the fate beneath me."

    The somber silence enveloped the empty room which witnessed Rio''s celebration, where a sweet girl sang and danced, confessed and broke, and cried to sleep after getting tired by her new emotions.

    Our Rio didn''t know that the girl he was rejecting right at this moment would be the key factor to decide his destiny in the future.

    Her unwavering love for the crimson-haired boy would create havoc in the stars of destiny.

    Even Heaven would have to bow down to the stubbornness of her heart.

    ***

    After leaving N''s room, Rio decided to go back to the Land of Asura but his phone started ringing.

    He frowned and checked it.

    [Second Mother is calling...]

    Rio tapped his phone screen and received the call.

    "Hey Rio...how is everything?" A woman''s voice sounded from the speaker.

    "It''s fine." He responded while opening the door of his room.

    "Aren''t you eating your meals properly? Why your voice sounds weak?

    "Yeah... I haven''t slept well so my voice sounds tired." Rio replied and walked into his room.

    "I saw your duel with Talia. You defeated her with a single strike. Nicely done, Little Rio. I knew my child would be as talented as his mother. But Don''t overwork yourself while chasing strength. Healthes before everything." Her voice was filled with motherly affection.

    "Thank you. I''ll rest properly. You should not stress about me and take good care of yourself." His heart melted slightly for his second mother as Rio knew he didn''t have to promise her anything to be loved. She didn''t demand him anything like others.

    Second Mother loved him unconditionally like a real mother. Even if she hid his parents'' identity he believed her.

    He remembered how she skipped her meals when Rio was away for a month. Maybe words can be fabricated into lies but her actions told him he could trust her.

    Second Mother heard his concern about her and felt ecstasy.

    She said, "I''m happy that my child cares about me. I wanted to ask you if you coulde home this Wednesday. We will be having a family meeting soon. You and Lily haven''t met yet. How abouting home this Wednesday to meet her?"

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    The celebration didn''t end up well but I needed to develop their story this way for what is waiting in the next arc. That will also give Rio room to stabilize the emotions he has gone through after meeting Goddess.

    Let me know your opinion about this chapter.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 87 Princess In Slumber

    Rio rubbed his forehead as he disliked being social and meeting with others.

    "Sorry...I don''t like interacting with people. I hope you don''t feel bad by my refusal and I think she wouldn''t be happy to meet me either as you may know Rose already hates me." He said in aposed manner.

    "Yeah...I know she hasn''t epted you yet but it will work out in the future.

    But Lily is theplete opposite of Rose. Although she is very cold towards outsiders, Lily wouldn''t treat you badly.

    She is a nice girl, Rio." Second mother praised her older daughter in front of him, Rio couldn''t see a mysterious light flickering in her eyes when she talked about the older daughter as he was using an audio call for conversation.

    "Sorry, but I would meet her when I feelfortable. I am not ready yet. I hope you understand." He turned her down as Rio needed some time to ept his new memories.

    "Okay, take your time Rio...I''ll wait for you to ept it slowly. Rushing things wouldn''t be healthy either." She said in a tender voice.

    "Yeah." He mumbled.

    "What''s your rtionship with N?" Second Mother asked with a curious voice but it sounded as if she was worried about something.

    "She is just my friend. You can say my very first friend...but why do you ask?" He felt rmed and scrunched his eyebrows.

    "There are rumors about you two. I hope there is nothing between you and her..." She sounded concerned but didn''t drag it long.

    "Why would you say that?" Rio asked.

    He thought that even if there was something between them It shouldn''t be an issue. They had nearly engaged after all.

    "It would be problematic if I tell you now. You will find out when the timees." Second mother spoke with some hesitations and didn''t reveal it.

    "Understood...I''ll wait." He replied without taking it seriously.

    "Okay then, I won''t disturb you more today. Take care, my child..." She said in a doting voice that was filled with warmth.

    "You too, and Have a good day." Rio bid her farewell in a polite manner.

    Saying that he disconnected the call and walked towards the portal capsule to return back.

    ***

    After the duel between two children of the Seven silver sword families, Rio had be popr around the human country.

    Everyone praised how he thrashed Talia with one strike and took revenge for his girlfriend.

    Someone even uploaded the video on the school inte forum that they had recorded while inspecting the match.

    At the beginning of the video, it was told how Talia bullied her older sister and Rio jumped in to defend her. It escted to a challenge which Romeo epted in the end.

    In the clip, it was even mentioned that the Mailon family is trying to separate the childhood sweethearts.

    The video had gone viral, as it received 40 million views in a few hours after the clip got uploaded.

    The sweet couple had be a celebrity for the younger generations and a favorite of many even older one.

    However, they didn''t have any pictures of Rio''s face as he was using the white mask during the battle.

    Unaware of any of this event, Rio appeared on the couch of his bedroom at Empress Vi.

    Lia wasying on her bed in an adorable manner and her bewitching eyes were closed while she was hugging a pillow. She looked like a sleeping princess who was waiting to be kissed by the prince to wake up from her slumber.

    Rio walked towards the bed carefully to not make any noises and watched her fairy-like face that made his frozen heart feel ecstatic.

    Even though the boy had be cold to everyone, the main reason behind it was Lia, the person he treasured the most.

    Rio saw her dying a million times which caused him to be cold to others and his unsealed memories with La that he became cautious of everyone.

    Additionally, he was blessed by Goddess during this trial which granted him [Heart Sutra. It protected his heart and mind from the overwhelming emotions of strangers while helping him to keep a calm mind.

    After an hour, Lia''s eyshes shook lightly and she opened them.

    What weed her sight was a crimson-haired boy gazing at her with Affection filled eyes.

    A bright smile blossomed on her face and she sat up on her bed.

    "When did youe?" She asked In a sleepy voice while rubbing her half-closed eyes.

    ? "I don''t know. Maybe an hour?" He replied while taking a seat beside her on the bed.

    "Why didn''t you wake me up then?" She asked in aining voice.

    He shrugged with a gentle smile.

    Lia didn''t investigate much and moved to the next topic.

    "How was your match with Talia?" She asked while sitting in a meditation position as if waiting for an entertaining story to start.

    "Well...When I went back..."

    As expected, Rio narrated the whole story from start to end, telling her about the Dhovrix race as well as the Two heroes he heard about from teacher Milena.

    He told her how the boy inspected Talia with [Heaven''s Eyes] and defeated her using [Devlin''s Movement Technique] and the Silver-Bloom king sword his lovely wife had given him.

    Rio also told her how N and he celebrated his victory, how she sang an abnormal song for him, how she danced, how she confessed her feelings, how she hugged to test if he loved her or not, how she cried and copsed at the end.

    If Rio wanted he could''ve hidden it from Lia but the boy decided to tell her as always.

    She just listened to the very end with a serene face.

    "Would you have epted her if you weren''t bound by the oath?" Lia asked with a curious gaze and monitored his face for every detail that may tell her answer.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 88 My Wife Is A Vampire

    "Would you have epted her if you weren''t bound by the oath?" Lia asked with a curious gaze and monitored his face for every detail that may tell her answer.

    "What do you think?" He asked mysteriously, keeping an unperturbed expression.

    "Hey, that''s my line." She jumped onto him and she dived into bit his neck...

    "Argh....my wife is a vampire...." He cried out in a sarcastic manner.

    Lia let go of him after a while as she was just being yful.

    The young maiden was sitting on hisp while her legs were coiled around his waist and her hands wrapped around his neck.

    "Answer me." She asked in a questioning tone and a fierce glint in her eyes.

    "Do I look stupid?" He asked with a scrunched face.

    "Obviously, you do," Lia said with a lively smile while gazing at his sea-green eyes that were looking at her as if this question was meaningless.

    "I wouldn''t consider that option even if you be less loving or less adorable than already you''re my empress. Moreover, I wonder who would want to eat mortal realms food outside when you have a hot Heavenly dish at your home." He gave her solid facts with examples in a nonchnt voice.

    ? "So am I just a Heavenly dish for you?" she asked In a chilly voice, looking extremely adorable.

    "And also a sexy vampire, my wifey" He teased her while pinching her cute nose.

    "Yuubb....." She was going to say something but her lips were sealed by him as he kissed her.

    The tender lips brushed past each other as the love birds drowned in the pleasure.

    The blissful momentsted a few minutes before they separated.

    Lia went downstairs to ask Yami to send them food before washing her face to get ready.

    They had breakfast together and Rio left to meet Helia to do his mission.

    The boy needed to focus on getting strength if he wanted to save the person he cherished.

    The morning sun was spreading its warmth around the castle as it weed the new day.

    He asked about the whereabouts of Helia from the guards and found her at the castle, who was having breakfast alone.

    "You''re back?" She asked with a frown.

    "Your eyes work fine, thankfully." He replied in a stiff voice.

    "Heyyy..." She didn''t expect such reply as the blonde-haired beauty stared at him and discovered his eyes were missing the old naivety.

    There was an additionalyer of coldness and maturity in them as if he wouldn''t lose his peace in any condition.

    ''What happened to this guy that he gives an aura of an expert warrior?''

    Helia narrowed her eyes at him but

    The boy didn''t falter from her intimidating gaze.

    "Are you here to start with your second mission?" She asked him.

    "Yeah." He said in a calm voice.

    Rio wasn''t cautious of Helia as she was on his side, 90% of the future visions he saw and she wasn''t demanding him anything like N.

    Helia was actually a good ally to protect the person he cherished.

    However, Rio didn''t know he was already given to her when she was of very young age. It was all up to the boy and lioness to decide if they wanted to be together.

    Although it would be hard for the duo to develop such rtionships. This was all in the future. Moreover, if he could make her regret her past actions for mistreating him on their first meeting then she should''ve had to serve him as her master.

    "Your next mission is to im shelters under humans around the Shamor Empire''s border.

    Make use of [Ancient Devlin''s Beast Emperor Technique] to bring beasts under our banner to defeat those scumbags at your targeted shelter.

    When you chase them away from their shelter or you kill them off, link that ce to the Teleporter tower by using this artifact. You can activate its mechanism by inserting some mana inside its body."

    She exined his next mission and gave him a transparent spherical object that had tiny stars glimmering inside it.

    He inspected the little starry ball before keeping it inside his pocket.

    "Bronze crest shelter will be your starting point for the new mission. Use beast under this shelter to im one of the neighboring shelters marked on this map." Helia bring out a folded white sheet and gave him.

    Rio opened the paper to check and found there were locations pointed out on the map. Only Bronze crest shelter was mentioned on it.

    "Good luck." She said in a nonchnt voice, hiding the worry that was flickering in her red eyes while watching his calm face.

    He nodded as her hidden concerning look didn''t escape his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    Rio turned around to leave the room and traveled in the direction of the teleported tower as he used the [Ancient Disguise] spell to change into his 3rd appearance.

    ''I wonder what happened that changed this guypletely. I don''t like the new him. He gives a vibe as if he would snap at me if I said anything bad to him. He became so intimidating.''

    Helia sighed inwardly as she saw him walking outside of the room with an appearance simr to her big brother Leon.

    ***

    "Give me [Teleport Glyph] for Bronze Crest Shelter." The blonde-haired boy asked with a stiff voice.

    The old man nodded and gave him hastily while recalling his past visits with Empress and princess Helia.

    There were two glyphs he handed, one was for going to the Bronze crest shelter and the second for returning to Teleporter tower.

    The Old man didn''t know Rio coulde back using [Astral Recall].

    Rio walked towards the ascended tform he use two times in the past that was reserved for Royalty.

    He tore apart the [Teleport Glyph] and vanished into the space rift.

    After going through many trials and training, the boy went on his first mission against the humans where he would have to face them head-on.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 89 Fierce & Armored Porcupine Beasts

    Bronze Crest Shelter, At the Border of Shamor Empire

    A blonde-haired boy walked out of a tower-like building that was located in a dense forest.

    He changed his facial appearance into one of Asura''s guards as his figure started advancing far away from the shelter.

    ''This would save me from exposing my face until I find a Mask.''

    Rio didn''t want to reveal his Disguised appearance that was simr to Helia''s big brother Leon.

    He thought it was bad to taint the reputation and make others hate Helia.

    Although Helia wouldn''t stop killing humans mercilessly but Rio wanted to approach the lioness to convince her not to harm the innocents.

    As he traveled further away from the bronze crest shelter, a field of grasnd appeared in front of him.

    His sight spotted a beast around 120 cm tall that was darting in distance to somewhere else.

    Rio was able to observe its bodily features with the help of [Heaven''s Eyes] as it boosted his eyes abilities.

    Beast''s sharp teeth were protruding from a rodent-like head. Its body and tail with yellow stripes were covered with defensive spines that were very sharp at the end. There were three thick purple lines on its forehead that went vertically down.

    "Those purple lines are simr to the Royal Family''s guards'' armor. A sign of Devlin''s family banner." He mumbled inwardly.

    The boy recalled the information he gained from his first visit to thend of Asura and his first theory lesson with Emperor Dn.

    Rio used his [Heaven''s Eyes] to inspect this tall rodent-like beast to find out more about them as he was expecting his innate skills to work on these monsters and reveals their stats.

    A long string of information was disyed in front of him.

    <<<<

    [Name: Normal Fierce Porcupine]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: Yellow Stage]

    [MANA: 75]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 26]

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 16]

    [Beast Soul: Projectile]

    >>>>

    ''As I guessed, it even works on beasts. It''s quite handy while wandering in unknownnds.''

    He sighed and looked at the Beast''s various stats.

    "This normal yellow-stage beast has 1.5 more mana than humans and asura." He mumbled while reading the information.

    The crimson-haired boy gazed at the beasts andmanded, "Hey, you... Follow me."

    This single line seemed funny to hear when it wasn''t directed to a person.

    Rio spoke in his mind and sent a telepathic message to the beast, who looked at him with intrigued eyes in his direction and then started running towards him as if it could understand the boy.

    ''One is done but How would I summon the rest of the beasts in the area that aren''t visible to me?''

    He thought for a few seconds and mumbled, "All the Fierce Porcupine in 100 kilometers region, I summon you."

    The moment he said these words, a cloud of dust started rising in the four directions around the bronze crest shelter.

    The ground was vibrated by their galloping impact as a herd of beasts marched towards the crimson-haired boy after hearing their master''s call.

    Rio could easily see them even when they were far away with the help of Heaven''s Eyes as it was enhancing his vision range.

    He calmly looked at Fierce Porcupine beasts onest time and brought out the map from his pocket that Helia had given him earlier in the day.

    "The marked location is in the southeast direction in a forest near a stream of water. I should start moving, there is no use waiting for these beasts to catch up first." He thought inwardly and pocketed the map.

    Rio didn''t notice it butpared to thest time when he saw a herd of beasts and got scared by their terrifying number, he wasn''t fearful at all. He simply checked the map while many beasts wereing in his direction.

    Although they were his allied beast still he would''ve shown a little reaction to these terrifying beasts'' march if this crimson-haired boy was the old Rio.

    He enchanted his foot with mana for faster movement as Rio traveled southeast of the bronze crest shelter.

    The grasnd was spread to a vast region. There were a few trees and shrubs at a far away distance.

    He also traveled past a small greenke without giving it much attention.

    The Fierce Porcupine yellow staged beasts were following him at their own speed as Rio''s stats were higher than theirs.

    The boy could''ve ridden these beasts but their sharp spine wouldn''t feel good to his chubby bum. Moreover, they would''ve slowed him down.

    After traveling for an hour, a forest with birch-like trees came into his view.

    He halted his marching right outside the forest as the boy saw a battle happening between two monsters.

    Rio gazed at the wild beasts that were fighting each other.

    It looked simr to the Fierce Porcupine but the spines on its body were not sharp but grouped together to stop any form of physical attack from harming its body.

    ''There is actually a pattern with them. Beasts of the same family are not at far away distance from each other.''

    Rio remembered how at the Dargus Isle, the beasts of both neighboring shelters were from the same family, and the only difference they had, was their physical qualities. One family branch was good at agility while the other one had a great defense.

    He inspected the one that was overwhelming the other beast with his [Heaven''s Eyes]. It was even taller than the opposing party.

    <<<<

    [Name: King Armored Porcupine]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: Yellow Stage]

    [MANA: 75]

    [Physical Power: 19 + 27]

    [Innate stats: 19]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 17]

    [Beast Soul: Armor]

    >>>>

    ''Ah...King tier beast.''

    Rio summoned his King Silver-Bloom sword and bolted toward the beasts.

    He was sure that the second beast was at most a mutated Armored Porcupine so the boy didn''t bother inspecting it.

    Rio shed at their bodies, and with two normal attacks they were both cuts neatly apart and their internal organs with blood scattered on the ground.

    <<<<

    [Yellow stage Mutated Armored Porcupine killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Armored Porcupine to gain zero to 4 yellow stats points randomly.]

    [Yellow stage King Armored Porcupine killed. Absorb the core of the King Armored Porcupine to gain zero to 6 yellow stats points randomly.]

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage King Armored Porcupine gained.]

    >>>>

    This was the first time he killed a king-tier yellow staged beast in the wilderness. Yet he received the beast soul.

    A yellow light shone and a yellow stage King Armored Porcupine beast soul appeared in his mind sea.

    He grabbed the pebbled size yellow core and absorbed them as usual.

    [Core of Yellow-stage King Armored Porcupine absorbed. 4 Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Yellow-stage Mutated Armored Porcupine absorbed. 2 Yellow Stats points gained.]

    Rio heard two notifications which confirmed his yellow stats points raised by six and became twenty-one.

    He entered the forest and paraded at a fast pace. The location map pointed was ahead of him.

    The Fierce Porcupine had caught up to him. They were many in numbers, Rio was sure they were at least a hundred.

    Hemanded them to follow without causing a disturbance as the boy didn''t want to rm his target.

    If humans find out there was a beast raid on them they would go back to earth to ask for help from neighboring shelters.

    Rio wasn''t sure how long the battle would take to capture the shelter so he was making sure to not give them more time.

    A stream of water came along his path as it was shown on the map.

    He halted his steps to bring out the map to find the exact location.

    "The map says it is around here But where?" He scrunched his eyebrows.

    He rotated all around on his spot to look for any ascended structure that appeared like shelters but the boy failed to locate any.

    Rio rubbed his forehead as he couldn''t find the marked location of the targeted shelter near the stream of water.

    He walked at the edges of the river to follow closely nearby the indicated spot on the map.

    Soon, an underground cave appeared in his sight as it was perfectly hidden on the ground.

    ''...''

    Rio sighed as he didn''t expect the targeted shelter to be hidden underground.

    He was looking for some tall buildings or something higher from ground level so the boy failed to discover it.

    Two human warriors were guarding the entrance of the underground cave and a staircase went lower into the ground level.

    They were hidden behind birch-like trees. If not for Rio following the map closely while keeping his pace slow, he would''ve wasted more time finding this underground shelter.

    "All the Fierce Porcupine, take your positions and surround this ce without revealing your location." The crimson-haired boy gave amand in a calm voice but a hint of hesitation was flickering in his sea-green eyes.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

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 Chapter 90 First Mission Against The Humans

    ***

    Toby Parry was a peak yellow stage warrior, who was the head of the Iron wing underground shelter. He was in his early thirties and had a goal to be the head of the purple stage shelter under one of the Seven silver swords families.

    Throughout his fifteen years of career, he made some good connections by boot-licking higher-ups and as he didn''t mind lowering his head.

    The middle-aged man had a sharp tongue for people he disliked or those weaker than him and a good buttering method to please those who were in a higher position than him.

    This was also the reason Toby Perry seeded in his life and became the head of the yellow stage shelter despite being having a bad innate talent.

    One of his good colleagues told him that Toby could be the head of the purple stage shelter under one of the Seven silver swords family as long as he advance and breakthrough to the next stage.

    He had a pretty bad rtionship with his close rtives and didn''t see his family much in his eyes as the man was blind in the greed of chasing power and position to get ahead in life.

    Toby Perry knew that he wouldn''t have to worry about money and woman again If he seeded to reach the purple stage and be the head of the purple stage shelter at one of the seven silver swords families.

    However, this highly ambitious man was currently reading reports in his room sitting in an office of Iron wing underground shelter, unaware of destiny knocking on his door.

    A mana enchanted voice reverberated around the yellow stage shelter, which caused the man to frown in exasperation.

    "Good afternoon Everyone. This shelter you''re currently upying belongs to the Asura race. You have been living on someone else''s property.

    Leave the shelter within five minutes or you would face a cmity. Don''t sayter, I didn''t warn you." A calm voice of a young man resounded and announced a concerning message disguised as a warning to all the humans around.

    The middle-aged man, the head of the yellow stage shelter, became enraged as he went towards the exit with an annoyed face and fumed in rage.

    "Who dares to be Arrogant outside our yellow stage shelter." Toby Perry asked in an exasperated voice as he walked out of the Iron wing underground shelter''s exit.

    He saw the two guards at the entrance taking a fight stance as they had already summoned a weapon but the duo were on standby and waiting for others toe instead of going on their own head-on.

    Hearing this kind of cocky announcement around the shelter, other people also rushed out of the Iron wing underground shelter with infuriated expressions.

    They had already summoned their armor, weapons, and other beast souls on their way up.

    A blonde-haired man in his mid-twenties was standing fifty meters away in front of their shelter.

    He looked very rxed andposed. There was not a single hint of nervousness on his face for standing against thirty-two human warriors all at once.

    "Has this Asura''s dog lost his brain? Those fools had sent one man here with their hateful proposals? Ahahaha...what a joke." Toby Perry mocked Asuras and Rio, who didn''t use violence directly as he believed talking would be better than blood shading.

    "You have 2 minutes left." His serene voice was heard again which didn''t seem to be nervous at all.

    Others human warriors started conversing with themselves.

    "He only looks to be in his mid-twenties. We can easily overwhelm him."

    "What if he is a ck stage warrior?"

    "Nah...Even if he is talented he would be at most in the purple stage. Asuras wouldn''t send their most precious genius to a tiger''s den."

    They thought Asuras wouldn''t send a worthy opponent to their door to die but these people weren''t aware the Asura Emperor had sent his own son-inw to seal their fate.

    Toby, who was standing at the front, said in a provoking voice, "You think we would be afraid of a single Asura? Even if you brought a battalion with you we would beat you all to a pulp and chase you guys away to the end of the world.

    You filthy Asuras are just disgusting insects that we would crush beneath our feet. Thisnd belongs to us humans who are superiors to you monster-like asuras who don''t even know how to behave and have a mosquito-sized brain."

    The awful man started berating Asura''s race for his rotten character.

    "You have one minute left." Rio counted the timer without giving him a look but he was sighing inwardly at their uing Fate.

    Failing to intimidate the blonde-haired haired man, the enemy leader decided to overwhelm him with numbers as Rio was standing all alone.

    "Everyone, attack..." Tobymanded the human warriors around him as they all marched towards the blonde-haired ''Asura.''

    Rio, who had failed to convince them which he already expected, shook his head in disappointment.

    ''Give them a good beating for taking away your home and your fellow beasts from your family. I hope you will be merciful to the innocents.''

    The blonde-haired manmanded the beast using telepathy to attack while leaving it to human decisions if they retreat or fight.

    Human warriors'' hearts stopped beating for a second in fear as they saw the astronomical numbers of beastsing out who were hiding behind the trees.

    *Howl!*

    Their enraged cry rang out in the forest as they remembered how these evil humans had killed their family members and friends.

    One of the female Fierce Porcupines remembered her sad past and the inflicted pain these hateful foreign creatures did to her to destroy her happy life and her family.

    She was two-months-old pregnant with her unborn child when her husband went out to bring food for his small family.

    That day, a group of human warriors killed her husband while ganging up on him like cowards.

    She was informed by another Fierce Porcupine who was able to escape from human warriors'' clutches and save his life while witnessing this sorrowful incident in front of his eyes.

    Soon after this tragedy, the pregnant Fierce porcupine had a miscarriage because of excessive crying and for being depressed about her husband''s death. Her unborn child died as well, giving her another wound to the heart.

    It was just a story of one of the Fierce Porcupine beasts, there were many with such heart-rending stories.

    Since the day humans invaded theirnd they hadn''t been able to spend a day or night peacefully. Their sleep and happy days were ruined.

    They were always worried about getting attacked and losing their life because these humans considered each beast a way to increase their strength.

    When yellow-stage human warriors saw the swarm of beasts popping out in front of them from their hidden spot, they took an eighty-degree spin on their position and ran towards the entrance of the Iron wing underground shelter.

    Who would be fool enough to face an army of beasts that were more than hundreds in number? It would be suicide to stay when death was slithering towards them in form of terrifying beasts.

    ''Ah... This is insane. How did the situation turn around against us? Oh, damn it...I need to save my life first....''

    Toby Perry also retreated to see the Beast''s tide approaching him. His cocky expression had vanished as if it was never present firsthand. The ambitious man loved his life more than anything to stay Arrogant in face of an uing disaster.

    What use would be of being head of the purple stage shelter at seven silver swords family if he wasn''t even able To keep this precious life of his?

    The man even forget to use the Spirit stone tomand the Emperor spirit to support them, who lived in this shelter, as the terrifying Fierce Porcupine didn''t leave him a choice to think with peace of mind.

    He always wore and kept this spirit stone around his neck in the form of a pendant while staying in thend of Asura.

    A four-meter dwarf-like Humanoid creature was sitting on a ck throne in his chamber at Iron wing underground shelter. His hands to shoulders were covered in spines while there were two sharp brown tusks protruding from its closed mouth.

    The Emperor spirit had already heard themotion but it didn''t bother helping the humans as Toby Perry forgot to give amand to support them and it had a bad impression of the humans.

    After going inside the iron wing underground shelter, they all darted towards the portal capsule chamber hastily to save their life.

    The hall was packed with the thirty-two humans within a few seconds as they all raced toward the portal capsule.

    Some of the humans had jammed packed the portal capsule by filling it with the numbers as it was not very spacious and others were screaming outside.

    "Hey...you bastard...let us in..."

    "Go out of my way you idiot."

    "Why are you alling in, it won''t close..."

    "Push him out of here."

    "Don''t close the portal capsule."

    "Are you forgetting we all can''t go at once? Let''s use it oneby one."

    A ruckus started among humans as unity and leadership was missing among them as they were afraid of losing their precious life.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 91 Freeing Them From Their Suffering

    A ruckus started among humans as unity and leadership was missing among those who were afraid of losing their precious life.

    The door of the portal capsule couldn''t be locked as it was blocked by others'' interruption.

    One side of human warriors was closing the door while the other side was pressing the button to open it for themselves.

    They didn''t think carefully of a solution to escape this cmity on their head.

    Everyone wanted to save their life but they forgot one fact, the capsule can only let one person teleport out at one time as each one of them came from a different part of the earth and everyone''s destination was set to a different location.

    Beast stormed inside the iron wing underground shelter as the distance wasn''t much between them and humans.

    Some of the intelligent ones started realizing their desperate situations as they discussed among themselves to find a better solution.

    "These stupid people didn''t leave us a choice. We better fight our way out of the entrance and find another shelter."

    "Are you out of your mind? The entrance is blocked by more than a hundred porcupine beasts, and a strange asura is guarding outside. We don''t even know his actual strength."

    "Do you have any better idea?"

    "..."

    Several human warriors came forward to fight back as they knew they have no other option left. They turned around to take their fight stance to face the uing enemy.

    Human warriors were lower in numberpared to the astronomical number of Fierce porcupine beasts. Their strength paled inparison but their desire to live boosted their will to fight back.

    They summoned various beast souls that they had as their survival instinct kicked in since there was no other option left.

    Beasts eyes had turned crimson red from rage and hatred towards the humans. This was their chance to take revenge for their lost kin''s souls.

    Several humans and an overwhelming number of Fierce porcupines attacked each other.

    Humans had an advantage of fighting in this packed room as not all the yellow stage beasts could enter this ce all at once as there was ack of space.

    They made an efficient strategy to fight as the one with shield beast soul defended while others with offensive weapons fought from behind.

    This helped them to drag the fight longer and avoided instant defeat against the Fierce Porcupine beast who was craving for their blood.

    Those who were busy with the portal capsule also got affected by the free fire of this battle so they had no chance but to join in and support their fellowrades.

    As this happened, A brutal battle happened between Fierce Porcupine and humans of the yellow stage as they shed inside the Iron wing underground shelter.

    The spacious room made for the portal capsule became the war ground for humans and beasts.

    The boy disappeared from the entrance and went inside the iron wing underground shelter. His [Devlin''s Movement Technique] had 20 meters range. It was enough to avoid the attention of others.

    He searched for the whereabouts of the throne chamber in the underground shelter and discovered a staircase going down to the deeper level.

    ''This might be the way...''

    Rio discarded their fight as he had a more important enemy to face and went towards his final destination.

    If he could get the heartstone, the boy would be able to avoid unnecessary hassle. He expected that the enemy would''ve already called the reinforcement beast but Rio wasn''t aware of a secret, which he would find out in a few hours.

    Toby Perry saw the chaos inside the portal capsule chamber, after running his brain for survival he decided to ask the Emperor spirit for assistance.

    Armored Porcupine Emperor Spirit heard the call for assistance in the fight when a young blonde-haired man walked inside the throne chamber.

    Rio summoned his king Silver-Bloom sword and appeared behind the Armored Porcupine Emperor spirit.

    The dwarf-like spirit''s eyes were filled with surprise as it saw the blonde man vanishing from his sight.

    It felt a chilly shiver around its neck but it was toote for the Armored porcupine Emperor spirit to defend itself or move out from his ce.

    The head of Rio''s enemy severed from its neck and rolled down on the floor like a moving football.

    [Yellow-Stage Armored Porcupine Emperor spirit defeated.]

    On top of the statue, a transparent glowing stone appeared after vanishing from the pendent of Toby Perry.

    Rio had heard from Helia that the stone would appear on top of their statue once he killed the emperor spirit.

    Rio plucked out the heart stone that was flickering yellow and a notification yed in his mind.

    [Heart stone of Yellow-Stage Armored Porcupine Emperor spirit gained. Put a drop of your blood to make a master-servant contract with the Yellow-Stage Armored Porcupine Emperor spirit.]

    [59:30]... [59:29]... [59:28]...

    The blonde-haired ''Asura''manded the Armored Porcupine beast around the Iron wing underground shelter''s region to reinforce him.

    He turned around to go back to the ongoing battle scene.

    The portal chamber room, had twenty-nine humans left, it appeared three of them seeded to escape through the portal capsule.

    They may have realized it would only work if one person go at a time and sent the three women, who were among thirty-two warriors, first.

    The remaining Human warriors looked beaten and blue, with a lot of injuries as blood was flowing from their wounds.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    There were numerous spines of Fierce porcupine beasts stabbed on their bodies from which their blood dripped, dying on the ground in red.

    These men were struggling hard to keep defending themselves to save their life.

    As Rio entered the portal capsule room, he saw the desperate fight of human warriors.

    ''I should support them and free them from their sufferings.''

    Rio spoke as he decided to join in to finish the battle as he was impressed they had some morals left by letting women escape first.

    Although he wanted to conquer the iron wing underground shelters, Rio wasn''t a cold-blooded murderer. He felt pity for their tattered condition.

    To save his Lia, he had to taint his hands with the blood but that didn''t mean he would kill them mercilessly. He would pick the other options if there were any.

    The reason he wanted to join in was that Rio had an easy method to end this desperate battle.

    The boy remembered the words Lia told him after giving him a spell scroll to learn.

    ''[Spiritual Shock] will help you during your uing missions that Father is going to assign you. It will activate a human''s AI watch to send them back to earth. This skill attacks the soul so the brain sends signals to the AI Watch that the body is in danger.

    Security mechanism will activate instantly and teleport the human out of thend of Asura for a day at least since the damage was only done to their soul and they can recover it after a good sleep.''

    Rio carefully checked the spell information again as he was going to use it.

    <<<<

    [Spiritual Shock: Attacks the soul of Opponent. Those at the same stage or lower will faint and those at the higher stage will suffer from a stunning effect (duration depends on the power gap). Mana: 20. Cooldown: 30 seconds.]

    >>>>

    ''30 seconds and 20 mana. This will also allow me to see the effect of my [Life Sutra] innate skill as It says to be giving a higher Mana recovery rate along with other beneficial effects.''

    He proceeded towards the first target as Rio gazed at a browny man and activated [Spiritual Shock].

    A blue light flickered in his eyes and a human warrior at the back felt having a sudden ache in his head as he copsed on the ground.

    A white light came out from his AI and it enveloped the fainted warrior''s body within a few seconds.

    White light gradually faded away as the copsed man vanished from the portal capsule room, leaving behind a yellow pill.

    This incident caused hisrades to frown in fear as they thought it happened because of the beast''s fatal attack.

    Fierce Porcupine''s spine was the weapon they used to attack as it released a Projectile arrow from its back towards the enemy from time to time to injure them.

    Rio took advantage of this chaos and attacked human warriors one by one.

    He discovered the mana recovery rate was 1% per second, which brought a joyous to his heart.

    "Don''t kill them, just continue to harass them. I''ll send them out from here."

    He instructed the beasts and sent the humans out of the Iron wing underground shelter one after another.

    Tobi Perry had also suffered the blonde-haired man''s turbulence as Rio sent him along with hisrades back to the earth without killing them.

    A total of twenty-nine pills were scattered on the ground along with blood left by the human warriors'' injuries.

    There wasn''t even a ce to stand. He heard a galloping sound approaching outside.

    ''Seems like they are here.''

    He guessed the Armored Porcupine beast had arrived to give him reinforcement but Rio was already done with the fight.

    ''Go, wait for me outside.''

    Hemanded the Fierce porcupine to stay out of the underground shelter as the boy decided to execute his next task.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Are you guys disappointed by Rio''s action? Was he too heartless?

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 92 Advancing To The Peak Of Yellow Stage

    Rio walked towards the portal capsule and collected all the yellow stage pills scattered in the room.

    He didn''t have to go for it as all of them were stacked in front of the portal capsule for the desperate fight.

    These spherical pills were the one-fifth size of a medicine capsule and flickered with a yellow light. It was cold and fleshy to the touch. Rio stored them inside his inner pocket.

    The boy changed his appearance back to the one that looked simr to Leon as his face changed back to a young boy

    He took out the Tiny transparent stars glittering spherical object that Helia gave him to use after chasing away the humans from the newly imed shelter.

    He ced it at the closed door of the portal capsule and injected some mana to activate it.

    With a ''Hang!'' Sound, it connected to the portal capsule and started spinning.

    Rio retreated his steps and moved away from the activated spherical object.

    It sent a projection ray on the floor in front of the portal capsule, which created a big magic circle simr to the one that was present at Teleporter tower.

    The line of the magic circle started illuminating with blue light as if it hade to life.

    A space rift opened right where the magic circle was, and it expanded to be double the size of a regr door.

    ''This ce is simr to the room of the teleporter tower.''

    He could see a big hall behind the opened space rift. There were Asura''s warriors standing on the other side with some tools and devices on the ground.

    When they saw the young blonde-haired boy, a look of admiration shone in their eyes.

    ''Why are they looking at me as if I''m their hero?''

    Rio couldn''t understand the reason behind their expression.

    Asura warriors had already received the orders from Princess Helia to be ready with all the tools and guards for a new shelter.

    One by one, ten asura warriors and an old man came out of the space rift.

    "Well done, Young Man. I''m Isaac Jordan, head of the teleporter tower and also the chief who is managing all the shelters under Devlin''s family. Along with Princess Helia, we are working on a top-secret mission to take down the shelters.

    These warriors are trained under me and princess Helia to take care of these shelters. Today I received news that a young boy has been recruited to our ssified work.

    I was going to send my subordinate to handle the setup of each shelter but then I was summoned by Her highness. She told me to personally supervise everything. It appears you are very important for her highness."

    The old man gave an amiable smile and exined the ssified information about his mission.

    Isaac Jordan continued, "You need to take this Space Link Teleport Artifact with you and give it back to Princess Helia. I would take the charge and handle the shelter''s setup from here. This would take at least an hour."

    He retrieved the Tiny transparent stars glittering spherical objects and handed them to Rio.

    The blonde-haired boy nodded and received it, who was calmly observing him and listening to his message.

    The old man walked towards the portal capsule as he indicated with his hands to bring something to the portal capsule.

    A few asura warriors carried some magical tools from another side of the space rift and started arranging them up in the portal capsule room.

    One magic tool was taken by Isaac Jordan who used it on the portal capsule. He pulled out the portal capsule from the walls and floors.

    The Asura''s warriors were instructed and carried it out of the space rift to the Teleporter tower.

    Rio didn''t bother them further and let the old man handle the shelters from here on.

    He took the stairs that led to the exit and came out of the Iron wing underground shelter.

    The blonde-haired boy saw the Fierce Porcupine and Armored Porcupine waiting for him outside.

    The swarm of beasts was more than two hundred. It was an imposing arrangement of force for any yellow stage shelter to handle all alone.

    Rio''s eyes shone with an unwavering glint seeing his personal army consisting of brave Fierce and Armored porcupine beasts as a new n of conquest started fabricating in his mind.

    ''More than two hundred beasts, it would be easy to take down any Yellow-Stage shelter with this arrangement.

    Human warriors may take some time before they wake up and the government collects information about this incident from other twenty-nine humans.

    I should better hurry and take this chance to im all the neighboring shelters and not give them time to prepare for simr situations.''

    Rio brought out the map given by Helia and looked at the pointed locations that he needed to im.

    There were a total of 149 remaining dots on the map after he imed the iron wing underground shelter.

    He stored the map inside his pocket and took out the spherical yellow stage pills.

    Rio injected mana inside it and a bunch of notifications started ringing in his mind.

    <<<<

    [Orb of Yellow-stage Stats points absorbed. One Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Orb of Yellow-stage Stats points absorbed. One Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Orb of Yellow-stage Stats points absorbed. One Yellow Stats points gained.]<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    .

    .

    .

    .

    [Orb of Yellow-stage Stats points absorbed. One Yellow Stats points gained.]

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage Fierce Porcupine gained.]

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage Armored Porcupine gained.]

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage Giant Rat gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Beast soul of Yellow-Stage Demon Ant gained.]

    >>>>

    ''"Emperor called it Pills while the AI recognizes it as the orbs." He read the notifications and mumbled quietly.

    A total of 19 yellow stats points and 29 beasts souls were gained from this expedition.

    His yellow stats points finally reached a total of forty. He was qualified to break through to the purple stage but due to Goddess''s task, Rio was stuck at peak of Yellow-Stage.

    He narrowed his eyebrows and turned around to gaze far away in the distance.

    ''Monarch Beast... It''s as if it is calling me.''

    Rio could feel a new location in far awaynd from here. It was on the other side of the shamor empire in the corruptednd. The boy even knew the name of the ce for some reason but he put it aside for now.

    "I don''t even have any idea how long this task with Monarch beast would take or what unforeseen development waiting for me on the other side of thisnd.

    I need to finish this conquest of the yellow stage shelter around the shamor empire first so it can be helpful to Lia''s future." The blonde-haired boy said with an unfaltering voice as his sea-green eyes shone with a hint of warmth for his wifey.

    Rio kicked the ground with his mana-enchanted foot and bolted towards the next shelter that was situated in the neighboring region.

    His speed was faster than before as he was at 40 yellow stats points.

    Like a dazzling meteor strike, A sixteen years old human boy was racing at the border of the shamor empire for the Asura''s race future with unwavering resolve in his heart.

    For an hour, he ran along with his beast army of Porcupine beasts.

    The blonde-haired boy heard a notification that the Armored porcupine Emperor spirit was ready to be summoned as the cooldown of revival had finished.

    Rio halted his speed as he had already reached the next location for his subjugation and was waiting outside carefully.

    Armored Porcupine Emperor spirit frowned seeing the blonde-haired boy not making his move.

    "Why are you waiting, master?" Porcupine Emperor spirit asked in puzzlement.

    "You can also talk?" Rio was astonished to find out that the Emperor spirit could talk like a normal human.

    He had never expected that they could speak the human - Asuranguage.

    "Yeah. Even beasts can talk at a higher stage as their intelligence reaches a certain realm. However, We spirits are considered an intelligent race than the beasts which is also the reason we be their guardian." The dwarf-like figure exined with a proud look.

    "I''m waiting for good timing so the enemy Emperor spirit doesn''t get a chance to summon the beast of this area for reinforcements," Rio said in aposed manner.

    "That won''t happen, master. It''s a ssified knowledge among us to never reveal this secret so we can protect the beast from others. I was surprised that you were aware of this confidential information.

    But be assured that the Emperor spirit of this shelter or any wouldn''t reveal this secret to humans and help them summon a beast to support them.

    If We, Emperor spirit, had exposed this piece of information, those cruel humans at a higher stage could''ve asked us to summon beasts around the shelters and let them do massacre of these innocent creatures so they can farm easy beast souls and stats points.

    We would never reveal this secret knowledge to evil humans as we don''t want the unnecessary ughter of the beast." The Armored porcupine Emperor spirit said in exined in a sorrowful voice.

    Hearing Dwarf-like figure words, Rio discovered that this ssified information about the controlling beast with the help of spirit stone was a secret probably only known to Devlin''s family and maybe a few others parties he didn''t know about.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 93 Dinner With Beautiful Sisters

    His sea-green eyes were flickering with a resolute glint as he decided to proceed without waiting any longer.

    The blonde-haired boymanded his porcupine beast army to attack the shelter.

    His next target was conquered with very little effort as he even had an Armored Porcupine Emperor Spirit by his side to restrict and intimidate humans.

    The blonde-haired boy continued the same method of using his [Spiritual Shock] spell to send human warriors back to earth as he disliked unnecessary bloodshed of innocents.

    Rio carried on with the subjugation of yellow shelters for his beloved wife without stopping after conquering the second shelter.

    His army of beasts increased to more than three hundred by the time he imed the third one.

    A blonde-haired man went to one shelter after another, it was a terrifying sight to see as more than thousands of beasts joined his army by the end of the night.

    As the darkness enveloped the border of the Shamor empire, Rio reached another forest where he imed another yellow stage shelter.

    He activated the Space Link Teleport Artifact near the portal capsule. A double-door-sized space rift opened up.

    As the other side became visible to him, His eyes widened in surprise seeing the person standing and waiting for him.

    A white-haired beauty along with blonde haired girl was gazing at him worriedly.

    Other Asura''s warriors and Isaac Jordan were standing behind the two beauties, bowing their heads in respect.

    Rio''s eyes became tender seeing his adorable wife as Lia came out of space rift towards him and instructed Asura''s warriors to carry on the shelter''s setup.

    The trio walked out of the shelter to find an empty ce so they could talk freely and have some privacy.

    The couple didn''t want to reveal their secrets to outsiders for now. Except for a few very loyal ones, nobody knew that Rio was married to Lia. Even Isaac wasn''t aware of this ssified information.

    A Swarm of beasts had surrounded the nearby regions and covered most of the areas around the shelter. Even Helia frowned seeing the striking numbers of Rio''s beasts'' army.

    New imed shelter was located at a spacious location in a forest with taller trees.

    Moon was glistening in the sky along with twinkling stars, witnessing the trio under their light, who had found a good ce to set up a temporary open camp.

    Lia took out a blue couch and a big circr table to ce in the middle for themselves.

    She looked at Rio with a cold face and indicated him to sit.

    The blonde-haired man had changed back into his young boy disguise on his way back here as there was no enemy he had to hide from.

    He went to sit on the couch while Helia gave him a look of pity as she knew Heavenly turbulence was going to strike the boy for being careless in a few moments.

    "Did you have to go this far? You could''ve taken it slowly. You''re doing a month''s task in a day. Why do you have to be in such a hurry?" Lia''s vexed voice escaped her cherry-like lips.

    She was quite mad at him for tiring himself out and incautiously going shelter to shelter to conquer them.

    He was continuously on his mission to take down yellow stage shelters around the border of the shamor empire.

    The white-haired beauty knew very well how much havoc this boy''s action was going to make.

    When Lia find out what abnormal task he was doing she decided toe by herself. White-haired beauty wanted to convince this careless boy to slow down and give up on his daring continuous conquest.

    A gentle smile blossomed on his calm face.

    "Don''t you think it''s better this way? Even if humans sent a force from the purple stage shelter It would take them time to reach and even if theye, they wouldn''t able to handle this overwhelming army of beasts.

    Moreover, I''m not going to stop until I take down thest yellow stage shelter at the border of the shamor empire. There is no use convincing me." Rio spoke in aposed manner and a feeble smile was present on his face.

    Lia sat beside him and looked at him in an anxious way as she was worried.

    "Do you have to be this stubborn?" She asked in a bitter voice, as the white-haired beauty was annoyed at him for not listening to her.

    "These yellow-stage shelters won''t be much help to you but at least this weak husband of yours can only afford this as of now. You can stop me by confining me into shackles. It''s up to you if you do that.

    But this is what I want to attain. We, mortals, think we have a lot of time but it waits for no men.

    As you know Wifey, I have a battle with the destiny so I can not just wait and sip some tea at the Empress Vi. Hope you understand me."

    Rio said in a nonchnt voice as he wanted to finish it before going for Monarch beast''s battle.

    His Heaven''s eyes had boosted his sixth sense and spiritual power to a greater level.

    Rio was having a bad premonition that his life was going to be in great danger in near future.

    The boy wanted to do something for Lia as much as possible before that ominous incident happened.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    ''I know what I''m doing is risky. But it''s not as dangerous as what''s uing.''

    He gazed into her scarlet eyes which were anxiously looking at him for not able to convince him.

    "What would I do with you?" She said in a defeated tone.

    "How about a kiss, even a vampire one would be fine?" He whispered to her in a romantic manner.

    *Cough!* *Cough!*

    Helia, who was standing there, coughed and announced to the couple that she was also present there.

    The love birds hadpletely forgotten her earlier because of their deep conversation and realized Helia was also with them.

    "I hope you will be careful. If you see any risky situations, send me a telepathy message as soon as possible otherwise I will really bind you at home and won''t let you go ever." Lia said in a doting tone that was mixed with threats.

    "Yes, your highness. Your wish is mymand." Rio said in a vibrant voice, bowing his head like a faithful subordinate.

    He could feel from her tone she wasn''t joking.

    "Helia, don''t stand there like a stranger. Come sit with us." Lia moved her eyes to look at the Blonde-haired girl who was standing a meter away from the couch and watched the duo in silence.

    She hesitated quite a bit but looking at her sister''s inviting gaze, the lioness had no choice of declining as she sat beside her sweet sister.

    ''I didn''t imagine this annoying fellow would have such deep bonding with Lia. They act like lovey Davey couples in such a short time.

    Helia didn''t have her Fierce look while she was around Lia. She appeared like a tamed lioness, resembling an adorable kitten who didn''t even bite or scratch.

    "Aren''t you hungry yet?" Lia asked Rio while bringing a few meal containers from her Spatial beast soul.

    It was a container made from transparent white material as it appeared to be very expensive.

    "My new innate skill [Life Sutra] is helping me against getting tired," Rio answered in a rxed voice.

    "That''s okay but you still need to take your proper meal and a night of good healthy sleep. Since you have decided to continue doing this mission, I''m going to make sure Husband doesn''t stay hungry or go without sleep." Lia said in a domineering voice.

    Rio knew very well this white-haired beauty wouldn''t take ''No'' for an answer.

    She ced three tes on the circle table and brought out food from the meal container to serve her sister and husband.

    They ate their food together, Lia kept telling Rio to be careful as they had their meal.

    "This is the first time we are all having our meal together," Lia said as she recalled It was their first time as Trio.

    "Did you use to eat alone before imprisoning me?" Rio asked in a teasing manner.

    "No...Helia and I used to have meals together ofte-.....what did you say..." Lia paused mid-way and red at him as she understood his yful sentence.

    She processed his words slowly in her mind as the white-haired beauty was distracted in conversation and didn''t expect him to be mischievous.

    Riopletely avoided her Fierce look, which looked as if she would bite him if not for her sister being around, and asked in a nonchnt voice, "Why doesn''t she join us on our meals then? I noticed she was having her breakfast alone in the morning."

    Rio didn''t want to steal Helia''s sister from her. The boy knew Lioness''s only source of familial love was Lia and she wasn''t that close to her uncle, Dn.

    *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*

    Helia, who was eating like an adorable kitten, almost choked as this annoying fellow exposed her.

    She had a good reason for having her meal alone as Helia didn''t want to be a third wheel between the newlywed couple.

    The blonde-haired girl was also embarrassed to join them on their meal after what she had done to Rio on her first meeting.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 94 Demon Lord Of The Asura

    "Helia, didn''t you say you wanted to apany Father on breakfast from now on so you wouldn''t be joining us? Then Why were you having your breakfast alone?" Lia asked with questioning eyes and looked at her suspiciously.

    "That..." Helia was speechless as she couldn''t think of an excuse.

    "She might be shy to eat with us and doesn''t want to disturb us, newlywed couple, you know. Such a thoughtful sister-inw I have." Rio praised the lioness as he had put down his cold demeanor around Lia.

    ''Ah...I hate this annoying boy so much...''

    Helia was cursing Rio in her thoughts and even punched him a few times but she couldn''t show it on her face.

    "But Helia needs to get used to this as she asked me in childhood thawwttt...." Lia was interrupted as Helia put her hands to seal her mouth to not let the white-haired beauty reveal the forbidden secrets.

    Lia gave her questioning eyes to ask why she did that while Helia returned back a pleading look as if begging her not to say those embarrassing stuff.

    She let go of her after Helia saw her beloved sister understood her heartfelt request.

    "Even Emperor was saying she used to tell you something when she was little and now you as well. What was it that you guys are hiding?" He scrunched his eyebrows and looked at his Wifey with a doubtful gaze.

    Lia said with a calm voice, "She is probably notfortable telling you right now. Give her some time, she may reveal it to you on her own."

    Rio heard her puzzling sentences and narrowed his intriguing eyes as he wasn''t able to understand their twisted conversation.

    They finished their joyous meal together. Lia stored the used tes and meal containers in her Spatial beast soul.

    Rio had a total of nine heart stones, he had already asked Isaac Jordan for a bag so he can use it to store these as it was hard to carry them while sprinting from one shelter to another.

    He took out those glowing stones with yellow light and hovered his hand in front of Lia to offer his hard-earned wealth, "Here..."

    "Won''t you need them tomorrow?" Lia asked with a worried expression.

    "I still have [Ancient Devlin''s Beast Emperor Technique] for my beasts'' army." He reminded her in a nonchnt voice.

    "But having These Emperor spirits would be helpful in case more danger appears." She pushed his hand to his chest and made him keep it to himself.

    "Okay... wait a few weeks and I''ll return them to you in fifteen folds," Rio said with a resolute expression on his face, an unwavering glint flickering in his eyes.

    Lia asked guards to set up a bed in one of the rooms at the shelter for her husband and herself.

    The white-haired beauty made sure that Rio have a sound sleep.

    Helia also took one of the rooms to spend the night at the shelter as she didn''t want to leave her sweet sister alone.

    Love was something that made Rio''s soul crawl out of its hiding ce. Being loved by Lia gave him the strength to embrace the hardships while loving her back gave him the courage to face his own race.

    Even Lia, Empress of the Asuras, didn''t shy away from sleeping in a low-grade shelter that was previously used by someone else.

    The standard wasn''t evenpared to a four stars inn but the white-haired beauty didn''t mind it for her dearest Husband.

    It was the same for Helia, she stayed there for her beloved sister and wasn''t ashamed to use a room that was previously upied by the race that she hated most.

    But Why?

    What was making them do these things?

    It was all the doing of deep affection they had for each other.

    A great musical artist once said,

    "Love is silence; Lust is a roar.

    Love is a sacrifice; Lust always wants more.

    Love is giving; Lust only takes.

    Love is a mending of heart; Lust only breaks."

    That night, at the border of the Shamor Empire, the Moon, the Stars and more than thousands of beasts witnessed the trio of Royal family sleeping in amon yellow stage shelter, who would one day engrave their names on the golden history of this world.

    ***

    Rio woke up early in the morning after just four hours of sleep.

    He saw a white-haired beauty was sleeping beside him while her hands were hugging his chest.

    Her fairy-like face brought a gentle smile but the boy didn''t want to disturb the beauty from her slumber.

    He carefully climbed out of bed after cing a pillow in his ce so that her hands could hug.

    Rio inclined closer to her ravishing face and pecked her delicate forehead.

    Lia was lost in her dreand unaware of his affection-filled action as her breathing was rxed and gentle.

    He walked out of the room to discover that guards were all around the shelter and guarding it cautiously.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    His sea-green eyes also detected a familiar figure.

    ''Why is she awake?''

    He saw Helia was also on her watch around the shelter.

    ''It seems Lioness didn''t sleep so she can take care of Lia''s safety.''

    His heart filled with pleasant emotions but he didn''t wander too much on it.

    Riomanded his army of beasts and streaked into the dark forest like a meteor using his mana-enchanted speed.

    ? His [Heaven''s Eyes] was enough to give him direction as it boosted his eyesight.

    After two hours...

    Lia woke up from her deep sleep and found no one besides her.

    ''Ah...he is so stubborn.''

    She shook her head and left the shelter with Helia.

    The blonde-haired boy continued his way through shelters for the next seven days.

    Rio avoided going to his targeted location in line to avoid the predicted patterns and only attacked the ones that had a long distance from each other.

    Even after all this strategy, There were a few times when his targeted shelter had reinforcement waiting for him but the number of the beast under hismand was a few thousand.

    They easily crushed the enemy without any hitch, shattering their pipe dream into smithereens.

    Some of the people, who went hunting didn''t dare to approach him as they saw a terrifying army led by the blonde-haired man.

    A chill ran down their spine just watching the swarm of beasts marching toward the next shelter.

    The time to conquer each shelter reduced as People started using portal capsules to teleport away on their own as the blonde-haired ''Asura'' asked them to leave.

    This news of Rio''s taking down all the yellow stage shelters spread in the human world like wildfire to the dense forest.

    It caused havoc among people on earth, they started talking about the blonde-haired Asura.

    The government had found out more information as some of the mentally wounded warriors by [Spiritual Shock] started waking up from their deep slumbers.

    They told the higher-ups and their close friends how a new Demon Lord of the Asura race greeted them and asked them to leave Asura''s property.

    Human warriors also described how the blonde-haired Asura doesn''t kill them directly and sends them away by using some mental attacks.

    Some people med the dead wouldn''t be alive to tell they were spared by the new demon lord.

    This news became a trend on the inte as it started spreading on social media and online forums.

    Most people cursed the newly blonde-haired Asura but there were a few human warriors who showed gratitude for his merciful act.

    They even drew his blonde-haired picture, which was actually the disguise of another Asura''s ck-haired guard.

    Some of the escaped Women from yellow stage shelters were even bragging about how the demon lord was so handsome and talked to them politely.

    Rio had be a bad boy crush for Numerous women for his evil mixed kind act.

    Several human experts made a suggestion to find a counter to the Enemy''s spiritual attacks but in the end, they had to give up on this idea as the astronomical number of his beast army was not something to fiddle with and take as a joke.

    Human world Experts had almost figured out the pattern of how the blonde-haired asura was only attacking shelters near the border of the shamor empire but they were helpless to do anything about it as the pattern changed quite a bit.

    The reinforcement from the purple stage shelters would take time to send as the yellow shelter was far away from higher level one.

    Some of the sent reinforcement reached the destination to find out that it was already guarded by many high-level Asura warriors.

    Once a shelter was linked to the Teleporter tower, they could summon several high stage asura experts if they faced danger so it wasn''t hard for them to intimidate the punny human warriors.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 95 Im Coming, Darling...

    Strong families focused on increasing the defense at their own shelters and didn''t dare to leave as they were afraid more asuras might attack their base if they went to support.

    Seven silver sword families didn''t even bother thinking about it as all their shelters were in the corruptednds.

    The human warriors around the human countries on earth were told to report to their yellow stage shelters immediately to protect each of their bases.

    In the end, the government gave up on looking for a viable solution as It was only a little portion of yellow stage shelters in thend of Asura that was located at the border of the Shamor Empire.

    There were a great number of Yellow-Stage shelters in the corruptednd that they could focus on.

    Additionally, the demon lord of Asura wasn''t even killing anyone which just assisted in the decision to shut their eyes to all of these incidents.

    In the span of seven days, Rio took down 58 yellow stage shelters.

    His innate skill [Life Sutra] helped him with higher Mana, Stamina, Energy, and Healing recovery rate and assisted in finishing his conquest as it reduced his resting time.

    He didn''t have to worry much about getting rest but Rio still slept for four hours every night at each shelter because of his loving Wifey.

    Lia was always making sure to feed him well and force him to sleep while Helia apanied her cousin''s sister.

    After finishing his one-hour theory ss on Monday, Rio went to continue his mission to conquer all the yellow stage shelters at the border of the shamor empire.

    Although he was already qualified enough to search for the Monarch beast, Rio decided to finish his mission for his wife as he didn''t know how long the quest for the Monarch beast might take.

    On the 19th day after starting his mission, he took down thest yellow shelter under humans at the border of the shamor empire.

    The bag on his back was full of heart stones.

    "It''s time to return." With a feeble smile, Rio decided to go back to the castle.

    Rio, with a thankful heart,manded all the beasts of his army to return to their home shelters'' territory.

    Emperor was extremely happy and smiled ear to ear as he never expected or demanded his son-inw to take down all the yellow shelters at the Shamor Empire''s Border.

    ''Who would''ve thought Heaven would bless me with the best son-inw?''

    He only asked Rio to just go after a few Yellow-Stage shelters as a practice match and not waste his time on it as Emperor didn''t want to burden him with so many low-stage shelters.

    At first, Emperor Dn was quite against this idea of marrying his beloved daughter to a human but he had no option as the prophecy foretold this would save his precious Lia''s life.

    But now, He was thanking histe father in heaven who predicted his daughter''s courageous husband who took down all the 150 yellow stage shelters at the periphery of his empire.

    On the other hand, Lioness started seeing Rio in a new light as he had done something that she never Dreamt of or thought of.

    Because his army of beasts had reached more than fifteen thousand at the end of this subjugation that shook the human world.

    On the evening of the 19th day after he started his conquest, Rio returned to the castle to the Empress Vi.

    "You shouldn''t have done what you did," Lia said in a concerned voice as she was already unhappy by his daring actions during the expedition.

    "Why?" He asked and walked towards her.

    "It was very risky. What if they had sent high stage warrior?" She said in a worried tone and watched himing closer to her.

    "I could have always asked you for help," Rio responded and wrapped his hands around her curvaceous waist.

    "But it would take time for reinforcement to reach your location. From now on, I won''t allow you any more such continuous missions.

    Also, you''re staying away from these conquering shelters missions around shamor Empire''s border until your strong enough to at least face a ck stage warrior." Lia announced her decision in amanding tone.

    Hearing her decision, he ced his forehead head on her shoulder and said in a defeated tone, "As you say, my lord."

    Rio sighed hearing her and surrendered.

    He had a mission on hand to go find the Monarch beast of the yellow stage. So the boy was not nning to take any more such missions until then.

    ''I wonder what benefits I''ll get from this quest of Monarch beast.''

    His attention went to his bag and said, "Here as I told you a few weeks ago. By the way, I have many yellow stage beast souls, do you have any usage for them?"

    "You should ask this Helia. She might take them for the trained warriors." Lia took the bag and said with a joyous heart before pecking his cheeks with her cherry-like lips.

    This was hard earned heart stone by her husband which made her quite pleasant.

    For the next three days, Rio spend his time with Lia at the Empress Vi and transferred around 18000 beast souls to Helia for the low-stage asura warriors they had under them.

    The lioness was happy receiving numerous beast souls all at once as it would increase their yellow-stage warrior''s strength.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    He went back to attend his theory ss at Golden Seal academy where he heard his ssmates talking about the new bizarre incident and chaos he had caused in the human world.

    "Why the government didn''t do anything against that Demon Lord of Asura?"

    "They probably feared if we harm him he would start ughtering the humans that were going to be present at his imed shelters."

    "But It''s still very unfair. Now most of the returned warriors fear using the portal capsule again as they will get randomly teleported to thend of asura and might end up in one of Asura''s imed shelters"

    "What can we do against it?"

    Rio heard their concern but he wasn''t nning to help them in any manner any time soon.

    He had a more important task at hand to defeat Monarch Beast that would ascend him to the next stage.

    The crimson-haired boy hadn''t met N for thest three weeks.

    ''I wonder what she is doing.''

    Rio went back to his apartment and used the [Astral Recall] to go back to the Empress Vi.

    ***

    Three weeks ago...

    "Have you found out where is his shelter?" A magenta-haired beauty asked on a phone call.

    "Yes, Young miss. Rio Havenglow is currently registered at the Yellow tower of the Outcast" A middle-aged man''s voice sounded from another side.

    "You mean the Outcast tower under the Wilson family?" N said in a surprised tone.

    "Yes, young miss but why you asked for this information?" The middle-aged man asked in puzzlement.

    ''His ssmate Sophia Wilson should be at the purple tower. Ahhh... I need to hurry and go to him before he gets closer to her.''

    Apetitive glint flickered in her eyes as she clenched her fist. A coldness drowned her adorable face.

    She said in amanding tone, "Arrange a secret expedition. I want to be transferred to the purple tower of the Outcast."

    "Why do you want it to be a secret expedition, young miss? If we keep it ssified we won''t able to ask high-stage warriors for your escort. This will increase the difficulty of the journey" The middle-aged man replied in a concerned tone while being puzzled.

    "Just follow my instructions and keep it confidential. I can''t let others find out." N said in a chilly voice.

    "Okay miss, I understand. However, this will require at least a month for you to go from your shelter to the purple tower of the Outcast Shelter. We will need to use a safe path which would require many detour routes." He spoke to convince her for thest time by telling her the disadvantages of keeping it secret.

    "Okay, prepare this as soon as possible." She instructed him and cut the call.

    The middle-aged man sighed and went to prepare for the secret expedition.

    ''"I''ming, Daaar-ling..." N said with a cute smile as her eyes were filled with unwavering glint.

    The cheerful girl didn''t know that her action was going to change many people''s fates.

    A terrifying storm was roaring at the other side, waiting for the girl''s arrival.

    The stars of destiny were arranged to bully a lone shining star in the middle of their encirclement.

    But a few miles away, a streaking stubborn purple meteor was rushing in their direction at full speed.

    They were unaware of the uing uninvited guest but this was going to shake them to their core.

    Oblivious of these matters, Rio walked towards the Teleporter tower.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

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 Chapter 96 Elven Beauty In The Wonderous Land

    Rio walked towards the Teleporter tower.

    His destination was Brightforest watchtower shelter. It was a purple-tier shelter under Asura''s in the corruptednd.

    This was where he was getting a calling signal for Monarch Beast as if it was inviting him to their ce.

    This also felt as if a livingpass was in his mind, he could sense the direction.

    "It''s better Lia doesn''t find out. I don''t want her to get worried unnecessarily." Rio thought worriedly and changed his appearance into Leon.

    He received a [Teleport Glyph] for Bright Forest watch tower shelter from the old man.

    Rio entered the reserved room for the royal family with the fist-sized brown paper.

    After climbing up the ascended tform, he tore apart the [Teleport Glyph] for his next destination and disappeared into the space rift.

    The Brightforest Watchtower shelter was situated in Saannore Forest. It was andscape far from the shamor empire and any human shelters.

    The reason was simple. This Forest had a strange phenomenon that no beast lived there. Humans had no reason to wander in thisnd''s direction due to ack of treasures to satisfy their greed.

    Rio walked out of the Brightforest watch tower and his vision weed a lengthy grasnd in front of him that was expanded too far away in the distance.

    Rio was getting a calling sensation for the Monarch beast that was beyond the grasnd.

    He didn''t waste any time contemting his choices and kicked the ground beneath him to bolt in his target''s direction.

    The blonde-haired boy traveled passed the grasnd after sprinting for an hour.

    His yellow stats points were double that of a yellow stage warrior so it helped to boost his speed. The [Life Sutra] innate skill helped him with stamina and mana recovery to keep him refreshed.

    A green mountain, whose top peak was hidden in clouds, appeared in front of him. It was extended to both sides and had a detour to go past it.

    ''There should be a way.''

    He activated his [Heaven''s Eyes], which helped him see the detailing of mountains from his location.

    There was a narrow path made at the bottom.

    "Found it...The calling of Monarch beast is beyond this mountain." He spoke in a quiet voice and entered the narrow path that was covered in vines.

    It led him deeper and reduced the distance to the other side of the mountain.

    The number of vines increased as he traveled further away.

    ''Ah...even mana-enchanted hands aren''t enough to tear it.''

    He summoned a silver bloom king''s sword to slice them apart to clear his path.

    Rio had to use mana enchantment on his silver bloom king sword to finish this weary task.

    After crossing the strait path, Rio saw an enormous greenke whose ending wasn''t visible to him even using the [Heaven''s Eyes].

    There were moving circr stones on the surface that were big enough for two people to stand on it.

    These floating tforms were moving to the edges of theke to wait a few seconds before going to the other side whose ending was unknown to the blonde-haired boy.

    He looked around to look for another route but it was of no use.

    ''I need to use these to go to the other side. There doesn''t seem to be another path.''

    Rio saw a returning circr stone in his direction and walked towards it.

    When the floating stone appeared in front of his foot, he calmlynded on it.

    After waiting for a few seconds, it started flowing towards the other side of the enormous greenke.

    Rio finally departed as he kept traveling on the surface of the water using the floating stone towards his destination.

    After half an hour, the boy was closer to the other end as he could see a huge green dome in the distance and a small ind was visible in front of him.

    ''So this is where Monarch Beast lives.''

    As Rio reached closer, with the help of his [Heaven''s Eyes] he could clearly see a majestic dome that was enormous. It was covering the whole ind inside its body as if protecting it from the outer world.

    This huge dome was made of transparent green light, covering a dense green forest inside its perimeter.

    As hended on the ind, the transparent green bubble surface was in front of him.

    He saw a big board ced to the side which had a message written on it.

    ''Uninvited Guest would burn. Usage of the beast soul is forbidden.''

    "The monarch beast is calling me. Ain''t I invited already?" He mumbled and summoned his beast soul.

    A defensiveyer covered his whole body, head to toe, enveloping him in a protective yellow light.

    ''Let''s see.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    He walked towards the green bubble that was part of the huge dome and ced his left hand''s index finger inside it.

    As soon as Rio''s finger entered the dome, it lit up on the green me.

    Within a second, the armor on his finger was damaged. The blonde-haired boy instantly withdraw his hand as it was his human instinct to retreat in danger.

    ''My finger didn''t hurt?''

    He inspected his left-hand finger, the beast''s soul''s part was burned there but his bare skin waspletely unharmed.

    ''...''

    Rio tried putting his finger without the beast''s soul. Fortunately, the oue was positive.

    He sighed inwardly and recalled his beast soul as it would be bad to waste it unnecessarily.

    The blonde-haired boy entered the bubble tond inside the green forest with a pleasant heart.

    Thick trees had jammed the ce with a small path going towards the Monarch Beast location.

    Where ever his eyes moved he only saw greens enveloping in its embrace.

    Azure and white butterflies were fluttering their wings as they flew around to go towards the same path he was traveling.

    Sun barely entered this dark ce as it was covered by the broad crown of thick trees. But the surrounding area was illuminated by a blue light whose source was unknown.

    He moved deeper into the dense forest. A small waterfall was falling down from a heap of stones that formed a small stream of green water.

    After traveling for five minutes, the color of the trees changed as their branches were filled with pink leaves. The ground was also dyed pink by the fallen leaves. The scenery became surreal the further he walked.

    Rio could see a bright glowing light in distance, he fastened his pace towards this direction as Monarch beast''s whereabouts could be felt there.

    The calling was getting stronger as he traveled deeper into the forest. He wasn''t nervous at all as [Heart Sutra] helped him to keep a rxed mind.

    As he marched passed the pinkishnd, a ce with small tree-sized mushrooms came into his view, which was in three different shades of red, blue, and yellow.

    Arge pond was in the middle with fireflies flying around along with many butterflies of azure and white color dancing alongside them.

    There were big red lotuses on the water''s surface and colorful bloomed flowers scattered everywhere, making this ce appear like wonderousnd.

    But all this magical scenery failed to get his attention.

    His eyes were fixated on a beautiful figure, a ravishing girl who appeared as if she was part of this magical fairy-tales-like garden.

    ''Thisdy looks as if she is one of the artistic flowers in this magical forest.''

    A gorgeous figure was gazing at him with her green eyes while sitting on a root that was covered in moss which was spread horizontally a dozen centimeters above the ground as if it wanted to let the dazzling beauty sit there and use it as her throne.

    A cold smile was shing on her plumpy red lips. Her long, pointy ears poked out of her orange-red hair that was falling down on her firm bosom.

    The elf beauty''s ripe melons were showcasing their charm as she was drowned in a one-piece white dress with cyan patterns on her shoulder that barely covered her curvaceous body.

    However, it was enough to hide all her important jewels. Her sexy slender legs gave her a seductive appearance as it was boldly revealed to the audience.

    Any other man would be charmed by her ravishing figure and it was said that elves'' beauty was blessed by nature who lived for thousands of years.

    Rio had heard about elves in fairy tales but he never imagined he would meet one. Even in thend of Asura, it was a rare experience.

    "Wee, Rio...I have been waiting for you. Haven''t humans or Asura taught you that It''s a bad manner to make ady wait this long? Tsk...I thought you would be a gentleman. Aishh..." A charming voice escaped from her plumpy red lips.

    The orange-red-haired beauty spoke in a tone as if she was disappointed by this young boy but her coquettish voice also showed the girl was just teasing him for fun.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    This elf was supposed to enter the story at this point but I don''t know how well her character will be developed and how much screen time she will get.

    Hope it goes well...

    The designing of the whole fantasy forest and setup took a lot of time. This location is going to stay in the story as an important ce so needed to create well.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 97 The Empress Of The Elven Race

    She was as if one with the flowers around her. Rio could feel a vibe of nature filled in her melodious voice.

    All the way to here the blonde-haired boy was nning how would he fight the Monarch beast. He was prepared to summon his Silver-Bloom king sword and a beast soul armor just to take down his long-awaited target.

    But who knew it was all going to be for nothing? His quest for monarch beast was a beautifuldy who was finding joy in teasing him. She even greeted him when he arrived at the invited location.

    The boy didn''t imagine such an orange-red-haired beauty to wee him like a good host to her garden-like home.

    Rio was taken aback but he adapted soon to the new situation as [Heart Sutra] helped him to maintain a serene mind.

    "Hi?" He responded in a calm voice to the elf girl.

    She frowned at hearing his reply and looked as if someone had done wrong to her.

    "Just a Hi? How boring..." The orange-red-haired beauty said in aining tone.

    "I was expecting a fight right after encountering you. Who would''ve thought you would wee me as if I were your guest?

    It''s also surprising that you already know about me and here, I have no clue about you or what I should call you." Rio responded in a nonchnt voice as he decided to y along.

    ''She doesn''t seem to be vignt of me. I should find out more by talking to her.''

    He was on watch out for her actions and observed her closely. The boy knew to not put his guard down even if she was a dazzling beauty.

    "I thought you would''ve known about me. Since you don''t then I''ll introduce myself.

    I''m Eve, the Empress of the Elven race who had been transported to this world. So, unfortunately, I''m no longer an empress as I am living on this, that you know as thend of Asura." Orange-red-haired beauty spoke in a proud tone but there was a loneliness in her voice.

    Rio didn''t say anything as he could guess she wasn''t done with her talking.

    As expected, Eve continued, "I was hoping Goddess would''ve informed you everything about this quest before you came here but it appears she hasn''t told you anything yet. So let''s just proceed to the next stage."

    "And what''s the next stage?" He asked her as she was smiling mysteriously while gazing at him.

    ''This guy doesn''t seem to be affected by my charm. He is even very rxed and has zero nervousness.''

    The orange-red-haired beauty was monitoring him closely because she found his calm demeanor irritating and fascinating to her taste.

    With an evil smile, she announced, "You need to defeat me."

    "Do I have to fight you?" He scrunched his eyes as his elegant opponent''s words did not resonate with her intentions.

    "Are you scared?" She said in a hushed tone and giggled in an adorable manner.

    The orange-red-haired beauty wasn''t trying to seduce him but her actions could tempt any man to fall for her alluring charm.

    "Not really," Rio said in an unemotional tone and tried inspecting her with his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [Name: Eve Sagegreen]

    [Race: Elf]

    [Innate Rank: ???]

    [Root: ????]

    [MANA: ???]

    [Physical Power: ???]

    >>>>

    "Don''t worry. this Monarch Lady is a true apostle of peace. Violence is not allowed in my territory, you should be aware of it since you have traveled to my ce.

    If I ever fought, it would be on the bed where I wouldn''t mind getting conquered by a kind and gentle man I cherish." She said in a coquettish tone.

    Eve narrowed her eyes and stared at him who was calmly reading her status

    Orange-red-haired beauty said with a cold tone, "You''re a Bad Boy...it''s a bad manner to look at someone''s information without their permission."

    "How did she find out?..." Rio was speechless as it was hard to tell that he used [Heaven''s Eyes] on her.

    He tried changing the topic as that was the better option to go with.

    "So how do I have to defeat you," Rio asked while staring into her green eyes that lost their coldness hearing his question.

    "By showing that you understand the people around you. Rio, I have been watching you since you were little and observing all the people you have met until today. I know things that you don''t know. I know everyone''s true character and their heart.

    Your test will be based on your analysis and understanding of other people''s hearts.

    If you failed this trial, you will be staying with me here for the time being and your root, as well as cores, will be sealed until you learn your lessons as I''ll train you personally." She exined to him while watching his facial expression for any horror or nervousness.

    The orange-red-haired beauty wanted to see a hint of fear on his face but she failed in her attempt to discover any.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    With a disappointed heart, she snapped her fingers.

    A green equal-arm bnce scale device appeared in front of them. It had two pans made of yellow materials suspended on opposing sides of a lever.

    Eve snapped her fingers one more time and six white petals hovered in front of them which was at an equal distance from their spot.

    Each one had a name engraved on it, which were ''Patents'', ''Adopted Grandpa'', ''Second Mother'', ''La'', ''Lia'', and ''N.''

    ''What does she want to do with these?''

    He frowned slightly looking at this setup of her which consisted of the name of people and an equal arm bnce scale device.

    "This is a Heavenly treasure I borrowed from the Goddess for your trial. These are the white petals that consist of the name of people who loved you in your life. A petal will weigh more if the person representing it loved you more in your life. Unconditional love and pure love would win.

    So this trial is where we both will pick one white petal. If your white petals weigh more then you win and if the one I choose weighs more then you''re staying with me here." She described in a nonchnt voice but at the end her tone became vampish.

    Rio carefully listened to her exnation and grasped it as he needed to prepare for the uing trial.

    "I''ll go first." She spoke with a smile.

    Eve moved her hands and hovered her hands in front of the white petals one by one. Her hands swayed between ''Lia'', ''Patents'', and ''La'' but after teasing him by going on all of them one by one she stopped in front of her parents and tapped the space in front of it as she was sitting at some distance from it.

    The white petal with the ''Parents'' tag flew to the left side of the yellow pan andnded on it.

    The left pan instantly declined toward the ground and became unbnced.

    "Your turn. Chose a white petal with a person''s name whose love weighs as much as your Patents or more if possible. If you seeded you will get one point." She said in an amusing tone.

    "Whose love weighs as much as my parents? I have never met my parents so how would I know how much they loved me?" Rio asked as he scrunched his brows.

    "Oh boy...if you''re having trouble then just pick one that loves you unconditionally like how a parent does. There is only one among these five who loves you for who you''re. That love is as pure as a mother''s love.

    Also, don''t forget that you cannot fail even once. A friendly tip, Just for you. Keep the bitterness of heart away from your mind or else you will lose." Eve said in a mysterious tone.

    The names on the white petals were written as ''adopted grandfather'', ''second mother'', ''La'', ''Lia'', and ''N''.

    ''Did my parents really love me unconditionally?''

    Rio was taken aback hearing the requirements but he kept his calm and focused on the task at hand.

    ''Loves me unconditionally?''

    He started running his Brain and thought about each person one by one to filter out his options.

    "Can it be the grandpa? He adopted me when I was little but it''s a mystery what happened in the past. Grandpa might have some connection with my birth parents. Let''s put this option aside for now."

    Rio mumbled inwardly and moved his eyes to the next white petal which had the name ''Second Mother'' engraved on it.

    "Or is it Second mother? She appears to be a real mother to me but she is still a mystery. I don''t even know what happened between my parents and her. Second Mother said she adopted me because she knew my birth parents so her motherly love for me is because of the old bonding she had with them. If I wasn''t rted to them she wouldn''t care about this nobody. She does love me unconditionally now but it is because of my parents. Why is this so hard to choose?" He disregarded the petal with the ''second mother'' name for now and sighed inwardly.

    Rio''s eyes moved to the next option. The name engraved on the white petal made his heart pleasant.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Who can guess the answer? Who actually loves him unconditionally among the five?

    Is it Lia?

    Second mother?

    Adopted Grandpa?

    La?

    N?

    Let me know if you can guess it correctly.

    ________________________________

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

    I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Please vote with power stones to support this book. The more, the better.

 Chapter 98 Ill Always Wait For You

    Rio''s eyes moved to the next option. The name engraved on the white petal made his heart pleasant.

    "Lia? She treated me best since I met her although Wifey was a little hesitant at first. She loves me the most for sure but Lia mentioned that she needed to marry a human to reverse her wheel of destiny.

    Yeah...she loves me unconditionally now but it didn''t develop without a base of a condition. Marriage and prophecy were the foundation of it. However, she seems to be the ideal right answer more than others." He thought in a self-assured manner.

    His eyes moved to the next white petal in line that took away his joy from him.

    "...La? No... she didn''t try to contact me again. It can not be her..." with a sour heart he moved to the next one.

    "N? This girl is a mystery herself. I thought she was just chasing me for her goals and had gained intense attraction for me after I had dueled with Talia who apologized to her.

    But I didn''t realize it was love toward me. This Monarch Eve said it''s a Heavenly treasure from Goddess so it shouldn''t be wrong.

    However, N wanted to use me as a tool to escape her arrange marriage with that yboy. So Her affection for me didn''t start without a reason. It can''t be her either." Rio sighed inwardly as thest two choices were the easiest to decide.

    He moved to the three he had to pick from and thought carefully about each of them.

    "Who could it be? Grandfather or Lia or second mother? I used to think Grandfather was a single Oldman butter I found he was enveloped in secrets and riddles that hid him well. He pretended we don''t have money so we can stay in a small town.

    It would go that way of hiding me from Second Mother if Grandpa didn''t find out he was going to die. It feels like he wanted to hide me away from Second Mother for some reason. This makes me certain to doubt him as well. If I''m not wrong he may be rted to my birth parents.

    As for Second Mother, if grandfather wanted to keep me away at distance from her then he should''ve had a good reason. Not forgetting the fact that she is connected to my birth parents. It also removes her from being the person who loves me unconditionally.

    So ultimately, it can be only Lia. There is no one who loved me like her. She even went against her own father, Emperor Dn for me. She is hiding my strength from everyone or else I might have been killed already for having core and root at the same time. So It''s Lia..." Rio smile gently and hovered his hand to tap the white leaf in front of him that he chose.

    However, a tingling sensation flickered on his neck, his heartbeat became faster and he halted his hands from tapping the space in front of him.

    Rio hesitated as his sixth sense kicked in at right time to warn him that something was perilous happening.

    ''Why am I feeling this tingling? What''s wrong.''

    He started thinking about everything carefully from start to end since The boy arrived at this ce and remembered what Eve told him.

    ''Keep the bitterness of heart away from your mind or else you will lose.''

    As if this was the key to the puzzle of the unsafe feeling he processed her words meticulously.

    "Why would she say such things..." His eyes moved to each of the white petals and stopped on the one that made him feel bitter.

    "La..."

    A scene of newly unsealed memories of childhood started ying in his mind.

    A girl rushed to save a little boy. He was just a child. She brought him to medical care and even tried to cheer him up.

    ''What benefits could I have given her at that time?

    Money? I don''t have that and she is probably one of the richest people in the human world.

    Rescue from an arranged marriage? We were too young for that.

    A person of prophecy? These are not evenmon on earth.

    A child of someone she knew? Her grandfather wouldn''t thrash me if that was the case.

    I had nothing...I was a nobody.''

    Rio mumbled inwardly and a forced smile shed on his cold face.

    ''What''s happening to him?''

    Eve observed the blonde-haired boy contemting alone as he was deciding which white petal to pick.

    Meanwhile, Rio was lost in his memories as a few more scenes from old times yed in his mind.

    ***

    A 16-year-old girl, whose face could make anyone feel peaceful with a single look, had her cheeks moist as her eyes were red from tears.

    "What happened, Big Sister La?" The young boy asked in puzzlement as he sat beside her.

    He was a 13-years-old and had a face full of naivety but his eyes were filled with concern for the beauty beside her.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Government has sent my AI watch. Grandpa said I have to stay in thend of Asura until I reach the purple stage." The ck-haired girl said in a sorrowful tone, forgetting the fact she had to hide it from others.

    "So why are you crying?" The crimson-haired boy asked with questioning eyes, he didn''t think to ask about thend of asura or the purple stage as his first priority was not to see her in tears.

    "Won''t you get mad at me and me me that I forgot you because I wasn''t here with you because of the training?" La said in a quiet tone while her tears slid down her cheeks as she looked at him with expectant eyes.

    "Are you crying because you''re worried I''ll me you? Don''t worry about such things. I''ll never me you in my life no matter what happens in the future.

    Because I know big sister La is the only person who loves me and she wille back again to me even if it takes some time." He assured the ck-haired girl with a gentle smile and ruffled her hair while wiping away the tears from her wet cheeks.

    "Would you really wait for Me?" Her voice was filled with sadness but her eyes flickered with a glint of hope.

    As time passed, they had be best friends of each other. For her, He was her only best friend.

    Deep down in their inexperienced hearts, the duo had profound feelings for each other.

    They were like siblings who loved to bicker with each other. They were genuine best friends who knew each other''s secrets. They were like loving partners who cared for each other and thought about what would benefit them.

    They were each other''s mother and father who adored one another when they were upset and loved unconditionally.

    The little sweethearts had both found the little family in themselves that they always craved.

    "I''ll always wait for you. I promise." He said in a resolute voice.

    "Won''t you miss me?" She asked again with an expectant expression.

    La thought he doesn''t care much that she is going away for many days.

    "I don''t wanna be the reason to hold you back. Although I always miss you on weekdays. It would be like living in hell to not be with the only friend I have." He said with a bittersweet smile.

    Rio also was sad by hearing the peace of news of her departure but he didn''t want to sadden her by showing his tears. He wished only the best for her, a happy life where she would be happy.

    "Am I just a friend to you?" She asked in a bitter voice while gazing into his innocent sea-green eyes.

    "You''re my best friend. My future wife. Don''t ever forget that." He said in amanding tone to the ck-haired beauty who brought serenity to his heart as they giggled together.

    Two yearster...

    When Rio turned fifteen doctor Lady gave him the inheritance that his adopted grandfather left for him.

    There was enough money to rent his own amodation. He was tired of living in school dormitories and wanted to spend his time alone.

    Rio decided to rent one bedroom-hall-kitchen apartment nearby his school.

    He decided to buy local ready-made food to eat for his meals as the boy didn''t know how to cook.

    This routine continued for a few weeks but one day He fell sick and caught a high fever while La was away at thend of Asura.

    He wasying on his bed in his new rented one-bedroom-hall-kitchen ce, covered with a blue nket that La had bought for him.

    Someone called him on his cell phone as it started ringing...

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    My personal favorite is N but I can''t give her the title of unconditionally loving Rio. I won''t be unfair to what they deserve.

    Wait for the next chapter as it will make more sense.

    ________________________________

    Please vote with Power stones and Golden tickets.

    * I''ll add the important character images on:

    https://discord.gg/Ed5JDPXawG

    Like it? Add to the library!

    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 99 In An Apartment With A Beauty

    He wasying on his bed in his new rented one-bedroom-hall-kitchen ce, covered with a blue nket that La had bought for him.

    Someone called the crimson-haired boy on his cell phone as it started ringing...

    "Hello..." He picked up without looking at the name on the screen as the boy knew there was only one person who could call him.

    "Rio??? Why does your voice sound so weak? What happened Rio? Are you okay?" A worried voice sounded from the other side of the phone.

    "Yeah. I am fiii..ne..." Rio said those words in a light tone, trying to be as normal as possible to not let her know about his condition.

    *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*

    However, his illness wouldn''t listen to him and exposed the cautious Rio in front of the ck-haired girl.

    "Rio...I told you not to buy unhealthy meals from the local store. They don''t cook the food properly but you didn''t listen to me..." La said in her motherly instinctive voice. She was scolding him for not listening to her words.

    "But I don''t know how to cook...what would I eat if I don''t buy it from the shop." He said in a weaker and leaden manner.

    "Why didn''t you tell me? I would''ve taught you how to cook. It''s not that hard." La questioned him as she was worried and pacing in her room.

    "You would''ve asked me to cook in the future every day when we lived together If I learned to cook...Cough...Cough..." Rio said in an amusingggard voice as he could barely talk.

    "Rio...It''s not a good time to joke. Please wait for me I''lle soon." She berated him for his mischievous speech.

    On the other side of the phone, The ck-haired beauty''s face was full of concern and a saddened glint could be seen in her eyes.

    "Nah...I''ll be fine soon...You shouldn''te for trivial matters or your grandpa will get mad at you." He said in a leaden voice and tried convincing her to not worry.

    "It''s not a small matter for me while you''re sick and I''ll make an excuse of going to another shelter or getting lost in thend of asura. Just wait for me." Saying that she hung up the phone.

    La walked towards the portal capsule in her apartment at the Golden-Seal military school to sneak out from her registered shelter as she thought it may take more than a day to return from her boyfriend''s ce and wanted to take care of Rio properly.

    If the ck-haired beauty had to hide this fact from her grandfather she had to first go away outside her registered shelter and find another one to return to her room at the Golden Seal military academy.

    If our boy had seen her apartment he would have be stupefied to find out his apartment at the Golden Seal military school was the same one she was living at.

    Their fate was closely linked to each other that nobody was aware of. Heaven had bound these two love birds to each other even before they were born into this world.

    3 hourster...

    His apartment''s door opened and a ck-haired girl entered the big hall. She had a spare key to Rio''s new rented apartment as they had decorated this ce together.

    After all, it was also going to be her house in the future as well. The couple had nned to buy this ce when they marry in the future.

    A male doctor followed behind La. He was a middle-aged man with brown hair.

    They went to the bedroom where a human was sleeping while covered in a blue nket.

    La went to his bedside and removed his nket slightly to reveal his face.

    A boy peeked from inside to discover the girl''s anxious face.

    "Rio...I''m here...Let the doctor examine you..." She said in a worried tone and ruffled his hair in a loving manner.

    The doctor sat on a chair beside the bed and inspected the patient using the medical devices he had.

    After checking the crimson-haired boy doctor had a frown on his forehead.

    "What happened doctor?" La asked in a concerned tone, her face had darkened seeing his scrunched eyebrows.

    "He has Contuses Tonsiris. It''s a contagious disease. We need to shift him to a separate room at the city hospital where others can not be in contact with him or we will be affected by this disease." The doctor responded in a serious tone.

    He was already thinking to run away from this ce and get a bath as soon as possible. But as a doctor, this was his job and had toe to check on Rio as he was paid handsomely by the ck-haired beauty.

    "Is this a serious problem, doctor? How did he catch this contagious illness?" She asked with Intrigued eyes.

    "It would get serious if he doesn''t recover from his fever in forty-eight hours. He has most likely got it from eating contaminated food. Good care is required to fix him and giving medicine on time. So we need to shift him to the city hospital." He responded in a worried manner.

    ''If he goes to hospital they would treat him like a disease and seal him in a room to keep others from getting into contact with him. No, I cannot let them mistreat him. They wouldn''t take good care of him.''

    "You said he needs good care and getting his medicines on time. So can I look after him at home to recover his fever?" La asked in a concerned voice.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Yes, you can. But you may also get infected by the virus. It''s dangerous for you. So we should shift him to the city hospital." He warned her as the brown-haired man didn''t want her to get sick as well.

    "I understand, doctor. Thank you." She said in a gentle voice and indicated the doctor to leave after getting the medicine prescription.

    After bidding the doctor farewell, she boiled hot water so that Rio could drink.

    "Drinking cold water would be bad for you." She mumbled while cing her hands under his head and ascending it slightly to help him consume the hot water.

    After his head was ced on thefy pillow again he gazed at her serene face and said in a worried voice, "You shouldn''t stay around me. I don''t want you to get infected by me."

    "Shut up..." La red at him with puffed cheeks and covered him with the nket.

    Rio kept quiet like a good little boy.

    "I''ll go buy medicine and some food. Call me if you need anything." La went outside the apartment to purchase the things she needed.

    Rio just slept on his bed, his heart felt a hot sensation that he had never felt before in his life.

    After thirty minutes, he heard approaching footstepsing toward his room.

    She had ced the food ingredients in the kitchen and brought medicine to him in his room.

    "You need to take these medicines on empty stomach." She brought ss water along with her and helped him get the medicine.

    After that La went to prepare healthy food for him.

    When she came back with a hot soup, the ck-haired beauty found him asleep.

    She sat on the bed and ced her head on the pillow beside him as the girl gazed at his fatigued face which was currently lost in dreand.

    "I wish I was sick in ce of you and you were all fine," La mumbled quietly as it ached her heart to see him in this condition.

    The girl waited for him to wake up and watched him sleep quietly.

    After an hour passed...Rio Woke up to discover a pair of Royal blue eyes gazing at him that was filled with affection and concern for him.

    Seeing his eyes getting fluttered open, La said, "Let me make soup so you can take your medicine."

    Rio saw a bowl of soup on the table beside him and said in a feeble voice, "You can just boil this one. You don''t have to make it again."

    "I''ll have that for myselfter. You need to drink healthy and fresh to get better soon." Saying that she turned around and went to cook another bowl of hot soup for him.

    After 15 minutes, she came back and put the bowl with the spoon on the table beside the bed.

    She climbed the bed and ced Rio''s head on her chest carefully as the ck-haired beauty embraced him in a hug.

    He watched her affection-filled face and felt his face getting pressed on her firm chubby melons.

    An aromatic scent of lily invaded his nostril as Rio''s cheeks could feel the warmth of La''s skin.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    How was this chapter?

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 Chapter 100 Unconditional Love

    She climbed the bed and ced Rio''s head on her chest carefully as the ck-haired beauty embraced him in a hug.

    He watched her affection-filled face and felt his face getting pressed on her firm chubby melons.

    An aromatic scent of lily invaded his nostril as Rio''s cheeks could feel the warmth of La''s skin.

    Rio enjoyed the sensation but he was too sick to get excited about it.

    La was a ck stage warrior so she had enough strength to lift him up with one hand.

    She picked up the bowl from the table beside them and feed him hot soup with a spoon as if spoon-feeding a toddler.

    Rio didn''t dare to say anything just drank the delicious soup quietly like a little boy although he was 15 this year and La was 18.

    After the bowl was empty, She put it aside and took the medicine to give him as he was hugged by her like a little child.

    "Good boy..." La said with a smile as he finished consuming them.

    She wiped his lips with her fingers after he was done.

    La finished with the task, she was about to ce him in his sleeping position on the bed and go to heat the soup that had be colder earlier so she could drink it as she hadn''t eaten anything in rush to reach his ce as soon as possible.

    A tender voice, who was below her head in her hug, asked, "Can we stay like this for a little longer?"

    "Okay..." La nodded with a gentle smile and said in a dotting tone as she ruffled his crimson hair.

    Shey down on the bed while Rio''s head stayed in her hug.

    He could hear her heartbeat and felt rxed being this close to her that filled him with the warmth of love.

    ''I wish I could stop the time and stay with him like this.''

    ''I wish I could stop the time and stay with her like this.''

    They both thought inwardly the same thing.

    La could feel his hot breath on her plumpy bosoms as he was drowned in a dreand.

    The ck-haired beauty also fell asleep while hugging her boyfriend.

    After getting a night of good sleep, Rio fluttered open his eyes.

    He was sleeping while hugging a ck-haired beauty below her.

    The boy''s face brightened seeing her close to him.

    ''My fever has gone...thanks to her.''

    He showed gratitude towards her inwardly as Rio was afraid to wake her up.

    The crimson-haired boy moved closer to her face and pecked her forehead which caused him to raise his eyebrows.

    ''Ah...her body is heating. She caught a fever. La shouldn''t havee...''

    He felt sad as the girl got sick because of him.

    Soon, La''s eyelid shook slightly as she woke up.

    A sorrowful face of Rio weed her sight.

    "Why do you look so sad?" She asked with questioning eyes.

    "You got infected by that Contuses Tonsiris. You shouldn''t have been with me while I was sick." He said in a saddened voice.

    La narrowed her eyes and said in a cold voice "Okay... I won''t do it again next time. You should also maintain a distance from me since I have a fever right now."

    Rio''s heart shook as he heard her unreasonable words.

    "Nooo..." He retaliated in disagreement as it was uneptable.

    "Why no?" She asked with a chilly face.

    "You know why... I can''t let you be sick alone...don''t put such restriction." He responded with a smile.

    "That''s what I wanted you to realize silly. You can''t ask me to not take care of you when you''re sick. Do you understand now?" She said in a gentle manner as her voice was filled with affection for him.

    Rio nodded like a good boy as she was sick and he didn''t want to sadden her by being stubborn.

    He asked with questioning eyes, "Can you teach me how to make soup so I can cook it for you?"

    Rio gazed at the ck-haired beauty who was looking at him with her dotting eyes while she was sick.

    "Okay," La responded to him with a smile.

    Rio brought her phone that was left in the hall and opened the menu to call her.

    He connected it via video call and gave her one phone while bringing the other with him to the kitchen.

    "Put the container on the induction while pressing the white button. Let the water boil first."

    La instructed him from the other side of the phone and Rio followed the steps closely.

    After the hot soup was done, he brought it to the bed and climbed onto the bed to feed the girl the same way she did yesterday.

    He carried her up which brought a smile to her adorable face as she didn''t resist.

    Rio hugged her closely before feeding her spoon by spoon.

    "This taste so good. You need to make this for me every day in the future." Laplimented the boy which brought joy to him.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Is it that good? Let me taste too." The boy had never cooked before so he wanted to try the food he cooked so well on the first try.

    "Noo...let me have all." La grabbed his hand so he doesn''t drink it.

    "Just one spoon." He didn''t stop and put the soul-filled spoon in his mouth.

    A very salty taste invaded his tongue as the soup was almost not edible.

    He scrunched her face and looked at her confused.

    "Why you said it tastes good when it''s cooked so badly with excessive salt?" He asked her with questioning eyes.

    "For me, it''s the most delicious soup I have ever drank. Because you especially cooked it for me. It''s filled with your love so how wouldn''t it be good?" She said with a sweet smile.

    "But..." Rio was speechless hearing her sentence.

    "No...but..." She ced her finger on his lips to stop him from speaking.

    The ck-haired beauty was pleasant to drink the soup he first time made for her. She would even say ''No'' to a Heavenly dish in exchange for something her lover cooked.

    "Let me cook again." He said and carefully ced her back on the bed.

    This time Rio made it perfectly and tasted it before feeding La.

    He gave her medicine and pecked her forehead before putting her on their bed so she can rest.

    Rio wanted to hug her to sleep but La refused as he may catch a fever again although she knew he was once already infected so he had gained antibodies against the Contuses Tonsiris disease.

    But still, the ck-haired beauty was worried as the antibody wasn''t fully immune to the disease.

    When La woke up again she rubbed her forehead.

    ''Fever has gone already.''

    She looked down below and saw a crimson-haired boy was sleeping in a chair beside her as his head was ced on the bed beside her belly.

    ''He looks so adorable.''

    She mumbled inwardly and a gentle smile shone on her serene face.

    A mischievous glint flickered in her eyes as she came out from her nket and moved toward his face.

    After getting closer she blew air into his ears while her eyes wandered left and right in a slow and adorable manner.

    "Umm..." He patted her hand away as it was tickling and continued to sleep.

    Even when the boy would be awake La usually did this mischievous act to annoy him.

    A yful expression brightened on her tranquil face as she went closer again with a cute smile.

    La blew into his ear again as she knew it would make him feel tickled.

    This time Rio opened his eyes and had a pleasant smile on his face seeing her bright face.

    He stared into her royal blue eyes and they both smiled at each other.

    Rio grabbed her by the shoulder and pushed her towards the bed as he climbed above her waist.

    La''s heart started thumping frantically as she looked at her boyfriend.

    Rio declined and went towards her face which was turning red from being shy.

    He stared into her royal blue eyes as she had a coyish look and a gentle smile on her face.

    Rio looked at her plumpy cherry-like red lips and moved closer to her as their face became closer La covered herself with a nket to dodge the uing kiss.

    She peeked out of the nket to look at him with a bashful face that was beet red from shyness

    Rio smiled back and withdrew without showing any dissatisfaction but La could see a hint of disappointment in his eyes which caused her heart to ache.

    ''He didn''t force his desire on me and stopped seeing my little refusal. Why he is so adorable? Any girl would be lucky to have him as their partner.''

    La felt lucky to have such a man as her boyfriend and future husband.

    She grabbed Rio''s t-shirt which took him by surprise and pulled him closer to her to embrace him closely. La pecked his cheeks and ruffled his hair as she tightly wrapped her hands around him.

    Rio felt rxed in her hug as he enjoyed his face getting rubbed against her rounded bosom.

    La didn''t mind it as she had long ago decided to spend the rest of her life with this boy. The love birds enjoyed being in each other''s embrace.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Today wepleted our first 100th chapter. Hope you guys have enjoyed the story thus far.

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 Chapter 101 Unconditional Love (2)

    This was like a blissful moment for the duo as they had never been like this before since they usually met in a park or a restaurant.

    They stayed in each other''s hug, and hearing one another''s heartbeat calmed their mind. Feeling the hot breath brushing passed their skin it tickled the duo''s delicate heart.

    They had forgotten the rest of the world even existed as they were drowned in a euphoria that made the love birds feel like being in seventh heaven.

    An hour passed...

    "Rio...I''ll be going back today," La said in a quiet voice.

    "When?" He asked as a hint of disappointment flickered in his voice.

    "After I teach you how to cook." She said with a smile.

    "Will youe back on the weekends?" He questioned with an expectant tone as Rio was wishing to see her soon.

    "Since I had taken leave recently from the registered shelter, grandpa might doubt my continuous absence so I''ll stay at thend of asura and train for this week. Next weekend I''ll surelye." She responded in a gentle voice and patted his head that was ced on her firm bosom.

    "When I get my AI watch, we can even meet in thend of Asura." He said with a bright smile.

    "Yes...after we be stronger we will im a shelter far from humanity and live there happily ever after. We don''t have to worry about our status and all." La said with hopeful eyes as she Dreamt about the future with her lovely boy.

    "Aren''t you breaking a severew by revealing the ssified information to me before I turned sixteen?" He asked with puzzlement.

    "I can''t hide things from my Rio...You are greater than thosews humans made." La said while pushing him aside from her body and kissing his cheeks.

    She climbed out of bed and looked at the crimson-haired boy who still was enamored in the feeling of her lips contact with his cheek.

    La said while crossing her arms, "I''m going to give you lessons on how to cook properly. So you don''t buy food from outside. Come with me, Rio."

    She grabbed his hands and dragged him out of the bed.

    They went to the kitchen and La gave him introductions to the tools and utensils that were around.

    They had bought these crucial things for cooking when he newly rented the apartment as La and the boy decorated the new house together but Rio didn''t use them since he didn''t know how to cook.

    When the boy lived with his grandpa, the Oldman always cooked for little Rio. He wasn''t at the age of learning cooking and his grandpa didn''t want to burden the little guy with the house chore.

    At school dormitories, they had a canteen where students could eat so Rio was never required to learn cooking before he decided to live on his own.

    After giving Rio a demo of cooking, La said "I haven''t made this dish for anyone before."

    The boy peeked from behind her and sniffed the food she made.

    "This smell so good," Rio said with a pleasant face as the delicious food scent invaded his nostril.

    La filled a spoon with the scrumptious veggies and rice she cooked and hovered it in front of her sweet boy.

    "Come tell me if this taste good. Say Aaa" She said with a smile as the ck-haired beauty had a mysterious glint in her eyes and her face was filled with tranquility.

    Rio moved closer to the spoon that was in her hand as he closed his eyes and opened his mouth a little for La to feed.

    *Aaa!*

    She gazed at his adorable face lovingly that were waiting for the food tond in his mouth.

    ''If I could have asked God for a wish I would''ve asked them to give you all happiness of the world in exchange for mine.''

    La didn''t know but her wishes were heard by heaven and they were going to grant them. When she wished the First time the poor girl got sick after she asked and the second one was going to be even worse.

    Rio had his eyes closed and waited for the food toe.

    Soon, he felt soft lips pressing on his warm ones as the girl kissed him.

    His eyes widened instantly to discover La''s eyes were closed while their lips were sealed.

    She separated herself with a coyish face as It was the first blissful kiss for both of the love birds.

    "Thanks for being in my life.", La''s eyes became crescent shape as she expressed her gratitude.

    She looked at the crimson-haired boy who was dazed by the kiss he just received.

    The bashful girl asked him, "How was the dish?"

    "It was the best thing in the world..." Rio blurted out instinctively, making the young maiden more bashful.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    He came back to his present time in the wonderous forest where the boy was giving a trial against a beautiful Monarch beast.

    "Even if I want to refuse it because of bitterness in my heart, she is the only one who came into my life without any motive. She loved me despite being from an influential family.

    In order to look after me she got sick as well when La had the option to admit me to the hospital. She didn''t even eat while taking care of me.

    Even if La didn''te to find me it was after all to guarantee my safety from her demonic grandfather. Yet I''m ming that girl for her selfless love. La begged that old man to spare my life. She was in more pain seeing me injured.

    Her only reason to get close to me was that we shared the same past of being orphans. She loved me because our wounds were the same. We were each other''s little world, one another''s everything.

    La was like my guardian angel yet I still thought of her as wrong. There is no doubt she unconditionally loved me." He spoke inwardly with a mix of gratitude and love towards the ck-haired beauty.

    Rio had decided the answer that took him a while. He tapped the space where the white petal of La''s name was present without any regret or hesitation.

    The white petal flew towards the right pan andnded on it.

    The right yellow pan started to decline and kept going down.

    What was in front of him was a sight to see.

    La''s petals weighed more than his parents''.

    This showed that her unconditional love even made his parents'' affection pale inparison.

    Rio clenched his fist and kneeled on the ground, a pained expression drowned his face as the boy''s heart cried for the first love of his life.

    In beginning, he didn''t even think about picking the white petal with this girl''s name as the boy had sour feelings in his heart about how La never came to find him but after carefully thinking he realized La''s love was so pure and selfless that even his own parents'' affection got overshadowed by it.

    His parents were the only ones obligated to love him but from the rest of the world, he had to earn it.

    But La came into his life Like an angel, he didn''t have to earn it.

    She epted Rio the way parents ept children - with gratitude and love because a child is a blessing and parents don''t have any expectations or desires in return.

    A couple''s love is rarely unconditional because there is a hidden condition behind it that disqualifies them from unconditional love. One feels responsible to love another for returning their affection and making them happy.

    However, La loved him unconditionally without any desire or love in return. She even made a wish to give all her happiness to Rio, which was granted by heaven.

    La never desired Rio to change or be stronger. She loved him the way he was.

    Her unconditional love was hard topete with even his parents were left behind by it.

    Seeing him kneeling on the ground with a pained expression, Eve thought inwardly, "This boy surely thought she doesn''t love him enough to go against her grandfather because she never came to find him. However, he doesn''t know that La''s wish was granted by Goddess for exchanging her own happiness to give him heaven.

    That poor girl would''ve to handle all the sadness of his share and her own all alone for a little while until their fate let them meet again. I feel bad for her as she still cries to sleep every night for this foolish boy."

    For the Trial, Eve had prepared from long ago when Rio was chosen as the Goddess''s Heir and had studied all important people around the boy. She had the abilities that allowed her to keep an eye on other people''s life.

    A few miles away in the corruptednds, a ck-haired beauty and the sharp sword in her hand were both covered in crimson blood. Despite in this condition, the tranquility on the girl''s face wasn''t lost.

    ? ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    I know that most of you like Lia and La''s story might overshadow her which you guys may not like but it''s their character that''s designed that way.

    She will enter veryte in the story. There will be only a few scenes until then.

    La''s background is the most mysterious in the whole series. You would understand when it gets revealed more. The dots will make sense in the future as they will all connect backward.

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 102 Mystifying Trial

    A few miles away in the corruptednds, a ck-haired beauty and the sharp sword in her hand were both covered in crimson blood. Despite this condition, the tranquility on the girl''s face wasn''t lost.

    A four-meter-tall three-headed demon wolf was fallen on the ground while its Organs and blood were scattered all around the floor.

    She injected her mana into the shiny core that was in her hand to absorb the stats points.

    A few notifications rang in her AI watch and boosted her strength.

    [Core of ck-stage King three-headed demon wolf absorbed. 3 ck Stats points gained.]

    [Your Root has Advanced to the Red Stage.]

    Her curvaceous body was enveloped in a red light and announced to the girl that she was one step closer to her ultimate goal.

    ck-haired beauty was now a red stage warrior at the age of neen, which was a top feat even in the great ns of Asuras.

    "Just one more stage and I''ll have enough strength to protect my love from this unfair world and stand against grandpa. Rio, I pray that you keep your promise and don''t me me for noting to you. Just wait for me a little longer, I''ll be yours forever.

    La mumbled to herself emotionally and walked towards her next destination to continue her journey for her goals.

    An unwavering light flickered in her royal blue eyes as her figure disappeared into the dark forest.

    ***

    The white petals had both disappeared from the yellow pans of the green equal-arm bnce scale device.

    "Looks like you have defeated me for the first one, not bad, Rio. But there are still four white petals left in the game. Since I picked the first time, I''ll let you choose this one." Eve said the first line in a defeated tone and rest with a sweet voice.

    Rio had already calmed down as the orange-red-haired beauty had waited long enough for him to recover from his thoughts.

    Hearing her words, he collected himself and stood up before saying, "Alright."

    There were four remaining white petals hovering in front of both parties which were ''Lia'', ''Second Mother'', ''Adopted Grandpa'' and ''N.''

    Rio''s eyes stopped on the one he was going to pick earlier. The boy wasn''t even sure if he would''ve won with this option or not.

    He was sure there wasn''t much difference between the affection given by Lia and La. They were both unique in their own ces as they both loved him dearly.

    ''If I don''t choose her then I might lose if the Eve monarch herself picks White petal with Lia''s name.''

    The crimson-haired boy''s left hand moved towards the space of the white petals with the name of his wife and tapped the space in front of it.

    The white petal with the ''Lia'' tag flew to the right side of the yellow pan and sat on it lightly.

    The right yellow pan lowered toward the ground and lost harmony instantly.

    Rio was aware of the oue that no matter what the remaining white petals Eve picks she was going to lose.

    The orange-red-haired beauty smiled mischievously and tapped the white petal with the Second mother''s name.

    It flew towards the left yellow pan and made it slightly upwards, bringing the right one a little above the ground

    Lia''s side was still lowered by around 70% but in Second Mother''s pan didn''t fully lose. It caused the opponent to stay above ground by 30%.

    ''Although I was suspicious of Second mother but this confirms she shouldn''t have ill intentions for me but I''ll keep my guard up until she tells me the secret about my parents.''

    This result assured Rio that he could trust his Second mother as she loved him dearly to cause Lia''s White petals to stay 30% above the ground.

    "What a pity, I lost again..." Eve said with a disappointed tone and sighed.

    She looked at Rio to observe his reaction which wasn''t much since he didn''t let it show on his face.

    The orange-red-haired beauty continued with a yful expression, "But I still have one more chance to win...since it''s my turn so I will choose then."

    Eve hovered her hand in front of both white petals as her hand swayed between N''s and Adopted Grandpa but she didn''t take long.

    Her hand stopped in front of a white petal and tapped the space in front of it.

    Her chosen white petal flew to the left side of the yellow pan andnded on it.

    As always, the left pan was pushed toward the ground by the white petal''s weight.

    She said, "Your turn Rio..."<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "There is no use if I choose or not. There is only one white petal left so." The boy said in a rxed manner.

    "You''re right but who do you think will win among them?" She asked with a puzzled expression while putting her hands around her jaw in a cute manner as if contemting like a detective.

    "Because grandpa took care of me in my childhood and this girl I just met a few weeks ago. It''s very clear who would win." Rio responded to her in a nonchnt voice as he guessed the results beforehand.

    "Rio, You and La only spend five years together but in front of her selfless love, even your parents'' affection paled inparison. Although it has something to do with your past but yeah Love isn''t measured by time but it transforms.

    However, it''s better you discover it yourself. Let''s see if your understanding about N and Adopted Grandpa is correct or not..." She spoke with a smile as a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes.

    "Okay..." He tapped the remaining white petal as it flew towards the right yellow pan.

    The left side with Adopted Grandpa''s white petal moved upward and lost in weight against the one with the name of "N".

    The cheerful girl''s right side was just 20% above the ground as it won by a big difference.

    Rio scrunched his face and mumbled in confusion, "I don''t understand this..."

    "You thought you won''t win, didn''t you? Don''t worry Boy. A maiden''s heart is a mystery that nobody could ever understand. Not even God has been able to solve thisplicated puzzle.

    Only Time will exin to you why that lively girl won against your adopted grandfather." She responded in a sweet manner.

    Her words were indicating there were more secrets behind the oue of this match that can not be exined by just words but he had to wait for the uing future.

    Eve continued, "The first one was your real trial which you passed. The remaining matches were never meant to trap you here even if you lost. It was just there as the reward for you to understand the people around you."

    After hearing Eve''s words, Rio felt relieved as the trial was finally over. He thought he would lose since the only remaining white petal was N but this result surprised him greatly.

    Her voice continued once again, "Since you have already won the trial let''s see who loves you more between these two people that you may also be curious about. Consider this a gift from your new partner." Eve said in a pleasant tone and winked at him in a coquettish manner.

    Two white petals appeared again in front of the blonde-haired boy. The name written on them was adopted grandpa and Second Mother.

    "Guess who loves you more?" She asked with a smile, wanting to know his answer.

    "I don''t know." He mumbled as this question was a riddle for him.

    Rio also wanted to know the answer to the question she asked as he didn''t know who loved him more among the two adopted guardians in his sixteen years of life.

    "Okay...let''s see..." Ravishing Monarch Beast tapped the air in front of both petals in a graceful way.

    They flew slowly towards their destination and went to sit on opposing sides. One of the yellow pans instantly touched the ground, ignoring the other weight as if there was nothing against it.

    Rio, who was rxed, had had his eyes widened in surprise.

    ''Finally...I got to see this reaction.''

    Eve was waiting for a long for him to react but he hardly showed any shocked expression until now.

    ''Just What''s my rtionship to her?''

    He never imagined that his Second mother''s white petal would directly touch the ground and defeat his adopted grandpa. It was as if there was nothing on the other side topete against her.

    Even if one party loved him more the differences wouldn''t be this desperate.

    "There is something very important your Second Mother is hiding from you. That secret is not only about your parents but other aspects of your life. You shouldn''t doubt her good intentions but think of her as your real Second Mother for the time being and trust her. At least I can assure you that much.

    In the near future you will find out what secrets your Second Mother is hiding from you but for now, it''s probably better to keep them away from you as it''s for your own good and a bright future. Right now, You''re not strong enough to take the burden of these secrets." Eve exined to him in a serious tone.

    "Why do I need to be stronger to know about secrets rted to my own life?" Rio mumbled inwardly in confusion as this was a mystifying puzzle to him.

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 103 Osculated By A Beauty

    "Let''s move to the main topic now. I''ll tell you things that Goddess should''ve told you. I''m the Monarch Beast who is assigned to look after the yellow stage beasts since a long time ago by the Goddess.

    When I was brought into this world, I was destined to be the partner of someone who will conquer all the Monarch beasts. That person would either go through some hard trials or have to face a battle against the Monarch Beast to defeat them.

    When you were born I have been informed that you are the chosen heir. Since I''m an apostle of peace, I needed to prepare a difficult trial for you which required me to keep a close eye on you and the important people around you.

    But fortunately, you haven''t disappointed me except for a few times." The orange-red-haired beauty said in a pleasant tone.

    "So basically you were stalking all the people around me including myself." Rio narrowed his eyes at her, hearing her response.

    He continued and asked, "But why me?"

    "That you should ask the Goddess since she has restricted me to tell you right now. Just know you''re her heir and for some reason Favorite too. Despite being a human, you need to take care of all innocents without discrimination.

    From now on, you''re my partner and I''ll assist you, and listen to your fair wishes and requests since you passed my trial. Also, you need to help me take care of some problems that Yellow stage beasts might face from time to time in the future." Eve said in a nonchnt voice and stood up.

    "Okay...Understood..." Rio responded to her in an unperturbed voice as he knew he would have his answers when the timees.

    "Rio, among all the Monarch beasts, you acquired me easily. Some of the Monarch wouldn''t be as kind as me. They might want to take your life or defeat you because it''s going to give them a bounty prize.

    It was the same for me, If you had failed this trial then I would have been rewarded generously but I didn''t want to do that. I even wanted that you win" She said in a quiet voice, a bittersweet expression shining on her ravishing face.

    "What''s your reason to reject the bounty prize and why you wanted me to win?" Rio asked while scrunching his eyebrows, a cold expression was flickering on his face.

    The boy was aware of the saying that ''there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.''

    "I won''t tell you now." She said while looking at the ground in an adorable manner.

    Rio said in aposed manner, "I hope you won''t ask me something unreasonable in return."

    "You can decide about thatter. As your partner, I''ll grant you my abilities that You will unlock as you ascend stages but before that, you need to provide me an offering of 20 yellow stages and 20 purple stage cores. Even yellow and purple stats orbs will be eptable by this magnanimousdy." She told him while walking towards him with an enigmatic glint in her eyes.

    Rio saw her advancing and was on his guard as the elf beauty neared him and stood in front of him.

    "Be ready for the Fusing ritual." She said in a secretive tone and moved towards Rio''s face.

    Seeing the uing advancement approaching his way, the crimson-haired boy dodged by moving backward and going out of her way as he spoke, "Hey what you''re doi...ff...mm"

    Two dominating hands grabbed his cheeks and guided them toward her face as she sealed his warm lips with hers.

    <<<<

    [Vigorous Oscte for the Fusion Ritual has been initiated]

    >>>>

    He widened his sea-green eyes at this unforeseen development and tried to release free from the constrainment but the boy didn''t have enough strength to resist the orange-red-haired beauty whose eyes were closed as if enamored in the gratifying moment.

    An aromatic scent of orchid invaded his senses as featherly lips brushed past his. Her warm lips were roughly sucking his as if it was a delicacy to quench her thirst.

    Soon she invaded his mouth with her pulpy tongue and tickled his which caused a flood of foreign energy to rush toward his body.

    A roaring wind swirled around the forest as the flowers and trees swayed in the air as if dancing in joy for their new Master.

    Scattered green luster rose from all the vegetation and ground of the wondrous forest as they sparkled in harmony. It started gathering at one ce to make a hurricane of greenish rays before streaking towards the duo who were standing in front of each other while doing some important business.

    Rio tried using his [Devlin''s Movement Technique] to free himself from the confinement but it didn''t work as the orange-red-haired beauty had strongly kept her grip on his cheeks.

    Soon, the green light enveloped their figure as their body dyed in greenish radiance.

    The boy''s crimson hair grew to his shoulders length as a new power infused in his body which caused him to glow in white light and his [Devlin Transformation] activated on its own.

    Rio''s white hair, which was previously only the neck length, grew until mid-back size, making him look quite charming.

    His right shoulder felt a burning sensation as the boy''s clothes burnt, An orange flower tattoo appeared whose petals were closely arranged in an elegant manner.

    Now the boy had a beautiful nature symbolic tattoo on both of his shoulders and they both indicated his connection to the Empress of Two dignified races.

    A purple light enveloped his body as his core and root evolved to the purple stage which was the sign of his given mission beingpleted.

    A few notifications rang in his mind that announced his advancement in power and forming a connection with his new partner

    <<<<

    [You have been Oscted by the Monarch Beast of Yellow-Stage. A mutual pact has been created.]

    [Your Root has Advanced to the Purple Stage.]

    [Your Core has Advanced to the Purple Stage.]<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    >>>>

    Eve let go of his cheeks after enjoying the luscious kiss she had.

    Rio finally got released from imprisonment and took heavy breaths as this sensual activity didn''t let him take oxygen properly.

    "Why did you do that?" He asked with an enraged tone, wiping his lips with the back of his palm with an embarrassed expression.

    "Why shouldn''t I? That''s how the fusion rituals happen." Eve said in a coquettish tone.

    "But..." Rio said in a vexed voice and was going to speak but he was interrupted by the Elven Girl.

    "Don''t worry about her. Even Lia feels burdened knowing she had married you while you already had a loving girlfriend.

    Don''t tell me you''re going to push away La and not ept her when shees to find you. Even Lia shouldn''t have that right to reject La being your woman since it was a forced marriage at the beginning." Orange-red-haired beauty spoke in a serious tone.

    Her words caused Rio''s heart to shiver as he thought about the future if this really happened.

    She continued, "Moreover, you are destined to have more than one woman so why can''t I even kiss you for a simple fusion ritual? It''s not like I am dying to have sex with you... Aishh...

    It was just a kiss, Dummy. Your body and soul won''t shatter into nothingness. Don''t worry about it. You''re doing this virtuous thing to support your wife, trust me."

    She spoke in a flirtatious tone and winked at him in a vampish manner.

    ''This damn Monarch beast.''

    Rio''s face was flickering with coldness as he clenched his fist tightly.

    Although it was a gratifying expression to receive a kiss but thedy did it without any warning.

    "This mark on your shoulder would be a portal to this realm and connection to this Beautiful Monarch. It will help you to use my power,municate with me and summon me whenever you desire.

    Others won''t be able to see this magnificent symbol that represents our romantic fusion.

    Your face looks as if you wanna pound me on the bed. For that wild desire, you need to take permission from your wife first.

    Hey, you don''t have to get mad. I was just kidding.

    I''ll bid my farewell now since you need some alone time to control your immense affection for me. Bye Bye Partner, until the next time and I hope, you don''t miss me, Muah ?...."

    Orange-red-haired beauty said in a seductive tone and a bright smile as she sent him a flying kiss with her right-hand gesture.

    A white light enveloped Rio''s figure and felt a pulling force from behind him that pushed him backward.

    The blinding light faded away as he was thrown out of the Monarch Beast''s wonderous abode and The ce with green vegetation disappeared from his sight.

    Rio discovered himself standing a hundred meters away from the Brightforest watchtower shelter.

    "That Elven monarch...She is even more shameless than N. That girl at least asked for permission before hugging me. Yet thisdy..." He cursed the orange-red-haired beauty inwardly.

    Rio was having a headache just thinking about how his new partner was a wily woman.

    "I wonder what abilities I''ll unlock once I give her enough cores of yellow and purple stages." The crimson-haired boy said while gazing into the distance.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote](for Non-Privilege Readers)

    Merry Christmas Everyone.

    Your Christmas present will be delivered on 28th Dec as +5 extra chapters. I have spent thest few days preparing for this on the 28th to give you guys a possible treat. Hope I can finish them in time.

    I''ll publish a new chapter within 10 minutes which would be as long as this one, as a small treat for everyone.

    Hope you guys are having a great day and take rest when you can ? ~

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 Chapter 104 Having Tea With Lia & Lioness

    He cast the [Astral Recall] spell as the light enveloped his body and the boy disappeared from the grasnd of Saannore Forest region.

    A figure appeared on the couch in the couple''s bedroom at the Empress Vi.

    The crimson-haired haired boy looked around the room for his wife.

    ''She isn''t here. Maybe downstairs?''

    He didn''t find Lia in their bedroom and walked downstairs to look for her while removing his [Ancient Disguise] spell and switching to his real self.

    Yami was cooking in the kitchen while giving other maids instructions as they were assisting her in doing the side dishes.

    "I shouldn''t bother her." He mumbled inwardly and walked out of the Empress Vi.

    It was dark outside and the moon was glimmering in the sky among the sparkling stars.

    ming torches were ced around the walls to illuminate his path.

    "Hey, I''m near the Empress Vi. Have you gone outside the castle?" He asked the white-haired beauty using telepathy while walking towards the artistic garden.

    "Can you not sense my location?" Lia asked in puzzlement, her voice had a hint of astonishment.

    "I can but it doesn''t tell me exactly where you are. It''s indicating me towards to castle but I can not be sure if you''re outside the castle or inside." He responded to her in a calm voice.

    The boy never used this blessing before that the love birds had received when they were bound by the Heavenly oath.

    This was a soul link between the couple blessed by heaven that would let themmunicate with one another and feel each other''s location from anywhere.

    "Try sensing my location and find me then You will understand how this works. If you found me within ten minutes I''ll let you have a very exclusive delicacy that''s not achievable by other men" Lia said in a mysterious voice and gave him a goal to fasten the process.

    "Okay, wait for me. I''ll find you." Saying that Rio turned towards the castle and started marching at a fast pace.

    ''Lia should be within ten minutes'' reach. She won''t be giving me an unreasonable task, I guess.''

    The crimson boy made up his mind to im the reward that was so special to have never been received by other men.

    He was wondering all different kinds of things about the treat that Lia would give him if the boy found her within 10 minutes. Rio didn''t want to miss this golden chance.

    There were ming torches at the gate of the castle entrance. The guards didn''t stop him as they were aware of his prominent existence.

    The boy entered the castle and followed a long corridor. He took the stairs in a spacious hall to go to the second floor as he felt the location was indicating from this way.

    Rio walked towards the end of the Second floor and opened the door to enter the room.

    It was a big luxurious hall with a built-in kitchen and a ce to sit for guests with three gray couches ced with a circr table.

    A blonde-haired girl was near the magical cooking burner with a tea pan, kettles, and some cups.

    Helia''s curvaceous body could be witnessed today as she wasn''t wearing the warrior armor as usual.

    She was in a long blue dress that was revealing around her plumpy melons and her blonde hair wasn''t tied as they were falling on her pale skin.

    A white-haired beauty was sitting, not so far from her, on a green couch. His wifey was in a white dress that made her look otherworldly beauty as always and overshadowed Helia''s seductive body.

    Lia was already looking in his direction and waved at him as if she had sensed his presence even before he entered the room.

    "Well done. You have found me." Lia said with a smile and praised her lovely Husband.

    Rio approached the coach and sat beside her.

    "Where is my special exclusive delicacy?" He asked her in a hushed voice.

    "There." Lia pointed towards Helia, who was busy with pouring tea in a kettle with a tea pan and cing small cups in the tray to bring it to them.

    "That lioness is my delicacy?" Rio blurted out instinctively, which caused the blonde-haired to almost drop the kettle as she was unprepared for such a shamelessment.

    "Hey, Don''t bully her. She has brewed tea for the two of us. It''s not obtainable by anyone as she only makes it for me. Today, you will be the very first man who would be able to drink it. She doesn''t even brew for Father."

    Lia praised her sister as she knew Helia was a battle maniac and wasn''t good at house chores.

    Lioness turned towards the duo and walked to them with a tray filled with tea cups and a kettle.

    "Did you tell her I wasing?" He asked, raising his brows.

    "I told her we may have an uninvited guest so to make one extra cup," Lia said with a gentle voice.

    "So I''m an uninvited guest now." He spoke in a grumpy tone that was filled with sarcasm.<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    "Don''t feel sour about it. No man has even ever had the opportunity to have tea brewed by Helia. You would be the first one in the entirety of this world." Lia said in a cherishing manner as if it was an Immortal treasure.

    Helia ced a cup in front of the boy in a rough manner. If she applied a little more strength to m the cup it could''ve broken into pieces.

    Helia started filling it to the brim as her hand shook while being attentive. It was a very rare asion for her to serve someone a cup of tea so the lioness wasn''t used to this work.

    Even after being so diligent, Helia spilled the tea as it overflowed.

    She hastily stopped pouring the tea and her face was enveloped in bitterness.

    "Thank you" Rio spoke to her in a calm manner, ignoring her minor mistake.

    The lioness was staring daggers at him as if he caused her to spill the tea.

    Rio wasn''t perturbed by her re as he maintained his calm demeanor. He was even warm to her only because of Lia or the boy would''ve been cold to Helia.

    Lia couldn''t see her sister''s eyes provocatively glint as Helia''s back was facing her.

    The lioness didn''t have to serve the White-haired beauty as Lia took it herself and filled two cups for both of herself and her sister who made the tea for everyone.

    She said to Rio using a telepathic voice "Make sure to notugh at her or she will get hurt. Helia is not good at house works."

    "Okay, I won''t." He assured her inwardly.

    Lia picked up the teacup to take a sip before asking, "You have reached the purple stage?"

    She could already feel changes when he first entered the room but Lia didn''t ask right away.

    "Yeah." The crimson-haired boy nodded in affirmation.

    Helia, who was sitting opposite them, raised her eyebrows upon hearing this information.

    "You went to defeat Monarch Beast and didn''t even tell me?" She said using the telepathy voice. Her tone was bitter as if Rio had betrayed her.

    "You would have to get worried about it if I told you. The trial wasn''t that hard. I just had to pick some white petals." Rio responded to her inwardly.

    ''Don''t tell me you''re going to push away La and not ept her when shees to find you. Even Lia shouldn''t have that right to reject La being your woman since it was a forced marriage at the beginning''

    He didn''t tell Lia what happened at the trial as it would''ve hurt her if he exined everything and told her what Monarch beast had said to him.

    La''s topic was sensitive for both Rio and Lia and he needed to be cautious to handle it properly without hurting any party.

    "I have made a pact with Monarch Beast. After I offer her enough yellow and purple stage cores I will unlock some abilities." Rio exined about the Monarch beast in short.

    They were with Helia so he wanted to keep the conversation short as it was happening using telepathic messages.

    He didn''t want to drag the conversation and make Helia feel awkward which Lia wouldn''t want either.

    "How much mana do you have now?" Lia asked in his thoughts while taking a small sip of the tea that Helia had made.

    "Around 400..." He sent her a secret message, tapping the teacup with her fingers as if thinking something.

    "I''m not sure if that should be enough to awaken your Elemental affinity but we can check if it works or not" Lia''s voice mumbled in his mind.

    "Elemental affinity?" Rio asked with a puzzled voice.

    "Elemental affinity can be Awakened when someone''s core reaches the ck stage as it gives them enough mana for the Awakening.

    However, it''s not the case for you Since you have double the amount of mana than an Asura or a human. So you might be able to awaken an Elemental affinity with your current mana pool at the purple stage." She exined in a delighted tone to him in his thoughts.

    Helia was ring at him as he wasn''t drinking the tea she made and just tapped the cup with his finger.

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 Chapter 105 Ancient Battle Technique Arts

    Helia was giving him a Fierce gaze as he hadn''t touched the tea she brewed and just tapped the cup with his finger.

    Rio grabbed the cup to take a sip as Lioness was staring daggers at him for not drinking the tea.

    *Slurp!*

    ''Fortunately, this irritating fellow has be less annoying. He didn''t hold grudges in front of Lia.''

    Helia felt alleviated that Rio didn''t decline a tea made by her because of their past grievance. She wanted to keep their rtionship normal in front of her sister.

    "She has brewed a good tea," Rio mumbled in a quiet tone.

    Helia didn''t show joy hearing hispliment but deep down in her heart, there was a little happiness that flickered as everyone loves to be praised.

    "What can I do with an elemental affinity?" Rio questioned the beautiful sisters, instead of talking privately with Lia.

    He asked outwardly as it was not something they needed to keep secret and the room was already drowned in stillness for a while as the couple wasmunicating behind Helia''s back. So Rio chooses to break the silence.

    "Why are you asking about the Elemental affinity all of a sudden?" Helia scrunched her eyebrows.

    It was an unexpected question for the blonde-haired beauty as she didn''t know What Rio and Lia had talked about via telepathy.

    "I have my reasons," Rio said in an enigmatic manner.

    "I should let Helia answer or she would feel outcasted from the group." Lia thought inwardly and decided that her sister should give the exnation.

    "An Elemental affinity helps you to learn the battle technique arts or magic spells of that particr element.

    Also, the grade of your Elemental affinity decides how strong your battle techniques or magic spell effects would be.

    But you shouldn''t think about it right now as you wouldn''t have enough mana at the purple stage.

    You can only awaken their Elemental affinity after you advance to the ck stage as our mana pool expands at this phase." Helia responded to his question in a simple manner.

    "What''s Battle Technique arts? I have never heard about these" Rio asked with a feeble frown.

    "These arts have two types. The first one is Ancient Battle Techniques, which are found in Emperor ruins, and immortal tombs, or can be inherited from some of the gods'' trials.

    Ancient battle technique arts are also passed down in great ns that have deep roots as one of their ancestors had a lucky encounter to acquire such treasure.

    The second is Artificial battle technique arts. These are created by true experts after understanding the profoundw of each element orbat style. Their disciple refines these arts for centuries or thousands of years to bring their power close to ancient one but no one has ever seeded.

    However, You can learn them after Awakening an element, and right now you are only at the purple stage. So don''t even think about it as it happens after you reach the ck stage." Helia described to him in a nonchnt voice.

    "Helia, do you have an Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal?" Lia questioned her, as she was nning to help Rio with the Awakening ceremony.

    "No, I don''t have one here but there should be some in the Library. Why do you need it?" She asked in puzzlement.

    "Can you bring it for me please?" Lia requested her in a gentle manner.

    "Okay...I''ll go and fetch it." Helia stood up from the couch and walked out of the room.

    After confirming that she had left, Rio asked, "Are you sure we can trust her with my secrets?"

    "I can bet my life on it that she won''t betray us. I trust Helia more than Father. She won''t harm you for the Asuras as my sister knows how important you are to me.

    Helia would rather go against Father and the whole asura race to stand by my side if I''m protecting you." Lia said confidently about her blonde-haired sister.

    "But why would she think I''m important to you," Rio mumbled, and didn''t get convinced by her words.

    "My sister already thinks you''re a lot important to me otherwise she knows I wouldn''t let a human be around her just because he is my husband. Moreover, Helia knows about the prophecy.

    The vision goddess had given you was also predicted by my grandfather. He had eyes of destiny as his innate talent, whichter I also awakened.

    It let us have a glimpse of the future through our dreams. I used to see myself dying in all my nightmares in a fierce war but after you came into my life they changed into happy dreams. Eyes of destiny no longer show me a future where I die anymore. I rather see dreams where we are happily living together.

    And Helia knows about the prophecy that My future husband from a foreignnd would protect me from my desperate fate.

    Although father knows it too but he may keep Asura''s benefit higher than my husband''s life since he didn''t believe the prophecy like us but Helia wouldn''t hesitate to stand in front of you to defend you in order to save me from my destined death.

    Father only agreed to our marriage after knowing he doesn''t have time in this world so he wanted me to take the throne while also marrying me to a human who would listen to his wishes."

    Lia gave her long exnation to make Rio understand why Helia wouldn''t betray them but she didn''t mention the fact Helia begged the white-haired beauty in their childhood to let her marry the same husband as her sister.

    "I didn''t think he would keep people''s interests higher than his daughter''s life. Seems like he is a good Emperor but couldn''t be a good father." Rio said with a cold smile as he felt disdain towards Lia''s father.

    "This is also the reason why Helia isn''t close to her uncle and only loves me." The white-haired beauty praised her sister.

    ''She doesn''t know what that Lioness has done to me in the past on our first meeting.''<novelnext>  </novelnext>

    Rio sighed thinking about the past and day one when he met the Fierce blonde-haired girl.

    He started reminiscing about the old days how the boy arrived in this world and how everything in his life changed.

    His eyes fell on the cup and remembered the story about the first time when Lia served him tea.

    "What happened?" White-haired beauty asked him as she saw him lost in his thoughts.

    "Do you remember when you brew tea for me the first time and I told you won''t understand?" He asked her while gazing into her intrigued scarlet eyes.

    ***

    Rio was busy talking to Emperor in his first training ss when he felt that someone elbowed him on his side. He looked beside him and saw Lia indicating to him to drink the tea that she served him.

    "Sorry, I was too focused." He floated the cup in front of his mouth.

    *Slurp* *Slurp* *Slurp*

    He put the teacup on the table after finishing it in one go.

    "I wouldn''t have robbed you of your tea if you drank it slowly." Lia mocked him.

    "You won''t understand so I''m not going to exin to you," Rio said while cheering in his mind.

    ***

    Lia was thinking back to the past memories when they were sitting together to have a cup of tea as Rio reminded her of that moment.

    Last time they were having tea with Emperor Dn and today it was with her beloved sister, Helia.

    "Yeah...I remember but I didn''t think much about it. why you said that day I won''t understand?" Lia asked with puzzlement.

    "I guess, I should tell you now. At that time I didn''t have memories of La. I only knew I had grandpa as my family in the past who cared for me. After he passed away, I stopped talking to others and built high walls around myself.

    Moreover, Grandpa was the person who adopted me and took care of me as a guardian. I didn''t have any real rtionship with him. I also doubt he might be doing It as a responsibility since he hid me from Second Mother for some mysterious reasons.

    However, it was different for my Wifey. When we were married, we got bound to each other by a holy oath and you became my first family in both worlds. I had a soft spot for you since the first day because that oath assured me you wouldn''t betray me.

    Despite being a forced marriage I felt like my home around you. As If you were my destined better half.

    When you served me a cup of tea that day my heart felt so warm because it was brewed by my first family. It''s a blissful feeling to have someone who cares about you.

    No one can understand the importance of food except the one who has starved for 16 years." He exined in an adoring tone towards his wifey.

    Lia ruffled his crimson hair and pecked his forehead.

    Helia was entering the room with a transparent blue sphere ball.

    Seeing the duo being intimate, the ck-haired beauty said in an embarrassed tone, "Sorry I came at the wrong time."

    She started withdrawing herself from the room when Lia spoke with a coyish face, "We are not doing anything like that. You cane."

    "Yeah. We are definitely not doing anything like that." Rio said in a serious voice and teased Lia in a mischievous manner.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote](for Privilege Readers)

    Merry Christmas Everyone.

    Your Christmas present will be delivered on 28th Dec as +5 extra chapters. I have spent thest few days preparing for this on the 28th to give you guys a possible treat. Hope I can finish them in time.

    I''ll publish a new chapter within 10 minutes which would be as long as this one, as a small treat for everyone.

    Hope you guys are having a great day and take rest when you can a?? ~

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    Please vote with power stones and Golden tickets to support this book. The more, the better.

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 106 Love With This Annoying Fellow?

    She got embarrassed invading the love bird''s privacy. Helia said with a bashful tone, "Sorry I came at the wrong time."

    The blonde-haired beauty retracted back her footsteps from the room when Lia hastily stopped her with a coyish face, "We are not doing anything like that. You cane."

    "Yeah. We are definitely not doing anything like that." Rio said in a serious voice and mischievously teased Lia.

    "Hey..." She hissed with a puffed face and pinched her husband''s waist to punish him.

    "Aaeyhhh...my wife is a bully" Rio cried out in pain that was mixed with sarcasm as if telling the world his wife torture him.

    Helia witnessed their yfulness and returned with feeble red cheeks.

    She ced the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal on the table in front of the love birds before sitting on the opposite gray couch.

    Rio asked in a secretive tone, "Hey, Lioness. What would you do if one day I be a threat to the Asura race? Would youe after my life?"

    As the blonde-haired beauty sat, the boy dropped a mind-blowing ''Landmine'' by asking another unexpected question that made her frown deeply and her face drowned in bitterness.

    "I won''t be answering your childish questions," Helia said in a violent manner as this was a sensitive question.

    "Helia, You should Answer him." Lia urged her sister in a gentle manner.

    The lioness looked at the white-haired beauty with an expression of betrayal on her face. She expected her beloved sister to not trap her in this kind of question where she may insult Lia''s husband in front of her.

    "Okay...I''ll answer your stupid question just because she is saying.

    If a dayes when you became an enemy of the Asura race then I''ll capture you with all my power and defend our people at any cost. However, I''ll leave the killing of you up to Lia."

    Helia said in a calm tone but there was a hint of aggressiveness as she trieding up with an answer that wouldn''t hurt her sweet sister.

    "What if Lia stands by my side to fight the Asuras and the Emperor? Whose side would you be standing then?" Rio asked, narrowing his eyes to observe her facial expressions and change in emotions.

    "I''ll protect Lia even if I have to go against everyone. She is the only person I have in this ruthless world. Uncle never even cared about me.

    He didn''t even help me to unearth the truth behind big brother Leon''s death or send people to find out what happened in the Bloodhill wilderness where he got badly injured.

    Not only that but he even restricted me from doing so myself." Helia said in a sorrowful tone as a fierce expression enveloped her adorable face.

    She had suffered a lot in the past and remembering her brother''s death ignited the me of agony.

    When she was little she felt betrayed by everyone as they all stopped cherishing her with the same affection as before. They used to adore her when Helia''s big brother Leon was alive as if their show of endearment was to get favors from him.

    She understood that this heartless selfish world wouldn''t care about you without any motives. Helia didn''t feel an attachment to anyone besides her sister Lia who had learned this very long ago.

    Hearing Helia''s answer, Rio was satisfied as Lia already told him he can trust her.

    The boy said in aposed manner, "There is going to be a great war in the future. Some of the strong ns of Asuras and Humans would both join hands together to wage a war against Lia.

    They would conspire to kill her for some unknown reason. I don''t know the details but we can not trust anyone including Emperor Dn.

    Wifey said you wouldn''t betray us so I told you about this confidential piece of information. I hope you keep everything about me and Lia a secret."

    Thest words he spoke were filled with a cold smile that was as if he was threatening her.

    "How do you know this?" Helia''s face darkened, hearing his words, and stood up from the couch.

    "I can not tell you how I discovered it and if it will really happen or not but I hope you stand by our side and help me defend my beloved wife against all the enemies instead of supporting our enemies because I''m from the human race that killed Leon.

    Being human or asura doesn''t guarantee they are good or bad people. It''s a person''s character. I dislike that you hold grudges against the humans and think Asuras are not evil at all." Rio said in a nonchnt voice and berated her in the end.

    "You don''t have to give me that lecture. I don''t know about you but I''ll protect my sister even if she bes the demon lord tomorrow." Helia said in a fierce tone, forgetting Lia was in the room.

    The blonde-haired beauty tried her best to keep harmony between her and Rio but he came to refresh her old wounds by reminding Helia of her past.

    He even doubted she would betray Lia. This caused her to lose control and snap at Rio in front of Lia since she was provoked by this annoying fellow.

    "Okay then. That''s what I want." Rio coldly smiled.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Seeing them fight like that, Lia felt it was a good show and put her hands on her jaw to enjoy their bickering.

    "You two are acting like a child. Have you two had some love affair behind my back that you both bickering like this?" White-haired beauty asked jokingly.

    "Love with this annoying fellow? I would call him whatever he wants if it ever happened." Helia snorted and sat on her couch.

    ''How dare he say I would betray Lia.''

    She tried being nice to the crimson-haired boy in front of her sister but this brat came directly to provoke this lioness.

    "Okay, calm down my two little children," Lia spoke in a gentle manner.

    After she saw they had stopped, the white-haired beauty continued, "Rio...ce your hand above the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal."

    He didn''t think much and did as Lia asked and put his hand on the surface of the spherical ball.

    "Now try injecting a little amount of your mana inside the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal while closing your eyes and feeling the environmental energy particles around you.

    You need to call the elemental particles present in heaven and earth as if they are your closest friends." Lia described to him the method of the Awakening ceremony and watched his closed eyes.

    "Lia, he is only at the purple stage," Helia said with an exasperated tone as she couldn''t understand her sister''s action.

    Lia ced the index finger on her cherry-like lips lip and said in a hushed voice, "Shhhh..."

    Roo had already closed his eyes and went into a rxed state. Advancing to the purple stage had increased his mana pool by four times but it also enhanced the power of his senses and physique.

    As time flowed, his meditative state became deeper. He started hearing the sound of waves, and the swirling winds, the heartbeat of Lia''s that was stable but there was nervousness present, breathing Helia''s which showed she was still feeling contempt for him.

    Rio could feel a pattern in the vibration of each sound and gradually they started turning into colorful small particles.

    All of them were in groups and resonated with their own kind. They danced together while swirling around him. Some of them even waited around Rio as if giving him a second look before continuing their joyous movement.

    Seeing them wander around himself he guessed he should make a move.

    ''Hey, little one? Come here.''

    Rio sent a thought so they would listen to him. However, their mamma has taught them well to never trust a sweet strange uncle.

    His n to coax a young child with candy was extinguished. He sighed and waited patiently for them to notice him.

    ''I was telling Lia, it is no use. There is nothing happening. Elemental affinity won''t awaken at the purple stage.''

    Helia looked disappointed as her sister didn''t believe her.

    Cold sweats started pouring down Rio''s forehead. He had already spent more than half of his mana, and focusing on these particles required so much mental energy.

    After some more minutes passed, a serenity enveloped Rio''s body.

    His orange flower tattoo, which was on his right shoulder, started glimmering silver.

    He could feel a strong wave of sonic was rushing in his direction.

    Rio saw the tiny particles trembling in fear that was lingering around him as they started darting away from him as if they had seen a ghost.

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 Chapter 107 Because... You Are Mine...

    He didn''t have to wait long to find out why they were frightened as the boy discovered the reason for the phenomenon.

    As if a tsunami wasing, from all sides a mix of silver and blue glimmering particles in huge numbers surrounded him, causing a terrifying sight.

    They positioned themselves around him like his minions and roared in a union to call him as if he was their sole Emperor.

    They bolted like a swarm of beasts toward him and entered his body.

    Lia and Helia''s had their eyes widened as they saw him glowing in two different hues.

    His body was covered in glittering pigments of two shades of bright Silver and Blue color among which the majority were the first ones.

    The Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal was also filled with two hues, as they were swirling inside the spherical ball.

    A few notifications sounded in his mind and announced the result of the Awakening ceremony.

    <<<<

    [You have Awakened Rank ''A'' Thunder Element]

    [You have Awakened Rank ''S'' Space Element]

    >>>>

    Rio rxedly opened his eyes and his irises flickered with a mix of bright silver and blue and his body became normal as the colorful brilliance fade away.

    He was a little joyous hearing the notifications but the sight in front of him demanded his attention more.

    The boy noticed a blonde-haired beauty whose mouth was agape. She was staring at him in astonishment as if he was a first-rate bizarre freak.

    He turned to look at his beloved wife who also had her scarlet eyes filled with surprise, but she was moreposed than Helia.

    "What happened to you guys?" Rio asked in bewilderment.

    Hearing his voice, the white-haired beauty collected herself before responding to him in a delighted tone, "The magnificence of what urred is not possible to describe in a few words. You won''t understand if I just tell you about it since you are unaware of the basics. Do you know how many known elements are there?"

    "Nope?" He shook his head lightly.

    "There are seven fundamental elements in our world, Earth, wind, water, fire, thunder, ice, and nature. These are themon elemental affinities you can find easily among warriors at the ck stage or higher.

    After that, we have two rare elements that oppose each other, which are light and darkness. You will discover these elements present in only one or two in a hundred thousand warriors, considering that reaching the ck stage is hard on its own.

    However, there is one more element that is very unique, making it hardest to find, known as ''Space''. It''s one in million or maybe even less. There should be less than ten people alive with this elemental affinity in the Sharmor Empire.

    The person with this element can manipte the space and can do astonishing things." Lia described the greatness of his awakened element to him in a serious tone.

    "Oh..." Rio understood after listening to his wife''s exnation.

    "As you can see in the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal ball, there is silver and blue light. That blue represents the Rank A Thunder elemental affinity and if I''m not wrong then the bright silver should represent at least Rank A space elemental affinity. The darker the shade of color, the higher the tier.

    You not only have Rank A elemental affinity with one element but it''s two while one of them is Space." White-haired beauty said in a cherishing tone as she exined to him the grandeur of his awakened affinities.

    The crimson-haired boy already knew that his Space Elemental Affinity was at Rank S but he didn''t bother to tell her right now as Helia was also present there.

    "But you said it''s very rare. There won''t be many users with it then how will I be able to find any battle technique arts with space element?" Rio asked in a worried voice.

    His eyes fell on Helia who had calmed down by now from her dumbfounded state.

    "Now I understand why he was asking those questions earlier about bing a threat to the Asura''s race. If just the news of a human having two elemental affinities got out. They would chase this boy to the very end of the world to ughter him.

    Moreover, both of them are at least at Rank A and one is actually a super rare Space element.

    I really dislike him but how can he be so freaking lucky? Ah...this damn fellow. I feel like hating him even more for making me so jealous. " Helia cried out inwardly and cursed him in her thought.

    Lia heard Rio''s question and smiled, "Have you forgotten you''re the husband of the future Empress of this Empire? Even if the battle technique arts for space are very rare we would be able to find a few that you can learn.

    Moreover, there should be two in the royal treasury. But we need to take it away without anyone noticing us since we don''t want your space element and dual affinity Awakening at the purple stage to be known by others." Lia said the first line in a delighted voice and the second one in a concerned tone.

    Her sister decided to ask her bewildering question as she was waiting for their conversation toe to a stop.

    "How can he awaken an Elemental affinity at the purple stage?" Helia asked in puzzlement.

    "It''s one of Husband''s secrets which can get him killed if anyone finds out. Now you also know some of his secrets. Don''t even let father or anyone know about this. I assured him that we can trust you." Lia said in a serious tone.

    "I understand." She said to the white-haired beauty then turned to Rio and spoke in an embarrassed manner, "Thank you for trusting me even after how we had conflict in the past."

    "I never had a conflict with you," Rio said with a cold smile.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Helia felt a shiver run down her spine, seeing his chilly smile as her sixth sense alerted her.

    "Since you have already Awakened your Elemental affinity it''s time for you to learn some battle arts," Lia said to him with a pleasant smile.

    "And how will I learn that?" Rio asked, raising his brows.

    "You can either learn it from the scroll of battle technique arts or received it from someone who has already learned these arts of simr elemental affinity.

    They can transfer these battle technique arts to you the same way how Father gave you the Devlin''s Skills." Lia answered him and described the method.

    "Wifey, what''s your Elemental affinity?" He questioned her as the boy was curious about his girl''s element.

    "I have Rank ''S'' Ice Elemental affinity. Although it''s high tier than your thunder element but having Rank ''A'' Space elemental affinity is still a lot greater.

    Because the Rank ''A'' Space element would be always stronger than the rest of the other nine elements even if they are at Rank ''S'', including light and darkness.

    Anyone would be jealous of you if they find out you have Space Elemental Affinity." Lia exined in a nonchnt voice.

    "Do you also feel envy of me?" Rio teased her with a feeble smile.

    "I can''t be jealous of Husband because..." She spoke in a quiet tone as a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes and didn''t finish her sentence.

    "Say it" He urged her toplete her sentence.

    "Because... you are mine..." She whispered beside his ear as her hot breath brushed passed his skin.

    The crimson-haired boy was used to her domineering nature.

    He said, "I could''ve asked you to transfer me your battle technique arts if we had a simr elemental affinity."

    "There is one person who has a thunder element like you," Lia said in aposed manner.

    "Who?" He scrunched his eyebrows.

    White-haired beauty pointed towards their front.

    "Lioness?" He mumbled.

    "Helia, I love your new name. I should also call you Lioness from today." Lia said in a yful manner.

    "And I''ll call you both demon monkeys." Helia red at the annoying couple who was making fun of her.

    Liaughed heartily in an adorable manner, seeing her sister''s puffed cheeks.

    "Can you teach me some of the battle technique arts of thunder element?" Rio questioned the blonde-haired beauty.

    She looked hesitant as the boy asked her.

    Helia responded to him aftering to a decision, "I''ll give you the ones I have but you can only learn one battle technique arts at each stage so you need to decide if you really wanna learn from me."

    Lia''s eyes looked perplexed as she stared at her sister.

    "Those battle technique arts are Rainheart n''s secret treasure. Why did she agree to give him?" She thought inwardly as she was puzzled by Helia''s answer.

    "Can you demonstrate to me their usage?" Rio asked with a calm voice.

    "Okay. Tomorrow morning I''ll give you their demo. First, I''ll go and fetch the scrolls of battle technique arts from the royal treasury for your second elemental affinity which is more extraordinary." Blonde-haired beauty said to him while standing up.

    "Let me apany you so you don''t have to worry about hidden Silver stage experts who might want to follow your trails," Lia spoke to the Lioness.

    She continued, "Rio, You can wait for me at the Empress Vi. If we bring you with us then they would be suspicious of our activity."

    He nodded as the boy understood it would be a bad idea to go with them.

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 Chapter 108 Dozen Of Children With My Man

    He nodded in affirmation as the boy understood it would be a bad idea to go with them.

    Rio knew he wasn''t strong enough yet like the other two. Even Helia required Lia''s help for going to the royal treasury to take away the battle technique arts under the Emperor''s nose.

    The beautiful sisters walked out of the room and left Rio alone.

    He left the castle and went back to the empress vi to wait for his beloved wife.

    An hour passed...

    "Uncle had a few silver stage experts hidden near the royal treasury building if you didn''te he would''ve found out what I took from there," Helia said in a relieved voice as they sessfully finished the mission of stealing from their own house.

    "It was as I expected. I knew that Father had assigned some experts to watch around the castle although he didn''t ce any of them around my vi." Lia responded to her in aposed manner.

    "But Uncle can not do that even if he wants to since you''re only second to him in strength. Those experts won''t able to hide away from your sensory radar." Helia said with an adoration tone.

    "I didn''t understand one thing," Lia asked and deeply gazed at the blonde-haired beauty as she was perplexed by her action from earlier.

    "What?" Helia said, scrunching her brows.

    "I was wondering why did you agree to teach Rio your battle technique arts of thunder element when it''s the secret treasure of your Rainheart n," Lia asked in bewilderment.

    "I have already thought about it in the past. I wanted to pass down my battle technique arts given by big brother to someone who would continue his legacy.

    The elders of the n might not like it but as the current heir of the Rainheart n, I have full right to pass the secret battle technique arts down to my sessor or husband.

    Giving it to that annoying fello... I mean Rio would assure me to have a sessor as your children might be born with thunder element affinity too." Helia exined with a serious tone.

    "Why my children when you will also have a dozen of children with my man. Some will surely be born with a thunder or even space elemental affinity. Just wait until then and You can pass down your secret arts at your heart''s content." Lia said with a happy smile and teased her.

    Helia''s face became beet-red, hearing about dozen of children with Rio.

    "What are you talking about? I can not think of that annoying fellow being the father of my child." She said as the lioness was embarrassed.

    Blonde-haired beauty was helpless as she couldn''t tell Lia about her conflict with Rio.

    ''I don''t think I''ll ever be able to ept that fellow as my man.''

    It was hard for her to marry someone from the despicable Human race since they had killed her big brother.

    The sweet sisters'' continued to have their yful conversation for a little while.

    Around 8 pm, Lia left for the castle to return back to her Vi.

    The Asura was able to follow a time system simr to the human world observing the sun and moon for a long time.

    The shadow created by the sun''s position throughout the day helped theme up with the design of clocks that theyter adapted into magical ones.

    The night in the garden was filled with tranquility and mesmerizing view, as the sounds of nature and the beauty of the night sky were all around.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Moon was casting a soft glimmer over the surface of the pool. Its light was highlighting the shapes and textures of the nts and flowers in the garden.

    A crimson-haired youth wasying under the thirty meters long tree with white glowing leaves and rainbow-colored fruits.

    The cold breeze of dark night caused a soft rustling of the leaves as it brushed past his cheeks.

    Rio was watching palm size fairies hovering around the tree and some even waved at him who was sitting on the branches.

    "Feels like I started to appreciate the beauty of nature more after having a pact with the Monarch Beast, Eve." The boy mumbled in a feeble tone.

    An approaching footstep was sounded from the side, he turned his head to discover the white-haired beauty wasing his way.

    "Was everything okay?" Rio questioned her with worry.

    Lia lightly closed her eyes in affirmation with a gentle smile.

    She saw himying on the grass and sat beside him gracefully.

    The guards were far away from their location as the rainbow fruit tree was in the midst of therge garden.

    "It was unexpected to see you here at my favorite ce. Before I met you I usually enjoyed being here and even now when you''re not around I spend my time here. This ce fills me with a serenity that calms my mind." Lia said in a rxed voice.

    He was watching the rainbow fruit tree and fairies dancing around as if reminiscing about the past.

    Rio looked into her scarlet eyes and asked, "Would you really kill me if I pluck that fruit?"

    ''If you touch these rainbow fruits then I''ll personally kill you even if it means for me to die.''

    Hearing his unexpected question, Lia remembered the words she said to him in the past.

    "Actually it''s a forbidden tree. Anyone who plucks the rainbow''s fruit without being recognized worthy by the tree bes one of the nts nearby." The white-haired beauty said in a serious voice.

    "So you threatened me to stay away from a cmity? Ah... Wifey''s way of expressing love is so dark." Rio said in a sarcastic tone.

    "Don''t remind me," Lia said while her cheeks turned beet red from embarrassment.

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 Chapter 109 Mystical Equila Fruit

    "It''s gettingte. Let''s return back for our dinner. Tomorrow morning Lioness would be demonstrating to me her battle technique arts so we should prepare to sleep soon." Rio said while getting back on his feet.

    "Before that, let me give you something that you will need since you''re at the purple stage already," Lia said in a gentle voice.

    "Okay..." Rio responded as he was used to receiving things from his beloved wife.

    She stood up and traveled away from the rainbow fruit tree. The boy followed behind as they passed the dazzling pond.

    The garden appeared to be transformed into a ce of mystery and the perfect art of nature at the night. With shadows lengthening and the moonlight illuminating the garden to have a magical and otherworldly appearance.

    They entered an area rich with colorful bushes. There were different kinds of lively flowers and plumpy fruits bearing on each of the nts.

    She halted her steps in front of a small hexagonal leaf-shaped nt that had purple orbs like thumb-sized fruits hanging from it.

    Lia bent her knees to pluck out one of the fruit before turning to Rio.

    "Summon your Silver-Bloom King sword beast soul." She said in aposed manner.

    "Okay." He hovered his right hand and a 1-meter double edge sword, with a blooming flower petals shape on its hilt, materialized.

    "Inject some of your mana into this Mystical Equ Fruit." White-haired beauty instructed him with a serene expression.

    He followed her guidance and touched the Purple orb in her jade-like smooth hand with his index finger.

    A tiny amount of mana flowed towards the Mystical Equ Fruit as it started glowing in purple light.

    The Silver-Bloom king sword, which was in his hand, also started gleaming in yellow as both of their light resonated.

    The Mystical Equ Fruit transformed into a glimmering orb and moved from Lia''s hand to attach to the silver-bloom king sword''s body.

    The beast soul weapon in Rio''s hand started vibrating to be asking for its freedom and floated away from the duo as the boy let it go.

    Mystical Equ Fruit''s purple light enveloped the Silver-Bloom sword, which was drowned in yellow. It started transforming as the petals at its hilt spread a little wider and became purple in color.

    After a few moments passed, the changes had been done as The Mystical Equ Fruit vanished inside the Silver-Bloom king sword.

    The Silver-Bloom king sword with purple hilt came back to the boy''s hand as a notification rang in his mind.

    <<<<

    [Your Silver-Bloom King sword beast soul has Evolved to the Purple Stage.]

    >>>>

    He swang his Silver-Bloom king sword to feel its new power.

    It felt as if the de had be sharper and more robust as the Silver-Bloom king sword was chilly than before as it advanced to the next stage.

    "I didn''t think this would be even possible," Rio said with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

    "I''ll reward you every time you advance to the next stage..." Lia said with a dotting voice as if spoiling her little child with immense love.

    "Won''t there be any kisses as a bonus reward?" Rio asked while recalling his first purple stage beast soul to his mind sea.

    "You can have them every day, Husband along with Vampire''s one," Lia whispered to him in a coquettish voice.

    She wrapped her hand between his affectionately as the love birds returned back to the Empress Vi.

    The female guards had their eyes wide open seeing them walking closely while their hands were interlocked intimately.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Yami brought them their dinner to the couple''s bedroom. The duo eat together and finished their scrumptious meal to sleep for the night.

    The next day, Lia apanied Rio to the Oval Shaped Building that was the Battle Arena where he would be getting demonstrations of battle technique arts from Helia.

    Helia was already waiting for them inside, sitting at the empty seats which were located around the spacious field.

    The duo approached the lioness and took a seat nearby.

    "You guys surely wake upte," Helia spoke to them as she was waiting for a while.

    "You will understand why we wake upte after you get married. You would be stayingte in the night for some fascinating reasons." Lia answered her in a teasing manner.

    Helia''s face flushed beet red understanding the meaning behind her sentence as she looked in another direction to avoid Rio''s rxed gaze.

    To avoid the embarrassing topic, She took out the two scrolls that were golden in color with silver engraving made on their surface.

    The blonde-haired beauty ced them on the seat beside her and said, "Here are the two scrolls we retrieved from the royal treasury. There are two battle technique arts of space elemental affinity.

    The first scroll is Grade S battle technique art while the second one is a Grade B. Their description are given on another side of mystical patterns.

    You need to decide if you want to learn them or wait for Lia to acquire another battle technique arts for you with the space elemental affinity."

    Rio took the first one to read its descriptions that were written on the backside.

    <<<<

    ? [Overload Destroyer]

    [Grade: S]

    ~ Compress a vacuum in an object or a skill to fill it with a more precise charged energy or mana to perform an attack with the increased Damage. While charging, the space will umte all the energy before it is fired.

    The attack will erge in size as it travels to the target before enveloping in it''s range.

    It can be detonated midway using a spiritualmand.

    It has various effects based on how long the attack has been charged and what energy is used.

    >>>>

    ''This is overly powered.''

    The boy praised inwardly reading the description of the Grade S battle technique art.

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 Chapter 110 Obliteration Of Heaven

    He took the second golden scroll from the seat and checked the information.

    <<<<

    [Vanishing Strike]

    [Grade: B]

    ~ Teleport the attack to the desired location using the power of space.

    Number of strikes you can teleport = 1

    >>>>

    ''It''s a tier B battle technique art but this doesn''t seem to be bad. Should I learn it or wait for a higher Battle technique art since I can only learn one at each stage?''

    The crimson-haired boy contemted carefully as he was reading the description of the golden scroll.

    "Don''t hesitate and learn it, Partner. Your Elemental affinity is at the Rank ''S'' that will help you evolve any low-grade battle technique arts to a higher level as you grasp more understanding of the skill by practicing it more and more.

    Moreover, this battle technique art wille in handy a lot during your fight in future adventures, even more than [Overload Destroyer]." A vibrant voice sounded in his mind as Eve advised him to go for it.

    Rio''s heart became a little joyous, discovering his advantage for having Rank ''S'' elemental affinity.

    Helia, who was watching him reading the scroll with a calm face, said, "You should learn them both as a lot of battle technique arts of thunder will work well with the [Vanishing Strike], even the one I''ll be transferring to you."

    Rio nodded in affirmation and enchanted his index finger with the mana before making a small cut to his thumb.

    A drop of blood fell on each of the battle technique arts scrolls and started spreading to envelop its whole body.

    Golden Scrolls moved up in the air and hovered in front of them before burning in silver mes mixed with crimson.

    Rio was used to this skill-learning urrence from the spell''s scrolls and kept a calm demeanor, seeing the silver-red fire burning the golden scroll in front of him.

    An AI voice sounded in his mind to announce that he sessfully learned the skills.

    <<<<

    [You have acquired (Overload Destroyer) Ancient Battle Technique Art]

    [You have acquired (Vanishing Strike) Ancient Battle Technique Art]

    >>>>

    A string of information flooded his mind and texts floated on the floating in front of his eyes.

    Rio could see the new skill names and descriptions that appeared in his profile skill section were the same as he read them earlier at the scroll''s back.

    "I learned them." He mumbled.

    "Now, I have a bit more time to find you the next battle technique art until you advance to the ck stage." White-haired beauty said with a smile.

    Lia felt relieved, as she was worried to find a high-tier space elemental battle technique arts for him.

    Seeing him done with the learning process of space battle technique arts, Helia moved to the middle of the spacious arena.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Be prepared, I''ll now show you the battle technique arts I have. Watch closely so you can decide." Helia said in a stiff voice.

    She took out a dozen of orange dummies and ced them in front of her.

    She stood a meter away before summoning a meter-long double-edged sword as Helia didn''t use Roaring Protector hanging in her waist.

    Her body glowed in blue as a brilliant sight took ce.

    The blonde-haired beauty''s figure blended with the space and dozens of thunder strikes were made on the dummies'' bodies one after another simultaneously.

    After a second passed, her figure reappeared where Helia was standing and recalled her sword before turning around to the watching audience.

    The dummies head slid to the side and rolled on the ground. Her fierce attacks had decapitated all the targets within a single second.

    "This was the ''Wave of the Phantom Thunder Strike'' Ancient Battle Technique Art. You can use it to execute multiple strikes in an area as your figure will blend into the shadow of the attacks, hitting the target with several thunder damages.

    It''s Grade A battle technique art. Let me show you the second one before you decide if you wanna learn them." Helia exined before summoning another beast soul.

    A pair of red wings appeared behind her back which was her red stage beast soul. She started raising upwards, as her feet left the ground.

    When the lioness was a good height away from the ground, the blonde-haired beauty stopped and spread her right hand before moving it toward the sky.

    A small blue thundering sphere materialized on her palm and grew as time passed. The blue sphere kept increasing until It was as big as Helia''s curvaceous figure.

    "Obliteration of Heaven." She yelled and threw the big thundering sphere in the direction of grasnd.

    It traveled toward the ground with a rumbling sound. Grasses in the field all shook in fear as if they were aware of their fate.

    A terrifying aura enveloped the whole Oval Shaped Building but the duo kept a calm face despite the fearsome scene happening in front of their eyes.

    Rio was not perturbed as [Heart Sutra] aid him to stayposed but a look of disbelief could be seen in his sea-green eyes.

    As the big blue sphere touched the ground, a sound of boom resounded all around the battle area as the grass field was hit by a massive thunder Nova.

    The ground started breaking with a buzzing sound and the small pieces started flying away in all directions.

    "Be careful" the White-haired beauty said in a worried voice to Rio as she hovered her hand to cast a skill and a wall of ice formed in front of the duo to protect them from the attack''s impact.

    After the sound of thunder crackling came to a stop, Lia retracted the ice wall.

    There was a big crater in the midst of the arena which was recovering at a fast pace with the effects of green lighting from the long trees at the corner of the spacious building.

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 Chapter 111 Exasperated Lioness

    Helianded in front of them and said with a proud voice, "This was the Grade ''S'' battle technique art known as [Obliteration of Heaven].

    It is simr to the [Overload Destroyer], the more you charge the attack the bigger and more destructive it gets. So what do you think? how are they?"

    Helia asked the crimson-haired boy, hoping he would give a surprised reaction and be eager to learn it from her.

    "I haven''t seen any battle technique arts before today but both of these you showed seems to be stronger, especially the second one, [Obliteration of Heaven]," Rio responded in aposed manner with a hint of admiration in his gaze.

    The crimson-haired boy didn''t even know that these four skills wouldter help him get victory in many life-and-death battles and change the oue of a lost fight.

    Lioness felt betrayed seeing his dull reaction but it could not be med on the boy as his [Life Sutra] was aiding him to keep a calm demeanor.

    "Do you wanna learn them?" Helia asked, crossing her arms as she was feeling exasperated and wanted to punch him.

    "Yeah, I don''t mind," Rio said with an unperturbed expression and a feeble smile.

    ''Ah...this annoying fellow...does he intentionally do it to make me angry?''

    Helia gritted her teeth in irritation as the boy responded as if these battle technique arts disyed by her were not that remarkable and just a normal skill you could buy in any arm store in the cities of the Shamor Empire.

    The ancient battle technique art of the Rainheart n was one of the strongest skills on the continent. It helped them keep their position firm even after they lost one of their strongest warrior Leon Rainheart.

    Many ns and sect''s feared Rainheart''s prowess because of their ancient battle technique arts. This was also the reason why Helia''s mother was married to the Rainheart n because the Royal family wanted to have them on their side as an ally.

    If Rio searched online for battle technique arts information then he wouldn''t be able to find even a single onepared to the one he was given by Helia.

    In the human world, only the seven silver sword families had the luxury to keep an ancient battle technique art while others used artificial battle technique arts.

    Even among those seven silver sword families, there wouldn''t be a single ancient battle technique art at the same level as the one Rainheart n had.

    But this was the reason how they climbed their way to be one of the seven silver sword families as ancient battle technique arts gave them an edge to be stronger than others and raise in power faster.

    Helia knew that Rio was bound to Lia with a holy oath so he won''t betray her. She could see how they were so close almost like a lover.

    Hearing the prophecy of future events the boy told her, she decided to help him since it matched what her grandfather predicted. Lioness wanted to gain more of his trust as he will be her only ally alongside Lia.

    Moreover, Rio had shared his deep secrets with her which could get him killed, this assured the lioness that she could also trust him because if he wanted the boy could hide it from Lia as well.

    Lioness also desired to pass down her legacy to someone who was worthy, which wasn''t Rio for sure as she hated Humans but at the same time, he was Lia''s husband and would be the father of her children in the future.

    The blonde-haired beauty also thought she may die on the battlefield saving her sister or taking revenge for her big brother Leon so Helia wanted to give the battle technique arts to Rio so he could pass it down to Lia''s children in the future.

    Helia was well aware of the fact that She was thest connection between the Rainheart n and the Royal family if anything happened to her they might not support Liapletely.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Rio, after you learn them you need to hide them from others until you reach the ck stage. You can also not pass these battle technique arts to anyone else other than our children." Lia said in a serious tone.

    When the white-haired beauty said children she meant Helia''s kid with him since their child would be her children as well.

    "Okay, I understand. Moreover, There isn''t anyone else other than you with whom I would share my treasures or wealth with." Rio responded while gazing into her scarlet eyes.

    "Ah... this lovey dovey couple..." The blonde-haired beautyined inwardly.

    "Won''t you give it to Helia who actually going to transfer you the battle technique arts of Thunder elemental affinity?" Lia asked with a smile.

    "Lioness is your sister so she can have it too if she wants," Rio responded in a nonchnt voice.

    Helia barged between them and walked in front of him.

    She spoke to get his attention, "I''ll start transferring the battle technique arts. Are you ready?"

    Rio nodded and watched her adorable face which looked exasperated.

    Helia hovered her slender left hand in the air and pressed her delicate palm on the boy''s forehead.

    She shut down her eyes and a gleaming light moved from her forehead to her hand that entered Rio''s forehead.

    The crimson-haired boy felt a buzzing sensation entering his body through the forehead. This effect stayed for a few seconds and vibrated as it traveled through his body before Lioness removed her left hand.

    A rush of energy flooded into his body along with a string of information imprinting in his consciousness.

    His watch shone with light and started scrolling on its screen at a fast pace.

    This phenomenon was simr to how it urred when Emperor Dn transferred him Devlin''s Skills.

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 Chapter 112 Thunder Enchantment Technique

    A screen floated in front of his eyes, informing him of his newly acquired skills.

    <<<<

    [You have acquired the Thunder Enchantment Technique.]

    [You have acquired (Wave of the Phantom Thunder Strikes) Ancient Battle Technique Art]

    [You have acquired (Obliteration of Heaven) Ancient Battle Technique Art]

    [Thunder Enchantment: infuse your body and attack with the power of thunder.]

    [Wave of the Phantom Thunder Strikes]

    [Grade: A]

    ~ Unleashes the power of thunder, dealing multiple thunder damage in an area.

    Your body will merge into the shadow of your attacks, striking a series of thunder-fused shes to nearby targets at once that deal multiple thunder damages.

    [Obliteration of Heaven]

    [Grade: S]

    ~ Creates a burst of Thunder attack that erge as you charge with thunder energy and explodes after hitting the target, causing destructive thunder damage to all enemies within arge radius.

    Its damaging impact is based on how long the attack has been charged.

    >>>>

    He read the ancient battle technique arts description and felt overwhelmed by the given information.

    "It seems [Obliteration of Heaven] can be used with both of my battle technique arts of space element skill," Rio mumbled.

    "Yeah...but you need to practice with them first. Even a genius can not merge two of his battle technique arts on his first try.

    Although I believe in Husband, but grasping the profound fundamental of these elemental skills are more important. You need to use them in order to understand thempletely.

    Since you have two different elemental affinities it demands you to work harder than others." Lia said with an optimistic voice and advised the boy.

    "Okay, I''ll practice here until I learn how to use both of my elemental battle technique arts together." Rio agreed and turned to look at Helia.

    "You also sent me an additional skill," Rio said to the lioness with an intriguing gaze.

    "Yes, You can use that thunder skill as a recement for mana enchantment. [Thunder Enchantment] is a lot stronger than the simple enchanting method.

    If you use it properly you can crush your opponents in no time but it requires you to be careful of your mana consumption to not run out of it." Helia told him in a nonchnt voice.

    "Thank you, Helia." Rio politely said and expressed his gratitude, bowing his head slightly.

    "You don''t have to mention it," Helia said while feeling a little bit awkward.

    He was the same boy she had tortured several weeks ago in her blind hatred for humans, the same man who looked simr to her big brother Leon, the same annoying fellow for whom she begged her beloved sister in childhood to allow her to get married so they would all live together.

    "I''ll go back now. You should practice here with these new battle technique arts and get familiar with them. Helia will help you to train with them. Take care my two little ones, don''t bicker in my absence." Lia said to Rio and her fierce sister while patting both of their head together with each of her hands.

    She walked out of the oval-shaped building, leaving the duo behind.

    "Seems like our fates are connected even if I don''t want to. Even if we have past conflicts and old grudges we need to keep them aside for her happiness." Helia said to Rio after confirming Lia had left.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I already mentioned earlier I didn''t hold any grudges against you and I wouldn''t do something to make Wifey upset.

    I haven''t told her about your unreasonable past actions so Lia can happily stay with her beloved sister and don''t  have a bitter rtionship because of me." Rio said in a cold voice.

    "Thanks," Helia mumbled as it was hard for her to say this foreign word to someone else other than her sister.

    Rio nodded and walked to the middle of the battle arena to practice.

    Helia watched him use those battle techniques arts one after another.

    He started with the [Wave of the Phantom Thunder Strikes] and practiced it several times before moving to the next battle technique arts that required more of his attention.

    There were many sts around the spacious buildings as the boy yed with [Obliteration of Heaven] battle technique art.

    When his mana drained he sat to the side to rest while Helia gave him a lecture on how he could perfect his synchronization of [Obliteration of Heaven] with space elemental battle technique skills.

    The blonde-haired beauty decided to let him get familiar with another skill that she had given him earlier.

    "You should also try using [Thunder Enchantment] skill." Lioness suggested him.

    Rio cast the [Thunder Enchantment] skill as an electric current flowed around his whole body. His figure was enveloped in lighting and a buzzing sound could be heard.

    He tried moving around the spacious building, his speed was twenty times greaterpared to when he used mana enchantment.

    It was hard to see his figure with naked eyes even Helia needed to enchant her eyesight with mana to track his movement.

    The grasses burned to ashes as he sprinted to test the imposing effect of his new skill. The healing trees helped to recover the damaged grasnd back to normal.

    The duo practiced the whole day before the darkness chased away the sun and night arrived.

    Helia and Rio returned back for the night to rest.

    The next day, when the Lioness arrived she saw a crimson-haired boy already practicing in the battle arena.

    She was impressed by his endurance and consistency to improve.

    A few days passed like that as Rio continuously practiced his newly learned battle technique arts and trained with Helia to understand their profound principles.

    [SnowNote]

    The training phase will end soon and new characters will be introduced.

    These battle technique art skills were important to introduce as this will make the uing battles spicier.

    The harem phase is going to arrive within the next thirty chapters.

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 Chapter 113 Heaven Destroyer!

    A few days passed like that as Rio continuously practiced his newly learned battle technique arts and trained with Helia to understand their profound principles.

    On a fine day, two figures, enveloped in blue light, thunder flickering around their body, were chasing each other in the battle arena.

    The air around them crackled with lightning. Both were using [Thunder Enchantment] which boosted them to have lightning-fast reflexes and moved their body with incredible speed.

    Duo shed with each other in a blur of fast motion, their beast soul swords radiating through the air as they parried their opponent''s attacks and countered one another.

    If there were any spectators It would''ve been difficult for them to see their action with naked eyes as Rio and Helia were too fast, their swords shing together in a blur of lightning.

    Even after using their exceptional speed, neither of them was able tond a determining blow.

    "What the hell...I''m not able to catch him even after increasing my restricted power limit from the peak yellow stage to the intermediate purple stage.

    How is this annoying fellow so formidable just after breaking through to the purple stage?" Lioness cursed inwardly as she was unable to suppress Rio and hit with a decisive strike.

    The blonde-haired beauty had agreed to duel while limiting her strength to the peak yellow stage. For which Rio said she could go up to intermediate purple with her power.

    However, she was having a hard time dodging the blowsing her way from the crimson-haired boy.

    As the battle dragged on, Rio was worried about his mana. He started forming an orb-shaped sphere on his palm while continuing to dodge Helia''s strikes.

    After a few seconds passed the blue sphere became simr to football size.

    The boy''s figure suddenly vanished from Helia''s vision as he appeared twenty meters behind her.

    "Heaven Destroyer!" He yelled and let go of the blue sphere that crackled with lightning.

    It teleported away from his side and appeared right next to Helia, who turned around to look at the small blue sphere. Her fierce eyes were filled with fear and her adorable face darkened.

    ''Ah...Not good.''

    She instantly summoned her armor beast soul as the lioness sensed a big threat from this small-sized blue sphere.

    A red light shone as it spread to envelop her skin along with clothes from head to toe as she was drowned in a beautiful red-stage armor beast soul.

    The lightning sphere of football size grew instantly to a two-meter height that was buzzing like thunder as it swallowed blonde haired beauty figurepletely inside.

    Rio disappeared from his ce and ran away to the corner of the stadium using [Thunder Enchantment] and [Devlin''s Movement Technique].

    *Boom!*

    The ground shook with terrifying vibrations as the battle technique art was detonated.

    A bright blue light illuminated the spacious battle arena, and, a deafening explosion was heard.

    A giant blue sphere with a crackling sound enveloped the ce where Helia was standing.

    The impact of the explosion sent debris flying in all directions with a shockwave creating a terrifying pressure.

    After a few moments passed, the cloud of dust cleared gradually.

    An enormous crater was formed and Helia was hovering in mid-air with her summoned wing beast soul.

    The edges of the hole were crackling with thunder and recovering at a fast pace as healing trees aided it to go back to the original.

    Rio was panting as he kneeled on the floor. He was fully drenched in sweat. The boy had used all his mana in that attack of threebined battle technique art.

    During the fight, He had first cast [Obliteration of Heaven] right before using [Overload Destroyer] which helped him store all the overwhelming energy of his Grade ''S'' battle technique art of thunder element to a football-sized sphere.

    To execute it sessfully he teleported away from his target using [Devlin''s Movement Technique].

    In end, he threw his overcharged skill, which he created using all the mana he had, towards Helia while using [Vanishing Strike] which caused it to appear right in front of Lioness without giving her a chance to go out from its location even using her skills.

    The blonde-haired beauty flew towards the boy with a grave face and an eye filled with astonishment.

    "I lost." She said with a stiff voice which was mixed with a hint of surprise andnded on the ground.

    "Nah... you''re all fine. I wasn''t able to make a single scratch on you even after using the ultimate Skill that I created by Fusing all three battle technique arts together." Rio said in a tired voice while getting on his foot.

    The healing trees and [Life Sutra] helped him to recover his mana and stamina faster.

    "You don''t understand how you forced me to use a red-stage armored beast soul. If I didn''t I might''ve got injured.

    So technically if I was really a purple stage warrior even at the peak I would''ve died just now. That''s the reason I''m saying I lost." Helia said as she epted her defeat.

    "It would''ve been better if I could defeat you at your full strength," Rio responded in a disappointed voice.

    "Why are you eager to defeat me at my full strength?" She narrowed her eyes.

    "In starting days of training when I first arrived here, you had kicked my ass a lot. I''m going to take back all the amount with interest when I''m at the same level as you." Rio spoke in a nonchnt voice as if he was telling about a great ambition he had set up for his bright future.

    "..." Helia was speechless by his words.

    After a few minutes passed, She asked in an annoyed tone, "So you want to kick my ass after bing stronger?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yeah, why not," Rio said with an unperturbed face.

    "Stupid..." She hissed at him and walked away from the battle arena.

    A tinge of redness was flickering around her delicate cheeks.

    If it wasn''t for Lia she would''ve beaten him to a pulp but what he said made sense.

    "I think I really overdid at that time by hurting this annoying fellow''s chubby butt." Helia sighed with a hint of sarcasm as she exited the oval-shaped building, finding it funny in her heart that she hurt his ass unintentionally.

    ? She was unreasonable to kick him on his butt during their training even after finding he was Lia''s husband. Helia did it because she was mad at Emperor and took it out on Rio as she was giving him proper training.

    Lioness never thought this annoying fellow would hold grudges for hitting his butt rather than wounding him with daggers on their first day.

    Helia went back to her room at the castle to get freshened up.

    The boy also returned to the Empress Vi and went to take a good shower to soothe his tired body before returning to his bedroom.

    "Rio, Do you mind if Heliaes to live in the room beside us?" Lia asked as she came back from outside.

    "Why would I mind? Although... I was wondering why these two rooms on the second floor were always close." Rio said with an intriguing tone.

    "Oh that...I should''ve told you about this earlier. I had initially built one for her and a second for you but she usually stayed in her room at the castle and didn''t bother living here.

    After you told her about the future she is worrying more about me and wanted to be by my side whenever she was not on a mission.

    Helia had already lost big brother Leon so she is obsessed with me and my safety." Lia exined with a heavy emotion-filled voice.

    "That''s understandable. However, I don''t need a room." Rio responded to her.

    "Why?" White-haired beauty asked with puzzlement.

    "Because this is my room." The boy said while jumping onto the king-sized bed as his body fell over it.

    "You can''t say my room. At least call it ours." Lia retaliated with puffed cheeks as if he was unreasonable to forget his beautiful wife.

    "Nah. This bedroom is mine. I''m the sovereign of this whole bed." He said with a yful voice, teasing his girl intentionally.

    "If it''s yours then what about me who actually lives here," Lia asked with intrigued eyes while crossing her hands.

    She wanted to know what he would answer as the white-haired beauty didn''t mind giving everything that belonged to herself to her dear husband.

    "You''re also mine." Rio gave a smooth response, which brought a bright smile to Lia''s adorable face.

    "Ah...you''re getting a glib tongue. That N girl is teaching you bad things." Liained with a smile and climbed onto the bed.

    Sheid down over his body and wrapped her hands around his neck, using him as her own bed.

    "That reminds me I have to return back tomorrow for ss," Rio mumbled while looking at the girl whose plumpy melons were pressed on his chest.

    "I don''t like your school," Lia responded in a bitter tone while cing her head on his chest.

    "I wish I could bring you to earth." Rio sighed.

    "I''ll solve that problem, partner. Just provide me enough beast cores." Eve''s voice sounded in his mind, causing him to scrunch his brows.

    "How would you fix it?" Rio asked in his thoughts.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote](for Non-Privilege Readers)

    Happy New Year, Everyone.

    Hope you guys have a beautiful year ahead and if possible you continue to support Our Asura Empress.

    Thanks for staying with the book this far.

    P.S. I''ll bete with my uing chapters as I have to prepare for the first day of the new year.

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 Chapter 114 Can I Come After Youre Married?

    ?"It''s a secret and a surprise. I won''t tell you now." Orange-red-haired beauty responded to him in his mind.

    Rio was wondering how she would find a way to fix this issue but he could only wait until he acquire enough yellow and purple stage cores to give her.

    He felt the hair rubbing against his jaw and focused on the beauty in his embrace.

    "Is your world simr to ours?" Lia asked in a questioning tone.

    "It''s amusing that I haven''t seen any city or ce in the Shamor Empire except the castle," Rio mumbled inwardly in a sarcastic manner as he thought about her questions.

    He ruffled her white silky hair and spoke, "You can say our world has many skyscraper buildings and we also use electric cars for traveling."

    Rio started telling Lia about the earth and how it was to be living there. He also told her about the peaceful earth before the Dhovrix had invaded them.

    The duo enjoyed each other''s hug as theyy down on the king-sized bed while talking to one another.

    The white-haired beauty was happy using Rio''s chest as her pillow while the boy enjoyed the feeling of being the bed of the most ravishing girl as she was literallyying down on his body.

    Approaching footsteps sounded which alerted Lia to sit up and turn her head to look at who hade.

    A blonde-haired beauty was standing at the door with her mouth agape as Lia had sat on Rio''s waist when the lioness had reached the door.

    "Ah....." Helia withdrew instantly after leaving a low embarrassed voice.

    ''What did I see...I should not havee. I should not havee.''

    She screamed inwardly and ran away from the wild scene spot.

    Lia tried climbing out of bed in hurry to stop her sister so Lioness wouldn''t think wrongly about their intimate position but a hand grabbed her curvaceous waist and coiled his strong hands around her back.

    "Let me go, Rio. She would misunderstand us." Lia said with a coyish voice.

    "Let''s make the misunderstanding real. What do you say?" Rio whispered to her as he also sat on the bed while Lia''s plumpy buttock was on hisp.

    "Bad Husband," Lia said as her face had a tinge of redness and puffed cheeks.

    "You haven''t even given me my bonus reward. Didn''t you say I can have them every day?" The crimson-haired boy demanded and stared at her cherry-like lips with his hot gaze.

    "I will give you that before we sleep. Let me go now." Lia spoke with a hurried voice and coaxed her little boy with candy.

    "If you want freedom from the shackles of my love you need to pay up now as well as at night," Rio said as he looked at her fairy-like face that looked adorable from bing bashful.

    "I don''t want to be freed from these shackles ever but here." An unexpected response came from the white-haired beauty who was shy just a few seconds ago.

    She wrapped her hand around his neck tightly and guided his head towards her and bite his lips using hers.

    A fragrance of rose enveloped his senses as he was unprepared and just being yful to tease his beloved wife.

    The white-haired beauty gently kissed his lips and sucked them slowly and gently.

    Rio''s started enjoying the dominating kiss by her and was lost in the blissful sensation of her creamy skin and aromatic rosy fragrance.

    This caused his grip to be light around her waist and let the cute squirrel escape from his prison.

    Lia climbed down from the bed before fixing her clothes with a smile and walked out of the room gracefully to catch Helia.

    ''Ahh...''

    With a defeated sigh, the boy came out of the pleasurable bewilderment as he realized his beautiful wife had already left his confinement.

    Lia walked to the stairs to find the blonde-haired beauty who was sitting downstairs on a couch.

    Her face was beet red from embarrassment as she was feeling guilty for invading the newlywed couple''s privacy.

    "Helia, Can youe up?" Lia asked while she was standing upstairs.

    "I..." Helia was hesitant and didn''t know how to decline it.

    After not being able to find a good excuse she epted her loss and went toward her sister.

    They walked into the bedroom where Rio was sitting in aposed manner while crossing his legs.

    "Sorry, I should''ve asked before entering," Helia said in an embarrassed tone.

    Lia didn''t even think of saying ''we weren''t doing anything like that'' because her virtuous husband was right there on the bed ready to make Heliapletely believe they were definitely doing some wild intimate act.

    Last time the boy had done the same sessfully.

    "Have you brought your stuff to shift?" Lia asked with a questioning look, ignoring her previous wordspletely for not to cause more awkwardness to happen.

    "Yeah I have but now I think I shouldn stay at the castle," Lioness said in a mosquito-like voice as she understood what she may encounter if she became their neighbor.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "You''re alreadyte for that. I''m going to make you shift this time." Lia said to her before leaving her bedroom.

    Helia followed behind and a crimson-haired boy also tagged along without being noticed.

    They entered a simr room that was a little less spacious than Lia''s bedroom.

    It was decorated with fine art as the walls were painted soft, turquoise, and adorned with delicate floral designs. Arge, king-sized bed was ced at the end of the walls, covered in white nkets with piles of soft, fluffy pillows.

    There was a portrait of nature hanging on the wall behind the bed.

    In the right corner of the room, a vanity table was ced with pots of perfumes and bottles of fragrant oils. A 1-meter-sized mirror was set behind it, disying the sweet sisters'' figure who had just arrived.

    To the left side was a couch with a circr table. There was a door to the side that was most likely the attached bathroom.

    "Do you like your bedroom?" Lia asked with a smile.

    "It''s pretty. You even changed the wall color to the one I wanted." Helia said in a delighted tone.

    "It''s not bad. I thought girls liked pink color more." A voice sounded behind them which caused The lioness to deeply frown.

    "Hey, Don''t you know men cannot enter an unmarried girl''s bedroom?" Helia berated Rio with an annoyed voice.

    "So can Ie after you''re married?" Rio asked with a stern face.

    "No, I didn''t mean that," Helia said, her voice feeling as if she was being bullied.

    She remembered if he wasn''t a human then it might have been his bedroom in the future as well. So the word ''can Ie after you''re married'' took her off guard and made her embarrassed.

    "What did you mean then?" The boy asked her with a calm voice as if he was asking a very concerning question.

    "Rio...don''t bully her," Lia said in a peaceful manner.

    "But I wasn''t bullying her I was serious with my question." He said in a nonchnt tone.

    "Let''s go downstairs for our night meal. The dining table hasn''t been used for a while." The white-haired beauty said with a smile and grabbed the hand of her two little children, wrapping hers around them.

    Rio and Helia were dragged out of the bedroom as Lia walked downstairs.

    Although they didn''t resist her but it was a known fact Lia was the second strongest in the castle with her innate talent rank ''S'' that let her reach a greater stage in strength.

    So even if her two beloveds tried to overpower her, joining hands together they wouldn''t able to win since they were no match for her.

    The trio sat on a circr dining table, with Lia in the middle apanied by other two who sat to the left and right side closer to her.

    Yami came with other maids who brought bowls and tes to serve them food.

    These young maids had almost guessed Rio''s status in the castle however they were not allowed to even talk about anything that happened in the empress vi.

    "It''s good to see you Princess that you have apanied Her highness during meal time again," Yami said with a bright smile as she missed seeing the two sisters having their dinner together in recent times.

    "Are you not happy to see this guy with us?" Helia asked while pointing to the annoying fellow.

    "That...ah..." The chief maid didn''t know how to answer her question.

    "He oftenes so it''s not new to see him," Yami mumbled after thinking.

    "In other words, she meant you''re a guest while I''m not. Feel as If you''re at home. We will satisfy you with our good hospitality." Rio spoke in a rxed tone.

    Helia gave him a vicious re as If she would eat him for dinner if Lia wasn''t present.

    Yami started cing the tes on all of them before serving them food, starting from Lia and then Helia.

    Lia saw that Rio noticed the maid''s action so not to let him feel downcast she exchanged his te with hers.

    Even though Rio didn''t mind It but his heartfelt warmth from her affectionate-filled action as these little things showed her immense love towards him.

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 Chapter 115 Second Strongest Person Of Human Race

    ?There were juicy Stir-Fried Moon Catfish with Pickled Ethereal ma and Fried Crescent Buns arranged in big bowls withrge spoons in the middle of the table.

    It was ced on a revolving small tform that could be moved around to pick what you preferred to eat.

    The trio dived into their food, Helia ate the fastest while Rio was the slowest. Lia was the only one who was eating gracefully like a youngdy from a noble family.

    When the boy had only finished one-fourth of his te, the lioness had finishedpletely.

    She filled her te again and continued to fill up her stomach. Her innate talent required her to eat more as she needed more energy.

    After Rio finished the food on his te he gazed at the revolving table.

    There was only one Fried Crescent Bun left in the bowl.

    The boy moved his hand to take it with expectant eyes but another person also grabbed it at the same time.

    "Let it go. I took it first." Lioness said to him.

    "You already have so much on your te why don''t you let me have it," Rio responded while indicating her te which was almost full.

    "That''s none of your business. Now release your grip." Helia said, ring at him.

    The blonde-haired girl had stopped being nice to him in front of Lia after he had revealed his secret to her and trusted her.

    Because that day they had already argued in from of Lia and it was not normal for these two to bicker around her.

    "Eating too much isn''t healthy for the body. You already have a well-proportioned figure. Just bring a little more gentleness in your behavior and you would find a great husband." Rio said andforted her with his kind words.

    "I''m good how I''m. You don''t have to give me your lecture. " Helia said, her voice filled with annoyance.

    "I just feel bad for your future husband who would be unfortunate to handle you if you didn''t reduce this aggressiveness of yours. Dear Heaven, please bless him and give him the strength to be with the lioness." Rio sighed and prayed to higher beings.

    "You!!!...." Helia yelled at him as he was making fun of her.

    She forcefully snatched the Fried Crescent Buns from his hand as she was exasperated by his sarcasticment.

    Lia, who was chewing her food while enjoying the duo''s bickering, almost choked on her food hearing Rio''s words, and grabbed a ss of water to drink.

    "Are you alright?" He asked, his face was filled with a worried expression.

    "Yes, I''m okay," Lia said and took a heavy breath to calm down.

    She thought inwardly, "What would be his reaction after discovering that he is the husband that he is praying for and needs strength to tame his lioness in the future? Hope they get along and not fight like 5-year-old kids."

    The bowls were emptied as the trio finished their meal.

    Rio ate the least while Helia ate the most, double the amount that the couple''s total consumed meal amount was.

    They returned to their bedrooms to sleep for the night.

    Rio forgot to ask for the bonus kisses as the love birds hugged each other to sleep.

    The next day Rio spent time with his beloved Wifey as his training was sessfullypleted.

    The main goal of the training was to get familiar with his newly acquired battle technique arts but Rio had even learned the fusion between three battle technique arts which was more than what he was told by Lia.

    In the night, after they had their dinner together Lia came to see him off as he had to return today for his Theory ss.

    Rio used the portal capsule at Castle to return back to earth.

    He opened the bedroom door and checked his phone for notification.

    There were five missed calls from Second Mother.

    He tapped the screen and called her contact number.

    The phone rang a few times and then It connected as the person received it.

    "Rio... Where were you?" A worried feminine voice sounded from the other side.

    "Sorry... I was busy with my training in the wilderness." The boy responded as he thought of an excuse that was almost close to the truth.

    "The people at the yellow tower of the outcast shelter said they haven''t seen you recently. I even asked Henry, he said the same you haven''t been to the shelter recently.

    I was worried that something happened to my little child."Second mother spoke in a tender manner.

    Henry Doyle was superior in the charge of the Yellow stage shelter of the Outcast that was under the Wilson family.

    Aliyah Havenglow had asked Henry directly when she heard the news of Rio had not been noticed nearby the shelter recently. His ssmate had made a report that he hadn''t seen Rio and was looking for him.

    "No, I was just training and hunting far away in the mountains so didn''t get much time to return to the shelter. I''ll be going to purple tower soon." Rio said to her as he had nned to upgrade his current location to a higher level one.

    Lia had told him to stay away from shelter missions for a while so he needed to relocate to a new ce where he could get stronger.

    The region of the outcast''s yellow tower didn''t have the purple stage beasts so he was nning for his journey to the purple tower of the outcast.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Oh... you have reached the purple stage?" Aliyah asked with an intriguing tone to confirm as she understood the meaning behind his words.

    "Yeah." The crimson-haired boy mumbled.

    "That''s kind of fast, Rio. It is hard to reach the purple stage in a couple of weeks on your own. Now that I think of...It does make sense why you weren''t seen in the yellow tower of the outcast shelter in recent days.

    My child was busy training and battling wild beasts. But you shouldn''t tire yourself excessively and get a good rest every day."

    Second Mother said in a surprised tone that went to be dotting in the end as she was concerned for him.

    "Mm.." Rio mumbled.

    "Ah...You keep reminding me of your parents." Aliyah said with a happy voice that was filled with nostalgic emotions.

    "Just parents?? Not you?" He asked with a mysterious glint in his eyes which couldn''t be seen by the second mother since they were talking on the phone.

    Rio had some doubts in his heart, which became stronger after Eve''s trial.

    "Yeah. You remind me of myself too. But I would sound Arrogant if I praise myself." She responded in a sweet voice.

    "Second Mother, I have a ss soon. So let''s talkter." He said in a nonchnt tone.

    "What did you call me?" Her astonished voice resounded on the phone speaker.

    "Second Mother?" He repeated once again.

    "I thought you would only call me that after finding out what rtionship I have with your parents. But I''m very happy that you epted me as your Second Mother." A heavy emotion-filled voice resounded from the phone.

    On the other side, the blue-haired woman had moist eyes. She was crying because her child called her ''Second Mother.''

    Only she knew how she waited around Rio''s mother when he was in her womb. She treasured Rio''s mother the most in her life.

    Aliyah was extremely in agony when his mother passed away. Not only that but the unborn child that she cherished went missing along with his parents.

    Aliyah tried to search for him everywhere but couldn''t find him for sixteen years and when she finally found him, she was helpless to not tell him the truth about who she was to him.

    Such a tragic story that shattered her delicate heart into pieces.

    The blue-haired woman was shedding tears of joy because her young son finally epted her in his heart.

    Rio heard her emotional voice and decided tofort her by telling the truth, "I had my doubts about you but I believed your motherly love towards me wasn''t fake.

    People would call me dumb for trusting you that day and not questioning the reality of the things you told me.

    However, these heartless people don''t understand that eyes don''t lie and it can not deceive. Motherly affection can not be faked.

    Why would the second strongest person of the human race shed tears for a nobody without a reason?

    If you had any bad intentions for me you could''ve crushed me like an insect easily. It''s not like I''m from one of the seven silver families whom you adopted. At the end of the day, I was a nobody who couldn''t give you anything."

    His voice was unwavering as he told her his thoughts from the day she told him the truth about his parents.

    Although he didn''t have evidence to back up his guesses but now the boy had more than enough after going through Eve''s Trial.

    His second mother loved him more than that adopted grandfather of his. Her affection even kept Lia''s love thirty percent above the ground which shows she loved him a lot.

    Lia was willing to go against her father so it was understandable why Second Mother''s affection was lost to her. If It was any other normal wife, they would''ve lost to Aliyah''s genuine motherly love.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote](for Privilege Readers)

    Happy New Year, Everyone.

    Hope you guys have a beautiful year ahead and if possible you continue to support Our Asura Empress.

    Thanks for staying with the book this far.

    P.S. I''ll bete with my uing chapters as I have to prepare for the first day of the new year.

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 Chapter 116 The Mystic Eggs

    "You have taken off a burden from my heart. I''m so thankful to you, my child." Aliyah said in a delighted tone, wiping tears from her cheeks but the droplets were keeping down from her eyes.

    "I would''ve talked more but I am gettingte for my theory ss. Let''s talkter." The boy checked the time and noticed he had to hurry for Teacher Milena''s ss.

    Although he felt bad for Second Mother but he had to go now or he would bete.

    "Okay, take care little Rio. Your mother loves you." Aliyah said in a dotting tone and the call disconnected.

    He sighed and put the phone in his pocket.

    Rio walked out of the apartment to go towards the teaching building.

    The sun was shining brightly in the clear blue sky, casting a warm glow over the entire Golden Seal Military School Campus.

    The birds were chirping, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of aromatic flowers.

    Rio entered the room for section A of the First Year and took his preferred seat in thest row.

    Soon, A ravishingdy entered the ss who was wearing an elegant cyan dress.

    Teacher Milena gazed at all her students and spoke, "Hello everyone, I hope you had a good week living in thend of Asura.

    In Today''s ss, you will learn about the tier of beasts. As many of you may already know that the beast at each stage is categorized into three types which are Normal Beast, Mutated Beast, and King Beast.

    In a territory of a shelter, you will find around sixty percent of the normal beast, thirty percent of the Mutated beast, and the remaining are the king beast.

    But there exists one more tier above these three at each stage which is very difficult to find.

    They are called lord beasts, which are a few in number. These are hidden all around in thend of Asura and you will have a hard time finding their location.

    But somehow If you encounter them while you''re hunting alone then Don''t think twice before running away to save your life.

    Even a group getspletely wiped out by a lord beast if theye across one.

    These beasts can defeat someone a level higher than themselves. A yellow lord beast may possibly defeat a king-tier purple beast. That''s how strong they are." Milena exined to the students, telling them the magnificence of the Lord Beast.

    All the students were filled with curiosity and different questions as they heard about it.

    Talia Mailon and the girl from the Wilson family had their face enveloped in puzzlement as this was a piece of new information to them.

    Even Rio, who was taught by emperor Dn, had scrunched his brows.

    "But teacher how would we know it''s a lord-tier beast if we''ve never seen one before?" One of the girls from the mid-row asked as the students weren''t aware of these beasts.

    "The lord beast has a special feature about themselves that is a star mark engraved on their forehead. It glimmers in the same color as its core. This would help you to recognize them easily.

    However, if you n to take down these beasts make sure to have good team members whose stats aren''t bad and have high-tier beast souls." She responded in aposed manner, alerting them to their future adventures.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Why would anyone in their right mind try to go after such a deadly beast who can even defeat someone at a rank higher than themselves." One of the students said in a sarcastic tone from behind.

    Teacher Milena gazed at the boy who hadmented and responded, "Because once you kill a lord beast, it drops a mystic egg that you can hatch to receive something precious. It can be a skill, a beast soul, or even a pet. we haven''t discovered what else lord beasts can give.

    This is also the reason why big families are always in search of these lord beasts which are very famous in thend of asura.

    Once you get a mystic egg, you can sell it for a big fortune to any of the seven silver sword family but it is better to use it for ourselves."

    The lecture continued for an hour after which the ss ended.

    After teacher Milena left, Rio also prepared to leave and return back to his apartment.

    As he came out of the teaching building, rushed footsteps approached him.

    "Hey, Rio..." Someone called him from behind that causing him to halt his steps and turn around.

    A sixteen years old boy was standing there, giving him a bright smile.

    He had ck hair that was stylishlybed toward the back. He was above average in appearance with a height of 176 centimeters which was shorter than Rio.

    Hisrge blue eyes were filled with hesitation as he looked at Rio.

    "What?" The crimson-haired boy asked with a stiff voice.

    "I''m Lucas from the Vernize family. I''m in the same ss as you. I heard your registered shelter is also at the yellow tower of outcast which is the same as mine." The newly arrived boy said in an outgoing manner.

    "And?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows, asking him to not beat around the bush and tell why he approached him.

    "I saw you defeated Talia easily in the duel so maybe you''re already at the purple stage. I have also recently reached the next stage and wanted to go to the purple tower of Outcasts.

    So I was wondering if you wanna join me in the journey to the next shelter since we are both at the purple stage and need to relocate to a high-level territory?" He asked with expectant eyes, a nervousness was flickering in his voice.

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 Chapter 117 Sexy Older Sister

    Rio thought inwardly, "Second Mother was saying that Henry Doyle hasn''t seen me nearby shelter and Lia also wants me to stay away from missions. It''s not a bad idea to join him since I''m not familiar with the purple tower."

    Seeing the crimson-haired boy contemting his choices, Lucas misinterpreted and said, "I think that you don''t wannae with me on a trip to the purple tower of the outcast who is infamous for his bad luck and known as the child of misfortune.

    Where ever I go I bring danger. I can understand if I apany you, you may face bad luck too so you wouldn''t wanna join me. Sorry for wasting your time..."

    His voice was filled with disappointment and grief as he turned around to leave.

    "Hey wait..." Rio''s voice sounded behind him.

    Lucas looked back with curious eyes, waiting for him toplete his sentence.

    "I''lle with you. Let''s meet at the yellow tower of the outcast shelter in two hours." Rio said in a nonchnt voice.

    "Will you really join me?" He said in a delighted tone that was mixed with a surprised expression.

    "Yes." The crimson-haired boy resounded.

    "Thank you, Brother. I''ll wait for you at the Yellow Tower of the outcast shelter." Lucas said with a bright smile.

    Rio nodded in agreement and they bid farewell to each other.

    He returned to his apartment and checked his phone onest time before casting [Astral Recall].

    A light enveloped his body as he was sent to his bedroom in the Empress Vi.

    Lia was asleep on the king-sized bed hugging a pillow.

    Rio didn''t disturb her and silently came out of the Empress Vi.

    The full moon shone brightly in the clear dark sky among the glimmering stars, casting a soft glow over the castle.

    A lone figure marched towards the Teleporter tower to go for his next destination.

    Inside the Tower, Asura warriors were still awake. Rio had already changed into his blonde-haired get-up.

    He asked for a [Teleport Glyph] to the Mist Born shelter as it was close to the yellow tower of the Outcast.

    Rio entered the room with the ascended tform and tore apart the Glyph before vanishing into the space rift.

    At the Mistborn shelter region, He hunted yellow stage beasts along the way and gave Eve a total of twenty yellow beasts.

    He especially searched for the yellow stage beasts around the river''s edge to finish his mission.

    Afterpleting his task halfway, he sped towards the Yellow Tower of the Outcast using Thunder Enchantment which increased his speed a lotpared to before.

    As he reached the Shelter, he deactivated his [Ancient Disguise] and [Thunder Enchantment].

    Rio could see a boy standing outside the yellow tower, waiting for someone. The illuminating stones around the shelter brightened his figure from the distance.

    He used mana enchantment and ran towards the shelter and inspected him using [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [User: Lucas Vernize ]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: B]

    [Root: Purple]

    [MANA: 200]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 20]

    [Yellow: 20]<novelnext></novelnext>

    [Purple: 0]

    >>>>

    ''His innate talent rank isn''t bad.''

    Rio halted his steps right in front of him and Lucas approached him with a happy expression.

    "Who would''ve expected that you would be training in the wilderness while I was busy eating my lunch? No wonder you defeated Talia." Lucas praised Rio with a delighted voice.

    "When can we leave?" Rio asked the main question as he wanted to hurry and go to the purple tower of the outcast.

    "We can leave now. Let''s go, Brother." Lucas said while enchanting his feet with mana.

    Rio andpany bolted towards the purple tower of the outcast.

    The night wasn''t a problem as they had the strength of a peak yellow stage warriors.

    Rio didn''t use [Thunder Enchantment] as Awakening elemental affinity on the purple stage was not possible for others.

    Along the way, many mutated and even King tier beasts appeared which made Rio frown and remember the boy''s words from earlier.

    "Haha...sorry Brother but this is how unlucky I''m. It''s like I''m a monster ma." Lucas said with a bittersweet smile.

    "Don''t worry. This way you would be valuable in hunting beasts. I wouldn''t have to search for monsters." Rio said in a rxed voice as he thought of the positive aspects of teaming up with him.

    Lucas''s eyes filled with surprise as this was the second time someone praised him as valuable and didn''t consider him a burden.

    He felt joyous in his heart and remembered something, "Brother, I forgot to tell you something. At the purple tower, my girlfriend is waiting for me. I am telling you beforehand so you don''t gain feelings for her. She is the prettiest girl in our ss."

    "Why would I?" Rio asked scrunching his eyebrows.

    Lucas ignored his words and continued, "She has a sexy older sister. If you want you can go after her. She is known to be counted as the top beauty of the federation."

    "I''m not interested," Rio responded in a stiff voice.

    "It''s okay Brother. I can understand you don''t wanna open up." Lucas said with his optimistic style.

    The boy kept bbering whenever they stopped to fight a beast.

    Rio farmed a few more cores and beast soul, the former were snatched by Eve in the name of offering even though the twenty core demands had been fulfilled.

    The crimson-haired boy didn''t mind her as he had no use for those yellow stage cores.

    The duo traveled for two hours as the sun was already about toe. The morning arrived in this region of corruptednd before the Shamor Empire.

    They passed the forest and reached a vast expanse of grasnd.

    The grass stretched out to a very far away distance, undting in waves like a green sea which was under the continuous wind.

    Wildflowers of various colors dotted thendscape, making a vibrant scenery of red, blue, and yellow to the verdantndscape. It looked majestic with the glow of morning sunlight.

    At the edge of the grasnd, the terrain appears to rise, forming small hills that eventually gave a path to the jagged peaks of the mountains.

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 Chapter 118 Sophia Wilson

    At the bottom of these mountains was a ce that the duo wanted to reach.

    "Brother we have reached the purple tower of the outcast," Lucas said happily as the purple shelter came into their view.

    It was five times bigger than the yellow shelter.

    The purple tower of the Outcast was a sight to behold. Standing tall and lofty at the bottom of the mountains. The building structure was made of a deep, rich purple stone that was shimmering and changing hue as the light came to it at different angles.

    At the base of the tower, there were four small house structures attached to it, each carved with intricate designs and patterns. A big white metallic gate was in the middle of it to enter the purple tower of the outcast.

    Four young warriors were guarding at the entrance of the shelter.

    The duo sprinted their way to the base of the mountain and halted their speed.

    Lucas approached the guards and said, "Hey I''m Lucas Vernize and this is Rio Havenglow. We havee here to register to the Purple tower of the outcast."

    "Rio Havenglow?" The brown-haired guard mumbled in shock.

    Along with the remaining three warriors, they all turned their heads to stare at the crimson-haired boy with a look of surprise.

    The Havenglow family had too great of a reputation to even ignore their adopted child.

    Rio had received a simr reaction at his previous registered shelter so it wasn''t umon for him.

    "I apologize for not recognizing you. We had received orders from higher-ups that you will being and have to treat you well." The brown hair man spoke to Rio in a polite manner.

    ''Seems like Second Mother already prepared my wee here.''

    Rio felt blessed for having someone who loved him like a dotting mother.

    "What about me?" Lucas asked as he saw he was getting ignored.

    "Lucas? Ah... I forgot. The young miss was saying her two friends areing to register at our purple shelter." The brown-haired man responded, scratching his head in embarrassment.

    The other three guardsughed seeing his reaction.

    "Okay...we are going then," Lucas said with a bitter voice and took the big white metallic gate to enter the Purple tower of the outcast.

    As Rio stepped inside along with the boy, he was greeted by a spacious, open hallway. There were several couches and chairs arranged in clusters around the room, and a tall sculpture stood in the center.

    To the left, was a room that looked to be the reception office. A spiral staircase was in the middle to go upside were numerous rooms were present.

    A familiar pink-haired girl was sitting on a couch, stood up, and walked towards them with a gentle smile as she noticed their arrival.

    She looked to be around 16 years old. Her skin was smooth and fair. Her pink hair was long and straight, falling down to her shoulders. The girl wore a yellow summer dress with a flower design and white shoes.

    Rio inspected his second ssmate with the [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [User: Sophia Wilson]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: B]

    [Root: Purple]

    [MANA: 200]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 56]

    [Yellow: 20]<novelnext></novelnext>

    [Purple: 12]

    >>>>

    ''Who would''ve thought this guy has the Wilson family''s daughter as his girlfriend?''

    Rio read the stats of the girl who was approaching them and felt surprised to find she was from one of the seven silver sword families.

    "Hi...I''m Sophia Wilson." The pink-haired beauty greeted him and waved at them.

    "Hello..." Rio spoke to her.

    "I rarely saw you much on the school campus except for our theory sses so we didn''t get to have much interaction," Sophia said to him as this was their first conversation even being each other''s ssmates.

    "I was busy at Land of Asura and I''m not much of a social person." The crimson-haired boy responded in aposed manner.

    "It''s understandable. Now that you''re at the purple tower of the outcast we can go together on adventures as a team." She said with a gentle smile.

    "Hey...help us register first," Lucas said from the side as his girlfriend was busy talking to Rio.

    "Okay..e with me. Let me assist you to register in this purple shelter and assign you rooms nearby." Saying that Sophia entered the reception office, and the boys followed behind.

    The superior of the outcast''s purple tower was a middle-aged man with a pointy nose and short ck hair.

    He took out a notebook and wrote down their names.

    "Assign their rooms to the two vacant ones nearby mine on the second floor," Sophia instructed the superior.

    "Okay miss." He nodded and added the information to the notebook.

    After finishing the registration, Sophia brought them to the second floor.

    "Pick one of the rooms you guys want. Except for that one as someone already took it." Sophia pointed to the two rooms.

    The boys nodded and infused their mana in one of the rooms.

    Lucas took the one that was right beside Sophia while Rio was pushed to the third which was beside the one which was already picked by someone.

    As they finished iming their room at the shelter, Sophia asked, "Do you guys wanna explore the nearby area and get your first beast soul of the purple stage?"

    The crimson-haired boy raised his eyebrows upon hearing her words.

    "Can''t you transfer your beast soul to him? Since you''re from the seven silver sword family you should have at least a Normal tier beast soul to give him" Rio asked the pink-haired girl with intriguing eyes.

    In thend of asura, people could transfer beast soul to each other if theye into physical contact like how Helia transferred Rio her battle technique arts.

    Although it wasn''t possible when they were on earth but Rio didn''t understand why she wasn''t giving her boyfriend a normal-tier beast soul.

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 Chapter 119 Your Girlfriend

    "He wouldn''t take it even if I want to," Sophia responded to him with a feeble smile.

    Rio turned to look at the ck-haired boy, not understanding why would he refuse such an offer.

    ''I didn''t think he would have such a good character. Better than the many boys I have met before.''

    He started seeing the bbering boy in a new light hearing his response.

    "It''s a man''s pride, Brother. I can''t take advantage of her family background otherwise people will say I love her because of her wealth.

    I want to be stronger on my own." Lucas said while patting his chest proudly, announcing to the world his true manliness glory.

    "In a rtionship, there isn''t such thing. She may have her family behind her but she also has her own wealth and beast souls that she had earned herself.

    If you''re following this path, then tomorrow she can also refuse something good you offered her." Rio said in a serious tone as he didn''t have the same opinion as him.

    This was something that La taught him when he rented his apartment. She bought something for Rio with her money and the boy refused for simr reasons as Lucas.

    This caused her to give him a long lecture that put some sense into him.

    "Don''t say that Brother. She shouldn''t do the same." Lucas said with a bitter tone as he didn''t think about it this way.

    "Rio is right. I''m notpletely dependent on my family. There are beast souls and money I have earned on my own. If you refuse to take them I should also do the same in the future." Sophia said in a nonchnt voice, agreeing with the crimson-haired boy''s logic.

    "Ahhh...Brother what did you do...." Lucas cried out in dejection.

    "You should just ept her affectionate-filled gift. The man surely has their pride but even the lion has to bow down to their lioness being a king of the jungle." Rio spoke in aposed manner.

    "Okay...okay...you guys won..." Lucas said in a defeated tone and surrendered.

    He continued, "This brother of mine turned my gentle girl against me. It''s not been a day since I met you and see what you''ve done."

    Lucas''s words were filled with sarcasm and let Sophia transfer him his first beast soul of the purple stage.

    She gave him normal Armor and a weapon beast soul.

    After they were done transferring, Sophia looked at the due and said, "I''m going to the mountains with a friend to hunt some beast. Do you guys wannae along or rest for a while since you''ve traveled from the yellow tower of the outcast?"

    "I''ll join as I''m always ready if guys aren''t afraid of my monster ma effect," Lucas said in an energetic manner and showed his agreement right away.

    "I prefer to work alone so I hope you guys can excuse me," Rio said in a rxed tone and refused her offer.

    "You should join us. Your girlfriend is the one with whom I''m going to the mountains. Her strength is at the peak of the purple stage. She will be here soon." Sophia spoke to Rio and told him about the friend she mentioned earlier.

    Lucas looked at Rio with a surprised look and remembered how he was giving him suggestions to try on Sophia''s sister.

    "Brother? You have a girlfriend and you didn''t even tell me." He said in a tone that sounded as if he was betrayed.

    ''This guy is fascinating. He is talking as if we know each other for decades.''

    Rio couldn''t understand his easygoing personality.

    "Which girlfriend are you talking about?" The crimson-haired boy asked with puzzlement.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This sentence caused the bbering boy to misinterpret his words and look at him with his mouth agape.

    "Ah...you have more than one girlfriend?" Lucas gave him an astonished gaze.

    "You will find out soon, she should be here," Sophia answered Rio''s question.

    As she finished her sentence, the door of the room beside Rio''s imed one opened and a figure walked out of it.

    A lively expression was shining on her Adorable doll-like face. Her blue bouffant dress was making her look elegant as always.

    "Hey, Rio...it''s been a while. I don''t even see you on the school''s campus" Magenta haired girl greeted him with a delighted voice.

    "Weren''t you at a different shelter?" Rio asked with a questioning gaze.

    "Yeah I was but how do you know?" N asked him in a whisper,ing closer to him so others don''t hear her.

    She continued in a hushed voice, "Does my Rio stalk on me."

    "What are they talking about so secretly," Lucas asked in a puzzled tone to Sophia.

    "Why do you wanna know lovers'' secret conversations?" Sophia asked him.

    Lucas just shrugged to respond to her.

    Rio didn''t answer N''s question and turned to look at Sophia.

    "So will you being with us?" The pink-haired girl asked as she saw him looking at her.

    "If he doesn''t wanna join then I''ll just follow him alone" N responded on his behalf as she had heard their conversation a little earlier.

    ''I didn''t think she woulde to this far shelter for me even after I intentionally hurt her that day. I fear I''ll make her even more upset if shees alone with me. So it''s better I join their group so she doesn''t get to be closer to me.''

    "I''lle with you guys," Rio said, hearing N would follow him if he choose to go solo.

    "Okay, then we should go now," Sophia said and started walking downstairs to leave the purple tower of the outcast.

    Lucas followed behind her while N walked along with Rio, not leaving the chance to apany the person she cherished the most in her heart.

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 Chapter 120 Conspiring An Agonizing Death

    "Hey, let me give you some beast souls since you''ve advanced to the purple stage recently and may not have any higher level one," N said in a thoughtful manner.

    "I don''t need it." He responded and refused her generous offer.

    "Ah...why???...At least take an Armor beast soul it will keep you safe" N said in a requesting tone.

    "I don''t need it," Rio said again in a calm voice.

    "You worry that if I give you my best soul you might gain feelings for me, right?" She asked with an enigmatic expression on her lively face.

    "No...it''s not that. I just want to get them on my own." He spoke to her.

    "Just take this one. When you have got a good beast soul you can also give me some. We are friends after all." N said in a vibrant tone and stood in front of him.

    Rio halted his footsteps and looked at her doll-like adorable face that was decorated with her positive smile.

    She moved her right hand to ce it on Rio''s forehead.

    The crimson-haired boy looked into her green eyes which had a new glint of adoration as if it was filled with a deep love for the person she was gazing at.

    This waspletely different than the first time when he had met her.

    Before she wanted to conquer him for her goals and had a self-seeking glint but now there was only affection in her eyes which was immense.

    Rio considered this girl even a bigger mystery after what happened in the trial of Eve monarch. N''s love had won against his Adopted grandfather.

    ''It''s hard to understand a woman''s heart.''

    He sighed and focused on the task at hand.

    A purple light flowed from her hand toward Rio''s forehead and an AI notification rang in his mind.

    <<<<

    [Beast soul of Purple Stage Mutated Armored Beetle gained.]

    >>>>

    He read the new information about his beast soul and thought, "Sophia gave her boyfriend a normal armor beast soul and this girl is giving me a mutated armor beast soul. Isn''t this too precious for her?"

    N took a step back with a happy smile on her Adorable face while locking her hands behind her back in a graceful manner.

    She turned around to follow Sophia andpany as the Magenta-haired girl feared to annoy her dear sweetheart.

    Sophia andpany went out of the Purple tower of the Outcast. Their destination was the mountains behind the Shelter.

    ***

    At Grand Dew Garden, Golden Seal Academy

    A girl in a ponytail had just entered her apartment and was going to enter the portal capsule when her phone suddenly received a text message.

    *Ding!*

    She raised her eyebrows and walked back to her phone to check it.

    The brown-haired girl tapped the screen and opened the message to read.

    [Rio Havenglow and Your sister have been seen together at the purple tower of the outcast.]<novelnext></novelnext>

    Reading the message, a wicked smile shed on Talia''s face.

    She started fabricating an evil n in her viinous mind.

    ''He should be on earth right now since there was a party at Astor''s family house.''

    The brown-haired girl tapped her phone screen and selected a contact to call.

    It rang a few times before the line was connected.

    "Hey...it''s you... How did you remember me today, Talia?" A boy''s voice sounded from the speaker, he sounded happy receiving a call from the Mailon family''s younger daughter.

    "Ruben, I have to tell you some important news," Talia said with a bitter voice while a Vixen smile was shing on her face as if a malevolent n was cooking in her venomous mind.

    "What is it, Talia?" The boy asked with an intriguing voice.

    "Rio and Sister N are both at Purple tower of the outcast." She said in a serious voice, a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes.

    "Ah...that adopted bastard. How dare he goes near my fiance. If he wasn''t from the Havenglow family I would''ve butchered him Alive" An enraged voice sounded from the speaker.

    Ruben was unpleasant hearing about his future fiance being with another boy at the same shelter. He had heard the rumors recently after Rio had defeated Talia.

    He was very unhappy with what was talk about his future fiance. If not for Havenglow''s family sheltering that damn boy, then he would''ve already beaten him into a pulp.

    Hearing the expected response, the brown-haired girl''s face brightened as her n was going on the right track.

    "I can help you with that. I have some people at the Purple tower of the outcast that may help you track Rio''s location. I''ll also aid you with a beast soul that will guarantee to book his afterlife ticket.

    Just be sure to destroy his AI watch before you use this one-time usable ck-stage beast soul on him. And also you need to find a good opportunity when he is all alone." Talia spoke in a chilly voice as she exined her strategy.

    "Ah...I need to prepare the team members that I can bring to the purple shelter who I can trust. I won''t let that bastard run away." Ruben said, gritting his teeth.

    "Okay, you go to the purple tower of the outcast first. I''ll prepare someone who would give you the beast soul after you reach their shelter." Talia spoke to him.

    "Okay, thank you, Talia. You''re the best sister-inw." Ruben said with a feeble smile and expressed his gratitude towards her via the call.

    "Good luck." Talia bid him farewell as he was preparing to leave for this wicked n.

    After the phone connection disconnected, Talia said with a cold smile, "Rio Havenglow, You were saying I have some screw loose in my head and even called me someone who has a wicked heart.

    Now I''ll prove you right and show you how cruel I am and I''ll make sure you get an agonizing death only befitting a Trash like you."

    "HAHAHAHAHA...."

    A maniacalugh filled the apartment, showing her lunatic behavior.

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 Chapter 121 Shadow Viper Wolf

    The sun was glistening in the sky, and a group of four young warriors made their way up to the winding mountain path.

    Lucas''s eyes were filled with excitement for the hunting with his new team members.

    N was taking a peek at her crush from time to time which Rio could notice easily due to his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    The air was thin and crisp at this height, and the green trees were scarce on the mountainous road, giving a path to rocky cliffs.

    "What beast lives in this region?" Lucas asked the pink-haired beauty who was marching ahead of the team.

    "Shadow Viper Fox," Sophia said with a gentle smile and answered him.

    "And What beast soul it would give us?" He asked while he walked behind her.

    "Its beast soul can be recognized by the beast''s name. It gives a shadow viper shuriken projectile-type weapon. However, it''s a one-time usable weapon. Once you use it, it will disappear from your mind sea but each strike would be very destructive." She exined the usage of beast soul in a rxed voice.

    N and Rio stayed silent as they weren''t as curious as Lucas.

    The Magenta haired girl already researched this area on the inte as she had made ns to visit the purple stage shelter for her sweetheart so she was almost aware of all the nearby regions.

    The path led them higher into the mountains.

    As Rio andpany climbed the top of the mountain, they could see the verdantndscape in front of their eyes

    There was a dense forest nestled in the valley between the peaks. They had to take another winding path to descend into the valley.

    "We have to climb down if we want to hunt the shadow viper fox for the beast souls," Sophia said, turning around to tell her group members while pointing towards the greenndscape below them.

    "Ah...what is this? I thought our destination is on top of the mountain." Lucas said in a disappointed voice as he saw there was a forest down ahead in the valley.

    "Now where has your man''s pride gone?" Rio asked while putting his hands on the jaw and giving him a watchful gaze.

    "What man pride. Even they get tired if they climb such a rough mountain." Lucasined and continued to follow Sophia who had started climbing down the winding path.

    It was understandable why he got tiredpared to others.

    Lucas was recently advanced to the purple stage while the beauties had higher purple stats pointspared to him.

    As for Rio, he had the strength of an intermediate purple stage warrior even though his purple stats points were zero.

    Additionally, he had [Life Sutra] for faster recovery which helped him feel refreshed and vigorous throughout the tedious journey.

    As they reached the foot of the mountain, Sophia gestured her hand to alert them as they all halted their movements.

    "It''s Shadow Viper Fox." She mumbled to tell herrades.

    A fox-like beast was staring at them from behind the trees.

    Its fur was shimmering like silver in the sunlight. It was a small fox-type creature, not bigger than an actual fox from the earth, but its red eyes were filled with a devilish charm.

    There was a purple coiling stripe on his neck, informing everyone that it was a purple stage beast.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The beast decided to attack its enemy and moved through the trees with grace, its paws as if not touching the ground.

    "Leave the beast to me," Sophia said and move towards her target.

    The shadow viper fox beast growled in anger and lunged toward her, its sharp ws glimmered in the sunlight as it attacked the pink-haired girl.

    Sophia was ready for the beast as she summoned an axe-type weapon, that had sharp des with purple handles, and an Armor beast soul, that covered her from head to toe in purple tight clothing.

    Her eyes glinted with resolve as she met the beast''s attack head-on. Sophia easily tanked the beast''s attack with her armor beast soul and struck at it with her axe beast soul.

    Shadow viper fox howled in pain as its body was injured by Sophia''s attack. Blood dripped, staining the ground red, and the beast''s eyes filled with fear as it was nning to retreat.

    "Kill the fox so you can use its beast core," Sophia instructed the boys while her eyes didn''t leave her enemy.

    "Brother you take it. I''ll take the second one." Lucas said with a bright smile.

    "You need it more than me as you get tired easily. So go and make a move." Rio responded to him in a stiff voice.

    "No brother. You should go." He waved his hands in refusal and asked him to get thest hit.

    "Hurry." Sophia''s hurried voice sounded as the beast was about to run away.

    Lucas saw Rio wasn''t making any move so with a defeated sigh he summoned his normal tier purple stage beast soul weapon which was an axe simr to Sophia who had a mutated tier of the same.

    He moved like with agile movements and cleaved the neck of the already half-dead shadow viper fox, sending it to its afterlife journey.

    The beast''s head rolled on the ground before it gave ast painful cry and its headless body copsed on the ground.

    A putrid scent enveloped the surroundings as the beast''s blood was scattered on the ground.

    A purple beast core appeared beside the dead shadow viper fox.

    Lucas bent his knees to take it away from the ground before infusing his mana to absorb his first purple beast core.

    He felt his strength getting a boost as it brought ecstasy to the boy''s face.

    "Did you get the beast soul?" Sophia asked him with some hope as beast soul drop rate wasn''t 100%.

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 Chapter 122 Our Woman Can Build Us A Good House

    "No" Lucas shook his head but he was joyous in the heart to absorb his first purple stage beast core right aftering to New shelter.

    "We might get one as we advance further. The next shadow viper fox would belong to Rio. After that, I''ll take the third one. Then it will be you again." Sophia said in an encouraging tone and decided their order to receive the hunting benefits.

    "And her?" Rio asked as he didn''t hear the lively girl''s name who was keep taking a peek at his handsome face from time to time.

    "N is already at the peak of the purple stage and for some reason doesn''t wanna ascend to the next stage. I think it''s probably her love for purple color." Sophia spoke in a gentle manner and spected why the Magenta-haired beauty didn''t desire to advance in strength.

    "Brother, you''re a very caring partner. You spoke up when you didn''t hear your girlfriend''s name." Lucas said with a happy smile.

    ''Not ascending to the next stage because she loves purple?''

    It was bing more difficult for Rio to understand N the more time he spend around her.

    ''Yeeeee...my Rio cares about me...''

    In the side, N''s heart fluttered with bliss and felt a warmth that the crimson-haired boy cared for him. If she was alone she would have danced or jumped with joy to express her happiness.

    She was being shy right now because there were others present and the Magenta haired girl didn''t want to cause trouble for Rio intentionally.

    It was different when they were alone as there she could tease him all she wants.

    After killing the shadow viper fox they continued their journey and entered the dense forest situated in the valley between the two hills.

    The forest was vibrant with the sound of rustling leaves and the chirping of birds. The enormous trees went up to a good height towards the sky, their branches interweaving to form a leafy shade above.

    Sunlight came through the leaves small gaps, speckling the forest ground in dazzling light. A cool breeze blew through the trees, bringing its refreshing scent of leaves and earth.

    Sophia andpany continued their way deeper into the forest.

    Along the path, they encountered eleven shadow viper foxes, which Sophia helped to injure all of them and only killed three of them as per the decision they made earlier.

    Lucas and Rio, each took four purple stage beasts, giving the killing blow and receiving the core as well as a few beast souls of the purple stage beast.

    Killing four shadow viper foxes granted Rio two normal tier shadow viper shuriken beast souls and four beast cores which gave him two purple stats points, around 0.5 each.

    N didn''t make a move as they were all normal tier shadow viper foxes while Rio preferred to not stain his hands to get the spotlight as long as it was possible.

    "I got another shadow viper beast soul just with thatst beast we killed," Lucas said, summoning a projectile weapon.

    The beast''s soul was flickering purple as if ready to take away its target life. The shadow viper shuriken was a throwing weapon in a simr shape to a star with projecting des on four sides.

    N andpany continued their journey moving deeper into the wilderness.

    The forest was peaceful and filled with serenity and didn''t seem to be home to Shadow viper fox.

    The sun was going down on the horizon, casting a warm gleam over the clearing where Rio andpany were standing.

    A small stream of the river flowed nearby, adding to the tranquil atmosphere.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Guys, it''s going to be night soon. I think we should make our camp here tonight." Sophia said after cleaving a shadow viper fox''s neck.

    Seeing the source of water, she decided it to be their camping ce for the night.

    Sophia and her teammates were fighting through the forest all day, so she was d to finally find a good ce to rest as it was getting darker.

    "Okay. Let''s set up our tents here." N said with a smile and gave her agreement.

    "But we don''t have camping material then how?" Lucas asked the Magenta-haired girl in puzzlement.

    "The nature around us is full of treasure. It can give us everything that is required to live a good life in this ce as long as we don''t have to worry about those shadow viper foxes.

    We can use these trees'' branches, shrubs'' leaves, and vines to build our temporary shelter." N said with a vibrant expression and walked towards a tree to pull some vines.

    "Yeah...Brings us branches, leaves, as well as vines and leave rest to us." Sophia said while patting her chest, her two melons shook lightly as she ced her hand, making her look alluring.

    Lucas gulped his saliva at the dazzling sight and turned to look at Rio who was observing their surroundings with a calm face.

    "Brother, let''s get them materials so our woman can build us a good house." He spoke to get Rio''s attention.

    The crimson-haired boy sighed inwardly hearing his absurd statement and went to gather branches.

    Girls started to build their tents in the decided clearing amidst the trees.

    The boys brought branches and twigs to give the girls who created a frame for their temporary shelter as the beauties had experience camping in the wildspared to Rio and Lucas who had recently advanced to the purple stage.

    N weaved them together with vines and leaves to create a sturdy roof while Sophia ced the branches to support it.

    As the structure took shape, N and Sophia started building another.

    Time passed gradually as the two temporary verdant shelters were built.

    "We just need good bedding now," N mumbled while looking at their leafy-made house.

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 Chapter 123 Camping In The Forest

    "There..." Sophia pointed to the fluffy leaves of shrubs and went to collect them.

    Rio and Lucas followed behind to gather leaves along with moss to give N who used it to make bedding for both of the tents.

    "It''s getting dark. We should collect some firewood to make a campfire" Sophia to suggested her teammates.

    "Won''t it attract the beasts?" Rio asked as he thought it was a bad idea.

    "It will but how would we cook our game?" She pointed towards the fox body which was put near the root of a tree.

    "Are we gonna eat that?" Lucas asked from the side and scrunched his nose to show his disagreement.

    "That''s what warriors use for food when they camp out in the wild," N answered from the side.

    Rio andpany went around to gather some firewood.

    Sophia set it some distance away from their tent and the boys arranged the ground withfy leaves to sit on.

    The pink-haired beauty lit up the firewood as the campfire crackled and popped.

    N stood over the mes, tending to the meat using a small dagger beast soul as a spit.

    The fox meat sizzled and dripped in the fire as it was cooked, filling the air with the savory aroma of roasting meat.

    A Magenta haired girl turned the spit slowly, making sure that the meat cooked evenly on all sides.

    "I didn''t think you would know how to cook," Rio mumbled, watching the always-cheerful girl acting in aposed manner on their trip here.

    "If I didn''t learn to cook then who would make scrumptious dishes in the future for my Rio." The Magenta haired girl teased him with a smile.

    "You wish..." Rio responded, seeing her true side.

    As the fox meat was almost done, she asked the pink-haired girl, "do you have any spices with you?"

    "Yeah, one second," Sophia took out a pouch from her small bag and handed it to N.

    The Magenta-haired beauty took the small pouch of spices, carefully sprinkling them over the sizzling meat.

    Rio, Lucas, and Sophia sat around the campfire, their mouths watering in anticipation as N meticulously removed the meat from the mes.

    She presented the cooked fox meat to Rio first, wrapping it around the leaf.

    He took it without refusing as the boy was aware of why she gave him first.

    Lucas gave him a wink as this happened and Sophia elbowed her boyfriend to not be yful.

    Some minutester, N gave the cooked meat to her other two teammates, who devoured it hungrily, savoring the juicy, vorsome meat.

    Finishing thest one, N came with her portion of cooked meat to sit beside Rio and savor the grilled food.

    The fire cast a warm glow over their faces, and they enjoyed eating their food in the midst of the forest.

    As the food finished, they talked a little before deciding to go to their beds, but the problem was who would guard them and in which tent they would sleep.

    "How are we going to sleep?" Lucas asked as he looked at his teammates.

    "One will guard and rest will sleep," Sophia answered him.

    "Are we going to sleep with our pair or by gender discrimination?" Lucas questioned with a shameless smile.

    "No...I''ll sleep with N in that tent while you and Rio will sleep in the other one. But each of us has to keep switching with the person who guards every four hours so we all can get enough sleep." Sophia responded.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I''ll take the first order and guard tonight," Rio said bing the first one to volunteer.

    "Okay, then I''ll go second then Lucas and N," Sophia said before going into her verdant tent.

    "Good Night, Brother." Lucas also went into the second one.

    The Magenta haired girl didn''t move and stayed with him.

    "Don''t you wanna sleep?" Rio asked her as she was sitting close to him.

    "I would rather spend time with you even if it''s just watching you," N said in a tender voice.

    Lucas and Sophia gave them a happy look before they closed their eyes to sleep as their time to guard woulde next.

    "You should sleep." He said to her in a calm voice.

    She gazed at her handsome face and said with a smile, "Okay."

    Nid down beside him and put her head on his outer thigh to use it as a pillow while grabbing his hand to wrap around her neck.

    With a smile, she closed her eyes to go into the wondend.

    Rio watched her brazenly take the lead to use him as a pillow without even his permission.

    ''Since you''ve been so well-behaved all this journey I''ll shut my eyes for this one time.''

    He enjoyed the gentle rustling of the trees and the distant hoot of an owl.

    "Hey, Wifey...you''re awake?" He asked in his thoughts.

    "Yeah...I can sense you in thend of Asura." Lia said as she could feel him because of Heaven''s blessing.

    "When I went to earth, Second mother said I wasn''t seen by the superior in my registered yellow stage shelter so I came here with my ssmates." Rio narrated his journey to Lia and told her about his little adventure.

    "When will you being back?" She asked in an expectant tone.

    "Tomorrow or maybe the day after tomorrow. Not sure how long it will take." The crimson-haired boy said in his thought.

    Rio gazed at the moon that was visible from the gaps of leaves in the canopy made by tree branches in the forest.

    The love birds talked as the night be deeper. N slept peacefully using his outer thigh as a pillow.

    Rio talked to Lia using telepathy under the starry night as he guarded the campsite.

    He didn''t bother waking anyone up to switch ces as the young couple enjoyed their conversation throughout the night.

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 Chapter 124 You Fought Well, Sister-In-Law

    Rio talked to Lia using telepathy under the starry night as he guarded the campsite.

    He didn''t bother waking anyone up to switch ces as the young couple enjoyed their conversation throughout the night.

    It was only an hour left for the sunrise when in the distance some small figures moved like a watchful predator.

    Rio used his [Heaven''s Eyes] on the sluggishly moving figure that was a hundred meters away.

    <<<<

    [Name: Normal Shadow Viper Fox]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: Purple Stage]

    [MANA: 300]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 57]

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 9]

    [Beast Soul: Projectile]

    >>>>

    ''Not good.''

    "We are surrounded." He said in a hushed voice and patted N''s cheeks.

    N was joyous that he patted her cheeks to wake her up she rubbed her eyes before standing up to watch the direction in which Rio was had his eyes glued.

    N woke up Sophia who then brought Lucas out of his dream.

    "Did theye to prove the brilliance of my misfortune?" Lucas said sarcastically,ing out of the tent.

    *Rustle!* *Rustle!*

    As the purple stage beast saw their prey making movements, they decided to reveal themselves and take action.

    Shadow viper foxes starteding out from different sides as they appeared from behind bushes and trees.

    "We can''t take them all on at once, We need to split up and take them out one by one," N said and took the role of a leader. There wasn''t any lively expression on her face like before.

    Sophia and Lucas nodded, before summoning their purple stage Axe and Armor beast souls that glinted in the moonlight.

    The pink-haired girl took the side with normal monsters while N stood on the other side with shadow viper foxes that had better built than others.

    Rio used his [Heaven''s Eyes] on the bigger beasts that the Magenta-haired beauty was facing.

    <<<<

    [Name: Mutated Shadow Viper Fox]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: Purple Stage]

    [MANA: 300]

    [Physical Power: 13 + 63]

    [Innate stats: 13]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 11]

    [Beast Soul: Projectile]

    >>>>

    <<<<

    [Name: King Shadow Viper Fox]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: Purple Stage]

    [MANA: 300]<novelnext></novelnext>

    [Physical Power: 18 + 78]

    [Innate stats: 18]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 16]

    [Beast Soul: Projectile]

    >>>>

    ''The king tier beast has 88 Physical Power...it''s a little less than my total stats points with the aid of [Devlin''s Might]''

    Rio estimated his standing in this battle as he inspected the shadow viper foxes.

    N hovered her right hand to the side to summon her Spear beast soul which was longer than her height. The purple stripes at its triangr head with thorny edges flickered in the moonlight.

    She moved towards the beasts as her weapon danced in her hands, The girl revolved it from one hand to other.

    The yellow me,ing out from the tip of the Spear, danced and swirled around her body in a manner to threaten her enemies.

    When it was just a meter away, she attacked with her Spear and a high lunge went toward the beast who had jumped on her.

    A Spear covered in scorching me prated the shadow viper fox''s neck that burned the flesh making a crispy sound.

    Blood gushed out instantly with the smoke caused by the me, making the beast howled in pain before it staggered on the ground and fell to eternal slumber.

    N took out her Spear from the beast''s neck instantly and moved to the next target.

    Sophia was also in the midst of shadow viper foxes with her axe as she sliced through the throat of one fox, then spun around to face another.

    The foxes squealed in pain and scattered around as the de of the axe injured their body, but the beasts quickly regrouped,unching their body at Sophia with enraged ferocity.

    She dodged them and weaved between the wolves, her axe a blur as she cleaved their neck down left and right.

    Lucas was having the easiest time as most beasts were handled by the girls.

    He was fighting from the safest ce along with Rio.

    One of the foxes lunged at Lucas, but Rio cut the beast''s head from their body using his new purple stage Silver-Bloom king sword.

    "You should be careful," Rio warned him.

    "Thanks, Brother." The bbering boy showed his gratitude as he continued to fight.

    The crimson-haired boy meticulously watched his teammates'' safety while shing at the wolves from time to time as if taking a tour of Lia''s garden.

    The pack of foxes howled in anger at the fatal attacks and, their sharp teeth bared as they encircled Rio andpany.

    The four of them fought with fierce determination. They took down fox after fox, their weapon moving with precision and grace.

    Despite the great number, most beasts were losing the battle to N''s domineering power.

    The shadow viper foxes began to fall one by one under the relentless onught of her zing spear.

    Sophia and the boys also killed the beasts one after another with their unwavering resolve. Their de became shing strikes as they fended off the Purple Stage beasts.

    Finally, with a mighty blow, the Magenta-haired girl dispatched thest of the foxes, a victorious smile shing on her face, waiting for her boy to praise her for her great might.

    "Good job." He patted her head while walking to take the beast cores from the ground of the beasts he killed.

    "You fought well, Sister-inw." Lucas gave a thumbs up, making the young maiden face beet red.

    Rio''s eyes twitched hearing his statement and almost tripped on the ground.

    "Before I had to handle just one person now it''s two." The crimson-haired boy sighed inwardly.

    Blood and beasts'' organs were scattered all around them. A rancid smell of blood was flowing in the air as it caused unpleasantness to stay around the campsite.

    Their tents were both destroyed because of the battle with Shadow viper foxes.

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 Chapter 125 Savored The Warm Lips, Tasted Like Red Wine

    Rio looked at the notifications in front of his eyes.

    <<<<

    [Purple Stage Normal Shadow Viper Fox killed. Absorb the core of the normal Shadow Viper Fox to gain zero to one yellow stats points randomly.]

    [Purple Stage Mutated Shadow Viper Fox killed. Absorb the core of the normal Shadow Viper Fox to gain one to four yellow stats points randomly.]

    ...

    ...

    [Beast soul of Purple-Stage Normal Shadow Viper Fox gained.]

    [Beast soul of Purple-Stage Normal Shadow Viper Fox gained.]

    ...

    ...

    >>>>

    These messages confirmed that he had killed the most normal Stage Purple beast since N was taking care of the king and mutated tier Shadow Viper beast.

    In case a few came from another side it was easily dealt with by him.

    Lucas barely got any kills since his strength was not that high and it wasn''t a situation where Sophia or his teammates would be able to offer him thest hit so he could get the purple cores or beast souls.

    They needed to finish the battle as soon as possible because more beasts could''vee their way due to the scent of rancid blood in the air.

    A total of four Normal Stage Shadow Viper Shuriken beast soul was gained by Rio and he collected seven beast cores, five normal and two mutated.

    He injected his mana into the purple cores and the AI announced the boosting numbers of his purple stats points.

    <<<<

    [Core of Purple Stage Mutated Shadow Viper Fox absorbed. 3 Purple Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Purple Stage Mutated Shadow Viper Fox absorbed. 2 Purple Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Purple Stage Normal Shadow Viper Fox absorbed. 1 Purple Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Purple Stage Normal Shadow Viper Fox absorbed. 0.5 Purple Stats points gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    >>>>

    Absorbing these Shadow Viper Fox cores gave him 8 stats points, making it reach a total of 10.

    "Everyone is stained in blood but you''re all clean and don''t even have a drop of blood. How did you do that, Brother?" Lucas asked in a surprised tone, looking at Rio who was busy reading the stats points.

    Because of his Heaven''s Eyes and higher physical points and mana, he was privileged to have a faster reaction time than others.

    He was even able to see the droplets of blood that were going to fall on his teammates'' bodies.

    "Rio..." N gazed at the crimson-haired boy with a lively smile as if she was cooking a mischievous n.

    "Don''t even think about that," Rio warned her as he understood what she was scheming.

    N started walking in his direction slowly while her hands were spread with a devilish charm on her adorable doll-like face.

    Rio started moving backward while looking in her direction. He said, "No...N...don''t...don''te closer..."

    His clothes were all clean plus he didn''t want to be tainted in blood so he tried to convince her to spare him.

    "Come on Sister-inw. Dye him with the same color as us." Lucas cheered from the side.

    "Yeah...N...go for it." Even Sophia was supporting her.

    N chased Rio as he started moving away from the campsite.

    Their movement gained speed as they first ran normally but soon N started using mana enchantment strength.

    This caused Rio to also implement his mana to boost his foot.

    The sunrise had already happening right now.

    "We should follow them before they go far away." Sophia urged Lucas as they also sprinted in the direction of the duo.

    The group of four left behind the battleground that was scattered with shadow viper foxes'' corpses and enveloped with rancid blood.

    The sun began to rise over the horizon, Rio andpany leaped through the dew-covered grass of the forest,

    The forest was awash in golden light, the radiance of the rising sun filtered through the leaves of the trees and cast a warm glow over everything.

    The air was fresh and clean, the rustle of leaves in the gentle morning breeze.

    Magenta-haired beauty chased after Rio, her heart pounding with excitement as she ran through the dense forest with a yful smile.

    She was covered in purple stage beast blood, her clothes and skin sttered with the sticky red substance, but she didn''t care.

    All she could think about was catching Rio and dying him in the same color as her, no matter how much he protested.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The crimson-haired boy was the fastest, his mana-enchanted legs easily carrying him through the underbrush.

    Rio turned his neck to nce over his shoulder, as he saw N was keeping closer to him.

    "No, N...Don''t be mischievous!!" He warned her to stop.

    "You can''t escape me sweetie...I''ll chase you forever..." The girl said with a jolly smile as she ran after him using higher Mana than before to enchant her feet.

    N reached out with one hand, her fingers flexing as she tried to grab hold of his shirt.

    Rio noticed the advancement of approaching hands and dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding her grasp.

    But N was quick to follow as she lunged forward again, but in her hurry to catch him, she didn''t see the tree root thaty hidden beneath the leaves as their speed was incredibly fast.

    "Aeeh" She cried out in surprise as her foot caught on it.

    The Magenta-haired beauty stumbled and started falling to the ground.

    Rio turned at the shriek of her cry, his heart racing as he saw her falling.

    ''Ah...this girl...she will get injured by her own mana-enchanted body''s impact.''

    He used higher mana to enchant his feet, reaching out to catch her with all his strength.

    He caught her by wrapping his hands around her body and got hit by the momentum as they tumbled to the ground together, rolling over and over by thew of inertia.

    Rio tried to stable his bnce and finally came to a stop but this caused something unexpected to happen as they were face to face, their lips touching one another.

    N''s heart skipped a beat as she felt his warm lips on hers and looked into Rio''s sea-green eyes which were widely opened with astonishment.

    As it was already done and the dish was cooked, N decided why not fully savor her scrumptious dessert.

    She pressed her lips to his and kissed him gently drowning in the moment of bliss.

    The shadow viper fox''s blood had already stained his clothes and his soft heart was painted by the love of a young maiden.

    Rio could feel her well-rounded melons crushing on his chest and her plumpy lips sucking his which was gentle at the start but became rougher as if wanting to taste every single bit of him.

    A gush of hot energy rushed into his body as he used his strong hand to push her delicate figure away, the girl rolled to the side.

    Her coyish eyes closed, and a satisfied bashful expression shone on her adorable face as if she was still enjoying the feeling of his warm lips.

    Approaching footsteps wereing as Rio used his hand to clean his smooched lips.

    The redness of her rosy lipstick tainted his sleeve as the boy cleaned the mark of love left by the vibrant girl.

    Sophia and Lucas finally caught on them as they found Rio''s cloth had been stained with blood and Nying to the side alongside him.

    "Did wee at the wrong time?" Lucas said, looking at the duo who were on the groundying side to side in an almost intimate position.

    Rio stood up to pat his clothes as if nothing happened and looked around to inspect his new surroundings.

    He observed the forest with his [Heaven''s Eyes], taking in his surroundings every detail.

    The mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in.

    As he scanned the forest, his eyes came to rest on a hidden cave nestled among the trees. It was barely visible from where he stood.

    ***

    ''Ah... this feeling... we finally kissed... my heart feels as if thousands of butterflies fluttering their wings to rush out. I kissed my darling...his warm lips tasted like red wine that''s making me intoxicated... ah... what am I thinking... I feel like wrapping myself around him and hugging him all day...but he might push me away... I just want to kiss his lips again...''

    N''s mind was filled with colorful thoughts as her face was flushed.

    ''I pray to all the gods, angels, and all the higher beings that ever existed in this world to make me this boy''s wife. Please heaven...''

    She asked all the celestial beings of the universe to fulfill her wish.

    The Magenta haired girl heard the approaching footsteps and collected herself but her heart was pounding so fast.

    A hand hovered In front of her as Sophia gave her hand to N who held it and stood up.

    A beet-red shade could be seen around her neck and cheeks. Her Dummy had taken her first kiss mistakenly which filled her delicate heart to the brim with happiness.

    She saw that the crimson-haired boy was gazing in the direction of distant trees.

    Just then, Lucas walked up beside him.

    "What are you looking at, Brother?" He asked, trying to look in the direction he was looking at.

    Rio pointed in the direction of the hidden cave, "I just noticed that hidden cave over there. Fog ising out of it."

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 Chapter 126 You Can Have Me Without These Clothes

    Sophia and N also came beside him to gaze in the direction he was looking at.

    There were able to see a foggy cave hidden among the trees, which was not possible to notice unless they carefully looked at that ce longer.

    "It looks interesting. Do you guys think if we should go in?" Lucas asked, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

    "I don''t know but we should take a look to find what''s inside," Sophia suggested to her teammates.

    "Rio, Do you wanna go?" N asked in a coyish voice as smooching his lips was still fresh in her mind.

    He gave her a cold re and set off towards the cave, telling his answer with his action.

    The boy''s senses were on high alert as he made his way through the dense vegetation.

    N andpany also followed behind as the crimson-haired boy took the lead to march ahead.

    As they got near the entrance, they could feel the cool, humid air emanating from within, beckoning them forward.

    Rio carefully monitored every detail with his [Heaven''s Eyes] to be confirm of any threats or traps.

    Taking a deep breath, the crimson-haired boy stepped into the darkness, with N closely following behind along with Lucas and Sophia.

    They had no idea what they might discover inside, but they were curious to find the secrets of the foggy cave.

    As Rio andpany walked deeper into the cave, the air grew warmer and more humid.

    In the distance, some twinkling light could be seen which was making it look dazzling.

    "Look over there!" Lucas eximed, pointing to a pool of water in the distance.

    "It''s a hot spring, I''ve seen them on earth, but I''ve never actually found one before in thend of Asura," Sophia said with a hint of surprise, a smile shing on her face.

    Lucas and Sophia''s eyes widened at the prospect of a hot spring while Rio wasn''t that excited and N was just drowned in the joyous moment of being with her crush.

    Most people desired to experience bathing in a hot spring, and it seemed like Rio''s teammates were lucky to find such an opportunity in the middle of a forest.

    As they approached, they fully confirmed that it was really a hot spring, steam rising up from the surface. It was expanded at the end of the cave starting from one side to another with many boulders in the middle to block the path.

    Beautiful illuminating flowers were bloomed at the edges of the pool to light up the surroundings.

    "Amazing!" Lucas eximed, his eyes shining with admiration.

    "Wow, It''s so pretty." Sophia praised, looking at the beautiful, blue and yellow flowers.

    She sniffed the air as well, her eyes brightening as the pink-haired girl was mesmerized by the scent of aromatic flowers.

    Rio stepped closer to the edge of the hot spring, his hand reaching out to touch the water.

    It felt warm on his finger, and he could feel the heat radiating up into his skin.

    "Let''s go in, guys?" Lucas said, his voice filled with excitement.

    "No, we can''t go like that. You boys go to the one side of Boulder while I and N will go to the other side." Sophiamanded with a smile while her arms were crossed.

    Even if she allowed her boyfriend to go into hotspring with her, there was N and Rio so she preferred going in separate ways so none of them feel embarrassed.

    "Ah...no..." Lucasined, thinking his n to satisfy his eyes wouldn''te true.

    "Just go now..." Sophia said in a stiff voice, ring at him.

    "Okay..." He answered as his shoulders dropped in disappointment.

    Lucas and Rio headed to one side of the pool, while N and Sophia went to the other side, making sure to stay out of the boys'' vision radar.

    The girls began to undress gradually until they were in just undergarments and ready to soak in the warm water.

    Their ravishing figure was glowing in the light of illuminating flowers, as they were almost naked, revealing everything except the private parts

    *Aaaangh*

    As they slipped into the water, N and Sophia let out sighs of pleasure. The warm water soothed their tired muscles and the steam rising from the surface helped to clear their minds.

    They knew that they had found a true oasis in the midst of the dense, dangerous forest.

    Rio sat on the edge of the pool, his feet dangling in the hot, soothing his bones and muscles.

    The crimson-haired boy watched Lucas strip into his underwear and jump into the pool.

    *Ssh!*

    The hot water sttered everywhere but Rio dodged the droplets with precision.

    Seeing that his new brother didn''t follow in, the bbering boy turned to look at Rio with bewilderment.

    "Brothere in?" Lucas urged him and beckoned to invite the crimson-haired boy inside the hot spring.

    "No, I''m fine..." Rio said in a calm voice and declined his offer.

    N and Sophia heard his refusal and whispered to each other.

    "Okay?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Are you sure, N?"

    "Yes, I''m very sure."

    The girls cooked a mischievous n in a hushed voice while they enjoyed the Hotspring.

    The time passed as the trio enjoyed soaking in water to rx their body.

    In the afternoon, Sophia was the first one toe out as she wore her old dress.

    She walked to Rio''s side and found Lucas enjoying the Hotspring alone with a bare body.

    "Lucas. I need your help outside." She said with a gentle tone.

    "It''s unfair you can see me in this condition but I can''t." Heined whileing out in his boxer.

    He wore his clothes before apanying Sophia outside.

    As Rio was thinking to leave as well he saw a Magenta haired girl swimming in front of him.

    Her purple bra clung to her rounded melons as it was drenched by the hot spring.

    She gazed at his handsome face with a small smile shing on her wet lips while a yful glint flickered in her green eyes.

    "How did youe here?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

    "There is a natural underground tunnel you can swim through it even if there is Boulder between two sides." She answered with a vibrant expression.

    "Oh..." he mumbled.

    "Rio, can you give me a hand?" N called out, reaching for the side of the hot spring while spreading her hand towards him, a lively smile painted on her adorable doll-like face.

    The boy hesitated as she was only in the undergarments that were even wet and more revealing.

    "Are you feeling shy by watching my sexy figure?" N giggled from the hot spring.

    Hearing her provocation, Rio stood up and offered his hand with a sigh to help the girl out of the water.

    N held his strong hand to emerge from the hot spring and stood in front of him.

    Rio''s heart thumped as he realized that N was standing in just her undergarments.

    Her wet underwear and bra were clinging to her body, revealing her seductive curves in a way that was both alluring and tantalizing.

    Rio turned his head towards another side to avoid seeing her private parts.

    "Let''s go in," She said in a mischievous voice, and all of a sudden she wrapped her arms around his body, taking him in a big hug.

    Before Rio could react, N had pulled him into the pool with her.

    With a sshing sound, the two of them went under the water, scattering water droplets in all directions.

    Rio''s head emerged from the hot spring, shaking the water out of his hair, and red at the Magenta haired beauty.

    "Ah...You''re insane, N." The boy said to her while trying to take a rxing breath.

    Despite disliking being dragged into the pool, he felt a sense of peace and calmness wash over his mind. The hot water rxed his body as he was soaked in.

    The Magenta-haired beauty''s head popped out as she emerged from the water right in front of him.

    Rio couldn''t help but watch N''s curvaceous body as her alluring curves and bosom were majestically highlighted by the wet fabric of her bra.

    The boy felt a strong wave of hot energy rising in his body as the seductive almost naked body was just a few centimeters away from him.

    Due to his [Heaven''s Eyes], he could clearly see the pointy pinkish thing poking out of her purple bra, the water droplets were making her creamy skin very enticing.

    N noticed Rio staring at her well-endowed melons and mischievously smiled at him, she asked, "Do you like what you see, Rio?"

    He felt embarrassed getting caught but seeing this, the girl giggled and closed the distance between them, wrapping her slender hand around his neck in an intimate way.

    "It''s okay sweetie, I don''t mind it at all. You know what..., you can have me without these clothes... I''m already yours as I have lost my delicate heart to you." She whispered in his ears as the hot breath brushed past his neck.

    He gazed into her green eyes which were filled with affection for him. The boy saw a glint in them that was telling him she was serious with her words.

    The boy activated his [Devlin''s Movement Technique] and vanished from her clutches.

    N''s giggles sounded from behind as he walked out of the cave.

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 Chapter 127 Encountering The Lord Beast

    Outside, Sophia and Lucas were sitting together and talking to each other.

    Hearing the footsteps they turned around and saw a crimson-haired boy, whose clothes and body were drenched in water,ing out of the hot spring''s cave.

    His conditions were enough to announce to the duo that N seeded in her mischievous n for which she asked Sophia''s help to bring Lucas out of the cave.

    "Hehe..." The bbering boy gave Rio a knowing smile as Sophia had already informed him about the n when they came outside.

    The pink-haired girl elbowed him to stop as she saw Rio''s face look serious and chilly.

    ''Why does he look so mad? What happened inside between them?''

    She hoped Rio wouldn''t snap at them as he looked very displeased at the current moment.

    After some minutes passed, a Magenta-haired beauty walked out of the cave with a lively smile but her face changed instantly to a grave one.

    Sophia turned to look at her but she missed seeing her early expression, she thought, "It looks like this contrasting couple had a bad bickering inside the hot spring."

    N came to stand beside Rio and said in a serious tone, "We need to be careful,...Something ising in our direction at a fast speed."

    Sophia realized the reason why Rio was looking cold earlier as he had already sensed danger when he came out.

    "What ising?" Lucas asked in a perplexed voice, looking in the same direction as the Magenta-haired beauty to find out.

    "It''s a huge beast..." Rio spoke and confirmed the identity of the danger on their door as he could see the dust rising in the distance along with a blurry figure.

    Soon a giant monster appeared in everyone''s vision that was galloping towards them at an incredible pace, crushing the vegetation beneath its foot on its way.

    it stood at least twice the height of an average human, with obsidian fur covering its body, dying the beast in ck. The beast looked simr to the shadow viper fox.

    It had a pair of two curving horns on its head and the eyes were flickering with a sinister glint. The beast''s mouth was filled with rows of sharp teeth.

    However these stunning features failed to catch Rio''s attention, what made him be on his guard was the star sign on its forehead.

    "It''s a lord beast..." The crimson-haired boy warned his teammates as he was the first one to notice.

    Rio inspected the beast using his [Heaven''s Eyes] after the giant shadow viper fox came closer.

    <<<<

    [Name: Lord Shadow Viper Fox]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: Purple Stage]

    [MANA: 600]

    [Physical Power: 20 + 80]

    [Innate stats: 20]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [Beast Soul: Projectile]

    [Lord''s Aura: Boosts Total Physical Power by 50%]

    ''150 Physical points...It''s way too strong for our total group''s strength even if we all join in we can''t fight it. Even my physical power only adds up to 120 with the aid of Devlin''s Might.

    Only if I get to charge my [Overload Destroyer] skill with all my mana there might be some chance to kill it but the problem is I can not use my battle technique art in front of others before I reach the ck stage...''

    Rio contemted his options carefully and found the best one that always works.

    "Hurry...we need to run..." He shouted, waking his teammates who were dazed seeing the giant shadow viper fox getting closer.

    "Can''t we fight it?" Sophia asked, summoning her axe beast soul, bracing herself for theing fight.

    "it''s no use taking it on with our current strength... teacher Milena warned us to not fight a lord beast without good preparation as they are too strong for us to handle alone...if you don''t have a death wish then run," Rio said, waking everyone up from their unfulfilled dream of fighting the horrendous beast.

    They all gave a silent agreement by running in the opposite direction of the lord beast.

    Rio andpany were bolting through the dense forest, their feet pounding against the rough ground.

    They could hear the howling of the giant shadow viper fox, its sharp ws tearing through the underbrush as the beast chased after them, confirming the four punny humans were its chosen lunchtime snacks.

    The ground shook with its heavy weight, making a tremor as it darted like a predator for its prey.

    "It''s getting closer. We have to run faster!" Sophia shouted in worry, her breathing was unstable which flickered with fear.

    The group sped up as they used more mana to enchant their feet, dodging around trees and leaping over logs as they tried to put as much distance between themselves and the beast as possible.

    But pacing up caused Lucas to stumble as he fell and rolled on the ground.

    "Argh..." He cried out in pain, holding his ankle as his foot was trapped in the vines and a grim reaper wasing his way, thrashing under bushes beneath its feet.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Sophia''s eyes flickered with concern as she turned around to help him get free of the verdant confinement and pick him up.

    "Sophia, Noooo, don''t...if youe back we would both die," Lucas said with a worried tone, requesting her to escape.

    "shut up... let me get rid of this first" she berated him in a harsh tone as her heart ached at the possibility of him getting killed by the lord beast.

    When she reached Lucas to release and carry him, it was already toote as the beast was right in front of them.

    N skidded to a stop and turned to face the beast, a fierce determination shone in her green eyes.

    She summoned her signature weapon, a purple stage spear in her hand, and zing yellow fire danced around her.

    *Howl!!*

    The lord beast shrieked to express its unhappiness at the human who thought she could face him and lunged at N, its sharp teeth bared.

    She dodged out of the way at thest minute, narrowly avoiding its jaws.

    "Hurry..." N yelled at her teammates as she was holding back the lord beast.

    Sophia nodded and cut the vines with her axe, taking Lucas away from the giant shadow viper fox''s radar.

    When N was about to run away, the lord beast took action and swung its long tail around, sweeping the Magenta-haired beauty with a powerful blow.

    She cried out in pain and threw towards a tree, hitting her head before falling down to the ground unconscious.

    Her body was battered and bruised as blood flowed from her mouth.

    "N!" Rio shouted, his heart aching with pain as he saw N''s AI watch was shattered into pieces.

    Without waiting he cast [Devlin''s Movement Technique] and appeared right in front of N, taking her in his embrace as the beast was about to strike her again.

    Just as the shadow viper fox w was going to hit the duo, an axe came in the way, making a nking sound and taking the hit.

    Sophia''s hand felt numb, stopping the attack in its way but her heart thumped frantically as the beast was too close.

    The lord beast became enraged and used its ws to attack Sophia in rage as the agro was all shifted to her.

    "Ohh nooo...." Lucas''s heart-wrenching cry resounded.

    He saw Sophia was hit by the giant shadow viper fox''s w, piercing her belly which caused blood to stter on the ground.

    A white light instantly came out from her AI watch and enveloped the badly wounded Sophia''s body within a few seconds.

    White light slowly faded away as the pink-haired girl vanished from the middle of a desperate battle, leaving behind a purple pill.

    Hearing Lucas''s mental cry, Fox shifted its attention to the bbering boy and lunged at him, injuring him to the same fate as Sophis as he also disappeared with a white light.

    Rio stood near the tree with N in his hug, he felt bitter as his teammates were defeated right in front of his eyes.

    Although they were transported to the Human world but both of his ssmates wouldn''t be able to enter thend of asura for quite some time.

    It might have been worse if their AI watch didn''t transport them out.

    This all happened because he was weak.

    The beast turned to face the crimson-haired boy, Giant shadow viper fox''s eyes were ring at Rio with anger and encircled him as if waiting for good timing.

    ''If N gets fatally wounded she wouldn''t be transported like those two. There is no other option left and I need to protect her.''

    His eyes flickered with a chilly glint as the crimson-haired boy used [Devlin''s Movement Technique], vanishing from his ce to put N in a thick bush before appearing right behind the lord beast.

    The giant viper fox looked in the direction where N was ced, before turning around to face its next prey.

    Rio summoned the armor that N had given her, as it shimmered and glowed while materializing on his muscr body. It wrapped around his limbs and curves enclosing him in purple shining armor.

    He summoned his purple stage Silver-Bloom king sword as the boy had decided to fight the lord beast.

    The giant shadow viper fox howled in exasperation and bared at Rio.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Guess what''s uing...I have done the foreshadowing of this event in a few chapters. It''s not the Harem transition but something else.

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    Edited By: the White Snow

 Chapter 128 Fighting The First Lord Beast

    Rio summoned his purple stage Silver-Bloom king sword as the boy had decided to fight the lord beast.

    Buzzing thunder danced around his body, illuminating him in blue as he used [Thunder Enchantment] to enhance his feet and sword.

    Previously, Rio was not able to use his thunder elemental attack in front of others. He knew it could put him in trouble if others find out so he saved it as thest resort.

    *Howl!!!*

    A beast cry reverberated in the forest as the giant shadow viper fox shrieked in exasperation and bared the fang at its enemy.

    The lord beast was annoyed that two of his lunchtime snacks were ejected by the AI watch and the other one was stolen by the crimson-haired humanoid creature.

    The giant monster patted the ground with its left w as its eyes narrowed, preparing to lunge at its prey.

    The lord beast thought it would be the one to attack but Rio disappointed him as he charged at the enemy, his grip on the silver-bloom king''s sword tightening as it flickered with crackling thunder.

    Seeing the boy leaping in its direction, the giant shadow viper fox hissed in anger and lunged towards him, showing sharp fangs at him in violent fury.

    The crimson-haired boy dodged the attack at thest second as he used [Devlin''s Movement Technique], vanishing in the air from the lord beast''s sight.

    The giant shadow viper fox was dazed as its prey suddenly disappeared, eyes filling with bewilderment.

    Soon it felt a gush of wind right behind it as Rio struck back the giant monster''s body with a powerful thunder-enchanted sh of his silver bloom king sword.

    Unfortunately, his elemental enhanced attacks only made a small scratch on the lord beast''s body

    The beast had 150 physical power which made Rio''s attack useless against its defense. If his purple stats points were a little higher then he could''ve wounded his enemy.

    The giant shadow viper fox snorted at his weaker strike as if provoking him and making fun of his useless effort.

    ''Ah...his defense is so high. I need to use the kiting technique.''

    Rio made a distance from the lord beast as he discovered his desperate situation where his attacks were not much effective to break the monster''s defense.

    The giant shadow viper fox red at the boy with his red eyes that were filled with rage and desire to trample on this annoying human.

    Itunched itself at Rio again, who used his [Devlin''s Movement Technique] to dodge but the beast was cunning as it was prepared this time.

    It moved its long tail to hit the boy, catching him off guard and sweeping him to a far away distance.

    The heavy attack felt as if it had broken his bones and crushed his muscles. The pain was so intense it burnt as if thousands of ants were crawling on his body.

    ''Ah...damn it... what a sly old fox.''

    Rio tried to get up as blood flowed from his wounds. He used his silver-bloom king sword to support his body to stand up.

    Soon the beast jumped in his direction again, its razor-sharp ws extended.

    Rio narrowly avoided the attack, but the fox''s sharp teeth grazed his arm as it passed by, sttering the boy''s blood on the ground.

    "Argh...." Rio gritted in pain as his face scrunched in agony.

    He made a distance from the lord beast using his [Devlin''s Movement Technique].

    ''I can''t worry about my pain. I need to stay focused...so I can save N...''

    The boy collected himself as he wanted to save N''s life.

    The fox circled around its prey, its red eyes locked onto Rio as it was preparing for its next attack.

    The crimson-haired boy readied himself for the fight, charging his sword using [Overload Destroyer] which hummed with sound as the thunder crackled at the edge of its de.

    Just as the fox was about to lunge again, Rio saw an opening and kicked the ground beneath his foot to lunch himself at the beast with incredible speed.

    He struck out with his sword filled with [Overload Destroyer], aiming for the fox''s vulnerable belly.

    With a flesh-tearing sound, the de sank deeper into the creature''s belly, causing it to let out a pained shriek. Its blood gushed out, dying Rio''s hands and ground in red.

    *Howl!!*

    An enraged cry escaped the beast''s mouth as it swung the mighty tail around in fury, catching Rio off guard and knocking him to the ground.

    The giant shadow viper fox loomed over him instantly as it wanted to tear apart the human who injured it, its sharp fangs bared.

    The crimson-haired boy used [Devlin''s Movement Technique] to disappear and dodge the attack with a hair breath.

    The battle raged on, with Rio dodging and the giant shadow viper chasing its prey with rage.

    The crimson-haired boy could feel the sweat pouring down his face as he swung his sword again and again, trying tond a decisive blow.

    The fox was fast and agile, while Rio had a big reason to not give up which was to save the vibrant girl who had broken her AI watch.<novelnext></novelnext>

    For what felt like an eternity, the two shed on the battlefield, each one trying to get the upper hand.

    Rio''s muscles strained in exhaustion as he battled the beast, but he knew he couldn''t give up as the boy had to save N.

    "I need to kill the lord beast... I can not lose this..." Heined inwardly.

    The boy remembered how his teammates died in the fight against the giant shadow viper fox. He couldn''t allow the same to happen to him as this would take away N''s life who was unconscious in the bushes nearby.

    Summoning all of his strength, Rio started charging his sword by using [Overload Destroyer].

    He faced the creature with renewed determination and began to dodge the uing attacks again and again.

    Rio was kiting the lord beast to charge his sword with the [Overload Destroyer] using a higher amount of mana.

    When he had used his thirty percent of mana to enhance his silver-bloom king sword, the boy decided to not dodge the giant shadow viper fox''s next attack and took the strike head-on.

    The shadow viper fox w came towards him, meeting the sword''s bade which prated its flesh, making it Howl in agony. However, it also wounded Rio on his left shoulder, as the blood gushed out from both the beast and the human.

    Breathless and covered in sweat and blood, Rio was once again swept by the tail and thrown far away to the ground.

    The beast cried in pain as its body was invaded by his sword charged with [Overload Destroyer].

    Rio bleed profusely and a small blue orb started revolving in his hand that didn''t grow in size.

    *Howl!*

    A terrifying heart-wrenching cry resounded in the forest as the giant viper fox shrieked in pain.

    It red at its target with hatred who looked lifeless in the distance.

    Blood wasing out from the giant shadow viper fox as it licked its wound to mend it before deciding to run toward its target.

    The ground shook as the beast galloped toward its enemy, leaving behind a cloud of dust.

    A figure in distance slowly stood up and hovered its hand to throw away a small blue sphere towards it.

    The giant viper fox eyes shone with arrogance as it snorted at its target and decided to take it to head it wanted to finish its the human in one hit.

    "Heaven Destroyer!!!" Rio executed his next attack to send it away.

    The blue illuminating ball disappeared into the middle air and appeared right in front of lord beast''s head, a bewilderment shone in its eyes which changed into fear as the ball touched its body, growing in size to envelop him fully.

    A big explosion urred, and the crimson-haired boy teleported out and shielded N by cing himself against the attack.

    The lightning sphere enveloped the lord beast, buzzing like thunder as it devoured the monsterpletely inside.

    *Boom!*

    The ground shook with terrifying shockwave as the [Heaven''s Destroyer] battle technique art was detonated, swaying and shattering many trees in its wake.

    A bright blue light spread to illuminate a three-meter area, and a deafening explosion was resounded.

    The impact of the explosion sent debris flying in all directions with a shockwave creating a terrifying pressure, hitting Rio''s back and causing numerous wounds.

    Breathless and exhausted, Rio gently lifted N into his arms, checking if she was okay.

    After a few moments passed, the cloud of dust cleared gradually.

    An enormous crater was formed, and the edges were crackling.

    A notification was heard in his mind that confirmed he seeded.

    [Purple stage Lord Shadow Viper Fox killed. Absorb the core of the Lord Shadow Viper Fox to gain 5 to 10 purple stats points randomly.]

    Rio copsed on the ground, hugging N in his embrace.

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 Chapter 129 Fighting Ruben Astor

    Rio hugged the magenta-haired girl carefully and rested by the trunk of the tree as he sat at its root.

    "Ah...That was close..." He sighed.

    Rio gazed at N''s unconscious face and continued in a worried tone, "I need to mend her wounds before bringing her to the nearby shelter."

    There were wounds on her shoulder and head, the bleeding had stopped fortunately stopped.

    Rio also checked his injury at the shoulder and discovered that they were healing slowly with the help of [Life Sutra].

    He realized his AI watch was broken in the fight with the giant shadow viper fox.

    After resting for some time and recovering his mana, the boy took N in a bridal carry, supporting her head on his chest, and went to look into the big crater where the giant shadow viper fox had died.

    The lord beast''s body was charred from his ultimate attack and buzzed with thunder. A cloud of ck smoke was spreading in the surroundings, filling the air with burned flesh and fur of the Giant shadow viper fox.

    His eyes fell on two spherical objects of palm size that glittered in purple and obsidian near the lord beast''s corpse.

    As Rio was about to jump in, a voice resounded in his mind, making him halt his advance, "Do you want me to carry them for you, Partner?"

    "Can you also do these things?" He asked with a tired voice, his tone had a hint of surprise.

    "As per our partnership terms, I shouldn''t help you unless you give me twenty purple cores but I''ll take a step back since you are in bad condition right now.

    You know how much I love you, Partner. I''ll give them back to you when you want them." Eve said in an adorable way in his mind before the mystic egg and giant shadow viper fox core disappeared from below the big crater.

    Rio sighed and turned around to leave the battleground that was destroyed by his ultimate attack earlier.

    It was afternoon and the forest was drowned in silence which was also the result of his [Heaven''s Destroyer] battle technique art attack as the big explosion chased away all the beasts nearby.

    ''This ce would be better to spend the night and mend her wounds.''

    Rio ced the Magenta-haired beauty inside the hot spring cave and went outside to get some firewood, as it was getting cold inside.

    As he was walking in the dense forest, The boy heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

    From four directions five figures came out to encircle him.

    They had a weapon beast soul summoned on their hand and their face was stered with annoyance and arrogance.

    "We finally found our target," one of the blonde-haired men shouted, who looked to be their boss as his voice was dripping with malice.

    Rio didn''t recognize anyone among them as he prepared himself to fight them.

    But before that, he used his [Heaven''s Eyes] on them to study his enemies.

    The crimson-haired boy inspected them one by one as they were all in primary ck stage warriors, their physical power totaling around 110 to 120 but the only one that caught his attention was a blonde-haired man who was their leader.

    <<<<

    [User: Ruben Astor]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: B]

    [Root: ck]

    [MANA: 1000]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 120]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 8]

    >>>>

    He had shoulder-length blonde hair with a triangr-shaped jaw and looked to be in his early twenties.

    "It''s N''s fiance" Rio mumbled inwardly in surprise.

    He counted his pro and cons and realized this would be a disadvantageous fight for him but Rio also knew they weren''t at the same level as the giant shadow viper fox.

    However there were two problems at hand, first was that he needed to destroy their AI watch so he could use his elemental affinity power without hiding, and second was that Rio had recently fought a hard battle and wasn''t in his peak condition.

    The leaves rustled softly in the gentle breeze, the only sound in the tense silence that stretched between the two opposing parties.

    Rio could feel the anger and hatred emanating from Ruben, who stood at the front of the group.

    "What do you guys need," Rio asked in a cold voice, he wasn''t overwhelmed seeing the greater number as [Heart Sutra] helped him to keep his calmness.

    "Bastard...how did you dare to be around my fiance. How can you flirt with my fiance..." Ruben cursed at him, his eyes told he wanted to cut the crimson-haired boy alive.

    The blonde-haired man was mad at him because there was a rumor of him being N''s childhood lover. The matter was further worsened by Talia''s involvement.

    "What do you mean?" Rio scrunched his eyebrows, hearing such mes. He had no idea what Ruben was saying.

    "Now you''re pretending to know nothing when you''re surrounded. It''s over, I''m going to kill you. Everyone, attack." The blonde-haired man yelled in rage and ordered his men to charge.

    Rio didn''t understand his reasoning but he still braced himself as he realized sometimes violence was the only way.

    He summoned his purple stage Silver-Bloom king sword and armor beast soul given by N as a protectiveyer spread around his skin and enveloped him.

    "Even if I''m in not in my peak condition I can not give up." He mumbled inwardly as an unwavering resolve flickered in his eyes and tightened his grip on the hilt of his silver-bloom king sword, ready to fight to the death if the situation demanded.

    The boy had faced impossible odds before against the giant shadow viper fox ande out alive. He wasn''t going to back down without giving his all.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The four men lunged at him at once, the sharpness of their des gleamed in the sunlight.

    *nk!*

    Their sword shed with Rio''s silver bloom king sword one after another as he used his mana enchantment to strike them one by one.

    Except for Ruben who watched from behind all their physical power was almost at a simr level as Rio''s.

    Their beast souls were normal ck stage tier while the crimson-haired boy had king tier purple stage sword which didn''t lose in strength after he enchanted them with mana.

    Rio moved with grace and agility, parrying their attack one after another, the nking sound of metal resounding in the air.

    The boy was reminded of Helia who never went easy on him in their training.

    ''Thank you, lioness.''

    He expressed gratitude towards her in his heart as her harsh training helped him to take four at once.

    But the boy was exhausted from his battle with the shadow viper fox, and he knew he wouldn''t be able tost much longer.

    ''I need to take the bet and use it.''

    Rio''s figure disappeared from his enemy''s sight as he appeared 20 meters away.

    The other four men felt perplexed as their target vanished right in front of their eyes.

    Rio recalled his silver-bloom king sword and summoned five normal-tier Shadow Viper Shuriken that he got while fighting the purple stage beast with his teammates.

    He hurled them at his targets one by one after enchanting them with Thunder.

    One after another five Shuriken revolved in the air with incredible speed as they went towards his target.

    It vanished in mid-air and appeared right near their AI watch, shattering it in pieces.

    "What''s happening???"

    "How did our AI watch break?"

    "It''s that boy doing."

    "Let''s kill this, Bastard."

    Even Ruben who had the highest physical point of 130, didn''t able to escape the Shadow Viper Shuriken as Rio''s space elemental attack helped it to appear right in front of his AI watch.

    "Ahh...damn you" The blonde-haired man gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at Rio as he saw the table turning against him.

    Soon, a boy in buzzing thunder ran towards four men and strike them with powerful attacks.

    The battle changed into a one-way beating as Rio overwhelmed them with his speed and thunder elemental power.

    *sh!* *sh!*

    Two of the head rolled on the ground as Rio changed the route of the fight.

    "How can he use a battle technique art at the purple stage...Has Talia misinformed me...ah...That bitch..." Ruben who was watching from distance cursed N''s step-sister before summoning a beast soul that glowed in orange.

    *sh!* *sh!*

    Another two heads fell down on the ground like a ragdoll as Rio killed all four men easily.

    He turned around to face the blonde-haired man.

    "This is over... I thought I wouldn''t need this beast soul for you but you seem to be stronger than how that bitch said. With this, you cannot escape death even if you are a cockroach.

    It''s the one-time usable projectile beast soul that doesn''t stop unless it takes away life. Let''s see if you Bastard can handle this." Saying that he threw the dagger that shone orange toward Rio.

    The crimson-haired boy felt binding on his body as he was stuck in the same ce...

    "Ah...Not good...this beast soul has confined me in ce" Rioined inwardly as the glowing orange dagger hurled towards him like a death kiss, causing a heavy pressure in the air.

    Right when the de was about to hit Rio, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him.

    With a flesh-tearing sound, it pierced her stomach, and blood sttered on Rio''s face.

    "Ammmhhh!!" A loud cry escaped her lips as N swayed in the air to fall to the ground.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Sorry everyone, but it seems we have a roller coaster chapter up ahead.

    I really liked her character though as She was one of the best Yandere in my opinion.

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 130 Life Is Hard But Youre My Sweetheart

    A few minutes ago...

    "Ah...my head hurts." N clutched her head in her one hand and sat up to inspect her surroundings.

    She saw steam filling the spacious ce which was brightening up from the gleaming flowers around the pool beside her.

    "Oh, I''m in the hot spring cave but Where has everyone gone?" She scrunched her eyebrows as the girl was all alone and couldn''t find anyone else.

    ''What had happened?''

    The girl inclined her head down and tried to remember thest thing that happened before she lost consciousness.

    "I was fighting the lord beast then something heavy thrashed me...but Who could''ve saved me??? Ahh...Rio??? Is he alright" she mumbled inwardly in worry as her face darkened at the possibility of her crush being hurt.

    *nk!* *nk!* *nk!*

    She heard the shing of metals as her attention moved to it.

    ''What''s happening outside?''

    She hurriedly got up from her ce and started walking outside with a limping movement.

    Just when N reached the entrance she saw two familiar figures.

    A blonde-haired man was facing the boy she loved. Rio had a beautiful sword in his hands, the de dripped with fresh crimson blood. Four heads and a headless corpse were scattered on the ground.

    It didn''t take her long to understand the situation.

    A dozen meters away Ruben spoke in a voice filled with arrogance, "This is over... I thought I wouldn''t need to use this beast soul for you but you seem to be stronger than how that bitch said. With this, you cannot escape death even if you are a cockroach.

    It''s the one-time usable projectile beast soul that doesn''t stop unless it takes away life. Let''s see if you Bastard can handle this."

    Just when N heard him ''you can''t escape death'' she used all the mana in her body to enchant her legs and shot out from her ce like a rocket.

    Her previously closed healed wounds freshened up due to using the higher amount of mana as it stimted her body with mana beyond what it could handle.

    The magenta-haired beauty roughly ran to shield the person she cherished and stubbornly loved.

    Her face was scrunched as she gritted her teeth. The wounds were giving her immense pain but the girl''s only desire was to protect him even if the agony in her body was unbearable.

    The young maiden raced towards the crimson-haired boy a few meters away, with a goal to save Rio no matter what It took.

    "Ah...Not good...this beast soul has confined me in ce" Rio thought as the orange dagger hurled towards him, with an incredible speed.

    Right when the de was about to strike Rio, a shadow suddenly appeared in front of him, making his eyes widen in fear.

    With a flesh-tearing sound, the sharp dagger prated her stomach, and crimson blood sttered on Rio''s face.

    "Ammmhhh!!" A loud cry escaped her lips as N swayed in the air to fall to the ground.

    "Naaaaaaaa!!!" Rio let out a scream filled with grief.

    His heart shook as he saw the cheerful girl, who always teased him with a vibrant smile, getting fatally wounded.

    He appeared right beside her taking her in his embrace and not letting her copse.

    His body was covered in her crimson blood as the Magenta-haired beauty was lying in his arms, on the verge of death.

    "Shit!... what have you done...this is all your fault, Bastard..." Ruben cursed him and held his own head with fear as he saw he injured his future fiance, the daughter of the mailon family.

    He thought he wouldn''t have to worry about killing Rio as no one would find out. But N''s died so there was a high chance Talia would expose him and tell others it was him.

    "Before you touch him, you need to step over my dead body." Aggard voice filled with threat came from the girl who was coiled by Rio in his embrace.

    "What a bitch...I thought it was just that bastard...but seems like the me of love is burning on both sides equally. HAHA!!... I''m going to ughter him so he can apany you to hell." Ruben cursed her, summoning his beast soul.

    A shining sharp sword appeared in his hand that had its hilt decorated with ck stripes.

    Rio who was embracing N, hurled his silver-bloom king sword as he was already charging it when the blonde-haired man was speaking to the beauty.

    With a rumbling sound, the silver bloom king sword traveled toward the target who was preparing himself tounch at the duo.

    "What a fool..." Ruben mocked him as he found it funny, thinking he would be able to dodge the uing attack easily.

    He summoned his sword beast soul and shed at the uing flying strike, with a face filled with arrogance.

    Just when he thought he would sh the uing projectile with his sword to parry it, the silver-bloom king vanished in thin air.

    His eyes flickered with bewilderment as he felt a chilly air run down his neck.

    *sh!*<novelnext></novelnext>

    A head rolled down on the ground whose facial expression was filled with a mix of surprise and pain, blood sshed from its neck like a fountain, covering the ground red.

    The silver-bloom king sword disappeared after cutting the head from Ruben''s body.

    Rio''s eyes were already on the girl in his embrace who was on the verge of dying.

    His heart was burning with guilt as the boy failed her always who had saved him from the attack, taking the blows meant for him.

    He should have been able to protect her but instead, she came to give away her precious life for the person who never reciprocated her stubborn love, and for the person who she loved without any hesitation to one day conquer his heart.

    "Why N, why" Rio''s voice was shaking as he asked the lively girl in his embrace.

    "Why do you think, silly...Because I love you more than my life" She spoke with a leaden voice, a feeble smile on her face.

    "But I always treated you coldly..." The boy said in a sorrowful tone, his [Heart Sutra] didn''t work to keep him calm.

    "That doesn''t matter to me. Because I know even if you don''t love me you are mine. No one can take away my right to love my darling." N''s words were filled with her stubbornness and love.

    Even when she was dying she didn''tck her unwavering resolve to love her boy.

    "I don''t understand you...why you''re so foolish" His voice was filled with agony and confusion as this brazen girl had broken all limits of craziness.

    N responded with a feeble smile, "You don''t understand this but I''m happy that I got to spend myst moments with you. Dying in your embrace is the best thing I could ever wish for."

    His eyes moistened as he remembered how rudely he hurt her from time to time.

    She caressed his cheeks with her palm which was filled with her own blood, covering his face in red.

    "I hope you remember this..." She said as if going to say to him a piece of great news.

    Rio waited for her to speak as he gazed at her with his eyes that were flickering with concern and unknown emotions.

    "Life is hard but you''re my sweetheart...argh..." N spoke in a sweet voice but it caused her to moan in pain.

    Rio''s heart shattered as he realized that she was dying slowly in his hug. He knew she was slipping away from him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

    "I''m sorry, N. I couldn''t save you," he mumbled, tears streaming down his face.

    "Can I sing a song for you? Will you listen to it?" N said, her voice growing weaker.

    Her sudden demand was unexpected but she had written this song to sing for him if he bes her boyfriend in the future but knowing she didn''t have time she requested him to listen to it now.

    He nodded, ruffling her silky magenta hair in his hug.

    "A B C D E F G,

    H I Love You,

    WILL YOU MARRY ME?" She sang in an adorable manner and directed her question toward him.

    "I never met a person like you. If I could I would''ve married you." Rio answered, his gaze was filled with worry and guilt.

    "I wish you would''ve told me this before," N said, pinching his cheeks before withdrawing her hand.

    "I don''t know How to save you" his desperate voice was filled with sorrow.

    "I don''t wanna be saved. Let me die peacefully. This life was a tragedy until I met you who fluttered my heart and gave me happiness. But now it''s time I finally go into a deep slumber and rest happily.

    At least in the afterlife, I''ll get to see my mom who may actually love me." N''s face was stered withfort as if happy to finally escape this prison.

    Rio ced his forehead on hers, his heart heavy with emotion as he was stuck in a bad situation.

    He never thought one day this would happen. The boy wanted to avoid her so he wouldn''t hurt her but she still came to him and he ended up causing her to be fatally wounded.

    N was joyous as she saw him worry about her. She could feel his forehead on her as the Magenta-haired beauty was ready to leave this world with a happy heart.

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 Chapter 131 Sacrifice Of The Young Maiden

    N was joyous as she saw him worry about her. She could feel his forehead on her as the Magenta-haired beauty was ready to leave this world with a happy heart.

    Rio felt hopeless and broken as if his heart was stabbed with a sharp dagger.

    Just when The crimson-haired boy thought he wouldn''t able to save the girl in his embrace, a concerning voice sounded in his mind.

    "Rio??? Is everything fine?" Lia questioned him in his thought via telepathy.

    She asked as Rio hadn''t sent any messages and talk to her for several hours. Lia was getting worried for him so she decided to ask since it wasn''t like him to not talk to her for an extended period of time.

    "N is dying... She took the lethal attack that was meant for me." Rio said in a sorrowful voice and cried to her via telepathy.

    Her mind processed the thought at a fast pace as Lia responded in a hurried tone, "Ah...I won''t ask you details but take her in the embrace and use [Astral Recall] immediately."

    Rio''s eyes fluttered open and didn''t question her as a me of hope flickered in his heart, casting the [Astral Recall] instantly.

    A white light enveloped their body as N and Rio vanished from the dense forest, leaving behind a deadly silence along with corpses that were scattered on the ground.

    Rio appeared in Lia''s bedroom on the couch as always but with beauty in his embrace. They were both covered in a Magenta-haired girl''s blood.

    As soon as the boy arrived, Lia spoke in a hurried tone, "ce her on our bed, quickly."

    Rio nodded as he proceeded to carry her to the king-sized bed.

    N stared at the white-haired beauty in a daze with heavy eyes as she was mesmerized by her fairy-like beauty and surprised by suddenly appearing in an extravagant room.

    She was ced on a bed that nobody in the world would have the chance to even touch.

    Her blood stained the bedsheets but Lia didn''t care about it as for her the life of the person was more important, who saved her husband''s life.

    N''s eyes were observing her surroundings as her breathing was getting slower.

    Lia went beside her and took out a golden glowing orb of berry size from her Spatial beast soul before cing it in her mouth.

    N''s face gazed at her in astonishment and didn''t resist consuming the healing medicine as she knew the unknown white-haired beauty was trying to save her.

    Cold energy rushed into her body and golden patches started spreading on her skin that went near her wounds to cover them, soothing her torment and stopping her bleeding.

    As the pain reduced in N''s body, she feltfortable but chilly and drowned in a sleepiness state.

    After a few minutes...Rushed footsteps sounded as Lioness and an olddy entered their bedroom.

    She had gray long hair and looked in her sixties. When she stood near Helia her head wasing to Lioness''s jaws. Her face had a calmness and her eyes were filled with great wisdom.

    The olddy gave an inspecting gaze to Rio before going towards N who wasying on the empress'' bed.

    She didn''t ask any questions and used a healing spell on N''s body.

    Numerous glittering leaves appeared in the room, brightening up the surroundings as they swirled around the sleeping beauty''s body.

    Her wound started closing that were blocked by golden patches and the healing could be noticed by the naked eye.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The prated hole in the belly also started recovering, as the olddy moved her right hand to take out the dagger with gentle care.

    She gradually removed the orange dagger and the wounds healed instantly, not giving chance for any extra bleeding.

    The orange dagger crumbled into pieces, leaving N''s body as there was no source of mana for it to be alive.

    Rio''s face had a look of amazement and he asked in a concerned tone, "Would she be fine?"

    "Are you questioning my ability?" The olddy rebuked him before saying again, "Moreover you also need treatment. Come hered,y down on the bed."

    "Nah I''m okay..." The boy shook his hands in refusal.

    "Rio..." Lia indicated him to follow her suggestion as her heart ached to see him injured but she had to take care of the person who was on verge of death first.

    The boy listened to her and went to lie down beside N, gazing at her sleeping face that was finally free of pain. She looked as if sleeping peacefully and enjoying a happy dream.

    The olddy hovered her hand and cast the same healing spell. The gleaming green leaves swirled around his body, tickling his skin as if pecking a cold kiss on them, healing his wounds at a fast pace.

    Rio''s mind also rxed and he felt he was slowly drowning in wondend but he controlled his urge of sleeping.

    The gray-haired olddy turned towards Lia and said with a polite tone, "After she wakes up, make sure to feed her well and let her rest properly."

    "Thank you Grandma Eira" Lia bowed her head to express gratitude.

    Rio felt surprised that even the future empress was bowing her head to this gray-haired olddy.

    Grandma Eira nodded and turned around to walk out of the empress vi as Helia apanied her to the exit door.

    After the olddy left, Lia took water in the ss from the pot that was kept on the table and sat beside Rio.

    He wanted to get up for the water but Lia supported his head with her hand and helped him to drink it.

    After cing the ss back on the table, Lia turned to the crimson-haired boy.

    She wanted to know what exactly happened that put him in such danger that N had to sacrifice herself to save him.

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 Chapter 132 A Night With Three Beauties

    Lia wanted to know what exactly happened to ce him in a such dangerous situation that even N had to sacrifice herself to save him.

    The level of the attack was so strong that even N couldn''t handle it who was at the peak stage of the Purple stage.

    She was aware of the fact that Rio was near the human shelters and some high-level monsters wouldn''t assault him with a beast soul.

    In the end, The white-haired beauty came to the conclusion that this was done by nasty humans as she had seen the one-time usable king-tier orange dagger in N''s stomach.

    She ruffled his crimson hair,  and said worriedly, "You should''ve told me earlier about your situation. I could''ve helped. Now tell me what had happened?"

    Just as the white-haired beauty asked, Helia came back to their bedroom and took out afortable blue chair from her Spatial beast soul to ce it near the leg side of the bed before her chubby buttocks fell on it to sit.

    She had also guessed it that this was done by filthy humans and wanted to listen to his story.

    "When we came out of the hot spring cave..." Rio started narrating his story.

    He told them starting from the first group fight they had with giant shadow viper fox and then how his team members were wiped out, thrashing N unconscious.

    Helia, who was sitting near them, had a face of hatred when she realized the magenta-haired beauty on the bed was a human but when Rio told her how the girl saved his life, she looked at N with disbelief.

    Not only that but she was finding it hard to believe the person who badly injured the magenta-haired beauty was her future fiance.

    The blonde-haired beauty hesitated at first as she despised humans but after meeting Rio she had gradually started understanding to not judge every person by their race.

    She gazed at N with pity and had a big respect for her. After all the magenta-haired beauty had saved the life of her sister''s husband.

    Lia also had eyes filled with gratitude and admiration as Rio told her about everything.

    "Not only she saved your life by sacrificing herself but even got fatally wounded in the first ce to save other humans. I didn''t expect you humans would be blessed by such a virtuous soul on your side. I admire her bravery and kind heart.

    But I also detest the humans more as they harmed both of you.

    Not only that but I''m impressed that you used your [Vanishing Strike] in a good way to ughter those filthy scumbags." Helia''s voice flickered with revere for N as she praised her.

    Rio thought the blonde-haired beauty was just a battle maniac and didn''t think from her maiden''s heart but seeing her praising another human for their goodness the boy''s image of Lioness improved slightly.

    Lia gazed at the sleeping Magenta-haired beauty and said, "I can not thank her enough for saving Husband''s life. She is an angel for me to protect you by sacrificing herself."

    Helia suggested from the side as her voice was filled with concern, "But we can not forget she is also a human. If she told his secret to others after finding out we are Asuras then he would be in great trouble.

    Moreover, she cares about other humans too so you need toe up with a good solution for how you will deal with her."<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I will think about itter. For now, you should go and sleep for the night as it''s already veryte. I''ll stay with Husband." Lia said in a calm voice as she also wanted her sister to rest.

    "No...I''m not going. You should rest too...I''ll also stay here and look after them" Helia didn''t agree as she wanted to aid her sister.

    Rio looked and the lioness and said in a gratitude-filled voice, "Thank you for going hard on me in training. It helped me in my battles or i would''ve lost my life today. Although my words are not intended for our first-day training but Thanks a lot, Lioness."

    "Hmm... No problem." Helia said with puffed cheeks as she didn''t know how to ept his gratitude but his words made him both happy and sad at the same time.

    Rio fell asleep after talking a little with the sweet sisters.

    Moonlight came through the windows, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the room and the stars were gleaming in the silent sky.

    Rio was asleep on the right side of the bed, his chest rose and fall in a peaceful rhythm.

    The three beauties were also present in the room, as N was sleeping beside him while Lia''s head was ced on his chest as she hugged him to sleep.

    Helia was also on the leg side of the bed, drowning in the wondend as she was asleep on a chair and her head was supported by the bed.

    The next day in the morning, when Rio''s eyes opened he felt something soft on both of his sides and silky hair touching his bare legs.

    He opened his eyes to realize Lia had slept on his chest hugging himst night. Her hands were wrapped around his neck, touching his cheeks and her head was ced on his chest.

    The bed was big enough but N was already taking up the most space so Lia and Rio were closely hugging each other and slept In only one-third of the bed.

    However, even N who had two third of the bed for herself hade to snuggle herself into Rio and had ced her legs on his as she was sleeping happily without realizing it.

    Thest was the lioness who had slept on a chair, her head was ced near Rio''s barefoot and he could feel her blonde hair touching his skin.

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 Chapter 133 Are You An Angel From Heaven?

    He gently put N away to another side of the pillow and bent his legs so it wouldn''t touch the Lioness''s head who mayter bite him for this.

    He closed his eyes to rx as his wife was sleeping using his chest as a pillow.

    Soon, the first one to wake up was Lia, and her eyes fluttered open to find herself in a warm embrace.

    The white-haired beauty looked upwards and realized she had slept on her man who had recently got healed from his injuries.

    "Ah...I''m sorry...I didn''t realize when I fell asleep." She apologized sincerely and prepared to leave but a hand coiled around her curvaceous waist and didn''t let go of her from his confinement.

    "Let''s stay like this," Rio whispered to her as they rxed in each other''s hug.

    The crimson-haired boy was enjoying her rosy scent and soft body as the love birds didn''t get up.

    Their heartbeat could be heard by one another and their breathing brushed passed each other''s skin.

    After some time passed, they heard movement in the direction of the lower side of the bed. They moved their eyes to find out Helia was rubbing her eyes and stretching her hands as she woke up too.

    Rio and Lia gave her a gentle smile while they were hugging each other, not caring about her seeing them together in an intimate position after all it was just an embracing sleeping position.

    "Morning." She mumbled to the couple.

    "Morning lioness," Rio responded to her as the girl gave him an annoyed re.

    "You should''ve slept in your room rather than on a chair," Lia said in a worried tone.

    "Nah. I''m fine." Helia responded as if this wasn''t anything big.

    "If you also wanna sleep with us you can join us. This bed seems to have enough space." Rio said from the side in a rxed voice.

    "In your dreams." She snorted and stood up.

    Lioness continued, "I''ll go get freshened up and ask Yami to get us our morning tea."

    Lia nodded as the blonde-haired beauty left their bedroom.

    The white-haired beauty also went to freshen up and after she was done, Rio followed in to wash himself up as his clothes were stained by blood.

    As Lia was sitting beside the patient and observing her condition N finally made some responses.

    "No one can harm my Rio. You have to walk on my corpse first" The magenta-haired beauty mumbled as she was talking in a dream.

    Lia watched her with fascinating eyes as she heard someone wanted to save her husband even in her dreams they were thinking of sacrificing their life.

    A pained expression shone on N''s face as she screamed, "Rioooooo.....noooo."

    Tears streaked down her eyes as she started crying in her nightmare.

    Lia ruffled her hair and said, "don''t cry, N...everything will be alright. Rio is fine."

    Feeling a soft caress N stopped crying and opened her eyes as her vision weed an otherworldly beauty.

    Her eyes were sleepy at first but became astonished as she looked at the white-haired beauty.

    "Am I in the afterlife? Are you an angel from heaven? You''re so beautiful. " The magenta-haired beauty said in admiration, as her eyes were enamored.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Nah. I''m the future empress of Asuras" Lia said with a gentle smile, withdrawing her hand from her head.

    "What..." N who recently woke up, fainted again, that is what it seemed to be like.

    Rio walked out of the bathroom as he heard the conversation outside.

    "Did she woke up?" He asked, walking to the bed.

    "Yeah. But she is pretending to be asleep as she is afraid of me" Lia said in an amusing tone and exposed her right away.

    Rio sat beside on bed along with Lia and looked at her eyes that were shaking.

    N opened one of her eyes to take a little peek at them thinking they wouldn''t see but Lia and Rio were both watching her cute action. The girl shut down her eyes instantly as she was afraid to be caught.

    "You don''t have to be scared. She is my wife and won''t harm you. Actually, Lia is the one who saved you." Rio convinced the magenta-haired beauty in a calm tone.

    "What??? Wife..." N opened her eyes in shock, Her face became downcast.

    The one who was afraid initially was now feeling sorrow, knowing Rio had married someone else.

    She knew if the Asura''s Empress wanted to kill her the white-haired beauty wouldn''t have saved her so N wasn''t afraid of that fact.

    What mattered to her most was Rio.

    Since the day she met her boy, N thought about marrying him and how she would make him fall for her.

    She always questioned why wouldn''t he ept her as his girlfriend and why he wouldn''t even look at her and think of her as a girl as other boys did.

    The girl finally realized why her boy had high resistance towards her charm and beauty as Rio had the most beautiful girl in the world as his wife.

    Not only that but she was the strongest person in existence as the whole asura race was there to attack on her one order.

    "Yeah...wife... this is why I can''t marry you because I am already married," Rio told her the truth in a calm voice.

    The crimson-haired boy started telling her his story of how he came to thend of asura and how they got married.

    N was downhearted initially but as she heard their story, her mood got a little better. She was also thankful of Lia as the white-haired beauty had saved her life.

    Her stubborn heart had a hint of hope as she heard she was from a royal family.

    All of a sudden the girl moved and climbed down the bed before taking position of kneeling, cing her head right on the ground.

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 Chapter 134 I Mean Our Rio, Big Sister

    All of a sudden the girl moved and climbed down the bed before taking position of kneeling, cing her head right on the smooth floor which felt cold to her skin.

    "Hey, have you gone insane...you still need to rest," Rio spoke in a worried tone as he saw the patient taking a kneeling posture.

    N spoke in a pleading tone, "Oh great kind elegant beautiful big sister, please take this poor girl as your little sister and let me be Rio''s concubine."

    The sudden changes took the husband and wife unprepared, they never imagined the magenta-haired beauty would say such crazy things.

    Helia also heard the lively girl''s words and saw this unexpected development, she was entering the room with tea cups, a tray, and cattle as she didn''t want others to see their situation and decided to do maid''s work.

    This put Lia in deep thinking as she was contemting all this before sleepingst night and when N pleaded in such a manner, the white-haired beauty came to a decision to ask her a crucial question.

    Lia climbed down from the bed and walked to stand in front of the bowing girl.

    She asked, "Would you be able to go against humanity for him?"

    N looked upwards and said without any hesitation, "Yes, beautiful big sister. I''m a very selfish person. Whoever harms my Rio, I''ll kill them without mercy."

    Lia raised her eyebrows hearing ''my Rio.''

    Realizing her mistake and not wanting to provoke her future boss, N corrected herself and said in a polite tone, "I mean our Rio, Big Sister."

    The magenta-haired beauty knew very well that she wouldn''t able to steal a boy who was already very loyal to his wife. Since he didn''t even cheat on Lia when N gave him many chances and threw herself at him when they were alone.

    N decided to conquer the heart of his wife who may let her marry Rio since she was from the Royal family and it was normal to create a harem there.

    Her secret strategy was to sweet talk with the empress to get her king.

    The crimson-haired boy had ced his hand on his forehead as he saw the insane girl doing her usual crazy act without a hint of shame.

    "He is mine," Lia said in a threatening tone, narrowing her eyes at the Magenta haired beauty.

    N''s face became downcast as her shoulder and face dropped in sadness.

    ''Why didn''t I die? How am I going to live knowing the person I love can not be mine in this life?''

    Tears started streaking down her adorable face as she realized she wouldn''t have the person she loves.

    N felt as if her heart was stabbed with thousands of zing daggers.

    ''I can bind her with soul ve contract and make her never open her mouth. I can also erase her memories and leave her in the human shelter. But all these will cause a demon in Rio''s heart. He may feel bitter deep inside without telling me anything. The ideal solution would be ....''

    "Husband,e here," Lia said to the boy who was watching from the side with a worried heart.

    Rio listened to her and climbed down from the bed to stand beside her.

    "Get up, N," Lia instructed in a cold voice.

    The magenta-haired beauty stood up with a moist face as she used her sleeve to wash her tears and waited for the instruction.

    Lia spread her left hand and said, "both of you, ce your hand on mine."<novelnext></novelnext>

    Rio did as she asked but N looked at her suspiciously then she ced as Lia indicated her to hurry with her eyes.

    "Now pray to god to take him as your husband and swear on mana, blood, family, ancestors as well as heaven that you will love him dearly and support him in difficult times.

    You would be happy in his glory and take care of him if he is sick.

    Also, you will never betray Lia Devlin as well as your husband Rio ande between them to steal him." The white-haired beauty''s calm voice resounded in the room which took everyone present unprepared.

    N''s mouth became agape upon hearing her sentence. A rush of Endorphins kicked in her body as she was in sudden bliss.

    She looked at Lia as if the white-haired beauty was a real goddess and her Guardian angel and was shot to the seventh Heaven.

    Rio who was standing beside her also had a face full of astonishment as he never expected this sudden progress.

    Helia who had a tray in her hands, almost let go of them as Lia''s words caused all three of them to shake in amazement.

    ''I also have to make him ept my sister as his wife in the future so this is the best decision for everyone. That way N wouldn''t feel bitter in her heart and would be like a family who loves my husband more than her life.

    Rather than making her our ve or binding her with the contract, I should rather make us bound in an oath that would lead to a happy bonding between us.

    Rio had also seen her in the million futures where he was able to save me so her existence is required.''

    Lia made a difficult decision keeping her self-interest to the side as she was already going to share her husband with Helia. This would allow Rio''s heart to open up for her sister in the future and he would have to ept her if they developed such feelings.

    "Why?" Rio asked with puzzlement.

    "You know Husband, she sacrificed herself for you. We can''t let her go after she knows your secret. If you want we can make her our ve but would you want that?" Lia asked with a smile as she knew him very well and understood Rio wouldn''t like binding N in a blood contract.

    ====////====

    [Snow Note]

    Let''s wee our first harem member to the story.

    Also, let me know in thements if you guys are satisfied with how the harem transition happened.

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 Chapter 135 New Family Member

    Hearing the white-haired beauty''s statement, Rio was taken aback. Lia had already thought things thoroughly and knew he would never want N to be his ve.

    Who wouldn''t develop a soft spot or affectionate-filled feelings if someone sacrificed themselves to protect you? Would he be able to bind that poor girl to such a blood contract and ve her after what she had done for him?

    As far as Lia knew, Rio wouldn''t have agreed to bind this girl to a blood contract even if N hadn''t saved his life.

    "Are you okay sharing your husband with others?" Rio directed the question to the white-haired beauty as he knew how hard it was for someone to share their partner.

    "As far as I know, I''m also the girl who should ask your first woman La if she epts me or not but our Fate let me be your first wife.

    Heaven wouldn''t forgive me if I separate her from you. Our marriage was a forced one and In true definition, La is your first wife who took care of you like a dotting mother.

    However, I also wouldn''t want that you leave me as you are mine, and I''m not going topromise with that." Lia''s voice was flickering with heavy emotions, as sharing her husband with another girl was very difficult for her to do.

    The white-haired beauty didn''t want to share Rio with others but in childhood, she already agreed to her sister Helia''s wish to marry the same husband as her.

    At that time she never imagined the boy from a foreignnd would be her most precious darling who she wouldn''t want to share.

    But fate wanted something else as the person she married already had a person in his heart with whom he was closely bonded.

    Moreover, their marriage was a forced one so Lia felt wrong for keeping her husband for herself since she wasn''t even his first woman.

    Unless she became dictator and wanted to have Rio for herself with force it was not possible to not allow other girls to be around him which includes Helia, La, and N.

    If she became selfish she would hurt Helia as well as Rio and it would also be morally wrong to steal him from La. So in the end, she took a step back and let him marry N.

    "For me, you will remain my ideal wife who I''ll treasure forever. As for La, she is my first love. You and La are an inseparable part of me. I''m iplete without both of you." Rio said, ruffling her hair with one hand as the other was ced on her palm.

    Helia said, "So you are a yboy? Having so many girls to chase after you and hurting them."

    The lioness stared dagger at Rio as she didn''t like him marrying another girl but it was a decision made by her own sister. Even Rio questioned his wife why she agreed to it.

    Helia had calmed herself after hearing the couple''s conversation although she didn''t understand who was this La.

    N didn''t notice the new person as she was dazed because her dream wasing true.

    Rio red at Helia and didn''t say anything.

    "Start the holy oath," Lia said to N who was smiling ear to ear.

    The lively girl woke up from her joyous thinking to follow the instruction.

    "Yes, big sister... I, N Mailon, pray to god to take Rio as my husband and swear on mana, blood, family, ancestors as well as heaven that I will love my sweetheart dearly and support him in difficult times.

    I would be happy in his glory and take care of him if he is sick. I will never betray Lia Devlin as well as my darling husband Rio ande between them to steal him from my beautiful big sister Lia." N spoke in a vibrant voice as she took the holy oath to be Rio''s wife.

    The white-haired beauty and lioness both were amazed to hear her sweet-coated oath while the boy was used to her jolly side.

    "Now kiss our hands to finish the oath," Lia said in aposed manner.

    "Does it have to be hands?" The magenta-haired beauty asked in puzzlement.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "No, but..." Before Lia would finish her sentence, N moved to kiss Rio''s cheek before giving a peck on Lia''s as well.

    The duo was dazed as this brazen girl kissed both their cheeks.

    A light shone around them and a warm sensation entered the trio''s bodies. The leaf on Rio''s left shoulder and Lia''s right one started changing as a new green petal formed beside it.

    Simrly, the tattoo appeared on N''s right shoulder as well but there was only one leaf on her.

    N took unprepared Lia in a hug and shouted in joy, "I love you, Big sister...you''re the best..."

    Lia gave a forced smile as she was embraced by the girl.

    a few secondster, N let go of her.

    "Haha...sorry I am too happy so felt like hugging you because you''re an angel for me," N mumbled in an embarrassed tone.

    "It''s alright," Lia spoke as she was getting used to her new yful family member.

    She moved to inspect their tattoos and looked at N''s right shoulder, "It seems you were also blessed by heaven to be Rio''s wife."

    "Can she also talk with us?" Rio asked in thought.

    "I can already feel her presence. N, can you hear us?" Lia spoke via telepathy.

    "Whao...we can now talk in our minds?" N''s amazed voice sounded in their thoughts.

    They could talk to N but only when the duo desired, otherwise they could keep their conversation private.

    "Yeah..." Rio responded to her in a casual manner.

    ====////====

    [Snow Note]

    And that''s how N became Rio''s wife.

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 Chapter 136 Nylas New Bedroom

    Seeing the holy oath ceremony finishing, Helia walked to them with the tray filled with tea cups and a kettle.

    Magenta-haired beauty turned to see the newly arrived person as she hadn''t noticed her earlier.

    "Whoa..., she looks so dazzling..." N''s eyes were enamored as she gazed at Helia who was in her warrior get-up without armor.

    Helia didn''t know how to respond so she just nodded with a straight face.

    "Let me help you" N was going to take the tray from Helia''s hand but Lia grabbed the back of her cloth as she was stopped mid-way.

    "Let Helia serve the tea. You need to rest until you fully recover." Lia said in her serene voice.

    "Okay, big sister." She responded in a sweet manner and stopped proceeding.

    The trio sat on the king-sized bed, while Helia put the tray beside them.

    She filled the cup for four people and gave them all one by one.

    When it was N''s turn, she said in her lively manner, "Thanks, Sister Helia."

    Lioness sat on her chair and sipped her tea while observing the new family member they had and others'' faces.

    "Sorry for ruining the bed," N spoke in an apologetic tone.

    "Don''t worry about it. Your blood isn''t bad dirt so it''s not ruined. What you did to save Rio already makes me owe you." Lia said, her gentle voice was filled with gratitude and care.

    "Would you always keep her upstairs?" Helia asked, as other things rted to this question concerned her.

    "We would need to hide her identity from everyone. It''s good Grandma Eira didn''t find She is a human." Lia said in a rxed manner.

    "Yeah, but who will convince uncle?" Lioness asked in puzzlement.

    "I''ll take care of that. N is on our side so I wouldn''t let father meddle in our business but she needs to change her eyes color for other Asuras at least."

    "I can use contact lenses for that" N heard their conversation and offered her brilliant idea.

    "What''s that?" Helia asked, scrunching her eyebrows.

    "It''s artificially created thin lenses to put on the surface of eyeballs to change the iris color or for therapeutic reasons," Rio exined in simple words.

    "We wouldn''t need that," Lia said as she took out a scroll from her Spatial beast soul.

    She handed the scroll to N and said, "Just learn this spell and you will be fine.

    Lia brought out a needle to give the lively girl.

    "How?" The magenta-haired beauty asked in puzzlement.

    "You need to put a droplet of your blood on the scroll," Rio answered as he saw the girl was in bewilderment.

    N nodded, giving him lovely smile as she was happy to be his wife, and took the needle from Lia''s hand to prick her index finger.

    A droplet of crimson blood fell on the scroll and started covering itpletely.

    As always, it hovered upwards from her grasp and burned in red mes.

    N was gasping in amazement, seeing this phenomenon taking ce in front of her eyes.

    The magenta-haired beauty grasped the new information rushing in her mind as it told her what was [Ancient Disguise] skill.

    Although she didn''t have an AI watch to notify her but when Asura learned a skill they would get the knowledge about it in their mind, feeling as If the information was implemented in their brain always.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "How do I use it?" She questioned, her voice was filled with ecstasy.

    "You need to imagine your eyes as red then cast the spell," Rio instructed and watched from the side. In his heart, the boy couldn''t believe he was married to another girl now.

    "Okay, let me try ..." N said in an eager tone.

    She closed her eyes and started imagining herself with red eyes.

    A feeble white mist enveloped her upper head before vanishing away.

    As she opened her eyes, everyone saw that N''s eyes had be scarlet like Lia''s.

    "Did it change?" The magenta-haired beauty asked with a hopeful expression.

    "Yeah. You are faster than Rio since you have done it in one try without looking into the mirror." Lia praised her with a gentle smile.

    N felt happier gettingplimented while the boyined, "You forgot your husband when someone new came."

    Helia responded to him, "Lia is just stating facts. Let me say in easier words that N is smarter than you."

    "Yea... yea..." Rio didn''t bother arguing with her and remembered a simr scene from his future vision.

    There was only one person missing and that person was the one who stayed at his side like a mother hen protecting their chicken.

    ''Where are you, La?''

    Rio gazed into the distance as he missed her.

    After they finished drinking their tea, Helia asked Yami to do the cleaning of Lia''s bedroom.

    The chief maid changed the bedsheets and mattress, cleaning the floor and the couch.

    Lia had instructed her to not rece the couch and only clean it as it was something rted to Rio and her.

    The three beautiful girls and the boy went to the unupied room led by Lia.

    "This is your new room, when you recoverpletely you can go back home, and when you return you can live here.

    For now, rest here. If you need anything then just ask me or Helia." The white-haired beauty said in her serene voice.

    "Can I have purple bedsheets and pillows?" N didn''t mind being shameless and told her demands as she behaved it was her own house.

    "You''re getting used to this ce pretty fast. I feel like you''re here for longer than me." Riomented from the side as he saw how the magenta-haired beauty was sofortable here.

    "Don''t listen to him. Befortable here. You''re nicer than him anyway." Helia remarked as she liked N more than the crimson-haired boy.

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 Chapter 137 Everything I Have Belongs To My Darling

    "Don''t listen to him. Befortable here. You''re nicer than him anyway." Helia remarked as she liked N more than the crimson-haired boy.

    She was impressed by her bravery and virtuous deed of saving herrades made a favorable image of the magenta-haired beauty in Lioness''s heart who usually hated humans.

    Lia didn''t find her demand bad as she was happy that the girl was easily getting along with them even being from the human race.

    "I''ll send someone to buy those stuff for you. You will have them by evening." The white-haired beauty said with a smile.

    "Thank you, big sis." N showed her gratitude in a lively voice and started using a more intimate word to call her.

    "Wasn''t this room originally mine?" Rio questioned from the side.

    The boy noticed how Lia gave his room to N which was supposed to be his in the first ce.

    Although His wives'' rooms were also his but It was the white-haired beauty''s idea for having a separate room for everyone even though they were a married couple.

    "Yeah...but you said you don''t need one so I''m giving it to N," Lia responded in a rxed tone.

    "Sweetie, Didn''t I tell you in the past ''Who says mine and yours between friends.'' Let me say it in better words since we are now more than friends. Everything that I have belongs to my Darling." N said thest sentence keeping her hands on her heart and announced in a romantic tone.

    Rio sighed deeply hearing her deration as the lively girl now had a license from his main wife to flirt with him.

    They took a sit in N''s new bedroom around her bed. To the left was the lioness, beside her was N who was also sitting beside Lia, and at thest was Rio with his wife as a neighbor.

    "Is purple your favorite?" Helia asked as she was beside her.

    Before She would answer, Rio spoke, "She loves it to the point that she doesn''t want to advance to the next stage. Also, the reason why this all happened. If she was a ck stage warrior then she wouldn''t have gotten injured and could''ve survived it easily."

    "You may call me crazy but this Purple color is very lucky for me. If I didn''t get wounded and was strong enough to face it, you wouldn''t have brought me to this ce when I was on the verge of dying. It''s all because of my favorite purple." N said with a sweet vibrant voice as she was feeling lucky to be wounded as it helped her to marry him.

    "Okay, but now that you became his wife you should not stay at the purple stage but get to the ck stage. When you advance to the next stage, I will give you a beast soul that will let you store things." Lia said, her voice was mixed with care andmand as she didn''t want her to continue being at the purple stage for the craziness of her obsession.

    "As you say Big sis." the Magenta-haired beauty replied, giving a Salute gesture with her hand.

    As they were talking and getting familiar with each other, the white-haired beauty asked, "You should tell us about your life in the human world, about yourself and maybe your family."

    Hearing the question, N''s face became downcast as this was a sensitive topic for her. The girl''s family wasn''t really colorful like her personality who knew how to make everyone happy.

    "Sorry, I shouldn''t have asked." Lia apologized, seeing her downhearted reaction as the white-haired beauty could easily understand something was wrong with this subject for her to get so sad all of a sudden.

    A feeble smile spread on N''s face as she spoke, looking into Lia''s side, "No...it''s not that. I was just reminded of my past.<novelnext></novelnext>

    I have a dad who cares about talent, a stepmother who wanted to use me to marry the yboy Ruben who literally killed me, a step-sister who curse me and makes my life miserable, and a grandfather for whom I''m invisible since I''m stuck on purple stage.

    And a loving grandmother who actually is an angel and loves me like a normal family member.

    Mother died when I was born so dad thinks I''m responsible for her death and doesn''t like me." N started telling about her family and past story to everyone.

    Her eyes kept dropping tears as she remembered and described to everyone.

    Lia caressed the lively girl''s back and used her fingers to wipe the magenta-haired beauty''s tears away.

    Helia also felt sad hearing the story and it angered her.

    She said in an annoyed tone, "how can be someone''s father so idiotic."

    "I used to pray to mother that I don''t want to live and want to go to her but now I don''t have such desire as I''m happy to meet my new sisters.

    I want to dance and jump all over the bed to express my joy.

    Moreover, Big sister Lia, allowed me to be with Rio who was my dream boy. All I can say is that for me big sis is really a goddess." N expressed her gratitude towards them and cheered in the room.

    Her presence brought positive and lively energy to their surroundings.

    Before it was mostly Helia and Rio bickering and Lia enjoying a good show but now it was N who took the stage and kept everyone joyous with her happy energy.

    "Although I hate humans but for you, I will make an exception as those bad humans also bullied you.

    From now on, I will consider you my younger sister. But I have a condition, you won''t take your husband''s side when I and he have arguments. Deal?" Helia said in a serious voice as she offered her term and condition to the girl.

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 Chapter 138 Okay, Daddy

    "You know, I love him the most but since we are all one family and it''s just going to be a lower level of arguments I will be by your side to bully my Rio," N said in a jolly tone as she epted the offer.

    ''It''s good she is getting along with Lioness. If Helia tried to harm N as she did to me, I wouldn''t have let her go easily without making her pay for her actions.

    The problem I feared for keeping her here is solved even if it took N to be by her side in our childish bickering so I don''t mind.''

    The boy didn''t dislike their deal as he was happy the vibrant girl got along well with Helia.

    "God may bless you, Husband." Hearing their evil nning, Lia prayed to heaven for Rio.

    "They are just little girls, I am not scared of them." He shrugged and didn''t take them seriously.

    "Okay, Daddy," N said in a coquettish voice, which made Rio surrender in defeat.

    Helia felt bashful hearing the Magenta-haired beauty''s remark for the boy. This was something among Lovers and Lioness wasn''t able to use the same for him.

    The girls continued to have their sweet conversation as they got familiar with one another.

    Approaching footsteps came and a familiar voice requested, "May Ie Your Highness?"

    It was Yami who asked from outside the door.

    "Yeah,e in," Helia answered in a stiff voice, instead of Lia.

    "I have fixed the bedroom and everything is finished there. But when I went downstairs, guards informed me that Emperor wants to meet your highness and princess. His majesty would be going outside the castle soon. He also mentioned not bringing Rio along." Yami spoke in a polite tone.

    Her eyes noticed a new girl sitting beside Lia in the room which surprised her as she didn''t see anyone entering the empress vi before.

    "Okay, you can go now." Helia dismissed her.

    "Yes, princess," She said before bowing to both Lia as well as Helia and going outside of the room.

    "Father is going to bring us to an important gathering he mentioned yesterday. We would''ve brought you along but you both need to rest.

    Also, you have to understand about the shamor empire first and learn the noble etiquette of us Asura or it would be a problem if someone found you two suspicious." Lia said to the duo as she was going to leave them there.

    "It''s fine, I don''t like meeting others," Rio responded as he didn''t mind not apanying her to the outside castle.

    "Even if you don''t like meeting others, you need to show yourself very soon to the empire. There are other great ns and sects sending marriage proposals for Lia so be ready for your entrance to the shamor empire in the uing days. You can not always hide here." Helia said in a serious tone as she knew how severe this subject was.

    "Even though I wouldn''t want you to do something you don''t wish but you really need to reveal yourself soon. I feel bad that others still approach me for marriage when I''m already your wife. So we shouldn''t hide it for long.

    After we return from the special gathering, and you are recovered, I and Helia would give you important lessons that would help you to get ready for the Shamor Empire''s stage." Lia''s voice had a hint of sadness at the start then it became nonchnt at the end.

    "Big sis, I also wanna join in. Don''t forget me." N requested as if a young kid asking for chocte.

    "I thought you would want to avoid going in front of asuras but if you wish to join us You cane along and also learn with Rio when we start his lessons" Lia assured her with a smile.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Thank you, big sis." The magenta-haired beauty said in a lively manner.

    "Okay, I will go now and prepare as we may have to leave soon. Rest well, N." Lia said before walking out of the room.

    "I also need to prepare. Take care." Helia also left.

    "I also need to go. Have fun." Rio said before escaping from the room as he wanted to be with Lia before she leaves for a special gathering.

    "Heeeeyyyyyyy.." N thought to stop him but he had already gone.

    Rio entered Lia''s bedroom but she wasn''t there as she had gone to the bathroom to get into the new dress.

    He saw the door was locked or he would''ve surely gone inside.

    Soon, the door opened and a figure in a blue dress stepped out of it. She exuded an aura of nobility and grace.

    The white-haired beauty noticed the boy and raised her eyebrows as she didn''t expect him to follow in.

    She moved to the dressing table to get ready as the girl was happy to see her husband.

    Rio walked towards her and stood behind her. He said, "Let me help you Wifey."

    Lia nodded and used kohl to apply around the side corners of her eyes.

    Rio took a goldenb to do her silky white hair carefully.

    Lia''s heart was fluttering with butterflies and warmth rose inside her chest as he helped her to get ready for a special outing.

    The boy wasn''t impatient with his actions as every stroke with his hand had his love and care hidden within it.

    After finishing her hair, he moved to take a blue feather essory from the dressing table and put it on side of her hair near the ear. The feather essory enhanced her ravishing style to the next level.

    "When would youe back?" Rio asked as he didn''t like her leaving as he had recentlye from the wild.

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 Chapter 139 Husband Would Help You Get Ready, Helia...

    "When would youe back?" Rio asked as he didn''t like her leaving since he had recentlye from the wild.

    "I would have skipped going but Father was saying it''s an important gathering where they would talk about some crucial matters of empire and I have to be present there.

    Although my heart doesn''t ept leaving when you just had such a big mishap and I want to bring you along but we have to be preparedpletely before you make your first debut in front of those sly foxes." Lia said, her voice was filled with heavy emotion as her face was drowned in sadness to leave him here alone.

    "Don''t get sad about it. It''s just a few hours. I will just take a rest." Rio said, caressing her soft cheeks with his hands as they were looking at each other''s reflection in the mirror.

    Lia turned to look into his sea-green eyes and smiled at him, "You could''ve stayed with your new wife but you came to meet me while I''m getting ready... This assures me further your heart and soul both are mine and mine only.

    However, Husband...you shouldn''t treat her unfairly now...even though I avoided binding you to an oath to love her but I hope you would at least give her what she deserves...in this selfish world you won''t find a second N who would sacrifice herself even when you didn''t reciprocate her love...."

    The girl tried to convince him as she thought Rio might still give N a cold shoulder because he left her to meet his wife when the magenta-haired beauty was still recovering and might want him by her side.

    "I won''t disappoint you or her. You both are my wives. Although in my heart I will always treasure you more but I won''t let her feel I love her less." Rio said, his voice was calm as he assured her.

    Lia inclined towards his cheeks and pecked his left cheek but as she was withdrawing she felt a sudden lip-locking for a second as Rio returned her a kiss on her plumpy cherry-like red lips.

    The white-haired beauty was a little surprised but then she felt pleasant and turned around to get ready properly.

    Rio stayed with her wrapping his hand around her belly and putting his neck on her shoulder as he watched her using all womanly cosmetics to enhance her already bewitching look to another level.

    After some time passed, approaching footsteps sounded as Helia arrived.

    She was wearing a yellow long skirt with a white top as she looked like a noble princess with fine beauty who was enveloped in elegance and grace.

    The girl could''ve made Rio''s heartbeat faster if he didn''t have the protection of Lia being his wife and their bitter past.

    "You haven''t been ready yet?" She said as the girl walked to them.

    Rio saw her and said in a rxed manner, "You seem like a delicate aromatic flower in your new get-up. If you wear these dresses more often then I wouldn''t think you''re a thug hired by the royal family."

    "You...if it didn''t take me so much trouble to get ready I would''ve kicked your ass even if it caused me to dress again" Helia grumbled, clenching her fist.

    "Husband...you should''ve helped her to get ready since she needs your help more," Lia said with a gentle smile.

    "Okay, since you''re saying I''ll help her next time." Rio agreed right away as he knew this would make the lioness more annoyed.

    "No...I don''t need this pervert''s help to get ready." Helia refused, her neck and cheeks had a redness spreading on the skin as she thought getting her clothes stripped by Rio one by one then he helped her to wear a new set of clothes.

    "I''m not a pervert. I helped her do the hair and other kinds of stuff. It''s your dirty mind that''s going wild." Rio spoke in a nonchnt voice.

    "It''s okay, Helia. I understand you didn''t imagine all those things." Lia added fuel to the fire as the lioness became even more embarrassed.

    "Here I thought I would be an advantage after N joined my team against him but I forgot I have an adorable sister who would betray me shamelessly." The blonde-haired beautyined in an irritated tone.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Lia giggled at her words and the Lioness dropped her shoulder in defeat as she felt tired of handling this couple.

    Rio patted her head gently as she looked like she was really bullied by them.

    The girl stared daggered at his cute action but didn''t resist his approach.

    The beautiful sisters were all ready and prepared to leave for the special gatherings.

    Lia wrapped her hand around Rio''s hand and walked downstairs while Helia followed alongside them. The trio looked dazzling as they descended the stairs.

    Yami and the other maids all took a peek to watch these magnificent figures as they traveled to the entrance.

    When they were at the door, Lia turned around and inclined towards Rio with a smile.

    "Take care, Husband" She whispered into his ear before pecking his lips with a soft kiss.

    Yami and the other girls gasped in amazement as they noticed this situation. What was even more that they saw was Helia didn''t find it strange.

    ''If the princess didn''t find it abnormal that means this initial action is normal for her highness and the boy''

    The chief maid came to a conclusion as she saw it happen in front of her.

    Helia was happy in her heart as she saw their rtionship being lovey-dovey although it annoyed her to look at this stupid fellow.

    The royal sisters left the empress vi, instructing Yami to fulfill any of Rio''s demands if he asks her anything.

    ''What does she mean by anything? Do I have to even serve him my pure body?''

    Chief maid her weird thoughts developing in her mind as the princess and empress left.

    The girl didn''t know that there was a ravishing beauty upstairs waiting for Rio for a long time. The boy didn''t need anyone else when he was the husband of two beautiful wives.

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 Chapter 140 Hugging Nyla To Sleep

    Yami was unaware of the fact that there was a ravishing beauty upstairs waiting for Rio for a long time. The boy didn''t need anyone else when he was the husband of two beautiful girls.

    The crimson-haired boy was left alone as he decided to visit his newlywed wife.

    He traveled towards N''s new bedroom and entered it with quiet footsteps.

    N had her eyes closed as she was resting, a nket was covering her body but her face was revealed.

    The magenta-haired beauty looked as if she was sleeping peacefully for the first time but the girl was imagining things in her mind as she was thinking about how she would be living with her new husband who she loved with all her heart.

    Rio walked towards her bed before climbing it carefully and lying down beside her.

    As N felt the movement, her green eyes fluttered open to look at the boy. A gentle smile spread on her cherry-like red lips as soon as the Magenta-haired beauty confirmed it was really not a dream but him. She moved her body to ce her head near his muscr chest and wrapped her hands around him.

    She pushed the nket to envelop the boy beneath it and ced her legs over his.

    Her eyes were closed as she was closely hugging him, she mumbled, "You wouldn''t push me away like you used to, right?"

    "Yeah," Rio said in a quiet tone.

    "That''s better. Now I can love you all I want." Her voice flickered with happiness as her grip on Rio''s body got firmer.

    "I''m sorry for hurting you." The boy apologized and caressed her back.

    "It''s okay..." The girl said with a gentle voice and continued, "I understand your reasons now...I''m lucky that my darling is loyal to his wife. It assures me that my adorable husband would be loyal to me always." N spoke, moving her face upwards to kiss his cheeks before snuggling into him once again as if he was her new teddy bear.

    As the new couple heard one another''s thumping heartbeat and felt each other''s hot breath, a tranquil silence enveloped the room. It was making them feel rxed as they enjoyed each other''s embrace without any fear or restriction.

    "Umm...Rio?" She questioned.

    "Yeah?" He asked.

    "Do you love me?" N mumbled as she wanted to know his feelings for her.

    The girl had tried hard so many times but the boy never showed a reaction to any of her stubborn efforts.

    Although she realized the reason aftering here but the girl still wanted to know if all her actions had really failed to grow a seed of love in his iron fortress-like heart or not.

    "When you sang that crazy song for me I knew your emotions were genuine for me. I had started gaining some feelings for you from that day after such bold confession you did but it was the best for all three of us that I stay away from you and I didn''t want to hurt a sweet girl like you who deserves to be happy the most.

    However, What you did recently would even make a god fall for you and I''m just a mortal being. I wished that you find someone better who could keep you happier but in the end, you were so stubborn to still force yourself on me.

    Your love towards me is immense and yeah I have fallen in love for the third time in my life with this insane girl who is crazy but also very adorable." He said, caressing her hair as her head was pressed on his chest.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Wait...Who is the first one?" N sat up instantly as she realized she wasn''t the second but third.

    When Lia and Rio were talking about La, The magenta-haired beauty was all dazed and drowned in her own dream as she was too happy hearing the announcement made by Lia to take a holy oath to ept Rio as her husband.

    She missed listening to the important information he shared at that moment about his first girlfriend.

    "It''s my childhood friend, the first love of my life. She was an angel but I don''t know where she is" Rio said, his eyes were flickering with yearning and love when he mentioned the girl he loved.

    N could easily feel in his expression and emotions mixed in his voice how much he missed that first love girl.

    "What''s her name?" The magenta-haired beauty asked as she was sitting beside him and staring at him with a puzzled face.

    The boy said, "La...She told me her mother used to call her La...I don''t know her surname as I never required it."

    "La???" N scrunched her face as she couldn''t remember any person with this name.

    "I know that it''s an unfamiliar name on Earth. I even searched on the inte there isn''t a single girl with this name. I never imagined this name would be so rare. I wonder where is she?" The boy spoke, his eyes were filled with longing for his first girlfriend.

    "Don''t worry Rio, even though I''m jealous you love her more but I will help you in looking for her," N said, giving him an adorable smile.

    Rio ascended his back a little and wrapped his hands around her back, pulling her down with him.

    He said, "You need to rest and get well soon. Don''t stress about it."

    "When we return to earth, I''m going to barge into your room and always live with you." N dered her position as she knew she was bound to this boy now who bullied her for some time and pushed her away.

    "What if I don''t let you in?" Rio asked, his voice bing serious.

    "Sweetie... did you able to stop me when we weren''t a couple??? How would you forbid me to enter my husband''s room now? I''m gonna bang bang bang you for real, Dummy" N threatened him in an adorable voice.

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 Chapter 141 Youre Really My Happy Place

    "Sweetie... did you able to stop me when we weren''t a couple??? How would you forbid me to enter my husband''s room now? I''m gonna bang bang bang you for real, Dummy" N threatened him in an adorable voice.

    "..." Rio sighed deeply as he knew he wouldn''t able to stop this domineering girl who wouldn''t listen to him.

    The couple talked to each other, hugging one another until the darkness enveloped outside.

    Moon was spreading the faint glow over the castle and in Lia''s garden. The sky was glittering with shiny stars in the dark night.

    Rio went downstairs to ask Yami to send the dinner upstairs as he guessed Lia and Helia would''ve eaten at the special gathering like how it usually happens.

    Late at night, Rio heard footsteps approaching N''s bedroom as he get on his foot to greet the person who came in his search.

    A figure walked into the room whose appearance brought joy to Rio''s heart.

    The white-haired beauty went to stand in front of him, before wrapping her hands around his body and cing herself in his warm embrace.

    "This feels sofortable. You''re really my happy ce." Lia mumbled as she hugged him. She looked tired and her voice was filled with mental exhaustion.

    "Has something happened?" Rio questioned, caressing her back as her hands were coiled around him.

    "I don''t like being at special gatherings where everyone you meet is all fake. It''s exhausting to greet them knowing they all like you for the favor and position you have.

    Then there are people who would approach you with evil intentions in mind." The white-haired beautyined and sighed deeply as she remembered all the different cunning people she met in her today''s outing.

    "It''s alright now, Wifey. You''re home with me so rx and forget those people." Rioforted her, his voice was filled with deep affection.

    "Yeah...but I wish you were there so it wouldn''t be so bad." Lia puffed her cheeks.

    "I''ll learn the royal etiquettes this week so you don''t have to go alone next time," Rio said in a rxed manner.

    Lia saw N was already sleeping which was expected as she was a patient who needed more sleep to recover faster and for better healing.

    "Let me go and get freshened up," Lia said as she separated from him.

    "Do you need my help to get change?" The boy asked a gentle smile spread on his face as his intention was pure.

    "Nooo..." Lia''s voice flickered with shyness as she declined it directly and was bashful to imagine what would happen next if he reallye to help.

    She continued, "I''ll go and change into something casual. I will be back in a few minutes."

    Rio nodded as the white-haired beauty walked out of the bedroom to go on her own.

    After some moment, she came back in a simple silk white night dress with a long white skirt, that made her look alluring yet ravishingly gorgeous.

    She discovered Rio wasying on the bed and N was sleeping on the left side of him.

    The white-haired beauty went towards his right and climbed onto the bed to hug her loving husband.

    "Do you wanna sleep here? We can go to our room." Rio asked as he saw she was nning to sleep and had hugged him to rest.

    "It doesn''t matter where we sleep, here or in our room. Sleeping sometimes in N''s bedroom is not bad either considering we are one family." Lia said as she had her eyes closed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Okay," he mumbled and kissed her forehead.

    Soon, Helia came to check on her sister as she had also changed into a light pink night dress, resembling pajamas.

    As she saw Lia was resting, she said, "it seems like you also got tired from the outing. I''ll also go and sleep, so good night Lia."

    "Good night my darling sister." The white-haired beauty responded with a gentle smile

    ''Won''t this annoying fellow say anything? Should I wish him a better night before leaving? Ah...no...''

    The lioness saw Rio giving him a gaze but not saying words. She gritted her teeth and stormed out of the room.

    "She was waiting for you to say something. You should have wished her good night." Lia said.

    "How would I know unless she speak and she could''ve said good night first." The boy answered in a nonchnt tone.

    "Helia is not good at opening up to someone and she was hoping you would say it first then she would have followed in.

    But I''ll leave it to you two how long you kids take to get along. Sooner orter you both would understand each other." The white-haired beauty exined the inner contemtion of her sister.

    The trio went into a beautiful dreand as Rio was in the middle and Lia slept in his embrace, hugging him. N was also snuggling into Rio from the left side and her habit of cing her legs over her sweetheart''s body was on full disy.

    In the morning, the magenta-haired beauty woke up first. She felt her face was pressing against something warm andfortable as she slowly opened her eyes to see it was the person she loved.

    ''My Rio...he looks so cuteeee...it''s the best thing to wake up next to him...Oh...Big sis has also slept here...''

    N gazed at her boy with affection-filled eyes as she discovered Lia was sleeping in Rio''s embrace right beside her.

    She climbed down from her bed and went to the bathroom to wash up her face and eyes.

    After some time, N came back as she saw the couple was still resting.

    ''I should check if sister Helia is awake.''

    The magenta-haired beauty walked outside of the bedroom to go to the neighbor''s room.

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 Chapter 142 You Need To Pay Me With Your Body

    The lioness was fixing her silky blonde hair when she heard the footsteps and discovered a familiar figure appearing at the door.

    "N, you woke up very early...Do you feel any better today?" The blonde-haired beauty asked, her voice was warmer than how she talked to Rio and she was in her night dress.

    "Yeaaa...today I''m much better. I don''t know how I recovered this fast here but on earth, it would take a couple of weeks." The girl responded with her energetic style.

    "We have better healers here so," Helia said, her voice flickered with pride.

    "Rio and big sis is still sleeping so I thought to take a look outside as I was getting bored and found you''re awake," N spoke, a sweet smile was shing on her vibrant face.

    "If you want we can go to the city center today but only to the private shops owned by the royal family where we wouldn''t face any sly foxes or important figures" Helia offered her as she saw the girl was in need of some fresh air.

    "I thought we wouldn''t be able to go until we get our etiquette lessons," N said in puzzlement.

    "As long as we only go to the few shops that are in our full control there shouldn''t be a problem," Helia assured her in a rxed tone.

    "Oh...yeah...I don''t have any dresses to go outing." N said as she looked at her clothes that were casual clothing given by Lia.

    "Don''t worry about dresses. I have many that I never touched because I usually wear warrior suits. Moreover, After we go shopping today we can buy you new dresses." The lioness responded.

    Helia wasn''t reserved talking to N and she was like another girl instead of her usual grumbling self.

    "Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah...Sister Helia...you''re the best" N cheered and yelled to praise her.

    The girls continued their conversation about other things as women''s talk was believed to be eight wonders of the world if they were together.

    The next to wake up was Rio who didn''t find N beside her and went to check outside in worry where he heard the girls talking.

    He came back to N''s bedroom and walked into the bathroom.

    When he returned Lia was rubbing her eyes and had just woken up from her sleep.

    "Wifey...Do you need anything?" Rio asked as he entered the bedroom.

    "Yeah...I need you..." Lia nodded adorably and pointed her index finger toward him, her one eye was closed as she dered her morning demand.

    "Okay...To have me you need to pay me with your enticing body..." Rio teased her in a calm tone as he approached her.

    "I have another way to get you," Lia said, her eyes flickered with a mischievous glint.

    "And what is that?" He questioned, raising his eyebrows

    Lia grabbed his shirt and pulled him onto the bed with a firm grip.

    "I can use force to keep Husband without paying anything," she said, her face had a coquettish smile.

    "If someday I became stronger than you..." Rio spoke, didn''tplete his sentence though, and just had a mysterious smile to tease her.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Would you use force to pull me as I did and fulfill your demands?" Lia asked, her voice was serene.

    "If someday I became stronger than you, I will still not force anything on you and moreover, if I really want something from you, I don''t think Wifey would refuse me," Rio said, his eyes were gazing at her adorable face.

    "I don''t like you when you act so smart," Lia said with puffed cheeks.

    "Do you have any ns for today?" Rio asked, pulling her left cheek as he wasying beside her.

    "Ah...don''t do that..." The girl pouted and continued, "my n for today is to spend it with Husband but I need to freshen up first ."

    Lia finished her sentences and tried to get up.

    Rio grabbed her by the waist and pulled her in a hug, "Oh all mighty Lia Devlin, the empress of noble Asura race. Since you''re so stronger to force me beneath you. Show me your strength and get free from my clutches."

    He said to her as the boy dered an open challenge to the white-haired beauty.

    Lia smiled and stopped getting away, she whispered, "I might be stronger but I can''t defy your love. I would be here forever in your arms if Husband wants me."

    "I can''t even say I have fallen in love with you...since that happened a long time ago...Anyway you should really get ready before otherse in..." Rio said, his eyes were filled with adoration as he released his grip on her waist.

    Lia grabbed his cheeks with both hands and stared into his sea-green eyes.

    She spoke, "This Lia feels as if I''m falling for Husband every day all over again. Yesterday when you came tob my hair, I felt like I''m the luckiest person in existence to have a man like you as my partner.

    In our Shamor Empire''s culture, a husband normally goes on duty and brings wealth to their wife and family. But yesterday you made me realize sometimes the little things a partner does can give you bliss that can not be bought with money and that''s irreceable.

    You''re the best husband, Rio...Thank you for mistakenlying to this castle, marrying this spoiled girl, and not hating me even though I was not so nice to you. I was really a bad wife back then."

    The white-haired beauty voice was flickering with heavy emotions as she described the deeper knowledge of rtionships and bonding. Her heart was filled with warmth and affection for the person in front of her scarlet eyes.

    "Don''t think about the past...I''m blessed to have this spoiled girl as my wife." Rio said, kissing her forehead.

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 Chapter 143 Outing With The Three Beauties

    "Don''t think about the past...I''m blessed to have this spoiled girl as my wife." Rio said, kissing her forehead.

    They stayed in a warm hug as Lia was emotional remembering their journey and how they became so close.

    After some time passed, she separated herself from him, giving him a soft kiss on the face before climbing down the bed.

    She went to her bedroom to freshen up as it was alreadyte and everyone had woken up before her.

    Fifteen minutester, she came with N and Helia and they all entered the bedroom.

    "They are nning to go shopping outside the castle. Do you wanna join?" Lia said, her voice was serene as she looked at her loving husband.

    "I thought I can not go without those etiquette lessons but if N is going then there shouldn''t be an issue. I cane." Rio said in aposed manner and gave his agreement.

    "That''s better. Lia was saying she wouldn''t join if you didn''te. I really don''t understand why my sister wouldn''t want to join us to shop for someone like you." Helia sighed in aining tone as she was upset that the white-haired beauty wouldn''t join them if Rio didn''te.

    "Only an expert knows the value of a gem...My wife is the asura empress...If she is doing something then it must be for some great reason..." Rio said and dered him a precious treasure.

    "Shameless..." Helia shook her head as this annoying fellow was bragging about his wife for the second time in front of her.

    "If Husband and N areing outside the castle, they both need to disguise themself even if we are going to the private Jaded Bird cloth shop. " The white-haired beauty said, her voice was filled with concern.

    "I can use my Blonde haired disguise since I can''t take the Asura Empress''s Husband form yet before you officially introduce me." the boy answered, reducing her worry.

    "And What get up should I choose to go for our outing?" N asked in puzzlement as she looked at her two new sisters for an answer.

    "Change your hair color and you can use a veil like us then you will be fine..." Helia suggested her, the rowdy expression on her face was brighten when she talked to N and Lia.

    "Okay." She closed her eyes and cast [Ancient Disguise], a white fog enveloped her head and vanished, making her hair color ck.

    "ck also looks good on you." Lia praised her with a gentle smile.

    "Thank you, Big Sis. I think I''m half prepared now." N said with a lively expression.

    "That''s better. We will go at the noon, you shoulde with me and choose a dress you want." The lioness told them about the timing and offered N a helping hand for herst concern.

    "Okay..." N and Helia walked out of the bedroom.

    As the morning passed, The three beauties and Rio had their breakfast together happily as N also joined them.

    In the afternoon three beauties and a handsome boy were standing near the castle''s gate as they were all prepared.

    A middle-aged man with brown hair was standing near the carriage who was their coachman. He had a small mustache and long hair.

    There were two horse-like creatures tied to the carriage to pull it. The beast had yellow fur and blue stripes on its body.

    Lia andpany stepped into the royal carriage as they were ready to go on their first outing together in the Shamor Empire.

    Rio noticed the royal carriage was ornately decorated, with gold-silver trim and plush velvet seats for the passengers.

    The coachman started the carriage as Heliamanded him to hurry.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Rio and three beauties settled infortably as the carriage set off, the sound of the beasts'' hooves ttering against the cobblestone streets.

    N was excited as this was a whole new ce than earth where she would be shopping.

    The royal carriage made its way through the city road, it passed by streets lined with shops and vendors.

    "Whoa!!!" The magenta-haired beauty was peeking outside through the windows that had curtains to slide away.

    The aroma of fresh baked bread and roasting meats filled the air.

    She could see merchants haggling with customers over prices, children asking their parents to buy stuff near the vendors, and some folk singers entertaining the crowds.

    The carriage stopped near a two-story building, with a board ''The Jaded Bird cloth shop.''

    "We reached our destination," Helia said as she informed the duo who hade for the first time.

    Lia andpany came out from the carriage and made their way into the cloth shop.

    N''s eyes were gleaming with excitement as she was eagerly waiting toe here since morning.

    There were many clothes arranged in the shop with doll-like statues wearing them.

    There weren''t any people inside the Jaded Bird cloth shop as Helia had already asked to send them notice to keep it empty as the royal family wasing.

    A middle-ageddy in the shop was present who came to greet Lia and Helia when she saw them and bowed in respect.

    "It''s pleasure to see you, your highness and princess. Pleasee this way to the VIP room." Her voice was polite as she led them to the second floor of the building where they had special facilities for them.

    As they entered the room, Rio noticed the luxurious decoration.

    It hadfortable couches set in ces with a rectangr white table topped with delicious food and juices. Colorful paintings of nature were decorated on the walls.

    The room was already arranged with extravagant designer clothes for the special customers as they knew Empress ising to buy clothes.

    "Let''s try them," Helia said to the magenta-haired beauty who was looking at the beautiful dresses in the room with enamored eyes.

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 Chapter 144 Buying Dresses For Girls

    "Let''s try them," Helia said to the magenta-haired beauty who was looking at the beautiful dresses in the room with enamored eyes.

    "Yeeeeee...." N said and went around the room with a vibrant smile.

    Soon, she was drawn to a red velvet gown, and also couldn''t resist a delicatece dress as she picked them.

    N walked to the corner side to discover another dress she fell in love with as it was a flowy, purple chiffon dress.

    Lia and Helia also went to select dresses for themselves as Rio sat on the couch and watched themfortably.

    ''These dresses all look good. They can just pick any and it will be fine. I wonder how they select one along many.''

    The boy couldn''t understand the way these beauties were picking dresses for themselves as each dress went through many of their high-standard criteria to be selected.

    As the girls were picking their dresses, the shopdy brought out a collection of sparkling jewels and elegant shoes to show them.

    The magenta-haired beauty was in awe, and couldn''t wait to try them with her new clothes.

    "Okay, this is perfect..." N said as she went into the trial room with a jolly smile.

    A girl in a purple dress emerged, twirling around to show off to her husband.

    "How is it, Sweetie?" N asked, She was smiling, feeling a rush of joy in her heart, and looked at him with an expectant gaze.

    His eyes had a glint of surprise as his new wife''s beauty bloomed in the new purple dress. She was already a ravishing figure and this new cloth just boosted her bewitching looks.

    "Although It''s purple but I have to agree that you are looking absolutely breathtaking," Rio kept a mystery at the start but in end, he praised her with a gentle smile.

    N was delighted hearing his words and came to him to whisper in his ear, "If you want I can even be without these when we are alone, Darrrr...linggg!"

    Rio''s heart skipped a beat but he calm down.

    Lia and Helia were busy looking for dresses so they didn''t hear their conversation.

    N went to try other dresses and make her choices to bring clothes to her new home.

    The boy also picked a ck dress for the white-haired beauty and another blue dress for N.

    When Lia saw it, she was happy and said, "I love the one you picked for me. But Husband, you should choose a dress for Helia too"

    "Do you really think she would like it?" The boy asked, raising his brows as he was fully aware of their sour rtionship.

    "You should pick one. It''s up to her if she wears it or not" Lia gave her response as she knew her sister very well.

    ''No, I don''t want him to choose. I like my selection better.''

    The lioness retaliated in her mind but deep down she felt bad when he didn''t choose for her. Not because she had any feelings for him but because she felt outcasted in the group which is normal psychology.

    How would someone feel if a girl buys two chocte for her two male friends whom she had a crush on but didn''t buy any for the third male friend while he was apany them shopping?

    Maybe some wouldn''t mind but at the end of the day, she was a girl, not a boy. Behind her warrior-like disguise, she possessed the sensitive delicate heart of a young maiden who was once cherished by her big brother Leon.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She was a lonely soul who just had built up hard shells to act rowdy and rude to others but the girl also deserved to be loved.

    Rio didn''t mind her request and picked a red dress for the lioness as he handed it into her bag.

    The girl pretended to not see it until he moved from her ce. When she confirmed Rio wasn''t looking, she started inspecting it and kept the dress carefully with hidden emotions.

    Finally, they were done with the shopping and prepared to leave the Jaded Bird cloth shop.

    They walked out of the building, and a blonde-haired boy could be seen carrying many bags that filled both hands that were stuffed with new dresses girls had bought.

    Lia helped him to carry the bags into the carriage as they set off to return.

    At the castle, the girls tried on their dresses one more time in their bedroom.

    Helia was secretly checking the red one that Rio had chosen for her.

    N was busy with her sweetheart when Lia went to check on her sister.

    "Did you like it?" Lia asked, entering the room as she saw the girl was twirling in front of the dressing table.

    The blonde-haired beauty was lost in her new dress that she didn''t even notice the approaching footsteps.

    "Ah...I was just trying it. It''s not that good." Helia said she was looking in a different direction while not epting she liked the dress.

    "You can''t hide it from me. I know how you feel since it''s your second time receiving something from someone other than me." The white-haired beauty knew the hidden emotions her sister was feeling.

    The reason she liked it was that she never took gifts from outsiders and Lia was the only one who bought things for her in the family.

    Emperor had no time for his niece and her n Elders didn''t bother about her as they were more interested in her achievements and talent.

    "Please don''t tell him," Helia said, her voice sounded like pleading.

    "I won''t but why do you dislike him?" Lia asked, scrunching her eyebrows.

    "I made an oath with him that I won''t ever like him...if I break that oath I''ll have to ept him as my master." Helia revealed the truth but twisted it halfway to hide the incident.

    "So husband is bringing us a maid as his third wife," Lia mumbled.

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 Chapter 145 Mysterious Past Of The Emperor

    "So Husband is bringing us a maid as his third wife," The white-haired beauty mumbled with a smile as her voice was filled with amusement.

    "Don''t tease me, Lia...I''m never going to like him. Marrying him is a far-fetched thing." Helia sounded like a bullied girl, as she didn''t like that annoying fellow.

    Although she liked the red dress he picked for her but marrying him was not okay for her. The foundation of their bonding was a sour past so there was no hope for her to ever think of him as her man.

    The white-haired beauty scrunched her eyebrows, hearing her sister''s statement, and said, "It seems like there is something that happened between you and him. I am not aware of what is it but I understand you both very well and two of you are my irreceable treasure.

    My heart says you would end up falling for Husband. Rio is just too kind that he will be able to conquer your iron fortress-like heart."

    ''How do I convince her that love isn''t possible between us?''

    Helia didn''t talk back as she knew she couldn''t tell her the full truth. She kept the red dress in her cupboard before leaving the room with her sweet sister.

    In the evening, Helia was standing in N''s bedroom as Rio and his new beautiful wife were sitting on the couch, waiting for her to start the show.

    Lia wasn''t present as she had gone to meet the Emperor and discuss about N''s presence at the castle. He was informed about the new ck-haired beauty by others as she was apanying both sisters and Rio to the Jaded Bird cloth shop.

    "As you know from today I''m going to guide you on the basic etiquette of a noble family that you need to use when you attend the special banquet and gathering with us.

    First, Do not speak to the Emperor or Empress unless spoken to first. Use formal titles and forms of address, such as "Your Royal Highness" and "His Majesty.

    Second, Bowing or curtsy is required when you meet someone from great ns, sects, or royal families and if they are higher position than you.

    Third, You need to keep in mind to address them correctly using their proper titles. Do not use anyone''s first name unless you are a close friend of theirs. You can not touch or shake hands with an elder unless they initiate it.

    .

    .

    .

    57th, When they are talking do not turn your back or walk away.

    58th, Near the royal vehicles or any carriages, do not touch or lean on them." She kept going for a long time as the duo listened carefully with dreary eyes.

    The magenta-haired beauty wanted to speak a few times but she didn''t get a chance as Helia was continuously kept going from one point to another.

    "These are some important things you need to remember and also you have to fix your bodynguage and gestures while you walk, talk or listen.

    Additionally, you need to learn how to eat properly like a nobledy...if you eat in his monkey style then at least pretend we don''t know each other at the banquet as this will save me from embarrassing myself." Helia gave thest exnation, her voice was filled with amusement as she made fun of Rio.

    "That''s not monkey style. It''s how you eat when you''re hungry." Rio retaliated as Helia was taking revenge for their previous childish fight.

    "But I love his monkey style..." N said, her voice sounding as if the young maiden was madly in love with him.

    Rio red at the magenta-haired beauty as she was also agreeing with the lioness.

    The magenta-haired beauty moved her hand to her lips before directing it to her husband, saying, "Muah!"

    Helia watched their cute interaction as she found N adorable and liked how she was teasing Rio.

    The magenta-haired beauty turned to the lioness and asked in puzzlement, "By the way, sister Helia, it''s so much trouble to follow all these rules. How am I supposed to remember them all? It feels like someone tied me with rope..."

    Her voice sounded as if she was going through a painful training where she didn''t want to continue any further. The workload of this royal etiquette was very high and hard to follow.

    "I can understand you, N, as I feel the same but after you do this over and over again you will get used to it.

    Lia knows how to act like a nobledy filled with elegance and grace even at normal ces but I don''t care about such things unless I''m at special gatherings" The blonde-haired beauty said, she was also bothered by the etiquette they had to follow.

    "How long is this ss going to take?" N asked with a puzzled voice.

    "You two need practice under my supervision for at least a month before we can take you out with us." The lioness responded.

    As they were talking, N finds out about the missions Helia and Rio go on around the corruptednd to take over shelters.

    "Sister Helia, since Rio helps with conquering shelters I also wanna join in your adventures. It seems fun to me than staying at human shelters. will you bring me with you, please?" N asked in a requesting tone.

    "It''s risky..." Rio showed his disapproval instantly as he was worried about his second wife who was too careless.

    "It''s okay you can join me...I will not let you get harmed." Helia agreed as she saw N''s lively face had be downcast when her husband showed disagreement.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "She is also a human like me but you favor her a lot," Rio said, his eyes having a mysterious glint.

    "Because she isn''t annoying like you..." Helia berated him without caring about his feelings.

    ''I''m d you like her even if you''re sour towards me.''

    Rio wasn''t upset that N was getting better treatment than him but he was delighted with her happiness.

    "let''s continue our etiquette lessons for now. I will bring you on a joint adventure to corruptednds when you fully recover." Helia told her as she decided to continue their sses.

    ***

    Lia was standing in the emperor Dn''s study chamber who was sitting behind the desk with a pile of documents.

    "What do you mean you let her marry Rio?" Dn was dumbfounded hearing his daughter''s statement.

    "She sacrificed herself to save him so it wasn''t right to ve her using blood contract. I also don''t want Rio to develop a demon in his heart because of mistreating her as it could burden him to advance to a higher stage in the future.

    So the best decision was to let them marry and this way I will get her loyalty without hurting her." Lia exined in aposed manner as she hade to tell her father about the new development in her life and to ask a demand from him.

    "This isn''t right Lia...why did you do that..." Emperor couldn''t understand her as he discovered her daughter let Rio bring another woman as his wife. The worst part was that it was a human girl.

    "It''s not like Husband won''t be marrying another woman beside me. In the future, Helia would also be his wife. And I know N isn''t a bad girl." Lia said in a calm voice that was assuring her father to believe in her.

    "Since you have already taken the decision and made that human girl his wife what can I say? Tell me, what do you want from me" Emperor asked, he knew his daughter had other requests she wanted him to fulfill.

    "Adopt N as your child so she can get an identity in the Shamor Empire," Lia said in a calm voice.

    Her words caused a rumbling sound in her father''s ears as he stood up from his seat and looked at his daughter in astonishment.

    "This can not happen. I won''t agree to this..." Dn responded, his voice was filled with disagreement.

    "Rio was also human and be your son-inw as he is taking down shelters for you. N is willing to stand by our side against our enemies so what else do you worry about?" Lia asked in a stiff voice, she wasn''t going to back down.

    "Ah...Lia...she is a human...why don''t you understand" Emperor tried to convince her as he sounded helpless.

    "I don''t wanna hear any disapproval regarding this. you were already so unfair towards Helia and me in the past...you only cared about the empire and other people. why can''t you once think about your children." Lia asked, her voice was filled with coldness.

    Emperor sat down on his chair as he was reminded how he was a bad father. This caused an old wound to open up in his heart.

    "Okay, I''ll not think about Empire for this time and adopt her." His voice was flickering with sorrow as If remembering the past.

    "I''ll wait for the news," Lia spoke as she felt her father wasn''t acting normal but she knew he wouldn''t tell her about it.

    The white-haired beauty turned around and left the emperor''s study chamber.

    A tear streaked down the emperor''s face as he was crying like a baby.

    Who said man don''t cry? They also break down when they are alone. They just pretend they are strong but deep down they also shed tears from time to time.

    "Heaven is punishing me for abandoning you my daughter because you didn''t born with red eyes like an asura. I''m sorry my child. Father was wrong to let you and your mother leave that day. I only cared about Empire and its people." He mumbled in a sorrowful voice.

    The emperor of the Asura race was crying for his other daughter whom he had abandoned when she was born.

    ? ***

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 Chapter 146 Adopted Daughter Of Royal Family

    N and Rio continued to train under the sweet sisters and practiced their etiquette lessons. They also brought the magenta-haired beauty around the castle from time to time to let her breathe in the fresh air.

    As time passed, Emperor announced he had adopted a daughter to the royal family, this caused the magenta-haired beauty to be known as princess N Devlin.

    Rio wasn''t aware of this as Lia wanted to inform others after news known to the people of the Shamor Empire.

    He and N heard from Helia during their etiquette lessons that his new wife had been adopted by Emperor Dn.

    After the lessons, he went to meet Lia and looked for her.

    The white-haired beauty was in her beautiful garden under the starry night as the moon illuminated thend covering in its faint glow.

    He walked to her with a delighted heart and sat beside the girl who was watching the little elf fairies dancing around the rainbow fruit tree.

    "Who would''ve thought my wifey to be so generous...you didn''t only share your husband with her but also gave her an identity in the royal family by making your father adopt her...just how nice you are?" Rio gazed at her adorable face, as he thought she was an angel and too good to be true.

    "This Lia knows N''s past and knows she deserves love. That poor girl has sacrificed herself for Husband so it''s only usual for me to do at least this much for her." Lia spoke, her voice was rxed as she was enjoying the peacefulness in the garden with her Rio.

    After some time, they went inside the empress vi to have better privacy and rx with others.

    The magenta-haired beauty came rushing to meet her in their bedroom.

    "Thank You, big sister...Now I''m also a princess..." N showed her gratitude and took Lia in a big hug as they were sitting on the lower side of the bed.

    "Now I have be your sister officially," She said excitedly and separated from her but a smile was on her face that could make anyone feel vibrant just looking at her energetic lively expression.

    "I heard Rio was saying you two would be leaving soon?" Lia asked as he told her earlier when they were in the garden.

    "Yeah, we would go and meet our friends who died to protect me. I feel very bad for both of them. They might be in aa after getting rescued by an AI watch. it would be rude if we don''t meet Sophia and Lucas when they wake up." N said, her voice was flickering with a small amount of sorrow.

    "Yeah, we have to go back and make our presence. otherwise, if those two wake up first they would say we died fighting the lord beast and it would bring me great trouble to convince the second mother toe here anytime soon without lying."

    Rio agreed as he was worried he would be stopped by Aliyah''s motherly instinct toward him.

    "When would youe back?" Lia asked, she didn''t like when he leave for earth.

    "After meeting them, I''m going to visit my grandma with Rio then I wille back to big sis," N responded as she wanted to bring her Husband to meet her grandma.

    Although they weren''t officially married on earth but she could still tell her grandmother she loves him. It didn''t matter to her what others think of her rtionship with Rio as they could keep it secret as long as he wanted.

    Ruben had died so she didn''t have to worry about her engagement with that yboy and even if there was him she could still have hidden behind him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Okay, don''t forget you can talk to me using a mental voice." The white-haired beauty said to her with a gentle smile.

    "Yeah, Big Sis" N responded in a lively voice.

    "One more thing, how are you two going to go without the AI watch?" Lia asked, she knew both of them had lost it during the fight with the Giant shadow viper fox.

    "We can still use the Portal capsule to go our World but it would send us to a different city as our destination would be random," Rio answered as he was worried about where they would end up teleporting to.

    As he was concerned about this issue, a voice sounded in his mind.

    "Don''t worry partner...My elemental affinity is with Nature and space so I can help to send you to your home without any worry." Eve mumbled in his thought who could stalk on him whenever she wanted.

    Rio didn''t tell this information to his beautiful wives as this wasn''t needed.

    "How long would it take you to get another AI watch?" Lia asked as another AI watch was like an addedyer of protection to the duo that could help them to escape death in bad situations.

    "I have some contacts who can get me two watches soon for both of me and Rio," N said in a casual manner.

    As they finished their dinner, Rio andpany went to the castle teleporter as they were ready to return to the earth.

    Lia and Helia both had arrived to say a happy bye as the lioness hade for the magenta-haired beauty especially.

    "Take care N,e back soon then we would go on an adventure together and I will help you to advance to the next stage." The blonde-haired beauty said, patting her head like an older sister although they didn''t have many years of the age difference.

    "Thank you, sister Helia," N said and moved to take her in a hug.

    The lioness was taken aback as she didn''t expect the lively girl to embracing her suddenly and wasn''t prepared for it. However, she didn''t resist as N was now even adopted by the royal family so it made her the real sister of both Lia and Helia.

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 Chapter 147 Second Kiss With My Darling...

    The magenta-haired beauty separated from her and turned to embrace Lia.

    "Thank you big sis for epting me as your younger sister. I will return soon." She said before letting go of her.

    It was now Rio''s turn to say bye to Lia even though they were going to meet soon.

    Lia was the one who approached him and took him in her embrace as she always worried something might happen to her husband in the human world.

    After knowing his past with La''s grandfather she started worrying even more.

    Rio could feel her emotion as she hugged him, he moved to kiss her forehead while holding her both cheeks between his palms.

    "Take care Husband," Lia said, she wished she could apany him but she knew it wasn''t possible.

    Rio gave Helia the usual gaze as he didn''t talk to her and turned around to leave.

    Just as he was about to leave, N hurriedly asked, "Won''t you hug sister Helia?"

    "Nope," Rio spoke in a nonchnt voice and started walking towards the portal capsule.

    Although he answered in a calm voice but the environment felt so chilly that N shivered.

    She gave a confused look to Helia as she felt bad for her but discovered she also had a cold gaze like Rio as if they were both mad at each other.

    Lia was used to their interaction but she still found their interaction quite abnormal.

    After they entered the portal capsule, Rio hugged N and said in thought, "I''m ready."

    "Okay, Partner. Here you go." A white light enveloped them as they both disappeared from thend of asura.

    Helia and Lia both turned around to go back to Empress Vi as they both felt a heavy silence after N left and Rio left.

    Lia was more affected as she was worried about Rio due to her motherly instinct as a woman and the person she loved.

    ***

    In Rio''s apartment, two figures appeared inside the portal capsule as the door slid open.

    N''s destination point was the same as Rio''s since she was teleported with Rio using Eve''s help.

    "Hey, we are finally on earth," N said, her eyes having a hint of disappointment.

    "How did you feel over there?" Rio asked, he thought she might be pretending to be liking it there so wanted to know when it was just two of them.

    "I already miss that ce...I wanna go back again but I know that we have to finish our business here first." She said, her voice sounding upset but happy at the same time.

    Upset because she would miss her two new sisters and happy because we all know...

    "Okay. What do you wanna do?" The crimson-haired boy questioned.

    "Ummm..." Hearing his words she thought for a second then her eyes flickered excitedly as she responded, "Come with me."

    She brought him to his bedroom which was now also hers as they were married by Asura''s holy oaths.

    As they reached the Bed, Rio asked, "Yeah...what now???"

    "Here." A mischievous smile shed on her face as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him to the bed.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The couple wasying on the bed as Rio was ced beside N.

    The scent of orchids enveloped his face as they were so close. Her hot breath brushed passed his skin as she gazed into his sea-green eyes.

    The girl spoke, "I just want to enjoy this feeling that I''m finally in your bedroom. It feels great that you''re mine."

    "You know, N. You''re crazy" Rio didn''t know the depth of her happiness but he was delighted he didn''t have to avoid her anymore and hurt her feelings.

    "I know, sweetie but I''m now yours." She said in a romantic voice and moved closer to his face.

    She covered his lips with hers and started sucking them slowly and gently.

    Unlike before, the crimson-haired boy didn''t resist this time.

    Rio couldn''t feel her hot breath that was mixed with aromatic orchid, colliding with his face as she kissed him with all her heart.

    She used her pulpy tongue to taste his lips before sliding inside to find its mate. Her squishy tongue and his warm one started cuddling with each other as they were lost in their second kiss with a harmony created by love.

    She didn''t feel satisfied with the kiss but They needed to take a breath so they separated from each other.

    Her well-endowed melons rose and fell as she breathe after finishing her gratifying task with her beloved husband.

    She said while taking a rxing breath, "that was my 2nd kiss with my Sweetie..."

    However, she sensed she was suddenly pulled by strong hands as a voice sounded near her ears, "and this is third."

    Rio initiated the kiss this time as N didn''t expect her.

    A joyous smile spread on her face as the streak of tears slid down her adorable face. She was crying because he kissed her with his own wish.

    N didn''t have to force her love on him any longer so the ecstasy filled her heart to the brim and caused her happy emotions to flow out from her eyes through her pearl-like precious tears.

    The crimson boy could feel the kiss was salty but he didn''t care as they both enjoyed their blissful moment once again.

    Thirty minutester...

    N and the crimson-haired boy entered her original bedroom on the second floor of the two-story building as she gave Rio her necessary stuff to pack.

    She took a few clothes to the store as she might require them while staying in her new room.

    The magenta-haired beauty also grabbed her cell phone, andptop as she asked Rio to carry them while she hugged her purple pillow, walking to the room on the first floor with him.

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 Chapter 148 Im Your Devoted Wife

    The magenta-haired beauty also grabbed her cell phone, andptop as she asked Rio to carry them while she hugged her purple pillow, walking to the room on the first floor with him.

    After shifting all the crucial items, she locked her old room and entered the new ce where she was going to spend most of her time.

    N arranged her clothes in his cupboards as the boy didn''t have much stuff inside and ced her pillow beside his on their bed.

    Although the bed wasn''t as big as the one at Empress Vi but it was enough for them as they could sleep while hugging each other.

    Rio was busy on his phone as he was searching for AI watch information online.

    The magenta-haired beautyy down beside him as she ced theptop over her tummy, putting a pillow on her head to ascend and looking up for details they needed to settle their important business on earth.

    It was new for both of them to have each other beside them as N was happier than Rio to be in the same bed as him and doing her stuff.

    "I still can''t believe you''re my mine now." The magenta-haired beauty said, scrolling down the webpage as her vibrant face had a glow, thinking she was right next to her beloved sweetie.

    "Do you want me to help you believe it?" Rio asked as he was looking at her face with a yful thought.

    "Yes, please," N said, turning her head to look at him as she closed her eyes, thinking he would smooch her lips again.

    However, our Rio sessfully betrayed her, she felt her nose getting pinched delicately and winced in irritation as he didn''t do what she imagined.

    N opened her eyes and gave him hateful look before starting to do her own thing on theptop.

    "What happened? Why did your expression be so sour?" Rio asked, his voice was filled with amusement as he knew what she was expecting.

    "Nothing...I can''t even say I hate you because you know I love you more than myself." N responded as her cheeks were puffed, making her look extremely cute.

    Rio ced his pillow closer to her and wrapped his hand around her face to guide it to his chest as N started feeling him closer to her.

    Her expression brightened as he was close to her as they both read the information on theptop.

    ''Sophia Wilson has been sent to Grand Valley Hospital Center after she was injured in thend of asura and got ejected by her AI watch.''

    ''Youngest Daughter of the Wilson Family is in aa for two weeks.''

    ''Kyra Wilson is mad after her younger sister got fatally injured in the Land of Asura...she went to investigate the site where her sister had gone for the expedition.''

    "Rio...We need to hurry and meet Sophia or they would misunderstand us." N spoke, her face had darkened when she read the news.

    "Why?" The boy asked in puzzlement.

    "Because this Kyra Wilson is one of the geniuses of the seven swords family. People at the shelter would''ve told her already we were with Sophia and this might put us on the radar of suspicion if we survived while they got injured." N said as she was worried to be misunderstood.

    "That makes sense but Sophia can tell her what happened and it''s not like they have any evidence against us that we injured Sophia.

    Moreover, your Mailon family is known to be stronger than Wilson among the seven silver sword families." Rio assured her as she was getting worried for nothing.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yeah, but she will surely doubt us until Sophia doesn''t wake up" N mumbled.

    "When are we going then?" Rio asked, agreeing to go with her.

    "Let''s go now... then we will go meet grandma," N said, turning her head to look behind her as her head was on his muscr chest.

    "Okay, let me take a shower first." Rio thought to freshen up first.

    "Okay, I will alsoe with you so we can help each other," N said romantically as she closed theptop and wrapped her hands around his neck.

    The boy looked at her as if he was fabricating a ne. He didn''t respond to her as they both climbed down from the bed.

    Rio took a fresh set of clothes from his cupboard as N was also choosing hers between two dresses when she heard the mming sound of the door.

    She turned around to see the door of the bathroom had been locked from the inside.

    N selected the one in hurry and went to knock on the gate, the sound of water sttering to the ground could be heard.

    "Hey, let me in..." N said, her smile was filled with her yfulness as she was really going to join him.

    "Not today," he responded as he knew the girl might go berserk if they really showered together.

    "Come on darling, I''m your devoted wife who loves you to the moon and back." N''s voice was flickering with intense affection as the girl teased him from outside the door.

    "Yeah, and also a pervert one," Rio said in a nonchnt voice as he caressed his crimson hair and washed them.

    "Are you saying all those who marry their partner are perverts? Actually, ording to experts, we aren''t perverts if we do it with our own husband or wife as you know most people have kids and that doesn''t make them a pervert.

    What we have now is pure love so whatever we will do will be sacred not anything bad. Trust me, sweetie."

    She tried to convince him although she was intentionally doing it to y with him. The magenta-haired girl loved to flirt with her boy and found him more adorable than a little squirrel.

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 Chapter 149 I Desire To Eat You Whole

    "Another day, N..." Rio said once again even if he was agreed with her wise words.

    "Have you and Big Sis already done that?" The girl asked with a mischievous smile.

    "Why do you wanna know?" He questioned as he didn''t like her question.

    "You seem too shy that tells you haven''t broken the empress castle yet." N''s voice was lively as she giggled outside.

    "..." and once again Rio was speechless by her bold shameless statement.

    "It''s okay sweetie, we will discover the best way to do it at our bedtime. I will help you like a loyal wife so you can give Big Sis a good experience on her first time. I will teach you everything that I know about it and let you experience them with great detail.

    To pay my tuition fees for this exceptional knowledge you just need to pay me with your enticing body as I desire to devour you whole."

    She said in a casual voice as if the girl was going to teach him something great after they research on this topic.

    "No, thanks." He replied as he was rubbing his forehead hearing her words outside. She had just be brazen after getting married to him.

    He thought, "After knowing her this long, I don''t doubt any of her words."

    The boy sighed as water droplets fell on his body and made him feel rxed.

    His mind was drowning in peacefulness as the cold sensation of showering felt great.

    With a happy smile, N turned back to go to their bed to check herptop for more information.

    She took her phone and sent a few messages to some contact numbers as the girl wanted to get their AI watch as soon as possible.

    After Rio finished bathing, he came out wearing his blue T-shirt and a white towel.

    N also took a towel in her hand as she stood up from the bed and stopped in front of the crimson boy.

    He gave her a gaze as he wanted to dress up fully but the girl tip-toed to peck his cheeks before rushing into the bathroom.

    The boy just had a feeble smile on his face as he found her loveable and liked her cute actions.

    After twenty minutes, the door of the bathroom opened and the magenta-haired beauty walked out of it but she was wearing only a towel.

    Rio turned around to look in her direction as he heard the footsteps wereing closer to him.

    His eyes weed a creamy white body that had water droplets on it and was tantalizing due to being moist. She looked like a ripe voluptuous fruit that was ready to be eaten.

    N was walking towards him in a seductive way before moving her wet magenta hair to the left to scatter the water droplets on his face as he realized she was just teasing him with that look.

    She bent her knees to reach his face and whispered in his ears, "I forgot to bring my clothes,"

    Her hot breath brushed passed his ears and the boy felt his heart getting tickled as she did all this to seduce him.

    N gave him a yful smile before taking her clothes from the bed beside him and walking inside the bathroom once again.<novelnext></novelnext>

    After a moment passed, she came out wearing a pink top and ck skirt. Her hair was wet and spread open as she gave Rio a vibrant look before walking to the mirror that she had ced earlier. She fixed her magenta hair and used cosmetics and kohl to get ready.

    Rio realized that after he married N the [Heart Sutra] didn''t work against her as this was not usable with people who were truly close to him such as his two wives. It didn''t help him to suppress his emotions fully among them as they both swore to never betray him.

    "We are ready...we can go now, sweetie..."

    The couple walked together outside the apartment as it was afternoon on earth. The sun was gleaming brightly in the sky as its reflection was falling on the pond near the Grand Dew Garden.

    The moist air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers that were nted around its periphery. Birds chirped in the trees as a gentle breeze rustled through the leaves and the students strolled around the campus at Golden Seal Military School.

    N and Rio walked ahead of the teaching building, passing the shopping area as they reached the gate.

    "Wait here for me." The magenta-haired beauty said, giving him a mysterious smile.

    "Why?" He asked, raising his eyebrows but she only gave him a mysterious smile and walked away.

    He waited and thought about where she had gone.

    After two minutes, A racing blue car came slowly towards him as it stopped beside him. The window ss slid down to reveal a beautiful face that was indicating him toe in.

    "You could''ve told me," Rio said in a calm voice.

    "But I wanted to see my darling''s cute expression. I''m going to take you to our first drive." N said in a delighted manner.

    She continued, "Come inside, sweetie."

    The lively girl smiled and gestured with her hands to invite her for a ride. Rio got into the car as he didn''t expect her to ask him to wait for this.

    N started the car as its engine roared to announce their first ride together.

    "Although we are going to the hospital to meet Sophia and Lucas but it still feels great to ride with you. I''m so happy" N said with an excited voice as she began to drive It out of the Golden Seal Military School periphery.

    The girl drove with a vibrant face, passing through the bustling streets of the city. Rio couldn''t help but look at her eager expression as he enjoyed riding with a beautiful personal driver.

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 Chapter 150 Kyra Wilson

    The roads were busy with other vehicles and people, but N navigated the traffic expertly, her blue car zigzagging through thenes.

    She was confident with her driving skills but she was doing it perfectly because of Rio-effect as he was sitting in the passenger seat beside her.

    She kept her focus on the road but her heart was joyous as every now and then she would nce at Rio, who was staring out the window, deep in thought.

    As the blue car neared the hospital, The magenta-haired beauty drove it to the parking lot.

    The hospital was located on the outskirts of the city, and it took them about half an hour to get there.

    As the duo walked inside the hospital they could see how it was bustling with activity.

    N saw the receptionist to the side as she walked to her and asked about Sophia Wilson''s and Lucas''s room.

    "It''s on the fourth floor, 5th VIP room and 4th Vip Room," The ck-haireddy said politely.

    Na nodded and beckoned Rio to join her as they took the elevator to the fourth floor.

    The duo look around to find the 5th room with a VIP tag in one of them and walked quietly towards it.

    They finally were in front of Sophia''s room, and N took a deep breath before pushing open the door.

    A feeble-looking girl wasying in a bed, surrounded by medical equipment and a heartbeat monitor.

    The room was lit as the windows were open which was giving light and a beautiful view of the outside along with the fresh air into the room.

    A pink-haired beauty, sat in a chair next to the bed, her arms crossed and a skeptical and worried look on her face as she was talking to her sister.

    The girl was wearing very revealing clothes, as her cleavage was showing her two massive mounds at a good disy. The chest-length pink hair was falling down her pale shoulder as she was in a ck tight dress, boosting her bewitching look to another level.

    Her sexy curves were easy to see because of her clothing, giving her a seductive look.She appeared to be in her early twenties and was around 170 centimeters in height.

    Looking at her face and figure, she was a ravishing beauty that didn''t lose to N''s charm. If the magenta-haired beauty had her doll-like cuteness along with her beauty then Kyra Wilson had her alluring sexy body that increased the temperature in the room for most men.

    Rio gave her a normal gaze as he wasn''t affected by her tantalizing figure and maintained his calmness.

    Kyra Wilson was protective of her younger sister but the look on her face also showed she was suspicious about something.

    When the duo walked into the hospital room, she turned her purple eyes to observe the new guests. She instantly recognized N mailon but the boy beside her was fascinating to her gaze.

    ''He is the first man who has ever been so rxed after meeting me. Who is this crimson-haired boy?''

    Her attention was caught by this new fellow who didn''t confine by her charm. She had been questioning the circumstances of Sophia''s condition and how she had gotten injured in thend of asura.

    Her sister had just recently woken up so she didn''t get a chance to talk to her properly when new guests barged in.

    As the couple approached the bed, they could easily notice the bandages wrapped around Sophia''s head and body as there were bruises on her skin that were revealed.

    The sight made N''s heartache as she was worried for the girl.

    The magenta-haired beauty approached the bed at a fast pace and said in a worried tone, "Hey Sophia, are you alright?"

    The patient had her eyes open and a weaker smile spread on her face as she responded, "I''m all fine....but Thank god, you''re safe N. Sister told me that you and Rio haven''t been seen when I was ina."

    "I was badly injured and lost consciousness but Rio carried me to the hot spring cave to mend my injuries.

    After that, I woke up two dayster but I wasn''t in a condition toe back so we had to stay there longer. When we returned I heard about your condition so I rushed here as soon as possible." N said, her voice was filled with worry.

    She didn''t sound as if she was lying since most of her words wereing from her sincere heart.

    "So you''re Rio Havenglow?" The older pink-haired beauty asked as she stood up from her seat and walked towards the boy who was in the midst of the room and didn''t approach the patient''s bed like N.

    The crimson-haired boy narrowed his eyes at her response, he could tell she was looking at him as if wanted to study him.

    His [Heaven''s Eyes] revealed she was being fake right now with her bodynguage and words as she wanted to know something from him.

    "Yeah..." The boy nodded as he saw the girl standing in front of him and used his [Heaven''s Eyes] on her to inspect her profile.

    <<<<

    [User: Kyra Wilson]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: ???]

    [Root: ???]

    [MANA: ???]

    [Physical Power: ???]

    >>>>

    Their faces were only ten centimeters apart as the girl stared into his sea-green eyes to find the nervousness, that she always saw in most men, was missing from this strange boy.

    "Interesting..." She said in a coquettish voice and gave him a seductive smile.

    "If you''re done, can you get out of my way?" The boy spoke in a nonchnt voice as he realized the girl in front of him was at a level where he couldn''t inspect her profile stats.

    The pink-haired beauty had her eyes widened as the boy moved to the side and went towards his wife and friend.

    ''Ehh...he ignored me...?''

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 Chapter 151 Kyra Wilson (2)

    ''Ehh...he ignored me...?''

    The girl was dumbfounded by this unexpected development but she shook her hand lightly and approached the bed where they were talking, there was a deep analysis going on in her mind for possible reasons that could be why he was not affected by her charm.

    Kyra thought inwardly, "I need to do some more tests."

    N who was behind them saw her sweetie''s action and controlled herugh as the boy was good at giving cold shoulders to strangers without discriminating by gender.

    Sophia turned her head to look at the boy who came and said in a gentle manner as her voice was leaden, "Thanks Rio for saving N..."

    "You shouldn''t be thanking me...It should be me who should thank you for sacrificing yourself for N." The boy answered as he expressed his gratitude.

    "Nah, Rio...N initially got injured while fighting the lord beast when I and Lucas were stuck there. If it wasn''t for that her AI watch wouldn''t have broken. It''s totally our fault as we held you guys back.

    So what we did was normal, if N had been the one fatally injured she wouldn''t be teleported out like us. She sacrificed herself for two of us, others would have abandoned I and Lucas but you two came back to rescue us.

    If you didn''t save her then I would''ve never been able to forgive myself. Thanks a lot..." Sophia said, her voice was filled with heavy emotions and gratitude.

    ''From their conversation, it seems these two aren''t the culprit and it was them who saved my sister in the first ce and N almost lost her life if not for this abnormal boy.''

    Kyra Wilson watched from the sidelines and observed their talk to figure out what had happened at thend of asura.

    "How is Lucas?" the crimson boy asked, his voice had a hint of concern.

    "I just woke up, it seems he is more injured and might take longer toe out of thea...sister told me the doctor informed her, it may take a week longer. They are keeping him in the room beside me." Sophia said, her voice was filled with sorrow.

    Rio had a faint smile on his face as he said, "I am d, both of you''re okay,"

    Kayra''s expression softened slightly from earlier as she spoke, "Thanks for saving my sister."

    She moved towards the crimson-haired boy and spoke, "Thank you so much, Rio."

    Before the boy could say anything the pink-haired beauty took him in her hug as he was invaded by the scent of the aromatic jasmine. Her plumpy melons were pressed on his body and he could feel that pulpy flesh crushing on his muscr chest.

    N and Sophia watched from the side as their eyes were shocked to see the incident.

    The magenta-haired beauty moved and put her hand between them, "Sister Kyra, I was also there."

    She separated the strange girl forcefully and took her in an embrace to let go of her husband from this cunning witch''s grasp so the pink-haired beauty wouldn''t stay wrapped around her man.

    ''Ah...thisss...She doesn''t let me even observe his reactionpletely...and when I hugged him his heartbeat and breathing stayed normal...is he an asura in human disguise? I need to keep an eye on him, he is very suspicious.''

    The girl separated from N as she thought about the possibilities of why he was able to stay normal. She didn''t know any skill among humans that helped them to stay calm so she found him a suspect to be not human.

    Sophia said hurriedly, "Sister, you shouldn''t flirt with N''s boyfriend. He wouldn''t get charmed by your enchanting beauty when he has such a beautiful girlfriend. Rio even treated her coldly when we were in the forest."

    "I wasn''t flirting with him...I was just showing my gratitude for saving my little sister." Kyra said in her bold style as she didn''t ept her fault.

    N had a lively expression on her face but she had killed Kyra Wilson thousands of times in those 65 seconds in her mind already.

    ? ''How dare she hugged my Rio?''

    Rio looked at N and patted her back gently, "Don''t think too much..."

    The magenta-haired beauty came out of her sweet enraged phase and calmed herself hearing her husband''s words.

    Soon, ady doctor walked inside as she was here to see the patient.

    "I need to check her condition...You guys need to leave. After we give her medicine she has to rest." She asked them to leave in aposed manner.

    N said with a vibrant smile, ruffling her pink hair, "Take care, Sophia. Hope you heal sooner. We will meet again."

    "Say thanks to Lucas when he wakes up. You also get well soon." Rio said in a rxed tone as he had a better impression of her after she sacrificed herself to buy some time for Rio to take N away from the overlord beast''s way.

    They both walked out of the room but the duo heard one more person''s footsteps following them.

    The pinked-haired beauty voice came from behind, "Hey wait..."

    They turned around and saw a ravishing figure approaching.

    "Do you have time to have dinner with me tonight?" The girl asked as a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes.

    "No, sorry," Rio responded to her as he turned around holding N''s hand, and walked away.

    ''How much reputation would I earn if I reveal that the havenglow''s family adopted son isn''t a human.''

    Kyra had a sly smile on her bewitching face and watched his back with a predator''s eyes as she was doubting him more and more that he wasn''t a human.

    The girl was unaware of the fact that the boy she met today would wrack havoc in the future after which his true identity would be revealed to make everyone tremble in astonishment.

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 Chapter 152 Wild Nyla

    As the duo came out of the hospital, leaving behind the sly witch they went toward the parking lot.

    N opened the door of the car and said in a quiet tone, "I didn''t expect her to show interest in you. But I found her very suspicious"

    She sat on the driver seat as Rio followed behind to enter the car, saying, "What were you thinking when you were looking at her with those eyes of yours?"

    The boy asked as he remembered the magenta-haired beauty''s eyes that were staring at Kyra with delighted gaze but his [Heaven''s Eyes] revealed a murderous auraing from her that was not discernible without his innate skill.

    "I was just thinking how sexy she was." N lied shamelessly without blinking her eyes as a mischievous smile shone on her adorable face.

    ? Rio sighed inwardly as he could tell the girl was lying. He didn''t mind it as he knew she was just jealous and wouldn''t really injure her, at least that was what he actually thought.

    As the couple sat in the blue car, the girl said with an eagle voice, "Now we can finally go to Veras city to meet Grandma."

    "Do you really have to bring me with you?" The boy asked as he didn''t want to meet her grandmother.

    "If you find it bad then I wouldn''t force you but I promised her when I find the boy I want to marry I will show him to her." She said, hoping Ro wouldn''t decline her request.

    "Okay, if it''s my wife''s promise then I will help her keep it." He said, ruffling her silky magenta hair as he saw she was getting upset by his refusal words from earlier.

    "If I wasn''t in the driver''s seat I would have already kissed you for being so adorable...Aahhh...nooo...I can''t handle this...." N climbed on her driver''s seat as she inclined toward her husband to throw herself onto him.

    "N, don''t be crazy...we are in ca..." The boy tried to convince her but it was toote as his voice was sealed.

    She had already grabbed his face as she smooched his warm lips. The boy could feel the scent of orchids as he wasn''t prepared for this loving activity in the middle of the city.

    He felt her slender hands that were on his cheeks as he ced his palms around her chubby buttock to support her bnce. Her pulpy rounded fleshes were crushing on his muscr chest as she was wildly kissing him, showing her immense love to the fullest.

    Her delicate lips sucked his warm one as she was engrossed in the feeling of joy, enjoying their blissful moment. She used her tongue to nibble his lips slowly, and gently to absorb every bit of it as she enjoyed the moment of loving her boy.

    After she was satisfied savoring the scrumptious dish she let go of him and said, "Sweetie...what have you done...we had to kiss in the middle of the road...don''t be a cutie when we are outside surrounded by others. At least we were in the car."

    "How can be someone so shameless..." Rio mumbled.

    "It''s not shameless, darling...actually there are couples who do more romantic things in their car. I was very reserved with my action just nowpared to them..." The magenta-haired beauty said as she remembered the scene from movies where the couple had done a love-making scene in their vehicle.

    "I was thinking about what else I have left to see but you always surprise me with something new...Truly incredible..." The boy praised her for her depth of knowledge and exceptional mind.

    "Darling...don''t distract me again...or we will really end up doing it here in the car and I will have to give you a demo...so let''s go to Veras city first...We have to leave before evening so we can return back to thend of asura..." The girl threatened him romantically as she was ready for their journey.<novelnext></novelnext>

    N had been looking forward to this trip as she wanted to show her boyfriend-like husband to the mother-like figure who adored her.

    The magenta-haired beauty was finally ready to hit the road for the ce where she lived.

    She turned the engine in the ignition and the car roared to dere it was ready to go. N adjusted her mirrors, rolled down the windows to let the fresh aire inside, and put the car in gear as it shot toward its next destination.

    The sun was spreading its warm radiance, and the cool breeze was blowing through the couple''s hair from the car''s windows.

    The magenta-haired beauty was feeling joyous after the kiss and she drove the car with a new vigorous energy.

    She passed through big malls, small towns, and the countryside. Rio saw fields of crops and animals grazing in the fields as he was looking outside the window to enjoy the beautiful nature.

    N stopped at a gas station to fill up the tank and grab two bottles of juices for her darling and her. He took it from her hand and they drank it as she continued the journey.

    After riding for an hour, the city of Veras started toe into their view as they could see the sign boards to the side of the road indicating the city was close by.

    She drove down the winding roads as the tall buildings, the busy streets, and the hustle and bustle of the people finally weed them.

    After riding for another 10 minutes, they entered a green park through a big entrance and followed the road, Rio could see two middle-aged men guarding there.

    As they went deeper into the park, a big vi was standing right in front of them. The fountain was sttering water in a blooming manner around the colorful flowers around its border.

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 Chapter 153 Meeting Nylas Grandmother

    The car stopped right in front of the vi as they arrived at N''s house.

    The girl practically jumped out of the car in her excitement as she went to open the door for Rio and held his hand to guide him out of the car.

    Rio had a feeble smile on his face as he saw how eager she was.

    N said with a smile, "Don''t be nervous, Granny is going to love you."

    ''I''m not nervous but never mind.''

    Rio nodded as he didn''t interrupt her.

    They went towards the orange-wooden gate and the girl rang the doorbell as she waited anxiously for someone to open it.

    A girl in her mid-twenties opened the door, she was wearing the maid outfit as she bowed down and said politely, "Wee back, young miss..."

    N nodded as She led Rio into the grand entryway of the vi, her hand tightly gripping his as she brought him inside. The high ceilings and white marble floors were the first things he saw.

    As they walked through the living room, Rio mumbled, "It''s decorated so elegantly..."

    The furniture was all antique and looked like it belonged in a museum. The paintings on the walls were all original and looked like they were worth a fortune.

    They took the grand staircase that led to the upper floor of the house.

    With a lively smile, the magenta-haired beauty pulled him toward their destination.

    N stood in front of the first room on the second floor and put her hands on her chest to take a deep breath as she prepared herself to ask for permission.

    "Hey, Granny...Can wee in?" She asked for permission as she was bringing Rio so didn''t want to invade her privacy because he was a stranger to her grandma.

    "Ah...child...why are you asking for permission...juste in..." A gentle voice sounded from inside.

    N''s face brightened hearing her Grandma as she entered the room, holding Rio''s hand.

    The boy saw an olddy standing up from her chair as she walked towards them.

    Thedy was an elderly woman with a kind face in her sixties but she looked energetic like her granddaughter.

    The granny took N in a warm hug and then turned her attention to Rio.

    She looked him up and down with an observing gaze in her eye before asking, "Why were you holding my child''s hand?"

    The sudden question took Rio off-guard as it wasn''t him who held her hand but other way around.

    ''Are the whole family crazy? She even took her side when it was she who held my hand.''

    The boy kept his calm but he could see N trembling behind her as she was controlling herughter.

    "Because I have decided to hold her hand for the life. I havee to ask you for permission." Rio gave her a smooth response which wasn''t even expected by N.

    The olddy''s face shed with a joyous smile upon hearing his answer. She said, "I like your choice, little N...He is a good man."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The magenta-haired beauty hugged her granny from behind and beamed in joy, saying "Thank you, granny..."

    "I didn''t expect Rio havenglow to be able to steal my little angel''s heart..." She said with a delighted tone.

    "How do you know I''m Rio havenglow?" The boy frowned upon hearing her statement...

    "You will understand if you go into her room." The olddy spoke with a mysterious smile.

    Rio gave N a puzzled look as he wanted to know what else she had done.

    "Come inside, you kids. we don''t have to finish all our talk here.." She weed him inside to sit on the couch.

    The room was dimly lit, but he could see the light of the chandelier and the gleam of the hardwood floors. The room had a firece and a big window, which let the natural light in, and it was decorated with beautiful paintings and vases.

    As the couple sat on the same couch, N couldn''t help but smile as she finally had done what she was waiting for.

    "Tell me what happened and how you were able to conquer him." She asked as if she was aware of their past.

    "So one and half months ago I found out Rio is at the yellow tower of the outcast shelter so I decided to move into purple tower since he would be arriving there...." She started telling from the beginning.

    Rio thought, "At that time I was still taking down yellow shelters at the border of shamor empire...Good that we are married now, otherwise I don''t know what crazy things she would''ve nned toe after me"

    "Our team encountered a lord beast as I got injured fighting it and my AI watch got broken into pieces. Sophia and Lucas got fatally wounded in the fight and got teleported out by AI watch. I lost consciousness and when I opened my eyes I saw I was in the hot spring cave with Rio.

    He told me how he escaped the lord beast taking me in his embrace and realized that he loves me when he saw me almost dying." N finished her exnation as she told her grandma a story with a half-truth.

    Her grandmother listened with a happy smile on her face, clearly delighted to see her granddaughter so happy.

    "Thank you Rio...for saving my child" the olddy''s eyes'' moved to the crimson-haired boy as she expressed her gratitude.

    "You don''t have to thank him granny... now I''m all his so he has to take care of me. Am I right sweetie?" N was veryfortable around her granny and was still yful without being nervous. This showed their close bonding and how the olddy doted on her granddaughter.

    Rio just nodded in affirmation as she wasn''t wrong with the statement.

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 Chapter 154 Nylas Room At Her Grandmas House

    N and their grandma continued their conversation as she told her more things about their adventure and her boyfriend but she didn''t tell her about the castle or being his wife. She only revealed to her granny they were lovers and may make it official in the future.

    "Granny, we will go now. We have to return back to military school before night." N said, as the time was ticking and they had other stuff to do as well.

    "I thought my child would stay tonight with me..." Grandma''s said she wanted her to stay because she rarely visited home.

    "Next time granny, Today we have other business to settle together." She responded.

    "Okay...I won''t let you leave next time when youe. you have to stay with me" The olddy said, as she agreed to let her go today.

    "Yes, Granny," N spoke as she stood from the couch.

    As it was time to leave, The magenta-haired beauty embraced her grandmother.

    After separating, the olddy moved towards Rio and hugged him, as she whispered in his ear, "Wee to the family, young man."

    She continued with a normal voice after letting go, "I will pray to heaven that you both always stay happy."

    "Thank you," Rio responded with a smile as he was grateful and delighted to have met such a sweet old woman.

    The duo left the room as N moved in another direction on the second floor.

    "Aren''t we leaving?" He asked, his voice puzzled.

    "No, I need some of my dresses since we havee here." She said as she moved towards her room.

    N led Rio through the narrow hallway, their footwear''s heels clicking against the marble of the second floor.

    She opened the door to her room and gestured for him to enter. Rio''s eyes observed the inside, watching the elegant decor and the different purple patterns.

    However, what caught his attention the most was the wall opposite the bed.

    There was a coge of frames in which several pictures of the crimson-haired boying out of the teaching building and going into the apartment were there. The pictures were taken in a stylish manner from side angles.

    Rio stared at them in shock, as he didn''t expect something like this to happen.

    N walked up beside him, a shy smile on her face.

    She spoke, "I know it might seem a little weird, But I can''t live without having my sweetie beside me. When I got upset I just talk to these pictures and gaze at you."

    Rio turned to look at her adorable face, and a mix of emotions rose in his heart. The boy was ttered, of course, but also a little taken aback.

    "Thank you, N, Thanks for loving me when I didn''t even love you," he said, cing his hands on her cheeks.

    N''s face was brightened with a lively smile as she was afraid at first he might dislike it but that wasn''t the case.

    "I was too scared to tell you so I hid those in my room at the grand dew garden in case you evere there. But I thought you wouldn''t visit me here so I didn''t hide them. And now since I''m yours I don''t fear you would be mad at me...even if you did I willin to big sis." She said in her jolly voice.

    "Why would I be mad at such an adorable girl like you...at least now you can say to me those things you used to talk about in these pictures." He said, withdrawing his hands from her cheeks.

    They stood there for a moment, looking at each other, both of them were smiling as they stared into one another''s eyes.

    But then Rio leaned in and pressed his lips on her forehead, and all the words they needed were said without ever being spoken.<novelnext></novelnext>

    After the forehead kiss, N went to bring out some clothes from her cupboards and put them inside a bag that she gave Rio to carry.

    Fifteen minutester, they sat in the blue car as Rio put the bag in the trunk of the vehicle.

    N turned to look at her vi onest time before starting the engine with a roar it shot out of the Mailon family''s vi''s campus to return back to their golden seal military academy in the white bridge city.

    The returning journey took them an hour as the duo stopped by a shop to grab some snacks and drinks.

    By 5 pm they were both walking towards their apartment in the grand dew garden.

    The sun was about to set on the horizon, some students were strolling around the campus and most were already left for thend of asura on their own adventures to get stronger.

    As they reached the apartment door, N received a message.

    *Ding!*

    She took out her cell phone from her purse and checked the phone.

    Rio turned towards her to see as he also read the message, the boy was carrying her bag full of dresses she brought from her home.

    [Items are delivered.]

    "what else you bought?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

    "You will know...just keep my bag in your hall, I will bring the package from my room. It should be left outside my main door." She said as she went upstairs.

    Rio shook his head and opened the door with one hand while carrying the bag with the other.

    He entered the big hall and ced her stuff on the couch before sitting on the other one.

    After a minute, N came back bringing the package in her hand.

    "Guess what is it?" She said, a mysterious smile shining on her adorable face as she sat beside him.

    He just shrugged as he didn''t have any idea what the girl had ordered.

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 Chapter 155 New AI Watch

    She started opening the package that was as twice the size of her palm in a spherical shape as she uncovered it, two small ck balls appeared without any wording on them.

    Soon, she put one ball beside her and started opening the other one.

    As she unwrapped it by revolving in a clockwise direction, a watch-like device came out of it which looked simple smartwatch with a small screen on top of it just like the one Rio wore previously.

    "AI watch? How did you able to get it by home delivery?" He asked as he thought these things weren''t easy to get without visiting the special store.

    "I have my contacts...I just had to pay them extra cash to send these to me early. These are specially made for the seven silver sword family so even government can''t steal our information even if they want. Although they never do such things with normal civilians either.

    Didn''t second mother give you one before? if I remember correctly your AI watch was simr to mine." She said as she gazed into his sea-green eyes casually.

    "Yeah she gave me one when I was adopted but at that time I wasn''t that close to her so she didn''t tell me much about the AI watch..." He said in a nonchnt tone.

    "Are you close to her now?" she asked with a questioning glint in her eyes.

    "Yeah...she loves me like a parent and makes me feel like if I ever had a mother she would be like her..." The boy spoke as he remembered how that woman doted on him like a real mother.

    "What would you do if she doesn''t like me?" N asked in a concerned tone.

    "We don''t have to tell her right now about you but in the future, I will convince her. She would understand as she loves me... Even if she doesn''t agree it''s not like she can force me" He said, knowing there was no way he would leave Lia or N even if Second Mother came in his way.

    "Hope so...let''s put our AI watches together so we can go back to meet Big Sis after that. She would wake up soon as it''s getting dark here." N spoke as she hovered the AI watch in front of Rio.

    She smiled and wrapped it around his wrist as both endings connected like a lock, making a click sound and the watch screen lit up, starting to scroll down with lots of information...

    A notification sounded in his mind and his profile showed up in front of his eyes.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: S]

    [Root: Purple Stage]

    [Core: Purple Stage]

    [MANA: 200+200]

    [Physical Power: 10+90] (+20% Devlin Might)

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [White: 20]

    [Yellow: 20+20]

    [Purple: 10]

    ==[Innate Skill]==

    [Heaven''s Eyes: You can see what others can''t see.]

    [Heart Sutra: It''s difficult to shake your mind, heart, and emotions for strangers. You wouldn''t lose your calmness in hard situations.]

    [Life Sutra: You will have a higher Mana, Stamina, Energy, and Healing recovery rate.]

    ==[Skills]==

    [Ancient Devlin Breathing Technique]

    [Devlin Might: 20% Additional Stats points. This effect is boosted to 100% if you''re in range of 1 mile from the person who gave you blood to awaken it.]

    [Devlin Transformation: Transform Your body to Devlin. In this form, your defense is boosted by 200%. Mana Cost: 10]

    [Devlin Movement Technique: Teleports to 20 meters range. Mana Cost: 5]

    [Judgement of Devlin: Do a 1000% damage strike to finish your enemy. It has a 10% chance to insta kill the target. Mana cost: 90% of total mana]

    [Ancient Devlin''s Beast Emperor Technique: Beasts under Devlin''s Bloodline Banner would listen to you as their leader. (Passive)]

    [Spiritual Shock: Attacks the soul of Opponent. Those at the same stage or lower will faint and those at the higher stage will suffer from a stun effect (duration depends on the power gap). Mana: 20. Cooldown: 30 seconds.]<novelnext></novelnext>

    [Astral Home Fixation: Mark a location as the Astral Home. Mana: 90% of your total mana. Cooldown: 30 days.]

    [Astral Recall: Teleport you back to Astral Home. Casting Time: 3 seconds. Mana: 10. Cooldown: 1 hour.]

    [Ancient Disguise: You can change the appearance of the body (Can not cross the Humanoid form). Mana: 10]

    [Thunder Enchantment: infuse your body and attack with the power of thunder.]

    ==[Battle Technique Arts]==

    =[Overload Destroyer]=

    [Grade: S]

    [Type: Ancient]

    =[Vanishing Strike]=

    [Grade: B]

    [Type: Ancient]

    =[Wave of the Phantom Thunder Strikes]=

    [Grade: A]

    [Type: Ancient]

    =[Obliteration of Heaven]=

    [Grade: S]

    [Type: Ancient]

    >>>>

    ''I have like 120 physical power now with the help of [Devlin Might]''

    As he read his profile, Rio saw the girl had opened another box and ced the watch in his other hand.

    "Do the other AI watch on my wrist..." She asked as a vibrant smile shone on her face. She was eagerly waiting for him to put it on her wrist.

    "Why ??? Is there something special gonna happen if I help you wear.." He asked with a chuckle, his voice was filled with amusement as he knew this girl always came with a crazy thoughts for most of her actions.

    "Just do it Rio..." she pleaded with puffed-up cheeks.

    N had watched ssic movies where best friends bind the friendship band on each other wrists so she wanted to do this with her husband and the person she loved most in the world...

    Rio took the watch before putting it on her wrist as the ending of it was linked with a clicking sound and the screen lit up.

    He said, "Let me call the second mother then we would go back to thend of asura."

    Rio thought it was important to tell Second Mother before leaving as she would eventually find out about the incident at thend of asura that happened at the Purple tower of the outcast. He didn''t want her to be worried so it was better to call first and tell her that he was all okay.

    "Okay..." The girl nodded as she was reading her profile on the AI watch.

    Rio walked towards his bedroom to make the call, he tapped the phone screen and selected the contact with ''Second Mother'' tag.

    The phone rang a few times but nobody received it. He tried once again and waited patiently but no response came.

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 Chapter 156 Hey Sisters, Im Back...

    The phone rang a few times but nobody received it. He tried once again and waited patiently but no response came.

    "She might be in thend of asura but I should send her a message that I''m okay before she finds out from others that I was with Sophia when the ident happen, I don''t want her to get worried unnecessarily." He mumbled inwardly before typing a text message on his smartphone.

    [Hey, I messaged to tell you that I''m all fine. I thought you would be worried when you find out about the incident. I went to meet Sophia and Lucas as she hade out of thea...I''m going back to thend of asura. Take care, Second Mother.]

    He wrote the text with a feeble smile and tapped the send button.

    *Ding!*

    [Message Deliverred]

    A notification came that texts had been reached to her as he put his phone in the charge before turning around to go back to the hall.

    N had also ced her phone into charge as she went towards Rio with a delighted expression.

    The Magenta-haired beauty wrapped her hands around his neck as a smile shed on her lively face, staring into his sea-green eyes, "How are we going back Sweetie???"

    "Why do you ask when you already know?" He responded as her action exined she was aware of how they were going back to thend of asura.

    "Even when I''m your wife I have to find excuses to cling onto your body...How unfortunate thisdy is" N said and epted she really knew how they were returning back as it was just an excuse to get close to him.

    They wouldn''t use the portal capsule in their room as their new AI watch would send them to a random shelter in thend of asura so their only way was to use [Astral Recall] which guaranteed to send them to the Empress Vi.

    N remembered how she was carried in his warm embrace to appear near the couch so she came to coil around his body and didn''t miss a chance to hold onto him.

    "Okay then, we are going back now..." Rio said, as he also wrapped his hands around her back and took her in his hug before casting the [Astral Recall].

    A white light enveloped their body as they both gazed into each other''s green eyes with a gentle smile and vanished from their apartment at the grand dew garden...

    ***

    The morning had already arrived at the castle as Sun was glistening in the sky and its radiance was peeking from the window, watching the fairy-like asura sleeping on her bed.

    The white-haired beauty rubbed her eyes as the sunlight tickled her face to wake her up. She looked at the nk seat beside her on the bed as the girl looked downhearted seeing no one beside her.

    ''When would theye back? Should I ask them? Nah...It''s not much time since they left...I shouldn''t annoy Husband.''

    Lia was thinking to contact them via telepathy but then decided to not disturb them.

    She went to freshen up before getting ready for the new day but her facecked that glow from before that stayed when her man was beside her. Lia stayed worried whenever he left for the earth as she thought humans could harm him morepared to the wild beast in thend of asura.

    Yami brought a kettle and tray with a few cups that she ced in Lia''s room at the table near the couch and left.<novelnext></novelnext>

    There was more than one cup on the tray as Helia also usually had her tea with her beloved sister in the morning since she had started living at the empress Vi.

    Before Helia woulde, a white light enveloped the couches as two figures appeared, hugging each other.

    Lia, who was near the dressing table, as she saw it happening and turned around, her face brightened knowing what was the meaning of white light appearing near the couch.

    Rio and N separated from each other when Helia also entered the room as she saw the magenta-haired beauty had returned...

    "Hey sisters, I''m back..." The lively girl announced her arrival with a vibrant smile as she did the gesture of punching the sky in a cheerful manner.

    "That''s really a good surprise I could get to see you first in the morning. Only unfortunate thing is that I also have to see his face... Now I pray to heaven I don''t have a bad day...." Helia spoke, her voice was filled with sarcasm as she saw the duo who hade back.

    "Same for me Lioness...I also had fear of what misfortune I will go through because I got to see you after returning back...but I''m not worried about it as all the malefic would''ve nullified by my beautiful wifey''s presence..." Rio responded in a calm voice and gave her a taste of her own bitter medicine full of sarcasm.

    "Don''t fight you two...It''s good Rio and N are back...We can have our tea together now like one happy family..." Lia said as she moved towards the couch to take her seat...

    There was another couch ced opposite side of it as the members of the family had increased from two to four...

    Lia and Rio sat together and N was on the opposite couch with Helia...

    "Let me serve today...since I''m all fine now..." N spoke with a vibrant smile as she volunteered for this service.

    She stood up from her couch to incline downwards and took the kettle to fill four silver cups before giving one to Lia then to Helia andstly to Rio.

    The boy didn''t mind as he knew the girl loved him most but she had to serve two sisters before him to be on their good page.

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 Chapter 157 Four Goddesses

    The magenta-haired beauty took thest one as she sat beside Helia to take a sip from it...

    Although they hade from Earth butst time the duo had herbal tea was with the sweet sisters so it was okay to take it now again for them as it felt normal...

    "How was your trip on the earth?" Lia asked, looking in N''s direction as they were sitting together.

    The white-haired beauty was curious about what they had done on earth and what happened in the hours that she was in the dreand. She also didn''t expect them toe back so early so she was delighted in her heart.

    "We went to meet our friends but only Sophia was awake from hera...There in the hospital room, her older sister was present who was trying to get close to our husband but..." N stopped with a mysterious glint in her eyes as she wanted to increase the tension like a fascinating narrator.

    "But ???" Lia asked with puzzlement as she wanted to know what happened next.

    "He must have let her flirt with him...N would''ve had toe in his way to spoil his n." Helia said as she didn''t think Rio would''ve been rude to Kyra.

    "If he was that easy then I wouldn''t have cried tears for all these days until I get to be his wife with Big sister''s permission... But let me demonstrate how it happened so you would be able to understand how charming Rio was at that time." N said as she stood up from the couch, put the silver cup on the table, and moved to stand between both couches a little far away so she could perform without any disturbance.

    "When the girl came to ask him if he was Rio havenglow...He replied with only one word ''Yeah'' and then Sophia''s sister spoke in a seductive tone to say ''Interesting...'' as she tried to get close to him but Rio was like a cold b of ice as he responded, ''If you''re done, can you get out of my way''."

    The magenta-haired beauty was describing the story mimicking their tone and lines even the body gesture and when he mimicked Rio''s cold voice the girls startedughing...

    "As expected of Husband..." Lia praised the crimson-haired boy.

    "That sly witch even tried to hug Rio but I separated her from sweetie...At the end when we were leaving, Kyra Wilson asked ''Do you have time to have dinner with me tonight?'' but He refused by saying ''No, sorry'' while holding my hand and didn''t even give her a second nce as he ignored herpletely as we left the hospital..."

    The magenta-haired beauty said, her voice sounding as if she was telling an exciting movie story where the main hero didn''t lose against the beauty''s charm.

    "If he didn''t get affected by the girl then she would be average at most..." Helia spoke as she was finding a point to tease the boy in front of her both sisters who blindly loved him.

    She didn''t understand what they saw in him that they adore Rio so much. One even sacrificed her life for that annoying fellow while the other went against her own father, emperor Dn for that boy.

    "Sister Helia...That Kyra Wilson is known to be one of the four goddesses of Human country...She has got a sexy figure and wouldn''t lose to you in beauty..." N said as she knew how pretty the pink-haired beauty was.

    "What do you mean by the four goddesses of the human country??" Lia asked as she heard this term and felt intrigued.

    "Oh...we humans have given four goddess titles for our generation that were started in my parents'' time. The older four goddesses include both sisters of the Havenglow family who is also Rio''s Second Mother.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But in the current generation, the four goddess title is taken by Kyra Wilson, known for her bewitching beauty and sexy figure. The second is the Young miss of the Cloven family who is famous to be the most mysterious and named ''Beauty with Brain.''

    The third one is one and only your little sister N Mailon who is known for her cuteness.

    And thest one is the invincible number one goddess or you can say number one beauty of both the Dhovrix race and Humans as even Dhovrix people have agreed that she is even prettier than their current princess who is in the second spot." N described as her eyes looked enamored exining thest one.

    "Who is that girl?" Helia asked as she raised her brows with curiosity.

    "Lily Havenglow, who surpasses all of us with her grace and elegance. She is the true definition of beauty...I have never gotten to meet her but I have heard that just looking at her face would make your heart serene and calm...They call her living angel on earth..." The lively girl spoke as her voice was filled with admiration for her.

    "Have you met her Rio?" Lia moved her eyes beside herself to ask him.

    "Why wouldn''t he have met? Aren''t they from the same family ''The Havenglow''?" Helia spoke.

    "No, I haven''t...Second mother wanted me to meet her but I declined it as I didn''t like to socialize. Her younger sister Rose already disliked me back then." Rio answered as he still had a bitter taste from his interaction with his adopted siblings.

    He looked unperturbed by all of N''s exnation. The one name that caught his attention was the princess of Dhovrix''s race...

    The boy was unaware of the fact that all these four new names were going to create chaos in his peaceful happy life and make him go through many challenges that weren''t going to be easy at all...

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 Chapter 158 How About You Give Me A Kiss?

    As they finished their tea, N went back to take a happy nap as she was all awake when it was night in thend of Asura.

    Helia and Lia had to go outside the Empress Vi to attend to some important matters.

    Rio was all alone and wasying down beside the magenta-haired beauty as she was sleeping using his shoulder as herfy pillow.

    The boy was busy reading his profile stats and skill descriptions to understand them better, remembering all the events that happened up until now...

    Not only he had gone on an adventure with new friends but they wiped out fighting a lord beast. He even gets to see how someone else sacrificed themself to protect him who ended up bing his second wife...

    Meeting Kyra and N''s Grandma was another new experience for him as they were both different kinds of people. If one was a sly witch then another was a soft-hearted woman. He got to see the various colorful shade of the world as it was filled with different types of people who were poles apart.

    "Oh...I almost forgot about that lord beast''s mystic egg." The boy mumbled inwardly as he remembered that Eve had helped him to keep it when he and N were deep in the forest after killing the Giant shadow viper fox.

    "Hey Eve...When can you give me the mystic egg that you retrieved from Lord beast''s corpse?" He inquired via thought and could talk to her by just thinking about her as it made a connection between the two to converse through that tattoo.

    "I thought you may have already forgotten...Can''t you let me have that mystic egg? I''m your most loyal partner with whom you have secret affair..." A serious voice sounded in his mind as she didn''t appear to be joking.

    "Yeah yeah...My loyal partner was demanding me to give her some cores then she would let me use the skills of a monarch beast. Truly very loyal..." He responded as his voice was flickering with sarcasm and was getting used to shameless people after marrying one of the most mischievous girls ever.

    "Oh...that''s something set by the goddess..., not me...if it was in my hand then I would have let you ess all those powers easily and even informed you about all the hidden secrets that you don''t know yet but I''m restricted...She wants you to grow on your own and get things at right time.

    You''re not mature to handle the responsibility of each secret and treasure you''re going to get.

    But hey...on the ount of our true love and beautiful rtionship, I will let you unlock the skills that you were supposed to get when you give me twenty purple cores..." Eve said, her voice was mixed with the grace of an elegant woman and a hint of yfulness...

    "You don''t have to sugar coat your words, just tell me what you want in return that you agree to unlock them early..." Rio asked as he guessed she might have some hidden motive or unexpected demands...

    "I''m not that selfish...partner...but since you''re asking I had also stored the ck stats orbs that dropped when you ughtered Ruben Astor and his hired man who came to kill you...

    I took them without your permission as they were yours so It would count as you giving me those ck stats orbs so technically I have been received enough purple orbs as you had given me high-level stats orbs...

    It''s kind of hard to understand but you understand right? If you give me red stats orbs then I would also let you unlock next-level skill when you reach the ck stage...but I guess you''re not capable of killing red stage right now so let''s not talk about that." Eve exined, why she was going to give him the skills before hepleted the task.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Do I still need to find Purple stats orbs or cores for you even if you unlock those skills for me?" He asked with an intrigued tone.

    "Not really as you have fulfilled the requirement but we are partners for life...Whatever you are going to get in the future, I will technically take them since you won''t be requiring them...I would let you have them if you could use them otherwise I''m keeping them..."She responded as if the monarch beast had right over his cores without his permission.

    "Why do you need those cores?" He asked, furrowing his brows.

    "It helps me nourish the realm I am living in and expand it to a higher stage to make it bigger. You might be thinking I''m taking advantage of you but trust me, what I have is yours since you would be using this space after unlocking the next skills.

    Moreover, I''m your beloved partner so at least I can im things that you''re not going to use anymore, can''t I?" Eve said thest word in a coquettish tone, acting cute to entice him but even she knew it wasn''t going to work again him.

    "Okay...So can I get my rewards and mystic egg now?" He asked, after agreeing to her easy demands as those stats orbs or cores weren''t of any use to him once he had maxed them.

    "How about you give me a kiss before I give them to you..." The girl said as if asking him for something that was casual between them...

    "Aishh...Don''t make that face even though I''m not in front of you...Okay, I won''t be demanding anything today for our partnership...Maybe next time then...Here keep it safe..." Eve sighed seeing the boy''s face had be cold and she stopped ying with him.

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 Chapter 159 Until Death Do Us Part

    Two spherical objects of palm size that were glimmering in purple and obsidian appeared on his chest out of nowhere. They could feel they were a little heavy...The obsidian one, the mystic egg, was glowing ck and giving a warm feeling as if it was ready to hatch...On the other hand, The lord beast''s core was just like any other core.

    "You might be surprised to see the lord beast''s core but they don''t disappear like other cores so you can still use it.

    As for the second one, I have infused one of my precious treasures with this mystic egg, this would let you receive a hundred times better reward than you were supposed to get when you hatch it...But remember to infuse your mana in this mystic egg only in front of all three girls..." The girl reminded him of the condition and told him how she enhanced the mystic eggs to a higher level.

    "Why would you do that???" he asked, scrunching his eyebrows.

    "Because I need you in the future for something...I''m just helping you beforehand so you don''t feel like I am taking advantage of you when the timees...Take care, Rio...I''ll be watching you when you hatch the egg. I also wanna see what treasure it gives you..." Her voice was serious without any yfulness. She didn''t even use ''Partner'' This time...

    "That girl wasn''t acting like herself," He thought inwardly but soon the boy get to hear one more message from her.

    "Love you, my sexy partner...Don''t forget to miss me...Muah <3..." The girl didn''t forget to remind him at the end who she was as Eve bid him a flirty farewell in his mind.

    Rio sighed as he caressed the obsidian egg and lord beast''s core on his chest...the obsidian egg was feeling a little hot to the touch and was throbbing as if it had been pulsing with life...

    Soon a few notifications rang in his mind...

    <<<<

    =[Inventory]=

    [Grade: S]

    [Elemental Affinity: Space]

    ~ Eve, The Monarch beast shower you with her affection to share her wondend forest realm with you. This allows you to use a 1/20 amount of space within her realm to let you keep your things.

    Her wondend realms keep everything fresh as it''s bestowed by mother nature...

    =[Loot]=

    [Grade: A]

    [Elemental Affinity: Space]

    ~ Eve, the Monarch beast, allows you to store things inside the wondend forest realm with a simple thought using your spiritual energy.

    Don''t misuse this skill as the empress of elves doesn''t like to keep garbage in her wondend forest realm.

    >>>>

    ''Ah....''

    Rio''s eyes flickered with amazement as he read the new unlocked skills description.

    "Isn''t this simr to the one Lia uses to store many things??? I thought I wouldn''t have it before I reach the ck stage but Now I don''t really need that rare beast soul since I have these skills..." He mumbled inwardly...<novelnext></novelnext>

    The boy was delighted in his heart receiving this wonderful skill that would solve his problem to store things...

    "Hey Eve..." He called her again as he wanted to ask about a few things...

    "See, you weren''t able to stay without me for a few seconds after I left...My Partner misses me so much...If you say ''yes'' I can keep you here with me inside the Wondend forest until eternity...Ahhh...Those wrinkles on your forehead don''t suit you...Okay...what does my sometimes-boring partner wants to know?" The orange-haired beauty spoke in a nonchnt voice as she was teasing Rio but seeing his reaction she stopped at the end and came to the topic.

    "Why am I able to read the skill description of skills that aren''t in possession of Humans? The AI exins everything like it already knows, how is it possible?" he asked as he was wondering how did humans have records of these skills.

    "There are two reasons...One is actually a secret that you would find out in the future and I''m not allowed to reveal them right now...But the second one I will tell you...When you met the goddess, she told you that she would give you some of her blessings...One of the blessings was that she merged the AI and Your Heaven''s eyes together...

    Even if you don''t wear that AI Watch on your wrist you would still be able to use it and the information you get would depend on [Heaven''s Eyes] capabilities.

    Although your innate skill wouldn''t be able to read the skills Lia has since she is higher level than you but it would be able to learn the skills you possess or she transfers to you because when you learn a skill you get all knowledge it has.

    So that''s how you were able to learn what Battle art skills and the one you learned today can do...It''s all thanks to your [Heaven''s Eyes] and Goddess''s blessings." She exined in a rxed manner as she knew many things that others didn''t know.

    ''That makes sense...''

    He understood why he was able to still get information on skills that were unknown to humans...

    "How long would I be able to keep these skills that you gave me today?" The boy asked as this was his other concern. He wanted to know if he would require to get the spatial beast soul in the future or not.

    "Until death do us Part..." Eve said she wasn''t yful this time.

    "Can''t you leave me before that?" He asked with puzzlement.

    "I don''t have any reason to leave you...You''re a mortal and I''m a monarch beast who is also an elf...I am going to stay here longer than you..." She answered, her voice was saddened when she mumbled in his mind...

    "Are you sad?" The crimson-haired boy asked as he could feel sorrow that was flickering in her voice.

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 Chapter 160 Sad Elven Girl

    The elven girl didn''t respond to him as he waited patiently, knowing she had never behaved this way before...

    "I hope you''re okay..." Rio said to her as She kept her silence and continued to ignore him...

    The crimson-haired boy had learned one thing in this world, sometimes those who looked the happiest and made others happy with their vibrant sense of humor were actually the saddest from the inside...

    The best example was N who he married. She had a very sorrowful past and had a father who didn''t love his daughter...

    Her stepmother and step-sister caused her life to be hell with their toxic behavior yet the girl never failed to keep a joyous environment wherever she went and a lively smile was always present on her adorable face.

    Today''s conversation gave him foreboding that Eve was hiding something big in herplex heart for which she required his help...

    Her silence was confirmation that she tried her best to hide it from him for now as she didn''t want to slow down his progress and make it a rough journey...

    Rio didn''t get any response from her as he used his [Loot] skill to keep the mystic egg and lord beast''s core inside the space of the wondend forest...

    He looked at N who was sleeping on his spread shoulder, keeping her head on him as she was drowned in a beautiful dream.

    ''I should also take a nap...Lia is not here either and I don''t have anything better to do right now...''

    He decided to take a good rest as everyone was busy with their own business. He was free and hadn''t slept for long...Hatching the mystic egg wasn''t an option either since Eve said to open it near the girls...

    Rio used his hands to guide N closer to her as he hugged her to sleep...

    It was a good feeling to sleep while beauty was near him whose body was aromatic like the orchids, gratifying his senses, and her smooth warm skin just enhanced the good resting experience to a higher realm¡­

    Several hours passed¡­

    His eyelid shook as he opened them, the window''s curtains were drawn to make the room in dim light.

    ''N isn''t here...''

    He noticed the magenta-haired beauty had already woken up and left the room.

    The boy stretched his hands and got up from his bed to go towards the bathroom to wash up his face first.

    After a few minutes passed, He came out and went outside the bedroom, fixing his clothes...

    He couldn''t find the girls in any of the rooms so he decided to go downstairs...

    Rio saw maids were busy making noon meals for the empress andpany.

    Yami didn''t notice him either as she was busy with her duty and instructing maids.

    The boy walked out of the empress vi to travel toward the direction where he could feel Lia''s location...

    She was in the direction of the teleporter tower so he had to go through the castle first.

    Sun was surrounded by dark clouds as it seemed to be raining soon. Asuras warriors dutifully guarded the ces as usual.

    ''I probably slept for a few hours...It''s afternoon here...''

    Rio paced up his speed as he could see the oval-shaped building from where Lia''s location wasing.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As he entered the battle arena he could see the white-haired beauty waving at him as she had already noticed himing in her direction...

    Inside the arena, Lia was sitting in the audience seat while two figures were fighting using their hands and legs...

    N and Helia were engaged in physicalbat as it seemed Helia was giving her training to fight without using weapons or beast souls.

    The magenta-haired beauty was attacking with different strikes and the lioness was dodging as they danced all around the ces within the grass field. They were incredibly fast as they battled each other.

    ''Compared to how she trained me like a mad woman, she is very delicate with N as if training a little kitty...''

    Rio walked towards Lia with light steps so as not to disturb the two girls who were lost and fighting one another...

    Their speed was enhanced using the mana but It wasn''t hard for Rio to see their movement as his [Heaven''s Eyes] slowed down their speed.

    He went towards his lovely wife who was looking in his direction and sat beside her.

    Rio conversed using his thoughts so as not to get others'' attention, "For how long you guys are here?"

    "An hour...When we returned I saw N was already awake but you were asleep...So Helia brought her to train as she decided to make N her partner in future adventures..." Lia exined using telepathy.

    "I have a mystic egg that I want to hatch so I thought I should do it in front of you guys..." He told her his ns.

    "Mystic egg? Let me see it..." Lia spoke, her voice had a hint of surprise.

    Lioness and N were still fighting and hadn''t noticed Rio as they were focused on their opponent and a one-second distraction could make them lose easily. Moreover, the couple talked via telepathy so N and Lionness couldn''t hear their conversation.

    The boy hovered his hand and an obsidian beast egg appeared that was covering his palm...

    The girl frowned and asked with intrigued eyes, "How can you use spatial magic?"

    "It''s the skill of Eve...She has given me two of skills and may give more as I reach a higher stage..." he exined with a faint smile.

    Lia took the mystic egg from his hand and caressed the surface gently as she inspected it...Her forehead had some wrinkles and her eyes looked amazed.

    "What happened??? Is something wrong???" He asked, seeing

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 Chapter 161 Two Empresses

    Hearing his question, she gave him a gentle smile, saying "Nah, I was checking what grade mystic egg is this..."

    "Grade for the mystic eggs?" He was puzzled as Teacher Milena hadn''t told them about the grades of these objects that they get after killing lord beasts.

    "Yeah...but it''s a secret within the great ns... Only a few higher-level experts know about it... The grade depends on how alive the mystic egg is and its temperature as well as the aura it''s giving...

    The grade goes by Normal, Epic, Legendary, and Mythic... This egg is at least Epic grade as it''s warm and pulsating when we touch the surface... but it could be also a legendary one as it has a terrifying aura sealed within...

    However, there is no reason for a lord beast of the purple stage to drop a Legendary grade mystic egg..." She looked puzzled as her fingers felt the surface of the obsidian egg...

    "Eve said she had boosted the quality using some precious treasure..." He responded in a calm voice as he remembered what she had said to him.

    Lia turned to look at him as her eyes were filled with perplexity...

    "Why???" The white-haired beauty asked...

    "Because we are partners and it''s only normal for me to aid him. I also need his help in the future...

    We are bound to be together and help each other by our fate..." The elven girl''s voice resounded in the couple''s mind...

    Eve was able to talk to Lia because of her own power which let her stalk anyone in the world. It was also rted to her space Elemental affinity and wonderous forest realm...

    "What help do you need?" Lia asked, scrunching her brows...

    "I can not tell him right now...It will slow down his progress..." She refused to answer...

    "I''m not going to let you put Rio in any messy business unless you tell me what it is...

    We are also not taking any of your help or treasures... you can keep this mystic egg for yourself.." The white-haired beauty decided to give her the mystic egg that she enhance with her precious treasure.

    Although Rio didn''t mind helping the orange-red-haired beauty in the future as he had already told her he would assist after knowing what it was.

    The boy didn''t say anything as he could see she was negotiating with Eve to find out the truth¡­ He decided to not get intodies'' talks and let them settle this themselves as long as they were talking peacefully.

    "You know Lia...No one can make me bend and make their demands fulfill..." The monarch beast responded as she wasn''t talking to her in her yful manner, her voice was very serious...

    "Do as you wish..." The white-haired beauty spoke, her tone and eyes were both flickering with coldness.

    Eve sighed and epted defeat and spoke, "You''re really a wise soul¡­Goddess praises you a lot and I envy you sometimes¡­

    Seems like I can not continue this without convincing you¡­I will tell you what I need but promise me you won''t tell him even If you agree to help me or not..."

    "I won''t do something that would harm him..." Lia answered in a calm voice¡­

    The voices Rio was hearing in his thought stopped as Lia and Eve started talking privately...

    The white-haired beauty''s eyes were cold at first but then they started to melt and flickered with different emotions from confusion to sadness...In the end, there was only pity in them...

    Helia and N had noticed Rio as they finished fighting and walked towards the duo...

    "Hey...You woke up, Rio..." N said with a joyous face as she sprinted towards him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Both girls were covered in sweat, Rio could see their clothes that were sticking to their curvaceous bodies making their alluring figures easy to see.

    "Yeah..." He responded, watching theming closer but his half attention was busy wondering what Lia and Eve were talking about.

    N and Helia sat opposite them on the chair as the lioness had already noticed Lia was lost in her thought while holding the obsidian egg in her hands...

    The magenta-haired beauty also noticed it as the trio started looking at her not disturbing her...

    Lia had indicated to them with her hands to wait as she was in the middle of Eve''s story...

    After a moment passed, The white-haired beauty touched his right shoulder and inspected the tattoo by unbuttoning his shirt and revealing his shoulder¡­

    Rio didn''t stop her although there was Helia who was not his wife.

    The blonde-haired beauty and N also noticed the tattoo but she didn''t recognize them.

    ''I didn''t believe at her first and thought she was lying but these ancient engraving marks meant she really can not harm him...''

    After carefully understanding and learning about the Monarch beast, Lia said, "You can trust her, the elven empress is a kind soul."

    The white-haired beauty gave her recognition to the monarch beast after learning what help Eve required in the future.

    "Hatch this mystic egg, lets''s see what treasure a legendary grade posses," Lia asked him, handing him the egg¡­

    She moved to button his shirt as she had previously undid them. The girl was doing it as if striping his clothes were normal but she was too shocked by Eve''s story that she forgot how unusual her action was.

    Hearing their conversation both Helia and N were puzzled but they understood what the duo was talking about.

    Rio nodded as he ced his hands on the obsidian object in her palm and sent mana inside it...

    The egg didn''t react as everyone frowned...

    "Try injecting more mana..." A voice resounded in the duo''s mind as Eve spoke...

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 Chapter 162 The Legend Of The Forbidden Land

    The boy listened to her instruction and let all the mana flow in it without any hesitation...

    The mystic egg sucked all of his mana as if its inside was a deep abyss...The obsidian egg started changing and glowed with the light, giving off a white radiance, and turnedpletely like an illuminating orb...

    When Rio had spent almost 90% of his mana, the mystic egg light started transforming into the golden sun as it enveloped the whole battle arena.

    Lia and thepany''s vision got blocked because of the blinding light, they were astonished by the unexpected event but the white radiance wasn''t harmful to them.

    Soon, they realized they were standing in a ce that was grand in scale, with towering columns, a ceiling up high, and intricate carvings adorning the walls. Sunlight filtered in through some gaps, casting a warm glow on the ground.

    The floor was made of white marble, with ancient patterns and symbols etched into the stone. The air was thick with the scent of aromatic unknown flowers, adding to the mystical atmosphere of the ce.

    In the center of the temple stood arge white statue, its surface adorned with gold and precious glittering stones.

    The statue depicted a powerful figure, with a stern expression and strong muscles. It was clear that the person whose statue this was sure of great significance and a powerful warrior in his time.

    Lia andpany looked at each other then nodded to give a silent agreement and approached the statue, their heels clicked with the marble floor.

    They noticed that therge white stony figure was emanating a soft light as if the person was alive and also felt as if it was watching them with its kind gaze.

    The statue began to speak as they neared, the man''s voice was deep and full of wisdom, "It''s been a while since someone visited this ce¡­Before we have a good talk let me tell you a story¡­

    A hundred thousand years ago, there existed a powerful civilization that was said to possess great treasures, unimaginable powers, and ground-breaking secrets.

    However, this civilization was also said to be cursed by the heavens which caused it to be destroyed during the battle between god and the people of thisnd. The great war resulted in many powerful immortals, gods, and mythic beasts losing their life.

    Later, this cursed as well as the blessednd, where this civilization lived and where the great battle urred, was named the Forbidden Land. Those who entered its borders were never seen again.

    A wise and powerful warrior, who was said to have lived during the time of the ancient civilization and survived in the fierce battle, created a map that could lead to the Forbidden Land.

    But the warrior wanted only a worthy person to enter this ce and im the treasures, so he divided the map into five pieces and scattered them across the world for the future generation to find to give his trials.

    The legend says that whoever finds all five pieces of the map will be able to enter the Forbidden Land, but they must be wise, and worthy for thend is filled with dangers and traps.

    Some diviner discovered that the treasures of the ancient civilization are still hidden there, waiting to be found by a worthy heir.

    In Thousands of years that passed by, many have searched for the pieces of the map throughout the ages, but only a few have ever found even one piece.

    A few experts say that the pieces are buried in the depths of the crimson sea, others say they are hidden in the highest peaks of the tallest mountain and some believe it is protected by powerful traps and magic in the deserts.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But the legend also indicated that whoever finds the five pieces of the map will not only find the treasures of the ancient civilization but also be the heir who would learn the secret of the curse, and will be able to lift it to enter the forbiddennd without any fear."

    The statue''s voice exined the story in a majestic voice as it described the legend from a long time ago.

    As it spoke, they could feel the terrifying power and energy of the ce and the man, as if they were being pulled into the story itself.

    Na and Helia had their faces adorned with fear and surprise as the man talked about the forbiddennd curse and the great war while Lia and Rio kept their calmness and listened carefully.

    Seeing two of the girls being afraid, the voice continued, "However, you don''t have to worry about all this... because I''m the person who created the map...

    This is thest remnant of my soul to guide the worthy heir to the forbiddennd. I have created a few keys to this ce and scattered them around this. Until now you''re the fourth one who had found this key to my resting abode¡­

    Surprisingly, We have four of you here and each one of you treasures the other a lot." The man spoke and waited for their response.

    He could tell these four cherished each other as he observed them carefully since they arrived at this ce. The man saw how each of their eyes flickered with kind emotions when they looked at one another.

    "Forbiddennd..." Lia mumbled, her voice sounding as if she was recognizing this term.

    "Ehh¡­I feel a familiar aura from you. What''s your name, Little girl?" The statue''s voice asked as he could see the white-haired beauty was knowledgeable about this name.

    "I''m Lia Devlin¡­" She responded, and her voice was respectful.

    "Another Devlin¡­" The man spoke in an astonished tone.

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 Chapter 163 Two Options

    Seeing her sister mumbling the name, Helia''s gaze turned towards her beloved sister and gave her a puzzled look, asking "Do you know about this ce Lia?"

    The white-haired beauty nodded and gave her affirmation as she also knew about this legend written in ancient books.

    "Grandfather had left his legacy behind and his notes¡­ In that he said, he was searching for some map pieces to the forbiddennd." Lia said, remembering what she had read.

    "That little fellow was in his thirties when he came here but he was not qualified to enter the location where the first piece was found as your grandfather was already in the silver stage at that time¡­" The man cleared everyone''s doubt, telling about the time when her grandfather hade here.

    "So I can not participate in this?" Lia asked as if she knew the importance of this ce and wanted to join them.

    She wanted to join as not to leave Rio and her sister alone in that ce that might be filled with unknown dangers.

    "You don''t have to worry¡­ You have three others beside you who are enough to get the first piece with their bravery and courage¡­ For the second piece, you can join them but they have to go for the first one alone¡­" The statue''s voice responded.

    "Do we really have to go there??? The forbiddennd is cursed and we may lose our life¡­" N said to her sisters and Rio, thinking inwardly, "I haven''t even done that with my sweetie¡­ I don''t wanna take such risks¡­"

    She didn''t want to die before enjoying a blissful night with her man. Before she didn''t have this option as that boy gave her the cold shoulder but now she was his beloved wife.

    "We may need to find these pieces and go to the forbiddennd for the future cmity that we might face¡­ Also, I have read about this legend in many ancient books even Grandfather had left behind his personal notes telling about this temple.

    He mentioned going to the forbiddennd can help us find a secret method to break through from the Golden stage to a higher level¡­" Lia spoke in a gentle tone as she remembered the diary left behind by her grandfather.

    "The curses only affect those who infiltrate without permission or aren''t rted to them. You shouldn''t worry about safety as finding the five pieces of map would make you the sessor of the forbiddennd¡­" The man said, reducing the Magenta-haired beauty''s worry.

    "What do we have to do?" Lia asked as she wanted to know their situation to determine the pros and cons.

    "You have two options¡­Either ept to participate in finding the first piece of the map which is the Exalted Clover Ring. The first one is also the door to the next location and to this ce.

    Or You can go back to your home where you havee from and forget about the forbiddennd until you find another key toe to my resting abode¡­" The statue''s voice said, his voice sounding as if it was aplicated puzzle that was hidden with some vital answers.

    "Do we have to go now???" Helia asked with intrigued eyes, as she understood they might have to leave right away for the first part of the map.

    ''If he let us go home then we mighte prepared for the first piece of the map''s expedition and it''s kind of his secret trial so he wouldn''t let us go home. If we really left, I doubt he would allow us toe here again even if we seed to find the key to his resting abode¡­''

    Rio was calmly grasping the situation as he heard the man''s puzzling words about the first part of the map that lead to the forbiddennd.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I have a condition¡­" Lia spoke, after carefully thinking. She was acting like the leader of the whole.

    "What is it, little girl?" The statue''s voice asked his voice filled with kindness as if a grandpa next door.

    "I know that the ce you''re going to send them to find the first piece of the map is also your secret trial but I want a guarantee of their safety¡­ If you agree then I will let them take the first trial to search for the first part of the map¡­" The white-haired beauty said, her voice calm and rxed but deep down she was concerned for their well-being.

    For Lia, all three of them were like her precious treasure, She wouldn''t send them to their death without confirming their safety.

    "So you have found it out¡­ Even your grandfather wasn''t as bright as you¡­ For your wisdom, I will let theme out of the ce whenever they say ''I give up''¡­But if they still get killed by their mistakes and their stubbornness then it''s their fault for not asking me to bring them out from that ce¡­" The statue''s voice said as he gave them the option to eject from the ce.

    "Okay¡­Thank you, Senior¡­" Lia respectfully showed her gratitude as she turned to her sisters and Husband.

    The trio looked at her as if they knew she was going to talk to them about the matter.

    Lia asked, "It''s going to be hard and filled with dangers. So if you guys want we can return back home."

    "Nah¡­ We should at least try if we have an escape n¡­ I will go¡­" Helia said as she wanted to participate.

    The white-haired beauty''s gaze turned to her Man but this time her eyes were worried like a doting mother as she was concerned for him more. She hesitated to send him to this ce but she also doubted he might be wanting to go to the forbiddennd the most.

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 Chapter 164 Scorching Hot Desert

    "I don''t think it''s as easy as it looks but I want to go so we can prepare better for our enemies..." Rio said with a feeble smile, his eyes flickering with unwavering resolve.

    As he gave his response, they all moved their eyes to the person who showed her refusal previously to go.

    N gave a forced smile and said, "Since they are going I will join them too..."

    The magenta-haired beauty also showed her desire as she wanted to apany her sweetheart to the unknown ce and didn''t want to leave him alone.

    "Good, Kids. Be ready now. I will send you three in a minute to the location where you can find the first piece of the map for the Forbidden Land. If anyone of you wants toe out of this ce before finding the Exalted Clover Ring you just have to say ''I give up''. One more thing, To Find the first part you just have to go to the very east." The statue''s voice spoke to them and even gave them a hint to find the first piece of the map.

    Hearing the man''s announcement, The trio were delighted as they had received a hint rted to the item they had to find.

    However, they were unaware of the fact that it was still going to be a hellish journey on the other side. They didn''t know what dangerous hurdles and desperation they were going to face.

    As the Man gave them one minute to prepare, Lia moved to hug them, one by one as she knew they might take a long time to return.

    When it was Rio''s turn, he embraced her in a warm hug, and said, "Don''t worry Wifey. We will be alright."

    The boy could see the worry in her eyes as she was concerned about them, especially for him.

    Lia mumbled, "Come back safely, I will pray for all of you and Take care."

    The boy nodded, ruffling her white silky hair as they separated.

    The statue''s light grew brighter, enveloping the trio and the white-haired beauty in a blinding light. When the light dissipated, Lia found she was back in the battle arena in the oval-shaped building.

    "They have gone...Hope they return safely..." The girl prayed to heaven for their safety as she was worried for all of them.

    ***

    As the white light engulfed them, they felt like they were sucked into a space rift and thrown on the ground.

    Rionded perfectly, keeping his bnce as he saw the surrounding had already changed...

    The boy''s eyes weed a bright lighting from the sun and a sea of sand that was endlessly expanded to a very far away distance as far as he could see.

    The sky was a deep, cloudless blue, and the sun seemed to hang low in the sky, casting a harsh scorching light on the barrenndscape filled with sand dunes.

    "Eh... It''s hot here."

    Soon he heard the voice of N from behind him as sheined about the unbearable warm weather...

    He could feel the scorching sun beating down on him mercilessly. The sand was hot underfoot, burning his shoes as he could feel the heat radiating from the ground.

    Rio turned around to find both girls standing nearby and their faces were stered with annoyance.

    Their skin was already starting to turn red from sunburn, and they were desiring to find some shade to hide...

    "This is worse than I expected. I can not summon any beast soul and feel rather weak here for some reason." Helia spoke, as she inspected their situation and monitored the area around them...

    They were in the midst of an endless desert, with a scorching sun on their head which was making it hard for them to stay.

    Hearing her voice, he also noticed he was feeling weak.

    ''Let me check if it works to show any abnormality.''

    The boy used [Heaven''s Eyes] on Helia which didn''t show her stats beforeing here.

    <<<<

    [User: Helia Rainheart]

    [Race: Asura]

    [Innate Rank: A]

    [Root: Red]

    [MANA: 0]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 0]

    [Innate stats: 10]<novelnext></novelnext>

    [White: 0]

    [Yellow: 0]

    [Purple: 0]

    [ck: 0]

    [Red: 0]

    >>>>

    ''This strange ce has stripped us of our cultivated strength. I''m able to view her attributes because her power ispletely reduced to 0 except for the innate stats.''

    He moved to check his and N''s stats and got the same weakened result.

    <<<<

    [User: N Mailon]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: A]

    [Root: Purple]

    [MANA: 0]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 0]

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [Yellow: 0]

    [Purple: 0]

    >>>>

    ''This ce has greatly weakened us all to the same level.''

    They all had identical stats points and zero mana as they were all weakened here almostpletely. One thing that Rio noticed was that both girls had innate talent rank A but this wasn''t the time to focus on that.

    "This ce has diminished my stats points and reduced all of them to zero. Right now, I only have 10 innate stats points and zero mana. Probably this happened to all of us." The boy announced the reason why they were feeling weak.

    "How do you know?" Helia asked, scrunching her eyebrows.

    He shrugged and started thinking of a better n to tackle their current situation.

    "My stats points are also zero," N said, confirming Rio''s im.

    "We don''t have so much time to waste. We need to keep moving towards the east or we will get cooked here alive," Rio said in a grave tone, as he decided to travel from their current location.

    "This ce is annoyingly hot. My skin''s burning" Nined as this warm ce was irritating her skin.

    "You''re right, we need to escape from this ce. Let''s go." Helia showed her agreement as she started going towards the east.

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 Chapter 165 The Sand Storm

    To find the location of their destination, they just took the help of the Sun glistening in the blue sky, as it was zingly hot there and was past noon.

    The Blonde-haired beauty calcted the possible direction for the east with the trail the sun was making to set in the west.

    As they walked, the heat became more intense as their bodies were constantly getting a bath in the scorching warm light.

    They could feel the sweat pouring down their faces, and their clothes were sticking to their skin.

    The girls'' hair was matted with sweat, and both of them were feeling the heat pounding in their heads. Rio had it easier as he didn''t have long hair like them.

    All of them were getting thirsty as their throats were parched, losing the body''s liquid through constant sweating, and had no source of water to refill themselves.

    Helia''s eyes were squinted as she tried to shield herself from the sun, using her right palm. She was getting bullied by the blistering heat and her head was spinning.

    The blonde-haired beauty wasn''t wearing her heavy armor as she was previously fighting N before getting summoned into the resting abode of that senior elder who was from the ancient civilization.

    She had a full light-blue top and was in long ck pants that The girl usually wore in her warrior get-up.

    N''s condition wasn''t any better as she was panting, her throat was dry and her clothes were sticking to her body, revealing her firm mounds and chubby butts.

    The magenta-haired beauty was feeling the hot sun zing intensity and her head was also aching and burning in pain. She was in a long yellow skirt and a purple top with short sleeves.

    The trio trudged on as the hot sand shifted and slid beneath their foot. The only thing that broke the monotony of the sand dunes were the asional rocky outcroppings that loomed in the distance.

    The heat was bing unbearable, as Rio andpany were getting more and more exhausted from this intolerable climate and ce.

    "It''s so hard to continue walking..." Nined in a fatigued voice.

    "You should go back. I would find the Exalted Clover Ring alone." Rio tried to pursue her as he felt bad for her. She didn''t want toe to this ce but he knew she came for him.

    "No, I won''t give up this early." She said, encouraging herself as the girl didn''t want to leave him in this dangerous sea of sand.

    "If we had mana, we could have traveled using the Mana enchantment at higher speed but this damn ce sealed all our powers." Helia cursed out in annoyance.

    Rio found it amusing as the lioness was on the same level as him right now as sheined about this ce.

    They were bing dehydrated and their bodies were aching from walking for long on the burning ground due to the scorching sun. They knew they had to find some shade soon or they would not be able to make it.

    Soon, they heard a howling sound in the distance and a dark shadowing their way.

    "What''s that?" N said, her face filled with bitterness and annoyance as she pointed in the eastern direction.

    "Ah, Not good. It''s a bad sandstorm. We are doomed." Helia''s face darkened, seeing the uing difficult challenge.

    The trio had nowhere to go as the storm was traveling in their direction at incredible speed to envelop them. It was howling in madness and swirling wind of current with desert sand along the path.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Before the trio could get out of its way, they were devoured by the current of dusty winds and came inside the storm perimeter.

    It was just a faint whisper of wind at first when the sand storm approached them, but it quickly picked up speed, transforming into a howling gale that sent sand and dust flying everywhere.

    They could barely make out each other''s shapes through the thick clouds of dust and felt the grit of the sand colliding against their skin and the sting of it in their eyes.

    Rio moved and caught N in his embrace and kept his firm bnce on the ground as this was getting dangerous.

    The sky turned dark as the storm grew in its intensity. The wind was so sharp and strong that it was difficult to stand upright.

    Sand and dust danced around Rio, making it hard to see. The dusty wind was too strong and sharp which made them barely able to move.

    He dug into the ground using his legs to get strong support to stay stuck in his ce, hugging N tightly and not letting her get harmed.

    The sand storm kept howling and swirling to travel as the ground started piling up sand around them, building dunes and transforming thendscape in a matter of a few seconds.

    The wind was making a deafening sound as it howled and the sand was striking anything in its way with a force that made it hard to breathe and the visibility was almost zero.

    As the sand storm was raging with full force, Helia got caught in it as it turned to swallow her. A strong gust of wind tangled her as she was thrown far away to the ground.

    "Arghh....." She groaned in pain as her body copsed on nearby Rock outcrops.

    Rio could hear her shriek as he was firmly holding N''s body to keep her confined and not let her go.

    "It''s sister Helia. She is injured." N cried out in a worried tone as she didn''t want to lose her and tried to struggle free from Rio''s strong grip.

    Helia''s voice was barely heard by them because the sandstorm was making so much noise with its howling wind current.

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 Chapter 166 Searching Helia In The Desert

    "It''s sister Helia. She is injured." N cried out in a worried tone as she didn''t want to lose her and tried to struggle free from Rio''s strong grip.

    Helia''s voice was barely heard by them because the sandstorm was making so much noise with its howling wind current.

    "We can not save her unless the storm goes away. Our feet are dug deeper into the ground that''s helping us to not get thrown away like her.

    If we go now to save her, we would also get wounded and won''t be able to help herter. Helia can withdraw from this ce if it gets too bad for her."

    Rio spoke using telepathy in her mind and tried to convince the magenta-haired beauty as she was resisting his grasp on her to save the lioness. He was holding her tightly to stop her from making a rash decision and harming herself.

    N hesitated but then stopped struggling to get free as she understood him and thought carefully that this could put both of them in danger. She wanted to save Helia but not at the cost of putting her Rio in a life-threatening situation.

    The sandstorm was terrifying, with huge gusts of wind that seemed to be lifting the sand off the ground and throwing it at the couple with the force of a hurricane. The air was thick with sand, making it difficult to breathe but the duo was worried about Helia whose condition was unknown.

    Rio and N huddled together, trying to shield themselves from the sandstorm that was whipping through the desert.

    The wind howled around them, sending sand flying in every direction. Rio coiled his arms strongly around N''s body, pulling her close to him and protecting her as best as he could.

    N clung to Rio, her eyes closed tight, and pray to heaven for Helia''s safety. She could feel Rio''s heart beating steadily against her own, and it gave her a sense offort in the midst of the desperate situation.

    The girl knew that as long as he was with her, she would be okay but she was feeling bad for the blonde-haired beauty.

    The sandstorm raged on for half an hour, and they were one-third deep into the sands as it also protected them from getting swayed away by the rowdy gale of dusty winds.

    As the air got lighter and the howling sound went away from the duo, they opened their eyes and looked around them for their missingrade.

    The ground was drowned in sand, creating sand dunes and changing thendscapepletely.

    Rio helped N to get out of the pile of sand before alsoing out of it as they were stuck inside the ground.

    As they both ejected of the confinement they both started searching their surroundings to find the Lioness...

    "Where are you, Sister Helia!!!" N shouted to call her, her tired voice filled with sorrow and worry. Her heart was aching in agony at the worse possibility, she totally ignored the warm sunlight that was burning her skin.

    The duo stumbled through the sand, searching for any sign of the Lioness. They knew that Helia was out there somewhere, injured and in need of help.

    Rio remembered from where her groaning sound hade, he started looking for her in that direction.

    The aftereffect of the sand storm had caused the footsteps to already be covered beneath it and erased all the signs possible that could help him to find her.

    As he kept looking with a bitter face, his [Life Sutra] was helping him to fight against the fatiguepared to N, and [Heart Sutra] helped him calm down in this bad situation.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The boy spotted a haggard figure lying on the ground a few yards away, her head almostpletely engulfed in sand.

    "She is here..." Rio called out to N who was searching in another direction as he sprinted toward the blonde-haired beauty.

    As he got closer, the boy could see that Helia''s body was partially buried in the sand, with only her head and arms visible. Her face was almost obscured by the sand, but he could see that her rounded chest was still rising and falling indicating that she was still alive.

    Rio quickly started to dig Helia out of the sand, using both hands to scoop the sand away from her body, revealing her face and torsopletely.

    N soon approached them with a hurried pace to help him. They could see that she had a slight gash on her leg and her clothes were torn and dirty. Her top was almost tattered revealing her bruised shoulder and pale neck.

    As they freed Helia from the sand, Rio carefully pulled her in a hug and checked her pulse, it was stable.

    "We need to stop the bleeding on her leg," N said in a concerned tone.

    Rio nodded as he tore his shirt''s sleeve and used it as a makeshift bandage to stop the bleeding from her leg.

    The scorching hot sun was making it hard for them to stay so he lifted her up and hugged her like a baby with one hand to support her pulpy butt and the second one behind her head to press again his chest as he carried herfortably.

    "We need to leave this ce and find a source of water," The boy said,

    Inspecting Helia''s condition informed him that she wasn''t in a life-threatening condition. Even if he wanted to send her out of this hot desert, He needed to wake her up first.

    With Helia in his baby hug, Rio and N made their way back in the eastern direction, grateful that the blonde-haired beauty wasn''t badly injured and had found her before it was toote.

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 Chapter 167 Cradling The Lioness In His Arms

    With Helia in his baby hug, Rio and N made their way back in the eastern direction, grateful that the blonde-haired beauty wasn''t badly injured and had found her before it was toote.

    N was relieved that they were able to rescue Helia and that she was still alive, but she also knew they had to act fast to get out of this annoyingly warm ce for herfort.

    The boy had carefully cradled Helia in his arms as he made his way through the scorching hot desert. The magenta-haired beauty walked alongside him, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of change in the endless sea of sand that was as far as her vision could see.

    The warm sun''s intensity didn''t lower as it kept assaulting them to make them give up, but they had new motivation to continue walking in the unpleasantnd as both of them wanted to bring Helia to a better ce so she could get better in a good habitable ce.

    The lioness was unconscious, and Rio could feel her soft body heat radiating against his chest. He was delighted seeing her breathe brushing past his skin and having a stable breathing rhythm as it told him she was not in bad condition.

    ''[Life Sutra] was helping me to not get tired as much as them but now carrying her weight is putting a lot of burden on my body.''

    He was getting tired of Helia''s body weight as it was growing heavier and heavier due to walking for a long time in the current tormenting climate. The boy was aware that his legs demanded to rest soon, but he kept pushing his limits and kept going on, determined to escape the current blistering weather at the savagendscape.

    ''My body is crying to rest. I feel likeying down on the ground to take a rxing breathe.''

    N was already on her limit but she kept moving, seeing her man carrying Helia in his arm without anyint.

    She had the option to withdraw from this ce but She loved him way too much to abandon him for the pain and suffering she was going through.

    The magenta-haired beauty was the same girl who didn''t think twice before jumping in to sacrifice her life in order to save him. Although constant pain and torture were worse than instant death but her stubborn love for him knew no limit as She was the craziest one.

    Finally, after what felt like hours, Helia stirred in his arms. Her eyes fluttered open as the girl felt something supporting her pulpy butt and her head like a baby carried by their parents...

    ''Big brother used to carry me this way when I was little.''

    That was the first thought that came into her mind but soon her eyes moved as she looked up at the person who was carrying her with a confused expression.

    The face was not visible as he was hugging her closely but she could see his crimson hair.

    "Where am I?" she croaked, her voice barely audible over the sound of the wind as she questioned.

    N heard the call as she moved behind Rio to face the lioness''s gaze, her face regaining brightness as she said in a vibrant tone, "Thank god, you woke up sister Helia."

    The blonde-haired beauty''s eyes weed the exhausted girl, soaked in her own sweat who was standing in the desert.

    Helia''s skin felt the burning effect of the searing sun as she remembered where she was and who could be carrying her if not N.

    "Let me go..." The girl retaliated, she was embarrassed to be carried by him as she felt his firm hand strongly holding her butt.

    "You''re injured, you can''t walk in this condition..." The boy''s heavy voice sounded as he was panting, carrying her for a long time in a harsh situation.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The girl could feel how tired he was just by the tone of his voice and heavy breathing. A scent of manly scent invaded her nostril as the boy was drowned in sweat.

    She felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her as she was, being carried like a helpless child by a man who she always fought with.

    "Put me down, I can walk." She said once again, her voice barely above a whisper.

    Rio looked down at her and shook his head. "Why do you need to be stubborn?"

    He carefully lowered her to the ground and let go of his hands.

    Helia tried to stand, but as soon as she put weight on her injured leg, she stumbled to the ground with a cry of pain.

    "Mmmh..." Her face was scrunched in agony as the wounds were fresh and painful.

    N rushed to her side, saying, "Be careful, sister Helia."

    The blonde-haired beauty tried to get up again but she fell once again. This time, N caught her and helped her to sit on the hot ground that was burning her buttocks.

    "It''s okay, sister Helia. You should withdraw from here. We will find the Exalted Clover Ring for all of us." N said, her voice tender and soft-hearted as she was concerned for the girl.

    "No, you guys can go ahead without me but I won''t leave. I can not give up, I need to do this for my sister." The lioness said, her eyes reluctant to withdraw.

    "Then be a nice girl, and don''tin," Rio spoke as he moved to kneel down, his back facing her as he patted his shoulder for her to climb.

    Helia opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her lips. The blonde-haired beauty knew that she was in no condition to walk, but she didn''t want to take his help either.

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 Chapter 168 Cradling The Lioness In His Arms (2)

    "Then be a nice girl, and don''tin," Rio spoke as he moved to kneel down, his back facing her as he patted his shoulder for her to climb.

    Helia opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her lips. The blonde-haired beauty knew that she was in no condition to walk, but she didn''t want to take his help either.

    She looked at N who indicated with her eyes that it was okay and not to hesitate, this encouraged her to take the aid Rio was giving her.

    Helia moved her hands to wrap around his neck as Rio grabbed her legs tenderly to coil them around his waist.

    He got up from the ground, straightening his knees as the boy carried the girl in a piggyback posture to give her afy ride in the blistering desert.

    This time it was better than before as he didn''t have to carry her in front using both of his arms which were more bothersome and consumed a lot of stamina.

    With Helia on his back, Rio and N pushed on traveling towards their destination in the east, determined to make it to the end.

    As they were walking, Helia felt guilty for burdening him with her weight and moreover for an abashing reason.

    "I''m sorry," she mumbled, her voice barely audible over the sound of the wind.

    "For what?" Rio asked, he sounded exhausted but his tone was filled with politeness as he knew the girl was feeling bashful to ride on him after what past they had shared together.

    "For stinking so bad," Helia said, her face turning red with embarrassment as She didn''t want to annoy him with her foul smell.

    What if he made fun of her after returning to the castle that she was reeking bad in the desert?

    Rio let out a small chuckle, "Don''t worry about it, Lioness. We are all stenching after walking in the desert for hours."

    "Yeah... It can''t be helped, Sister Helia. Even I''m stinking like a dead fish." N said in an exhausted voice but her face was vibrant as she responded to her to cheer her.

    Helia felt a sense of relief wash over her as She knew that they were right, and she was grateful he didn''t abandon her, despite knowing she had a method to withdraw from here but was stubborn to not give up on her sister.

    With that, Rio continued to carry her through the desert, N walking along the way.

    Helia closed her eyes, letting herself be carried to safety in the arms of the less-annoying fellow who she didn''t like much before today.

    The boy''s selfless action today caused many creases and cracks to appear in her iron fortress-like heart but there was still a hesitation there which held her back. She was indebted to his unconditional help but it was still not enough to make herpletely fall for him.

    So far Rio experienced three kinds of love in his life from three different young maidens who were all different than one another and were special in their own way.

    First was unconditional love which was given by La. She loved him for who he was and didn''t demand anything from him. Her pure affection was able to defeat his own parents'' love towards him in the trial.

    The second was Lia, she was his devoted wife despite being a forced marriage but her love was also pure as their bonding became deeper with each passing day. Rio didn''t get to check in on that monarch beast''s trial If Lia loved him as much as La and this question would remain a mystery.

    The third was the crazy N who was too shameless but sacrificed herself to not only win his heart but even his wife''s Lia. She loved him even when he rejected her and hurt her intentionally so she would find someone else but the girl didn''t give her and when she became his wife it didn''t take her long to win over Helia either who hated the human race.

    The mostplicated of all was with Helia, Where falling in love with one another had no chance at all, and was hard to fix their sour rtionship.

    Their bonding was created on a foundation of hatred and fighting. She drew his blood on the very first day they met because he was just a human.

    Neither of them liked one-another but they had toe together for the person they treasured.

    This helped them slowly diminish the differences between each other but they kept fighting like kids. In the end, today came a day when he was helping her despite the hateful things she did to him in the past.

    Helia was embarrassed seeing how he was helping her without ming her. Not only today, but even in past he kept it a secret from Lia that she had hurt him. The Lioness was sure if he told Lia she might get mad at her, knowing how much her sister cared for Rio.

    Her own voice resounded in her mind from their first meeting, "I, Helia Rainheart, swear on heaven and my core that if I ever regret my action today, for making this disgusting creature in front of me, suffer in pain I will ept him as my lord."

    Then she remembered another person''s voice from that time that was familiar to her, "One day I will make you regret it that you will cry for how you treated me unfairly today."

    She was still confused about the oath if she regretted injuring him that day but it wasn''t at that level where she would cry for how she treated him.

    ''Do I regret that?''

    She kept asking herself but she couldn''t get the answer although it was obvious that she was guilty now because there was no hatred for that not-so-much-annoying-anymore fellow in her maiden heart that was slowly transforming.<novelnext></novelnext>

    ''I promise I won''t hate you or dislike you from now on.''

    The blonde-haired beauty mumbled to herself as her heart was feeling jumbled up with emotions.

    It was understandable for her heart to have a change as the boy was bringing her along the way in a torturing situation where even walking without carrying someone else was already a hellish task.

    On this day, she finally let go of the knot in her heart where she was stubborn to not like him at all.

    This was also the new beginning for Rio and Helia''splicated story even though the boy was unaware of his impactful action toward the Lioness''s revengeful heart that hated humans. It was hard to say where this would lead them but at least their sour rtionship would improve for the better and Lia wouldn''t have to worry about her two bickering kids.

    Helia ced her head on his shoulder, a feeble smile appeared on her dry face as she let go of the hesitation from before. She epted her fate which was bound to not hate this human and coexist with him in harmony.

    Rio could feel that the lioness had befortable as he felt her neck taking rest without worry.

    As they kept walking, they noticed a change in thendscape in the distance. The sand had begun to give way to rocky terrain, and the heat seemed to dissipate slightly.

    "Are we finally going to escape this hell?" N said, as her gaze was fixed on the horizon.

    Helia also inclined her head to see in the distance the sea of sand was no longer the only thing her eyes weed.

    With delighted hearts, they trudged on towards the less warm ce, the sun was about to set in the west.

    As they came closer to the rocky terrain, they saw something that made their hearts leap with joy.

    In the distance, the trio could see the glint of water with verdant green trees around its periphery.

    Rio and N quickened their pace, all of their spirits lifting with each step.

    As the boy drew closer, he saw that it was a big oasis, with a blue freshwater spring and blueberry fruit nts growing nearby.

    The spring was surrounded by lush green nts and tall palm trees filled with fruits, providing much-needed shade to the surroundings.

    "Yeeeeeee... We''ve finally found the water!" N eximed, pointing to the oasis, her joyous voice sounded as if she had found heaven.

    Helia also looked up, and her eyes lit up with hope. Finding water meant she could drink and take a bath to get rid of this stinking smell that was making her abash.

    They hurried towards the oasis, their feet sinking into the soft sand with each step as they were finally going to escape the searing desert''s torture.

    As Trio reached the oasis, they could see the crystal-clear water in the middle, it was inviting and refreshing, giving a soothing sensation to their body.

    There was a cool breeze flowing in the area, they weren''t feeling the scorching sunlight burning effect on their skin anymore as shade from palm trees gave them a ce to rx.

    N moved closer to the water spring as she wanted to quench her thirst by savoring it. She kneeled at its edge and used her palm to lift the cold refreshing water to drink.

    "Wait..." A voice resounded that made her stop in her track as her eyebrows scrunched.

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 Chapter 169 Oasis In The Fiery Southern Desert

    As the magenta-haired beauty went closer to the spring water to quench her thirst, a voice resounded behind her which made her stop in her track, "Wait."

    N turned to look at Rio in bewilderment and didn''t understand why he would stop her. Her curious eyes were asking the boy ''why?''

    "We can''t be sure if the water here is safe to drink. Let me check it first." He responded in a rxed voice.

    "Ahh..." N realized her mistake as she took a few steps back from the pool.

    Seeing they hade to a ce where they would be resting Helia thought it was better to climb down from thisfy ride and release him from her stinking body.

    "Can you put me down now?" The lioness asked, her voice had a hint of shyness. She didn''t retaliate like thest time.

    "Okay." He bent his knees and carefully helped her to the ground as she sat in the shade of the palm trees.

    Rio moved closer to the spring water as he used his [Heaven''s Eyes] on it.

    <<<<

    [Name: Refreshing Spring Water ]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ This clear, sparkling water was discovered deep in the Fiery Southern Desert and is a lifesaver for travelers on long journeys. Its cool, crisp taste will quench your thirst and revitalize your body.

    Highly sought after by adventurers in the Fiery Southern Desert, a bottle of this rare spring water is a treasure to be treasured in the scorching climate.

    >>>>

    The boy knew his innate skill would be working on most of the things but he rarely used them on normal items but today he really required to use it on the spring water and wanted to know if it was drinkable and not poisonous or cursed.

    "It''s safe." Rio was relieved to find the positive result as he said to the magenta-haired beauty who was waiting to consume the spring water.

    He went towards Helia who was gazing at the water with greedy eyes as she also was thirsty and wanted to jump in if others were not present there.

    "Come, I will help you." He said, wrapping his hands around her back and crook of her knees to lift her up in a bridal carry.

    The lioness didn''t resist as she looked at his dry face that was more exhausted than hers but still came to help her to bring to the spring water and didn''t go to drink it himself.

    When someone disliked a person they would only see their bad sides and negative points but since Helia promised herself to not dislike him anymore, she started seeing his good aspects that made her realize how wrong she was to hate him from the first day.

    The boy attentively carried her like a princess and brought her near the edge of the pool as he helped her sit on the ground.

    As her buttock touched the sand, which wasn''t hot like before but cool, The girl rxed as she was finally out of his strong manly grasp which was making her nervous.

    She spread her knees to the side and declined her head lower to drink the water from the pool using her left hand.

    Unlike the girls, Rio copsed onto the ground without caring about anything, as he was too exhausted to move and finally got to rx.

    With a shaking hand, he dipped it into the cool water, bringing its content to his cracked lips.

    As soon as the cold liquid touched his tongue and he drank deeply, the feeling of the coolness quenching his thirst and revitalizing his body drowned his senses. The water was like heaven to his body as it helped soothe the parched throat.

    Helia''s eyes were secretly observing him as she could see how tired he was and even saw his shaking hand that was just putting a strong front when he carried her. Her heart felt ticklish emotions but she was too embarrassed to thank him to help her before and express her gratitude.

    Rioy down at the edge of the pool without any second thought. Seeing him lie down, N also ced her head near his as they both rxed. The lioness followed in and slept beside him as she was also tired.

    They were all side by side and Rio was in the middle, their hands were sunk inside the spring as water continuously spread the coolness.

    The three of them were resting inying posture at the edge of the pool, as they finally get to rx.

    The trio forgot they had to search the exalted clover ring as they were all drowned in thefort of the oasis and the shade of trees after going through the hellish journey in the blistering Fiery Southern Desert.

    After 30 minutes, the boy finally got up from his seat and stared at Helia.

    She saw he was gazing at her and waited for him to speak.

    "We need to wash your wound so it can recover faster." He said, pointing to the gash on her lower leg.

    Hearing his words, N also got up and came closer to sit with them.

    She said, "Yeah, we need to clean the wound since we have a water source so it could heal sooner."

    Helia didn''t say anything as she gave a silent agreement by getting up from her sleeping posture and sitting to move her injured leg towards them.

    N undid the bandage done by Rio''s sleeve and a fresh wound weed the trio''s vision which was bloody flesh covered in some dirt and sand.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The lioness realized the makeshift bandage was made from his shirt as he tore his cloth to give her temporary first aid. This only boosted Rio''s ce in herplicated maiden''s heart.

    The boy connected both his palm to bring water into the crook to deliver it to Helia''s wound as N cleaned it tenderly.

    "Mmm," The blonde-haired beauty moaned in pain as she was feeling the burning on her injured flesh.

    As the duo was done cleaning her wound they needed to cover it but there was nothing they could use. Applying dirty cloth would be not good so Rio looked around him, searching for a solution.

    The boy got up and went to inspect the nts scattered in the oasis''s perimeter one by one as he checked their information using [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [Name: Barren dark Flower]

    [Type: Flora]

    ~ A beautiful flower that blooms only at night, giving off a mysterious glow. Provides increased resistance to heat and sandstorms.

    [Name: Desert Aloe Vera]

    [Type: Flora]

    ~ A sulent nt with juicy leaves, known for its soothing properties and ability to heal wounds.

    >>>>

    His eyes shone, finding an aloe-vera-like nt in the Fiery Southern Desert as he moved to pluck them. The texture of this nt was more simr to a wild cactus without the sharp thorns on its surface.

    He also gathered other nts'' leaves and went towards the girls who were gazing at him.

    The boy sat beside them as he began to carefully tear open the sulent leaves of the Desert Aloe Vera nt.

    He used his finger to take the cool, juicy gel and generously applied it to Helia''s flesh.

    "Whoaa... It''s like aloe vera" N eximed in surprise as the inside of this leaf looked simr.

    The lioness could feel his delicate touch on her skin as she winced at the sensation.

    But soon she rxed and felt the soothing properties of the Desert Aloe Vera gradually taking effect.

    He ced another nt''s leaf over it to cover and tore the sleeve of his other hand before washing it in the spring water as he wrapped the cloth like a makeshift bandage around her lower leg, securing the desert Aloe Vera gel in ce near her wound.

    After he was done he said, "You don''t have your powerful strength of Red stage that would help you here so Don''t be stubborn to walk again. You need to give proper rest to your wound so it can heal and don''t open up again.

    Helia nodded as she stayed silent the whole time and didn''t know how to respond to the boy with who she always searched reason to bicker.

    "How long are we going to rest here?" N asked, her voice gentle but deep down she was praying he wouldn''t say to leave any time soon.

    "At least tonight," The boy said, he was feeling much better than before and knew if he wanted to bring them all along he would have to wait and rest for the night.

    "I wish to dive in to take a bath but I don''t want to spoil our only source of water." The lively girl said as the pool of water was enticing to soak her body in.

    "We will find a solutionter to fulfill your wish," Rio responded with a faint smile, ruffling her magenta hair.

    The sun was setting over the desert on the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the oasis.

    Girls were sitting on the edge of the tranquil pool, using their hands to fill up the crooks of their palms with small amounts of water to wash their skin.

    A few meters away, Rio was thinking to make their bedding asfortable as possible as he gazed at the verdant floras around the water spring.

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 Chapter 170 Magical Golden Berries

    A few meters away, Rio was thinking to make their bedding asfortable as possible as he gazed at the verdant floras around the water spring.

    After crafting a good n. He started gathering a pile of soft, fragrant leaves from the nearby trees and nts, taking care to choose thergest and most supple ones.

    Rio began to carefullyyer the leaves on top of the sand, arranging them to create a soft andfy bed.

    N and Helia watched in admiration as if he was the most handsome boy they had seen because he was working to improve theirfort.

    A sage once said ''the most handsome of men is he who strives tirelessly, his efforts disyed through the sheen of sweat upon his brow. Such a man exudes strength and determination, and possesses a character that is truly captivating.'' This meant The most attractive man is a hard-working man just like how Rio was right now.

    As he was working, the bedding was finallyplete, Rio stood back and spoke with a faint smile, "It''s done, we can rest now on a cool and soft bed."

    The girls were watching him and didn''t try to disturb him until he was done.

    "Yeeeeeeeeeee... I love you, Rio... You''re the best..." The magenta-haired beauty cheered with a lively smile and showed her gratitude.

    The lioness also wanted to thank him but her words died down her throat.

    N and Helia moved to lie down on the bed of soft leaves, feeling the cool and refreshing sensation brushing against their skin. Although the Lioness was hesitating but she knew the boy had also made it for her so she didn''t want to refuse him like old days.

    Rio also fell beside his wife as theyy down in the cool grass, feeling the weight of their weary bodies lifts away. They had been traveling for hours through the scorching desert, and the oasis was a weing host. But this man-made bed helped them to rx to their heart content.

    The trio was gazing up at the sky, watching as thest remnants of sunlight faded away, giving way to the glittering stars above.

    The stars twinkled and shimmered, creating a magical illustration above them.

    Everyone was silent, lost in the beauty of the night sky after going through a hellish journey.

    The only sounds were the soft rustling of the leaves in the trees and their breathing.

    "Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" N asked, her voice filled with wonder as she was sleeping beside her man.

    "It''s breathtaking, I never get tired of staring at the stars. This was my favorite thing to do when Grandpa passed away. It also reminds me how small we are, and how vast and infinite the universe is. It makes me feel both insignificant and humbled." The crimson-haired boy spoke, his voice sounded as if he was musing and lost in his thoughts.

    Helia quietly listened to his words as if he was a great sage sharing his exceptional philosophy with an illiterate world.

    Theyy infortable silence for a while, watching the stars and feeling at peace.

    The desert was a harsh and unforgiving ce, but moments like this made them feel like it was not that bad.

    They were feeling grateful for each other''spany but their beloved Lia was missing. The trio enjoyed the beauty of the starry sky high above.

    As the night wore on, Helia and N eventually drifted off to sleep, lulled by the sounds of nature and the peaceful feeling of the stars shining above.

    Rio didn''t sleep as he was nning to guard even though no one asked him to. He wasn''t going to put his guard down just because they hadn''t met any beast so far.

    As the night continued, Rio turned his gaze toward other vegetation that he hadn''t inspected before.<novelnext></novelnext>

    <<<<

    [Name: Wild Blueberries]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ These sulent wild blueberries were found growing in the heart of the desert, a rare and precious find for any adventurer. Hand-picked and sun-ripened, they are bursting with vor and nutrients, sure to provide a much-needed boost of energy during long journeys.

    [Name: Barrennd coconut]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ It is a tropical delight, grown in warm and humid climates around the world. It is an extremely versatile food and ingredient and is used in countless recipes and beverages. The fruit is encased in a tough outeryer that is fibrous and green when unripe and turns brown when mature.

    [Name: Golden Berries]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ These rare and precious berries were discovered in the depths of the Fiery Southern Desert, and are said to have magical properties. They are rich in color and are shaped like golden orbs. Eating these golden berries will give you +1 to your innate stats points.

    >>>>

    "What????" Rio''s eyes were filled with amazement as he read the description of the third fruit randomly. He sat up from his seat and looked toward the golden orb-like fruit.

    "I thought only beast could increase their innate stats points to be Mutant and king tier but this golden berries description says to boost the innate stats points... I should try it first if it really works on me." The boy was surprised to see such magical stats boosting in front of him but he still needed to confirm if it works or not.

    He walked towards the Golden berries nt in front of him. There were more than two dozen fruits hanging from the lush green nt. The leaves were shaped in the broad shapes of wings.

    He carefully plucked one of the fruit, fearing he would spoil it. As the fruit came in his hand, he didn''t feel anything special about it as it looked ordinary and was only of his thumb size.

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 Chapter 171 Innate Skill Succubus Charm

    The boy caressed the surface of the fruit, feeling the plumpiness structure before putting it in his mouth.

    Just as the fruit mixed with his saliva, it dissolved instantly, turning into a speck of energy that traveled to rush inside his body.

    A notification sounded in his mind, confirming the information revealed by [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [Fruit of Golden Berry eaten. One Innate Stats point gained.]

    >>>>

    A surprised and pleasant expression shone on his face as he realized he came across an invaluable treasure in this desert that had filled his and the girls'' life with torment.

    The boy didn''t wait and started to pick off more orb-like fruits from the golden berries nt and stuffed them into his mouth one after another.

    More Notifications started ringing in his mind as he felt his strength increasing in real-time.

    <<<<

    [Fruit of Golden Berry eaten. One Innate Stats point gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Fruit of Golden Berry eaten. One Innate Stats point gained.]

    >>>>

    However, soon he discovered the limit to consuming these golden berries when he ate his sixth one.

    ''Can It only increase innate stats by five?''

    Rio thought if he should eat more to check if it works or not when a voice resounded in his mind to help him in his decision.

    "Don''t do that, Partner... You can not exceed five innate stats limit from eating these golden berries alone. So instead of wasting them You should save these precious treasure-like berries for your girls." Eve said in his thought as she saw how he was going to misuse these invaluable fruits.

    Hearing her voice, Rio stopped in his track and thought carefully as he gazed at the lush green nt.

    "Can I keep this golden berries nt in the wondend forest realm space?" The boy asked and was thinking to bring it out for Lia''s garden as his wifey loved gardening abnormal extravagant floras.

    "You can''t," The girl said, sttering water on his face to extinguish the hopeful me flickering in his expectant eyes.

    ''That''s unfortunate. Lia will not be able to have these fruits... At the least, Lioness and N will get to savor these innate fruits." He sighed inwardly as he wanted to bring it for her.

    "Don''t make that face, Partner. Why do you worry when You have such a beautiful empress of the Elven race as your Darling." Eve responded as she saw the boy had a downcast look, discovering he wouldn''t able to store the magical nt.

    Rio scrunched his eyebrows hearing her statement and asked calmly, "What do you mean?"

    "I only said, You can''t but that doesn''t apply to me as I can shift it to the wondend forest realm with a single thought.<novelnext></novelnext>

    However, I have to inform you that you can not bring it into Lia''s garden. This innate fruit nt can only be kept in my Wondend forest as it requires rich nature energy from my ce." Eve exined with a jolly voice.

    "Okay then do it." Hemanded, as his face brightened.

    "Do you think, I''m your maid or something? You need to pay me with a kiss then I would help you." The girl announced to him her loving price.

    "You know I can''t betray Lia then why do you ask such unreasonable things." The boy told her a valid excuse to pursue her as he really wanted to bring it for Lia.

    "Why do you need her permission when she already agreed you to be with N? You just wait until Laes into your life then I will enjoy watching the entertaining drama and seeing whom you love more - your first woman or your first wife." Eve said, her voice filled with amusement as she wasughing in an evil manner.

    "Wait until Layes????" He mumbled and repeated her words, hearing the girl''s name who he was looking for with all his heart.

    He continued, "Do you know where she is?"

    "I do. But I won''t tell you even if you agreed to give me what I want." The girl responded, as her tone was filled with a hint of mystery.

    "When will I meet her?" The boy asked, his eyes looking hopeful as he to yearning to find her again.

    "You won''t meet her anytime soon because of how you act and push away everyone who wants to get close to you. First, you rejected N''s affection then refused Kyra''s invitation, and now turned me down for my romantic osction.

    Although I dislike you a little bit for this rude behavior but It also saved you from many unknown dangers, One of these threats is Kyra Wilson.

    Be careful of that sly vixen. She is suspicious of you that you''re from the Asura race" The orange-red-haired beauty berated him in a serious voice and also praised him before alerting him about Sophia''s older sister.

    "Why is she suspicious?" He asked as he couldn''t think of any reason for others to doubt him.

    "Because you didn''t get charmed by her innate skill ''Subus Charm.''" Eve answered.

    "Thanks, I will keep it in mind," Rio responded, pointing towards the golden berry nts with his thumb finger while bending the others.

    "Hmph..." Eve coldly replied, but then a silver light flickered around him that radiated on the golden berry nt as it vanished into thin air.

    After the nt disappeared the spot looked as if there was no nt there ever before. The girl dug out and shifted the innate fruit nt with perfection without making any scratches or marks in the area.

    "Hey Eve, Do you know where can I find the Exalted Clover Ring?" He thought to ask her as she knew almost everything.

    "How can you ask thisdy after rejecting me so heartlessly?" Eve asked with a stiff voice.

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 Chapter 172 HE CHERISHES ME?

    "Hey Eve, Do you know where can I find the Exalted Clover Ring?" He asked her as she knew almost everything.

    "How can you ask thisdy after rejecting me so heartlessly?" Eve said with a stiff voice as they talked through telepathy.

    Rio could see her sitting in her wondend realm as he talked with her. This vision was due to the tattoo on his shoulder that helped him to be connected with her. So themunication felt like a real conversation as their tones and voices were easily transmittable through thought and they could see each other''s expressions.

    "I thought we were partners." Rio responded casually, thinking of a way to get an answer from this ''know it all,'' elven empress.

    "Yeah, but it''s not always about receiving but you also need to give. Haven''t you heard about ''Give and Take?''" The girl spoke as she didn''t seem to be in a good mood.

    "Ain''t You gonna take help from me in future?" Rio questioned, remembering her words from the past.

    "Yeah, I will but you''re too weak right now to aid me. I can only tell you where I need your help when you break through to the Golden stage. Until then I don''t even know if you will be alive and what''s worse is that It would really pain my heart to see you leave without even being able to be intimate with you and make good memories that I can cherish in your absence.

    I''m not the kind of woman who goes after another man if the person they like passes away. Although you''re not at that level where I love you but still i like you and have seen you grow up since you were little." The monarch beast said, her voice was flickering with heavy emotions.

    "Doesn''t that make you very old? Shouldn''t you be at the age of Second Mother?" The boy asked in amusement, considering her yful nature.

    "Shut up..." The elven empress hissed at him with puffed cheeks as he indirectly made fun of her.

    Hearing her grumbling, The boy remembered that mentioning a girl''s age to them was like touching the reverse scale of a dragon and he shouldn''t have provoked her.

    "You can not even tell me to find another boy because it''s the goddess who bound us together as she chose you as her heir. I really dislike all men of this universe, they only know how to sadden a delicate heart of an innocent girl." Eve''s voice was flickering with annoyance as she was too upset.

    "I didn''t ask the goddess for us to be linked. Neither did I ask her to choose me as her heir." The boy responded in a calm tone.

    As he answered her there was a long silence between them, Rio started walking towards the girls with light steps to not disturb their beauty sleep and sat on the leafy bedding he built.

    After a few minutes passed, The girl''s penitent voice sounded in his mind, "Umm... I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have snapped at you."

    "It''s okay. I understand girls have their monthly cycle where they get mood swings and be very emotional to throw tantrums." He said in a calm voice as he talked to her about another forbidden topic to an elven girl.

    "You know, I wanna fight you and stab my long nails in your body. You really know how to tease a girl. Ahhhhh...." Eve grumbled as she experienced how the boy was bringing up the monthly cycle to make it responsible for her emotional rollercoaster.

    After calming herself down, The girl continued, "Why don''t you say me any sour words like you say to others? I had seen how you had responded to people like Talia when they were rude to you. Then why you''re not getting mad at me for how I blew up on you a while ago."

    She asked in a confused voice as the girl wanted to know why he was nice to her.

    "I don''t get mad at people I cherish even if they are talking unreasonably to me because of their mood swings." He said in a nonchnt voice.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Eve on the other side was dazed hearing his answer, she mumbled inwardly, "I don''t get mad at people I cherish... HE CHERISHES ME?"

    The girl was joyous in her heart as she discovered he didn''tpletely disregard her bonding with him and actually cared about her.

    What he was saying made some sense thinking he was nice to her like how he was to his other loved ones.

    "Thank you, Rio... I believe you wouldn''t disappoint me in the future. I don''t really understand you sometimes as you''re a rare breed among living species I have been studying in my time in this foreign world.

    And yeah... I should stop acting like a sad bullied girl and instead intimidate you with my eleven grace, Partner." The girl said in a gentle voice but as she spoke thest sentence her voice was mixed with yfulness again.

    "I was waiting when you would act like a normal person to me. You always hid behind this jolly side of yours that''s simr to N.

    At least I get to see the real you where you also get sad andin like an angry bird." Rio spoke as his voice was calm and mixed with a hint of amusement.

    "You should know that Elves are emotional creatures. They have more emotions than other races. It''s just I don''t want to annoy you with my melodramatic Behaviour." She spoke, her face looked coyish as she was embarrassed to talk about it.

    "It''s okay, You should act however you feelfortable. Just don''t force yourself too much." He replied using the telepathic method.

    "Mmm... I will try. By the way, Rio. I know where is Exalted Clover Ring." The girl said with a delighted tone as she decided to solve his problem.

    "Where?" Rio asked in surprise as he didn''t expect her to really have knowledge about the first piece of the forbiddennd''s map.

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 Chapter 173 The Darkest Place Is Always Under The Candles Flame

    "Where?" Rio asked in surprise as he didn''t expect her to really have knowledge about the first piece of the forbiddennd''s map.

    The girl had a bright smile on her face as she saw how his expression changed knowing he would be able to finally solve the mystery of his difficult expedition at the Fiery Southern Desert.

    "That saying is true, ''The darkest ce is always under the candle''s me.'' You''re currently at the ce where you can find the first piece of the map," Eve said with a yful smile as the boy was not aware that his half quest had already ended when arrived at the oasis.

    "But there is no sign of Exalted Clover Ring." the Boy scrunched his eyebrows as he couldn''t find it even using his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    "Because you refuse my kiss so mother nature doesn''t want to let you find it." The girl teased him, her voice sounded serious.

    As he gave her a cold re, she continued, "Aishh... Don''t make that cute face or I will have to take a bite of your luscious lips and savor you to quench the thirst of my maiden heart.

    As your beautiful loyal partner, I''ll tell you the secret. When it gets midnight in this oasis the ce where the first piece of the map is hidden will show up. If it still doesn''te then just call me, and I will lead you there."

    Eve talked in her former self and revealed the way to get to the exalted clover ring.

    Rio nodded and said, "Thanks, I will wait for midnight''s arrival."

    Helia and N slept peacefully without being aware of all the events that happened outside as Rio was careful not to disturb their resting

    He gazed at the night sky as the moon among the hazy clouds seemed so close, and the stars twinkled brightly, the air was cool and crisp, and a light breeze blew across his face, carrying the sweet scent of the desert flowers.

    The moonlight was the only source of light to chase away the darkness in the desert but Rio had the advantage of [Heaven''s Eyes] innate skill that helped him to see even in the dark night.

    As the night deepened, the climate became chilly and a cold breeze brushed passed everyone''s naked skin.

    Rio noticed a light illuminating the middle of the water spring and a tform rose from the depths of the pool as a door appeared above the water level.

    He stared in amazement as a glowing staircase emerged from the ground that led up to the mysterious door.

    Suddenly, a strange, ethereal light filled the air, and a feminine voice echoed across the oasis.

    "You three have passed the first trial, showing your diligence and proven your bravery in reaching this ce."

    The voice was kind and filled were serenity, as it woke up the two of the sleeping beauties from their slumber.

    They rubbed their eyes and looked around, confused, finally discovering a mysterious door, floating above the spring water, with symbols etched into its surface.

    N and Helia looked at each other in disbelief, wondering what was happening then they saw a lone crimson-haired figure was standing a meter away from them, gazing at the gate calmly.

    "To be the heir of the Exalted Clover Ring you must pass the final trial. The door before you leads to thest test, where you will prove your worth once and for all." The voice dered and invited them to the end phase of the trial.

    The gate ahead of them started to shine brighter and created a glowing portal that lead to the next phase of the trial.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Helia and N gazed at each other in wonder, their eyes flickering with a sense of excitement as they finally came across the first piece of the map.

    Rio turned towards them and asked, "Let''s finish this trial so we can return home."

    The trio prepared themselves as they ascended the staircase to enter the portal, they were eager to find what was on the other side as they were all brave and had each other by their side.

    Rio, N, and Helia stepped through the illuminating door and discovered the dark, musty ce.

    The air was heavy with the scent of dust, and their heels clicked on the ground as their walking sound echoed through the ancient chamber.

    The ce seemed to be a tomb which was arge, imposing ce, filled with moldy scent. The walls were made of ancient stone, with intricate carvings covering every inch of the surface.

    The ceiling was high, with a single shaft of light illuminating the center of the room. The light was an eerie red color, and it cast creepy shadows across the walls as if dyed in blood.

    In the center of the room was a raised tform, upon which rested a red coffin.

    A beautifuldy was sitting at the top of the box as if it was her throne, surrounded by offerings of food and flowers that didn''t get spoiled with the flow of time. Her body was shrouded in a delicate white cloth, and a crown of flowers was kept upon her head.

    At the foot of the b was an altar, upon whichy a shiny ring made with a blue gemstone that glimmered and overshadowed the eerie red light.

    The room was silent, except for the asional shuffling of the trio''s footsteps. The air changed with the scent of incense as Rio and the girls approached the raised tform as they could see the woman gazing at them was waiting for the trio.

    Rio andpany could feel a sense of reverence and awe as if they were in the presence of something truly holy and sacred.

    "You three remind me of my old days. This feels as if it was yesterday when I was your age." A tranquil voice started talking, seeing the trio standing in front of her.

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 Chapter 174 A Tale Of Grace Hazewood

    "You three remind me of my old days. This feels like it was yesterday when I was your age." A tranquil voice started talking, seeing the trio standing in front of her.

    The figure was dressed in a pristine white dress, and her face was filled with serenity.

    Rio and the girls waited for her to finish her sentence as they didn''t want to be rude to interrupt such as ady who seemed to be a holy person.

    "In a kingdom far away, I used to live by the name of Grace Hazewood. I dreamt of traveling the world and having great adventures like everyone else. However, my heart full of love and kindness didn''t allow me to use offensive weapons. I was always eager to help others and assist them.

    One day, I met a man named Leo Cliffbow. He was a brave warrior, Who stole my heart as I was drawn to his courage and strength. He also fell in love with me as we thought we have found our soulmates.

    However, Leo was from a different kingdom, and his family forbade him from marrying me because I was just no one without any talent at that time.

    I was heartbroken, but I couldn''t give up on him. He brought me to his adventures, keeping it a secret from his family and together we explored the world, facing danger and oveing obstacles although I was no use to him, but he never let me feel as if I was a burden. Just like how you carried your friend on your back the whole way to the oasis. I was truly touched as you reminded me of him.

    As we traveled, we came across a precious treasure name ''Exalted Clover Ring'' That allowed me to awaken my gift for healing which was dormant in my body. After that, I began to use my powers to help those in need as We continued our adventures around the world.

    As time passed, I became known as the Saintess, and my reputation soared as I helped people throughout many kingdoms.

    However, light exists with darkness. Leo told his family about the Exalted Clover ring and how it awakened healing powers in order to make them believe he wasn''t lying. But hearing about the treasure they developed greed in their demon heart. They came to seize it away from me as the evil people sought to exploit the exalted clover ring for their own gain. They killed Leo their own kin for the treasure as he was stubborn to save me from his family.

    Seeing him die, my heart shattered as I experienced how cruel this world could be. The people wanted to kill me but the exalted clover ring shone brighter, blinding their vision and opening a portal to send me far away from them.

    Despite the grief, I didn''t give up loving the person in my heart. With the help of the exalted clover ring, I came far away in the Fiery Southern Desert to live here all alone. But the flow of time didn''t let my mortal body stay in this world as It crumbled. This treasure kept my soul alive as it knew I was yearning to find answer to my question.

    One day A strange man came who was the true owner of this ring and helped me build this trial so I can choose the heir of this exalted clover ring and finally leave after having my answer, but all these years most people died in the Fiery Southern Desert. Because it killed those who were greedy by nature. The storm would''ve killed you three but I saw How you were helping each other."

    The Saintess spoke to them, her sorrowful voice resounded through the chamber, Rio andpany could feel her grief as they were in the presence of something truly pure and sacred.

    "Is there any way that we can help you?" The boy decided to break the silence as the girls didn''t know how to respond to the saintess'' soul.

    "Very well... I shall ask you a few questions, and if you answer correctly, I will take one more test of you three and if you pass the ring shall be yours. But be warned, the questions are not easy, and you can only answer if you are truly deserving of this saintess'' ring. So, Are you ready?" Her serene voice dered and asked.

    Rio and the Girls nodded, their hearts pounding with excitement and nervousness as this was not a hellish trial but some questions which they needed to carefully think to find the answers.

    "What is fleeter than Wind?" Saintess asked the first question.

    Rio and the girls started looking at each other and after some brainstorming, N said in a hushed voice, "is it light?"

    "Nah," The boy shook his head as the answer couldn''t be this simple.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As they were thinking, Eve''s voice resounded in his mind, "It''s mind, Partner."

    "Mind is fleeter than wind," Rio spoke as he knew this could be the right answer.

    "Not bad, next question. What is more numerous than Grass?" The saintess asked the second one.

    "If one doesn''t have control over their Thoughts then it could be more in numbers than grasses," Eve whispered to him via telepathy.

    "Thoughts are more numerous than grass," Rio spoke in a calm voice.

    Helia and N were giving him astonished gazes as he was answering one after another without any pause.

    ''Even I couldn''t think of these answers, how is he doing that?''

    The lioness was surprised to see him respond rxedly to all the riddles asked by the pure soul.

    "What if renounced, leads to no regret?" The Saintess asked as a faint smile spread on her face.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Since it ended with this question, Help Rio to answer this question Viament.

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 Chapter 175 Trial By Saintess

    "What if renounced, leads to no regret?" The Saintess asked as a faint smile spread on her face.

    "Only giving up our anger leads us to no regret." Eve''s voice resounded in his mind to give him the answer.

    "Anger." The boy said in aposed manner.

    The saintess looked at him as a delighted light shone in her serene eyes. She continued, "What if relinquishing, makes one wealthy?"

    "If you have no desire then you''re the wealthiest person" Eve answered in his thoughts, she didn''t even take time to think as if she knew all the answers.

    "Desire," Rio said, keeping his calm to not let saintess doubt that he was taking help from the ''Know it All'' Empress.

    "You''re correct. Okay,st question. If you answered it correctly then I will let you three go through a test and one of you can have the treasure. What if forsaking, makes one happy?" Thedy in white clothes asked as her eyes were flickering with a mysterious glint.

    "Having no greed can make you happy." The monarch beast''s girl responded as her wisdom seemed to be on par with the saintess.

    "Greed," Rio answered in a nonchnt manner as he believed this should be correct like before.

    The Saintess'' face drowned in an emotionless expression upon hearing his answer and kept silent, making the two girls worry if the answer was right or wrong. They had expected the Saintess to be pleased with Rio''s answer like the previous time, but instead, she seemed almost uninterested.

    The long silence in the tomb after Rio gave his answer was perceptible and almost suffocating for the two girls. The air felt heavy and still as if the entire room was holding its breath.

    Girls stood frozen and kept their calm, their hearts pounding in their chests, as they waited for the Saintess'' response.

    The trio was gazing at the white figure sitting on the coffin. They couldn''t help but feel that something was wrong, that Rio''s answer may have been incorrect. The silence seemed to stretch on for an eternity, the tension mounting with each passing moment.

    "Looks like we have lost." N put her head on Rio''s shoulder as her lively face turned downcast. The saintess was still without any positive expression as if she wasn''t happy with his answer.

    Helia also became nervous as she mumbled inwardly, "He should have thought twice before answering. I guess We have lost now."

    ''Was it the wrong answer?''

    Even Rio didn''t have faith that his answer could be correct as this was all said by Eve. The orange-red-haired beauty was giggling in his thoughts, giving him confidence that he hadn''t lost the chance to get the first piece of the map.

    The red radiance cast the room into even deeper shadows. The girls could hear their own breathing echoing in the stillness, and they couldn''t help but feel as if they were being judged.

    Saintess stared at them onest time before saying, "All your answers are correct."

    Hearing her words, the girls took a heavy breath as they finally rxed and exchange a happy smile with each other. Rio also felt better as he finally understood why Eve was giggling because she knew they were worrying for nothing and was enjoying seeing them getting anxious.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The saintess continued with a gentle voice, "Since you have answered all the questions, I am going to let you three decide among yourself who wants the Exalted Clover ring, Only one of you can be its master and will be able to use it. Think carefully and tell me who you choose to be the master of Exalted Clover Ring. It is a responsibility that will bring great power, but also great risk."

    The saintess threw the true test in front of the trio that she originally wanted to let them face but she wanted to see if they could pass her basic examination which Eve easily helped Rio to qualify.

    As they heard her sentence the real problem started,Rio, Helia, and N looked at each other, the weight of the decision heavy on their minds.

    Each of them hesitated, as stepping forward could make their rtionship bitter. They had alle this far together, and the thought of choosing one person over the others was difficult.

    ''I don''t need this exalted clover ring, I just need my sweetie but then Sister Helia and Rio would be the ones to get the ring. Does Rio want the exalted clover ring? Should I volunteer and get the treasure for him? Would sister Helia agree to let him have it? But she probably doesn''t like him that much because of some past grudges. What should I do? What should I do?''

    N was hesitating as she wanted to get the exalted clover ring for Rio but the magenta-haired beauty didn''t know if she should say it out loud or not. For her, this ring wasn''t that important but she was still in a tight spot as she didn''t want to let go of the chance for Rio to have it.

    ''He is Lia''s Husband, so if he bes the master of the ring it would help us all. So I should let him be the master of the exalted clover Ring. But it''s very difficult to say that ''you can have it.'' This feels even harder than our journey in the scorching hot desert. Helia, you can do it... it''s not that embarrassing to say it to him.''

    The lioness wanted to decline her participation in treasure and offer him to be the master of the exalted clover ring but she was shy to say it out loud and was collecting her courage.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Any Guess, who would be the Master of the Exalted Clover Ring?

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 Chapter 176 Outcome Of Final Trial

    Lioness wanted to decline her participation in treasure and offer him to be the master of the exalted clover ring but she was shy to say it out loud and was collecting her courage.

    "Hey Sweetie, I don''t need this ring." N backed down after contemting a little as she thought she should leave it to the other two and not make thingsplicated as they were all one family.

    Helia gazed at Rio with jumbled-up emotions as she wanted to withdraw too but her words were noting out of her throat.

    "We have decided, You can give it to her," The boy spoke pointing to the blonde-haired beauty who was about to speak to give up her participation for the exalted clover ring.

    His words caused a surprise to flicker in both Helia''s and Saintess'' eyes as they both heard his decision.

    "Knowing it''s a treasure that can awaken a powerful power within you, knowing it would give you the strength you still didn''t fight to have it? Why?" Saintess asked in puzzlement as she saw the trio didn''t fight like she thought they should.

    "A true leader has to think about everyone in their team. N gave up on this treasure for me as she loves me. I gave it up for Lioness because we are all one team and it doesn''t matter If I have the ring or she has. We all would Benefit if our team be stronger as one." The boy responded with a feeble smile as he wasn''t going to fight for this ring.

    Lioness was taken aback hearing his answer as she looked at him dazed, she didn''t think he would relinquish his right on bing the master of the Exalted clover ring for her.

    "But she is strongest among the three of you. It can help you surpass her in the future." Saintess tried to entice him and make him greedy for the treasure by shaking his unwavering resolve to give up on being good.

    "Boosting her power to the next level would help us face powerful enemies so it''s not bad either that way. Moreover, it will put a crack in our team''s bonding if I have a selfish desire for such treasure." He responded in a rxed manner.

    "But..." The white figure wanted to pursue him longer but the boy interrupted her.

    "I understand, saintess. What you''re saying is true but it''s not entirely correct. I''m still going to surpass her in the future as I have some old matters to settle with her." The boy said, his voice was mixed with amusement.

    Lioness felt a chilly wind swirl around her plumpy butt as she remembered his words from the past, "In the early days of training when I first arrived here, you had kicked my ass a lot. I''m going to take back all the amount with interest when I''m at the same level as you."

    Rio''s voice from a few weeks ago resounded in her mind as Helia remembered what old matters he was talking about.

    ''Not only this boy carried her on his back to here when he barely had the strength to keep himself up but he also gave up his right on the exalted clover ring.''

    Saintess had witnessed many adventures leaving behind theirrade in the Fiery Southern Desert in order to save their own life. She had also seen how people even killed their own kin Leo to get this treasure for themselves.

    "is she the girl you love?" The white figure asked and thought that was the only exnation as people sometimes give up precious things for the person they love.

    "Nope." The Boy replied, his voice was calm, without any hint of love or grudge.

    Saintess looked at him with bewilderment as she met a person who didn''t show greed for the exalted clover ring.

    She was waiting all these years to see if someone would be able to forshake the greed of their heart and would give up this treasure for theirrade.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "We have old grudges and I have done something wrong to him. He should hate me for what I have done to him but he still considers me a friend because I''m the sister of his wife." Helia spoke, she wanted to clear Saintess doubt that he may actually love her.

    "I don''t have any grudges against you." Rio corrected her in a nonchnt manner.

    Duo''s interaction caused Saintess to be more perplexed as she was lost in her thought. N andpany were quietly waiting for the result as they were nervous.

    After a long silence, Saintess finally started speaking to them.

    "You''re such a unique soul I have met in my life. I''m happy that I came across someone whose heart was as pure as mine and who didn''t care about this ring more than their friends. Just like you, I was ready to relinquish this ring for Leo but he knew I need it more than him so he let me keep it." Saintess praised him, her voice flickered with heavy emotions as she spoke to the boy.

    "Did we pass the test?" Rio asked as he wanted to know if they had something else to do.

    "Yeah. You all passed my trial." She responded as she closed her eyes and spread her hand which started glowing white.

    N turned around with a lively face as she jumped to hug both her man and Helia with one hand, Saying "Yeeeeeee..."

    Lioness was joyous that they had passed the test after going through such a hellish journey in the Fiery Southern Desert. Rio kept his calm but he was also delighted by the oue of the trial.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    ? Guess who will get the exalted clover ring?

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 Chapter 177 Master Of The Exalted Clover Ring

    Saintess opened her eyes as her voice echoed throughout the ancient tomb, "Boy, I dere you as the Master of this treasure that can only be equipped by someone who doesn''t let greed take over their heart. You have proven yourselves to be a worthy heir to the Exalted Clover Ring. You will be able to share this treasure with people who you cherish that includes these two adorable little girls right beside you. May your bond never falter, and may you use its power wisely."

    As she spoke, her hands that were glowing with soft white light moved towards the ring on the altar that also started to illuminate as it rose into the air, hovering for a moment before moving in the direction of Rio.

    The boy stood still, his eyes had a hint of surprise as the ring slowly approached him. When it finally reached him, the ringnded on his palm and the coldness of the treasure could be felt against his skin.

    The girls gasped in amazement as they saw Rio''s hand begin to glow with the same soft white light as the Saintess''. It was clear that the exalted clover ring had chosen him as the master, and that he was now the rightful heir even though he would be able to share it with both of them.

    The Saintess'' voice filled the tomb once more, bringing a sense of peace and serenity to the trio, "I thank heaven for letting me witness three of you who didn''t argue with each other and were ready to give up their right to this tempting treasure for one another.

    Thank you, children. I shall always remember this moment and I wish that you three continue to show kindness and selflessness for one another. May the goddess of light be with you."

    Her peaceful voice caused the trio to feel goosebumps as she was flowing with a holy aura.

    As Saintess spoke, a bright light began to fill the room, growing in intensity until it enveloped the triopletely. The brilliance blinded their vision, unable to see anything but the brightness of the light And then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the light faded away.

    When the trio opened their eyes, they found themselves inside the oval-shaped building as a white-haired beauty was asleep in the audience seat.

    Rio andpany looked at each other, as their eyes were filled with surprise from what had just happened. They had been part of something truly magical, and they were never going to forget this journey to the Saintess'' tomb and her sorrowful story of pure love and betrayal.

    The ring was in the boy''s hand but not on his finger as he had yet to equip it. The girls'' felt their hearts rx as they both sat on the ground, remembering all the events that had happened in the Fiery Southern Desert.

    Rio started moving towards his wife who wasying on two of the chairs as it was nighttime at this ce. Lia didn''t go back to the Empress vi as she thought the trio woulde here first.

    The boy was walking with light steps carefully so it was hard for Lia to wake up from hearing the sound of his shoe clicking to the ground. He sat right beside her head as he waited for her to wake up and didn''t leave her there.

    Rio moved his hands to ruffle her but as soon as his hands touched her head, a smile spread on her fairy-like face. Her eyes fluttered open, looking at the person for whom she was waiting.

    However, as soon as she saw his dried face and messy hair her heart ached and she asked hastily, "Is everything okay, Husband?"

    Rio could feel her affection flickering in her gentle voice and answered with a feeble smile, "Yeah, wifey. I''m all fine. Just Helia got some injury in the sand storm and was stubborn to withdraw from the trial. But I think the healing tree of this battle arena should''ve healed herpletely by now."

    The boy pointed towards the lioness who was sitting with N on the grassy field.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Lia sat up to see her sister and saw two girls sitting in the distance who looked messier than Rio and as if they hadn''t taken a bath for two months.

    Both of them were covered in sand and dried sweat from their excruciating journey in the desert. Their tangled hair was making them look unkempt and mucky more than Rio as N covered her face with her palm, trying to hide from Lia''s gaze.

    "Big sis, don''t look at me in this condition," N spoke, her lively voice filled with embarrassment.

    "Don''t worry about it, N," Lia said as she stood up from her chair, she was finding it amusing as both of the girls looked grubby. She could understand how the magenta-haired beauty felt as girls loved to keep themselves in good condition all the time.

    The lively girl finally lowered her arm, revealing her disheveled appearance. "Yea, but I still feel embarrassed to face you this way. It''s okay for Rio and Sister Helia as they aren''t any better than me."

    "Okay then Let''s talk after we go back to the empress vi and the three of you take a shower before the proper rest," Lia said with a gentle voice, thinking they really needed to take a shower and some rest before telling her about the oue of their adventure in detail.

    She turned around to gaze at Lioness who was quietly on the ground beside N, Lia asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

    The blonde-haired beauty nodded and said, "I just need a proper bath and a sound sleep."

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 Chapter 178 Coming Back From The Fiery Southern Desert

    The blonde-haired beauty nodded and said in a leaden voice, "I just need a proper bath and a sound sleep."

    "Right, We should go back now," Lia spoke, Seeing how tired and dusty they were after their expedition.

    She thought it would be better for them to return and take a bath as staying in this grubby condition would not help them feel any better. The water would be a good cure for their skin after being soiled from the ce they had returned.

    The magenta-haired beauty had changed her hair color to ck using the [Ancient Disguise] as she was preparing to go for the Empress Vi.

    Rio helped N and Helia to get up from the ground one by one, and they both didn''t resist, rising to their foot.

    This simple action wasn''t escaped by the white-haired beauty''s eyes as she saw the lioness was different towards the boypared tost time. Usually, her sister would refuse Rio if he tried to aid her but today she didn''t show any refusal.

    ''Something must have happened in their expedition that caused Helia to put her guards down for Rio. I have yet to ask if they seeded in getting the first piece of the map but from their expression, it seems everything went well.''

    Without even getting information about their torturesome adventure, Lia had already understood some of the things that could''ve happened in their time in search of the first piece of the map.

    ? The night was a nket of tranquility, a heart-soothing silence drowned the surrounding as they walked through the garden toward the Empress Vi. The moon shone high in the sky, enveloping the path ahead of them with its soft, silver light. The stars twinkled like jewels, sprinkling the night sky with a celestial glow.

    The garden was a pleasure for the senses, with fragrant blooms of orchids and roses that spread their aroma in the air, and the soft rustling of leaves creating a joyful sound. Tiny little elven spirits of thumb sizes danced in the air around the rainbow fruit tree, their bright shes of light adding to the magical ambiance of the garden.

    When they neared the Empress vi, The soiled girls couldn''t help but feel embarrassed as they caught the attention of the female guards standing at the entrance. Rio wasn''t perturbed by their gazes but he was concerned for the two dirt-covered beauties by his side who were bashful.

    The female guards were taken aback by the trio''s appearance, their eyes widened as they saw the dirt and grime that stained N, Rio, and Helia. They quickly snapped to attention as the environment be chilly from Lia''s fierce gaze toward them.

    They forgot for a second, it was rude to stare at them and make them ufortable as they never had seen someone from the royal familying into the empress vi in this condition, Considering N was also the princess and adopted daughter of Emperor Dn.

    The female guards were afraid they would get into trouble so they stopped staring at the trio and bowed their heads by bending ny degrees.

    N andpany made their way ahead as they entered the Empress Vi. The girls went into their own room while Rio went along with Lia to his main bedroom where he usually lived.

    The white-haired beauty took a set of cloth and a white towel for him as she ced them in the bathroom.

    She said, "Let me ask Yami to prepare the night meals for all of us and send them to N''s bedroom. I will also ask to ce a dining table in that room with enough chairs so we can eat in peace and privacy."

    The boy nodded as he could already guess his wifey hadn''t eaten anything alone as she was worrying about three of them all day in the oval-shaped building.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He gazed towards therge bathtub and all the bathing utensils with a delighted expression before stepping into the bathtub.

    Rio revolved the moon-shaped switch to turn on the shower that was up above his head, the cold water enveloped him, gradually washing away the grime and dirt from his body. He leaned back, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh of relief.

    The cool refreshing water droplets fell on his tired body, seeping into his muscles as It helped to rx them, and for the first time after spending so many hours at the Fiery Southern Desert, he felt truly at peace.

    Rio remembered the torturesome conditions of the scorching desert, the blistering sun, and the unforgiving far extendedndscape in the sea of sands.

    He also thought about the final trial and saintess questions, as he finally became the master of the Exalted Clover Ring.

    They had to go through a rough journey to reach their mission. However now, in thefort of the refreshing water in the bathtub, all of the tiredness from the expedition seemed to melt away.

    The waterpped at his skin, gently cleansing and rejuvenating every pore. Rio felt his muscles soothing, and his mind calm.

    He opened his eyes and gazed at the ceiling, feeling a sense of tranquillity wash over him. For a moment, he forgot about everything else and simply basked in the rxing sensation of the falling water that collided against his skin.

    After staying in the water for thirty minutes, Rio felt refreshed, both physically and mentally. With a faint smile on his face, he finished his bath, as he used the towel to dry his body and drowned in the new set of clothes that Lia had left behind for him.

    When he walked out of the bathroom, he didn''t find Lia there and went outside towards N''s room where Lia was going to set up their dinner together.

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 Chapter 179 Eat Well Lioness

    He walked out of the bathroom, he didn''t find Lia there, and went outside towards N''s room where Lia was going to set up their dinner together.

    When Rio entered His second wife''s room, he only saw Lia and Yami who were present there.

    The new circr dining table was ced on the opposite wall from the bedside in the spacious room surrounded by warm candlelight and the soft glow of moonlight that wasing from the opened window.

    There were fourfy chairs that were ced around the table, on one of them Lia was already sitting.

    The scent of freshly cooked food filled the air as he saw the chief maid arranging the bowls, spoons, and tes for them from the moving cart. She looked up to see the boy who entered the room, hearing the footsteps.

    When The white-haired beauty noticed Rio hade, She patted the chair beside her and invited him with her scarlet eyes to sit.

    The boy dly went and took the chair beside her as he saw Yami was done with her task and turned around to walk out of the room.

    "N and Helia woulde soon, let''s wait for them," Lia told him, as the girls weren''t back from their bath yet.

    It was understandable as the girls required more time to get ready and they wanted to look as clean as possible especially when there was a boy among them on whom they wanted to make a good impression.

    Rio didn''t have to wait long, the door to the bathroom opened as the magenta-haired girl with a white towel wrapped around her head came out.

    She was wearing a white night dress as she shed a bright smile to the duo, especially her eyes lit up seeing Rio.

    She went to the dressing table to fix her hair, saying "Give me two minutes, and I will join."

    The girl didn''t look messy or soiled anymore, her creamy white skin was tantalizing to the eyes. There was a happy expression on her adorable face that was earlier lost due to her suffering in the desert. A good bath refreshed her again and made her feel better to bring her lively face to shine once again.

    Although she was feeling tired but she was at home so it was a lot better than living in the scorching hot desert.

    "Take your time, N. We are also waiting for Helia." Lia said as the lioness had yet toe.

    Rio started telling her about the story that happened in the Fiery Southern Desert. He told her how they were sent to the desert and how the troublesome sandstorm made their condition worse.

    He also mentioned how N wanted to go save Helia and he held her otherwise they both would''ve gotten injured.

    Just as he was going to tell her about the oasis, they heard footsteps approaching.

    Rio turned around and noticed that the lioness was entering the room. She was wearing her night pajama and a gray top with full sleeves.

    She had a rxed face and looked ravishing after taking a good bath, her hair was already in a ponytail and a blue Scrunchies band was tied at the end of it.

    "Here, Helia." The white-haired beauty indicated her to take the seat beside her which was on the opposite side of Rio and caused Lia to be in the middle of them.

    The lioness sat beside her as she gave a peek at the boy who was also looking at her. The girl avoided his gaze as soon as their eyes met and started looking toward N.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Just then the lively girl finished doing her hair and said, "Yeee... I''m done."

    She turned around with a vibrant smile and galloped to sit on the only left seat that was beside Rio and Helia as they were sitting in a circr arrangement around the round table.

    As they were all sitting, it was time to eat but before that one person needed to serve them.

    "You guys stay, I will serve," Lia said with a gentle smile and was going to rise to her feet but she felt a firm hand ced above her.

    "You sitfortably, Let me serve you all today." Rio''s calm voice sounded, as he volunteered to do the catering task.

    The white-haired beauty wanted to protest but she stopped in her track seeing how willing he was.

    Rio stood up from his seat, and took the bowl toe beside Lia as he said with a pleasant voice, "Here Wifey, A nice hot bowl of stew, rice, and cinnamon rolls."

    Putting the dishes on her te, he walked around the table to go for the next member.

    He stopped beside Helia and put the content from the bowl into her te as he said, "Eat well Lioness, soter you can have sufficient energy to bicker with me. Right now your face looks as if the royal family didn''t give you enough food to eat and let you starve for many days."

    Rio said as his voice filled with sarcasm and amusement but Helia didn''t retaliate like thest time as she simply kept her calm and let him tease her to his heart''s content.

    The boy moved to serve his second wife and spoke, "Here for the insanely crazy wife of mine."

    The environment was lively as the man was serving his beautiful girls and sister-inw, The magenta-haired beauty didn''t mind what Rio called her.

    As the boy was done cing food on her te, N said with a vibrant smile, "Aren''t we lucky, Big Sis? Our dear husband is serving us food. Normally a man won''t be so generous to do this task for anyone and only want his wife to do all the house chores."

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 Chapter 180 101 Reasons Why You Shouldnt Have More Than One Wife

    The magenta-haired beauty didn''t mind what Rio called her and The environment was lively and happy as the gentleman was serving food to his beautiful girls and sister-inw.

    As the boy was done cing food on her te, N said with a vibrant smile, "Aren''t we lucky, Big Sis? Our dear husband is serving us food. Normally a man won''t be so generous to do this task for anyone and only want his wife to do all the house chores."

    The magenta-haired beauty praised the boy as her cheerful voice reverberated in her bedroom.

    "Yeah, but It would be a pity if Husband has to serve us food every day even though he has two loving wives by his side," Lia spoke as she didn''t want to burden him with this minor task that she wanted to do for him even if she was the future empress of Asura race.

    "He is all alone so we can intimidate him as his beloved wives. Let the woman power subdue our man and make him serve us every day." N cheered as she had a mischievous glint in her eye and dered her evil n.

    The girls'' giggles echoed throughout the room as they relished the yful idea of making the boy serve them every day.

    "Soon I will be able to write a book with the title ''101 reasons why you shouldn''t have more than one wife,''" Rio said, sitting on his seat, But he realized his te was empty as he forgot to serve himself.

    However, Lia stood up to load food on his te one by one from each bowl before he could speak to stop her.

    As she sat on her sit, she indicated everyone to begin, they all started to eat and enjoyed the night meal together. Lia didn''t have her food either today as she was worryingly waiting for the trio at the oval-shaped building.

    "Sister Helia, You should also marry him and join us girls so we can subdue this man together and make him do chores for us." Shamelessly N spoke with a jolly smile as she dragged the lioness into her evil n.

    *Cough!* *Cough!* *Cough!*

    N''s words caused Helia to choke on her food as she took the ss of water to drink and gave a re to the Magenta-haired beauty, thinking how could be she so crazy to speak such words.

    "You should chew your food properly," Lia said and patted Helia''s back but she wasughing internally hearing The magenta-haired beauty''s statement.

    "Did you not like my n, sister Helia? Just suppose, you have to marry someone one day, so why not marry him? He already has two beautiful wives so it shouldn''t be an issue to have one more who Rio''s both women already like and we also have a Big sister La that we have to find and bring home.

    Moreover, haven''t you heard that quote ''It''s better to keep the good things at home and share it with your own people than to let someone else have them.'' I suggest Big sis Lia should keep Sister Helia for our Rio so we sisters can live happily together always." N narrated her grand strategy.

    "Briliant n, N." Lia praised her from the side and gave her approval.

    Rio continued to eat from his te as he ignored their talk.

    Helia''s face was getting beet-red from hearing their conversation and saw the boy was not showing interest so she did the same by avoiding gaze and focusing on her food.

    As they were eating, Rio decided to change the topic as he started to continue narrating the story.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "After they fell to sleep at the oasis, I found a golden berries nt that helped me to increase my innate stats points." The boy told her about the innate fruit nt that he had asked Eve to keep in her wonderous forest realm.

    "Eh???... we don''t even know about that," N spoke, her eyes astonished as if she was betrayed but then Her face lit up as she continued, "But I''m happy for my sweetie."

    "I have heard about these miraculous fruits in the books but never got toe across one that increases the innate stats points or innate strength," Lia mumbled as she was surprised.

    "Won''t you ask if there were enough golden berries or why I didn''t wake them up to let them have it?" Rio asked, a mysterious glint flickered in his sea-green eyes as he wanted to hear her answer.

    "Nah, Husband should have a good reason for what he had done. So I won''t question you why you didn''t share it with them." The white-haired beauty said, her voice was gentle as she answered him.

    "There were definitely enough golden berries that were enough for both Lioness and N but I still didn''t think to share it with them as they were sleeping and I didn''t want to disturb their peaceful sleep after they were gone through the tormenting blistering journey.

    Later, the door to the ancient tomb appeared when they woke up and we had to go to visit Saintess and answer her questions." Rio started telling her about the saintess''s story and her trial.

    "So we missed the golden berries because you were worried about our good sleep," N said as she didn''t know if she shouldugh or cry.

    Helia was in no better condition as she heard his kind-hearted reasoning for not waking them up.

    The white-haired beauty also didn''t understand why would Rio do that but she still didn''t ask him as she believed he must have some good reason and waited for him to exin himself.

    The boy took out the exalted clover ring from his wonderous forest realm space and passed it to Lia, saying "This was the reward of the Saintess trial and also the first piece of map for the Forbidden Land."

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 Chapter 181 Uncertain Ring Ceremony

    The room was drowned in silence as Rio took out the Exalted Clover Ring from his wondrous forest realm space. The ring''s blue gemstone glimmered in the candle''s light in the room, casting a blue sheen that seemed to brighten up the entire ce even though it wasn''t really spreading that much radiance.

    The boy held out the exalted clover ring to her, "This was the reward of the Saintess trial and also the first piece of the map for the Forbidden Land."

    Rio showed the treasure to his wifey, Lia''s eyes were surprised as she gazed upon the ring, its intricate old design and sparkling blue gem capturing her attention. She reached out her hand tentatively as the white-haired beauty could feel a magical auraing from it.

    "Saintess said the ring can only be equipped by someone who doesn''t let greed take over their heart and I think you would be the perfect candidate for it but you can also decide whom you would want to give it to." Rio encouraged, and a feeble smile shed across his face.

    The boy wanted Lia to decide what to do with the exalted clover ring as it was a treasure that would boost someone''s strength and they were all one family.

    With a look of surprise and wonder, Lia took the ring from Rio''s hand, as the cold metal brushed past her soft skin. She caressed the surface of the blue gemstone as Lia looked at Rio, she questioned, "Are you sure you don''t want this exalted clover ring? This especially has chosen you as the Master."

    "I might be weakest among our team right now but In the future, I will easily surpass you all. So it''s better we use this treasure to boost someone''s else strength." Rio responded as he didn''t want to be greedy for this exalted clover ring and share it with his girls.

    "Although Saintess made you the master of this ring, even if one of your girls has this treasure you still remain the master since it will be used by one of your women," Lia said with a gentle smile.

    "Good job Big sis, You already calling Sister Helia his woman," N said from the opposite side of the circr table as she stopped eating to respond to her.

    The Lioness was already embarrassed by their conversation early and the magenta-haired beauty was picking on her again but Lia noticed that her sister was acting weird after she hade back from the Desert so she decided to give her some space and support her.

    "Helia once said she wouldn''t leave my side to marry another man so she is a permanent member of our small family even if she doesn''t marry Rio," Lia said as she could see her sister was getting embarrassed by N''s remark. She thought to give her way and ept Rio herself when she was ready and not force things because of N''s teasing.

    After she was done supporting her sister, The white-haired beauty continued, "I already know what Rio''s strengths are, and I''m also aware of mine and Helia''s as we have the advantage of being an asura. So this exalted clover ring will help N the most to boost her power as she is the weakest among us right now."

    Lia dered the new owner of the exalted clover ring as she passed the treasure to the magenta-haired beauty.

    Hearing her announcement, Rio and Helia were both happy for the lively girl but N was stupifying as she didn''t think the ring woulde back to her. She initially wanted to get the exalted clover ring for Rio but had to leave her position as the participant for the treasure as she didn''t want to cause conflict in the team.

    "No Big sister, I don''t want this treasure. It will be a waste if I take it and moreover, I can''t keep this exalted clover ring safe. It''s the first piece of the map for the forbiddennd and is a very crucial key to reaching the second piece." N showed her reluctance to take it.

    "Don''t worry about the safety of the treasure as Either Rio or Helia will be with you wherever you go," Lia said with a gentle voice.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "But..." The magenta-haired beauty wanted to say further.

    However, Lia handed the exalted clover ring to Rio and demanded, "Put the ring on her ring finger. Let it be a memento of us all."

    "As you say, your highness." Rio bowed down like a sincere subject of the empress and put the spoon down on the te before taking the ring from her hand.

    The boy walked around the table and stopped in front of N''s chair who had a tentative look. He went on his knees like a guy who was proposing to their lover for the first time and asked her, "Give me your hand, Miss Purple Fairy."

    N spread her hand to him as a vibrant and shy smile radiated on her adorable face, her heart was feeling as if thousands of butterflies were fluttering their wings over it. She could feel a warmth taking inside her as she was happy because Rio was on his knees like a man proposing to their crush.

    Rio used his left hand to hold hers and ced the exalted clover ring on her fourth finger and slid it upward as the blue gem flickered with light and the ring itself shrank a little to fit perfectly on N''s finger.

    A sound of apud resounded in the room as Lia and Helia celebrated the duo''s uncertain ring ceremony.

    "Congrats you two, for bing a couple once again." Lia cheered for Rio and his Purple fairy.

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 Chapter 182 New Healer Of The Family

    "Congrats you two, for bing a couple once again." Lia cheered for Rio and his Purple fairy.

    Although they had married once before but it was only done using the holy oath which was one-sided even if the connection mark was imprinted on his shoulder and Rio had to do nothing to reciprocate the ritual of their wedding. However, today he put the exalted clover ring on her heart finger, performing one of the traditional methods that were used by couples.

    "Only If I also had a ring to put in your hand," N said as her voice was flickering with happiness.

    She was joyous in her heart, receiving a ring from her sweetie as it became a very memorable piece for her. For a girl, these little things mattered a lot more aspared to a boy as they were more sensitive most of the time.

    "You don''t need to put such essories on me to show your love. There is already a leaf mark on my shoulder that represents the connection with both of my wives to me." Rio said with a faint smile.

    "What power did the ring give you?" Helia asked as she was curious, Even if she was avoiding speaking because of the incident in the desert.

    "None yet, I didn''t get any notification." The magenta-haired beauty said as there was no message from the AI telling her she got any special skills.

    "AI won''t give you any messages as it doesn''t have information regarding this ring. Let me check it for you." Rio said as he moved to inspect the ring that was now on N''s hand.

    "Ehh???..." The magenta-haired beauty was amazed hearing his theory but soon she realized he was right.

    The boy stood up from his kneeling position as he held N''s ring finger with both his hand and used the [Heaven''s Eyes] on it to check the treasure''s stats.

    <<<<

    [Name: Exalted Clover Ring]

    [Type: Ascesories]

    ~ The Exalted Clover Ring is an epic treasure that dates back to ancient times. Itter became the first piece of the map to the Forbidden Land and was received by the Saintess in her adventure with her Lover. The exalted clover ring is said to have the power to open a portal to the resting abode at the ancient temple where an elder''s soul from the Forbiddennds resides.

    The ring is a beautiful piece of jewelry that is made from a silver material with exalted blue clover gemstone embedded on the ring. This treasure is a symbol of a pure heart and protection. The exalted clover ring''s power is linked to the elements of nature, making it a powerful support for the wielder''s allies.

    One of the most remarkable powers of the exalted clover ring is the ability to summon a Treant, which is a healing entity that automatically heals all party members within a ten-meter range. The treant has the power to heal all cuts and wounds, restoring the party members'' strength and vitality. To summon the treant, the ring requires 90% mana from the wielder, and the treant will stay for one hour, providing the party with much-needed healing support.

    [To activate its power, One must infuse a droplet of their blood onto the surface of the Exalted Blue Clover Gemstone.]

    >>>>

    "You need to put a droplet of your blood to activate its power to use," Rio spoke as he withdraw his hands from hers.

    Lia left the dining table and walked to N and Rio as she took out a needle from her spatial beast soul''s space to hand to the girl. Helia also got up from her seat as their dinner was almost done and joined the trio.<novelnext></novelnext>

    All of them stood around N in an encirclement as she stabbed the sharp side of the needle into the tip of her index finger, crimson blood dropped down from her skin to fall on the surface of the exalted blue clover gemstone.

    As the blood mixed with the gemstone, the ring started gleaming with intense blue light that glowed throughout N''s whole hand before finally dying out.

    The magenta-haired beauty closed her eyes as a flood of information rushed into her mind, simr to what Rio previously read.

    Rio andpany watched the phenomena happen in front of their eyes, waiting for the girl to finish activating the ring.

    After a dozen seconds, N opened her eyes and a smile spread on her face.

    The girl vibrant voice echoed out, "Now it''s working. I felt a cold sensation entering my head then a light electric current flowed throughout my whole body and I learned about the ring''s power.

    It gave me two spells, one is to summon some treant to heal party members in a 10-meter radius which would use 90% of my mana and the second spell is that it will open a portal to the resting abode of forbiddennd''s elder where we had previously gone to."

    The girl exined her newly acquired spell with a delighted face as she was joyous with the oue.

    "Not bad, You can be our mini healer now," Lioness spoke, forgetting her nervousness from before as she was happy for N.

    "Thanks, Sister Helia." The magenta-haired beauty said as her voice was sincere and had a lively smile.

    "After a week I will bring you to the corruptednd with me and help you reach the ck stage," Lioness said as she made their future ns.

    "Mmm," N nodded as she knew she wouldn''t be able to hug her favorite purple stage anymore and had to leap to a higher rank that was demanded by their team. She didn''t want to slow down her new family members, especially Rio who strictly told her to rise in power and not be crazily sticking to purple because it was her favorite.

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 Chapter 183 Sharing Golden Berries

    As the girls were busy talking to themselves at the bedside, Yami came with the cart and stowed everything before cleaning the dining table.

    Rio was sitting on the couch all alone as he was talking to Eve about the golden berries.

    He didn''t tell them earlier about the innate fruits as he was narrating about the saintess story and kept it a mystery.

    "Eve, Can you get me some innate fruit from the golden berries nt that you kept in the wonderous forest realm?" He politely asked in his thoughts, thinking she might refuse and say she isn''t his maid.

    "Okay, partner." The girl responded positively.

    Soon, more than a dozen of golden berries appeared in both of his hands, he counted the fruits and they were a perfect fifteen.

    Lia, N, and Helia were sitting on the bed a few meters away from him as they were telling the white-haired beauty about the desert, Rio didn''t exin everything to her and they were saying every detail to their beloved empress sister.

    Rio stood up from the couch and walked to the girls who were lost in their conversation. He stopped in front of the bed and showered the golden berries that fell in front of their eyes, catching their attention, and making girls frown in confusion.

    However, It didn''t take long for Lia to realize what it could be as she already doubted his statement earlier.

    "Golden berries? You kept them in your spatial storage?" Lia almost guessed where they hade from.

    Rio didn''t exin much and just nodded, he said, "We can only eat five of them, so each of you should have five. There are a total of fifteen here so it should be enough for three of you."

    N''s eyes lit up but the lioness was hesitant as she didn''t want to take these golden berries from Rio.

    The magenta-haired beauty turned towards him and pecked his cheeks, she said, "I knew, you wouldn''t forget us."

    The boy could feel her soft plumpy lips smooching his cheeks.

    Rio rubbed the ce she kissed and said, "Enjoy, I''m going to sleep now."

    The boy didn''t think to stay any longer as he wanted to rest and walked out of N''s bedroom to go to his main bedroom where he usually slept.

    As they were done with the dinner, telling about the desert to Lia and even the ring ceremony, the boy preferred to sleep now as it was a tiresome day for him.

    After Rio left, N moved to consume her five shares of golden berries as notification rang in her mind, confirming her innate stats points increased.

    <<<<

    [Fruit of Unidentified Origin eaten. One Innate Stats point gained.]

    [Fruit of Unidentified Origin eaten. One Innate Stats point gained.]

    .

    .

    [Fruit of Unidentified Origin eaten. One Innate Stats point gained.]

    >>>>

    "This really increased my innate stats points." The magenta-haired beauty said as she was joyous seeing the result in front of her eyes.

    But soon she realized the other two girls were not touching the innate fruits, she asked, "What''s the problem, Big sis?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    The white-haired beauty pointed towards the Lioness and Lia questioned her sister in puzzlement, "What happened Helia?"

    The lioness looked at them and said, "I can not take these innate fruits, he should give this to someone who is important to him such as his Family, not me."

    "Sister Helia, if he doesn''t cherish you then why would he cradle you in his embrace in the desert when we all were barely able to even walk?

    I wanted to withdraw from that ce but then I saw how Rio wasn''t giving up on you even when he was carrying you and giving you a piggyback ride."

    N tried to convince her as she could see that the boy really cared for Helia otherwise why wasn''t he cold to her like how he treated Kyra and the other girls?

    "No, he only carried me because I was part of the team and he didn''t want to leave me behind. I won''t take these precious innate fruits, They should belong to his loved ones." Helia said, her voice filled with unwillingness.

    "Don''t be stubborn Helia, rejecting his good intention would be rude." Lia tried to approach her.

    Helia continued to show her reluctance but the constant convincing and pampering solved the problem as she also eat the golden berries.

    After Helia was done, there were only five left so Lia went to consume it next.

    The girls all had their innate strength increased to 15 points although Helia and Lia didn''t hear any notification but they could feel the enhancement in their overall power.

    The three girls continued to talk for a while after which they also went to sleep in their respective bedrooms.

    In the morning, Rio got a ''thanks'' from Lioness when they were having tea but the boy didn''t tease her this time as he could see she needed time to stable herself after their intimate interaction in the desert.

    Days continued to pass, and Rio enjoyed his peaceful days in the Empress Vi.

    Helia brought N to the Corruptednd and helped her to reach the ck stage. The two girls went on an adventure together, going from one shelter to another.

    The people at the asura''s shelters get to meet their new princess who was recently adopted by the emperor Dn.

    A month passed...

    It was the day Rio returned to the earth and went to take his theory ss on Monday which was usually crucial for the first year to join.

    The ss was filled with most of the students but Lucas and Sophia still had not returned back. The boy noticed a mystifying glint in Talia''s eyes as she was peeking at him from time to time which he only could notice with the help of his [Heaven''s Eyes].

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 Chapter 184 Hazel Cloven

    After Teacher Milena''s lecture came to an end, she gazed at all the students and said, "In two weeks, the National military school tournament is going to start. Unlike previous years'' victors, the winners of this tournament will only get6 months to prepare for the international tournament that will be held between the Dhovrix race and humans.

    The person whoes at the top in this national military school tournament will directly enter the quarter-final with other champions of previous years which includes First-year victor - Lily Havenglow, Second Year victor - Hazel Cloven, and third-year winner - Lex Magnus. They are all part of the Seven silver sword families so thispetition is going to be tough."

    Hearing the sudden announcement, a wave of whispers started among the students, one of the students from the middle row asked in confusion, "But Teacher, the quarter-final requires 8 participants and you only named four then who are the other four?"

    Teacher Milena smiled, and she said, "There will be three spots for the victors. The top-ranked one will enter the quarter-final directly but the remaining winners will have to go through round robin between the previous years'' first and second runner-ups.

    So for the quarter-finals, the first Four will be the winner of the National military school tournament from each year and The other four spots will be chosen from the round-robin between the first and second runner-ups of thest four years.

    In the end, the final quarter-finalist will be made up of Four Top Rank one of these four years and Four victors from the round robin."

    Her exnation cleared the doubt of most students but there were still many questions that were rising in their heads.

    "Where it will be held this year?" Talia asked as she was sitting in the first row, the girl knew more about the national military school tournament than other students.

    "National Military school tournament will be held on a secret ind which will be kept confidential so the seven silver sword family won''t be able to help their kids.

    Additionally, You will be fighting purple-stage and ck-stage beasts that aren''t real monsters but robots made using high-level AI technology.

    The ind will be a random ce like how it is in thend of Ausra and you will be allowed to only bring a single bag of ten kilo grams weight with you so those in a team of five can carry more stuff to camp together in wild while those going in a team of two such as Rio will have a hard time bringing a lot of stuff with them."

    Teacher Milena said, looking in the direction of Rio whose eyes flickered with surprise as he heard his name.

    ''I remember, I clearly forgot to submit my name as I was busy then who is it that put my name for this tournament? Can it be ...?''

    The boy was stupified hearing about him from teacher Milena as he didn''t expect someone would''ve given his name for the national military school tournament without even his permission. If heined to the school then the person who submitted his name would be disqualified from the tournament and might get punished for doing this without his mutual consent.

    Teacher Milena''s voice continued, "There will be 200 teams participating in this tournament from different military schools so every team will be assigned a number. The rules will be exined on the day of the national military school tournament so don''t forget to show up on the next of next Monday or you will be eliminated by default."

    Students were nervous as they heard they only had two 13 days'' time and they were allowed to only keep ten kilograms weight at the unknown ind whose location was kept a secret.

    "Teacher, will the international tournament between us and the dhovrix race also be held on such an ind in a simr manner where we will fight robots beast?" A female student asked, she was sitting two seats behind Talia.

    "Absolutely not, Unlike us Humans, The dhovrix race hasn''t been able to find a way to enter the Land of asura and for some reason, they can''t ess that ce even until today. So the international tournament will be held in a traditional manner where the top Finalist of the Human race will fight against the number one candidate of the Dhovrix race in a one VS one Battle. This also includes all the battles that will happen before the finals." Teacher Milena cleared the student''s confusion.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "We already know who will be fighting in the finals from our side," Talia said, a smug expression shing on her face.

    "Who is it?"

    "How does she know when even before the quarter-final and semi-finals?"

    "I think it''s her."

    Students startedmenting on her statement as they were guessing who it could be.

    An enigmatic glint flickered in teacher Milena''s eyes, and she said, "Although People say that Lily havenglow might be the finalist who will fight against the number one candidate of the Dhovrix race but that''s notpletely true. There is Hazel Cloven, who fought against her in the first-year tournament and they had a tie in the fight.

    Nobody knows about the detail of the match but some students witness their fight on the ind, saying they had to stop their battle with a mutual agreement as they were getting left behind by other students in the team ranking.

    However, that year, Hazel Cloven came as first runner up and she participated the next year in the national military school tournament toe as the victor. So it''s not confirmed who would be the finalist to fight against the number one candidate of the Dhovrix race."

    Teacher Milena''s exnation caused the ss to be drowned in silence as she talked about two of the four goddesses of this generation who were known for their talent and beauty.

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 Chapter 185 Pseudo-Havenglow

    Teacher Milena''s exnation caused the ss to be drowned in silence as she talked about two of the four goddesses of this generation who were known for their exceptional talent and ravishing beauty.

    Both Hazel Cloven and Lily Havenglow were famous figures in the human country, holding a great positions because of their family background, beauty, and talent.

    "Why are we forgetting our pseudo-Havenglow, can''t he be the finalist for the international tournament?" One of the guys brought Rio''s name as he wanted to cause amotion.

    "I will be surprised if he even gets into the top ten in the national military academy tournament"

    "He will be crushed by the senior years, there is no hope for this adopted havenglow''s brat."

    "Didn''t you hear he is in the party of only two?"

    "Nobody would''ve agreed to be on his team."

    "Haha..."

    The ss was filled withughter and jeers as the students made fun of Rio. The energy in the room was high as the students urged each other on, eager to tease adopted havenglow''s son more.

    Rio, who was sitting at his desk, looked unperturbed as he knew his ranking in the national military school tournament would speak for itself so he didn''t think of wasting his energy and time on them right now. He was used to being the target of teasing and mocking, since childhood so this was nothing for him.

    The boy was well aware of his position in the next tournament considering he defeated a group of the ck-stage warriors hired by Ruben all alone, he had yet to absorb the giant shadow viper fox''s core yet. So his final strength would be enough to get a good ranking in the national military school tournament.

    Teacher Milena noticed the ill whispers in the atmosphere and decided to intervene. She walked towards the students who were making fun of Rio. She stood in front of them, crossing her arms and a stern expression on her face.

    "Enough" she shouted, her voice echoing through the ssroom. The students, mocking Rio, were caught off guard by her sudden appearance, which caused the whole ss to immediately fell silent, surprised by the sudden change in her demeanor.

    Teacher Milena said, her voice stern, "Shame on you guys. You can not speak ill of your fellow ssmates.

    Rio may not have the same background as some of you and is not blood-rted to the havenglow family but that does not diminish his worth as a person or a warrior.

    Remember, the true measure of a person''s strength lies not in their bloodline or status, but in their determination and hard work.

    Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses. It is important to support and encourage each other, rather than make fun of someone''s abilities.

    Rio may not be the strongest or the most skilled, but that doesn''t mean he isn''t capable of achieving a good rank in the tournament.

    The goddesses we were just talking about were known for their talent and beauty, but they also faced many challenges and overcame them with hard work and determination.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Have you already forgotten how he defeated Talia? is she not the genuine heir of the Mailon family? No, I''m not talking bad about her, I''m just saying Rio isn''t less than any of the geniuses of the federation."

    The whole ss quieted down, taken aback by Milena''s sudden burst of intensity. Her exnation caused the ss to be drowned in silence. The students listened intently as she spoke, her words making a profound impact on their thoughts and attitudes.

    Talia was embarrassed as the teacher mentioned her duel with Rio. The young miss of the Mailon family was cursing the teacher in her thoughts.

    Milena continued, "As for the national military school tournament, we should not judge someone''s abilities based on the size of their team or if they are in their first year.

    We have no idea what kind of training Rio has been undergoing, or what kind of skills he has developed. The only way to find out is to wait and see."

    She paused, letting her words sink in, "And even if Rio does not make it to the top ten, it does not mean he is a failure. Thepetition is fierce, and it is only a small part of what it takes to be a great warrior. It takes dedication, perseverance, and a courageous heart in a desperate battle to never give up."

    Milena''s words resonated with the students, some nodded in agreement while others were just avoiding their gaze and being embarrassed for their actions. Some agreed that they had been too quick to judge Rio and that their teacher''s words were full of wisdom.

    The teacher swept the whole ss with her gaze and said, "You also need to not forget that Unity will help you in this national military school tournament. There is a danger of dying as other military school students with their own teams may target you in order to get a higher rank in thepetition so you all need to forget about your personal childish enmity with each other and stick as one when you''re representing the golden seal military school."

    Hearing about the death, students were frightened and asked further questions to the teacher but then she told them they were allowed to take their name out and not participate in thepetition if they want. However, she also mentioned about safety measures to tackle this problem which would be revealed when the tournament starts.

    She continued her instruction about the tournament that passed in silence, as the students thought about the meaning behind Teacher Milena''s words while others just let it filter through their ears.

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 Chapter 186 Was It Really You, Nyla?

    As the ss ended, Rio walked out of the ss and traveled towards the Grand dew garden.

    The sun was glistening in the sky and birds were chirping their songs, the cold breeze fluttered his hair in the air.

    It was still not afternoon here as his sses ended at 10 am. Students were passing by in groups as they were making ns for the uing national tournament with their members.

    N didn''te back with him as she had no ss like him on Monday. The boy entered his apartment and used the [Astral Recall] to return to the Empress Vi.

    The boy appeared in his bedroom, he could hear the girls'' voicesing from N''s bedroom, and were all awake as it was nighttime in the Land of Asura.

    Rio went to his second wife''s room where the conversation was going on as the three beauties were sitting on the couch and talking with one another about Helia''s and N''s adventures in the corruptednd.

    The white-haired beauty noticed that her man hade back, she asked, "it took you longer toe back today, was there something special?"

    "National Military School tournament is starting in two weeks, I forgot to submit my name but someone else has already put my name with them." He nodded and said, his voice had a hint of suspicion.

    "Do you have any clue who could it be that gave your name in the tournament without your permission?" Lia asked, raising her eyebrows.

    "There is only one person I can think of," Rio said, moving his eyes to gaze at the magenta-haired beauty who was avoiding looking in his direction.

    Lia also turned to look toward N with a doubtful gaze as the lively girl could feel they were staring at her.

    "You know, that person must be with a kind soul to put your name with themselves when you actually forgot to submit." The Magenta-haired beauty said, shing a vibrant smile on her face.

    "Was it really you, N?" Lia asked, as she also doubted she could be the one who put his name in the tournament with them.

    "Sorry, Big sis. Rio used to avoid me at that time, and I really loved him so much that I wanted to team up with him and would get more time to spend with him. This caused me to put his name with mine without his permission, thinking he wouldn''t get mad at me. Later, when we got married, I forgot to tell him about this."

    N epted her mistake as she had really given their name together as a team even before the girl became his wife. It was her personality that wanted to be with Rio even if he wanted to avoid her in the past.

    "Did you not want to participate in the tournament?" Helia asked, her shyness and nervousness from the incident in the desert had reduced after their daily interaction in the passing days.

    "I wanted to participate and I was just hoping it wasn''t someone else but N who put my name with them. So I''m very relieved now, it would have been troublesome to be in a team with someone else who I don''t even know." Rio said, his voice filled with contentment.

    He continued, turning towards N, "Although it would be bad if you did this when we were not a couple but right now, All I can say is, Thank you for submitting my name with you. Second mother once said to me that if I get into the top 10 ranking in the uing national tournament she will tell me about my parent''s identity."

    As the girls listened to his statement, they realized the importance of this tournament for him. He would be able to find out about his parents if he get a good ranking.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Rio went towards the bedside table, grabbed a ss, and filled it to the brim with the water from the magical pot that kept the content fresh and cold.

    "How does one get a high ranking in this tournament?" Lia asked, sitting beside Helia on the couch.

    Rio turned around, looking at N and indicating her to speak as she knew more about the tournament than him.

    "It normally goes for 30 days and the Federation will give us an additional watch to wear that will keep a track of all our hunting at the ind and also help us escape when we want to withdraw from thepetition.

    There will be beast-like robots of the purple and ck stage on the ind, we will have to hunt as many AI monsters as possible in a span of a month, collecting points that will be added to our watch automatically. We will be allowed to attack other students and rob their half points in this tournament but not kill them.

    However, we are only allowed to bring 10 kilograms of important things to the ind so surviving will be hard without food and water, we will have to fight for everything against other students and rival teams."

    N exined as she knew more about the tournament than Rio or any students in his ss and had the experience of the previous year.

    "What was your rankst year?" Rio asked, knowing she may have participated in a previous national military school tournament.

    "I was 7th," N answered.

    "How? Weren''t you only Purple stage?" The boy was surprised as he didn''t expect her to have a higher rank with just purple stage power.

    "You''re underestimating purple-rank warriors, Rio. There aren''t many in our school who are at the ck stage. Last year, I only lost from getting top three ranks because Lex Magnus cheated and stole half of my points. He attacked me with three of his group members when I was separated from my team members." The girl exined, a hint of bitterness flickered in her voice.

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 Chapter 187 I Guess, I Will Have One More Wife

    "You''re underestimating purple-rank warriors, Rio. There aren''t many in our school who are at the ck stage. Last year, I only lost from getting top three ranks because Lex Magnus cheated and stole half of my points. He attacked me with three of his group members when I was separated from my team members." The girl exined, a hint of bitterness flickered in her voice.

    "Who is this Lex Magnus?" Lia questioned as she didn''t like this fellow who attacked her adopted sister.

    Hearing about this, Rio''s eyes became icy as he kept the ss on the bedside table and went to sit beside Helia.

    "He is from one of the seven silver sword family but he is also a disciple of Rio''s Grandfather. There are rumors that say Lex has a crush on Lily Havenglow but she doesn''t like him." The magenta-haired beauty responded to answer her but what caught everyone''s attention was his liking Havenglow''s older daughter.

    Seeing how everyone was interested in this topic, the lively girl continued, "I overheard my parents talking when I was at home that Magnus''s family wanted Lex to be married to Lily Havenglow but her mother didn''t agree and Aliyah Havenglow went against her father to not let it happen. My father also said something to my stepmother that I couldn''t believe." N mumbled.

    When she spoke thest sentence she looked downwards, keeping her hands on her jaw, her face appeared as if she was thinking something.

    "What did he say?" Helia asked, scrunching her eyebrows.

    Rio and Lia were also listening to their conversation as everyone was interested but it was the blonde-haired beauty who asked the question first.

    A bittersweet smile shed on her face, she said, "Sorry, Big sis. I really forgot about this so I apologize beforehand. But I heard that Rio was adopted by Aliyah Havenglow so she could marry him with her older daughter.

    I don''t know how much truth there is behind this information but that is what my parents were talking about. Dad even told her not to reveal this to Talia. Moreover, I find out about this piece of news when I was changing my registered shelter to the purple tower of the outcast so I didn''t know from the start that Rio may get wed to Lily Havenglow in the future."

    The girl dropped andmine with this statement as even Rio was not aware of any of this.

    Lia''s gaze moved to Rio as she asked, "Did she mention anything rted to this to you?"

    The boy shook his head and said, "She only asked me once to meet her older daughter Lily but as you know I avoided her as I''m not a fan of socializing with others and her younger daughter already hates me."

    Rio remembered how Aliyah once asked him to meet Lily but he turned her invitation down and his Second mother didn''t force him at that time.

    "That''s strange," Lia mumbled as she heard his Second mother didn''t tell him anything about this information.

    "What would you do if she really ask you to marry her older daughter Lily?" Helia asked, raising her eyebrows, she was sitting beside him.

    The boy turned his head to the left to look at her, the blonde-haired beauty was gazing into his sea-green eyes but felt a little nervous as their eyes interlocked.

    "I will just tell her that I''m already married to N, if she still forces me to marry a second girl then I guess I will have one more wife," Rio answered, his voice filled with amusement.

    Helia rolled her eyes at him and didn''t continue to ask more questions as she thought Aliyah wouldn''t want him to marry her older daughter Lily after knowing the boy already has a wife.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Yeee... I will be your official wife on Earth." N cheered, as a vibrant smile shone on her face.

    "Don''t be too happy, as this may probably not happen if I met La before Second mother asks me. If I found La first then I will announce I am married to her." Rio said, extinguishing the Magenta-haired beauty''s hope of me instantly

    However, the girl didn''t lose her brightened face as she continued, "I would be happier if that happens since you will finally meet her."

    Rio''s heart filled with warmth as the girl didn''t get upset because of this and saw how she cared more about his happiness.

    "We need to n how you two will stay on that unknown ind during the tournament. We should better stock food and everything to your spatial storages." Lia said, changing the topic.

    They only had thirteen days to prepare so she thought it should be done first because this tournament was very important for Rio to find out about his parent''s identity.

    "Yes, Big sis. I never thought there was a spatial beast soul that would let us store our stuff inside before You let me have it. I don''t know if any human warriors have this type of beast soul among them." N said, her voice full of gratitude as she was happy to receive this spatial beast soul from Lia as a rewarding gift after she reached the ck stage.

    "Is that beast soul just like my silver bloom king sword?" Rio asked, gazing at Lia who was sitting in front of him on the opposite couch.

    The girl nodded, "Yeah, She reached the ck stage so I gave it to her. You could have it too when you reached the ck stage but you probably won''t need it when you already have Eve''s Wonderous forest realm."

    "Who is Eve?" N asked as the girl didn''t know about the Elven monarch beast.

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 Chapter 188 How About Laughing Alligator Forest?

    "Who is Eve?" N asked as the girl never heard about the Elven Monarch Beast.

    "She is Rio''s Partner who helps him with her power," Lia said in a short sentence, a mysterious glint flickered in her eyes as she remembered the conversation she had with the monarch beast.

    "N, what level of the ck-stage AI monster would be there at the ind for our National Military school tournament?" Rio asked, thinking if he was strong enough to handle the hurdles in thepetition since they were only two on the team.

    "Last time, they were at most King tier of the ck stage but those robots aren''t the problem. We have to worry about the other teams from various military schools that would want to snatch our points and resources for better ranking as they would be greater in numbers and may coborate to go against us." N exined as she had a bitter experience thest time she participate in the national military school tournament.

    "They won''t be able to find out about your resources as you have spatial storage to hide them there. You just need to worry about how you two will sleep on the ind." Lia mumbled.

    "Hey, Partner I have a solution." Eve''s jolly voice sounded in his mind.

    The boy raised his eyebrows, and asked inwardly in a rxed voice, "What solution?"

    "If you inherit the next spell from me that''s going to unlock at the ck stage then you will be able toe inside the wonderous forest realm along with your girls to live just like how you keep things here," Eve said, she was going to let him have a chance to unseal the next level spell that she was going to give him in future.

    "And how would I unlock my next spell even without reaching the ck stage?" the boy asked in thought as he was interested in this power to live inside the wonderous forest realm where he once entered when he went to give the trial and met the Elven Monarch Beast.

    "Right now you''re strong enough to kill a normal ck stage beast and These girls will also help you if you ask them for help. You just need to provide me with twenty ck stage cores. " Eve revealed the method as she wanted to help him and knew they only had thirteen days'' time to prepare for the national military school tournament.

    Rio thought carefully if he should ask these beauties for help or not and bother them with his business but thinking they had limited time he decided to reveal this piece of news.

    "I can unlock a spatial spell that would let me live inside the wonderous forest realm along with N but I will require to collect twenty ck stage cores to have this power." He mumbled, looking at the two girls who were sitting in front of him.

    The blonde-haired beauty who was beside him on the same couch, said, "Does the beast need to be killed by you or do you just need the ck-stage cores?"

    Helia thought if he only needed the ck-stage cores then she could''ve easily got them for him but if it was the first case then that would be not that easy.

    "Partner, Tell her. You have to kill the beast yourself," Eve''s voice sounded in his mind as she informed him in his thoughts.

    "Yeah." Rio nodded.

    "It will take some time to get that many ck-stage cores, but we might able to do it before your tournament starts if you''re strong enough to make the killing blow.<novelnext></novelnext>

    N had to put too much effort to kill the beast even when I helped her so I doubt if you will really be able to do it when you''re only at the purple stage." Helia said as she remembered her adventure experience with the Magenta-haired beauty.

    When the blonde-haired beauty took N with her on the adventure in the corruptednd, she injured the beast but N still had to execute the killing blow in order to receive the ck-stage cores that she could absorb for raising her stats.

    However, N''s overall strength wasn''t enough to prate the beast''s defense easily, and if Helia used a little too much strength the beast died.

    The boy was fortunate as he had a silver-bloom sword that was king tier and also he had the advantage for double white stage stats points along with double yellow stage stats points.

    "You shouldn''t worry about killing the ck-stage beast. I can supercharge my skills, remember?" Rio spoke as he reminded her of their battle arena training battle where he almost injured her.

    "I cane along and help if there is a problem," Lia said as she wanted to help Rio to unlock this skill that was going to let them enter the wonderous forest realm where he would be able to live with N during his time at the ind and wouldn''t have to worry about camping stuff or guarding in the night.

    "I''m enough to handle those ck-stage beasts and his battle art techniques should also help to make the killing blow. I was just thinking about which ce we should go hunting these beasts for his core farming. We need a beast that doesn''t have a high level of defense or doesn''t have higher agility so they don''t evade his overcharged skills." Helia said as she didn''t want Lia to worry about these minor issues that she could handle alone.

    "How about Laughing Alligator Forest?" Lia said, She remembered a ce in the corruptednd that met the requirement of the ck-stage beast they were looking for.

    "Ah... No, not that ce." The lioness said as she had bitter memories about that ce.

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 Chapter 189 Mystery Behind Laughing Alligator Forest

    "Ah... No, not that ce." The lioness cried out as she had bitter memories about thatughing alligator forest.

    "Why not, sister Helia?" N asked in puzzlement as she could see Lia was amused seeing the blonde-haired beauty''s sour reaction.

    "Because This forest will make youugh after you kill an alligator beast. It releases aughing gas that makes usugh even if we don''t want.

    Lia was able to be calm at that ce as she has a higher level of spiritual power than me due to her innate skill [Eyes of destiny] which helps her control her mind better but That''s not the same case for me."

    Helia exined in an annoyed tone as she remembered her experience at the Laughing Alligator Forest.

    As Helia finished telling, Lia decided to tell them more about that ce.

    "We went there when she had broken through to the ck stage as she wanted to apany me to the ces with Silver stage beasts. However, Helia has yet to reach the silver stage as she hunts alone now and father doesn''t get much time to apany me on the adventure to the corruptednd.

    So he doesn''t allow me to go there either due to the dangers that linger in the advanced regions. Even in the Shamor Empire, most people cultivate to reach a higher rank after the ck stage as the dangers increase in the corruptednd." Lia said in a gentle tone and exined.

    "Oh, I was wondering why Sis Lia doesn''t go on adventures like us. So that''s the case." The Magenta-haired beauty spoke, her voice flickered with a hint of awe.

    "What kind of ce is this Laughing Alligator Forest and how does that work?" Rio asked as this topic piqued his interest, his brows rising high.

    "It''s an abnormal forest in the corruptednd with intoxicated Alligator beasts. They only came out of the pool when its night as the water in the river starts to fill with the alcoholic effects due to theck of sunlight.

    But even if those alligator beasts escape the river at night, there is still water remaining in their body that they consumed earlier in the day that wasn''t digested so the content left inside them makes these alligator beasts intoxicated and also off guard against the enemies." Lia described as she had studied these beasts when she went therest time with Helia.

    "Big sis, You said the river reacts when in theck of Sunlight but when water is in the alligator''s body it won''t receive any sunlight so why is that?" N''s voice was filled with puzzlement as she asked with curiosity.

    "It''s something rted to the ancientw of Yin and Yang. In the day we get Yang from Sun and at night we get Yin from the moonlight or the darkness. That is what affects the water in the river and the alligator''s body.

    So this is also why that ce would be best to farm for ck-stage cores as you don''t have to worry about getting attacked by the beast when they are in intoxicated stats." Lia said, her voice rxed as she talked about how that ce worked.

    "Then why not everyone goes there to farm if it''s that easy?" Rio asked, thinking there should be some dark side to this ce that she didn''t talk about otherwise Helia may have surely brought N to that ce for faster advancement.

    "You''re very sharp, Rio. Even Helia didn''t ask me this question to me although she disliked this ce. The reason is simple, we can not stay in theughing Allegator forest for a very long period of time.

    This can increase the yin in our body and will imbnce due to inhaling the night air at that ce which consists of the mist produced from the same river.<novelnext></novelnext>

    So it''s better to stay at thisughing alligator forest for only seventy-two hours at most and in that time you won''t be able to kill many ck-stage beasts since theughing alligators onlye out at midnight when the river''s yin energy is at its peak." Lia exined in a serious tone.

    "That makes sense," Rio mumbled.

    Hearing about the details, N and Rio finally understood why this ce could be bad for them.

    "Do we really have to go to thatughing Alligator forest?" Helia asked the sourness reflected in her tone, expressing her unwillingness to go there.

    "It won''t be an issue for Rio to farm at other ces in corruptednd as I know about his strength better than anyone else but N would benefit the most if she also joins in.

    This way they can both benefit from going to thatughing alligator forest as it is a treasure trove for ck stage warriors and only a few know about this ce and fear the mysterious unbncing Yin phenomenon.

    Since Rio needs ck stage cors and N requires to ascend to the next stage then that would be the best ce for them to hunt. If you still don''t want to go then I don''t mind bringing them there myself." Lia said in a calm voice as she was thinking to rece Helia on their adventure.

    "Ah... you don''t leave me a choice. I don''t want you to be bothered by this problem yet you still want to go. I will just bring them there even if I have to go through that crazyughing trauma." Helia spoke, her voice flowed with bitterness but she agreed to go there as it was the best ce for N.

    "It''s not a bad thing tough once in a while," Riomented, turning left to say it to the Blonde-haired beauty.

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 Chapter 190 Preparation For The Tournament

    "It''s not a bad thing tough once in a while," Riomented, turning left to say to the Blonde-haired beauty.

    Helia''s gaze fell into his sea-green eyes but the girl didn''t say anything. She had stopped bickering with the boy as she promised herself to not dislike him and was trying her best to not give him reasons to hate her.

    As the trio had already decided where they had to go, they started to discuss about the preparation for the uing tournament and the adventure.

    "You two should store necessary things for your stay at the ind because the journey to theughing alligator forest may take you three to four days anding back will require the same amount of time," Helia said as she estimated the span of the period they would spend outside the empress vi.

    "Is it that far away?" N asked in surprise.

    "Yeah, it takes at least three days to reach that ce from our nearest shelter and there is no other shelter in that region so our only chance is to ride the mount for 3-4 days, considering the time we would need to stop for resting on our way to thatughing alligator forest," Helia responded.

    "We will talk about it tomorrow. It''s already veryte now, I will help them pack for the ind after we wake up. We should sleep now." Lia said as the night was getting darker and they needed to properly rest.

    They were done with their conversation, Helia returned back to her room and Rio and Lia went to their bedroom to sleep.

    The boy thought it was better to spend the night with his wife alone as they would be apart for a while now. The national military school tournament was going to take one month after thisughing alligator forest adventure.

    N understood his reason as well and didn''t show any bitterness as she was naturally going to stay with Rio more than Lia after tomorrow for one and a half months and they would have enough alone time for themselves.

    The next day after they had their tea together, Lia asked Rio and N to wait in their bedroom as she was preparing the duo''s stuff for the journey.

    Yami walked into the living room, carrying many water bottles in a box. She ced them on the ground in front of Lia andpany, who were sitting on the couch.

    She was keepinging and bringing more items which caused a big pile to umte in the bedroom of N.

    Lia had ordered her early morning to buy these things from the city center as she wanted topletely prepare N and Rio for their journey to the ind for their uing National military school tournament.

    "Okay, let''s get started. We have today to pack, Yami has bought all the daily essentials things, so we don''t have to worry about shopping." The white-haired beauty exined as she saw N was confused seeing the pile of goods that the chief maid was bringing to their room for thest ten minutes.

    Rio and N nodded and gave their affirmation as they knew this was going to help them in the future and they won''t have to worry about the resources in the national military school tournament.

    "You need to hurry and put these things in your own spatial storage for your long stay on the ind and Each of you will need half," Lia said as she instructed them to store the things in their storage.

    "Why big sis? We will be staying together so only If Rio keeps them then it should be fine." N asked in puzzlement.

    "You don''t know what situation may arise so it''s better to prepare beforehand, even if you stay together there, these items maye in handy in the future as your spatial beast soul storage will keep the consumable items fresh," Lia said.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The white-haired beauty pulled out the box filled with some containers, "These are the food for the future. We asuras store all our food in these special containers when we go on long outings."

    N and Rio both used their storing skill to ce the half-half share in their spatial storage.

    Next, Lia pointed towards the box filled with water bottles as there were more than two hundred, "This many should be enough to keep you two stay hydrated."

    She continued to pull out boxes on the ground filled with clothes, bedding, pillows, and other important items. "These are forfort. You''ll need to be warm andfortable while you''re on the ind."

    Rio and N nodded as they saw how the white-haired beauty had bought everything for their journey and didn''t speak anything. She was doing it for their well-being and it made them happy.

    After twenty minutes, the ground became empty as they had stored all the stuff inside their spatial storage one by one. Lia gazed over them with a rxed smile as she was done with her task.

    Lia looked as if a doting mother sending their two kids on their first trip to a foreign ce as she was making sure to take care of everything they might need.

    "All done, now you just need to get ready for theughing alligator forest." She took a breath of relief when they were done packing for the tournament.

    "Thanks, Big Sis," N said to show her gratitude.

    After one hour, The blonde-haired beauty returned to the Empress Vi, and they all left for Teleporter tower together. Lia came along with them to bid them farewell and wish them luck.

    Helia used [Teleporter Glyph] for Requiem Isle Shelter where Laughing Alligator forest was present and the trio vanished into a spatial rift.

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 Chapter 191 Requiem Isle

    Helia used the [Teleporter Glyph] for Requiem Isle Shelter where Laughing Alligator forest was present, A spatial rift opened behind them as the trio vanished from the Shamor Empire.

    The sky was in a brilliant shade of blue and the sun was shining down on the ind, illuminating the world below.

    The ind was situated in the middle of an open grass field, surrounded by lush, green grass that swayed gently in the wind. This piece of the region was known as the Requiem Isle which was situated at the corner of the corruptednd.

    A few miles away, a dense forest could be seen, as if a green nket enveloped the farawaynd beneath it.

    Three figures were riding a magnificent crimson wolf through the open grass field, heading towards the dense forest in the distance with incredible speed as their clothes and hairs fluttered in the cool wind.

    The wolf looked very imposing, with its white fur and sharp, pointed tail. This was Helia''s red stage demon tail wolf mount that she usedst time when she apanied Rio to the Dargus Isle.

    The boy was sitting at the very back of the mount, N in the middle, and Helia at the front as they rode the beast and entered the dense forest.

    The demon tail wolf moved gracefully through the underbrush, leaping over fallen logs and dodging around trees.

    For three long days, they rode through the forest, stopping only when they required to rest.

    During their breaks, they would eat the food together that Helia had in her storage ring.

    Finally, after three and a half days of traveling, A deepke, extending to a very long distance, surrounded by lush vegetation and trees, could be seen in the distance and was situated in the middle of the forest.

    Theke was a beautiful shade of blue, and the sun was reflecting off of its surface, creating a dazzling disy of light. The serenity around theke didn''t make it appear as if there was any abnormality hiding within it.

    "Thiske is the reason why this ce is known as ''Laughing Alligator Forest.'' Those beasts we talked about, live in thiske but you won''t be able to see them unless you dive into the water.

    but, they will surelye out of theke water at midnight to greet us" Helia''s voice resounded to the duo as they were approaching theke.

    Shemanded the demon-tail wolf to stop a hundred meters away from theke as Helia andpany dismounted.

    The blonde-haired beauty recalled her mount beast soul in her mind sea as they walked towards a clearing in the forest.

    "We can rest until midnight arrives but after that, we will have to prepare to y thoseughing Alligator beasts thate our way," Helia spoke, bringing out the tent materials to set up her camp.

    N also took out her camping items but when she Saw Rio taking out his that Lia had packed for them, the girl hastily said, "Why are you taking them out? We can share the same one."

    Rio nodded as he stored them back, this was their first time in the wilderness where they would be camping after getting bound by oath as a couple so he wasn''t used to this.

    Last time, Sophia and N were supposed to sleep together although the girl used his leg as a pillow and slept there.

    As the night deepened, the trio had restored their tend in their spatial storage, but N was still sleeping on the boy''s shoulder as she was tired.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Rio had [Life Sutra] that didn''t let him get that much tired so he didn''t feel fatigued like others and Helia was naturally awake since she was used to staying in the wilderness like a savage warrior.

    Moonlight was providing light to the surrounding forest as Helia andpany decided not to use a campfire to shoo away theughing alligator after theye out of the deepke.

    Just as Helia and Rio were lost in their own thought, they heard a strange sounding from the direction of the nearbyke.

    Helia''s eyes lit up as she realized what could it be, Rio was also alerted as he patted N''s back to wake her up.

    "Mmm... Let me sleep, Rio" N mumbled as she was drowned in her sleepiness state.

    When a person slept they normally didn''t realize where they were and thought they are in their own house so the magenta-haired beauty thought the same way but soon as her eyes opened up by the boy''s constant patting, seeing a hushed gesture on Rio''s lip.

    N grasped where she was as she didn''t make any moreints and collected herself to prepare for action.

    Seven dozens meter away, They saw an alligator-like beast with a smiling face, rolling on its back as it hade out of theke. The beast was not right beside theke as it had silently traveled away from theke without anyone noticing however the movement it was making caused others to be alert.

    N and Rio were stunned by the sight, as the loving couple had never seen an alligator behave like this.

    The beast was almost the same as the one from their earth and the only difference was the way it was acting in an amusing way.

    "Let''s get a little closer," Helia instructed as she beckoned them after moving towards it.

    The duo followed in her footsteps, Rio noticed that the alligator''s body was expelling gas, and he mumbled, "It must be theughing gas Lia was talking about."

    Theughing alligator beast waspletely intoxicated by the effect of this gas and seemed to be in a state of pure joy and happiness.

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 Chapter 192 Nylas Innate Skill

    Theughing alligator beast waspletely intoxicated by the effect of this gas and seemed to be in a state of pure joy and happiness.

    "it''s so cute..." N couldn''t help but smile at the sight, as she started to find this beast adorable, gazing at their action.

    "You won''t say the same if you meet this beast in the day. Prepare yourself to kill this beast before it runs into the water again." Helia brought her out from her fairytale as she told her.

    Soon, they noticed moreughing alligatorsing out of theke which was away from this one. Those beasts traveled for a dozen of meters away from the water pool before acting the same way as if they heard a hrious joke and started rolling on their back with smiling faces.

    "N, we will take one-one each," Rio said in a calm voice, as he left the firstughing alligator for his beloved wife and traveled towards another one in the distance.

    The magenta-haired beauty wanted to protest as she knew they basically came to this ce for him so he could unlock his next spell but she saw the boy teleported away from her and was already nearing the beast that was sixty meters away from theughing alligator in front of the girls.

    Rio summoned his silver-blood sword, enchanting it with Thunder as the sharp de buzzed with a cracking sound. His figure disappeared from his ce as he stabbed the intoxicatedughing alligator''s head with his weapon.

    A notification yed in his mind, confirming his sessful strike.

    <<<<

    [ck stage Normal Laughing Alligator killed. Can not absorb the core of the Normal Laughing Alligator to gain ck stats points.]

    >>>>

    As soon as the beast stopped guffawing and rolling around on the ground, a dark liquid flowed out of its body that dyed the ground ck as if the creature''s blood and a blue gas starteding out from its neck, spreading and enveloping Rio''s figure in its embrace.

    ''Ah... It''s theughing gas.''

    It was already toote to avoid the aftereffect of killing the beast as the boy was drowned in a tingling sensation that engulf his arms and legs.

    The felt euphoria rising inside him as he was very light headed but despite all this, he didn''t burst intoughter as Helia described previously.

    A small beast core ofughing alligator beast formed near its corpse, the boy saw it vanishing in thin air as Eve took it shamelessly, knowing it was for her.

    He came out of the blue shade as the boy saw Helia and N looking in his direction and waiting for theughing gas to show its effect that didn''t happen.

    The boy just appeared right beside the girls, using [Devlin''s Movement Technique] which caused them toe out of their surprised state.

    "Does theughing gas no longer works?" Helia mumbled in puzzlement as she saw the boy waspletely normal and unaware of how he was feeling internally.

    Rio just shrugged, thinking inwardly, "If I''m not wrong my spiritual power should be higher than most people since I also have an eye type innate skill just like Wifey."<novelnext></novelnext>

    He had already figured out what could be the reason for him to be able to negate the effect ofughing gas but he was only half correct as The boy forgot his miraculous [Heart Sutra] That kept him calm and managed his unnecessary hormones from going berserk.

    "You should get into action," Helia instructed and indicated N to make a move as she saw her adopted sister was already behind Rio even though she was a ck-stage warrior

    N stepped forward towards the beast as she stood at the center of a clearing, the moon casting a silver glow upon the forest around her.

    With a fierce determination in her eyes, she raised her hand and summoned her beast soul. A long ck spear materialized, the weapon glinting in the moonlight and the sharp tip seeming to glow with an inner light.

    Rio watched calmly but an amazed emotion flickering in his eyes as a swirling yellow fire started dancing around the young maiden, her true power on full disy.

    The zing yellow fire that surrounded N was unlike anything Rio had ever seen before as this looked more terrifying than thest time she used it when they fought the Giant shadow viper fox. It seemed to be alive, responding to her every movement, swirling and pulsing in time with her heartbeat, roaring like a dragon.

    He had long suspected that N''s innate skilly in her control of this special yellow fire, and seeing it in action once again just confirmed his suspicions as the girl was using it even when she reached the ck stage and it was even more spectacr as well as powerful now.

    The weapon she was holding was upgraded from her purple beast soul after she advanced to the next rank as the girl was holding a ck-stage long spear.

    N twirled the spear, the mes following its movements like a living thing. With a fierce cry, she thrust the weapon forward, and the fire surged toward theughing alligator who was rolling on the ground with a smiling face.

    The Alligator burst into mes, the fire spreading quickly and engulfing the body in a raging inferno. A yellow fire was burning its body as the beast was suffering in blistering torture, causing a look of difort and agony spread on its face as it shrieked in pain.

    The beast rolled around to get on its four paws as it red at the girl in front of its body. Its eyes filled with torment and hatred as if the beast wanted to chew the girl alive.

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 Chapter 193 Nylas Power Leveling

    The beast rolled around to get on its four paws as it red at the girl with the ck spear. Its eyes filled with torment and hatred as if theughing alligator wanted to chew the magenta-haired beauty alive.

    However, N didn''t wait and stabbed with her zing spear that pierced the ming beast''s head which let out another cry of pain before closing its eyes.

    <<<<

    [ck stage Normal Laughing Alligator killed. Absorb the core of the Normal Laughing Alligator to gain zero to 1 ck stats points randomly.]

    >>>>

    However, the blue gas that wasing out of the hole on its head started to burn as if it was reacting to the fire and wasbustive.

    N took the core from the ground as she walked back toward her teammates, she said, "It seems theughing gas no longer works."

    Rio was surprised as she saw N''s innate skill was the nemesis ofughing gas, he thought "Helia is gonna be mad at theseughing alligators if she finds out that among four of us, she is the only one who gets affected by this gas."

    The boy was not going to reveal the truth yet as he thought it would be better if the girls find out themselvester.

    Helia felt morefortable realizing theughing gas no longer works as she let down her guard and wasn''t sour like before.

    As the duo fought with theughing alligator the night kept getting darker, this also caused more and more beasts toe out from theke.

    Rio and N were only attacking those that were appearing from the front side. They noticed there were even someughing alligators that came out on the other side of theke, which was the opposite of the ce where they were dispatching the beasts.

    N was required to rest more to recover her mana as she used a lot of it to enhance her innate skill and weapon, along with her bodypared to Rio who only had to enhance his silver bloom king sword. The boy also had the advantage of [Life Sutra] which helped him to recover mana faster than other warriors.

    The number ofughing alligators kept increasing on thend and the death toll also boosted as the night deepened but they didn''t notice any mutated tier beasts.

    "I also have no clue why there is no mutated tier beast in thiske." That was the response of Helia when N asked the blonde-haired beauty.

    They kept repeating the process of resting and killing theughing alligator that escaped from the deepke to their side until the very end but the night was about the end soon.

    The sky was aze with elegant shades of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over the still waters of theke.

    Thend around theke was scattered with the bodies of theughing alligator beasts, their once-smiling faces now frozen in a grimace of pain. The sight was both chilling and haunting, but the three figures'' faces werecking any hint of fear. A putrid smell was surrounding the region which made it hard for them to stay there.

    As they stood and watched, something started to happen that they knew about. The morning sun seemed to grow brighter, casting its warm rays over theke and the surrounding forest.

    The phenomenon of the alligator beasts escaping out of theke stopped as yang energying from the sun aided to reduce theughing gas reaction. The water was still and calm once more as if the beasts had never existed at all.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Rio, N, and Helia stood there for a long moment, taking in the peaceful glimpse of the morning.

    The magenta-haired beauty couldn''t help but feel a sense of sadness at what she had just done, but she also knew what she had done was necessary to protect her loved ones in the future as it boosted her strength to a higher level.

    As they turned to leave theke''s periphery to go back to their camping ce, Rio looked back onest time at theke and the rising sun before following the girls.

    From midnight to sunrise, N was able to kill ten beasts, meanwhile, Rio was able to dispatch twelve. Although the boy was faster at finishingughing alligator but he didn''t want to take all for himself so he left them for the magenta-haired beauty as she was advancing in power.

    Her ck stats points soared to nine from three as eight of the cores provided 0.5 and the remaining two gave one point each.

    After sunrise, the trio dug out arge pit far away from theke and put all the corpses inside so the environment stay habitable for them.

    They set up their tent and had their breakfast before going to sleep.

    Rio guarded first and let Helia and N sleep, when the lioness woke up, the boy went to sleep beside his wife. Magenta-haired beauty slept the most as she was the most tired among the three.

    The next night, N hunted eleven while Rio killed eight which finished his quest given by Eve. But This time it was apparent N had surpassed Rio in strength as she was killing theughing alligator beast without much effort.

    N''s ck stats point reached fifteen from nine as ten of the cores provided 0.5 and the remaining one gave one point.

    It was noon time when Rio and N had already finished their sleep and Helia was resting right now.

    "I am close to reaching the peak level of the ck stage," N mumbled happily as the girl was going to surpass many geniuses in the human world at a very younger age.

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 Chapter 194 Nylas Another Mischievous Plan

    "Today, all the beasts are yours as I''m done with my quest," Rio responded, ruffling her silky hair.

    Helia was sleeping in her tent and The duo was sitting outside beside each other on the ground covered by a purple nket.

    The magenta-haired beauty nodded as she was beaming with joy for bing stronger than her peers. She didn''t think she would be able to power level in one day to reach almost the peak of the ck stage, she was thanking Lia in her heart as this was all her idea since Helia didn''t want toe to this ce.

    N was also delighted because she get to meet Lia and Helia after almost dying once as itpletely changed her tormenting life into a blissful one that the girl always dreamt about.

    The magenta-haired beauty had her Rio beside her and as her husband, she also had two loving sisters and moreover, she was getting stronger because of them.

    Not only they helped her to reach almost the peak level of the ck stage but they even gave her an exalted clover ring which was a treasure on its own.

    The boy continued and said, "Your family will stupefy if they discover your current strength."

    "Yeah, they may take all the credit if I be red stage warrior so I''m just going to keep it secret as long as possible," N said, her voice a little bitter when she thought about her family.

    ? "They will find out in the international tournament that''s going to happen in six months. With your current strength, I doubt anyone will be able to stop you from winning the semi-finale" Rio praised her as he experienced her strength firsthand.

    "Actually, There are four people I have to be cautious of if I reached the international tournament.

    First is Lily Havenglow, I heard she recently break through to the red stage. Second is that mysterious young miss Hazel Cloven, two years ago that girl was in the ck stage.

    Third is Lex Magnus, He was also a purple stage warriorst year when I fought him but he was at the peak stage so he might have reached the ck stage already." N said as she described the possible opponents who may be hurdles for her to win the semi-finals.

    "You didn''t say the fourth one," Rio questioned, as he gazed into her green eyes and a soft smile was present on his calm face.

    "Fourth one is my sweetie," N replied with a lively smile as she wrapped her hands around his neck.

    "Why me?" He asked, scrunching his eyebrows.

    "Because my inner instinct says you may surpass us all. Even when you were at the purple stage you were easily able to kill theseughing alligators. You even wipe out theplete team of Ruben, did you forget that?

    Imagine what would happen when you reach the ck stage. I don''t think anyone would be able to stop my sweetie." N pecked his cheeks, saying those words.

    She continued, cing her head on his chest as she could hear his heartbeat, "I hope we don''t be each other''s opponent in the international tournament."

    "That''s not possible," Rio responded.

    "Don''t jinx it." N retaliated with puffed cheeks.

    "That''s not possible because either of us won''t be defeated unless we meet each other, so we may either meet in the quarter-finals, in the semi-finals or maybe in the finals. So it''s hard to avoid each other and pray that we don''t be one another''s opponent." The boy told her the reason why as he kissed her forehead.

    N didn''t say anything as she was fabricating a mischievous n in her mind that she was going to pull off in the international tournament if they really met.

    The magenta-haired beauty went to rest in her tent as Rio told her she should take a nap to prepare for the night as N had to fight again and needed to be in her best condition. He was going to look after both girls while they were taking their beauty sleep.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As both girls were resting in their own beds inside the tents, Rio stood up and went to examine the surrounding as they were going to leave tomorrow morning so he decided to take a tour.

    As Rio approached theke, he started to inspect all the nts growing near the water''s edge using his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [Name: Reed nt]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ This tall, spindly nt has long, slender leaves that sway gently in the breeze. Its leaves are a vibrant green and glimmer in the light. The nt is known for its ability to purify water and is often used to make clean drinking water for travelers and survivalists.

    [Name: Wild Rose Shrub]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ This low-lying shrub has broad leaves that are covered in soft, downy fur. Its branches are dotted with clusters of small, delicate flowers that give off a sweet scent. The nt ismonly used to treat a variety of ailments, and its petals can be used to make a fragrant tea.

    >>>>

    Rio sighed as he realized these nts weren''t as extraordinary as the golden berries. This wasmon to ur as precious treasure herbs wouldn''t appear every day when he went out on an adventure with beauties.

    He decided to return and started walking back but then he halted his footsteps and turned around to gaze at the deepke suspiciously.

    ''There must be a reason behind thiske that causes the alligators to guffaw abnormally, Only if I could dive deeper into the water I may find the answer to this puzzle.''

    He was gazing at theke water as he wanted to discover the secret about the reason these beasts acted weirdly. In the end, he casually cast his [Heaven''s Eyes] on theke water to inspect its description.

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 Chapter 195 Babys Tears Longevity Plant

    He was gazing at theke water as he wanted to discover the secret about the reason these beasts acted weirdly. In the end, he casually cast his [Heaven''s Eyes] on theke water to inspect its description.

    <<<<

    [Name: Infused Lake Water]

    [Type: Consumable]

    ~ This shimmering body of water appears to be calm and still, but upon closer inspection, one can detect strange energy in its depths.

    The water has been affected by a mysterious nt that enhances the yin energy in theke, making it intoxicating to anyone who drinks it. This leads to fits ofughter as the yang energy is temporarily depleted, but the effects are temporary and harmless.

    Despite its whimsical nature, this nt is actually a miracle. It produces fruit once a month that has the power to enhance longevity and keep those who consume it forever young.

    >>>>

    ''Found it.''

    Reading the description of the water, he finally caught the culprit of this ce as he was amazed inwardly which didn''t show on his face.

    The boy thought, "I will need to dive into the water in order to find this nt, But if I tell Helia and N they will get unnecessarily worried. I will have to keep it secret until I make it."

    He made his strategy to get the longevity nt and talked to Eve using telepathy.

    "Partner, treasures are scattered at most ces in the corruptednd either with less potent or more but others cannot recognize their advantages so your innate eyes are a blessing that let you discover them." The girl started telling him about his innate skill.

    "Let''s get to the main topic and talk about our strategy." He said as the girl was diverting to his innate skill which he already knew about.

    "Yeah... The best time is most likely if you dive into theke when it''s midnight as the alligator beast will start toe out and they wouldn''t be in their right state to attack you.

    If you want me to dig the nt out for you and keep it in my wonderous forest realm you will have to locate it first. And I sense a strong entity that''s protecting it but even if it attacks, Helia might be able to handle it but you and N will have to stay out of the battle." Eve exined the n that she thought may work better.

    "Any suggestion about the overflowing ofughing gas if I enter." He asked as he was gazing at the infused water with its intoxicating effect.

    "You can seal your ears and nose, just block them using your mana. Your [Heaven''s Eyes] should be enough as long as you don''t let the water get into your body you won''t have to worry about its effect.

    Moreover, It''s not like that gas can do much to you, Partner but still you should be wary because we don''t know how much you can resist the amount of its effectiveness after getting into the water at midnight." The Elven Monarch beast said as she had previously seen him not getting affected by the water.

    "Okay, I will prepare then." The boy walked back towards the tent as he needed to get ready for the grand n.

    As night fell, N andpany were a few dozen meters away from the edge of theke, the magenta-haired beauty was ready to y moreughing alligator beasts that might start emerging from the water.

    Suddenly, Helia spotted movement in the water, and turned to N, she said, "It''s starting. Get ready."

    "Yes, Big sister." N nodded.

    Theughing alligator beast started to emerge from the depths, its smiling face shone in the moonlight as it dragged its body out of the water and trudged several meters away before rolling on its back.

    The girl''s eyes lit up as the moment hade for her to power level once again. N summoned her ck spear as she sprang into action. This time her agility and strength were at a greater level than the first time she arrived here.

    Helia watched from the sidelines, admiring N''s innate yellow fire skill and its grace that was swirling around the girl, dancing with radiance and beauty which matched the Magenta-haired beauty.

    However, her eyebrows scrunched as she realized that the crimson-haired boy was nowhere to be seen. She looked around, but there was no sign of the young boy.

    "Ah... How can he be so irresponsible." She started to get worried as she couldn''t find him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    When the girls were busy withughing alligator beast, Rio had scurried away quietly to the far away of their side, It took him some time but he needed to make sure they wouldn''t stop him.

    The boy used his mana to seal his skin pores, nose, and ears which might cause the water to get into his body before diving into theke.

    As Rio swam deeper into theke, he noticed theughing alligator was escaping from the water. He decided to inspect them using his [Heaven''s Eyes] as he didn''t do so previously, thinking this might help him get some clue.

    <<<<

    [Name: Normal Alligator]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: ck Stage]

    [MANA: 1500]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 115]

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 5]

    [Beast Soul: Armor]

    [Intoxicated by the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt]

    >>>>

    ''So, that''s the nt''s name.''

    The boy didn''t get to discover much except the name of flora and what beast soul N may have farmed so far.

    When he reached deeper into theke, he was able to see a strange silver light flickering in the distance. The boy was curious as he swam towards it, his heart was filled with excitement and little apprehension but he kept his calm.

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 Chapter 196 Lord Alligator

    When he reached deeper into theke, he was able to see a strange silver light flickering in the distance. The boy was curious as he swam towards it, his heart was filled with excitement and little apprehension but he kept his calm.

    As he got closer to the silver light, he discovered that it wasing from a small nt that was growing near the bottom of theke.

    He used his [Heaven''s Eyes] to confirm if this was the intoxicating nt behind the strangeke andughing alligator.

    <<<<

    [Name: Baby''s Tears Longevity nt]

    [Type: Flora]

    ~ The Baby''s Tears Longevity nt: This beautiful nt is surrounded by a shimmering body of water that appears to be calm and still, but upon closer inspection, one can detect strange energy in its depths. This energy is the result of the nt''s presence, which enhances the yin energy in the water and makes it intoxicating to anyone who drinks it.

    This leads to fits ofughter as the yang energy is temporarily depleted, but the effects are temporary and harmless. Despite its whimsical nature, the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt is actually a true miracle. It produces fruit once a month that has the power to enhance longevity and keep those who consume it forever young.

    Not only does the fruit enhance longevity, but it also helps to boost a person''s beauty, keeping them looking youthful and vibrant for years toe. Thisbination of powers makes the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt''s fruit a highly sought-after treasure by women seeking to live a long life without aging.

    >>>>

    ''Did not expect to find it easily, good that it''s radiating with silver light or I would''ve had to spend a lot of time searching for this little imp in thisrgeke.''

    The boy didn''t require much effort to find the flora which was causing theke and alligator to act this way in the absence of Sunlight.

    Just as he went closer to the gleaming Baby''s Tears Longevity nt he halted advancing as his happiness was short-lived and realized that there was a massive alligator beast guarding the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt. The beast was sleeping, but Rio could sense that it was powerful and dangerous.

    ''This must be the strong entity Eve talked about.''

    The boy used his [Heaven''s Eyes] to examine the beast''s status without getting closer.

    <<<<

    [Name: Lord Alligator]

    [Race: Beast]

    [Core: ck Stage]

    [MANA: 3000]

    [Physical Power: 20 + 190]

    [Innate stats: 20]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 20]

    [Beast Soul: Armor]

    [Lord''s Aura: Boosts Total Physical Power by 50%]

    [Intoxicated by the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt (+50% Resistance to this effect)]

    >>>><novelnext></novelnext>

    ''Another Lord Beast? Did I get cursed by Lucas'' bad luck?''

    Rio first thought the beast would be most at the king tier ck stage but he was surprised to find another lord beast.

    Its total physical power after getting boosted by the lord''s aura was around 305 which was enough to crush him and N even if they joined together to fight this beast.

    "Eve, is it really worth taking this nt? isn''t this too risky?" He asked the elven monarch beast who was watching him from her wonderous forest realm.

    The boy didn''t want to put N''s life in danger carelessly so he confirmed with her before making any move.

    "The beast is intoxicated by the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt so it won''t wake up unless the longevity nt is gone. You will have enough time to go out of the water if you use all your skills.

    That Lioness of yours is stronger than this beast so don''t worry about getting hurt. Worst case scenario, this lovelydy will save you." Sheforted him as she was also interested in this nt.

    Girls usually wanted to look prettier and never age, so this nt''s benefit of boosting their youthful appearance and stopping the aging when they consumed the fruit was enticing, Eve didn''t mind stepping up and offering her help to make sure of his safety.

    Even if Rio was going to get this Baby''s Tears Longevity nt, it was still going to be kept in her forest wonderous realm so this was a win-win situation for her.

    The boy asked, "Can''t you dig it out from here?"

    "You need to go a few meters closer, when it''s in my possible range I will store it in my wonderous forest realm. and You don''t have to ask." Her delighted voice sounded in his mind.

    He circted his mana as he was preparing to go towards it and then run away.

    Rio swam further in the direction of the beast and the longevity nt, his speed was slower as he didn''t want to go more than the distance she required to take it.

    After traveling for fifteen meters, he saw a light enveloping it as the nt disappeared.

    Without any hesitation, he turned around and swam toward the surface of the water.

    Just as He was about toe out to theke he felt a cold sensation enveloping his body.

    Suddenly, the sleeping beast stirred, and opened its eyes, opening its jaws wide, letting out an imposing roar that echoed across theke.

    The beast had already sent his senses to catch the boy''s location even before it made a move.

    Helia and N, who were busy with theughing alligator''s beast at the side of theke, heard the terrifying howl as they both became cautious.

    Earlier, The blonde-haired beauty didn''t inform N that Rio was missing as the lively girl was busy ughtering theughing alligators that wereing out of theke.

    Rio quickly came out of the water as he could feel the beast''s murderous re on his back and its imposing aura suppressing him.

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 Chapter 197 Helia Battling The Lord Beast

    Rio hastily came out of the water as he could feel the beast''s murderous re on his back and its imposing aura suppressing him.

    Beast''s roar turned into a howl of anger as it started chasing after Rio, determined to get back what it considered to be its property.

    Helia''s heart sank as she saw a crimson-haired figureing out of theke, and a lord beast''s aura that was right behind him.

    She didn''t waste any time thinking, Her figure gleamed in blue, buzzing with thunder as she enchanted her body, and kicked the ground beneath her foot, disappearing from behind N.

    The Magenta-haired beauty realized the sound hade from within the deepke but when she saw Rio escaping from the water, her face darkened, "Not Good."

    Before she could rush to save him, Rio''s figure vanished from his ce as he appeared right next to her, wrapping his hands around her curvaceous waist before carrying her forcefully to run away from the location.

    N was surprised by the turn of events, she was supposed to be saving the boy but he was currently sprinting away from the uing danger while holding her like a baby, cradling her in his arms.

    Rio was escaping away from the danger as he knew what this lord beast could do, enchanting his body with thunder to shoot out like an arrow far in the distance.

    As the massive body of the beast emerged from the depth of the water, it felt an icy shiver all over its body that inform it about the danger. Instantly the lord Alligator used its armor skill and covered the body with shiny scales.

    A glowing blue figure that was buzzing like thunder shot towards the beast at an incredible speed with a long weapon in her hand. Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind as she met with the massive beast before it could chase after its prey.

    Helia was undaunted, her body and sword enchanted with the power of thunder. The sword, the Roaring Protector, glowed with a bright blue light, cracking with thunder as she held it aloft to strike the lord alligator right away.

    As she collided with the beast''s armored body with her long-charged thunder skill and powerful momentum, a terrifying booming sound resounded, causing a shockwave to take over the forest.

    *Boom!*

    Resounding rumbling reverberated in the distance as Rio and N heard the exploding sound.

    *nk!* *nk!* *nk!*

    The booming sound was followed by a nking sound, he turned around to see while carrying N in his arms.

    The magenta-haired beauty didn''t resist as she could see her man was saving her from danger and didn''t want her to go face it. She trusted his decision and didn''t act foolishly to struggle free from his clutches.

    When Rio turned around, N was also able to see what was happening in the distance, and both of their eyes weed the magnificent sight.

    A blonde-haired beauty with her Roaring Protector sword, which she never had used before when they were with her, fighting a massive alligator in the distance.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The Lord Alligator stood over seven feet tall, its body was massive and covered in thick, ck scales that shone in the moonlight. Its jaws were wide open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that could crush anything in its path. Its eyes were a zing red, and as it roared, steam rose from its nostrils.

    Despite its appearance as a typical alligator, its size was truly intimidating as It was a true giant. However, the lord beast was still getting suppressed by the opponent who was shing with it.

    Helia''s figure was so fast-moving that it was almost hard to see her. The beast''s defense was hard to break but her constant attack was causing wounds to appear on the lord alligator''s body.

    Rio sighed in relief as he saw the girl was able to take the lord beast head-on and was actually not losing. He thought If Helia was a weaker red stage beast then she may have lost to it but as per Eve The blonde-haired beauty was stronger than this lord alligator so it wasn''t an issue anymore as he witnessed her power firsthand right in front of his eyes.

    The beast could feel its armor getting creases all over the surface as the force behind''s its enemy was too powerful. With an annoyed shriek, the beast lunged forward, its massive jaws open wide, ready to crush its enemy.

    Helia was ready, with a powerful yell, she swung her sword, striking the beast with a st of thunder, sending the beast dozens of meters away.

    The beast groaned in pain, as its body got thrashed away to the ground, making the ground vibrate by the impact, leaving a long trail as it got swept on the ground by the motion of inertia.

    The beast was frustrated as it rolled around to get on its four paws, lunging forward once again, its massive ws shing through the air.

    But the blonde-haired beauty was quick, dodging and weaving as she struck again and again with her sword. Her figure was incredibly fast for the beast to see as she dodged and attacked with another thunder-infused strike.

    She shed with the lord alligator twenty times in ten seconds, leaving the beast in a daze as the girl was hard to track.

    The battle was intense, each blow from Helia''s sword sending the beast back a few meters back, but it was relentless, its massive jaws snapping at her, its ws raking the ground.

    But Helia still had the upper hand, her body and sword enchanted with the power of thunder, and she fought with all her might as she knew she can not hold back against this enemy even if it was a ck-stage beast.

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 Chapter 198 Laughing Beauties

    Most lord beasts were known for the terror-stricken truth that they could kill one level higher opponents than themselves with their lord''s aura. However, this lord alligator was unfortunate to meet Helia who was the wielder of the roaring protector and a peak red stage warrior.

    The Lord Alligator Beast was strong, but Helia was determined to ughter it otherwise the beast may go after the two of her teammates who were watching her from the distance.

    With each passing moment, her strong grip on the sword, she made more wounds on the lord beast''s body, her body buzzing with the energy of the thunder. She fought with all her strength, her body glowing blue as she kept shing the beast.

    The fight between asura and beast was fierce, each strike from the blonde-haired beauty''s sword sending shockwaves through the air, each roar from the beast shaking the ground.

    In the end, with a mighty roar of her thunder-infused strike, she drove her sword into the head of the beast, sending it crashing to the ground.

    The lord alligator let out a painful groan as its body copsed on the ground and gradually its red eyes shut tight. The beast had stopped moving after itsst struggle as it was dead.

    The Lord alligator had beenpletely crushed by Helia''s mighty strength and her Roaring Protector sword, as the blonde-haired beauty thrashed the beast to the death.

    Helia stood over the defeated Lord Alligator that was bleeding heavily from the fatal wound she had inflicted. The blonde-haired beauty''s Roaring Protector Sword was still in her hand and the body stopped glowing with thunder.

    The girl''s plumpy bosom was rising up and down as she was heavily breathing and panting.

    Previously, She didn''t even take a moment to rx as she waspletely focusing on the beast to ughter it as soon as possible.

    As she stood there, N struggled free from Rio''s grasp and ran towards her sister who was looking tired and covered in the beast''s blood. The blonde-haired beauty''s appearance looked messy as she had fought a hard battle just now.

    Helia sheathed her sword, the Roaring Protector, and turned to only be met by the sight of Ning towards her.

    "Sister Helia, are you alright?" She asked worriedly as the girl approached her.

    Helia nodded, her gaze moved to Rio who didn''te to ask for her, and showed any concern that made her feel sour.

    Soon, she got to discover why the boy didn''te along with N, the girl noticed something strange happening. The body of the Lord Alligator was expelling a bright blue gas, and before she could even react, the gas had enveloped both girls.

    N and Helia were caught off guard as the gas filled their lungs. A sensation of euphoria and tickling in their arms and legs started.

    *Heh heh..."

    "tee hee..."

    "Hahaha...."

    Rio who was standing dozens of meters away heard the resoundingughing and giggling of two girls.

    The boy knew that the beast lived at the depth of theke and was able to resist theke''s strange effect. He didn''t warn Helia or stopped N as he knew from the description it was only aughing gas and won''t harm them.

    N and Helia werepletely overtaken by the gas, unable to control themselves. The world around them was a blur as theyughed, unable to even stand up straight.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The blue gas was like a vortex, pulling them in, and making themugh even harder. It was as if their bodies were no longer their own.

    Theughter was relentless, and N and Helia were powerless against it. They had be its victims, unable to stopughing even if they wanted to.

    ''I need to take them away from that endless blue smoke or they will grumbleter for not helping them.''

    Soon, Rio vanished from his spot as he streaked toward the blue smoke to rescue them from theughing gas periphery.

    His glowing blue figure appeared into the gas, as he hold both of them in one arm, stopping his breathing and taking them away from the spot.

    He escaped a hundred meters away with two beauties in each arm who were stillughing and gasping for air.

    The Lord Alligator''s bodyy motionless on the ground, but its legacy lived on through theughing gas. Two shiny objects were glittering in the moonlight which were the mystic egg and the lord beast''s core.

    He used his wonderous forest realm space spell to store both the beast''s core and mystic egg.

    The girls were still giggling as they tried to catch their breath,pletely overwhelmed by the strange blue gas.

    Rio turned around as he carried them both by their waist away from theke''s periphery. He was aware they no longer needed to stay at this ce as the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt was taken away and theke would stop showing its strange effect.

    After traveling for a mile away from theke, he stopped in front of a long tree and helped Helia and N who were still giggling andughing to sit on the ground. The blue gas had badly affected them both.

    He took out his bedding as well as mattress and set it near the tree''s trunk, Helia and N stumbled towards Rio, still giggling from the effects of theughing gas.

    They both attempted to hug him at the same time but instead ended up copsing onto the bedding near the trunk of the tree.

    Rio pulled them closer and helped them to lie perfectly on thefy bed that he set up.

    Their cheeks were rosy from the gas and their eyes shone with joy as they were both giggling and gasping for air.

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 Chapter 199 Helias Hidden Emotions

    After twenty minutes, theughter slowly faded as the effects of theughing gas reduced, and their faces looked as if they were intoxicated by the alcoholic drugs.

    When they calm down fromughing and giggling, the girls'' gaze moved to Rio who was sitting between them.

    N used the trunk of the tree to get up and ced her head on his left shoulder.

    "Sweee....tieeee..." Her cherry-red lips escaped a word that she dragged toplete as she sounded drunk.

    Rio supported her using his left hand and patted her back lightly, the boy was aware of her intoxicated state.

    The blue gas from theke not only forced them to giggle andugh but also made the girls high. It was going to take some time before they be normal as they came out of their constantughter after a while.

    "Sweetiiiii... Why everything is floating" N said in aggard voice and her tone was filled with amusement.

    "It''s not floating N, You just need to rest. Close your eyes and try sleeping. Everything will get normal as you take some nap." He said in a calm voice, convincing her to sleep.

    "No... I don''t wanna sleep. I want my sweetie" The girl said in a lively manner as she wrapped her hands around his neck and snuggled into him.

    Soon, the boy felt his other hand getting pulled towards the right side. His eyes noticed it was the blonde-haired beauty who was using his hand as support to get up as she seeded.

    "you A$hol3... I hate you" Helia cursed him, her head wobbling as the girl was looking at him with heavy eyes.

    "Don''t curse my sweetie..." N''s grumpy voice sounded as she was retaliating against hearing bad about Rio.

    "but He is an idiot... What would I tell Lia, the empress of Asuras...The mighty race... if something happened to this foolish guy... How dare... he didn''t tell us anything before jumping into theke... I wanna beat him..."

    Helia spoke with a staggering tone as she berated Rio for his previous action at theke. She was mad at him because he didn''t tell them anything about his n to jump into the water.

    "Sister... If you.... touch him then I kick lioness..." N answered with puffed cheeks and red at her, using her nickname to warn her.

    "I can''t beat... him. This idiot would hate me more if I repeat the same mistake..." Helia said, her voice flowing with heavy emotions.

    "You two should rest... We can talkter... Try sleeping." Rio said in an affection-filled tone and tried to persuade them as they were both high.

    "Shut up..." Helia said, as she blinked her eyes heavily in a sluggish manner, gazing towards him.

    Rio didn''t say anything as he watched the intoxicated Lioness who was letting her heart content out.

    N separated herself from Rio and made a gesture of zipping her lips with her index and thumb finger, giving a smiling look to Rio, "Yess... Shut up... "

    *Sob!* *Sob!* *Sob!*

    Tears starteding from Helia''s eyes as the girl was weeping all of a sudden.

    "Sister, why are your eyes water...inggg?" N looked at the blonde-haired beauty in puzzlement and asked in a sad voice.

    "He always does this to me... I tortured him, I stabbed him, I cursed him, I was punishing him for being a human and he was still nice to me. He carried me in that hellish desert. He didn''t give up on me.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He makes me hate myself. Why can not he act like a normal person? why doesn''t he tell Lia and make her dislike me for what I have done to him... Booohooo..." The girl started crying like a little baby as sheined.

    "Ah..." Rio sighed looking at her as he was helpless, thinking about how would he stop her from crying.

    N said, "Don''t cry, Lioness sister."

    Helia''s eyes kept tearing up as she said, "I wanted to marry the same man as Lia and she promised me she would let me but I am ashamed to ept you as a husband because I know you hate me... Waaaaaaa..."

    The bawling of the blonde-haired beauty continued, and streaks of tears kept falling down her red eyes and made a wet trail on her rosy cheeks.

    Rio was bbergasted to hear her statements as she told him about Lia''s childhood promise which was kept a secret until now from the boy.

    His eyes were flickering with astonishment but he kept his calm and didn''t show it on his face.

    As Helia was crying, N''s body copsed on the bed and she fell asleep.

    The intoxicated blue gas had made her so high that it was hard for her to stay awake. She was tired fromughing and giggling so it didn''t take her long to go into slumber.

    Helia kept weeping and Rio was allowing her to cry as she was letting her hidden emotione out which was good for her but her bawling increased as time passed.

    ''Ah...''

    In the end, He sighed heavily as the helpless Rio pulled her into his embrace and caressed her back to make her calm down.

    The boy could feel his shirt getting wet as tears kept falling from her eyes and they were getting absorbed by his shirt and making it soaked.

    He also felt her plumpy rounded chest that was getting crushed on his skin and a fragrance of jasmine enveloping his senses as he was hugging her.

    Rio remembered the first time Helia hugged him thinking he was Leon, when he used [Ancient Disguise] spell to look simr to her, to let others think he was her younger brother.

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 Chapter 200 Helias Complain

    He felt bad for the girl even though she didn''t treat him well at the start. But He knew why she hated him, it was because she had a mental trauma from her childhood about her brother who died at the hands of humans.

    He kept caressing her back as the girl was shaking and crying uncontrobly, the intoxicated gas effect was causing her to let all her guilt and sorrow escape without any barrier.

    As time passed, her crying reduced as she was getting tired and her delicate heart felt lighter, The blonde-haired beauty fell asleep in his warm embrace.

    Rio ced Helia carefully beside N on the bed and moved away from his middle seat which was between them. He took out two pillows to put their head on it and brought a nket to cover their body.

    The girls slept peacefully, not aware of the outside as Rio stayed awake standing a few meters away from them and guarding them.

    He gazed at the Magenta-haired beauty and used [Heaven''s Eyes] innate skill to inspect her.

    <<<<

    [User: N Mailon]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: A]

    [Root: ck]

    [MANA: 1000]

    [Physical Power: 15 + 170]

    [Innate stats: 15]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 18]

    >>>>

    ''N made so much progress in three nights of farming, she is almost close to reaching the red stage. If I didn''t go for that Baby''s Tears Longevity nt then she may have reached the red stage tonight.

    But it shouldn''t be hard killing a few more ck-stage beasts at her current level and I believe she will be happy receiving one of the fruits from the Longevity nt in the future.''

    Rio thought inwardly as he read her profile stats, she was only missing two more ck-stage points to reach the red stage which made her insanely stronger than most ck-stage warriors.

    She was only a peak-level purple stage warrior a few weeks ago but now with the help of her sisters, she progressed like crazy and was close to reaching the red stage.

    "Eve, give me the purple lord core of giant shadow viper fox," He asked, thinking to increase his strength as well.

    His current stats were a lot lower than N and he didn''t want to be a burden to her in thepetition. He needed his own strength to face other teams that came on his way of iming victory.

    The Elven monarch beast sent the palm size purple core as it appeared in his palm that he spread to take it.

    He circted his mana and sent it into the lord beast''s core which dissolved to enter his body, making him feel stronger than before.

    A notification rang in his mind as he absorbed the giant shadow viper fox core.

    <<<<

    [Core of Purple-stage Lord Giant Shadow Viper Fox absorbed. 11 Purple Stats points gained.]

    >>>>

    Hearing the message, his heart became delighted as he was a step closer to the next stage. The boy never expected the lord beast would give him such massive purple stats boost.

    With a faint smile, he opened his profile to check his updated stats.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]<novelnext></novelnext>

    [Innate Rank: S]

    [Root: Purple Stage]

    [Core: Purple Stage]

    [MANA: 200+200]

    [Physical Power: 15+123] (+20% Devlin Might)

    [Innate stats: 10+5]

    [White: 10+10]

    [Yellow: 20+20]

    [Purple: 11+10]

    >>>>

    ''N''s total physical power is 185 while I''m at 165 with the help of Devlin might. This should be good enough for now.''

    He closed his profile and sat near the trunk of the tree and waited for the night to end.

    The eastern sky was colored with a shade of orange as the morning arrived, drowning the forest below with sunlight.

    Helia''s eyes shook as they fluttered open, she rubbed her temple, scrunching her eyes.

    She looked around and found herself in the middle of the forest, lying on thefortable bedding beside N.

    Helia noticed the crimson-haired boy was a few meters away sitting on the ground, gazing in her direction.

    "What happened to us?" She questioned in puzzlement, not able to recall what happened earlier.

    "You don''t remember anything?" He asked in a surprised tone.

    "I fought with that beast. Then N and I wereughing but I don''t remember what happened after that and My head is hurting... Arghh...." She spoke and held her temple, groaning in pain as her forehead was aching.

    The girl had forgotten most of the things that had happened after she was affected by the blue gas.

    "After that, I took you both here and waited for the two of you to wake up." He responded with a faint smile and didn''t tell her the whole truth.

    Helia nodded but she looked puzzled as she was trying to think and didn''t remember anything that he mentioned.

    "Why did you not tell us beforehand that you are going to go into the water?" Helia grumbled as she asked the boy, ring at him as if he had wronged her.

    "Would you girls let me go into theke, knowing there was a lord beast protecting a treasure that''s causing all those incidents around theke and was the main reason forughing alligator beast?" Rio asked.

    "But It could''ve killed you," Heliained, rising her tone.

    "That treasure''s name is Baby''s Tears Longevity nt. It grows a fruit once a month which increases a person''s age by hundred years and also their beauty. Just think about it, we can all live longer using this Longevity fruit and you will have more opportunities to bicker with me." The boy told her about the benefit of the treasure in a sarcastic manner.

    "What''s the use of that treasure if it endangers your life?" The girl asked in a fierce tone.

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 Chapter 201 Lias Evil Threat To Rio

    "Even if I die this will only benefit you so why are you worrying about this problem?" Rio asked as a mysterious glint flickered in his eyes.

    The boy wanted to see her reaction after discovering her true emotion previously when she mentioned she thinks he hates him.

    "Because you''re Lia''s Husband and I can''t see her sad," Helia said but her voice was shaking, revealing she wasn''t being totally honest.

    Rio sighed as he saw how the girl didn''t want to show she was concerned about him. It was better for him if she didn''t want to face these emotions. The boy believed there was still a barrier between them which made it hard for them to ever have romantic chemistry.

    He didn''t stick to the same topic any longer and spoke, "I knew you could handle the lord beast so I took the risk, trusting in your strength. If it was really dangerous and that perilous to put N''s and Your life in any threat I wouldn''t have tried it. Also, I wanted this longevity nt for my wives."

    ''Your Life...''

    Helia became silent at his sweet response which was showing he cared about her and the girl didn''t continue to argue with him.

    An hourter, N''s eyes fluttered open as she found herselfying on the bedding, in an open sky. She felt as if someone had hit her in the head as herziness flew away.

    "Argh..." Holding her head, she groaned in pain.

    "Your heads aching too?" Rio questioned, sitting near the tree trunk on her left side.

    "Yes, How do you know?" N spoke, scrunching her face, and asked in puzzlement.

    The boy indicated to her other side and the girl''s head turned to the right side as she saw Helia lying beside her and resting peacefully.

    "What happened to us? I don''t remember much." The Magenta-haired beauty said as she didn''t have her memories from intoxicated stats either.

    Rio narrated the same half-truth he told to Helia and told her how she ended up here.

    "When do you wanna return?" He asked, gazing at the blue sky.

    "I don''t wanna travel with this headache," N said with puffed-up cheeks as the intoxication from earlier left a tormenting aftereffect.

    "Let''s rest for a day here then we will return back." The duo heard the blonde-haired beauty''s voice chiming in between their conversation.

    Helia was pretending to sleep, avoiding Rio and resting at the same time but when she noticed N was awake she decided to wake up.

    "Alright." Rio nodded.

    After resting for a day, they prepared to return back to their home to the castle. On the way, they didn''t rest much and rode the demon-tail wolf to go back to their shelter at Requiem Isle.

    On the Ninth day after they left for the Laughing alligator beast, they finally entered the Empress Vi.

    It was Noon and Lia wasn''t present, Trio went to their respective rooms to clean up. N wanted to bring Rio along with her but he went into his old bedroom to take a shower in order to avoid her berserk shameless mode.

    Thirty minutester, he wasying on N''s bed as he went to sleep, hugging the magenta-haired beauty in a warm embrace.

    They barely slept on their journey back to the castle as they were hurried to return to their home.<novelnext></novelnext>

    In the evening, His eyelids shook and opened, turning to notice that N wasn''t present on the bed.

    He washed his face before going towards Helia''s room from where he sensed Lia''s presence, The Asura Empress had returned.

    As the girls heard the footsteps, They turned around in the direction of Rio, and all of their hearts brightened seeing him enter the room.

    Helia and Lia were sitting on one sofa and N was alone on the opposite, giving him a lively smile.

    Rio walked and took his seat beside N, he gazed at Lia before saying, "We have three days left before the tournament starts."

    "What are you going to do in these three days?" Lia asked, her scarlet eyes expectantly looking at him.

    "I have some ns, I would rather keep secret." He mumbled, trying to tease her beloved wife.

    "Okay, I also have some ns for the night too when youe to sleep," Lia said in a threatening tone. She wasn''t going to let him bully her but rather take the reign and teach him a lesson.

    "Hey, I was thinking I would rather sleep in N''s room today," Rio spoke casually, Knowing what ns Lia had. She was definitely going to give him painful bites for making ns without her and keeping it secret from her.

    "Then N shall also witness this today. I am also inviting Helia so she could learn some skills for a brighter future," Lia said, an evil and mischievous glint shing in her scarlet eyes.

    ''Now when she mentioned the Lioness, it makes more sense. No wonder she sold me out to her sister in her childhood.''

    Rio sighed inwardly, thinking his wife wanted to train Helia too for her future endeavor to bully him as a wife which might never happen, given their current half-sour rtionship.

    "You''re no good, teaching these kids bad things." Rio shook his head, acting as how bad an influence she was on these girls.

    "Hey, Whom are you calling kids?" Helia asked in a grumbling tone, her old fierceness had returned.

    "If you''re going to join her in her teaching to Bully this virtuous gentleman then I''m calling you a kid too," Rio said as he didn''t falter from his statement.

    Looking at Lioness, The boy remembered something and asked in his thought, "Eve, Can you give me the fruit that''s grown on Baby''s Tears Longevity nt."

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 Chapter 202 A Surprise For The Lioness

    "Can''t I have the first one, please partner." The elven monarch beast requested via telepathy.

    "Nah, you can have the fifth one," Rio said, already deciding the order he would share them.

    "Why fifth? There are only three girls here." Eve asked in puzzlement.

    "One belongs to La." He responded, believing he would find her soon.

    "It''s good to be positive but... Nevermind. I will just wait." She said in an enigmatic manner, she seemed to know something but didn''t reveal it to the boy.

    Soon, a fruit, which was a small thumb-sized rounded orb, appeared in his palm. It was in a vibrant shade of deep purple, almost resembling an amethyst gemstone. The fruit''s skin was smooth and glossy, shimmering with a faint iridescence.

    As Rio held it in his hand, he could feel a soft healing warmth emanating from the fruit.

    "Here, this is for you," The boy handed the fruit to Helia, who was sitting opposite side of him on the couch.

    "What is this?" She asked, raising her brows and taking the fruit from his hand.

    "Baby''s Tears Longevity Fruit, for which I swam into theke. The reason why theke was acting strange. This fruit helps you look younger and beautify the person who eats but the nt only produces one fruit a month." Rio spoke and told the three girls.

    Lia touched the orb like purple fruit in Helia''s hand and caressed its surface.

    ''I can feel massive healing energy within this fruit.''

    The girl was happy in her heart as she was thinking about how Rio decided to give this Baby''s Tears Longevity fruit to her sister first while he had two wives.

    However, this was also the question in everyone''s mind, but the one who was most perplexed was the receiver herself.

    "Why are you giving it to me and not to Lia or N?" Helia asked, her heart pounding thinking how he was prioritizing her above them.

    She remembered how he risked his life in order to retrieve this fruit with a beautifying effect. Even if she was there to save him from the lord beast it was still too perilous for his life, just one attack from that lord alligator beast was enough to crush him.

    "Because Snatching this nt under lord''s beast nose was only possible because of you. I let the mighty lioness suffer in theughing gas, knowing she hates it." Rio said, revealing his intentions.

    The boy said those words but he intentionally let them get affected by that blue smoke as he wanted her tough since she always stayed grumpy and rarely opened up. He knew about her sad past so he let her suffer in theughing gas and giggle like a normal person.

    "Keep it Helia, don''t refuse..." Lia supported Rio''s statement as she was happy about the turn of events.

    Helia stopped her protesting and epted the Baby''s Tears Longevity fruit.

    "Rio said it beautifies the appearance of one who eats it. Sister Helia, you should try it now and let us see it." N asked as she wanted to see the effect of the miraculous fruit. She was well aware of the fact Rio would give her next or the one after Lia so the girl was curious.

    Helia took a nce at Rio and then at her beloved sister who nodded with her eyes to do it. The girl raised her palm to lead it to her mouth, putting the fruit inside.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was simr to other magical fruit, the moment it mixed with her saliva the flesh of the orb dissolved and expelled a purple light that traveled into her body.

    Helia closed her eyes as she felt a strange sensation rushing through her veins. She could feel the energy of the fruit pulsing through her body as if awakening every cell within her, smiling in joy.

    Her skin tingled with a newfound vitality, and she felt a renewed sense of strength and vigor.

    Opening her eyes, she looked down at her hands, and to her surprise, she saw that they were glowing with a soft, radiant light.

    The light shimmered and danced across her skin, illuminating every line and curve of her body. They died down but the lightning in her skin remain, making her look prettier as if they were baby''s skin.

    Her hair seemed to glow as if she hade out of a beauty parlor dyeing her hair, as it became a brilliant blonde shade.

    Her red eyes sparkled like gems, and her lips glowed with a soft, cherry-red hue, making them look scrumptious and tantalizing.

    N gasped in amazement as she looked at the blonde-haired beauty, amazed by the transformation. "Wow, Sister you were already pretty but now you look even more stunning!"

    Helia''s cheeks turned rosy at thepliment, but she couldn''t help feeling a sense of awe at the magic effect of the Baby''s Tears Longevity fruit.

    She looked at Rio, who was calmly looking at her and felt a warmth rising within her chest.

    She was grateful for this magical experience, and that he let her have it. Even if she was warrior-like all the time on the battlefield, deep down it was also her wish to look prettier like any other woman.

    "Thank you," She said in a whisper-like voice.

    "You don''t have to mention it. I should rather thank you." The boy responded.

    He asked Eve to give him Mystic Egg as he remembered he was keeping her treasure with him. He didn''t think of asking for the lord''s beast core as Helia wouldn''t need them at this level.

    "Here, This is also yours." Rio handed The lioness the shimmering blue egg to her which was a little bigger than his fist.

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 Chapter 203 Mystic Swap

    Seeing the mystic egg, Helia''s brows shot up in surprise as she didn''t expect the boy to even grab it when the area was affected by the blue smoke. Not only he carried them away together but he took the mystic egg along with him.

    However, her expression became normal soon, and said,"I don''t want it, You can keep it."

    The blonde-haired beauty refused to take the mystic egg as she thought to let him have it.

    Her response caused Rio to remember how teacher Milena said in the past that the seven silver sword family find this mystic egg very valuable and one can sell it for a lot of money but here the lioness wasn''t showing any greed for it.

    Last time, the legacy of the forbiddennd hade out from hatching the mystic egg. Although its grade was boosted by Eve''s treasure but still these mystic eggs could give them precious items or riches so Helia should''ve epted it.

    "If you don''t want it then...," Rio said with a faint smile then turned his gaze towards the next person who should seed the mystic egg, the white-haired beauty, he continued, "Wifey, you have it."

    Lia didn''t stand on ceremony and took the mystic egg from his hand. She lightly tapped the treasure''s surface, discovering this wasn''t the legendary grade like thest time.

    She said, "Your tournament is starting so you should hatch this mystic egg. You may get something good that maye in handy in the future. There is a legend that says Mystic eggs give us what we need the most in the future so you should use it."

    The white-haired beauty returned back the mystic egg as she wanted him to have it. The girl didn''t know that this decision of hers was going to bring a massive change in the future happenings.

    Rio nodded and injected his mana into the mystic egg, unlikest time he didn''t have to pour down 90% of his mana inside. Just twenty percent of his mana was enough and the mystic egg transformed into a silver light that swirled around him before entering his body.

    A notification rang in his mind, telling him his reward for hatching the mystic egg.

    <<<<

    [You have acquired the Mystic Swap Technique]

    [Mystic Swap]

    [Grade: S]

    ~ It is a powerful skill that allows the user to instantly switch ces with any object or living being within their line of sight. By using their space affinity, the user can initiate the swap and instantly teleport to the new location. The skill requires a high level of concentration and precision to avoid idental swaps or unwanted consequences. However, the user must be careful not to swap with something or someone that is too heavy or too far away, or they may suffer from serious injury or exhaustion.

    >>>>

    Rio''s eyes were flickering with surprise reading the skill description as this was a godly spell that could help him in a lot of situations if he used it correctly.

    Seeing his astonishing eyes, Lia asked, "What happened? What did it give you?"

    His face lit up with happiness as he said, "Nothing. This mystic egg just gave me a skill that is rted to my space affinity"

    As he talked about space affinity he remembered something important.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The boy turned to his right side and asked, "Have you checked your Elemental affinity yet? Or... Did you learn any battle art techniques?"

    N gave a forced smile and shook her head, remembering she had forgotten about it.

    "It''s our mistake, We didn''t remember it either," Helia said hurriedly as she saw how the magenta-haired beauty had unintentionally forgotten about something crucial which was crucial for her and the tournament.

    They were busy with corruptednd and adventuring together to im more shelters, Helia was helping her to gain wealthy ck-stage points to reach a higher rank faster. Additionally, it wasn''t long before she reached the ck stage so they forgot.

    "We will need to test her elemental affinity first so we will know what battle technique arts she can learn. After that we can look for suitable battle technique arts for our N, we still have three days," Lia said with a gentle smile, lowering his concern.

    Rio knew that she was stronger than him but he was still worried she should have it in case they get separated and she gets attacked by a group of parties like the previous year when Lex Magnus ambushed N with his group.

    "It''s probably the same as her innate talent skill, which is fire," the boy responded, remembering the yellow fire that danced around her.

    "Wait a minute, I should have it with me," Helia mumbled as she started checking her spatial beast soul storage.

    Her eyes twinkled with delight as she continued, "Fortunately, I have the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal with me since I forgot to ce it back from where I took it,"

    The girl replied as she took out the crystal ball from her spatial beast soul storage, she was saved from the effort of bringing back this Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal from the castle.

    The blonde-haired beauty ced it on the table and continued, "N, ce your hand above the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal."

    N nodded but when she took a heavy breath to calm herself it showed her nervousness. The girl spread her arm out to reach the Awakening Crystal and ce her palm on the surface of the spherical ball.

    "Inject a very small amount of your mana inside the Elemental affinity Awakening Crystal, keep your eyes close, and feel the environmental energy particles around you.

    You need to find the friendly particles and call it to yourself as if they are your best allies." Helia instructed N in a simr manner to how Rio was guided by Lia in the past.

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 Chapter 204 Another Nightmare By Eyes Of Destiny

    N did as she was asked and became fully rxed, a soft smile was on her face as she happily closed her eyes.

    After dozen seconds passed, Fireflies started appearing in the room that went towards the magenta-haired beauty, causing her body to start twinkling with tiny particles. Soon, her body was covered in a glimmering shade of red.

    Rio noticed scarlet particles filling up the inside of the Elemental affinity awakening crystal which started whirling around as the seconds passed.

    Unlike Him who had to wait quite a lot of time to coax the tiny particles, the magenta-haired girl didn''t have to do much, just a moment passed and she awakened her elemental affinity.

    She heard a message announcing the oue of the Awakening ceremony, bringing a joyous smile on her cute face.

    <<<<

    [You have Awakened Rank ''S'' Fire Element]

    >>>>

    Red particles indicated the fire element, reason, why she was able to awaken her elemental affinity, was the same as what Rio guessed, it was due to her innate talent.

    Happily, the girl''s eyes fluttered open and her irises were gleaming with red as if she was an asura but this was due to her elemental affinity awakening as the colorful light fade away.

    "Congrats, N. You have Grade S fire elemental affinity." Lia cheered for her, expressing happiness.

    "We can go to the royal treasure tomorrow and bring you some battle technique arts. I will also look in the auction house if they have any high rank." Helia said, thinking to give her battle technique art before she leaves for the tournament.

    They continued their talk regarding the battle technique arts and her new elemental affinity.

    With a flutter of time''s wings, three days passed.

    Lia asked Emperor Dan to get Battle technique arts for her adopted daughter, but the poor father could onlyin inwardly and fulfill her wishes.

    On the third day, N was given her battle technique art which she didn''t get much time to practice.

    Lia and Rio spend their time without doing other business and N trained with Helia in the oval-shaped building of the battle arena.

    In the evening, when it was time for them to leave, Helia and Lia came to bid them farewell.

    "Keep yourself safe at all costs and tell me if anything bad happens."

    "Take care, N."

    "Take care, Husband. I will miss you."

    The white-haired beauty was upset that her beloved man would be leaving for thirty days and she was worrying about him as always. However, There was one thing different this time.

    "Good Luck, N, and Best of Luck to you too."

    The lioness also gave best wishes to the crimson-haired boy, the boy nodded with a smile before he vanished into the portal capsule along with N.

    Lia turned towards Helia with a serene expression, as she asked, "Do you still dislike him?"

    Helia gazed in the direction of the portal capsule where Rio had disappeared, exhaling deeply she said, "He is very different from all the people I have met. I don''t understand if I should call him stupid or a kind-hearted person."

    "You can call him, Husband." Lia giggled.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Never." The blonde-haired beauty retaliated, but the redness that spread on her neck was visible.

    ''I recently saw her and Rio in my dream given by eyes of destiny. I hope that nightmare won''te true.''

    Lia mumbled inwardly, her face darkened, remembering the dream that she had seen.

    ***

    Rio and N stepped out of their apartment, the morning sun shining bright and promising a good day ahead.

    It was the day of the National Military School tournament, and the excitement together with the nervousness was on full disy on the Magenta-haired beauty''s face.

    As they knew, the tournament was shrouded in mystery, held on a secret ind that was kept hidden from the students and their families. They received a message from their respective ss teachers to meet at the auditorium as the tournament was going to start.

    N''s feet dragged as she and Rio made their way toward the designated ce

    For days, they had traveled tirelessly for this moment, training at theughing alligator forest to power level up and unlock the special skill asked by Eve.

    But as they walked, Rio couldn''t help but remember the words that were said by her Second Mother.

    ''I''ll tell you about their identity if you get into the top 10 ranking in the next uing military school tournament.''

    The tournament her second mother talked about was the next year when he turned seventeen but Rio was about to participate one year earlier, hoping he would get the top ten rankings.

    There was a big disadvantage of having a shorter team but also a plus point of having N on his team as a member who was probably the strongest among all the participants.

    N noticed the seriousness etched on his face, which was normal for this rxed guy and she ced aforting hand on his shoulder.

    "It''s going to be okay, Rio, We will not only get top ten ranking but we will be in the top three," She said softly in a loving tone, her green eyes gleaming with confidence.

    Rio''s face loosened as he became normal and rxed, he was happy that he had someone by his side this time. Unlike before, when he had to deal with everything alone in the human world.

    Finally, they arrived at the auditorium which was full to the brim. The environment was thick with enthusiasm and anticipation, the sound of chatter and cheers filling their ears.

    Rio and N took their seats at the back, their eyes scanning the crowd for familiar faces, and avoided being in the spotlight.

    But then, the lights went out, and the chatter died down to whispers which eventually be a hushed silence.

    Rio''s face stayed serene as he noticed the figures in the distance with his [Heaven''s Eyes], on the other hand, N''s heart pounded as a voice boomed through the enchanted mana, resounding all around the auditorium.

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 Chapter 205 Commencement Of The National Military School Tournament

    A bright light was focused on the ascended tform where an old man was standing, It was the headmaster that Rio had met on his first day of ss at the Golden Seal Academy.

    "Greetings esteemed students. Today marks themencement of the highly anticipated National Military School Tournament. This is the day when you will put your skills to the test, and prove what you learned in the Land of Asura.

    As you all know, our school has suffered setbacks in thest two years, losing out on the winning position of ourpetitors. But I have faith in your abilities, just as your senior Lily Havenglow proved herself and brought us victory three years ago.

    The rewards for this tournament are remarkable. The winners will not only earn a coveted spot in the international tournament but also get an opportunity to meet the princess of the Dhovrix race.

    The rules are simple yet challenging. You will face purple to ck-stage beasts, created using cutting-edge AI technologies. Killing a purple-stage beast will fetch you ten battle points while ying a ck-stage beast will earn you a whopping fifty battle points."

    The old man''s voice sounded in the auditorium and filled the students with excitement and courage. Their body''s blood pumped when they heard they needed to bring it for like their senior Lily Havenglow.

    The headmaster could see the effect of his speech on the students, he swept the crowd with his gaze and continued, "In addition to these beasts, there are eleven special beasts hidden around the ind, each of them worth a thousand battle points. But beware, these special beasts are at the peak of the ck stage, so proceed with caution, unless your team is confident to take them down.

    Teams from the same school can coborate to take down a special beast, but ultimately it''s up to the students'' vote to decide who gets the reward by getting this special beast''s core which will give you a thousand battle points.

    Before you depart for the ind, you will receive an additional AI watch that will track your battle points and serve as a safety measure in case of any danger. The AI watch will ensure your safe return by teleportation to your respective school, For you, which is our Golden Seal Military School.

    You can alsomand in your thought to withdraw to instantly teleport out from the ind. Each student will get to carry ten kilograms of weight for the necessary things, which will be checked as you go outside. Now go, and make us proud!"

    Rio and N exchanged a look, they knew it was the moment they had been waiting for.

    As the headmaster concluded his speech, the lights suddenly brightened, revealing arge, door next to the principal.

    The students couldn''t help but feel a rush of excitement as they knew what could be waiting on the other side.

    Rio noticed a table in front of the door, adorned with an array of watches that were simr to the AI device on his wrist but with a sleeker, more sophisticated design.

    "Rio, We need to go," N said as she stood up.

    The boy noticed the principal didn''t give further instructions and the students with their team and their bags started going towards the opened door before taking one of the watches from the table which they equipped on the opposite wrist of the one they were wearing the AI watch.

    "Let the crowd get cleared first, we will be thest one," Rio responded.

    As the team left the auditorium, he discovered not everyone was leaving, there were many who just came to watch the show as an audience.

    As the students decreased, he stood up and walked toward the door along with N.

    The boy could feel Headmaster''s gaze fixed on him when he was going in the direction of the big table.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He could tell the old man was confused why they didn''t have any bag with them. It was just a mistake on the duo''s side that they forgot to carry any bag with them as they were hurrying to the auditorium.

    Rio and N took one of the watches before leaving from the big gate and going to the other side.

    There were ck cars parked outside the door, and students were guided to one of the cars. N held his hand and said, "Let''s go."

    Rio nodded and proceeded to thest vehicle that was parked at the end. There were drivers sitting on each of them.

    He stepped forward and pulled the car''s door, gesturing for N to go inside.

    The magenta-haired beauty''s face brightened seeing how her sweetheart was being a gentleman and opened the door for him.

    After the girl sat inside on the passenger seat, he went to sit on the other side.

    As he sat inside, the window changed to ck, blocking their vision to see outside.

    He had already heard from N that they don''t let the students see where they were going sent so he didn''t ask anything.

    Soon, he heard the car''s engine roar to life and started moving towards their designated destination.

    As they were traveling, N leaned her head on Rio''s Shoulder, the girl said, "We will be brought to a ship that will send us all to the ind, but we won''t get to see the outside until we reach the ind."

    Rio nodded, taking in her words. An ted feeling was bubbling inside him, This was the tournament he had been waiting for since he had known about his parents.

    The car drove for an hour before it came to a stop. They stayed inside the car for several hours, the driver was quietly sitting on the front seat as if waiting for instruction from his superiors.

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 Chapter 206 Ship To The Island

    After some time passed, the driver opened the front gate and went out.

    Rio saw the door beside N''s open and the driver''s voice sounded, "We have reached our destination. Both of you can go out now."

    The magenta-haired beauty turned to the boy, she said, "Let''s go."

    As he stepped out of the car, he discovered they were standing on a massive ship that was in the waters, descending stairs leading to the ground whichnded on the ind they were supposed to go.

    There weren''t other students or anyone on the ship except the driver which cleared the fact that every team was transported to the different sides of the ind to not begin any conflict from the start and avoid teaming up with the same school.

    A soft hand grabbed his palm and fingers interlocked, he knew it was N who pulled him along as they made their way out the deck of the ship and down the gangnk.

    A strong gust of wind hit them, and their hair fluttered in the breeze, Rio could smell the salty air and feel the warm sun on his face that was gleaming in the blue sky.

    Their vision weed a long extended beach that was lined with palm trees and colorful flowers.

    In the distance, a lush green forest could be seen, covering most of the interior of the ind that was visible from their location.

    They knew the AI-made beasts were lurking for this tournament, and the ind was filled with them, from the purple-stage beasts to the powerful ck-stage beasts.

    N and Rionded on the ground as their foot trudged over the soft sand, going in the direction of the forest.

    The boy halted his footsteps to look back, the ship was leaving the ind as it finished the task of transporting the students.

    N also gazed at the leaving ship, with a vibrant smile she said, "Now it''s up to us when we want to return. We have thirty days to farm points. On the thirtieth day if we don''t die or withdraw on our own our given watch will send us out on its own."

    "Do you have any n in mind for where we should go?" He asked.

    "Hehe... Nope..." The girl giggled and shook her head.

    Rio said, " then Let''s just explore the ind and kill the AI beast as we advance."

    They started leaving the beachside, traveling towards the lush green forest.

    N''s eyes sparkled with excitement as they walked deeper into the forest.

    The trees were towering high above them with big crowns, emitting a soothing shade over the ground below. The leaves susurrus gently in the breeze, and the fresh scent of green leaves filled the air.

    "I wish only we were left on this ind, Just you and me, then It could be our honeymoon," she said, twirling around with her arms outstretched. "That would be so romantic."

    "You want this ce filled with AI beasts to be our honeymoon?" Rio shook his head at her enthusiasm.

    They continued their journey, carefully watching their surroundings for any signs of danger.

    After a while, they saw a wide clearing in the distance, and In the center of the clearing stood a massive tree, its branches stretching toward the sky.

    The boy halted his footsteps, and his [Heaven''s Eyes] noticed a big hole in the bottle of the tree''s trunk.

    "What happened, Rio?" N asked as she saw his gaze was fixated in the distance.<novelnext></novelnext>

    He said, "There is a big pit there near the trunk of the tree, we need to be careful.

    The magenta-haired beauty scrunched her brows but she nodded.

    As they drew closer to the tree, they heard a low growling from within the hole. Suddenly, a purple-furred creature leaped out from the pit, its eyes locking on its target.

    The creature that emerged from the hole was a gnarly, rat-like beast with purple fur that glistened menacingly in sunlight. Its eyes were a bright red, which seemed to be filled with sentient intelligence. Its long, sharp ws scraped against the ground as it stepped forward, ready to attack the target its eyes locked in.

    The boy was surprised to believe it was an AI monster as it was simr to a real beast.

    "I know this AI monster. It''s a purple-stage beast known as Purple Pit Rat." N confirmed the beast''s rank and name.

    "I will take it." the boy said as he sprang into action, summoning his silver bloom king sword which was ready to attack.

    The rat-like creature leaped towards him, aiming to take his life, but Rio was too quick for it. With a powerful sh, he sliced the creature in half, and it fell to the ground with a thud as if a rag doll.

    The ck liquid gushed out of its body, and Rio could tell that the creators of this AI beast had made sure to add a substitute for blood to make it appear more realistic.

    The boy summoned back his silver-blood sword and noticed his second watch giving him a notification.

    <<<<

    [Purple stage Purple Pit Rat killed. ten battle points gained.]

    >>>>

    The boy turned around and saw the girl was looking in his direction with her bright smile.

    He asked, "You didn''t get any points then how are they going to decide who will win?"

    "We will both get the points individually and the one whost attacked will be rewarded with the battle points.

    However, the team battle points are calcted by adding the total battle points of all members together and dividing them by the number of members present in that team.

    I will tell you in a simple manner. if a team has five members and each of them has hundred battle points then their total team points will be (100+100+100+100+100)/5 which is also 100." N exined how their points would be calcted as a team.

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 Chapter 207 Wind Sylph

    Hearing her exnation, the boy understood how it worked, He said, "At least there is some advantage of having a small team even though they can carry less stuff than a big team.

    However, no one would be stupid enough to make a team with less than five members as other school teams would want to snatch or seize their battle points by force. So having a bigger team or corporation of more than one team will help to avoid those situations."

    "Yeah, and the person with the highest battle points will be dered the winner for the national military school tournament which will be independent of team ranking.

    In case we are not able to get enough points to get you in the top ten I will send all of my battle points to you." N said, gazing lovingly at the crimson-haired boy.

    He saw her affection-filled gaze that was full of love towards him, he sighed at her insanely crazy love for him.

    "Let''s hope we don''t end up in that situation," Rio said with a bittersweet smile, he didn''t want to get a higher rank in this tournament using the Magenta-haired beauty''s battle points although he knew she could even sacrifice herself for him.

    As they continued to go deeper into the forest, they came across more Purple Pit Rats which Rio easily take care of using his silver-bloom king sword.

    After thirty minutes of traveling, he halted his steps, gazing up at the sky he narrowed his eyes.

    His attention had been drawn towards a slight movement in the sky, barely visible to the naked eye.

    As he continued to stare, the movement began to take form. It was a round object of thumb size with fine transparent wings that were fluttering and pping in the air. It was hard to tell what it was at first, but as it got closer, Rio could make out the shape of what appeared to be a tiny dragonfly.

    N observed Rio''s intense gaze and subsequently traced the trajectory of his line of sight. Upon her encounter with the dragonfly-like object, her eyes widened in sheer astonishment. The minute creature hovered at an insurmountable distance that would only be perceptible to an individual''s acute perception.

    "What is that?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

    Rio was able to notice it easily using his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    Just as the boy saw iting in their direction, without hesitation, he grabbed N''s hand and pulled her behind a nearby tree.

    Her heart was pounding in her chest as she was pressed close to Rio''s body. Rio''s [Heaven''s Eyes] continued to scan the aerial unknown object, searching for any clue he could find.

    N''s breath caught in her throat as she saw the intensity on Rio''s face. She knew that he would have a good reason for pulling her behind the tree, but she couldn''t help feeling a sense of awe at his tracking ability to discover the danger that she wasn''t even aware of.

    As they waited for the device to pass, Rio''s eyes remained locked on it, tracking its movements and noting any details that he could. He also used his [Heaven''s Eyes to inspect the flying item that was bugging him.

    <<<<

    [Name: Wind Sylph]

    [Type: AI Device]

    ~ It is an advanced AI-built object by humans to monitor the students on the ind without their knowledge during the national military school tournament. Wild Slyph is a state-of-the-art surveince system that keeps a watchful eye on every corner of the ind. The government has kept its existence a secret from the public, and it is rumored to be used for tracking and evaluating the student''s progress.

    The WindSylph is equipped with numerous sensors that allow it to detect the slightest movements and sounds. It is designed to blend in with the environment, so students are unaware of its presence. The WindSylph is numerous in number and can be found flying around the ind most of the time.<novelnext></novelnext>

    >>>>

    "What happened, Rio?" N''s voice sounded as the boy was inspecting the foreign item.

    "Do you know about that Wind Slpyh item we saw?" He asked, pointing towards the sky towards the flying object which was going in another direction.

    She widened her eyes and asked in surprise, "The flying thing we saw was Wind Slyph?"

    Rio saw the Wind Sylph had passed away, and he released his hold on N, letting go of her by withdrawing his hands and nodding his head.

    She stepped back, feeling a sense of relief mixed with admiration for the boy beside her but his affirmation made her recall the information.

    Her brows scrunched up and she said in a serious tone, "I have heard about the Wind Slyph that government uses this AI device for some hidden purpose but didn''t know they were using it in the national military school tournament. How did you discover it from our ce?"

    The girl was surprisingly looking at Rio as if she hadn''t known him much.

    "Innate skill," Rio responded

    "Ah... We should hide faces or they will start monitoring us more than others for being from the Seven Silver Sword Family if they find out where we are," N said, spreading her palm with a vibrant smile.

    Rio turned his attention to the Magenta-haired beauty''s hand, curious about what she was going to bring out.

    Soon, two masquerade masks of a rich purple color appeared which had intricate designs adorning the upper half of the face. It was clear that N had put some thought into her favorite color when she thought of choosing these masks.

    Noticing his puzzled eyes staring at her, the girl said, "I got it when I went out shopping with Big sis and sister Helia."

    Holding the mask up to her face to equip, she continued, "It''s perfect for a party, but I think it''ll do a great job at covering our faces too."

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 Chapter 208 Leaderboard

    Rio took the remaining mask from her hand and studied it closely. It was made of a light material that feltfortable against his skin. He could see why N suggested this mask to tackle the Wind Slyph - it was both stylish and effective in covering their identities from those Wind Slyph.

    "It''s a good idea to keep our faces hidden, especially when two of the Seven silver sword families'' children are together in a small but same team in this tournament." He nodded at her suggestion and put the purple masquerade mask on his face.

    N smiled brightly, relieved that Rio approved of her choice.

    "I will faint, looking at your stylish look," The girl romantically said, as she saw him with the purple mask.

    "Is there any other function for this second AI watches we got other then keeping track of our points?" Rio asked, looking at the second AI Device in his other wrist.

    "Yeah, We can see our team''s ranking. Didn''t your ss teacher exin it to you guys?" N muttered, furrowing her brows.

    Rio shook his head as teacher Milena didn''t tell them anything about this information.

    "Just say Leaderboard in your thought you will see it." The magenta-haired beauty suggested.

    ''Leaderboard.''

    <<<<

    [#Rank - Team Name - Battle Points]

    [#1 - Golden Guardians - 140]

    [#2 - Golden Guardians - 130]

    [#2 - Hidden - ???]

    [#2 - Sapphire Storm - 130]

    [#3 - Hidden - ???]

    [#5 - Emerald Enigma - 110]

    [#24 - Purple Lovebug - 70](You)

    [#24 - Sapphire Storm - 70]

    >>>>

    "Purple Lovebug?" Rio mumbled the name and looked at N, his eyes were ring at her as if asking why.

    "Isn''t that a cute name, Rio? I really like it." N''s voice was filled with exhration. The girl didn''t think it was something bad and stood proudly to ept hispliment.

    The boy sighed deeply, exhaling a long breath. He questioned, "What''s this ''Hidden'' in the leaderboard?"

    "Some teams choose to conceal their battle points and team names," N replied. The girl knew more than him since she had participatedst year and also for the reason she had her own contacts being a child of the Seven silver sword family, unlike Rio who avoided his other family members like a gue.

    "Why wouldn''t others want to hide their battle points?" This question puzzled him although he guessed a slight answer to his own question.

    "Because they want to show it off and intimidate other students to give up trying to chase higher ranking," N murmured, the girl knew the mentality of these students and knew the exact answer.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "We need to hide ours," Rio suggested as he inspected the leaderboard screen to find the option for this function.

    There was a [hide/show] option at the corner, he justmanded in his thought to hide, and ''Purple LoveBug'' became Hidden on the leaderboard.''

    "I hope, others wouldn''t have noticed our names on the leaderboard." The boy said.

    "Worry not Sweetie, they won''t able to know which ''Hidden'' is Purple LoveBug Since there is going to be more than one." N lowered his concern pointing out to other ''Hidden'' teams in the leaderboard.

    "Other teams are fortunate enough to find high-ranking beasts, Here we are onlying across purple-stage beasts." The boy said, looking at their ranking which was behind many others.

    "They might know the secret that only seven silver sword families know," N Murmured.

    "What secret?" He raised his brows.

    "About hunting the Special beasts which are normally hidden on the different parts of the ind. Although no one would dare to fight it without having the assistance of a few teams but going in the direction of these special beasts can lead you to encounter high-ranked beasts," N exined.

    "Do you know which direction?" He asked, considering she already had much useful information that was not told to them by Teacher Milena.

    "It''s simply based on the word, NEWS. Each side would be kept with a special beast, and finding each of their locations and killing them will reward you with a clue that will lead you to the next special beast.

    There are three assigned clues for special beasts after you im the first one in each direction. So if you can acquire one of these clues from each side, you will surely be able to find the other two.

    But all these four sides are connected at the center and two directions share the same special beast for thest clue since there are only eleven." N stated where they could find the high-ranked beast as this was the information that was only avable for seven silver sword families.

    With a slight tilt of her head, she turned her attention toward the bright light in the sky. The sun''s position indicated that it was nearing the peak of its ascent, with its rays beating down upon the earth in full force.

    A quick nce at the sun confirmed that it was almost two or three in the afternoon, She shielded her eyes from the intense re and let out a soft sigh.

    "Looking at the sun, it seems we are most like in the east of the ind. We should go in this direction if we want to find the first special beast." N pointed out their next destination where they needed to go.

    Hearing her words, Rio carefully pondered over their n of action in his mind, trying to think of most of the potential obstacles that might arise.

    The boy said, "We need to act fast and retrieve the first clue from the eastern location before other teams arrive at the spot.

    If we don''t, there''s a chance that a fight might break out to get thest hit on the special beast. In the worst-case scenario, they can steal our kill or evenunch a surprise attack on us."

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 Chapter 209 Nylas First Mount

    He meticulously considered most of the different scenarios that could ur and came to a good conclusion.

    "Talia and her team also know about this information and I am pretty sure they must be going toward the special beast location in one of the directions. I just hope we don''t face them" N''s voice was flickering with bitterness when she mentioned her step-sister.

    This year her step-sister was also participating in the national military school tournament and the Mailon family was confident that their beloved daughter Talia would surely get a better rank than N who only came in the seventh spotst year.

    Although N wanted to give all her points to Rio without a second thought but her national military school tournament''s rank was going to be directlypared to her younger sister by her dear family so it was making her a little nervous.

    "Don''t worry about her, even if we face them, we won''t lose to any of them. Moreover, I will not allow anyone to look down on you. I promise that you won''t lose to her even if it means giving up on knowing my parents'' identity this year.

    Since I have already waited so many years, one more year would be nothing." The boy dered, his tone flowing with love for the girl.

    He was not going to let N get embarrassed in front of her whole family because she decided to be on a team with him and choose to stay by his side. The boy vowed to protect her pride as his own, Though it hadn''t urred to him before, her dejected expression stirred something within him and he refused to let her falter in the face of Talia''s challenge.

    N''s heart was filled with warmth as she heard her affection-filled statement, she mumbled inwardly, "Thank you mom, for sending such an angel into my life."

    She was d that she got to marry him and not that yboy Ruben Astor even if it cost her almost sacrificing herself to redeem her sweetheart.

    "For me, you will always remain the best person in the world and I will forever love you the most but..." N spoke in a heavy emotional tone and in end she changed it and pointed towards her wrist, tapping the surface of the AI watch with her index finger lightly.

    Rio understood what she meant when she indicated the second AI watch.

    She continued with a concerned tone, "We should hurry, sweetie. Our rank dropped down and we came down to the thirty-two position."

    At the time, they were talking and discussing other stuff their ranking was greatly reduced. The other teams weren''t sitting around and were working all the time before night blocked their advancement.

    Revealing their ranking, The magenta-haired beauty closed her eyes and summoned her beast soul, as a ck light flickered around her and materialized into a white beast.

    It was a fierce but massive creature of two meters in size with a thick white coat of fur and piercing blue eyes. It had powerful jaws and razor-sharp ws making it look like a formidable foe But despite its fearsome appearance, this creature was a mount beast soul.

    The beast was not as imposing as the one Helia had but it looked more terrifying than theughing alligator that they had fought recently. The creature was still a ck-stage mount beast soul so its speed would be good enough for traveling on this unknown ind.

    "Hey Frosty, get down so we can climb up," N said to the beast as if it was the cute puppy that she had adopted.

    The beast innocently crouched down on the ground like an obedient good kid, wiggling its tail and showing its loyalty.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The boy didn''t expect a ck-stage white wolf to wiggle their tail like a docile dog, he found it quite amusing but he kept his mouth sealed and let the girl have her happy moment.

    N turned her head towards Rio, giving him a bright smile she was proud of taming the savage beast which the girl gained while hunting in the corruptednd with Helia.

    Although it was natural for a beast soul to be loyal to its master but this was her very first mount so she was joyous in her heart. Additionally, the girl was going to ride it with her beloved Boy so her happiness soared to the next level.

    Rio returned her a faint smile, patting her head before gesturing her to climb up.

    "Yes, sweetie," N nodded, kicking the ground beneath her foot and rising in the air as shended on the back of the Frosty mount.

    Rio also mounted up right behind her, using the [Devlin Movement Technique] which instantly teleported him to the top of Frosty''s back.

    This was a better choice to travel across the ind instead of sprinting thendscape using his thunder-enchanted speed which would eventually be tiresome if he carried N along the way.

    This time he was riding with his beloved girl so he didn''t hesitate, wrapping his hands around her slender waist, making her maiden heart flutter in happiness.

    Together, they rode towards the eastern side of the ind, Frosty''s powerful strides carrying them quickly across the terrain.

    On the way, they came across a few purple pit rats, which Rio quickly dispatched before continuing on their journey. He also noticed a few more Wind Slyph in the sky which were hovering around them for a while like the annoying mosquitoes before they left them, finding the duo wasn''t doing anything fun to receive their valuable attention.

    N and Rio had been riding their beasts for four hours straight, and as the evening hours crept in, they could feel the wind getting cooler and the sun getting lower on the horizon.

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 Chapter 210 Battling Shadow Cat

    The sky was painted a fiery orange as if the sun was in a hurry to go down and leave the world to the mercy of the night.

    The birds and cricket had started their evening chorus, singing their luby to the world, bidding farewell to the day that had just passed.

    As the sun continued to sink lower, N urged her mount to pick up its pace, eager to reach their destination before nightfall.

    Their ranking had also stabilized as they had started hunting and going towards the eastern side. The previous rank of Purple Lovebug, which was thirty-two, shot up and became eighteen with two hundred thirty points.

    *Howl!*

    Suddenly they heard a low growling sound,ing from up ahead. They looked carefully, but there was no sign of any beast or danger nearby. They continued on, but the sound grew louder and more menacing.

    Soon, Rio noticed the bushes were rustling in the distance, and a shadowy figure emerged with glowing green eyes that seemed to pierce the darkness.

    N''s eyes widened as she recognized the beast before them.

    She muttered, "That''s a Shadow Cat, a ck-stage beast. It''s infamous for its stealth and ferocity in the darkness."

    Most of the beasts were taken from The ''Kingdom of Beast'' Game as the AI Robot makers could easily design these creatures for the tournament since they already had all the information regarding what abilities beasts had.

    Rio prepared himself as he cautiously summoned his silver-bloom king sword, his gaze was locked onto the beast''s movement as he inspected the beast with his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    <<<<

    [Name: Shadowcat]

    [Type: AI Robot]

    [Physical Power: 160]

    >>>>

    The stats of the AI monster was different than the original beast from the Land of Asura since these creatures didn''t have a core and used other sources to keep functioning but their physical power was a lot higher than the Giant Shadow Viper Fox Rio had previously fought with.

    the Shadowcat leaped out of the bushes with lightning speed, its sharp ws and teeth gleamed in the moonlight.

    "Let me handle it," Rio said, his tone was calm but his gaze was not leaving the Shadow Cat''s body.

    He wanted to test his new strength after absorbing the lord beast''s core that increased his purple stats points massively and also wish to learn the pattern of how this creature fought so they could travel faster.

    N nodded,manding her Frosty, directing it with precision to evade the beast''s attacks.

    The boy vanished from the back of the white wolf and appeared right behind the Shadowcat.

    His body buzzed with thunder, as he rushed towards his target which noticed a human threat.

    Rio''s foot muscles strained as he streaked towards the creature with a cracking blue light,nding a powerful blow on the Shadowcat''s side.

    *Howl!!!*

    The beast let out a furious growl that was mixed with torment and annoyance. It red at the boy and swung its massive ws toward Rio''s head.

    The boy ducked and rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the beast''s strike.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As the Shadowcat turned to face him, Rio rose up on his foot and charged forward with lightning-fast reflexes.

    He used his silver bloom king sword to parry the beast''s attack and sent his thunder-enchanted fist that buzzed with energy to strike the creature, sending it reeling backward.

    The Shadowcat stumbled, but quickly regained its footing and lunged at Rio with its dagger-like sharp ws.

    A glowing blue figure danced around the AI beast buzzing with thunder, dodging and weaving as he attacked the creature.

    Rionded a few more blows, making many wounds over the Shadowcat''s body.

    The beast was a robot so it wasn''t feeling pain but the continuous damage was still ruining its internal hardware.

    From a distance, N watched the fight with bated breath. She could see the calmness in Rio''s eyes, and it made her happy to see he was able to handle a ck-stage beast without much effort.

    She could easily ughter this ck-stage AI beast as she was at the peak of ck-stage but the girl saw her beloved Man was just ying with the Shadow Cat as if gauging the beast''s strength and movements to learn the battling pattern.

    Shemanded Frosty to avoid the Shadowcat, hoping to not disturb Rio.

    Soon, his silver-bloom king sword glimmered with intense thunder, charging his attack for a final strike.

    The boy shot forward,nding a slice cut on the Shadowcat''s neck, beheading it in a second.

    The head rolled on the ground, sending the other half of the beast''s body crashing to the earth which sshed ck liquid all around.

    The boy was done learning the beast''s fighting style so he decided to end the fight without wasting more time.

    N let out a sigh of relief and cheered with a vibrant smile, watching as Rio stood over the defeated creature.

    She dismounted from the white wolf and went towards the boy. The girl was joyous as she said in a happy tone, "You''re so strong... I thought it would be hard for you but you were just ying with that AI robot."

    Rio turned around, calling back his silver bloom king sword in mind sea as he asked, "We are only seventeenth with this ck-stage beast."

    "Don''t worry, sweetie. We have already entered the high-stage beast area, we will probably get into the top ten rankings if we don''t hold back." N reassured him.

    She continued with a lively smile on her face, "And you know, there are chances that we only encounter the Shadow Cats on the eastern side of the ind, as the previous National Military School Tournaments didn''t use more than four types of AI creatures.

    Most of the time they focus on designing the eleven special beasts for the tournament which is the main boss of the show.

    We already met Shadow Cat and Pit Rat so there are going to be other two types of the beast on each level that we may discover in the west."

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 Chapter 211 First Special Beast

    The boy nodded and they continued on their journey on the back of the Frosty. Along the way, They were cautious and kept killing the ck-stage Shadow Cat that they encountered.

    Byte in the night, They noticed that they had already entered the top twelve rankings. Most teams'' battle points had stopped increasing as they had stopped hunting for the night and decided to set up a camp to rest.

    The duo kept traveling until they heard the waves of water colliding at the shore. They dismounted and trudged their way toward the coast.

    "We have to look for a peculiar location and find the special beast," N said, as they didn''t know the exact ce to find their target.

    The magenta-haired beauty and Rio walked side by side, looking for any clue that would help them find the special beast.

    Their steps were crushing the soft sand beneath their feet, leaving their shoe marks behind and the cool ocean breeze brushed passed their cheeks.

    As they were traveling, they soon came across massive pipe-like marks on the ground as if someone was dragging something heavy on the sand.

    It was one meter in width and the length was not definite as it kept going in a certain direction.

    ''What could it be?''

    Rio stopped for a moment, bending down to examine the ce.

    "Look at the size of these tracks, This beast seemed to be something like Python." He murmured.

    N nodded, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. "Sweetie... We need to be careful now. The special beast should be very close to this ce." She warned with a concerned tone.

    "We can just follow the mark," Rio stated, looking ahead toward where this mark led them to.

    The pair continued on, finally reaching the end of where the tracks finished.

    N''s brows shot up looking at the ce where the marks came to a stop. There was a meter-longrge pit in front of them.

    The girl wanted to go forward to peer over the edge and take a glimpse to find whaty at the bottom but she felt her hands were grabbed as the boy stopped her.

    "This is our only chance, if we are lucky we won''t have to fight," Rio whispered.

    There was darkness all around them but soon she saw a light glowing in the boy''s palm.

    He cast [Overload Destroyer] topress a vacuum in the skill [Obliteration of Heaven] as the boy turned to gaze at N.

    Rio said with urgency in his voice using telepathy voice, "There is going to be a big explosion here.

    If the special beast is inside, then he''ll most likely die, but if he''s outside, he''lle after us with all its fury.

    I won''t have enough mana to take on that AI creature again after charging this battle art technique, so we need to make a run for our life as soon as I use the attack. You need to stay a hundred meters away with your mount, so we can make our escape immediately."

    "But I don''t want to leave you alone here," N said in his thought, her eyes sadly looking at him as she thought he was going to hurt himself.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "I have two ways to escape if the beast chases me but in case you stay here then there is a higher chance of getting hurt." His words sounded rude but N understood what he meant, She was stubborn but she believed in him.

    The girl walked away from the one-meter pit, as the blue light in Rio''s palm intensified with every passing second. He was using [Overload Destroyer] topress his [Obliteration of Thunder] skill otherwise the small orb would''ve already reached a human size by now.

    N was standing a hundred meters away from him, the girl saw the blue light glowing in his palm. The illuminating blue orb was giving her chills just looking at it which exined to her the destruction Rio''s battle art technique was going to cause.

    After charging with nine percent of his mana, Rio walked in a reverse manner from the pit before confirming at what distance he could send it away.

    When he was twenty meters from the big hole, he kicked the ground with his thunder-enchanted foot to shoot toward the sky.

    "Heaven Destroyer!!"

    He threw away the blue orb in the direction of the big pit in the distance. Just as it was traveling, the glowing blue orb vanished in thin air when it appeared again its trajectory had been changed and the strike was falling towards the big pit.

    Rio cast [Devlin''s Movement technique] to vanish away from his location, as a blue figure buzzing with thunder traveled towards N at full speed.

    *Shriek!!!*

    The special beast had detected the uing danger and let out a loud, piercing cry, showing its fear and anger towards the terrifying attack.

    Rio turned around just in time to witness the incredible sight.

    As the blue orb [Heaven Destroyer] made of [Overload Destroyer] and [Obliteration of Heaven] traveled towards the big pit, a white head suddenly emerged from it.

    The orb collided with the white head of the special beast, causing an explosion that lit up the ground in a dazzling disy of blue and white light which spread to cover the sky in its brilliance.

    The sound was deafening, like a thunderp that shook the very ground beneath their feet.

    The force of the explosion hit Rio, N, and her mount like a physical blow, sending shockwaves through their bodies and causing their hair, fur, and clothes to ripple and flutter in its wake.

    The ground trembled, creating ripples of shockwaves through the nearby forest, trees swaying and shuddering, their leaves rustling and falling to the ground.

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 Chapter 212 Climbing The Leaderboard Ranking

    The sheer force of the explosion had created ripples in the air, causing waves through the forest and beyond.

    It was as if the earth itself was protesting against the sudden upheaval, unleashing its fury through a barrage of trembling and shaking.

    It also affected and extended to the nearby sea as the water of the sea churned, forming violent waves that rose high into the air. The ripples were spreading out from the epicenter of the explosion, creating a visible disturbance in the water that extended far out from the shore.

    The impact was akin to a violent earthquake, with the sheer force of the st reverberating through the air as if it were trying to shake the very foundations of the world.

    In the distance, Camping students from some of the teams were jolted awake from their slumber, their bodies trembling as the ground shook beneath them.

    "What was that terrifying sound?"

    "I think it was a special beast attacking one of the teams who thought to defeat it in the cover of the dark night."

    "It''s stupid to fight in the night with that powerful beast."

    "Which team would dare to attack the special beast at this time."

    "Ah... Damn it... we should hurry. If we don''t get there first, another team might snatch up the special beast and the clues for the next two. We can''t afford to get left behind."

    "It''s no use."

    "Why?"

    "They already killed it."

    "How do you know?"

    "Check the team ranking, someone already took over the first position after the explosion happened."

    Other smart students in the various teams also noticed this phenomenon as the rankingpletely changed after the booming sound and the man-made earthquake.

    <<<<

    [#Rank - Team Name - Battle Points]

    [#1 - Hidden - ???]

    [#2 - Golden Guardians - 1150]

    [#3 - Crimson ze - 1090]

    [#4 - Hidden - ???]

    [#5 - Sapphire Storm - 1060]

    [#6 - The ze Squad - 1040]

    [#7 - Emerald Enigma - 1030]

    [#8 - Shadow Stalkers - 990]

    [#9 - tinum Powerhouse - 940]

    [#10 - Crystal Warriors - 920]

    >>>>

    The Top ten remained the same except thest team was reced by a new hidden one who made its position at number one, pushing down all the other teams by one.

    This phenomenon caused a shiver to run down the students'' spines thinking the explosion was not done by the special beast but by one of the teams.

    The Duo who reached the top one position didn''t care about the ranking as they were busy looking in the distance where Rio had caused the explosion.

    As the smoke and debris cleared, Rio saw that the scorching white head had been cracking with electric current, its head became a smoldering ruin. The girl couldn''t notice such detail from her location but she realized the special beast was destroyedpletely.

    The boy received a bunch of notifications which further caused astonishment to fill in his sea-green eyes.<novelnext></novelnext>

    <<<<

    [Special Beast Giant White Worm killed. Thousand Battle points gained.]

    [You have acquired the Mystic Currents Puzzle.]

    [Purple stage Purple Pit Rat killed. Ten Battle points gained.]

    [Purple stage Purple Pit Rat killed. Ten Battle points gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Purple stage Purple Pit Rat killed. Ten Battle points gained.]

    >>>>

    The boy noticed that not only the Special beast died but also many purple pit rats were killed in that [Heaven Destroyer] AOE attack, which indicated the fact that the home of the giant white worm was filled with purple stage beasts to make the students'' life harder.

    The duo''s battle points increased at a fast rate, making their team Purple Lovebug rank soar to the number one spot.

    N also received a notification when the boy killed the Giant White Worm which was about the ''Mystic Currents Puzzle.''

    Her eyes were flowing with a look of triumph and relief, knowing that they had seeded in getting the first special beast linked to the Eastern quest chain which would eventually lead them to another two only exclusive to those who possessed the Mystic Currents Puzzle.

    She dismounted from the mount and ran towards Rio who was standing a dozen meters away from her.

    Hearing the approaching rushed footsteps, he turned around to look at the girl who threw herself at him, hugging Rio tightly.

    "Yeee... We are number one now..." The girl was joyous seeing themselves at the top of the ranking

    Rio caressed her back in his warm embrace, letting her celebrate her happiness for a while.

    He didn''t think that killing the special beast would be so easy but it was only possible because he was able to charge the attack beforehand using the [Overload Destroyer]. If he was engaged in an intense battle with the giant white worm then it would''ve been hard to execute his battle technique art so smoothly.

    The boy whispered, "Let''s hurry to the special beast of the southern direction, so we can have one more clue before sunrise that''s avable to all teams."

    "You mean?" N inclined her head to look into his eyes with surprise, asking as if he meant what she was guessing.

    "Yeah. If we can take down the southern side''s special beast, we''ll have the key to unlocking the locations of not just two, but four other special beasts. It''s a race against time, and we can''t let this opportunity pass.

    The other teams will try to im the other direction special beast tomorrow after sunrise. We need to be the first ones to im the southern one, this will give us a huge lead." The boy exined his n, confirming her doubts.

    Without wasting much time, they both mounted up the Frosty and started going in the southern direction, closely following the coast side.

    With every passing minute, another team could snatch the opportunity from right under their noses but that was most likely to happen after Sunrise since the battle points had stopped increasing as the darkness drowned the ind.

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 Chapter 213 Three-Tail Silver Fox

    Previously, N wasn''t nning to acquire two directions'' special beasts on the same day because she didn''t think they were capable of doing it but this was feasible now since they had one full night toplete their task.

    Rio was resting all the way toward their next destination as the boy needed to recover his mana and be in his best form to be ready for the fight.

    N only fought whenever they encountered any other AI beasts but most of the time they tried to avoid the creatures as the duo was both nning to take down the special beast as soon as possible.

    They marched in the direction of the south, their path illuminated only by the soft gleam of the moon and stars above.

    As they traveled, the terrain slowly began to shift, with gentle hills giving way to steeper slopes and jagged rocks.

    They hade upon a mountain, its peak shrouded in mist and bathed in an eerie blue glow. The air around them be chilly and more biting as they climbed the ascendednd on their white wolf mount, their breathsing out in misty puffs.

    Despite the icy condition, the duo didn''t care and reached the top of the mountain. What weed them was a breathtaking view of the world below, The distant flicker of campfires dotted the horizon which was a testament to the other teams'' presence who were camping on the ind.

    "Do you think we will be able to find the beast''s location from this height?" N asked in puzzlement.

    "The special beast must be kept hidden somewhere, they wouldn''t leave it to wander in the wild. My innate skill will work better here to find any possible ce where the special beast might be kept." Rio said, his gaze sweeping across the dense forest from the top of the mountain as he was searching for any hint of their next target.

    He turned around to look in the southern direction where rough stony terrain was present.

    Soon his eyes noticed a small opening in the mountain wall''s side. It looked like a cave, and he couldn''t help but feel this might be the hidden location.

    "N, look over there." He said, with a gleam of hope in his eyes.

    The girl noticed the hidden cave as her face brightened, thinking they finally found their target but they couldn''t confirm the location unless they actually saw the special beast.

    The mountain cave was not visible at first as it was at the very side of the terrain. Unless one passed closely from there they wouldn''t able to discover it.

    Taking cautious steps, they traveled towards the cavern and entered it, and as their eyes adjusted to the dark, they saw a stream trickling through the rock floor. The sound of the water resounded through the cave, making it feel like a sacred sanctuary.

    As they moved forward, they saw a figure in the distance. It was a silver beast,ying near the stream of water with closed eyes.

    The creature was small but powerful, with a sleek and shiny silver coat on its body with three tails that were swaying as if it was awake and not sleeping.

    N could feel its immense power emanating from it, making her heart beat with thrill and fear.

    Rio signaled to N to be silent as they watched the beast drink. They didn''t want to startle it, or they could risk losing the chance to strike it first. They had to be careful, so they slowly hid to the side to hide from the sight of the beast.

    "It doesn''t look like a special beast," N said in his thoughts.

    "Wait a minute, let me confirm," Rio responded and used his [Heaven''s Eyes] to inspect the beast.

    <<<<

    [Name: Three-tail Silver Fox]

    [Type: AI Robot]

    [Physical Power: 200]

    >>>><novelnext></novelnext>

    "It''s a special beast and stronger than both of us." The boy said.

    He discovered the physical power of the creature which was greater than both N and Him. They needed to y smart to be able to defeat this beast.

    "What are we going to do?" N asked nervously in his thought.

    "Same n but this time it will be risky." He answered.

    "Why?" The girl asked with puzzlement.

    The boy pointed towards their ceiling, exining his reason without saying any words.

    "Oh... Then you prepare I will wait outside." N understood.

    Without a word, she slipped out of the cave, her footsteps light as a feather.

    Rio prepared for the worst, his mind focused on the task at hand. He knew that the cavern would copse from the sheer force of the explosion, whether the beast survived or not.

    As the girl went out of the cave, He used his battle technique arts, casting [Overload Destroyed] with [Obliteration of Heaven].

    A glowing orb formed in his palm, its power pulsing with intensity. Rio charged the attack with ny percent of his mana, taking aim at the special beast resting in the distance.

    As the [Heaven Destroyer] hurtled towards the silver beast, its golden eyes shed open in response to the iing danger.

    The orb zed a bright blue, cracking with thunder as it closed in on its target. The special beast darted away with lightning reflexes without wasting time, narrowly avoiding the strike as it struck the ground.

    The blue orb collided with the ground, unleashing an explosive force that shook the entire cave.

    The shockwave hit Rio''s body as he darted out of the cave, his figure was enveloped in buzzing thunder as He sprinted towards N, who was waiting on Frosty Mount and signaled her to run.

    As the debris rained down around them, Rio teleported behind the girl on her mount and instinctively wrapped his arms around N, shielding her from the falling rocks and dust.

    *Howl!!!*

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 Chapter 214 The Silver Foxs Pursuit

    The debris rained down as they made their way to the bottom of the mountain, Mount''s feet pounding against the rugged terrain. The earth groaned beneath its feet as the white wolf escaped the stony site.

    *Howl!!!*

    They heard the deafening howl of anger and pain that wasing from behind them.

    N''s heart beat faster as the realization hit her. She asked in his thoughts, "Rio... Did you hear that?"

    The boy let go of her as he turned around to find the source of the sound. His eyes narrowed as he nced toward the mountain.

    Rio could see a faint outline of the beast in the distance, moving toward them with a renewed sense of vengeance and hatred.

    After the mountain''s copse and the [Heaven Destroyer] explosion the beast was injured but it was still not dead. Despite Creature''s wounded state, the three-tail silver fox continued to run at full speed, unaware of its own condition due to its robotic nature.

    "The beast is still alive and it''sing after us. We can''t fight it head-on unless I recover some mana, Let''s avoid it as much as we can." The boy said with an urgency in his voice.

    N urged her mount to run faster, pushing it as much as she could. The distance between the three-tail silver fox and the duo was getting shorter and shorter as they continued to run away.

    The three-tail silver fox, its fur shimmering in the moonlight, was in hot pursuit of its enemy, who was escaping away on the back of the white wolf mount.

    The duo could hear the creature''s paws pounding the ground behind them, getting closer and closer.

    Rio and N were twisting and turning through the dense forest, trying to avoid the other teams on the ind who were camping. They needed to get to the coast where they would fight the special beast and also buy some time for the boy who was recovering his mana.

    As they approached the shore, Rio had only recovered forty percent of his mana.

    Soon, Frosty came to a stop, turning around to face the beast as N leaped off the mount, summoning her ck spear beast soul.

    The three-tail silver fox was relentless, its sharp ws digging into the ground as it gradually halted dozens of meters away from the duo.

    Rio''s eyes nced as he looked at the three-tail silver fox in front of him, noticing the ck liquid oozing from its wounds. It was clear the special beast was badly damaged and barely holding on, but it didn''t seem to realize it because the creature was AI made and not real one.

    The three tails flicked back and forth as the fox red at them, its golden eyes zing with fury.

    *Howl!!!*

    It let out a deafening cry that echoed across the coast, making N tighten her grip on her ck spear, ready for whatever was toe.

    "I will buy you time so you can recover some mana," The girl spoke as her eyes were glued to the target.

    "Be careful, N." The boy said as he was concerned for her.

    He waited on the back of the mount as he needed to wait for his mana to fill up and he calcted one more simr attack might be enough to thrash the AI beast to its death.

    N''s ck spear whirled in her hand, radiating in the moonlight as she approached the three-tail silver fox.

    The yellow fire summoned around her, swirling and dancing with every movement, making her look like a beautiful fairy in the dark of night.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The beast, wounded, snarled in anger as itunched itself toward her. N didn''t even flinch as the beast lunged at her.

    Instead, she swiftly thrust her spear forward, the yellow mes crackling as they surged toward the AI beast.

    The beast tried to turn its head away to dodge the mes but it was already in mid-air as the yellow fire covered its silver fur, the sharp zing tip of the spear piercing the beast''s skin, leaving another wound on its already injured body.

    N''s peak-level ck-stage stats were helpful as she was stronger than Rio and almost close to the special beast''s strength.

    The three-tail fox groaned in pain as it darted to the side afternding on the ground and lunged forward again toward its target with fury.

    The girl had a bright smile on her face as her ck spear was ready to pierce through the air for the uing three-tail silver fox.

    The beast was slow in its movements due to its wounds, but it managed to dodge N''s second strike. It growled in anger and leaped towards her, ws outstretched.

    The girl quickly spun around, dodging the attack with ease. She charged forward again, her spear aimed at the fox''s head.

    The beast tried to dodge, but N''s movements were too quick. The ck spear''s tip was connected with its target, piercing the fox''s skull.

    The beast howled in pain as N''s spear was pulled out of its head. The ck liquid sttered on the ground as the fox stumbled backward, its eyes zing over.

    It was clear that the beast was now in its final moments struggling to stay on its feet.

    N quickly leaped back, keeping a safe distance from the wounded beast, and watched as the fox fell to the ground with a thudding sound, the yellow fire flickering around her.

    The girl stood there, panting, as she watched the beast close its golden eyes to its death.

    The boy vanished from the white wolf''s back and appeared right beside her. He wrapped her in a warm embrace, lifting her off her feet.

    N wasn''t prepared for the hug but a soft smile spread on her adorable face as she enjoyed his loving embrace.

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 Chapter 215 A Kiss In The Night

    As they were hugging, they heard the sudden rumbling of thunder, and rain begin to pour down from the dark, night sky, they were both drenched in seconds.

    Rio held onto N tighter, his arms wrapped around her waist as they were both happy at the sudden change in weather.

    The raindrops were cold against their skin, but they didn''t care. The duo was caught up in the moment, the adrenaline of the battle''s victory still pumping through their veins.

    N looked up at Rio with a smile, her wet hair clinging to her face. Her luscious lips were inches away from him, the rain falling down on them, making her look more tantalizing than ever.

    She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him closer. Rio could feel her warm breath on his face and smell the sweet scent of her orchid perfume enveloping his senses.

    As he gazed into her green eyes, he felt his love for her stirring inside him. The boy could see the craving in her hot gaze, the desire that burned within her to quench her thirst, and he knew that she wanted him badly.

    The rain continued to fall, soaking them both to the bone. N''s clothes clung to her enticing curves, revealing her seductive figure. Rio couldn''t help but run his hands over her back, feeling the smoothness of her skin.

    In the end, he couldn''t resist the urge any longer. His heart was racing as he leaned in, his eyes locked onto hers. He could feel the heat radiating from her skin, and he knew that he wanted nothing more than to feel the softness of her lips against his.

    As his lips touched hers, he was hit with a wave of pleasurable sensation. The taste of her plump flesh was like red wine, intoxicating and addictive.

    For the girl, It was as if she had been waiting her whole life for this moment, and now that it was finally here, she couldn''t get enough.

    They kissed hungrily, lost in their passion and the dripping water that surrounded them.

    The rain''s melody intertwined with the thumping of their hearts and the heavy gasps that escaped their lips, forming a mist in the chilly air.

    N''s lips were soft and warm against Rio''s, making him lose himself in the moment. Her hands were tangled in his wet hair, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss.

    The cold water was starting to get to them, making them shiver and their teeth chatter. But they didn''t care, they were lost in each other.

    Rio''s hands traveled down her back, feeling the curve of her spine, before gripping her round hips and pulling her closer to him.

    N''s body was pressed against his, her soaked clothes sticking to her every curve. Rio''s hands roamed over her body, unable to get enough of her.

    The rain transformed into a downpour, falling harder now, making them both even more drenched and cold. Their kiss was bing more and more heated, with N sucking on Rio''s lips aggressively as she moaned softly.

    His hands moved to her butt, squeezing and groping it, making her gasp and pausing the kiss before continuing once again.

    They were lost in their passion, not noticing the storm raging around them. The only thing that mattered was each other, their bodies and lips seeking the ultimate pleasure in the midst of the pouring rain.

    Their kiss was a beautiful feeling, filled with passion and desire. It was a moment of love, a sharing of one affection and one feeling that took their breath away.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As they explored each other''s mouths, the steam rising from their bodies only added to the intensity of the moment.

    Rio''s tongue was swift and wild, tasting every inch of N''s mouth. She responded eagerly, lost in the pleasure of his touch, a dreand that she always wished for.

    The wetness of her sulent lips only heightened Rio''s desire for her. His heart raced with excitement as he savored the sweetness of her tongue.

    The seductive moans that escaped her lips only fueled his hormones as he held her chubby butt tightly, his fingers digging into her skin. Her body was a wondend, and he wanted to explore every inch of it.

    The way her firm bosom felt against his chest, the softness and plumpiness of her rounded flesh, it was all too much to bear. As he sucked her tongue, he could feel her body shiver with pleasure.

    As their bodies moved to love each other, the rain continued to pour down, adding to the intensity of the moment. This was more than just physical pleasure, it was an expression of their love for each other.

    N''s sweet cries of pleasure only spurred him on, and he kissed her with even more fervor.

    At this moment, there was nothing else in the world but the two of them, lost in their own world of passion and desire.

    The sound of the rain was soothing, a luby that failed to calm their racing hearts. They stood there in each other''s embrace, letting the rain wash away their worries and fears, losing each other in one another''s wild kiss.

    Everything around them had long faded away, leaving just the two of them in their own little bubble.

    The rain continued to pour down on them and they kissed each other, content at the moment.

    As they stood there, lost in the heat of the moment, Rio heard a voice in the distance. It was faint at first, but as he strained his ears, he could make out what was being said.

    "The beast howling sound came from that way," the stranger''s voice said, and Rio knew their sweet time had to postpone here and they had to act fast.

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 Chapter 216 Going Into The Wonderous Forest Realm Once Again

    Other teams, who were not far from the battle site, had heard the beast cry and were making their way toward them. N''s eyes widened in shock as she realized the same thing.

    Rio looked over at the girl, who had a look of panic on her face while their kiss was still ongoing. They both knew that the other students wereing and that they had to get out of there quickly.

    "Damn it, these annoying students are going to spoil my sweet moment with my darling." She cursed inwardly.

    They separated from their passionate embrace, their lips still tingling from the intensity of their kiss, and a sense of urgency in their eyes. They knew that they had to move quickly if they wanted to avoid the other teams.

    Without a word, they turned and ran in the opposite direction, towards the other side of the forest. The rain poured down around them, and the ground was slick with mud, but they didn''t slow down.

    The duo sprinted as fast as they could, their hearts beating in their chests as they tried to put as much distance between themselves and the other teams as possible.

    They could hear the sound of footsteps in the distance, getting further with every passing moment as they were escaping the site as the duo didn''t stop, didn''t look back, and kept running, to continue moving forward.

    As they reached the edge of the forest, entered the verdant territory, and hid behind a tree before stopping to catch their breath.

    The sound of footsteps in the distance was now far away that they could rx without worrying.

    N turned to Rio, a mischievous glint in her eye. "That was certainly thrilling and hot, But next time, I don''t want to get interrupted by anyone."

    The boy didn''t know why every time his intense kisses were interrupted by someone or something.

    The first time this happened was when he was very intimate with Lia the night she offered her blood to him. It was because his sealed memories returned that day and today it was because of these students as they had picked the wrong spot for their romantic business.

    He couldn''t me himself for saying he should''ve picked a better ce for their kiss. It was something that happened on its own because the boy saw how N overwhelmed the injured silver beast and got them victory.

    The magenta-haired beauty was busy looking at the notification in front of her eyes as previously she forgot to check them because the girl was enjoying her sweet time with her husband.

    <<<<

    [Special Beast Three-Tail Silver Fox killed. Thousand Battle points gained.]

    [You have acquired The Lighthouse Puzzle.]

    >>>>

    Seeing the dripping water and their crucial mission of taking fifty percent of clues for a special beast he thought to withdraw from hunting and go into the embrace of rxing.

    "Eve, Let us enter the wonderous forest realm. We have to rest." Rio asked the monarch beast in his thought.

    "I don''t like you." Her grumpy voice sounded in his mind.

    "What happened to you now?" The boy scrunched his brows as he was perplexed at her sudden deration of annoyance towards him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "It''s unfair, Partner. You only shower your kisses on your other women. When will my turne, I have been bound to you before her." The orange-red-haired beauty asked, she was making puffed cheeks.

    Rio sighed hearing her words but soon he heard another grumbling statement from the elvendy as the girl decided to be mad at himter and answer his request first, "Hmph... Try walking into the tree next to you and you will be in the wonderous forest realm."

    The boy thought she was just being mischievous to him and wanted to make fun of him.

    He gazed towards the tree they were taking shelter behind to hide, trying to touch it casually. The boy watched his hand pass through the solid trunk of the tree, His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

    N was looking at the message in front of her eyes, checking the leaderboard as she was engaged in looking at their number one position that didn''t change. However, A hand held her, interlocking fingers together, and pulling her towards him.

    As He walked deeper into the tree, the air became cooler and the sound of rustling leaves echoed around him. It was like he had entered a secret world hidden within the tree but he remembered this ce since he had oncee here before.

    N''s eyes flickered with astonishment, as she was pulled inside the tree, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of wonder and amazement at the sight before her. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before.

    The air was filled with a sweet fragrance of lush green trees and flowers apanied by azure and white butterflies that fluttered around them.

    The trees were so thick that barely any sun rays prated through, but the surroundings were illuminated with a mysterious blue light.

    N saw a small waterfall that cascaded down a heap of stones, creating a stream of lime-shade water. The soothing sound of the water reverberates through the woods, adding to the tranquility of the ce.

    Rio was holding her hand as he walked ahead, bringing her deeper into the wonderous forest realm.

    To N''s surprise, the color of the trees began to change, their branches adorned with beautiful pink leaves that whispered with the slightest breeze.

    The ground was also covered with a carpet of pink leaves as if nature had painted the whole forest with the color of love. The whole ce seemed like a surreal fairnd that one could only dream of.

    "Why?" The boy came to a sudden halt and asked in surprise at what he saw in front of him.

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 Chapter 217 Mystic Currents

    The duo came to a sudden halt as their gaze fell upon the thick trees that were intertwined with each other, forming a wall that blocked their path.

    "Why?" He asked in his thought as Rio saw the way to Monarch Beast was closed.

    "I don''t wee strangers into my home, but since she''s your woman, I allow her to enter. However, I cannot let here where I reside." Eve''s tone was stiff as she answered him.

    "You are so moody." The boy sighed.

    He turned to gaze at N who was mesmerized by the beauty of this realm as she was staring at everything around her.

    "Let''s rest here tonight. We will continue our hunting tomorrow." Rio said to her, jolting her awake from her trance.

    "Whoaa... What''s this ce?" The girl asked in awe,ing out of her daze state.

    "It''s a special spell given by the Elven monarch beast that I received after finishing the quest at the Laughing Alligator Forest." The boy responded and described the ce in brief.

    "But it''s still day here." N pointed out as the sun was gleaming in the sky.

    However, before Rio could say anything the sun started moving towards the west and a moon came up above their head that started glimmering in the sky.

    "Wow..." The girl was amazed as the day turned into night and instantly fulfilled their wish.

    This ce was a divine treasure that was given to Eve so she was in control of the day and night whenever she desired she could change it.

    The Elven beauty was annoyed at Rio''s action of not treating her well but she still cared about him as she made it a night on N''s one word.

    "Thanks," Rio showed his gratitude towards that girl whose mood changed like the month of April.

    The boy watched with amusement as N skipped and twirled around, her magenta hair swishing behind her. She chased after the butterflies, giggling as they fluttered just out of her reach.

    She ran towards the small stream of water, her eyes filled with wonder at the greenish-lime hue of the water. She reached out her hand to touch the water, feeling the coolness of it against her skin.

    She then sat beside the stream, her legs dangling off the edge of the rocks. She took in the sights around her, the vibrant colors of the trees, the gentle rustling of the leaves, and the soft trickling of the water.

    The boy couldn''t help but smile at the sight of N''s pure joy and excitement.

    Rio scanned the area, searching for the perfect spot to make a cozy bed for himself and N. In the end, he settled on a spot beneath a majestic tree with a broad trunk and branches that extended outwards.

    He unfurled his bedding and arranged it neatly on the ground that he took out from his wonderous forest realm that was stored in a different part of this space. He fluffed his pillow and ced it at the head of the bed.

    The boy smiled as he watched N run toward him, her magenta hair bouncing in the sunlight. She was like a little ball of energy, always so full of life and excitement.

    As she reached him, she skidded to a stop, her eyes became bright at the sight of her husband setting up everything for the two of them.

    He had set up a little pic area under the shade of arge tree, with a nket spread out on the ground and tes of food arranged neatly on top.

    N''s eyes widened with delight as she saw the spread, and she eagerly plopped down next to him.

    "This ce is so beautiful Rio." She praised the wonderous forest realm as she sat beside him to eat.

    The couple finished their meal after a long tiring adventure where they constantly hunted on the ind and didn''t get time to eat.

    Rio prepared to sleep as hey on the bed and held out his hand, signaling N to join him.

    N settled herselffortably beside him. Rio wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Their bodies fit together perfectly, like two puzzle pieces meant to be together.

    As they snuggled together, their breaths synced up, rising and falling in unison. Rio''s fingers brushed through N''s hair, softly tucking it behind her ear.

    She smiled contentedly, feeling safe and loved in his embrace.

    The warmth of their bodies mingled together, creating a cocoon offort as theyy intertwined under the nkets.

    N nuzzled into Rio''s chest, feeling his heart beat strong and steady against her cheek. His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer as if he never wanted to let go.

    With a deep sigh of ecstasy, N nestled further into his embrace, feelingpletely at peace. Rio''s fingers traced patterns along her back, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. She felt a rush of gratitude as she was sleeping in his warm hug, the girl loved him so deeply.

    They drifted off to sleep, holding each other tightly and their hearts beating as one, the perfectplement to each other''s souls.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The night in the wonderous forest realm was calm and peaceful, with only the sound of their gentle breathing filling the air.

    The next day, they left the forest realm the same way but this time Rio learned how to use this spell on his own.

    He just walked towards a tree and thought to go out of the wonderous forest realm, pulling N alongside him.

    Outside, it was alreadyte in the morning, The sun shone through the leaves, creating a beautiful green and silver light that illuminated their path into the midst of the forest where they had previously escaped from.

    "Hey Sweetie, how about we head over to the west side and see if we can find another special beast?" N asked the boy as they had a whole new day to work to farm more battle points for their team ranking in the national military school tournament.

    "We can go, but probably other teams may have already reached that area by now. They might have started their journey right after the sunrise." Rio said as he already saw that the battle points on leaderboards had started changing again.

    "No worries But let''s give it a try, okay?" The girl asked, summoning her white wolf mount with a lively smile.

    The boy nodded and climbed on the Frosty mount along with her as they both traveled towards the western side of the ind.

    As they were traveling, a message sounded in their mind and a long text appeared right in front of their eyes which came from their second AI watch on their wrist, "Attention all students! This is an ind-wide announcement to provide an update on the ongoing national military school tournament.

    The special beasts of the East, West, and South have already been imed by some of our talented students. As of now, fifteen students have been withdrawn from the ind, out of a total of 983 students.

    We have 29 days left for the national military school tournament to conclude. Keep up the good work and may the best school team win!"

    As the announcement echoed in their minds, the Frosty mount abruptly halted, and a discernible sense of disappointment befell N.

    The deration unequivocally implied that they had missed their chance to im the next special beast situated on the western side.

    Nevertheless, the duo had already imed two of the three coveted beasts, with the additional task of solving intricate puzzles that would lead them to the remaining creatures.

    N''s voice was filled with disappointment as she spoke to the boy, "Rio, we missed out on the special beast of the western side. Do you think we should try our luck with the one on the north side?" Despite her disappointment, her cheerful nature shone through.

    "I don''t think we can make it there before the other teams as we are very far from the northern side of the ind. Rather we should try solving puzzles and find the next beast." The boy suggested.

    "Okay, Let''s check the first puzzle." The magenta-haired beauty spoke,manding her second AI watch to open the details.

    <<<<

    [Mystic Currents]

    ~ In search of beasts, you must go, But first, find the river''s flow. Follow it with a keen eye, To where the next creature lies.

    In which direction does it run? Let your senses be your guide, and don''t shun The feeling in your heart and soul, As you journey towards your goal.

    The next beast awaits, hidden from view, But with this clue, you''ll know what to do. So set forth on this new quest, And put your skills to the test.

    >>>>

    N''s face lit up with excitement and she eximed, "Oh, that sounds like a fun challenge! We should go and find the river''s flow, Rio!"

    "Yeah, we should retrace our steps back to where we discovered the Three-tail silver fox. I guess that river in the cavern should be connected to the one outside in the forest. We can start from there." Rio nodded in agreement and replied.

    The girlmanded the Frosty mount to go in the direction of the southern mountain where they previously went for a second special beast.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 218 Would It Be A Victory Or A Failure?

    Rio''s [Heaven''s Eyes] helped them avoid other students as they sprinted toward the southern side where they first saw the three-tail silver fox.

    As they approached the mountain, Rio and N began searching for the river.

    The dense trees made it hard to find any path leading to it. They kept walking for a while until N''s ears perked up as she heard the sound of water in the distance.

    Her face lit up, "Rio, we found it"

    They followed the sound until they reached a small clearing in the forest. There, they saw a beautiful waterfall cascading down the mountain.

    They both walked towards the river and looked into It which seemed to be leading in the eastern direction.

    Rio said with a faint smile, "Now, we just need to follow the river''s flow till the very end."

    Excitement filled N''s voice, "Alright, let''s go."

    The girl summoned her White wolf beast soul, the duo rode the mount closely following at the edges.

    Rio held on to N''s waist as they navigated the twists and turns of the river. The wind blew through their hair, as the stream of water led them in the eastern direction.

    As they followed the river, it grew wider and wider until it eventually led them to arge pit. The water flowed into the big hole in the ground, disappearing into the darkness.

    N looked over the edge and couldn''t see anything below. "This is a dead end," she eximed, disappointmentcing her voice.

    Rio raised his brows, "But the water flow has led us here. There has to be something at this ce"

    After looking at the pit thoughtfully he said, "Let''s search the surrounding area to see if there are any other clues before we enter this pit."

    They spent the next hour exploring the region nearby, but there seemed to be no other clues.

    N scrunched her face in disappointment as they didn''t find any lead after scouring the area.

    In the end, The duo decided to descend into the pit cautiously, theirnding apanied by a gentle sshing sound as they submerged their feet into the chilly stream below.

    "I can''t see anything here, how would we find our way." N''s voice echoed out in the dark pit as she spoke.

    She felt her hand being held as Rio grabbed them, heforted her, "Just stay with me, I will lead the way."

    The tunnel seemed to be leading somewhere far away, but Rio couldn''t tell where it led. They kept walking, and the sound of their sttering footsteps resounded in the pit.

    The boy was able to see in the darkness with the help of his [Heaven''s Eyes] as he navigated his way through the dark tunnel and keep going in the direction where the river lead them to.

    As they followed the dark tunnel, the air grew colder and damper. They walked for hours, N''s hand firmly sped in Rio''s as he traversed his way through the darkness.

    But as time wore on, the tunnel seemed to be not ending. N was just following along as the boy was her eyes who was leading her ahead.

    In the end, Rio decided to speed up their journey, lifting N onto his back.

    N didn''t resist as her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. She felt happy to be riding on his back, as they made their way through the tunnel.

    As he ran, Rio''s feet sshed in the shallow water that filled the tunnel, creating a soothing sound that reverberated on their way.

    He ran for what felt like three hours, and soon, he saw the light in the distance growing brighter. N''s heart raced with anticipation as they drew closer and closer to the ce where the light wasing from.

    In the end, they emerged from the dark tunnel, Rio shielded his eyes from the sudden burst of sunlight that hit them.

    The sun was directly overhead, emitting a warm radiance over the entire valley. N couldn''t help but squint, her eyes adjusting to the abrupt brightness.

    But as her eyes adjusted, she was met with a breathtaking sight.

    The valley was filled with lush greenery and flowers that were surrounding a bigke, created by the umtion of the stream of water which they followed toe here.

    The air was fragrant with the scent of fresh flowers and the sound of birds singing. The breeze was cool and gentle, making the leaves of the trees whisper softly.

    Their eyes were drawn to the tform in the middle. It was arge structure made of wood and stone, sitting atop the water like a massive raft.

    At the center of the tform, a beasty as if sleeping, its body rising and falling with each deep breath it took.

    The creature looked simr to a jackal, with sharp teeth and powerful muscles rippling under its fur. Its ears twitched as it dreamed, its nose wrinkling as it took in the scents of the surrounding water.

    "Isn''t it amazing how realistic that AI creature looks? It''s almost as if we''ve been transported to the Land of Asura itself!" N said to Rio via telepathy.

    The beast didn''t seem to be robotic but a real one but they both knew it was artificially created for their tournament.

    Rio''s eyes fell on another creature swimming around the tform, its shape, and size both unfamiliar and intriguing. It seemed to be a crab, with a hard shell and sharp ws, but it had a horn at the top of its head that curved gracefully towards the sky.

    The jackal looked like a formidable creature, standing at a height of 1.5 meters, Its presence was imposing, and the crab was even more massive, measuring a staggering 4 meters in length. Its movements were slow and deliberate as if it were patrolling the perimeter of the tform and keeping watch over the sleeping beast.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Eh... Two at the same time??? They sure know how to challenge us by putting more than one special beast together," The girl spoke in his thought, a bittersweet smile on her face.

    Rio inspected the AI creature using his [Heaven''s Eyes] as he needed to know about their strength before crafting any strategy against them.

    <<<<

    [Name: Grimw]

    [Type: AI Robot]

    [Physical Power: 185]

    [Name: Horned Kraken]

    [Type: AI Robot]

    [Physical Power: 190]

    >>>>

    "Eve, what are my chances of killing that Grimw if I use my battle art technique [Heaven Destroyer]?" His voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension that showed how much he was invested this time.

    The boy had to be cautious, and it was clear that he was considering all the variables before making a move. If he missed, Rio would be out of mana and N''s vision was limited in the darkness. The pressure was on him to make the right decision.

    Eve considered the question for a moment, her eyes scanning the sleeping beast. "With your Heaven Destroyer battle art technique, you have a fifty percent chance of killing the Grimw in one strike.

    Moreover, if you''re lucky the attack will damage the crab with a jolt of electricity, but it won''t be fatal," she replied in her soft, melodious voice.

    The boy''s eyes shone with determination as he listened to her answer. He knew he had to be careful in this fight as they were facing two formidable opponents at the same time.

    ''Worse case worse, we can always hide inside the wonderous forest realm until my mana refills again.''

    Rio had another backup n to escape the desperate situation if that really urred but for now, he needed to try first.

    "Let''s rest for a while, I need to recover my mana before I can use my battle art technique," He said to the girl in his thoughts.

    N nodded, her eyes filled with bewilderment as she was unaware of the conversation that happened between Eve and Rio.

    They walked toward the dark tunnel again as resting there was better to avoid getting detected by the AI creatures

    Rio sat down against the damp, rocky wall and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. He could feel the mana slowly returning to his body, and filling him up.

    Once he was fully prepared, the boy discussed the n with N, if they failed they would retreat into the wonderous forest realm, and if he seeded then the girl would take the stage to fight the Horned Kraken.

    "Wait there for me." Looking at N, he gestured for her to wait near a tree that was at a safe distance from theke.

    Once she was far from him, he stood up and moved in the direction of theke. He knew he needed to direct his strike toward the tform where the jackal was sleeping.

    As he trudged, he could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins but he kept his calm.

    He took a deep breath and focused his mana, preparing to unleash [Heaven Destroyer] explosion.

    N watched from afar, her heart beating in worry as she waited for the oue. "I need to be prepared."

    Her heart raced as she watched Rio''s hand poised to unleash his battle art technique.

    The air was thick with tension as the duo wondered what fate awaited them.

    Would it be a victory or a failure?

    The unknown oue hung over the girl like a dark cloud, leaving N on the edge of her seat, waiting with bated breath.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 219 Madames Order: Eerie Shadows & Sinister Whispers

    The blue orb charged in his palm, and gradually Rio''s ny percent mana was used to increase its intensity with [Obliteration of Heaven].

    When he was done, he directed his battle art technique toward the tform, sending a blue orb that traveled in the direction of the jackal.

    The glowing small sphere moved steadily through the air, its aura pulsing with powerpressed within as it closed in on the Grimw.

    The Horned Kraken spotted the approaching pulsating object and quickly retreated underwater, disappearing from sight.

    The Grimw, on the other hand,zily opened its eyes which widened in surprise as the blue orb drew closer.

    Suddenly, the buzzing illuminating sphere vanished into thin air, leaving the Grimw perplexed and confused. It looked around frantically, trying to determine where the orb had gone but found no trace.

    Instead, detecting its enemy running in the distance, The jackal was ready to chase Rio but a bright light appeared behind Grimw, colliding against its tough skin with incredible destructive force.

    The light enveloped the beast''s body and spread outwards, epassing the entire tform. The resulting explosion was deafening, apanied by the sound of water sshing and buzzing.

    The force of the explosion was so powerful that water was sent flying in all directions, drenching everything around the tform. A rainbow was formed by the sttering of water particles in the air as this happened.

    The ck blood of the Grimw vaporized into ck smoke, and the creature copsed lifelessly, falling into theke.

    The Horned Kraken, who escaped underwater, was also not spared from the attack either.

    As it remained underwater, it was electrocuted by the thunder battle art technique attack and felt a sudden dizziness. Its robotic hardware got affected by the shockwave and thunder as the creature struggled to stay afloat in the water, trying to regain control.

    Soon, the Kraken special beast decided to escape outside from this buzzing water and emerged from the churningke, its bruised shell gleaming in the sunlight.

    Rio, who had retreated to a safe distance, watched as the Horned Kraken surfaced and was caught off guard by a zing ck spear that suddenly pierced its metal frame.

    The ck spear had been summoned by drenched N, who had been carefully observing the battle from afar. She had been biding her time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

    With pinpoint precision, she hurled the spear at the Horned Kraken, catching it off guard and dealing a devastating blow.

    The Kraken howled in pain and tried to shake her off, but N held on tight and continued to strike with her spear.

    As the Kraken''s movements began to slow down, She summoned a swirling yellow fire around her. The mes danced around her body as her spear zed with a yellow me, enhancing her weapon.

    With a fierce glint in her eyes, she charged toward the Kraken, the yellow fire danced around her as she thrust her ck-stage spear''s tip deep into the beast''s body.

    N''s ck spear was embedded in the Horned Kraken''s body as it let out a final shriek of agony before copsing onto the ground with a thudding sound.

    She stood over the defeated beast, breathing heavily as she tried to catch her breath. Previously, she had to run at full speed as she saw her time hade to take the battle stage.

    Her eyes were locked onto the creature''s body, watching as the ck liquid gushed out from its wound and its life slowly slipped away.

    As she was staring at the Horned Kraken, she couldn''t help but remember how it had been first electrocuted by the [Heaven Destroyer], a powerful battle art technique that Rio previously used.

    And then, as if that wasn''t enough, she had burned it with her yellow me, leaving it weakened and vulnerable. But it was her sharp ck spear that had dealt the final blow, piercing through the beast''s thick skin and putting an end to its misery.

    As the yellow fire that had once swirled around her now dissipated into the air, N let out a triumphant gesture, raising her arms in victory after turning around to face Rio.

    Her green eyes interlocked with the boy, her gaze filled with excitement and joy.

    "We did it, Rio! we defeated the two special beasts!" N eximed, her voice was lively.

    Rio looked at the girl with adoration in his gaze. "I didn''t expect your yellow mes to be so mighty."

    N felt a sense of pride swell within her chest at Rio''s words, her eyes sparkling with happiness, "Thanks Sweetie,"

    They both stood in silence for a moment, basking in the afterglow of their victory.

    He said, "You know, I wasn''t sure if you were strong enough to handle these special beasts alone at first. But after facing two in a row, it''s clear that even if you faced a fully healed special beast, you would be able to defeat it with your current strength."

    N''s eyes widened in surprise. She had been so focused on the fight that she hadn''t even considered what Rio just said.

    As the girl was lost in celebrating her joy, Rio continued, "We should rest for a while then we will leave this ce. We also have to find clues for other puzzles."

    N nodded as they both went to rest under a tree and ate their food.

    After an hour, they started leaving the ce from the dark tunnel which they had usede. Rio carried the girl on his back as her vision was limited in the dark and he wasn''t nning to waste their time by crossing the long path just by walking.

    For the next ten days, Rio and N spent carefully navigating the ind, hunting, and solving puzzles for the Special Beast.

    They were cautious to avoid the Wind Slyphs that hovered in the sky and the asional group of students that came too close to their area.

    Whenever they desired, they retreated to the safety of the Wondrous Forest realm, a ce where they didn''t have to worry about the dangers of the ind.<novelnext></novelnext>

    ***

    The moon hung in the sky, emitting a pale light on the darkened beach. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was the only noise to be heard, save for the hushed whispers of the conspiring students.

    Their conversation was sinister, as four figures were discussing something, the fire flickered, casting eerie shadows across their faces as they spoke in hushed tones.

    "It''s been twelve days and that Havenglow brat is still alive."

    "Maybe She was lying to us."

    "Don''t be foolish, if Madame finds out you even said that, you won''t live to see the next day."

    "Sorry, but we''ve been attacking Golden Seal students left and right, and still no sign of him."

    "We have to find him. Our time is running out."

    "We only have eighteen days left toplete this mission."

    "And if we fail?"

    "Madame said we can always hide in the Land of Asura. But I''d rather not take that chance to make her unhappy."

    Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps interrupted their conversation.

    "Byran, I''ve found more Golden Seal students."

    "Where?"

    "They''re camping near the special beast location."

    "Excellent. Get everyone ready. We have work to do."

    As they prepared to leave, dozens of beasts came out of the dense forest, the five sinister students looked pleased as theymanded the creatures to follow them, their eyes glinting with a twisted sense of power.

    Among the beasts was a massive three-meter-tall boar, Its body was sculpted with bulging muscles, rippling with power, giving it an appearance of being invincible. Its presence was daunting andmanding.

    The rest of the pack consisted of sleek and stealthy shadow cats, their eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Their lithe bodies moved with the grace and precision of a predator and their fur was a glossy ck, blending seamlessly into the darkness of the night.

    It was eerie to see the way the students controlled the beasts as if they were mere puppets under theirmand. The group set off into the darkness, their ominous presence spreading a foreboding shadow over the ind.

    ***

    N and Rio rested atop the same mountain where they had first seen the elusive silver fox. The view was nothing short of breathtaking, with the sun setting on the horizon and spreading a warm, orange glow over thendscape.

    The serene atmosphere was a wee respite after a long day of hunting. Rioy beside N, his eyes closed as he took in the tranquility of the moment to rx.

    The girl sat with her knees pulled to her chest, gazing out at the view. She took a deep breath of the fresh, crisp air and closed her eyes, reveling in the peace and quiet.

    Suddenly, Her eyes flew open, her body jolting upright as if she had been electrified. A sudden urgency overtook her as she peered down the mountain. Her gaze was sharp and focused, honing in on something moving below.

    Rio, sensing her sudden shift in energy, a look of concern creasing his forehead, "What''s wrong, N?" he asked, his voice quiet and concerned.

    N''s breath wasing in short, shallow gasps as she said, "Look, Rio."

    As she spoke, her hand darted out, pointing down below in the darkeningndscape.

    His eyes followed her gaze, searching for the cause of her distress, Rio''s expression shifted from concern to rm as he saw what N was pointing at.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 220 The Unlikely Hero

    "Rio, Those are our schoolmates! They''re in danger." N eximed, pointing down at the scene below.

    N''s eyes stared at the area below, and her heart sank as she saw a group of students from their school being chased by a pack of shadow cats. She could see their panicked expression even from this distance. The sight was jarring, and N''s mind raced as she tried to figure out what to do.

    As Rio''s eyes followed her gaze, his brows shot up at the sight. He saw three familiar faces who were getting chased by more than fifteen shadow cats.

    "Do you wanna help them?" Rio asked, confirming her wish as there was one conflicting student who they didn''t like.

    N hesitated for a moment before replying, "It''s not just Talia, but Lucas and Sophia are down there too. We should save them at least."

    Rio nodded in agreement, and the two of them summoned their weapons as they were ready to face the shadow cats.

    ***

    Sophia''s heart was pounding in her chest as she ran as fast as she could to save her life, her eyes darting back to see the shadow cats hot on their heels. The beasts were relentless in their pursuit, their growls reverberated in the evening air.

    Previously, their group had discovered the location of a special beast which was a giant boar. If they could defeat the creature, their school''s team would get battle points to aid them to rank higher in the national military school tournament.

    With this thought, they wanted to im the special beast''s massive battle points reward but their happiness was short-lived.

    A group of five students, with malice and evil intentions, emerged from the forest. This team wielded power to control the shadow cats, and theymanded the AI beasts to attack their group.

    Sophia andpany were caught off guard, as they were bombarded with the attacks of twenty ck-stage beasts together.

    At first, it was going fine as they had their senior who defended against the shadow cats. But the sinister group didn''t like their puppet beasts getting killed by Sophia''s teammates.

    This led to the AI creatures avoiding the higher-level teammates and going after Sophia and the other juniors in their group.

    When their senior members tried to help them, they were stopped by the giant boar and the enemy team.

    The senior students were forced to fight the evil group of five and the special beast which caused them to not assist their juniors.

    Sophia and other first-year students only had one option in this desperate situation which always worked, They ran for their lives and escaped from the battle site.

    As the pink-haired beauty was sprinting away to save herself, she was surprised to see two figures up ahead, d in strange masquerades

    Her eyes widened as she saw the sword and ck spear in their hands.

    ? ''Are they crazy? How can they think to take on all the beasts with just two people?''

    Without stopping, Sophia and her friends kept running, assuming the masquerade-d duo was suicidal. The beasts were gaining on them, their snarls and growls getting louder by the second.

    Soon, they heard the roaring of fire and cracking thunder reverberating behind them, Sophia looked back again to only discover that the two figures were fighting the beasts effortlessly, moving with a grace and fluidity that she had never seen before.

    The girl halted her footsteps, seeing her stopping, Lucas noticed the astonished expression on her face. He shouted, "Sophia, what happened to you?"

    But even as he turned to look, his own jaw dropped at the sight of the two fighters decimating the beasts with ease.

    The other students in the group also turned around to see the unexpected turn of events, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

    Lucas muttered, "Bloody hell."

    Their eyes were met with a stunning sight, A young maiden with flowing magenta hair was in the midst of a fierce battle, her ck spear gleaming with the fire as she twirled and dodged with ease.

    Her movements were almost too fast to follow, and as she attacked, a yellow me danced around her, leaving a trail of defeated charred Shadow Cats behind her.

    Beside her fought a boy who seemed to be radiating a bright blue light, crackling with the sound of buzzing thunder. His movements were even faster than the girl''s, and with each strike of his hand, a beast''s head would fly off as if it were a mere vegetable.

    The students were in awe, watching the two fighters effortlessly take down the beasts that had been terrorizing them just moments before.

    The ck spear moved swiftly and precisely, while the sword shed in the orange light of sunset as it struck the beast''s head

    It was like watching a dance, with the two figures moving in perfect unison to fend off the shadow cats. Sophia couldn''t believe what she was seeing, but she knew one thing for sure - these two were their saviors.

    It was a sight to see as the pack of eighteen beasts reduced to half in just a few moments, as they blinked their eyes a few times the number was reduced to just two.

    As the beautiful fire fairy yed another beast, one more head rolled down on the ground beheaded by the blue figure''s sword, announcing the end of the battle.

    The air was filled with the scent of burnt fur and smoke as N and Rio recalled their weapon and read the notification in front of their eyes.

    <<<<<novelnext></novelnext>

    [ck stage Shadow Cat killed. Fifty battle points gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    [ck stage Shadow Cat killed. Fifty battle points gained.]

    [ck stage Shadow Cat killed. Fifty battle points gained.]

    >>>>

    The girl turned to face the stunned onlookers with a victorious smile. The boy, his blue glow fading, stayed calm as he surveyed the aftermath of the battle.

    The students were left speechless, their minds struggling toprehend what they had just witnessed. It was a sight to see, a disy of power that would be etched into their memories for a long time.

    As the fight ended, The students slowly made their way toward the two figures who had just saved their lives.

    Sophia''s heart was filled with gratitude as she approached the Magenta-haired beauty who had ughtered the beasts with such ease. Lucas was right beside her, his eyes filled with admiration.

    Talia had a feeling of familiarity towards the girl with the ck spear, but she couldn''t quite be sure about it.

    As she got closer, she still didn''t recognize her as the masquerade was hiding her face.

    Meanwhile, the boy with the blue light surrounding him had a calmness on his face as he watched them getting closer.

    Rio noticed the gratitude flickered in each one of their eyes, especially Sophia and Lucas. Talia was also feeling grateful to them, the boy was finding it amusing as he wanted to see her reaction when she find out her beloved sister, whom she hated, was her savior.

    "I don''t know how to thank you both for saving us. We were like fish out of water back there. Those beasts would have sent us out of the tournament if it weren''t for you guys." One of the tall students said, his voice quivering.

    He was a young man in histe teens, with short, messy hair and a friendly, approachable demeanor. He was a second-year student known as James.

    "You are wee." The magenta-haired beauty spoke, her chest heaving with exertion as she offered a small, exhausted smile.

    Sophia''s eyes flickered with confusion as she looked at the two mysterious figures standing in front of her.

    "I''m sorry, but were you sent here by the federation to save us?" she asked, her toneced with skepticism.

    "It''s me!" The girl''s cheerful voice filled the air as she removed her masquerade. She had asked Rio if they could reveal themselves and he agreed. They both couldn''t wait to see Talia''s reaction.

    "It''s you, N, I can''t believe it''s really you," Sophia eximed, a smile spreading across her face. She couldn''t help but feel a rush of joy and excitement at the unexpected reunion.

    Talia''s eyes widened with shock as she processed the truth. Her own step-sister, N, the one who had always been considered the least talented member of their family, was the powerful girl who had just saved their lives or saved them from dropping out of the tournament.

    Her face became grave as the weight of the realization settled in that the girl whom she and her family always considered weak was actually this talented. How could she have missed it all this time?

    Talia''s mind was racing with questions, and she couldn''t help but feel a mix of emotions - shock, disbelief, and a tinge of jealousy for underestimating her stepsister.

    Lucas stood there frozen, staring at the girl before him. He couldn''t believe his eyes. It was her, the same girl who was their teammate in his previous expedition at the purple tower of the outcast.

    "Sister-inw, it''s you," he managed to say, his voice filled with disbelief and astonishment.

    Talia furrowed her brows when she heard the term sister-inw used to address the girl, clearly confused as to why Lucas was calling her this way. N, however, didn''t seem fazed by the statement, indicating that there was more to the story than met the eye.

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 Chapter 221 A New Foe

    "And who might this handsome man be?" Thest remaining student asked with a sly grin, her tone flirtatious.

    Her name was Lucy, she was a friendly and outgoing student from the second year, known for her amiable personality. She had long curly hair that cascaded down her back and was a little shorter than Sophia.

    N''s eyes narrowed as she heard Lucy''s flirty tone directed toward Rio.

    With a positive stride, she stepped forward to show her sovereignty over her man. She reached out and took off the boy''s masquerade with intimate action, revealing his handsome face.

    Seeing it was their own ssmate, their astonished face became dazed. The group of students stared at the boy in disbelief, eyes widening with astonishment. They couldn''t believe that the boy who had joined their ss was capable of fighting so many ck-stage beasts with such ease as if it was just a normal animal from their earth.

    Rio had always been a bit of a mystery to them. He was quiet and kept to himself most of the time, but now seeing his true power, they couldn''t help but feel a newfound respect for him. They had never expected him to be so strong and reach the level of the ck stage.

    "Wow, Havenglow''s family really lives up to their reputation. To already be a ck-stage warrior in just their first year is truly impressive," Jamesmented with a hint of admiration in his voice.

    "I''m really intrigued. How on earth did you guys manage to get a whole pack of shadow cats riled up like that?" N asked, looking at Sophia and Lucas curiously. She was puzzled about what they could have possibly done to provoke so many Shadow Cats at once.

    "Brother, Don''t give me that look. I am not the culprit. Even if I''m unlucky, I have never attracted so many beasts at the same time." Lucas spoke in his defense, feeling a bit embarrassed as Rio was looking in his direction thinking how bad was his luck to pull numerous shadow cats to chase their group.

    Sophia took a deep breath before exining the situation to the duo, "It wasn''t Lucas who attracted all those shadow cats. We were attacked by an enemy team and our seniors are still fighting with them. From what I saw, it seemed they were after first-year students and were able to control the shadow cats and the special beast."

    Talia''s eyes locked onto N''s face, "How did you manage to reach the ck stage?"

    She directed the question to her stepsister, a hint of annoyance in her voice, she continued, "Last time we spoke, you were only at the purple stage."

    N smiled, unfazed by her sister''s tone. "I had a little help, And a lot of hard work and training," she replied in an enigmatic manner, her eyes twinkling with pleasure.

    Talia raised an eyebrow, still suspicious, "I find that hard to believe,"

    N shrugged with a smile, not wanting to answer her and clear her doubt.

    "Can you two help us save our teammates? They''re still out there fighting against the enemy team. We need all the help we can get or they will end up withdrawing from the tournament," Lucy''s eyes moved from N to Rio as she desperately pleaded, her voice wasced with urgency and a glimmer of hope.

    The boy''s eyes gleamed with a mysterious glint as he listened to Lucy''s plea for help.

    The magenta-haired girl turned towards Rio, to know his decision. She asked in his thoughts, "What do you say?"

    He responded back using telepathy, "We could''ve gained some battle points for helping them. But Talia is here so we should help them for free to raise your reputation in the school against her. She will surely get irritated to hear praise of her step-sister for the next seventeen days she will spend with her teammates."

    N giggled inwardly at Rio''s mischievous n. "Alright, let''s go help them out. But we''re doing this because it''s the right thing to do, not just to annoy Talia," she said with a smile.

    He thought about the benefits of assisting them, not for the battle points they could gain, but for the opportunity to showcase N''s skills to Talia''s team. He envisioned the awe on their faces witnessing the Magenta-haired beauty''s power, and the satisfaction his girl would feel as Talia would be annoyed by her teammates constantlymending her step-sister.

    Sophia andpany watched how the Magenta-haired beauty was looking in Rio''s direction for his affirmation before deciding if she was going to help or not. This showed that N wasn''t nning to step in to aid if he didn''t agree.

    After a moment, N turned around and said, "Show us the way."

    Lucas murmured, "Such a good couple, they can understand each other just by looking into one another''s eyes."

    Talia''s eyes widened at his statement and she stumbled a bit, nearly tripping on a rock. She was confused as the girl realized what Lucas was insinuating. Her step-sister N, being linked romantically to Rio, was just a rumor she heard previously. She didn''t think the boy would''ve reciprocated her feeling.

    She shot a quick nce towards the two and noticed how they seemed to be in perfect harmony with each other. It made her stomach churn with jealousy and frustration.

    Sophia andpany led the way, and moved swiftly, weaving through the dense forest. The thick foliage barely slowed them down as they dashed toward their teammates who were fighting the enemy group.

    The sun had already set, causing darkness to take over the ind. The only light was the glimmer of stars twinkling and the glowing moon high above them. The air was thick with worry, the sound of whispering leaves and the snap of twigs underfoot apanied their journey.<novelnext></novelnext>

    After some time, Rio could hear the faint sound of des shing in the distance, followed by a howling of a beast. He wondered what kind of battle they were about to face.

    As they continued to sprint through the trees, Rio''s [Heaven''s Eyes] caught sight of two figures battling a massive, hulking creature. Its fur was matted and blood-stained, and its eyes glinted with a fierce, predatory gleam.

    The two students were desperately trying to fend off the beast''s relentless attacks, but they were clearly outmatched. Rio could see the fear in their eyes, and he knew that they needed help.

    But his attention was quickly drawn away as he saw the other three students being surrounded by five shadowy figures.

    Rio could notice the desperation in their eyes as they fought, their movements bing more and more frantic as they tried to hold their ground. Although they could withdraw from the tournament but they didn''t want to give up on it until they were fully crushed.

    "N, I''ll deal with those five students. You focus on taking down that special beast," Rio said via telepathy, his tone assertive and calm.

    As Sophia''s team went closer to the site where the fighting was happening, they saw two silhouettes moving quickly ahead of them. The figures were charging forward with such speed that they left them far behind.

    The magenta-haired beauty approached the giant beast, her body began to emit a bright yellow aura. The glow intensified and swirled around her, forming a fiery vortex.

    The two students around her, who she was saving, gasped in awe and amazement as they were surprised by their savior''s elegant move and strength.

    With a fierce glint in her eyes, N charged toward the special beast, her movements sleek with uracy. As she engaged in battle, the yellow fire around her seemed to intensify, empowering her ck spear''s strikes and allowing her to evade the beast''s attacks.

    Her movements were like a dance, graceful yet deadly. The sight of her fighting the beast left Sophia andpany speechless, they halted their steps as they watched in amazement from the distance.

    On the other hand, Rio went straight for the sinister students who were attacking his schoolmates.

    He analyzed the situation and assessed that it was better to hide his full strength now as there was more to it than what the eyes see.

    He decided to take a more strategic approach and engaged with only two of the attackers. The two evil students were surprised by his sudden appearance and were caught off guard, allowing Rio tond the first few blows. However, they quickly regained theirposure and counter-attacked with a fiercebination of sword strikes.

    Rio was able to dodge and deflect most of their attacks, while alsonding some counterstrikes of his own. He focused on taking down his opponents one by one, using their own momentum against them while thinking of ways to understand their hidden motives.

    "Everyone, focus on Rio Havenglow! Take him down!", Byran''s voice boomed over the sound of the battle, he was the leader who was leading this sinister team to execute his target on the order of Madame.

    As soon as the words left Byran''s mouth, the Two other students abandoned their current fights and turned towards Rio.

    Their eyes glinted with malice as they charged toward him with their weapons at the ready. Rio stood his ground and waited for them to approach.

    The crimson-haired boy kept his calm and didn''t hurry to finish them as many burning questions popped up into his mind.

    Who could possibly want him dead? Was it someone from his past, or a new enemy altogether? The answer seemed just out of his reach, and he knew he had to keep his guard up.

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 Chapter 222 Madames Mysterious Motives

    He knew he had to stay focused and fight, but at the same time, he needed to gather information and unveil the truth behind this ambush.

    With the three students closing in, Rio took a deep breath and prepared for the fight.

    The sh of the de against de echoed through the forest as the battle ensued, but Rio remainedposed as he desired to find the mystery behind his attackers.

    The first student lunged at him with a sword, but Rio deftly dodged the strike and countered with a swift kick to the stomach.

    The student stumbled back, gasping for air, and the crimson-haired boy used the opportunity to send him further away with another kick.

    The second student came at him with a mace, but Rio was ready for him. He blocked the first strike with his sword and followed up with a punch to the face, knocking the student away.

    The strength behind his punches was stronger than intermediate-tier ck stage warrior as his physical power reached above one hundred fifty.

    The third student, Bryan, a tall and muscr boy and the leader of the evil team, charged at him with a fierce expression on his face. Rio met him head-on, their swords shing loudly in the night air.

    This time, It looked like a fierce battle, with neither side gaining the upper hand. Rio''s mind was focused solely on the face of the leader as he was unable to recognize this person.

    In the end, he kicked Byran away as he saw others wereing to engage with him in the battle.

    Sophia andpany watched from a distance, their eyes widening in surprise at Rio''s skill to handle more than one opponent at a time. Despite the odds being against him, he held his own against the three attackers. It was clear that he was not to be underestimated.

    As Rio fought the five attacking students, the other three he had just saved watched on in awe. They were still catching their breath from their own battle and couldn''t believe the strength this boy was disying.

    Rio fought fiercely against the sinister students, dodging their attacks and delivering urate blows.

    As he was in the middle of the fight, he overheard one of his enemies whisper to the others in aining tone, "Madame said that he is a purple stage warrior. She lied to us. We need to retreat, they are more in number."

    His eyebrows shot up at the mention of Madame''s name.

    Who was thisdy and why she wanted him dead?

    Before he could dwell on it any further, he noticed that one of the enemy camp students was trying to escape.

    Rio''s eyes narrowed as he wasn''t nning to let any of them escape, and didn''t think he could avoid not killing them any longer as his enemy decided to leave.

    With a fierce glint in his eyes, he enchanted his body with thunder, cracking and glowing in blue.

    His sword made a buzzing sound as heunched himself like a rocket swiftly catching up to the escaping student.

    The opponent tried to defend himself, but Rio was too fast and too powerful.

    *Slice!*<novelnext></novelnext>

    With a single fluid motion, Rio sliced through the air and severed the student''s head from his body, sttering the blood in the air. The head rolled on the ground before even the body fell like a rag-doll.

    The scene was very gruesome, as the boy''s aura totally changed, turning the air icy. His schoolmates felt a cold sweat run down their spine as they watched his crimson hair fluttering in the wind, the blood dripping from the de of his silver-bloom king sword.

    Before he looked as if he was on the same level as them but now he was one-sidely beating them.

    The other four enemy students watched in horror, realizing that they werepletely helpless as Rio turned to face them, his silver bloom king sword at the ready.

    They hesitated, unsure of what to do next. But Rio didn''t give them a chance to think. He cast [Wave of the Phantom Thunder Strikes], another battle art technique he had learned from Helia. His body merged with the shadows of his de, and multiple thunder shes shed through the night forest.

    His sword left the afterimages in the air, leaving behind a trail of destruction and cutting with deadly precision.

    In mere seconds, three more headsy on the ground, dyeing it red. The air was already thick with the stench of death and blood.

    Bryan''s eyes zed with fury as he watched his team crumble under the sheer strength of Rio''s power. He could feel his heart racing, his breathsing out in ragged gasps. In his mind, he could only see red as he charged toward Rio, his muscles tensing with every step he took.

    But as he got closer, he suddenly felt a shiver, It was as if the air around him had turned icy cold. He was still processing what was happening, and Rio vanished into thin air, leaving Bryan dumbfounded and disoriented.

    He tried to regain his bearings, but before he could make a move, he felt a sharp, icy sensation at his neck.

    The next moment, he found himself tumbling to the ground, his vision fading to ck. Rio beheaded him with a swift, decisive blow, leaving Bryan with no chance to defend himself.

    The crimson-haired boy stood among the fallen opponents, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His eyes darted around, taking in the aftermath of the intense battle. Bodiesy strewn across the ground, their blood staining the grass beneath them.

    As he wiped the sweat from his brow, Rio''s mind raced with questions.

    Why had Madame sent these students after him?

    What was Madame''s mysterious motives?

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 Chapter 223 A Plan To Win The Tournament

    Rio knew he needed to find out, but for now, he had to focus on the task at hand: finishing the tournament.

    With a deep breath, the boy steeled himself for the challenges ahead. Madame may have thrown her best at him, but he was resolute to face all the difficulties.

    The thought of her identity intrigued him but he was aware that this madame would attack him again since she held some unknown grudge against him.

    Rio turned his attention to N, who had been fighting the giant boar with her yellow me and ck spear.

    The girl''s eyes were shining with resolute glint, her hand holding tightly onto her spear. She shot toward the charred beast with a yellow me swirling around her.

    The creature tried to dodge her strike, but N was too quick for it. She hastily struck the giant boar with her spear, sending yellow mes flying everywhere.

    *Shriek!!*

    The beast let out a pained wail and stumbled back, its movements had be sluggish as the fight dragged on.

    N didn''t hold back as she charged toward the wounded beast, her ck-stage spear dancing in her hand. As she reached the creature, she swung her weapon with all her strength, the sharp tip slicing through the air and striking the beast''s side.

    The creature let out a guttural roar of pain, but she didn''t stop there. She continued her attack, going forward and delivering a series of blows that left the creature staggering and weak.

    Eventually, N saw her opportunity and raised her spear high, aiming for the beast''s head. With a powerful thrust, she drove the sharp tip into the creature''s skull, causing it to let out onest pitiful cry before copsing to the ground.

    The girl stood there for a moment, catching her breath and looking down at the giant boar writhing in pain before closing its eyes.

    Despite the exhaustion, her face was decorated with a tired smile as she finally took down another special beast alone.

    Rio couldn''t help but feel adoration for N''s power and skill. He had seen her fight many times before, but every time he was amazed by her abilities.

    As she was done finishing the boar, she looked exhausted and her eyes swept to find her boy before getting fixed on Rio, marching towards him, her footsteps sounding in the forest.

    Ignoring the cheers of the Sohpia andpany, she came to a stop right in front of Rio. Her gaze locked onto his and Rio could see the fire burning in her eyes.

    The others were dazed for a moment at their brilliant performance but the bloodlust was thick in the air as Rio ughtered five students without flinching. They didn''t think he would''ve easily killed five humans even without blinking his eyes. Not only he didn''t show any fear or hesitation but he killed one after another as if it was his daily routine.

    They knew these five were criminals and the federation would deal with their family and find out who was behind this. Even if any of these evil students had high backing, the person behind them wouldn''t be able to stand in front of the Havenglow family.

    "Sister-inw, You''re amazing."

    Lucas dashed towards the duo with a grin on his face,pletely in awe of what he had just witnessed. He couldn''t believe the incredible strength and skill that these two possessed.

    Sophia and the others followed behind him, their eyes filled with admiration and respect for N and Rio who had just saved them all.

    The other students, both seniors, and juniors, all looked at Rio and N with respect, their faces expressing their appreciation and reverence for the two.<novelnext></novelnext>

    But not everyone was pleased with the heroes'' performance.

    Talia gritted her teeth as she watched Rio and N being praised by her teammates. She couldn''t believe that her step-sister had managed to defeat the special beast with such ease.

    As she looked around, she saw that everyone was in amazement at the duo''s performances. Even the seniors, who were on the ck stage, were admiring their strength and courage.

    "Thank you so much for saving us," one of the senior students said, bowing deeply to Rio and N.

    "We wouldn''t have made it without you," another added, his voice filled with genuine gratitude.

    N and Rio were getting praised by their schoolmates as they basked in the glory of saving them.

    "Come on, guys, we can''t let this victory go without a proper celebration," Lucy said with a big smile, looking around at the group.

    "Absolutely, we owe it to Rio and N for saving our lives," James added, nodding in agreement.

    Everyone was joyous and nning to do a small feast for their victory but there was one person who didn''t like their idea.

    "Thepetition is far from over, and we can''t afford to lose this tournament from other schools. Our priority should be to gather more battle points to secure a higher rank for our Golden Seal Military School. So, let''s focus on that for now. We appreciate your invitation, but we must take our leave," Rio replied firmly and turned them all down.

    Sophia and Lucas exchanged a look, silentlymunicating their hopes that N would be able to change Rio''s mind.

    They turned to her, their expressions pleading. N, however, stood firm in her conviction to leave. She knew that Rio must have a good reason for wanting to leave.

    N met their gaze and shook her head gently, her lips set in a resolute line. She didn''t want to go against Rio''s wishes, especially when it came to matters of winning the tournament.

    They hade this far together, and she trusted him to make the best decision for their team''s sess.

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 Chapter 224 The Thrill Of Victory, The Agony Of Defeat

    At the end of the day, all these students were their opponents too and the duo didn''t know when they could betray them. It was better to avoid everyone who was theirpetitor before the tournament ended.

    Sophia and Lucas, though disappointed, understood N''s stance and nodded their eptance. They knew better than anyone that Rio was stubborn, and cold and was afraid of getting into his bad books.

    Soon, Rio and N made their way out of the battle sites, going further from their schoolmates. They were going to rest for a while in the wonderous forest realm before going to hunt again.

    Seventeen days passed...

    The Grand hall was adorned with gs of the participating military schools, a sea of colors symbolizing the diversity of the different cities.

    A red carpet wasid out, leading to the stage, where arge backdrop proudly disyed the tournament logo and the names of thepeting schools.

    Uniformed cadets, who had already graduated, marched down the carpet, their eyes focused on the stage where the high-levelmanders and generals were seated among government officials.

    The band yed ceremonial music, creating a sense of excitement among the audience.

    The hall was filled with an air of bright expectation as the students of the different military schools awaited the announcement of this year''s tournament winner. The federation had only invited those who ranked in the top twenty and the winning military schools'' headmasters.

    The judges and officials sat on a raised tform at the front of the room, and the students were seated below them in rows, each team eager to hear the final results.

    N was sitting with Sophia and Lucas among the Golden Seal Military School teams but there was one person who was nowhere to be seen, Rio.

    Following the opening act of the ceremony, A youngdy in herte twenties stepped up to the podium, her voice reverberating through the hall. "Students of the participating academies, I am pleased to announce the ranking for this year''s national military school tournament for, this year,"

    She paused to create suspense in the hall as her eyes swept to all the students with a mysterious smile.

    "The team that came in fifth ce is Sapphire Storm from the Irond Military School!"

    The members of Sapphire Storm stood up from their seats, their faces beaming with pride as the crowd''s apuse echoed through the grand hall. The light in their eyes showed their happiness in getting a high rank for their Irond military school.

    Last year their military school didn''t even get into the top ten so they were delighted to be in the Top five ranking. There were many schools that participated in this national military school tournament and getting just fifth rank was the same as bringing glory to their school.

    Thedy didn''t stop and continued announcing, "In Fourth ce, we have Emerald Enigma from the Valiant Military School!"

    The team from Valiant Military School also stood up, their cheers filling the air. They were joyous to have achieved the fourth rank, and the sense of camaraderie and teamwork among them was noticeable.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The announcer continued with the rankings. "In the third ce, we have the Crimson ze team from the Thunderbolt Military School!"

    The Crimson ze team''s students of Thunderbolt Military school stood up and received apuse from the audience but they had a disappointed look on their faces as they didn''t get first or second rank this year. Theye secondst year so they weren''t pleased with the oue of this year. Neither did their team win any runner-up position like thest year.

    "The moment we''ve all been waiting for," the hostdy said, her eyes glinting with a hint of mystery.

    "Who will emerge victorious as the winner of this year''s tournament? And who will fall just short of that title as the runner-up? All will be revealed in just a moment, as we announce the names of the top schools and their standout students." She paused for a moment, allowing the tension and mystery to build in the audience.

    A silence fell over the audience, No one knew who had be the winner as most students had hidden their team names when the tournament was nearing its end.

    Only the members of the top two teams knew where they stood in the final standings. The rest of the audience could only guess and specte, adding to the suspense of the moment.

    "May I have the honor of inviting the distinguished retired General Stevenson to announce the victors of this year''s tournament and present them with the coveted winners'' trophy?" Thedy''s voice sounded across the grand hall, as she gracefully stepped away from the podium.

    A hush fell over the crowd as an old man stood up from his seat, who was sitting with officials. The old man''s face was weathered and lined with age, with deep wrinkles etched into his forehead and around his eyes. His eyes were a piercing blue, sharp and keen as if he could see right through the students. His hair was a mix of gray and white, cropped short and neat around his ears.

    He wore a simple navy suit with a crisp white shirt and a red tie, but there was an air of authority and strength about him thatmanded respect. His broad shoulders and tall stature, and the way he held himself with such poise and confidence left no doubt that he was a man of great power and influence.

    The old man''s hand moved as he retrieved the golden envelope from his coat pocket. With a calm manner, he opened it and scanned the contents inside.

    A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but he quicklyposed himself, tucking the envelope back into his pocket. His gaze swept over the audience of young cadets, stopping abruptly on one person.

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 Chapter 225 The Ultimate Triumph: Creating History

    He said, "The student who has secured the position of second runner-up with twenty-four thousand five hundred sixty battle points is Alex from the Golden Guardians Team of Golden Knight Academy."

    Alex, from The Golden Guardians team, stood up from his seat, his face painted with confusion and frustration. Despite being third in the ranking, he couldn''t believe that he had onlye as second runner-up.

    Alex couldn''t help but ask, his voice ringing out with mana enchantment, "This can''t be right. There must be some mistake. I can''t be only third."

    The murmurs in the audience grew louder as the boy from Golden Guardians spoke out of turn, his face etched with disbelief. The officials and his own headmaster shot him disapproving looks, but the boy remained undeterred.

    As the tension in the room mounted, the old man fixed his cold gaze on the boy and posed the question, "And why, pray tell, is it not possible?"

    "I don''t understand how I could be third. Our team was ranked second overall and all of my teammates willingly gave me their battle points to ensure my victory. There''s simply no way that I could have only ced as the second runner-up," he protested.

    The old man sighed as his gaze shifted to the headmaster of the Golden Knight Academy, disappointment painted on his face, shaking his head at Alex''s foolish behavior.

    "I understand your frustration, young man, But the results have been thoroughly calcted and verified. We take the integrity of this tournament very seriously." The old man said calmly.

    Alex''s face twisted in anger. "But sir, there must be some mistake! My team and I worked so hard to get here."

    The old man''s expression became stoic, "It''s a shame that your team used an underhanded method to make you the second runner-up. For now, sit down. There is no mistake with your result."

    "But..." Alex''s voice trailed off as he saw his school''s headmaster''s icy expression. He swallowed hard, realizing his mistake, and slowly sat back down. He didn''t know that the old man''s presence, who was standing on the podium, exuded power and authority, and no one dared to be so bold in front of him.

    Lucas'' face was downcast as he turned to Sophia and muttered, "It seems like we''ve lost again this year..."

    The announcement was a disappointment for the students of Golden Seal Military School as they realized their school teams didn''t make it to the top five, and their names were left unannounced. They had entered the tournament with low expectations, not believing they had a chance to take first ce.

    The faces of students from the Golden Seal Military School were all dull as they were crestfallen for not getting into the top five this year again.

    The old man continued, "After reading the envelope I was surprised and didn''t expect someone to actually score such a high score as First runnerup. The student who broke past records and became the third highest-scoring student in the history of this tournament is none other than Na Mailon from the Golden Seal Academy."

    As the old man announced the third highest-scoring student in history, Na Mailon from the Golden Seal Academy, all eyes turned towards the Magenta-haired beauty sitting among the Golden Military School students.

    Her striking appearance,bined with her incredible achievement, made her the center of attention.

    Her teammates, who had been feeling downhearted after not making it to the top, were now looking at her with shock and amazement. They never expected N to be the first runner-up, especially since she was only part of a small team of two.

    Lucas and Sophia, who were sitting next to N, couldn''t contain their excitement. Sophia immediately jumped up and gave N a big hug, while Lucas cheered loudly.<novelnext></novelnext>

    It was a moment of pure joy and celebration for the Golden Seal Academy students, who had finally achieved their long-awaited victory.

    The cheers of her teammates echoed throughout the hall as they eximed, "We have won... We finally won..."

    Her schoolmate was delighted as N had helped them regain the glory that was once brought to their school by their senior, Lily Havenglow.

    The headmaster''s eyes shone with pride as he stood up, his smile spreading wide as he looked toward N. He felt a sense of satisfaction that one of his school''s students had achieved such great achievement, bringing honor to the school.

    Talia''s expression turned ashen, her eyes widening in disbelief. She had already been under immense annoyance during the tournament, with her teammates praising her step-sister for saving their lives.

    But now, this N had surpassed all expectations and be the first runner-up, making history by achieving the third-highest score ever recorded. The weight of this revtion was almost too much for Talia to bear.

    After the cheering sounds began to reduce, the retired General Stevenson spoke with a soft smile, "Today, we have the honor of witnessing a momentous asion. A student has carved their name in history, shattering the past record held by Lily Havenglow herself who had scored ny-five thousand two hundred battle points three years ago.

    With an incredible two hundred forty-five thousand six hundred battle points, the first ce in this national military school tournament goes to"

    The old man''s voice reverberated across the room as he paused to announce the winner of the national military school tournament. All the students held their breath as they waited for the name to be called.

    Today''s national military tournament witnessed an unprecedented high score, surpassing any previous record in its history. The average highest score for a winner in the past was a mere forty thousand, yet today''s winner''s score was an astronomical two hundred forty-five thousand six hundred.

    The crowd held their breath in anticipation, wondering who could have possibly achieved such an incredible feat.

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 Chapter 226 The Ultimate Triumph: Creating History (2)

    This remarkable achievement of scoring such high battle points left everyone in amazement, especially considering that even the first runner-up had managed to be the third-highest scorer in the tournament''s history, second only to the previous highest scorer record holder, Lily.

    The atmosphere in the hall was tense as everyone waited for the retired General to reveal the winner of the tournament.

    "Rio Havenglow," the old man''s voice boomed across the room as he announced the name of the victor. It was as if a bomb had gone off, causing everyone to tremble in shock and their hearts to race.

    A pin-drop silence descended over the hall as the name echoed in everyone''s ears. The students and spectators looked at each other in disbelief, unable toprehend what had just happened.

    Their mouths were agape, and their eyes widened with shock as they struggled to process the news. The realization slowly dawned on them that the adopted child of Havenglow had just created history, and they could not contain their excitement as this was the family that saved them sixteen years ago against the Dhovrix Race.

    The announcement left everyone in utter disbelief. The headmaster of the Golden Seal Military School himself looked baffled, and the expressions on the faces of Lucas, Sophia, Talia, and their schoolmates said it all.

    It was an oue that no one had ever thought possible. It wasmon knowledge that Lily was the favored daughter of the Strongest Seven Silver Sword family, The Havenglow, but Rio, who had been adopted only a few months ago, had shattered all expectations.

    How could this be? The rumor was that he had no innate talent and his engagement with N had fallen apart because of this reason by the Mailon family.

    But now, with this unprecedented victory, the rumors seemed to be nothing more than just that... rumors.

    Soon, when they came out of their daze, Sophia andpany were overjoyed and their faces lit up with excitement. They jumped out of their seats in sheer happiness, their eyes gleaming with pride and admiration.

    As they looked around, they saw that all their schoolmates were cheering and pping for Rio. Sophia and Lucas hugged each other tightly, not able to contain their excitement. They had witnessed Rio''s strength firsthand but never imagined he would thrash everyone in the tournament while being in the smallest team.

    Even Talia, who had been quiet and brooding throughout the tournament, couldn''t help but deep down feel a sense of pride for Rio''s victory as her school won the national military school tournament. The Headmaster was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes filled with gratification as he looked at his students'' sess.

    It was a moment of pure happiness and joy, a moment they would never forget. They had all witnessed Rio''s And N''s strength during the fight against the evil team but they never imagined these two were going to create history. James, Lucy, Sophia, Lucas and everyone from their school were happy.

    The old man spoke, his voice filled with veneration, "It''s no surprise that Aliyah Havenglow chose to adopt this child, for she saw the potential in him to surpass even her beloved daughter. Let us all give a round of apuse to Rio Havenglow, the new champion of the national military school tournament"

    As the old man''s words sank in, the room finally roared with a thunderous round of apuse as the hall erupted with cheers, pping, and whistling as most people were joyous at the revtion.

    The audience eagerly awaited the winner''s arrival on stage. But to their surprise, there was no sign of him. People began to whisper and murmur, wondering where the new champion had gone.

    The old man scanned the room for any sign of Rio, but he was nowhere to be found.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Where is he?" he questioned, his gaze fixed on the Golden Seal Military School''s headmaster.

    There was silence in the room as the old man asked, even the headmaster himself didn''t know where was this boy as he didn''t expect Rio to win this tournament.

    N rose to her feet and said, "Rio didn''te today But he asked me to ept the trophy on his behalf."

    The old man questioned, his brows furrowed in confusion, "Why would he note to im his rewards after achieving such a remarkable score?"

    Curiosity burned within the hearts of everyone present. They couldn''t fathom why the boy would refuse to show up, especially when he knew that he was going to make history and be the center of attention.

    N''s voice was calm as she exined, "Rio wanted to continue his training in the Land of Asura, so he requested me to attend the ceremony on his behalf. I also wanted to apany him but he told me at least one team member should be present here today so I came."

    Her calm voice echoed through the hall, cutting through the murmur of the audience. As she spoke, the faces of those present began to soften, a sense of respect settling over them.

    Many were impressed by the boy''s dedication to his hard work and the fact that he was willing to forego the recognition and glory that came with winning the tournament.

    The old man let out a deep sigh as he spoke, "That boy is something else, he truly doesn''t care about the glory and praise. While we are all here basking in the announcement, he''s still training hard. It''s no wonder he surpassed you all even in his first year.

    The Havenglow family is truly blessed to have adopted such a remarkable boy, they now have two precious gems in their household." He couldn''t help but be amazed at Rio''s dedication to his training, even though his absence disappointed everyone.

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 Chapter 227 A Mothers Love And Worry

    As the retired General handed out the trophies and rewards, cameras shed, and the winners stepped forward to receive their prizes, basking in the admiration of their peers.

    The ceremony went on, and more and more people started buzzing with excitement about Rio Havenglow, the adopted child who had shattered records and created history.

    But amidst all the cheers and apuse, news began to spread about a certain young boy and his extraordinary achievements.

    The Adopted child of Havenglow breaking their favored daughter''s record took the human world like a fire in the forest.

    Within hours, the inte was abuzz withments, articles, and social media posts about Rio and his teammate N, who had stunned the human world with their performance in the national military school tournament.

    From fan pages to news outlets, everyone was talking about the remarkable duo, and people were captivated by their stories.

    Some people talked about how he had surpassed the old genius, while others whispered about Lily Havenglow, the winner from the three-year ago who had already reached the red stage at a such young age.

    As far as they knew, Rio was only on the ck stage, How could that sixteen years old boy possibly defeat Lily in the uing international tournament?

    Despite their doubts, the audience couldn''t help but feel a sense of tion. They were aware of the fact that with Rio''s remarkable strength and skill, humanity had a new hope for victory in the next international tournament against the Dhovrix four years from now.

    And who knew, maybe he would surprise them all and surpass even Lily Havenglow in the end.

    N strode confidently towards the school''s gate, clutching Rio''s winner award along with two additional trophies for ranking second and for the team''s number one spot in the tournament.

    Her head held high and a smile on her face, she was joyous as she made her way back to the school after the award ceremony.

    As N stepped into the school''s grounds, she was greeted with loud cheers from her fellow students. They had already heard about her incredible performance in the tournament and were eager to show their support and admiration for her.

    The sound of their apuse echoed throughout the hallways, making N feel a sense of pride and aplishment.

    The atmosphere was vibrant with excitement, and the girl couldn''t help but smile as she proudly carried all the awards that were a testament to her and her beloved man''s victory in the national military school tournament.

    N walked into Rio''s room, feeling exhausted yet aplished after the tournament. As she scanned the room, her eyes fell on her phone, still plugged into the charger. It seemed like everyone she knew had been trying to reach her, eager to offer their congrattions.

    She had been receiving calls non-stop on her phone ever since the ceremony ended. Her rtives, friends, and even acquaintances as well as known schoolmates wanted to congratte her on the outstanding performance she had given in the tournament.

    She had guessed the inevitable flood of congrattory calls, so she decided to leave her phone at home. If she wanted to talk to Rio she could always converse via telepathy, so there was no need to carry the phone with her. With a sense of relief, she hoped to escape the constant buzzing and ringing of her phone from selfish people and enjoy herself alone at the ceremony.

    As N picked up the phone from the charger, she noticed a name shing on the screen, "Arden Mailon," her father''s name.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She hesitated for a moment, feeling a mix of emotions - anger, sadness, and bitterness. He had never been there for her, and now he was trying to reach out after all these years.

    She didn''t even bother saving his name as ''Father'' or ''Dad'' with his contact number since he had never shown her any love or affection.

    With a deep sigh, she muttered to herself, "This man finally remembers he has another daughter. Too bad for him, I have another father now..."

    N put the phone back into the charger with a cold smile and walked towards the portal capsule in the hall. She was eager to go back to her real home where she had her beloved sisters and loving husband.

    ***

    Aliyah Havenglow received the news of Rio''s victory, but her reaction was not one of happiness.

    Instead, a worried expression took over her face as she contemted the implications of his victory. She had hoped for Rio to win in the next year''s national military school tournament, but he had gone beyond her expectation and won this year''s tournament, putting him on a collision course with Lily Havenglow. This thought worried her deeply.

    As soon as Rio returned back, he reached for his smartphone and dialed Aliyah''s number, hoping to get the truth about his parents. However, to his disappointment, he learned that she was not on Earth as she didn''t receive his call. The boy decided to return to the Land of Asura and wait for her arrival.

    "I am really happy and proud that you''re as talented as your Mother but this is going to cause a sh in the family. What have you done, My child..." She had a crestfallen face as she gazed at the smartphone''s screen which had seven missed calls from Rio.

    Aliyah couldn''t shake off the idea of what would happen if Rio and Lily faced off against each other in the uing International Tournament. The mere thought of her two children fighting against one another left her helpless.

    The very idea was concerning, and she couldn''t help but wonder if Rio would agree to ept her wish and fulfill her selfish demand. The uncertainty was suffocating and she was left with a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach.

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 Chapter 228 Reaching The Peak Of The Purple Stage

    The person everyone was talking about in the human world was currently traveling through the corruptednd of Asura.

    When he returned back, Lia wasn''t at the castle so he decided to go to the corruptednd in order to increase his purple stats points.

    The ground was barren and lifeless, with twisted trees and poisonous vines winding their way through the destendscape. The air was thick with the stench of decay and the sky was shrouded in darkness. The sun had already set, leaving the world in a state of perpetual gloom.

    Amidst this harsh and unforgiving environment, a lone figure stood, surrounded by more than twenty vicious beasts which were dozens of meters away from him.

    The creature''s body was covered in thick, ck armor-like ting, resembling that of an armadillo. Its head was small and rounded, with two beady, glowing red eyes that red menacingly at its prey. Beast''s muscr legs were thick and powerful, which could allow them to move with surprising speed despite their bulky frame.

    Its sharp ws were as long as daggers, ready to tear apart anything that dared to cross its path. At a towering two meters in size, the beast was an intimidating sight to behold.

    With a hover of hand, he summoned his silver bloom king sword, ready to face his opponents head-on. The de glinted in the dim light, as the beasts growled and bared their teeth in anger, their glowing eyes fixed on their prey.

    The boy kept his calm in this situation and prepared to take them all together, his body crackling with blue thunder that illuminated the darkness around him.

    The beasts circled around him, before lunging at him one after another, their ws sharp and deadly, but the blue figure moved with lightning-fast reflexes, his sword slicing through the air and buzzing with thunder.

    With each sh, a beast fell, its body convulsing in death agony as the figure continued to dance through the night. The sound of metal against flesh resounded through the destendscape, a symphony of death and destruction.

    In the end, with a final sh, thest beast slept to its death. The figure stood still, his blue thunder fading as the numerous Armadillo-like beastsy dead at his feet.

    He read the messages shing in front of him that were notifying him about the rewards he gained from killing these beasts.

    <<<<

    [Purple stage Normal Demon Armadillo killed. Absorb the core of the normal Demon Armadillo to gain zero to 1 Purple stats point randomly.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Purple stage Mutated Demon Armadillo killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Demon Armadillo to gain zero to 4 Purple stats points randomly.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Beast soul of Purple stage Normal Demon Armadillo gained.]

    [Beast soul of Purple stage Mutated Demon Armadillo gained.]

    >>>>

    ''These beasts'' souls will be of no use to me in theing days,''

    Rio took a deep breath, rxing after the intense battle with the creatures.

    The purple light emanating from the core caught his eye, and he hastily made his way toward it. The boy carefully picked them up one by one from the ground, feeling their energy pulsating in his hand.

    He channeled his mana before sending it to the cores he collected, absorbing the purple stats points. He felt the energy coursing through his veins, filling him with enhanced strength and vigor.

    As he received the core''s stats points, he heard more notifications appearing in front of his vision.

    <<<<<novelnext></novelnext>

    [Core of Purple stage Normal Demon Armadillo absorbed. 0.5 Purple Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Purple stage Normal Demon Armadillo absorbed. 1 Purple Stats point gained.]

    .

    .

    [Core of Purple stage Mutated Demon Armadillo absorbed. 3 Purple Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Purple stage Mutated Demon Armadillo absorbed. 2 Purple Stats points gained.]

    [Core of Purple stage Mutated Demon Armadillo absorbed. 0 Purple Stats points gained.]

    >>>>

    With thest notification, he realized he could no longer receive the purple stats point, confirming he had finally reached a total of forty purple stats points.

    He still had a few more cores in his hands that he didn''t absorb and kept in his wonderous forest realm for Eve.

    To reach the ck stage he had to first defeat the monarch beast otherwise he would be stuck on the purple stage.

    Rio looked in the western direction from where the new monarch beast call wasing from.

    He wanted to go for the monarch beast but it wasn''t the right time. The boy had recentlye from the national military school tournament and hadn''t met the white-haired beauty yet.

    The boy couldn''t help but think about how much he had missed Lia, knowing she was also longing for him.

    It had been a month since theyst saw each other, and while they had talked via telepathy, it wasn''t enough to quell the yearning he felt for her touch and have her in his embrace.

    The thought of Lia waiting for him filled him with a sense of warmth and happiness that he hadn''t felt in a long time. He missed her, and the anticipation of finally being able to hold her in his arms again made him feel peaceful.

    ''I wille back for youter. I need to meet Wifey first.''

    He had made a decision to put his search for the monarch beast on hold for the time being, his desire to see Lia outweighing his need to defeat the monarch beast.

    He didn''t know how long this monarch beast would take so he wanted to see her at least one time before going for another dangerous adventure.

    The moon was full and bright, spreading a silver radiance over the destendscape around him.

    Rio closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the cool night air fill his lungs. He stood there for a moment, enjoying the stillness of the night.

    With a rxing sigh, he cast the [Astral Recall] spell, and the world around him began to fade away as his figure vanished.

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 Chapter 229 Wrapped In Each Others Embrace

    As the boy appeared in his bedroom at Empress Vi, a smile spread across his face at the familiar surroundings. However, looking around the room, he realized no one was there to greet him.

    Without further thinking, he decided to freshen up and headed toward the bathroom.

    ''I should take a shower first.''

    Rio thought as he made his way there.

    After twenty minutes, The doorknob of the bedroom turned and the gate creaked open. A figure raced towards the bathroom door, Her mind was consumed with thoughts of Rio as she quickened her steps, taking two at a time.

    The girl had been eagerly waiting to see her beloved for a whole month, The mere thought of him being back at the Empress Vi was enough to set her heart racing.

    The girl was previously, out of the city so she couldn''t meet her husband right away but when she discovered he was at the castle and came back from the earth she left all the matters and returned right away but it still took her time to arrive.

    She didn''t want to waste a single second, Her heart was tickling as if butterflies were fluttering their wings to jumble up her emotions. As she got closer to the bathroom, her heartbeat grew with each passing moment.

    Suddenly, The door of the bathroom opened and a boy with wet crimson hair walked out.

    Rio standing there, looking as handsome as ever in his new set of clothes.

    Lia''s breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of him, shirtless, his strong muscles on full disy but the girl didn''t stop her footsteps as she couldn''t help but feel a rush of emotions coursing through her body.

    Rio gave him a happy smile that she missed for a month and it felt like an eternity had passed since then. Her yearning for him was so deep that it felt like a physical ache in her chest.

    Without hesitation, she threw herself towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around his body. She could feel the coldness of his body, still, damp from the water, but it only made her hold on tighter, wanting to absorb every part of him into her embrace.

    As she buried her face into his chest, she could feel his heartbeat, pounding rhythmically against her cheek.

    It was a moment of pure bliss, as Lia forgot about everything else except Rio''s presence. She couldn''t help but feel a sense of contentment, Everything else seemed so insignificant at that moment, as long as she had Rio by her side.

    On the other hand, Lia''s body felt warm and weing against Rio''s as if she was the missing puzzle piece that made him whole again. Her embrace was tight andforting, and he could feel her heartbeat against his chest. It was a feeling he had missed dearly during his absence.

    ''This is what I missed so much.''

    As they held each other close, Rio felt a sense of gratitude toward Lia. Her love and warmth were exactly what he needed after a long tired journey. He caressed her hair affectionately, a silent gesture of his love towards her.

    The two of them stood there in silence, relishing the moment they were sharing. Lia didn''t want to let go of Rio just yet, knowing that they might get separated again soon.<novelnext></novelnext>

    She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of his skin, and held onto him even tighter. For now, all that mattered was that they were together again.

    Rio''s strong arms wrapped tightly around Lia''s waist as he lifted her up effortlessly, carrying her towards the bed. Lia didn''t move from her position, still tightly hugging Rio as he carried her. She felt as light as a feather in his arms, as if she was a fragrant rose filling his senses with her sweet aroma.

    As they reached the bed, Rio gentlyid himself and Lia down, their embrace never breaking, the girl was above him, snuggling into his hug.

    At that moment, Lia felt a sense ofpleteness, as if nothing else mattered in the world as long as she was with Rio.

    They stayed like that for a long time, not wanting to let go of each other''s embrace. The world outside seemed to fade away, and all that mattered was the two of them, wrapped up in their love.

    As Lia''s racing heartbeat began to slow down, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, and Rio kissed her forehead gently. His gentle kiss was like medicine to her soul, soothing her frayed nerves and calming her turbulent emotions.

    As she opened her eyes, she looked up into Rio''s gaze, and the intensity of his stare made her heart skip a beat. It was as if the boy could read her thoughts, and understand her deepest fears to lose him and her desire to have him.

    Rio''s attention turned towards the stray strand of silky white hair that had fallen across Lia''s face, and he reached out with a hand to brush it away.

    He leaned in towards Lia, his eyes locking onto hers as he drew closer. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, and her heart began to race in anticipation.

    As his lips met hers, a surge of electricity run through her body and she felt his lips press gently against hers, there was a deep sense of love and affection radiating from him.

    The girl closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the moment, savoring the feeling of Rio''s lips on hers. She could feel his arms around her, holding her close, and she felt safe and loved. All the worries and stresses of the outside world melted away, leaving only Rio and the warmth of his embrace.

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 Chapter 230 The Dark Charm Of Lia: Beneath The Innocence Lies Deadly Wrath

    As they kissed, Lia''s heart and mind calmed down because of his affectionate osction. The tenderness of Rio''s touch and the depth of his love for her filled her with a sense of contentment, making the moment special for both of them.

    Finally, as Rio pulled away from the kiss, Lia opened her eyes and looked up at him, her heart filled with a deep sense of love and gratitude.

    She knew that she would always cherish every moment with him and that no matter how strong she became or even conquer the world she would still only feel protected in his loving embrace.

    With each passing second, Lia felt herself bing more and more enamored with Rio''s touch, and she wanted to never let him go.

    As the boy was looking at him, the girl remembered something that she needed to inform him of.

    "Husband, I have something to tell you" The girl''s lips escaped some words, Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant, and it broke the peaceful silence that had enveloped them. This was not normal as they were having their sweet moments together, and bringing up another topic meant it was really something crucial.

    "Are you pregnant with my child?" The boy asked sarcastically, ruffling her hair.

    "Hey..." The girl red at him with puffed-up cheeks, despite being embarrassed at his teasing remarks she didn''t snap at him or thought to give him vampire bites.

    She continued, "My birthday ising next month and Father has decided to reveal you to the Shamor Empire."

    The boy raised his eyebrows, "Why?"

    Lia''s voice was filled with sadness as she spoke the words, "He''s sick and doesn''t have much time." She took a deep breath before continuing, "As you already know, other ns have been sending marriage proposals for me, Father doesn''t want to dy your debut into the Shamor Empire any longer. He thinks it''s time we make our marriage official. Moreover, you don''t have to use your human form at the banquette."

    Rio''s demand was clear - he couldn''t reveal himself as a human. Lia knew it was crucial for his safety. Asuras could have a traitor among themselves, and if they found out about Rio''s true identity, it could put him in grave danger. He had many reasons to stay connected to the human world, and Lia understood that. She couldn''t risk his safety by revealing he was a human.

    "Is there something I have to be worried about before this announcement?" The boy asked, He couldn''t shake off the feeling that there was more to her words than just a simple announcement.

    The girl hesitated for a moment before finally revealing the reason for her unease.

    "Yeah..." The girl nodded, she didn''t look like her normal self as she usually was very brave and mature in most of her conversations with him but today her expression resembled that of a vulnerable kitten seekingfort.

    It was due to two reasons: A month''s separation and the uing event.

    Rio patiently waited for Lia to share what was troubling her, his gaze fixated on her scarlet eyes that reflected her deep affection for him.

    Lia mustered up the courage to reveal the reason for her unease, "There will be people who may challenge you for the duel," The girl told him the main concern.

    "And ording to Emperor, I can not turn it down?" He asked.

    The girl shook her head, and said, "Father said you can turn down the challenge as you are a lot younger than them."

    The boy looked at her in puzzlement and asked, "Then what''s the problem?"<novelnext></novelnext>

    "They will provoke you to ept their challenge and Father doesn''t even want me to ughter their ns for causing this ruckus." The girl said, her voice saddened and She spoke almost casually as if the idea of ughtering an entire n was as simple as plucking a flower from her garden.

    Rio forgot for a moment that the sweet girl in his embrace was even more dangerous than Helia or the grandfather of La. But fortunately, this girl was the most precious treasure that was bound to him for the life.

    ? Rio couldn''t help but chuckle to himself as he held onto the most beautiful girl in his arms. He knew that she may seem harmless and innocent, but he also knew just how deadly she could be if provoked. The white-haired beauty was capable of unleashing wrath worse than Helia or even La''s grandfather.

    But despite her lethal strength, Rio couldn''t imagine his life without her. He can''t forget the fact that she was like a priceless gem that he was lucky enough to have in his possession. She was his most precious treasure, and nothing could ever change that, a treasure that was warm, soft, and smelled like an aromatic rose.

    His eyes locked onto Lia''s as he asked her the question that had been burning in his mind since he heard about the uing duel that the emperor wanted him to turn down, "Do you know who will be my opponents and what their strength will be?"

    Lia nodded, her expression turning serious. She had done her research and knew exactly who Rio would be facing in the duel.

    Being the future Empress gave her a strongwork of information that was not avable to anyone, but she also felt a weight on her shoulders knowing the stakes of the fight as she didn''t want Rio to feel inferior to others. She looked up at the boy with her scarlet, cute eyes, resembling a cute kitten.

    ====////====

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 Chapter 231 An Unwilling Departure

    Lia spoke, her voice soft and gentle, "Our allies won''t be a problem, but there are two ns who will undoubtedly test your strength and try to undermine you until we are officially married.

    The first is the genius of the Wolf Mountain Sect, and the second is the heir of the Strongze n. Both ns have been vying for Father''s favor and have sent numerous marriage proposals, especially the boy from the Strongze n."

    Rio was grateful that she had already found the opponents he would be facing but he wasn''t aware how much behind he was from those people who would be challenging him.

    The girl continued as she still had to answer his second question, "They are both in the Red stage, but Helia can take them both alone if she fought them."

    ''That means I can aim to get as strong as the Lioness within one month...''

    Rio''s mind raced as he contemted the challenge ahead. He knew that he had to prove himself as a worthy match for Lia''s hand in marriage in front of the Shamor Empire''s people, but the thought of facing off against opponents who were likely stronger than him was disconcerting.

    He didn''t want to appear weak or unworthy of Lia in others'' eyes, especially on their special day and the girl''s Birthday when he would be officially announced as her better half to the world. He didn''t want to let her down or embarrass her by turning down the challenge, even if he knew that he was at a disadvantage in strength and it was okay to decline the duel requests.

    As he held Lia close to him, Rio''s thoughts continued to swirl. The weight of the challenge seemed to press down on him, and for a moment, he felt overwhelmed. He wanted to be strong enough to prove himself to everyone, but the problem was that He didn''t have much time.

    More importantly, he also had to find something he could give to his Wifey on her special day.

    Lia seemed to sense his contemtion, and she snuggled closer to him, givingfort and silent support.

    Thinking of the solution for the uing event, he thought to ask Eve via telepathy, "Do you have any suggestions on what I should give her for her birthday? And any method for how I can reach the strength I need to defeat those opponents?"

    Eve smiled mischievously as her voice echoed in his mind, "I can help you with everything, Partner. However, first, you need to defeat the monarch beast of the purple stage. Then, and only then, I might be able to aid my dear Rio with all other problems."

    Rio sighed, knowing that the monarch beast was going to be a mysterious obstacle and hard trial that would be no easy feat to defeat.

    He took a deep breath and spoke, "Wifey, I will have to leave soon."

    Lia''s face immediately fell, and she sat on his waist, staring at him with sad eyes.

    Rio''s heart sank as he looked at Lia''s face. The boy could feel her disappointment, and it made his heart ache. He knew she didn''t want him to go, and he couldn''t me her. The thought of leaving her made him feel like a piece of him was missing just how it felt to be apart from La. But he had no other choice.

    "I''m stuck at the purple stage, and I need to defeat the next monarch beast, I wille back before the banquet starts." He exined his situation, hoping she would understand him.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Lia didn''t say anything, but her expression spoke her silent response. Rio could see the sorrow and disappointment in her eyes, and it made him feel reluctant for leaving her. He wished he could stay with her forever, but he knew he had to face many challenges ahead of him and get stronger if he wanted to protect her from the future''s dangers.

    Rio sighed, not knowing what hurdles the monarch beast was going to bring for him. He only knew it wouldn''t be an easy feat to achieve, and the thought of it made him a little edgy. But he had to try. He couldn''t let Lia down, and he couldn''t let himself appear weak in front of his rivals and everyone at the banquet.

    ''I have to hold my Wifey''s pride, for that, I can not sit here and sip some tea.''

    He knew he had to leave soon, but the thought of seeing her like this tugged at his heartstrings. Despite knowing that he had to go, he didn''t want to leave her feeling upset and alone since Helia and N had gone on their own adventure together.

    "I will leave tomorrow, so let''s not waste the time being sad," he said, pulling her closer to him in an attempt tofort her. Lia''s face still looked sorrowful, but she didn''t protest his embrace.

    The boy understood the weight of his words and the impact they would have on Lia. He wanted to make their remaining time together count, to fill it with love and happiness.

    Rio could feel her delicate body pressing on his as he hugged her tighter. The warmth of her body against his own made him delight, as he could sense her breathing brushing past his skin, savoring every moment of their embrace.

    Slowly, Lia''s expression began to change as Rio held her close, and he could see a faint glimmer of hope return to her eyes.

    He leaned in and gently kissed her forehead. It was a small gesture, but it held the richness of his immense love.

    Lia''s face gradually radiated, and for a moment, Rio forgot about everything else in the world. All that mattered was the girl in his arms, the one he loved more than anything.

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 Chapter 232 The Glasswater Fortress

    Her delicate form nestled against his chest, her head resting on him, and her arms wrapped around his neck.

    As Rio closed his eyes, the aromatic rose-sweet fragrance of Lia enveloped his senses, He wanted to remember everything about this moment, from the softness of her skin to the sound of her breathing.

    Rio was going to depart tomorrow, but for now, he just wanted to cherish this moment with his Wifey. He could feel her heart beating against his chest, and he knew that his own heart was beating in a simr rhythm as hers, as they were both peaceful in each other''s hug.

    At that moment, all of their worries and fears disappeared, they knew that they would face many hurdles in the days toe, but for now, they were content to just hold each other''s close.

    Rio and Lia''s bodies were intertwined as theyy in bed, wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and love. He gently ran his fingers through Lia''s silky hair, feeling the soft strands between his fingertips. Her breathing was slow and steady, and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest were soothing to him.

    He held her close, their bodies entwined and watched as the moonlight filtered through the windows, casting a soft glow over the room, creating a dreamlike atmosphere in their bedroom.

    Eventually, Rio''s eyelids grew heavy, and he too began to drift off to sleep, still holding Lia in his embrace.

    As the night passed by, the two remained entangled, their bodies a perfect fit for each other, as if they were made to be together. The moon continued its journey across the sky, the darkness slowly giving way to the first rays of dawn.

    As the first light of day filtered through the windows, tickling the boy''s face, Rio stirred and opened his eyes.

    He gazed down at Lia, who was peacefully in her slumber. He knew he had to leave soon, but the thought of leaving her side was almost unbearable.

    The boy had one more matter that he needed to solve for his next destination.

    "Eve, do you know where I will find this next monarch beast?" Rio thought to ask about the monarch beast''s exact location so he could teleport to the nearest location using the Teleporter tower.

    "Mm, it''s inside a river near the Asura''s sswater Fortress," Eve murmured, her voice heavy with sleepiness, she was also resting in her wonderous forest realm.

    The boy disturbed her serene sleep but she didn''tin about it.

    After a moment passed, Lia slowly fluttered open her eyes, discovering their bodies hugging each other as they enjoyed thefort of one another''s touch.

    As they sat down for breakfast, the reality of Rio''s departure began to sink in. Lia''s eyes became misty as she watched him eat, her heart heavy with the knowledge that their time together was limited.

    Rio finished his breakfast quickly, not wanting to prolong the goodbye any longer than necessary.

    Gently, he leaned down to press a soft kiss on her plumpy lips, leaving a lingering feeling on hers for a moment longer than usual.

    "I''ll be back soon, Wifey," he whispered, before getting up and preparing for his departure.

    With ast hug from Lia, Rio turned and made his way out of the Empress Vi to the Teleporter Tower, as he cast [Ancient Disguise] to get in his blonde-haired form.

    From the old man, he took [Teleport Glyph] to his destination, sswater Fortress, where he would deal with the next monarch beast.

    ***

    The sswater Fortress stood proud in the middle of the grassy field, its towering walls shone in the moonlight.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Surrounded by vast expanses of lush grasnds, the fortress looked like a sentinel, guarding thend against any intruders.

    As Rioe out of the sswater Fortress, he could see the walls of the fortress towering above him. The walls were made of a translucent material that seemed to reflect the light, giving the fortress an ethereal quality.

    Despite the darkness of the night, he could make out the intricate details of the fortress. There were arches and columns, spiraling towers, all made of the same ss-like material. The fortress was an actual work of art, a masterpiece of craftsmanship and engineering.

    The gate was guarded by Asura soldiers, as they were standing to defend the shelter from unknown dangers.

    As he walked out of the shelter, Rio realized that he was on the other side of the Shamor Empire since it was morning there, but here it was night.

    The air was crisp and refreshing, and he took a deep breath, savoring the coolness of the grasnd''s breeze.

    The moon shone brightly above, emitting a soft silver glow over the vast expanse of grass, and in the distance, he could see the long grassy river from which the Monarch beast''s location came.

    With a calm look on his face, Rio took a bend his knees andunched himself ahead like a rocket.

    He soared across the grasnd, his speed increased, and his body transformed into a blur of blue light as he streaked across thend like aet, his form traveling with an incredible speed.

    The journey ahead was long and filled with unknown dangers, but Rio was resolute in his determination to embrace it head-on.

    With the wind whipping through his hair and the moon lighting his path, he raced toward his destination, ready to ovee any hurdle thaty ahead.

    ====////====

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 Chapter 233 Dive Into The Depths

    [SnowNote]

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    As he drew near the location of the monarch beast, Rio gradually decelerated his pace. The moon illuminated the surface of the river, giving it a silver sheen that seemed to dance in the night.

    Rio walked further and approached the stream of water, he was able to see the reflection of the stars in the river that flowed near it, making it appear like a glittering ribbon weaving through the grassy ins. The sound of the flowing water and the gentle whisper of the surrounding grass added to the serene and peaceful atmosphere.

    Despite the darkness of the night, Rio could make out the long des of grass that grew inside the river and poked out of the surface, swaying in the gentle breeze. The sight was picturesque, and he was marveling at the beauty of it all and invigorated by the refreshing breeze.

    However, he didn''t lower his guard and remained alert for any signs of danger. His heartbeat was in harmony he surveyed the area, scanning for any potential threats.

    With cautious steps, Rio moved closer to the edges of the river, sweeping his gaze to find any clue of the monarch beast.

    Rio continued his search at the stream of water''s edge, hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive monarch beast. But despite his best efforts, he couldn''t find any clue or hint that could lead him to it. He let out a sigh of disappointment, turning to Eve for aid via telepathy.

    "Eve, why can''t I find it?" The boy asked the elven girl with a frown.

    "The monarch beast is in the river, but you won''t find it by just standing at the edge. You need to take a dip and explore underwater," she said softly.

    He stood at the edge of the River, staring at the tranquil surface of the water. He inhaled a deep breath, the fresh air going into his lungs, and with one swift motion, he dived into the river.

    *Ssh!*

    The sound of his body hitting the water resounded in his ears as he plunged deeper into the cold, cloudy depths. The pressure of the water pushed against his body, but he had more than enough strength to dive deeper, his eyes locked on the abyss below.

    The darkness engulfed him, but he pushed through it, his arms and legs propelling him forward. The water grew colder and colder, but he could feel the calling of the monarch beast growing stronger with every stroke.

    In the end, he saw a faint glimmer of light in the distance, and his heartbeat quickened. With renewed energy, he swam toward it, and as he got closer, he could see a tunnel leading into the unknown.

    He was delighted to finally find a clue as he followed the tunnel, and before he knew it, he emerged into a cavern so vast that the ceiling was high and wide, and Rio was awed by its grandeur as he didn''t expect such an enormous cave to be hiding inside the water.

    Above, sharp, pointed stctites hung like icicles, their surfaces glistening in the mysterious glow filtering down from an unseen source above. The walls of the cavern were rough and jagged, their contours casting deep shadows that seemed to shift and dance with every flicker of light. The air was cool and heavy, saturated with moisture and the smell of earth and stone.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Rio cautiously made his way deeper into the cavern, his eyes scanning every corner for any signs of danger. As he walked further, he noticed a massive boulder standing at the end of the cavern, emanating a silver glow that illuminated the entire space.

    His heart filled with ecstasy and cautiousness as he realized that the calling of the monarch beast wasing from the hand sign etched onto the boulder.

    As he was standing in front of the boulder, Eve''s voice sounded in his mind filled with a sense of caution, "As soon as you touch the hand sign, your trial with Purple stage monarch beast will begin. But you won''t be able to contact me until you seed. Just remember to not lose your heart to the monarch beast, or you might end up bing its puppet!"

    "Thank you, Eve." He mumbled in his mind, before taking a deep breath, calming his heart, as he walked toward the glowing boulder.

    ? As he approached, he could feel the chilly air getting strong, being already wet caused him to shiver.

    With a deep breath, he ced his hands on the boulder, feeling the rough texture of the stone against his fingers.

    The hand sign seemed to pulse with energy, soon he was engulfed by a blinding light, and everything around him changed in an instant.

    The sand beneath his feet was warm, and he could feel the heat of the sun on his skin. The salty scent of the sea filled his nostrils, and the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore was like a soothing melody to his ears.

    The bright orb of the sun shone in the sky, casting its golden light over everything around him. The world seemed to sparkle in its warm embrace as he found himself standing on a sandy beach.

    In the distance, Rio saw a shimmering, silver object floating in the air. He couldn''t make out what it was at first, but as he got closer, he realized it was armor, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

    "Greetings, Rio Havenglow, Wee to my Trial. I am the Monarch beast of the Purple stage." a female voice reverberated around him, confirming he had reached his destination, but what challengesy ahead, he could only imagine.

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 Chapter 234 The Temptation Of The Monarch Beast

    Rio stood before the magnificent glowing armor, he could feel the immense power emanating from its very presence.

    The voice continued from the floating object in a deep and alluring tone of a female, "I won''t drag this any further and get straight to the point.

    I know the truth you seek, I can offer you knowledge about your parents as well as La, and make you the most powerful being in thisnd of Asura. All you have to do is leave that Elven Monarch and pledge your loyalty to me."

    Rio narrowed his eyes, hearing the beast''s words. "What do I have to do?" he asked, his voice was calm

    "Simply pledge your loyalty to me by agreeing to my demands, Leave Eve and I will reveal all the secrets you desire. Together, we will rule this world." The female voice was giving him an enticing offer.

    Rio took a step back, his eyes glued on the floating armor in front of him. He couldn''t believe the foolishness of the monarch beast, thinking he would give his freedom in exchange for the truth.

    He valued his free spirit above all else and would never give it up for anything, not even the truth or wealth.

    He couldn''t help but be suspicious of this trial. Rio was not able to shake off the feeling that there were more tricks up the armor''s sleeves.

    What was this monarch beast nning? What hidden motives did it have? Or is it really too dumb?

    He scoffed at the idea of pledging his loyalty to the monarch beast in exchange for some vague promise of truth. He was a free spirit, and even when he had married Lia, he had made it clear that he wouldn''tpromise his freedom. The very notion of someone demanding his loyalty wasughable.

    The glowing silver armor seemed to radiate an air of confidence as if it was certain the boy would give in to its demands.

    But Rio was not so easily swayed. He looked around, taking in his surroundings, and learning the structure of thendscape to prepare for the battle. He was going to pass this trial on his own terms, without epting its idiotic wishes.

    "I can''t just leave Eve behind," he said firmly, his voice resolute and nning his next move.

    "I understand your attachment to her, But what if I told you that she is not who she appears to be? That she has been hiding secrets from you all this time? She is a sly elven, wanting to take advantage of you and binding you in her seductive charm" The Monarch Beast replied, its voice dripping with honeyed persuasion.

    "She has been my ally and friend and I will not betray her trust." The boy said with a cold tone.

    The female voice snorted, its tone flickering with anger. "You fool! You will regret this decision. You could have had it all, but now you will face my wrath!"

    The voice echoed through the air, loud and furious.

    Rio watched with narrowed eyes as the armor began to vibrate, a buzzing sound filling the air. Slowly, the armor began to shift and transform until it took on a humanoid form.

    Rio''s brows shot up in shock as he realized that the person standing before him looked exactly like himself.

    The crimson hair of his doppelganger fluttered in the wind, its expression twisted into an angry scowl.

    Rio couldn''t help but feel rmed as he gazed into the eyes of his mirror self. It was like looking into a distorted reflection of himself, but with a terrifying rage burning in his doppelganger''s eyes.

    He noticed every detail of his duplicate''s appearance, from the way his messy crimson hair fluttered in the wind to the way his fingers clenched into fists at his sides.

    Rio''s mirror self looked like a mad bull, ready to unleash a burst of fury at any moment, and it made him feel rather amused.<novelnext></novelnext>

    ''I should practice my angry expression, this one looks so bad.''

    He mumbled to himself, summoning his silver-bloom king sword that materialized in his hand.

    Just as he summoned his beast soul, he saw the enemy also summoned a beast soul simr to the one in his hand.

    ''Ah...''

    Rio''s eyes shone with surprise, the realization hit him like a ton of bricks - this enemy was not to be taken lightly. Monarch beast not only copied his appearance but also had the beast soul he possessed.

    As he was thinking, the doppelganger came at him like a bullet released from the gun, holding the silver-bloom king sword in its hand.

    Rio channeled his mana to enchant his body, moving swiftly in the air as he engaged in a fierce battle with the doppelganger.

    The sh of the two identical figures in the air was a sight to behold as they exchanged blows, their swords colliding with a loud ng, and a spark flew in the air.

    As their swords shed for the first time, the impact sent them both flying back in opposite directions.

    With lightning-fast reflexes, the doppelganger charged forward, full of unwavering confidence.

    The boy was busy in a fierce battle with his doppelganger, carefully studying his opponent and watching the way its angry expression twisted and contorted with each strike.

    The doppelganger fought with a distinct style simr to his and mana enchantment, sending sparks flying with every blow.

    Rio knew he had to stay on the defensive, analyzing every move his opponent made with calcted precision.

    Their swords shed repeatedly in a dazzling disy of skill and agility, with Rio narrowly avoiding each strike as he carefully studied his opponent''s technique.

    Soon, Rio''s eyes lit up with delight as he noticed a crucial detail despite the striking resemnce in their fighting techniques.

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 Chapter 235 The Mirror Match: Rio VS Evil Rio

    ''I hope my guess is right and the monarch beast can only copy techniques it sees and doesn''t have them all beforehand,''

    Rio came up with a theory that he learned by observing the fight closely, his mind raced as he considered his options. He knew that using his battle art techniques could be a double-edged sword in this situation.

    On one hand, they could give him an advantage, but on the other hand, if the enemy also copied them, it could put him in grave danger.

    Just imagine if both parties used [Heaven Destroyer] it would be very destructive and Rio would be losing his mana faster than usual.

    The boy decided to rely on his instincts and fight the enemy with the basic skills he possessed, hoping that his wit and intelligence would give him an edge. Rio tightened his grip on his silver bloom King sword, ready for the impending battle.

    As they shed, Rio''s body moved with fluidity, each movement carefully calcted to exploit the loophole he had discovered in the monarch beast''s powers.

    The fight continued to drag on and his theory became more and more true, the monarch beast''s ability to copy techniques only applied to those it had seen in action. He realized this as he had not used any battle art techniques or thunder enchantment during the fight, relying solely on his mana enchantment.

    With this realization, Rio decided to only use his mana enchantment to fight the doppelganger. He refrained from using any battle art technique that the enemy could potentially copy.

    He carried on to dodge and counterattack, his opponent mimicking every move with uracy. The sweat on his forehead was glistening in the sunlight as he tried to keep up with the doppelganger''s unrelenting attacks.

    Despite his opponent''s unending stamina, Rio knew he had an advantage that was helping him to keep up with his enemy which was [Life Sutra] But he also knew that he couldn''t rely on this forever.

    After thousands of shester, Rio''s body had already taken a significant toll from the intense battle with his opponent, his muscles strained from repeated collisions in the air. He could feel his breathsing in ragged gasps, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his hair clung to his skin with moisture.

    As Rio''s movements slowed down and his breaths became heavy, the Monarch Beast''s grin grew wider and more pronounced.

    The doppelganger''s eyes glinted with cruel pleasure at the sight of Rio''s fatigue, and its movements became more fluid and confident.

    Every passing minute seemed to bring a new level of satisfaction to the Monarch Beast, as it relished in the thought of finally defeating this human.

    The Monarch Beast let out a mockingughter, her feminine voice sounded beside him. "Oh, sweet Rio, once I ughter you I will go and Live as you and No one will find out that I''m not the Real one."

    The idiotic doppelganger threatened him but the boy didn''t even show any hint of terror and remained calm and collected.

    Rio couldn''t help but think to himself, "Does she really believe that killing me will give her my identity? Lia and N would see right through her disguise, thanks to the heavenly marks that connect us."

    As they continued to fight, Rio''s movements became sluggish, his reactions dulled by the exhaustion that was creeping over him. His arms felt heavy, and he struggled to keep his sword up. He knew that he couldn''t keep this up for much longer.

    Despite his opponent showing no signs of fatigue, Rio knew that he was the one at the disadvantage, his mana was going to run out if he continued at this rate.

    He couldn''t afford to let the battle drag on any longer, or he risked falling to his knees, defenseless against the relentless attacks of his enemy.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The weight of the situation settled heavily on his shoulders, and he knew that he had to end this fight quickly if he wanted to emerge victorious.

    ''I know it''s risky, but I don''t see any other way. I have to take the chance.''

    Soon, Rio focused his mana into his silver-bloom King sword, feeling the power surging through his de. He knew he had to end this fight quickly before he sumbed to exhaustion.

    The sword glowed with an intense white light as he cast [Overload Destroyer], channeling most of his mana into the de tip.

    His doppelganger mirrored his movements, also casting the same battle art technique on their own silver-bloom King sword.

    Rio gritted his teeth, knowing that this was his only chance to win the fight. He couldn''t afford to hold back.

    As they both finished storing their mana, they shot toward each other with incredible speed.

    Just as the doppelganger was nearing him and was a dozen centimeters away from him, Rio''s eyes narrowed as he cast the [Spiritual Shock] spell, causing a wave of spiritual energy to attack the monarch beast''s soul.

    His enemy froze for a moment in mid-air, writhing in pain. Rio could see the agony etched on his opponent''s face as he tried to regain hisposure.

    The boy felt a rush of satisfaction as he watched his opponent struggle against the effects of his mental attack. He knew that he had only a small breath of opportunity to strike, and he had to make it count.

    Without wasting any seconds, Rio drove his enhanced Silver-bloom King sword into the Doppelganger''s chest, he could feel it cutting through flesh and bone with ease.

    Silver blood sprayed out from the wound, as the Doppelganger let out a guttural scream of agony. Rio knew he had to act fast if he wanted to end this once and for all.

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 Chapter 236 A Helpless Victim Of Your Elven Charm

    The boy quickly enchanted his body with Thunder, causing his muscles to tense and his movements to be lightning-fast.

    With a flick of his wrist, Rio''s silver-bloom King sword glinted in the sunlight as it cut through the air, aimed directly at the Doppelganger''s neck.

    The sound of metal slicing through flesh echoed through the deserted beach as the buzzing de connected with its target.

    The Doppelganger''s face was drowned with stupefy expression in mid-air for a moment, its sea-green eyes widened in shock and pain.

    Then, with a sickening sound, the head rolled off its shoulders and onto the ground. A fountain of silver-colored blood gushed out of the severed neck, painting the sand with a grotesque pattern.

    After a few seconds of silence, the doppelganger''s body began to quiver and shake.

    Rio stood there, panting heavily, as he watched the body turn into a shower of silver particles that scattered across the ground before transforming into a blinding light.

    He found himself momentarily blinded by the sudden brightness, just as he blinked his eyes, the boy discovered that he was back in the cavern again.

    The adrenaline was still coursing through his veins, and his heartbeat racing in his chest.

    He recalled his silver bloom king sword and took a deep gulp of oxygen, trying to calm his heavy breathing.

    But before he could even begin to think of his circumstances, a bunch of notifications rang in his mind, pulling his attention away from everything else.

    <<<<

    [Purple Stage Phantom Monarch Beast Killed.]

    [You have acquired the Crown of The Purple Stage Monarch Beast.]

    [You have acquired Stormguard''s Phantom Armor.]

    [Your Root has Advanced to the ck Stage.]

    [Your Core has Advanced to the ck Stage.]

    >>>>

    He read the notification and shing in front of his eyes, these messages confirmed that he sessfully defeated the monarch beast.

    He sighed in relief and opened the door to the wonderous forest realm in the wall of the cavern before walking into it.

    Rio traveled through the surrounding lush greenery, the leaves of the trees and shrubs formed a thick canopy that cast a shadow over the forest floor.

    The flurry of azure and white butterflies flitted about in the air, the forest illuminated by a mysterious blue light as he passed through a small waterfall, his feet immersing in the lime-shade water.

    He carried on traveling through the trees with pink leaves until he arrived at the spot where N and the boy would spend their leisure time resting during the national military school tournament.

    But his destination wasn''t this ce, Rio continued walking deeper, unlike before, this time there was no barrier to stop him.

    The boy spotted a bright glowing light in the distance, he strode through a grove of small mushrooms in red, blue, and yellow shades before reaching arge pond in the middle of which were big red lotuses.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The fireflies and butterflies fluttered around him as if weing their emperor to thisnd.

    Rio''s eyes shone as he saw a ravishing figure sitting on a moss-covered root, she was gazing at him with a perplexed look.

    He walked in her direction and sat on the root beside her, Her long pointy ears that poked out from her orange-red hair twitched seeing his action.

    She was dressed in a one-piece white dress with cyan patterns on her shoulder just like thest time.

    "Don''t you have another dress to wear?" He asked with an amusing tone.

    "Who will buy me dresses? The goddess bound me with a boy who is not good at handling girls'' matters," She said in a stiff tone as if annoyed, her voice sounded to be filled with resentment but it was just her mood as she never regretted bing his partner.

    "That boy is also bound by an oath to be loyal to his wives." He chuckled.

    "Why did you refuse the Monarch Beast''s offer? You could have had all your questions answered and received her assistance to find La and your parents'' truth," Eve asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

    "Because I''m just a helpless victim of your charm. I couldn''t possibly betray an eleven beauty," he joked in an amusing tone.

    She narrowed her eyes at him, suspicion written all over her face, "Don''t tease me, Tell me the truth."

    The boy''s heart was filled with gratitude as he decided to reveal the truth to the girl. She sat before him with her cheeks adorably puffed, and his voice flickered with sincerity, "This elven beauty in front of me, has helped me in so many ways and she never once hurt me.

    You''ve always been there, through thick and thin. As long as you don''t harm the people I love, you will always be one of those I hold dear to my heart. Thank you, Eve, for everything you''ve done for me. I am not sure what I would''ve done without you."

    The boy spoke, thinking about all the help she had given him all these times since they had be partners. The first and foremost was the misunderstanding she helped to clear between him and La.

    After that she continued to aid him, she even gave him a ce to stay during the national military school tournament. She provided him with a few useful abilities, she helped him from time to time. She was the same girl who aided him in the trial of the saintess to answer all those tricky questions.

    But why was he thanking her all of a sudden?

    He remembered her words, how she had expressed her reluctance to harm him in the trial when he went to defeat her.

    Back then, he had failed to understand her true intentions, and her words had been lost on him.

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 Chapter 237 The Sweetest Kiss: The Taste Of Bliss

    However, as he faced the purple-stage monarch beast today in battle, he finally realized the significance of those words.

    With Eve''s intelligence, it would be easier for her to defeat Rio, but she chose to be by his side and assist him in his journey. This made him truly grateful for all the aid she had given him since they have met.

    Hearing his sincere heartfelt words, Eve took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions, although she showed her strong front most of the time but deep down she was a very emotional creature.

    The girl spoke but her voice still trembled, "You don''t have to butter me, I have my own personal motives to help you."

    Eve averted her gaze as she spoke, her voicecking the usual confidence and edge.

    Rio could sense her hesitation, the unspoken words she was struggling to keep inside. She tried to convince herself that her assistance to him was nothing more than a transaction, a mere exchange of services for her own benefit.

    Her eyes flickered towards Rio briefly, before darting away again. The faint quiver in her voice betrayed her true emotions. Despite her best efforts to appear aloof, Rio could see the turmoil within her.

    He couldn''t help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. It was evident that she was conflicted, torn between her own interests, her emotions, and the growing bond between them.

    As he looked at her, he wondered how long she could keep up the pretense of indifference.

    Rio decided to change the topic as he asked, "What to do with the crown of Purple stage beast?"

    "I suggest you give it to someone trustworthy, perhaps one of your girls. Whoever you choose will be rewarded with the benefits reserved for a purple-stage monarch beast. You and the new person will share simr marks we have and the connection will be stronger between the two if you share it with one of your girls." She said with a cold tone.

    "And how do I give this crown?" He asked with a questioning glint in his eyes.

    "The first person you oscte will receive the crown, that''s the method to give it to the person you trust." She said in a stiff voice as she was still trying to calm her emotions.

    ''First person, You oscte?''

    The boy''s mind wandered as he considered the possibility of giving the crown of the purple stage monarch beast to someone of the same gender. A wave of difort washed over him at the thought of kissing another boy.

    He couldn''t imagine puckering up and smooching a dude, he''d sooner run away and join a circus than do that. The idea was so absurd that he couldn''t help but chuckle at the thought of himself in such apromising position.

    However, he was surrounded by a flock of loyal girls, each one of them more trustworthy than the other. It was the best option, and then it hit him - he knew the perfect person to give the crown to. Someone who would be perfect for this position more than anyone.

    "Okay," Saying that He took a deep breath, thinking to reach out to hold her delicate cheeks.<novelnext></novelnext>

    His hand moved towards her soft and tender cheeks, Eve''s eyes widened in confusion, and her lips parted to ask what he was doing.

    Before she could utter a word, the boy pulled her towards him, their bodies pressing against each other. He could feel her warm breath brushing past his skin as he moved his lips closer to hers and the aromatic orchid enveloped his senses.

    Eve was taken aback and didn''t understand what he was doing. His touch was gentle yet firm, sending shivers down her spine.

    Before she could even process what was happening, the boy drew her closer to him, their faces inches apart. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked into his intense gaze.

    Suddenly, without warning, he sealed her plumpy lips, his kiss so soft and tender that it took her by surprise. Eve''s eyes opened wider, her heart pounding faster as she felt the boy''s lips on hers.

    She was unable toprehend the situation, the sensation of his lips against hers was ticklish, and she felt herself being swept away by his daring move. It was a moment of pure bliss, and she couldn''t help but feel like everything around her had faded away. The boy''s kiss had taken over her mind and soul, leaving her speechless and in awe of him.

    She felt his soft pulpy flesh against her, his warm breath caressing her face as they kissed. She felt their body press against each other, the heat radiating off him making her feel alive.

    They were lost in the moment until Eve regained herposure and surprised Rio by opening his mouth slightly as they were smooching. He felt her tongue darting forward, colliding with his own.

    The sensation was unexpected, yet it sent an electric feeling through his body. The coldness of her tongue contrasted with the warmth of his mouth, creating a tantalizing sensation. The feeling of her soft tongue on his warm flesh was strangely invigorating, making his hormones rush irregrly.

    The taste of her tongue was pleasantly sweet, like a chilled fruit on a hot summer day, and it tickled his senses in a way he had never experienced before. The pulpy texture of her tongue against his own was both strange and fascinating, and Rio found himself unable to resist the feeling. He could feel her exploring every crevice of his mouth as if she wanted to taste every part of him.

    As Rio tried to break free from her grasp, Eve''s hands tightened around his head, pulling him closer.

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 Chapter 238 The Breathless Kiss: The Irresistible Temptation

    As Rio tried to break free from her grasp, Eve''s hands tightened around his head, pulling him closer. Her kisses became more forceful, her tongue dancing in every corner of his mouth. Rio''s mind was in a haze, as he struggled to catch his breath, but Eve showed no signs of stopping. He tried to push her away, but her grip on him was too strong.

    He could feel her intense love and desire through the force of her cherry-like lips on his.

    Rio''s heart was racing, and he could feel the heating from Eve''s body. Despite his initial shock, he was helpless to her wild kiss.

    She put her legs around his waist and coiled around him tightly, Rio could feel her big rounded mounds pressing against his. He was speechless at her sudden fierce action, but he knew that it was he who initiated this kiss.

    Rio tried to escape from her clutches, but Eve continued to kiss him roughly, not willing to let him go. The struggle between them intensified, as Rio desperately tried to break free from her grasp, but Eve was determined to keep him close and enjoy her hot dish.

    Eve''s kisses were now rough and wild, her passionately loving manner evident in every move.

    ''Ah... This damn [Heart Sutra] is not working against her.''

    Rio was trying to resist but his body was betraying him. His heart was beating faster, and his breath wasing in short gasps. Eve''s hold on him was unrelenting, and Rio found himself surrendering to her.

    As they continued to kiss, Rio''s mind went nk. He was lost in a whirlwind of emotions, unable to think or reason. All he knew was that he waspletely and utterly consumed by Eve''s fervent love for him.

    Her lips pressed against his with such force that Rio could feel the pressure and heat spreading from her. It was as if she was trying to devour every part of him. She started with light, teasing kisses, but soon her lips became more insistent, drawing his bottom lip between hers and sucking on it hungrily.

    The sensation sent ticklish feelings throughout his body, but he couldn''t help but be drawn in by her loving method.

    With every second, he felt as if she was exploring every inch of his mouth, trying to taste himpletely. He couldn''t deny the overwhelming desire that was building within him, as he surrendered to her impassioned embrace.

    Eve was too eager, making the kiss aggressive and intense. Eventually, Rio felt a strange sensation in his body, as if an invisible force was pulling him towards Eve.

    A faint light, like a tiny crown, hovered above his head. The light grew brighter and started moving towards Eve''s head. As it reached her, Rio felt a warmth spreading throughout his body.

    At his shoulder, the orange flower tattoo that linked him with Eve was now expanding, the petals opening up and creating a new flower, a sign that his connection with Eve was growing stronger.

    The burning sensation on his shoulder intensified, and Rio stopped resisting. He looked at Eve, who was also feeling the same sensation.

    They broke the kiss, both panting and looking at each other with flushed cheeks. Rio couldn''t believe what just happened.

    As they pulled away from the kiss, Rio noticed a transparent crown light hovering above her head. They shared the same marks on their opposite shoulders, and the connection between them was now stronger than ever before.

    <<<<

    [You have Oscted the Monarch Beast of Yellow-Stage to give her Crown of Purple-stage Monarch Beast. A deeper mutual pact has been created.]<novelnext></novelnext>

    >>>>

    The notification confirmed that the kiss really helped to transfer the crown to her and she was the right candidate to handle this. He didn''t want to bother his other girls with these kinds of stuff as he didn''t know what responsibilities they would''ve had to handle.

    On the other hand, the Elven beauty was already managing a Yellow-stage crown so handling one more shouldn''t be a problem for her and it would give her some benefits too.

    However, his attention didn''t stay on the notification as his lips felt a tingling sensation, like the aftermath of a burst of electricity.

    The taste of her cold tongue lingered on his lips, making his heartbeat unrhythmic. His lips were left wet, a constant reminder of the incredible sensation he had just experienced.

    He had no idea that the kiss would be so intense, that he would lose himself in her embrace. Rio had to admit that the kiss was indeed wonderful, and it was he who initiated it, so he had no one to me but himself. He felt a sense of guilt that he was unable to control himself, but he also felt an incredible desire to kiss her again.

    However, this was all due to their connection and the mark they had etched on their shoulder. It was a mark that made their bonding deeper. Rio didn''t know yet but giving her crown caused their connection with the tattoo to be deeper which was only a level less than the one he had with N.

    He looked at Eve and saw that her cheeks were still flushed, and her eyes were filled with a sense of bliss.

    The girl''s tongue dart out to lick her lips, savoring Rio''s taste, feeling as if she was addicted to him.

    For a moment, They just froze there, staring at each other. There was a sudden silence between them, but the pounding of their hearts could still be heard.

    The warmth of Eve''s body lingered on his skin, and he could feel the heat radiating off of her soft skin.

    Her grip on Rio''s waist loosened, she moved her legs back to their original position, no longer straddling him, and sat normally with a smile of satisfaction on her lips.

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 Chapter 239 Stuck With Me: A Promise Of Devotion

    As she looked at Rio, she could feel her heart beating faster and a rush of emotions flooding through her. The moment had been intense, but now there was a sense of peace between them.

    Rio watched her, still feeling the warmth of her body and the taste of her lips on his own. He couldn''t help but feel a mixture of emotions, but one thing was for sure - that kiss had left an indelible mark on him.

    "Why didn''t I able to resist it," He mumbled with a quiet tone, wiping his lips with the back of his palm with an embarrassed expression.

    "As we already had a connection made by those marks, giving me the crown only made it deeper. I don''t know how you managed to break my charm before, but this extra pattern of the purple stage crown will deepen our trust in each other," Eve said, her voice carrying a flirtatious tone. She was clearly happy after their intense kiss.

    "As I''m your devoted partner, I will tell you a secret. If you give me another crown of the monarch beast, our mark will evolve more and we''ll have a bonding like the one you share with N. It will be a sign that you trust me as much as your beloved wife," she added, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    Eve''s heart was pounding as she gazed at Rio, her eyes were flickering with joy and her expression was a mix of surprise and happiness. She never expected him to make the first move, initiating the kiss himself, let alone offer her the crown he had earned by defeating the powerful purple stage monarch beast.

    She felt her cheeks flush with warmth, thinking how he had daringly grabbed her and kissed her. It was a moment that she would never forget.

    As she tried to gather her thoughts, she couldn''t help but feel a blissful volcano erupting in her heart that she had never experienced before. Rio had given her not just the crown, but a deeper connection to him, one that made her feel cherished and loved.

    "But..." Rio said in a vexed voice as he was having a hard time understanding what had just happened.

    ''So I messed up everything by myself by giving her another crown. I should''ve asked first.''

    He sighed deeply as It was already toote to reverse what just happened as their connection engraved by the tattoos was even stronger than before.

    He only thought to finish the kiss normally by giving her a crown but he didn''t expect her to kiss him and fulfill her desire wildly.

    All he could do was leave it to fate and see where their bond would take them., if they were really destined to be together then he would just ept it. He would wait and see how their bonding develops in the future but for now, He had to worry about some other business since he only had four weeks left before the royal banquet.

    He looked at the girl who was smiling ear to ear and asked, "Now, I''m ck stage. Do you have any solution to my problems?"

    The girl looked at him, she already had ns to help him even before their new connection was built but now that she was happier she was thinking about how she could support him with all the resources and information she had avable to herself.

    Eve looked at Rio thoughtfully before speaking. "We both know that Lia loves gardening, so the perfect gift for her would be something rted to it. And her favorite flower is the rose so I think I have just the thing in mind - the Star Rose Blossom."

    Rio raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Star Rose Blossom? what''s so good about it?"

    "This is not just any rose nt, it''s a rare and exotic type with a fascinating history. Legend has it that it was created by the goddess of love and beauty herself, and it''s said to have magical properties that had the ability to make anyone who stayed near it happy and lower negative emotions. Its aromatic scent is known to fill the ce with a sense of joy and positivity. I think this would be the perfect gift to show her how much you care, and also bring some happiness into her life."<novelnext></novelnext>

    The elven beauty exined, Her eyes twinkling with mischief as a jolly smile spread across her face. She was eager to help Rio find the perfect gift for his wife, but there was a bonus motivation driving her actions. She wanted to impress the white-haired beauty whose permission she needed to win this boy.

    Rio nodded thoughtfully, and asked, "That sounds perfect. Where can I find it?"

    Eve spoke. "I know just the ce, There''s an underground world, It''s where you will find the Star Rose Blossom, But the entrance to that world is blocked by the dangerous beasts.

    But don''t worry about that, I not only have the nature elemental affinity but also space, so I can open portals anywhere. I''ll take you there myself."

    The boy was delighted by her response, "Thanks, Eve."

    She giggled as she leaned in closer to him, her hand resting on his chest. "Anything for my beloved partner"

    The boy watched her as she was getting closer, Her fingers traced gentle circles on his chest.

    She whispered, her breath tickling his ear, "You''re stuck with me now, My dear Rio. And I promise I won''t let you ever regret that you shared that kiss with me today, my precious."

    After saying that, With a cheery smile on her face, she tapped her delicate fingers up to his chest, feeling the rapid beating of his heart beneath her touch.

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 Chapter 240 A Journey To The Underground World

    As she tapped the spot, she leaned in closer to him, her breath brushing against his cheek. Without a word, she gestured for him with her index finger to follow her gaze and look ahead, her eyes sparkling with ecstasy.

    Rio followed Eve''s finger and saw the faint outline of the barrier. It was the same barrier he had passed through on his first visit to this ce. But this time, the barrier was right in front of them, separating them from the dark world outside. His eyes adjusted to the dim light of the underground world, and he was amazed by what he saw.

    The walls were covered in bioluminescent nts and fungi, casting an eerie glow on everything around them. The ground was scattered with glowing stones that pulsed with a soft, blue light.

    "Let''s go, Partner." She pulled him by his hands who were surprisingly gazing outside the barrier.

    He didn''t resist and let her guide him outside the wonderous forest realm. As they walked, Rio could feel the crunch of small pebbles under his feet, which glowed like tiny stars. The air was thick with the sweet aroma of exotic flowers, and the soft rustling of leaves filled the quiet space.

    In the distance, He saw a magnificent waterfall cascading down from an unknown height. The water fell with a thunderous roar, creating a misty haze that shrouded the area. The mist was illuminated by the bioluminescent nts, creating a breathtaking disy of colors.

    As he took in the breathtaking scenery, Eve gently tugged on his hand and led him towards a path that wound its way through the glowing nts and rocks. The ground beneath their feet was soft and spongy, and he could feel the dampness of the underground soil.

    They walked in silence for a few minutes, taking in the beauty of their surroundings. Rio couldn''t help but feel a sense of wonder and amazement at the world around him. He had never seen anything like it before.

    As they followed the path, they came across a small stream that meandered through the rocks. The water was crystal clear and he could see small golden fish darting about beneath the surface.

    Eve knelt down by the stream and scooped up a handful of water. "Drink this," she said, holding the water out to him.

    Rio hesitated for a moment, unsure if it was safe to drink water from an underground stream, and moreover it was scooped in her hand.

    But he didn''t think much and bent his knees to take a sip. The water was cool and refreshing, with a sweet taste.

    The girl felt her heart fluttering with happiness as the boy drank water from her scooped palm.

    She said with a smile, "Your mom and dad also came to this ce, and drank this water the same way. However, It was your dad who asked your mom to try it."

    "How do you know?" He gazed at her suspiciously.

    "I will tell you in the future, but not now. Let''s go to the ce where the Star Rose Blossom grows." She replied, avoiding answering him.

    Rio wanted to know but he was already used to her behavior of not answering his question, and the duo continued on their way.

    The path grew steeper and more treacherous, with jagged rocks jutting out of the ground at odd angles. Eve led the way, deftly navigating the rocky terrain.

    As they climbed higher, the air grew cooler and the nts began to change. They passed fields of delicate white flowers that glowed like stars in the darkness, and towering trees with bark that sparkled like diamonds.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, they came to a small clearing. In the center of the clearing was a small nt with delicate, star-shaped flowers. It was the Star Rose Blossom.

    Rio knelt down beside the nt, marveling at its beauty. The flowers were a deep shade of purple, and each one sparkled in the dim light of the underground world.

    "This is it, The Star Rose Blossom," Eve said, a smile apanying her bright face.

    Rio reached out and gently touched one of the flowers. It was soft and velvety to the touch, and he could feel the faintest hint of magic emanating from it.

    "Let''s get it to your wonderous forest realm first." He said, turning to Eve.

    Eve''s smiled as she knelt down beside Rio, her eyes sparkling with love. Her slender fingers delicately touched the stem of the Star Rose Blossom, and in an instant, it vanished from its original spot.

    He couldn''t help but sigh in amazement as he watched Eve work her magic. The way she easily shifted the nt without causing it any harm was both simple andplicated at the same time. It was as if the nt had never even existed in that spot, and Rio couldn''t believe his eyes. Eve''s expertise in the matter was truly impressive, and he felt grateful to have her by his side.

    As he looked up at Eve, he felt a deep sense of gratitude and adoration toward her. Her selfless act of helping him find the perfect gift for his wife left him feeling touched and impressed. He couldn''t help but marvel at her unwavering devotion to him.

    The realization slowly dawned on the boy that he had discovered a true and loyal partner in her. He couldn''t deny the spark of a deeper connection that was forming between them, but he knew that only time and their fate could reveal whether it would flourish into something more.

    "What do you need next, Partner?" Eve asked, her jolly smile beaming at Rio. Her eagerness to assist him in any way possible was evident in her tone.

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 Chapter 241 The Search For The Black-Stage Alligator

    He took a moment to think about what he needed next and then turned towards her, whose eyes were glinting with a warm glow as they met his.

    "I wish I could stay here longer, Eve. But I have to go back and train to be stronger. I''ll be facing some tough opponents at the uing banquet, and I don''t want to turn them down as the emperor wants because he thinks I''m not strong enough for the challenges," Rio said with an unwavering look on his face.

    Her voice was delighted as she replied, "No need to fret, my dear Rio. We can always return to this magical underground world whenever you desire. As for your training, Let me open a portal to the location where you can find the beasts for strengthening up your ck stage stats points.

    But do keep in mind, my abilities do have a cooldown period. After this, I won''t be able to open portals to random ces as I please."

    She smiled warmly at Rio, assuring him that she would always be there to lend a helping hand.

    The realization of her spatial power left Rio in awe, but he soon realized that even this amazing ability had its limitations. It dawned on him that this was likely the reason she hadn''t offered it to him earlier. Eve was wise enough to save her precious skill for emergencies like this.

    The duo walked back into the wonderous forest realm as they were done with the task at the underground world.

    After going inside, he saw the scenery behind the barrier change, and outside it was a new but familiar ce.

    With a faint smile, Rio stepped forward, Eve following behind him as their feet crunched on the dry leaves scattered across the ground.

    It was the same spot where he, N, and Helia had ventured to hunt down theughing alligator beast. The trees were tall and dense, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze that wafted through the area.

    As he looked around, Rio couldn''t help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over him. Crazy memories of his time with N and Helia came flooding back, making him smile despite the predicament previously they were in and he had to carry both of the girls away from the area.

    The hunt for theughing alligator beast had been an easy one with the intoxicating gas, but it had also been one of the most hrious experiences in thend of asura.

    Theke, which was situated at the center of the area, was still and calm. Its surface glimmered in the light of the sun, reflecting the surrounding foliage in its depths.

    Rio was hoping to see the silhouette of anyughing alligator beast at the surface of theke with the help of [Heaven''s Eyes] but there was none.

    He shook his head, pushing the memories aside. He needed to focus on the task at hand - farming theughing alligator beast before he ran out of time as he needed to be present at the uing royal banquet.

    Eve''s voice sounded beside Rio, hoping he would like her idea, "Partner, As you know The ck-stage beasts in this area are no longer affected by the Baby''s Tears Longevity nt, but you''ve also grown stronger since thest time you encountered them. So, I think this would be the perfect ce for you to farm ck-stage points."

    Rio couldn''t help but feel grateful for Eve''s help. He turned to her with a sincere smile and said, "I never thought I would be able to get back here so easily, without spending so much time traveling like the first time. You made it all possible with your amazing spatial abilities. Thank you."

    Eve''s heart fluttered with happiness as Rio continued topliment her for her help. She was joyous to see him satisfied with the result of her efforts, and it made her feel even more determined to assist him whenever he needed it.

    As they walked through the forest together, Rio led the way with Eve following closely behind, the boy was looking for a good spot where he could dive into the water.

    The sunlight shone through the trees, causing a warm glow on their faces. The sound of rustling leaves and twigs under their feet apanied them as they made their way to their destination.

    Rio''s eyes examined the area, looking for any sign of the alligator beasts that he sought to kill them. He was resolute to finish a portion of his task today, and Eve could see the focused look in his eyes.

    As they approached theke, Rio summoned his silver-bloom king sword and prepared for any uing battle.

    The boy dove into the clear water of theke, he felt the coolness embrace him. He held his silver-bloom king sword tightly in his hand for his safety.

    Rio observed the murky depths, hoping to spot one of the alligator beasts he was after. But theke was vast, and the beasts were scattered after not being affected by the intoxicating Baby''s Tears Longevity nt, making it difficult for him to find them.

    Rio swam tirelessly, his [Heaven''s Eyes] watching every corner of theke, his senses alert for any sign of movement.

    But the alligator beasts were hard to find, and he was growing impatient. His frustration was evident in the way he clenched his jaw, and his eyes narrowed as he struggled to locate the beasts.

    Meanwhile, Eve watched from the shore, a small smile ying on her lips. She was happy to see Rio''s training closely, but she also knew that it was not an easy task as he haven''te across any ck-stage beasts yet.

    She admired his determination and dedication to be stronger for the uing banquet, even when he had very less time for it.

    As Rio surfaced for oxygen, Eve walked towards him, offering words of encouragement. "You''re doing great, Partner. Keep searching, and you''ll find them soon."

    Rio nodded, taking a deep breath before diving back into the water, determined to finish his task.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Thirty minutes passed...

    The boy emerged from the water, his silver-bloom king sword in hand as he trudged towards the shore.

    This time, behind him, a lone alligator beast trailed, its beady eyes watching his every move. Rio had managed to lure it out of theke, his patience and perseverance paying off. With each stroke of his arms, he swam closer and closer to the edge of theke, thinking to kill the beast outside theke.

    His n was simple, if he killed the beast inside the water then it would be more difficult to find any other alligator which was already the case for him and he didn''t want to make it worse.

    Finally, he made it to the shore, and the beast followed. Rio wasted no time, summoning all his strength as he engaged it in battle.

    He swung his sword with uracy and grace, the de gleaming in the sunlight as it sliced through the air. The alligator beast fought back, its sharp teeth and powerful jaws no match for Rio''s sheer strength.

    In a swift and decisive move, he brought the beast down with a single sh of his sword, ending the battle just as quickly as it had begun.

    He stood there, victorious, The alligator beasty motionless at his feet, defeated by his powerful attack.

    Eve couldn''t help but smile as she watched Rio in action. She was proud of him for not giving up despite not finding the alligator beast easily.

    The thing that brought her the most joy was being able to be by his side, watching him fight the beast as he was right in front of his eyes. The girl felt grateful for the opportunity to be a part of his adventure and support him in his endeavors.

    Rio continued his hunt for the slippery ck-stage alligator beast, spending hours diving into the vastke in search of his targets.

    He tirelessly searched day after day, striking down each beast he could find with his silver bloom king sword.

    As the days went by, he grew stronger and stronger, but finding the alligator beast only became harder. Yet, he persevered, driven by his unwavering resolve to advance in strength.

    But whenever he needed a break, he knew he could recover in the wonderous forest realm.

    He sat together with the girl, sharing the food that he had brought with him packed by Lia.

    Eve''s usual diet consisted of the fruits that grew in the wonderous forest realm, but the taste of the food from the Shamor Empire was a wee change. She savored each bite, joyous at the different vors and textures.

    Rio''s impatience grew with each passing day as the banquet drew near. He had spent weeks hunting the ck-stage alligator beasts in the vastke, but the progress was slow.

    Although it only took one sh to defeat them but the beasts he faced were all of normal tier ck-stage level. This meant that the highest ck stat point he could gain from them was one and that too if he was lucky.

    Despite the setbacks, he refused to give up. He spent his days relentlessly hunting the beasts and training himself to be one step closer to his goal.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    I thought to keep his ck-stage wilderness journey short for now so brought him back to this ce. Tomorrow he will return to Empress Vi.

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 Chapter 242 Gift Of The Phantom

    Each night, he woulde back to the wonderous forest realm, exhausted but determined to continue the next day.

    Eve watched him with adoration and a hint of worry. She knew how important this task was to him, but she also saw how it was taking a toll on his mind. She tried to encourage him, reminding him of the progress he had made so far and how he was getting closer to his goal every day.

    Twenty-seven days passed...

    A figure appeared on the couch of the Empress Vi, he looked around but the bedroom was quiet, and there was no sign of Lia or anyone else.

    The boy remembered what had Lia told him earlier that the three sisters would be going out today. They were probably out shopping for the uing banquet, which was only a day away.

    Rio wasn''t entirely sure when they would be back, but he didn''t mind. He was content to rx after spending the day searching for ck-stage beasts in theughing alligator forest.

    After a few minutes passed he decided to step into the bathroom, he could feel the sweat on his body from a long day of hunting. He stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower, feeling the cold water hit his skin. The sensation was almost heavenly after days of diving in theke.

    Closing his eyes as he let the water rinse away the dirt and sweat, The sound of the water was soothing. After a few minutes, Rio turned off the water and stepped out of the shower.

    Getting into a new set of clothes he was feeling fresh and clean, It was something he had missed.

    Rio walked over to the bed, and hey down on the bed, feeling the softness of the mattress beneath his body.

    With a deep breath, he opened his profile, and the screen floated in front of his eyes, disying his current stats.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: S]

    [Root: ck Stage]

    [Core: ck Stage]

    [MANA: 1000+1000]

    [Physical Power: 15+180] (+20% Devlin Might)

    [Innate stats: 10+5]

    [White: 10+10]

    [Yellow: 20+20]

    [Purple: 20+20]

    [ck: 11+11]

    >>>>

    Rio gazed at his profile, his eyes glued on the ck stats points. He knew that his progress had been slower than he had hoped for.

    Despite his efforts over the past 27 days, he had only managed to kill thirty-nine alligator beasts.

    It was disappointing that most of them only awarded him with inadequately 0.5 stat points.

    He couldn''t help butpare himself to N, who was lucky to be farming ck-stage stat points faster than him and almost reached the Red stage in just one day.<novelnext></novelnext>

    While Rio''s progress was not as impressive as hers, he tookfort in the fact that he had still made some improvement. It was better than having no stats points at all.

    The boy understood that as he and N killed the alligator beastst time, it became increasingly difficult to find more beasts to defeat. They had already in many beasts during their previous visits to the area, which made it even more challenging to locate any remaining beasts in theke.

    As he pondered this, he began to realize the harsh reality of higher stages. The stronger one became, the more challenging it was to progress further. The beasts became more intelligent and cunning, making it harder to defeat them and find them.

    Rio understood that he needed to have patience and be more strategic in his approach if he wanted to continue growing stronger. Finding high-level beasts would be harder as they would have higher intelligence to avoid dangers created by their foe.

    After checking his progress, he shifted his attention to his new silver armor, which he had gained from defeating the purple stage monarch beast. The new armor was simr to a beast soul as it was kept in his mind sea.

    He used his [Heaven''s Eyes], to lift the veil to find its true nature.

    <<<<

    [Name: Gift of the Phantom]

    [Type: Armor]

    [Rarity: Legendary]

    ~ It is a legendary silver armor that can be obtained only by defeating the Monarch Beast of Purple Stage. This powerful armor can take any form of equipment that the wielder desires and can cover the entire body, providing superior defense and protection.

    The Gift of the Phantom enhances the overall defense of the wielder by an incredible two hundred percent, making it one of the most sought-after armors even among immortals. In addition to its defense-boosting properties, this legendary armor also provides a hundred percent boost to mana, allowing the wielder to unleash powerful spells and abilities without worrying about running out of mana.

    [Additional Note: The Gift of the Phantom armor cannot be used in conjunction with other armor and does not require mana to activate its abilities.]

    >>>>

    ''I should try it before the banquet.''

    He got up from the bed and made his way to the dressing table, his steps resounding softly in the room.

    Hemanded in his thought, summoning the armor from his mind sea.

    Suddenly, a brilliant silver light filled the room, enveloping him in armor that started to cover his entire torso.

    He ran his hands over the silver surface of the armor and was surprised to find it was soft to the touch, unlike any other armor. He was delighted, knowing that this was a significant advantage in battle.

    "It says it can take form... I should make something that won''t be too obvious." He muttered to himself, contemting the possibilities.

    ''Maybe something shorter? A cloak? A tie? Ah... No, no one wears that in the Shamor Empire.''

    Rio thought for a moment, trying toe up with a clever disguise for the armor.

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 Chapter 243 The Grand Banquet: The Top Clans Gather

    With a calm expression, he began to focus his mind, visualizing the form he wanted the silver armor to take.

    After a few moments, the silver light of the armor began to shift and change, until it had taken on the form of a sleek silver bracelet that hid his AI watch on his wrist.

    "Perfect," he said with a satisfied smile, admiring his creativity.

    But soon his gaze fell on his face, realizing that he should make something that would hide his facial appearance from the Asuras. He couldn''t risk being recognized, even if he used a different hair color with the help of [Asura Transformation].

    He closed his eyes and focused his mind on his silver armor, imagining the transformation he wanted it to undergo. Hemanded the gift of the phantom to obey his will and alter its shape.

    Slowly, he felt the energy flow from his wrist, moving towards his face, causing it to shudder and shift.

    As he opened his eyes, he was met with a breathtaking sight. Reflected in the mirror was a face - no longer empty, but adorned with a striking masquerade of color and form.

    The outermostyer was cloaked in deep, rich ck, while the center portion shone pure white. The contrast between the two hues was a thing of beauty, and he couldn''t help but feel delighted inside.

    ''This is better.''

    The gift of the phantom was now covering two different body parts at the same time, in the form of the new masquerade and also as the bracelet.

    He turned around, removed the mask from his face, and went towards his bed as he thought to sleep until Lia and others came back.

    ***

    The day had finally arrived - Future Empress Lia''s birthday. The preparations had been underway for weeks, and as the sun began to set, the outside of the castle was packed with carriages belonging to the various ns and sects invited to the grand celebration.

    The grand entrance of the guests was a spectacle to behold.

    Among them, the Mistde n arrived in their sleek, ck carriages, renowned for their water elemental affinity. The Rainheart n, with their mastery of thunder elemental powers, came in carriages adorned with sparkling blue crystals.

    The Strongze n, feared for their control over fire, arrived in carriages that zed like miniature suns, while the Cliffdane n, known for their defensive earth elemental battle art techniques, came in carriages made of precious stones.

    The Spirit Heart Sect, a sect filled with maidens who enjoyed the support and protection of the royal family, arrived in carriages decorated with delicate pink flowers.

    The Ancient Society Pce, steeped in history and knowledge, arrived in a procession of ornate, golden carriages. And the Wolf Mountain Sect, known for their savage warriors and neutral standing, arrived in carriages adorned with wolf fur and teeth.

    The guests were escorted into a grand hall, adorned with gold and silver ents, and an enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling, casting a dazzling disy of light throughout the room.

    The air was filled with the sound ofughter and chatter as the guests mingled with one another, exchanging pleasantries and admiring each other''s attire. The festive atmosphere was contagious, and the guests were eager to celebrate the birthday of the future Empress.

    As the evening wore on and the night sky grew darker, the banquet began in earnest. The guests took their seats, and the feast began, with the most sulent dishes and delicacies from all corners of the empire.<novelnext></novelnext>

    In a corner of the hall, the Emperor stood surrounded by the leaders of the top ns. He held a ss of deep red wine, asionally taking a sip as he engaged in conversation with his esteemed guests. Their voices blend with the sound of music that filled the hall, creating a lively atmosphere.

    The rhythmic beat of the drums and the gentle strains of the lute created a hypnotic effect, causing some of the guests to sway in time with the music and the clinking of sses could be heard as toasts were made to honor the asion.

    Suddenly, the music came to a halt, as if a switch had been flipped, and all eyes turned toward the entrance.

    A beam of light shone from the entrance, illuminating the figure of a young woman.

    Lia, the future empress, had arrived. Her dress was a masterpiece of elegance and beauty, a work of art that had taken months to create. It was adorned with pearls and precious stones, which glimmered in the light.

    Her silky white hair was styled in an intricate braid, with delicate rose flowers woven into it. She was the epitome of grace and beauty, a true empress in her own right.

    Along with her sisters, Lia was apanied by a young man whose hand was interlocked with hers. His shoulder-length white hair framed his handsome face, and his striking masquerade mask added an air of mystery to his appearance.

    N and Helia walked at the duo''s side, their dresses swishing softly as they moved. The duo also were wearing masquerades, perhaps to add a touch of mystery to their appearance. It was clear they wanted to make sure the boy didn''t stand out too much on this asion.

    Helia, with her flowing blonde hair, looked stunning in a floor-length gown that sparkled in the light. She had forgone her warrior getup for the night, opting for a more feminine look.

    N, with her vibrant ck hair, was also dressed up for the asion. Her dress was a lovely shade of purple, which was her favorite color.

    The hushed whispers of the guests filled the grand hall as Lia made her way towards the Emperor, hand in hand with the mysterious boy with the white hair. All eyes were on them as they walked past the guests, their gazes filled with curiosity and intrigue.

    The environment was charged with suspense as everyone tried to figure out who the boy was and how he hade to be apanying the Empress in such an intimate manner.

    No one knew who he was, and everyone was desperate for answers.

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 Chapter 244 The Grand Banquet: The Clans Refusal

    The trio exuded a regal air as they made their way toward the Emperor. The guests parted to make way for them, their eyes fixed on the group as they walked past.

    Lia glided into the grand hall, her dress shimmering in the light. The soft fabric of her white gown draped elegantly down to the floor, with delicatece ents that traced intricate patterns along the hemline. The gown hugged her curves in all the right ces, showcasing her feminine figure.

    As Lia walked, her dress flowed gracefully behind her, like a cloud of silk trailing in her wake. Her movements were fluid and effortless as if she was dancing to a silent tune only she could hear.

    But it wasn''t just her dress that caught the attention of the guests. Lia''s beauty was captivating, with her piercing scarlet eyes and perfect features. Her face was serene, almost otherworldly as if she was a goddess among mortals. And yet, there was a warmth to her that drew people in, making them feel wee andfortable in her presence.

    As guests greeted her with smiles and wishes, Lia returned their warmth with a gracious nod of her own.

    As the four of them stood beside the Emperor, Lia, and Rio on his left side and N and Helia on his right side, the spotlight of the show started enveloping the four of their figure. all the attention was focused on the four of them.

    Although the guests were mesmerized by the future empress''s ravishing entrance but there were still curious about who was the boy beside her.

    Emperor Dn''s voice echoed throughout the grand hall, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make. My beloved daughter, the future empress of the Shamor Empire, Lia, will be getting married to this handsome man here. He is a gentleman by the name of Zero. He''s a bit of a mystery to all of you, but I assure you he''s a fine match for my daughter."

    An old man said, he was the supreme elder of the Strongze n, "But Your Highness, we have never heard of this Zero before. Who is he?"

    As the old man spoke, a wave of curiosity rippled through the crowd. Though he was the one to voice the question, it was clear that many others shared the same thoughts.

    "The young man at my daughter''s side is a man of humble origins, but also my personal disciple. I took him under my wing when he was just a boy of five, and I have personally overseen his training. He has shown remarkable potential from a very young age. I believe he will prove himself to be a worthy husband for Lia," the Emperor dered with pride in his voice.

    The old man cleared his throat before speaking, "With all due respect, Your Highness, may I inquire about the choice of amoner as a suitor for your esteemed daughter? It''s not a secret that the great ns had been hoping for a union with the royal family, and yet it seems that our desires have been overlooked in favor of someone of lesser standing.

    Please do not misunderstand me, Your Highness, I have nothing against this boy, but one can''t help but wonder if his background is truly suitable for a match with the future Empress. After all, we have many eligible candidates from our ns who would be honored to take her hand in marriage."

    "Are you implying that my personal disciple is inferior to the heir of the great ns?" said the Emperor with a tone of disbelief and mild anger.

    "I wouldn''t dare to question your wisdom, your highness, but pardon my frankness, Zero looks so young. How is he going topare to our talented red-stage warriors? Can he even stand one blow from one of our ns'' candidates?" the old man said with a hint of skepticism in his voice.<novelnext></novelnext>

    This caused Emperor to halt his voice and be paused as the old man challenged the boy by his side for one single punch.

    The white-haired beauty stepped forward, her voice clear and chilly as she spoke, "It doesn''t matter if Zero can take a blow from any of the candidates or not. What matters is who I choose to be my husband. But if anyone wishes to challenge him, I invite them to step forward."

    Lia''s voice resounded through the grand hall, piercing the air and causing the chatter to die down. Her words were sharp, cutting through the silence like a de.

    A chill spread through the room, and the guests could feel the temperature dropping as she spoke. They shuddered, feeling the icy power and dominance behind her voice. The hairs on the back of their necks stood on end, and they couldn''t help but take a step back, awed by hermanding presence.

    As her cold eyes swept across the guests from the old man, she saw a figure emerge, his long ck hair following down his back like a waterfall of shadows. A small, intricate sun tattoo on his right wrist glimmered in the light, signifying his affiliation with the Strongze n. This was Drake Strongze, a man of twenty-three years who exuded an aura of arrogance and entitlement, he was a red-stage warrior which was a good enough reason for him to act haughty and not take Rio much in his eyes.

    "Lia, don''t misunderstand us. We simply don''t want to see you make a mistake by choosing someone who doesn''t measure up to the expectations of the great ns.

    But since everyone seems to be avoiding a challenge, I''ll happily step up and test this boy''s worthiness to marry the woman I admire," Drake said, his voice dripping with confidence and a hint of smugness, and his eyes glittering with mischief and a hint of arrogance.

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 Chapter 245 The Grand Banquet: The Intriguing Boy With White Hair

    Drake had been obsessed with marrying Lia since she was just fourteen years old. Despite herck of interest in any boy, he remained fixated on the goal of bing the emperor of the Shamor Empire.

    The strongze n had also been supportive of the royal family, hoping to see Drake and Lia be a couple. But with the arrival of Rio, their grand n had been shattered, and he felt like he had lost everything he had worked for.

    As the room fell silent, all eyes turned towards Rio as he was going to face Drake in the challenge. The murmurs started in the room, each guest whispering to their neighbor, wondering what woulde of this unexpected challenge.

    Dn exchanged worried nces with Lia, their concern for The boy''s safety was noticeable. However, the one who stepped forward in Rio''s defense was someone they never expected.

    Helia''s voice sliced through the air, devoid of any warmth, "But Zero is merely sixteen years old this year, while you, Drake, are already twenty-three. That would hardly be a fair challenge for him," she said, her tone unwavering and cold as ice.

    As her words hung in the air, the buzzing of guests'' voices in the room grew even louder. The weight of her statement caused the protester to shrink, looking inferior and embarrassed for having challenged Rio.

    Drake''s confident expression faltered, taken aback by Helia''s icy tone. He opened his mouth to reply but found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond.

    While the heated discussion was still ongoing, an unexpected interruption urred.

    The white-haired boy, who had been standing beside Lia and had remained silent up until now, spoke up.

    "Don''t worry, Lioness, it''s just one little blow. I''m sure it won''t take long at all," Rio said, his voice flickering with sarcasm.

    The guests couldn''t help but stare at him in shock for calling Helia by such a funny nickname. Everyone was aware of her fierce nature and how she detested other boys.

    Even Drake had experienced her wrath whenever he tried to approach her. Despite Lia''s cold refusal of his advances, Helia was notorious formunicating with her fists. They all waited with bated breath for her reaction, but to their surprise, Helia didn''t seem to mind Rio''sment.

    Furthermore, the audience was taken aback as the young boy stepped forward to ept the challenge. It was evident to everyone that he was much younger than Drake Strongze, with a fragile aura that appeared incapable of withstanding a single blow from the heir of the Strongze family.

    The onlookers were torn between feeling impressed by his bravery and pitying him for his apparent foolishness.

    Unknown to everyone, Eve had utilized her spiritual power to conceal Rio''s true strength. Her spell made it impossible for anyone to detect his level of strength or determine if he was truly a ck stage warrior. Even Emperor Dn was powerless in the face of Eve''s spell to be able to inspect Rio.

    The old man''s voice dripped with cunning as he spoke, "Since Zero is epting the challenge, why don''t we put it to the test right here? Just one blow wouldn''t affect the grand hall much," he suggested, a sly smirk ying at the corners of his lips.

    Emperor Dn''s worried eyes met with Lia''s as she gave him a reassuring nod. Though hesitant, he finally relented and allowed the challenge to proceed.

    Excitement and guesses rippled through the crowd. Some guests were genuinely curious about Rio''s abilities, while others hoped to see him humiliated by Drake.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The grand hall split into two groups, clearing a path for the impending duel. Drake strode confidently to the center, his gaze fixed on Rio, who approached with a small, calm smile.

    As they met in the middle, the tension in the grand hall became thick. The room fell silent, every eye glued on the two young men.

    "Are you ready?" Drake said, his face adorned with an arrogant smile as he was hoping the white-haired boy would back off from the duel.

    Rio''s expression remained unchanged, "You should hurry ande. I don''t want you to waste any more time from my wifey''s special day," he said in a cold tone, his words flickering with confidence and authority that left some of the guests momentarily stunned.

    "Well, well, look who''s trying to be all tough with his fancy words. Let''s see if you can back up your words with some real action and handle my single blow," Drake said in a mocking tone, his lips curling into a smirk as he prepared to attack Rio with his strength.

    Drake''s feet kicked against the ground, making a small crack on the floor and dust flying behind him as he charged towards Rio with a confident expression.

    As he closed in on his opponent, his hand began to glow with an intense red light, which quickly grew in size until it covered his entire palm. The light soon transformed into a fiery ze, which crackled and sparked as Drake directed it toward the boy.

    The guests in the room gasped as they watched the spectacle unfold before them. Some of them could barely watch, fearing that Rio would be fatally injured by Drake''s attack.

    Emperor Dn was about to intervene, his hand poised to protect the boy, but Lia reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him from interfering.

    Lia met her father''s gaze, her expression unreadable, Dn was confused and worried about the white-haired beauty''s actions. She had always been protective of Rio and had even fought with him over the boy in the past.

    Now, His daughter was putting her husband in a dangerous situation. Emperor Dn had many questions swirling in his mind, but he decided to trust his precious daughter''s judgment and remained still.

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 Chapter 246 The Grand Banquet: Claiming Dominance & Sovereignty

    The three beautiful sisters stood in silence, their eyes locked on the unfolding duel. Each of them wore an expression of intense worry and trust as they watched Drake''s attack that was going to meet the boy they adored.

    Especially, Helia whose eyes were fixed on the young boy, despite her intervention, her mind was filled with doubts about Rio''s capability to face a Red Stage warrior like Drake.

    She couldn''t help but wonder what kind of training he had undergone in thest four weeks. The uncertainty and worry were written all over her face, and Lia noticed it too, exchanging a concerned nce with her.

    Even N, who had faith in Rio''s strength, couldn''t help but feel a sense of uneasiness creeping up on her.

    Drake''s hand was inches away from Rio''s face, his eyes narrowed with the expectation of delivering a single blow as the final.

    The air was tense, and the audience held their breaths as they waited for the inevitable oue.

    But to everyone''s surprise, Rio''s face lit up with a small smile, causing a chill to run down Drake''s spine. It was a strange sight as if the boy had gone mad, finding joy in the face of danger.

    However, the shock didn''t end there. In the blink of an eye, Rio lifted his hand and caught Drake''s fist with ease, stopping his advance in its tracks. The onlookers were speechless, their eyes wide with disbelief.

    ''Ho... How is that possible???''

    Even the old man of the Cliffdane n, who was known for his cunning and calcted nature, failed to see this unexpected developmenting and couldn''t hide his shock, cursing inwardly.

    Emperor Dn was stunned, his mind struggling to process what had just happened before his very eyes. The young boy, who had a fragile aura, being only sixteen years old, had managed to stop the attack of a red-stage warrior with ease.

    The audience erupted in a flurry of whispers and murmurs, unsure of what to make of this unexpected turn of events.

    Rio''s eyes were fixed on Drake, his gaze unwavering as he stepped forward, the audience held their breaths, their gaze locked onto the scene unfolding before them.

    Drake''s eyes widened in shock as Rio''s left hand shot out like a viper, lightning-fast and urate. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest as Rio''s fingers closed around him, lifting him off his feet. His mind raced with fear and confusion as he was thrown to the ground, the impact sending shockwaves through his body.

    The sound of bones breaking filled the room as Drake''s body collided with the ground, creating a deafening thud that echoed throughout the grand hall. The tiles cracked and splintered under the force of the impact, causing shards of debris to fly in all directions.

    Drake''s high-pitched scream resounded through the hall, causing even the most stoic guests to wince. He writhed on the ground like a worm on a hot pavement, making N wonder if he was auditioning for a role in a horror movie. It was a sight to behold, although not a pleasant one for the poor strongze n''s elder.

    The audience stood motionless, stunned by the sudden turn of events. The room was filled with a grave silence as they watched in awe at the sight before them. The once-confident Drakey defeated and broken, while this young boy, Zero stood tall, his eyes glinting with cold, deadly resolve.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The onlookers were inplete disbelief at what they had just witnessed. They had expected the duel to be one-sided, with Drake easily overpowering the seemingly fragile boy.

    But now, they were left with their jaws hanging open in amazement as Zero, the mysterious young man who was to be wed to the future empress, hadpletely thrashed Drake with ease. The silence in the room was deafening as everyone stared in stunned silence at the scene before them.

    Rio squatted down and gently tapped Drake''s left cheek as he moaned in agony.

    With a cold smile and deadly calm, he said, "Listen carefully, If you ever even think about marrying my woman, I''ll make sure you''re not even fit to be a ghost. "

    The very mention of Lia as "his woman" before their marriage had even taken ce sent chills down the back of those who had considered challenging Rio. They knew that he was making it clear what would happen if anyone dared to even think of marrying Lia. With his announcement, Rio asserted his sovereignty over his Wifey and fused his im on her.

    Rio''s gaze locked onto those of the stunned audience as he slowly rose to his feet. His bodynguage spoke volumes as he held himself with a confident and collected air, unfazed by the chaos that surrounded him. He could feel their eyes on him, their expressions filled with disbelief and awe, and he knew that his actions had sent a clear message.

    As he stood there, he thought about the reason behind his actions. He knew that the other heirs of different ns were eyeing his beloved wife, Lia, and he couldn''t let anyone question his worthiness to marry her.

    Although they were already a couple, he still decided to show them that he was not to be trifled with and that he was a force to be reckoned with.

    He knew that hisck of strength had left him vulnerable in the past, but now he was confident in his abilities to protect his beloved wife from any harm.

    He remembered a time when he lost his beloved La because he was powerless, unable to protect even himself, let alone the girl he cared for. But now, he was assured in his abilities to even surpass her maroon-haired grandfather one day.

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 Chapter 247 The Grand Banquet: Rio Confronts His Foes

    Moreover, he wouldn''t let anyone harm his wifey, he would do anything to keep Lia safe, even if it meant ughtering the whole world. The fire in his eyes burned with a fierce resolve, a promise that he would be the strongest, no matter the cost.

    Rio''s actions were driven by his one million visions shown by Goddess. He knew that Drake was not to be trusted, and his gut feeling was backed up by the countless visions he had seen, Drake was one of the main culprits who caused Lia''s death.

    His mind was made up, and he knew that he had to take drastic action to prevent any possible harm to his wife.

    Even though he could have gone easy on Drake, but it was totally useless. He had tried to befriend Drake in many visions he saw, but it had always ended in betrayal. There was no way that Drake would be a good ally in the future because his hunger for power was bigger than his admiration for the girl he wanted to marry.

    As the boy looked around the room, Rio''s gaze fell on several familiar faces from the great ns that had been present during the war. Hatred red within him, and he felt the urge to crush them all right away. But he knew that this wasn''t the right time. He wasn''t strong enough to take them on, and he didn''t have a valid reason for killing them.

    Although he was willing to kill them without any valid reason if it meant saving Lia, he knew he needed the power to face them all. Even in his million visions, he had failed to save Lia from dying despite being stronger than all of them.

    Strength alone was not enough for Rio to achieve his ultimate goal. There was another crucial element that he needed: to find La. But ording to Eve, he would have to wait for the right moment to meet her.

    He could only let out a heavy sigh as he watched these double-faced people, knowing that they would be the ones to ignite the mes of war in the future, and ultimately bring harm to Lia.

    Dn watched in amazement as his daughter''s future husband effortlessly defeated the heir of the Strongze family. Lia stood next to him, a proud smile on her face as she watched Rio in action.

    The old man from the Cliffdane n, who had been observing from the sidelines, could barely contain his astonishment at the sight before him.

    The elder of the Strongze n rushed towards the injured Drake, who was writhing in pain. He was eager to question the white-haired boy about how he could dare to badly injure a member of their n and the elder wanted to punish Rio for his daring move.

    However, he chose to remain silent, as he knew that it was Drake who had challenged Rio. Despite being older than Rio, Drake suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the young boy.

    The Emperor signaled a healer to attend to Drake''s injuries and was taken aback by the unexpected oue of the duel. However, he knew that it was Drake who had challenged Rio, so it wasn''t any problem what the boy did for defending himself.

    Despite his initial fears that Rio was only human, the Emperor was happy for his son-inw. He recognized the strong love between Rio and Lia, which made him not take Rio as a threat.

    "I trust that after witnessing Zero''s incredible disy of skill, none of you will question my decision to choose him as my son-inw. Let us all enjoy the rest of the feast and celebrate this joyous asion!" The Emperor''s beaming smile widened as he made the announcement, and the room erupted in thunderous apuse, their cheers echoing throughout the halls.

    Rio walked towards Emperor and his girls, his head held high and his steps firm.

    As he approached them, Dn and the girls looked at him with curiosity, wondering how he became so powerful in such a short amount of time. He met their questioning gaze with a mysterious smile, causing the suspense to remain.

    Lia had been without Rio for two long months, and the separation had been unbearable for her. Even though they had met just the day before, it felt like an eternity since shest held him close.

    As Rio made his way towards her, her heart leaped with joy, and she could barely contain her feelings. She longed to run into his arms, to feel his warmth and embrace, but she managed to control herself in front of the guests as they were in the middle of a crowded room, and there were too many people watching. She didn''t want to make a scene or draw unnecessary attention to themselves.

    So, without a word, Lia stepped forward and interlocked her hands with Rio''s, as if to im him as her own. It was the least she could do to show him how much she missed him and how happy she was to be with him again.<novelnext></novelnext>

    The guests surrounding them came to congratte her one by one on her twentieth birthday, but she seemed more focused on Rio than on the festivities around her.

    Meanwhile, Helia and N were busy mingling with the other guests. Lioness was introducing N to her n members, and the duo sisters were receiving warm greetings from many other guests. The girls'' beauty and charm seemed to attract attention from everyone around them.

    Rio saw a beautiful girl with light blonde hair approaching them. Her hair was like strands of golden sunshine, flowing down her back in soft waves. She wore a stunning blue dress that perfectlyplimented her fairplexion.

    He couldn''t help but notice the way her curves hugged the dress, emphasizing her firm and rounded bosom.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Can anyone guess who is she?

    Foe?

    or

    Friend?

    or

    Possible Harem member?

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 Chapter 248 The Grand Banquet: Ballroom Dance

    As the girl came closer, Rio could see that she was about the same height as N, making her a bit shorter than Lia. Her eyes were the same shade of blue as her dress, giving her an almost ethereal look. However, the boy kept his calm and didn''t get awe or captivated by her beauty.

    "Hey there, Zero! Look at you, catching the eye of my sweet friend Lia. I am Emily from the Mistde n, and I must say, it''s a pleasure to meet the man who stole her heart," she said with a flirty smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

    The girl could easily notice how close Lia and Rio were as they interlocked their hands intimately. She could see the love in Lia''s eyes as the white-haired beauty was gazing at Rio, and it was clear that this was more than just an arranged marriage between an Emperor''s disciple and his daughter. It was a love match, and the girl was feeling happy for her friend.

    Rio''s memory was jogged at the mention of the n name. He recalled what Yami had mentioned on his first day in the Land of Asura. The chief maid had revealed that Lia had not even given the body refining liquid to her childhood friend, who happened to be the youngdy of the Mistde n.

    "Nice to meet you, Emily. Thank you for the warm wee," he said with a friendly smile.

    "Hey Lia, why you gotta keep secrets from me? I thought we were close friends! So you''re marrying this handsome devil and you didn''t even tell me? Ahhh... I''m hurt!" Emily quipped with a yful pout.

    Lia smiled softly and replied in a friendly, serene tone, "I wanted to keep him safe from any harm that coulde his way. You know how some people from great ns can react, so I didn''t want to take any chances with his life."

    Emilyughed, "You''re right Lia, safety first when we are surrounded by those great ns who we can not trust. Well, it was great meeting you, Zero."

    "It was nice meeting you too, Emily." The boy responded in a calm tone.

    Her gaze moved to look at Lia with an apologetic expression, "I''m sorry Lia, but my grandfather has me working on an ongoing mission that requires my involvement. I had to ask for special permission just toe here, but I have to return immediately. I''ll be using the [Teleport Glyph] to get back."

    She paused for a moment, then added with a smile, "But before I go, I just want to say happy birthday once again, and I''m so happy for you that you''re marrying such a daring and handsome boy."

    As the girl exined her reason for leaving, Lia''s eyes reflected a little disappointment, but she put on an adorable smile and wrapped her arms around her friend, embracing her warmly.

    Emily felt the warmth of the hug and reciprocated it with equal affection. Lia''s embrace showed the depth of their friendship and the bonding they shared.

    "Thank you foring, Emily. Take care of yourself." Lia spoke to her friend as they separated.

    After the hug, Rio with a genuine smile on his face bid farewell to Emily with a simple yet heartfelt message, "Hope to see you again soon."

    His voice was soft, yet it conveyed a warmth that made Emily feel weed and valued.

    "Definitely! Bye, guys!" She waved goodbye, her bright smile hiding the sadness she felt at leaving her friends behind. With ast nce at Lia and Rio, she made her way out of the grand hall, her heart heavy with regret.

    As the night went on, more guests arrived to congratte Rio and Lia. They warmly epted each greeting with a smile, exchanging kind words and pleasantries.<novelnext></novelnext>

    Soon a ballroom dance began, the Royal Musicians started to y a soft and romantic tune, and many couples took to the dance floor, swaying to the music.

    As Lia watched them dance, she felt a sudden tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw her beloved sisters Helia and N standing behind her.

    "Big sis, Let''s go we should dance?" N said with a lively smile, she wanted the duo to join.

    Lia''s heart skipped a beat, and she looked over at Rio, who was already extending his hand to her. Taking his hand, she followed him to the dance floor, where N joined Helia in a graceful waltz.

    As Rio and Lia began to move to the music, she felt like she was floating on air. The music seemed to melt away all the worries and anxieties that had built up inside them.

    As Lia moved in sync with Rio, she gazed deeply into his eyes, lost in the moment. Her heart bloomed with love for the boy who had conquered her heart, and she felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be dancing with him.

    As the music transitioned to a slower rhythm, they switched partners, and Rio took N''s hand while Helia took Lia''s.

    Despite the change in dance partners, Lia still watched Rio as he danced with N, and her heart swelled with happiness seeing him enjoying himself. As they took turns dancing with each other, the grand hall seemed to transform into a magical ballroom.

    Rio and N twirled around the dance floor, The Magenta-haired beauty couldn''t help but feel happy for the strong bonds she had with her new sisters and her darling husband. She was grateful for the love and eptance she had found with them, and for the happiness, she had finally found in this new home.

    Finally, as they switched again, it was Helia''s turn to dance with Rio, and Lia watched with joy, hoping to see them dancing without any hesitation or worry.

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 Chapter 249 The Sweet Surrender: Craving Her Luscious Lips & Tantalizing Body

    Helia''s heart was pounding with nervous excitement as Rio''s hand confidently rested on her waist.Her heart raced as she looked up into his sea-green eyes, conflicted by the confusing feelings she had for him.

    Once, she had hated him for being a human, But now, after experiencing his selfless caring nature towards her, she found herself inexplicably drawn to him, her heart yearning for something she couldn''t quite understand.

    As they began to move to the music, Helia tried her best to hide her nervousness, but she couldn''t help but feel bashful in Rio''s arms. She had never been a confident dancer, but with Rio leading her, she felt like she was drifting in the air.

    As they birl around the dance floor, Helia''s mind raced with a million thoughts.

    ''Would he ever like me?''

    ''What should I do to get his forgiveness?''

    ''Why my heart is beating so fast?''

    ''Eh...''

    She couldn''t shake off the feeling of being self-conscious, but Rio''s gentle smile and reassuring touch on her back helped ease her nerves.

    From the distance, Emperor Dn could tell that Fierce Beauty was genuinely happy to dance with Rio.

    The other guests in the ballroom were stunned and captivated by the scene unfolding before their eyes. Helia, who was notorious for her tough demeanor and quick fists when it came to boys, was now moving gracefully in Rio''s arms, allowing him to lead her with ease. It was a sight that no one had expected to witness, and they couldn''t help but stare in awe and disbelief.

    Some of them exchanged surprised nces with each other, while others whispered among themselves, wondering how Helia could allow a boy to hold her so closely. It was a sight that none of them had expected to see, and they were all thoroughly impressed by the way Helia and Rio moved together.

    As the tempo of the music shifted, the partners changed once again and Rio swept Lia into his arms, the couple began to sway in perfect synchronization.

    In the end, the song came to a close, and they finished their dance with a graceful dip, leaving Lia feeling a sense of pure happiness.

    The party continued, and as the night wore on but eventually, the time came for Lia to bid her guests farewell, and she took her leave from the grand hall, with Rio, N, and Helia following close behind her.

    As they entered the Empress Vi, the atmosphere was serene and peaceful. Helia headed straight to her room, feeling drained and exhausted from the events of the evening.

    Meanwhile, Rio followed N and Lia into N''s bedroom. They were all so exhausted that they didn''t even bother to change their clothes, opting to simply copse onto the bed.

    N had already drifted off into a peaceful slumber, her body exhausted from the night''s festivities. However, Lia''s mind was still buzzing as her thoughts were consumed by the desire to have a heart-to-heart conversation with Rio.

    She hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest as she whispered softly, "Will you leave me again?"

    Despite the fear and longing in her heart, her voice remained calm and steady, reflecting the strength thaty within her.

    Rio looked down at the cute squirrel nestled in his arms and yfully pinched her little nose.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Don''t worry, Wifey, I won''t be leaving anytime soon. I need to stay close to my beautiful wife, after all. I''m going to be under strict orders to stay put until my lovely wife gives me the green light. Besides, I can''t go off on any more adventures without my required dose of Vitamin Lia!" He said with a mischievous smile, teasing her yfully.

    "I don''t believe you," Lia said with a hint of doubt and fear in her tone.

    Rio leaned in close to Lia and whispered in a flirtatious tone, "No, I swear, I don''t want to leave. Do you know that I want to feast on these luscious lips and devour this tantalizing body of yours? If it weren''t for N sleeping here with us, I''d say tonight we might have had our consummate night."

    As Lia''s cheeks flushed with a mix of amusement and shyness, she found herself wanting the same thing as Rio.

    But her moment of bliss was short-lived as she suddenly remembered something, causing her voice to tremble as she spoke up. "But I have this fear that we won''t be able to spend time together again and you''ll leave me," she said, her wordsced with worry.

    Lia hugged Rio tightly, her arms wrapped around him as if he was her lifeline, their bodies entwined as theyy on the bed. Her mind was consumed with the fear of losing him, and she couldn''t bear the thought of being separated from him once again.

    "Promise me, Husband, promise me that you won''t leave me ever." Her eyes looked up at him with desperation, hoping to find the reassurance she so desperately needed.

    "I promise you, Wifey, that I won''t ever leave you Even if death tries toe between us, my stubborn soul will stay by your side, loving you for all eternity," Rio said with a sincere yet yful tone, looking deep into her eyes.

    "Please don''t speak of such things," She pleaded, Lia''s voice trembled as she quickly ced her hand on Rio''s lips, trying to stop him from saying anything else.Tears welled up in her eyes and her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she feared losing him.

    "Wifey, don''t cry. I didn''t mean it like that." He said urgently, his voice filled with both sorrow and concern as he saw tears streaming from Lia''s eyes.

    He held her cheeks in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumb, reassuring her that he didn''t mean it like that.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Be ready for an emotional rollercoaster ride...

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 250 Fates Unyielding Path: The Calm Before The Storm

    "I''m sorry if I scared you. I promise you that I''ll never leave you alone. We''ll always be together, no matter what happens." He looked into her teary eyes and ced a tender kiss on her forehead, followed by a soft kiss on each of her closed eyelids. His touch was filled with affection and tenderness, soothing her troubled mind and calming her down.

    Lia felt her body rx in Rio''s tight embrace, the warmth of his body and the gentle beating of his heart against her ear calming her racing thoughts. Shey there, content in his arms, her eyes slowly closing as the exhaustion of the day caught up with her. Rio''s hand ran up and down her back in a soothing motion, lulling her deeper into a state of peacefulness.

    Lia felt thest remnants of her worries slip away. She knew deep down that Rio would never leave her intentionally, and he would always be there by her side. The feeling of his lips on her forehead and eyes had reassured her of his love, and she felt grateful for every moment they shared together.

    As theyy there, wrapped up in each other''s embrace, Lia felt her breathing slow and her body rxedpletely. She let out a contented sigh, feeling safe and loved in Rio''s arms. And as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber, she knew that no matter what the future held, they would face it together.

    He watched her sleep and his mind was consumed with thoughts of their uncertain future. He wondered what the future held for them, and whether they would be able to weather the challenges thaty ahead.

    Rioy still in the middle of the bed, his eyes wandering aimlessly around the room. He could feel the soft and rhythmic breathing of the two girls on either side of him. He let out a deep sigh, feeling a wave of mncholy wash over him.

    As he gazed out of the window, the moon was shining brightly in the sky, emitting a warm glow into the room.

    Feeling the body heat of the two women snuggled up against him, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of contentment wash over him.

    N shifted slightly in her sleep, her arm brushing against Rio''s chest. He smiled softly, feeling a warmth spread through him at the contact. He then turned to Lia, her head resting on his shoulder. He gently kissed her forehead before turning to kiss N''s cheek and closed his eyes, experiencing a feeling of peaceful satisfaction.

    The girls'' soft breaths tickled his neck, soothing him into a peaceful state. He felt overwhelmed by the emotions and sensations surrounding him, the warmth and intimacy of the moment. It was as if nothing else existed outside of this little cocoon they had created.

    Eventually, Rio sumbed to the peacefulness, his breathing slowing down as he fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, with Lia and N wrapped tightly around him.

    As the three of themy intertwined in a blissful slumber, none of them could have predicted the impending storm that was about to descend upon them.

    Little did Lia know that her worst fears would soon be a harsh reality. Rio was blissfully sleeping, unaware of the turmoil that awaited him in theing hours, a storm that threatened to tear him apart at the seams.

    It was as if fate itself had set its sights on their small, peaceful world, eager to disrupt the delicate bonding they had so carefully crafted.

    The storm that approached was unlike any other, a tempest that threatened to engulf them all and leave nothing in its wake. As they slept soundly, the winds of change began to howl, heralding the arrival of a tumultuous and unpredictable future.

    ***

    The first rays of sunlight peered through the curtains, gently nudging Rio awake. He blinked a few times, his eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room.

    He turned his head and noticed the soft outline of a body lying beside him. It was Lia, her face serene as she was sleeping soundly, her breathing calm and even.

    Rio couldn''t help but admire her adorable face, her hair spilling over the pillow in a tangled mess. He reached out and brushed a strand away from her face, smiling to himself.<novelnext></novelnext>

    As he shifted to get up, he realized that N was not sleeping on the other side of him. Rio frowned, wondering where she could have gone. He sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and swept the room for any signs of her.

    ''She might be with Helia.''

    When he didn''t see her, he assumed that she must have gone to Helia''s room.

    He slowly got out of bed, stretched his hands, and yawned, feeling a sense of rxation envelop him.

    Rio strode towards the bathroom, longing for the cool sensation of a refreshing shower to kickstart his day.

    The water cascaded over him, washing away the remnants of slumber and invigorating him. Once done, he wrapped himself in a towel that he took out from the wonderous forest realm. After drying himself off, he wore a new set of clothes, ready to start a happy day with his beautiful wives.

    He walked down the staircase, his mind preupied with looking for Helia and N. As he was going to search for them, he was interrupted by the voice of Yami, the chief maid.

    "Emperor has called for you," Yami said, her tone low and serious.

    Rio''s brows furrowed as he processed the words. He wondered why the Emperor would summon him.

    ''Was it about yesterday''s duel?''

    He tried not to overthink it, assuming it to be just a casual matter. Without a second thought, he headed towards the Castle, leaving behind the thoughts of finding Helia and N.

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 Chapter 251 Emperors Plea To Save Helia

    As he entered the Emperor''s study, he saw the old man sitting behind his desk, his face unreadable.

    He bowed respectfully, waiting for the Emperor to speak first.

    "Rio, I have summoned you here for a matter of grave importance," the Emperor said, his voice solemn.

    His heart skipped a beat, and he could feel a sense of dread settling over him just from the tone of Emperor Dn''s voice.

    "What is it, Your Majesty?" Rio asked, his voice calm.

    The Emperor spoke with a serious and fearful voice, "We have a grave problem. While you were away, N and Helia found a treasure map that supposedly leads to a ce where they could meet the soul of someone who has passed away."

    Rio listened attentively as the Emperor continued, "Although they both returned to the castle without going to the ce, I received a letter from Helia a few hours ago. She''s gone to the Ind of the Dead Soul to meet her brother''s spirit."

    The seriousness of the situation hit Rio as he realized Helia''s longing to visit the ce to meet her brother''s soul. It was not hidden from him how much she loved her Big brother Leon.

    Emperor sighed and spoke, "It seems Helia had her heart set on it but waited until N returned to the castle before making any moves. Her n was to go after Lia''s birthday celebration ended."

    "Do you know anything about this ce?" asked Rio, his voice tinged with concern.

    The Emperor''s words were spoken in a worried tone as if he were afraid of what might happen next, "My father, thete Emperor, knew about this ce. He forbade me from telling anyone about it. The Ind of the Dead Soul is located on the southern side of the Shamor Empire, but it lies within the corruptednd. No one dares to go there because it is said that those who do never return."

    "May I know what you want me to do?" Rio asked Dn, looking at him cautiously.

    The Emperor replied, "I want you to bring Helia back to the castle safely."

    Rio''s tone was curious as he asked, "I understand the severity of the situation, but why would you entrust me with this task? Surely there are others who are stronger and higher-stage warriors to handle this?" He couldn''t help but wonder why the Emperor had chosen him for such an important task.

    The Emperor''s voice was firm and unwavering as he spoke, "Unfortunately, I cannot go and bring back Helia myself. As the ruler of the Shamor Empire, I have important duties to attend to. And I don''t want to put Lia in danger by telling her. While someone stronger than you could possibly reach Helia, they would not be able to convince her toe back.

    Yesterday, I witnessed the bond between you and Helia, and I believe you are the only one who can persuade her to return. It is a task I can only entrust to you."

    He couldn''t help but think sarcastically to himself, "Oh, what a great and caring uncle. Even when his own niece is in danger, he still prioritizes his precious empire."

    "I''m sorry, but you''re wrong about our so-called bonding. Helia and I aren''t as close as you think we are. She wouldn''t listen to me even if I tried to convince her. You should find someone else for this task." Rio replied in a cold tone, meeting the Emperor''s gaze head-on.<novelnext></novelnext>

    "Rio, you must understand the gravity of this situation. Helia is of utmost importance to Lia, and I''m sure you know how much Lia cherishes her sister. Lia loves Helia more than she loves me, her own father. If anything were to happen to Helia, it would break Lia''s heart beyond repair.

    You are the only one who can convince Helia to return safely. Please, Rio, I implore you to help me in this dire situation." Emperor Dn pleaded with a sense of urgency.

    Rio remained silent as the Emperor requested his help in saving Helia. He thought about how much Lia cared for her sister and how they had been close since childhood. Helia was likely Lia''s most cherished bond. As Lia''s husband, Rio knew that it was his responsibility to do everything in his power to save Helia to ease Lia''s worries and for the sake of Lia''s Happiness.

    Thinking all of this, Rio sent a telepathic message to N, "Hey, did you and Helia find a treasure map that leads to the Ind of the Dead Soul?" he asked, as he was suspicious of the Emperor and didn''t trust himpletely.

    N''s voice came into his mind, cheerful, and bright, "Yeah, we did! Why do you ask, Rio?"

    "Nothing important, N. We''ll talkter," Rio replied in a casual tone, not wanting to reveal the graveness of the situation to her.

    After confirming with N, Rio stepped forward and said in a calm tone, "Alright, I''ll bring her back. But where exactly do I need to go to find her?"

    "Take this [Teleport Glyph]. It will lead you to the nearest shelter to that ce. After that, you will have to go south until youe across swampnd. Passing this swampnd will lead you to the bridge which leads to the Ind of Dead Soul. But I hope you can find Helia on your way to that ce," the Emperor said, taking out the glyph to give to Rio.

    Rio simply nodded as he took in the Emperor''s instructions. He moved closer to the Emperor, who looked at him with a mixture of worry and concern. His gaze fixated on the glyph in the Emperor''s outstretched palm as the boy took the glyph from his hand.

    Then, without a word, he stepped back, distancing himself from the Emperor. He tore the paper glyph apart, and suddenly, a spatial rift opened up, engulfing Rio''s body and causing him to vanish from sight.

    Dn looked on with concern, wondering if he would seed to bring her back.

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 Chapter 252 The Weight Of A Secret

    Rio stepped out of the Nether Skull Post shelter, peering his eyes as he gazed ahead. A barrennd stretched out before him, devoid of any sign of life. The blistering sun beat down on the scorched earth, emitting everything in a hazy, warm light.

    Taking a deep breath, he set out on his journey, his eyes fixed on the horizon. As he traveled like a blue dot enchanting his body with thunder, he could also feel the heat radiating off the ground, making his skin feel tight and dry.

    After what felt like hours, Rio came across a vast swampnd. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the ground was covered in a thickyer of moss and slime.

    He slowed down and traveled carefully, trying to keep his footing on the slippery terrain as he moved forward, taking careful steps to avoid falling into the murky water.

    As he was making his way through the swamp, a voice sounded in his mind, filled with longing for him.

    "Why... why did you leave me?" Lia asked, her tone trembling with sadness.

    Rio''s voice was hesitant and uncertain as he answered Lia''s question, "Just something important came up, I had to leave," he said, the burden of breaking his promise to her was heavy on his shoulders.

    "What could have been more important than your own wife? You promised me that you would be here with me this time, but you broke that promise." Tears began to well up in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks.

    Rio''s heart twisted at the sound of her despairing voice. He yearned toe clean about the truth, but he knew that if he did, Lia would insist on apanying him to bring back Helia.

    Unlike Emperor Dn, who prioritized the Shamor Empire above all else, Lia cared deeply about Helia''s safety and would never allow him to go alone. But the boy couldn''t bear the thought of putting his beloved wife in harm''s way.

    Reluctantly, he replied, "I''m sorry, Wifey. I had no choice but to leave."

    "Just tell me, why you had to leave?" she demanded, her tone stubborn and insistent. Her voice trembling with emotion as she spoke via telepathy to Rio. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she refused to back down.

    Rio''s heart sank as he heard Lia''s tearful voice. He knew that he had to be strong, but it was difficult to hear her cry, making his core shake.

    He took a deep breath before responding to her telepathically.

    "I will tell you when Ie back." His voice was tender as he replied. However, inwardly he thought, "Sorry, Lia. I cannot reveal the truth to you. It''s better if you don''t know for now."

    Lia fell to her knees, her mental agony was strong, and Rio could feel her heartache from miles away.

    As he listened to her sobs echoing through their telepathic connection, a sharp pain shot through his heart. He could sense the immense sadness and despair that engulfed her, and it made him feel helpless.

    Lia''s fragile whisper broke the silence, sending chills down Rio''s spine, "I''m a bad wife anyway," she trembled.

    Her words were so cold and distant that his heart ached even more. He longed to hold her, tofort her, and to tell her that she was one of the two best things that had ever happened to him.

    The weight of her words hit him like a ton of bricks, and a lump formed in his throat. Rio could feel the pain and self-me in her voice tearing at his soul, making his own heartache.

    As much as he wished he could reveal the truth to Lia, he knew it would put her in danger. So he held back, keeping the truth locked away inside.

    "Do as you wish," Lia''s voice was barely a whisper, filled with so much heartbreak and despair that it brought tears to Rio''s eyes. He couldn''t bear to hear her like this, and he knew that he had to find a way to bring Helia back and return to Lia as soon as possible.

    He tried to hold back his tears, but they came anyway, blurring his vision and making it difficult to see. Rio longed tofort Lia, to hold her close and let her know that he was there for her, but he knew that he couldn''t reveal the truth to her. It would only put her in danger.

    Taking a deep breath, Rio wiped away his tears andposed himself. He had a mission to aplish. He knew that he had to be strong and find Helia so he could bring her back from the mouth of danger, no matter what it took.

    ming Rio or Lia for their situation would not be fair. Both of them were facing difficult circumstances that were beyond their control.

    Their separation had be a recurring pattern, starting from the National military school tournament where he was away from her for thirty long days. Then, he had to leave again for training when Lia told him about the banquet and duels. And when her birthday ended, he had to rush to save Helia, knowing how much Lia cherished her sister.

    Despite her attempts to ask him why he left, he kept the reason to himself, leaving her feeling helpless and her eyes brimming with tears. The ache of missing him consumed her, and the worry for his safety was almost too much to bear. Her love for Rio ran deep, so much so that the mere thought of losing him was unbearable.

    Without a word, Rio shot off into the distance, his mind consumed with thoughts of how he could make things right for Lia.

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 Chapter 253 The Quest To Save Helia

    With lightning speed, he kept sprinting forward, leaving the swampnd far behind him.

    The green and brown blur was now reced with a faster, more graceful stride. However, hours of non-stop running from passing barrennd and escaping swampnd in scorching sunlight had taken a toll on his body, and he wished he had a mount beast soul like N and Helia had, but he couldn''t give up now just because he wanted to rest.

    As he ran, the stench of the swamp was reced by a refreshing salty breeze and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. It was a wee relief for Rio''s senses.

    Suddenly, a glint of blue metal caught his eye in the distance, and his heart leaped with hope. He ran towards the bridge that spanned the wide expanse of water, leading to a distant ind.

    As Rio''s gaze observed the distance with the help of his [Heaven''s Eyes], a figure caught his attention. He could see her walking across the bridge, making her way toward the distant ind.

    Squinting against the bright sunlight, he could see that it was a woman, her blonde hair streaming behind her as she walked confidently across the narrow path. Rio''s heart leaped with excitement as he recognized her.

    Without a second thought, Rio raced towards her, his eyes locked on the lone figure walking across the narrow, suspended path. The bridge swayed and creaked beneath his feet as he ran, but he pushed forward, with his stubborn resolve driving him forward.

    He could see that Helia was dressed in full warrior gear, a long sword strapped to her waist but he was focused solely on reaching her, his blue figure streaking like a rocket as he drew closer.

    Helia sensed his approach and turned around, waiting for him toe near. Rio''s heart was beating at a fast pace as he closed the distance between them, his eyes fixed on her.

    The girl narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, her voice cutting through the air like a sharp de, "What do you want?"

    She asked, her tone icy and unyielding. Her gaze bore into him with a fierce intensity, daring him to defy her.

    Rio didn''t get shaken by her aura, meeting her fierce look with a calm and steady gaze. He was no stranger to danger, and he wouldn''t back down now. Though he knew he could match her fierceness with his own hidden devilish nature, he decided to take a different approach.

    In a soft and gentle tone, he spoke, "I came to bring you home with me." He hoped that his tenderness would convince her toe with him

    "I have no intention of going with you," Helia said icily, her tone dripping with rudeness.

    She continued after a pause, realizing she was rude, "I want to meet my brother" Her voice was stiff, but there was a hint of sadness in it as if she wished he didn''te to find her.

    Helia turned away from Rio and began walking towards the Ind of the Dead Soul, determined to find her brother''s spirit.

    "Lioness, You can''t go there. The Emperor himself said that it''s a ce of no return. It''s too dangerous." Rio''s calm voice was filled with worry, following her as she was going towards her destination.

    "I don''t care, I need to find out who killed my brother, no matter what it takes." Her voice was thick with sadness and stubbornness, her resolve unwavering despite Rio''s constant pleas.

    "Don''t be stubborn, Lioness," Rio asked, her voice tenderly requesting.

    Helia''s eyes shed with concern as she retorted, "You have no right to bring me back, just go back."

    "I understand that, but didn''t you say you will stay by Lia''s side and protect her?" Rio questioned, thinking she would understand as Lioness loved her sister.

    Helia''s expression softened, but her response was still the same, "I do, but I want to meet big brother Leon."

    Just as they were conversing, Eve''s voice resounded in his mind, "You must understand, Rio. Her mind has been poisoned by the curse since she was the one who used the treasure map. As she approaches the Ind of the Dead Soul, the curse''s grip will only get stronger. She won''t halt until she reaches that ce. There''s no way you can save her unless the curse is lifted. You can only let her go to her death."

    Rio''s eyes were focused on the horizon as he spoke with conviction, "I can not abandon her, Eve. Not when there may be a chance to save her. Lia needs her sister and I won''t let her lose someone she cherishes. We have to find a way to lift the curse and bring Helia back safely."

    There was one more reason to protect her, those ten visions in which he could save Lia, Helia was by his side. This made him more firm in his decision to not give up on her.

    Eve sensed Rio''s unwavering resolve and knew he wouldn''t give up easily, "I understand, Partner. But you have to be aware that the Ind of the Dead Soul is not to be taken lightly. It would be foolish to follow Helia, but I''ll do what I can to protect you. Just promise me you''ll be cautious."

    The elven beauty was acutely aware of the impending danger that would soon confront Rio, filling her with concern for his safety. While she held no love for Helia, Rio was a crucial part of Eve''s Life even if he didn''t feel the same for her, and she couldn''t bear the thought of losing him.

    Rio let out a deep sigh, his heart heavy with worry as he watched Helia walk away from him. He knew that her mind was clouded by the curse of the Ind of No Soul, and he couldn''t let her go alone.

    Without trying to convince her any further, he followed her quietly, his footsteps silent as he strode on the blue bridge toward the ind.

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 Chapter 254 Island Of The Dead Souls

    As Rio was busy talking to Eve, Helia''s figure had already gone ahead in the distance. He activated his [Heaven''s Eyes] to gauge her strength.

    <<<<

    [User: Helia Rainheart]

    [Race: Asura]

    [Innate Rank: A]

    [Root: Red]

    [MANA: 10000]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 380]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 20]

    [Red: 19]

    >>>>

    ''She is almost at the Silver stage now... There is no hope of forcefully bringing her home.''

    Rio sighed deeply as he felt bitter, realizing that he was still no match for her in terms of physical power. He knew he couldn''t carry her to Lia with just his raw strength. But he couldn''t let her go to the ind of the dead souls alone, not when he was so stubbornly determined to save her.

    As Rio followed Helia, a thick white mist began to roll in, shrouding the bridge and enveloping her in its embrace. Her form slowly disappeared from his sight, but he refused to give up. He knew he had to catch up to her and couldn''t afford to lose her now.

    Despite the growing thickness of the mist and the difficulty it posed in finding his way, Rio pressed on with unwavering resolve. His vision was obscured and he could barely see his own feet, but He was resolute not to be discouraged. Clenching his fist, he marched forward, determined to catch up to Helia and find some way to save her.

    Meanwhile, Helia walked on, her heart heavy with the burden of her own thoughts. She didn''t know that Rio was following her. She was aware of the fact that she wasn''t important enough for him to put his own life in danger, and the thought of the boy caring enough to chase after her in the mouth of danger was, foreign to her.

    Previously, Rio''s sudden arrival surprised her, but she kept walking, thinking he would''ve left. The mist thickened around her, creating an sinister atmosphere. Helia couldn''t see where she was going, but she kept moving forward, her stubbornness driving her on as she knew where she had to go to meet her brother.

    Thirty minutes passed...

    Rio cautiously ced his foot on the ind, furrowing his brows as the crunch of dead leaves filled the silent air. The putrid stench of decay enveloped his nostrils, making him want to question why would dead souls choose to live in this ce.

    Looking up, he saw a sky that was as dark as night, as if the sun had abandoned the ind forever. The trees were tall and twisted, with rough branches that seemed to reach out like ws. It felt like he had stepped into a world of death and darkness.

    ''Why does it feel like someone is watching me?''

    Rio''s vignt gaze wandered around as he felt unknown eyes on him, watching his every move. He turned around, observing his surroundings, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

    The crows perched on the branches of the trees, their beady eyes glued on him, causing Rio to feel everything ominous about this ce.

    He was wondering how there were ordinary crows on this ind and why were they staring at him, and it made him uneasy.

    Were they just normal birds, or were they something else?

    p¨£§ád¨£ §«?¦Í¨º1,§ã¨°§® As Rio walked further into the ind, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

    A few hundred stepster, Rio''s brows shot up in awe as he approached the middle of the ind.

    A tformy before him, at the center of it was a massive tree, its trunk so wide that it would take at least ten men to wrap their arms around it.

    But what caught his attention was the strange portal that was nestled within the tree trunk, resembling a spatial rift. The portal glowed with an eerie light that flickered and pulsed as if it were alive.

    Rio silently asked Eve in his thoughts "Has Lioness entered this portal?"

    Eve''s voice was calm as she confirmed his doubts, "Yes, partner. It is the portal that leads to the inner sanctum of the ind of the dead souls."

    Rio''s eyes were fixed on the entrance, deep in thought. He knew he couldn''t let Lioness face the danger alone, but he also knew he had to be cautious. After all, Lioness was one of the crucial keys to saving Lia in the future, and she was someone Lia cherished deeply. Keeping Helia alive was of the utmost importance.

    The stakes were high, and any mistake could cost them dearly. After weighing his options carefully, Rio made his decision. He closed his eyes to take deep before stepping forward to enter the portal, the boy was determined to face whatever dangers awaited him inside.

    His body seemed to lose its weight as he passed through the space rift. His mind struggled to keep up with the darkness that enveloped him. After a few moments, he emerged on the other side, only to find himself engulfed in a dense, opaque fog that blocked his vision.

    The mist was so thick that he couldn''t see more than a meter ahead of him, making it impossible to find the way to where Helia might be. The only sounds he could hear were the quietpping of water against his feet.

    He looked down and saw that he was standing in a shallow pool of fresh water, the coldness of which seeped through his shoes and made him shiver.

    He didn''t know which direction to take, but he wasn''t nning to just stand there. So, he started walking, slowly and cautiously, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The fog made it difficult for him to see where he was going, but he had to find the girl.

    The air was thick with a frightening stillness, broken only by the asional sound of water droplets falling, caused by his own footsteps.

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 Chapter 255 The Tale Of The Celestial Eye Clan

    Helia, too, found herself enveloped in the thick fog, but she clutched onto the treasure map tightly, using it as her guide to reach her destination.

    She marched on, her steps decisive until she came across a garden. The white statues of angels with splendid wings stood before her, making her heart skip a beat. The fountain in the distance caught her eye, and she started walking toward it.

    The garden was shrouded in serenity and the sound of the gentle trickle of water from the fountain. The trees that surrounded the perimeter of the garden were tall and lush, their branches extending toward the sky like outstretched crowns.

    As Helia observed her surroundings, she realized that she had emerged from the same ce where the lone tree stood. However, the scenery had changed drastically after she entered this ce - where there was once only cold water, there were now towering trees that encircled her like a protective embrace. It was as if she had stepped into a magical world, one that defied thews of nature.

    As Helia tried to make sense of her surroundings, she suddenly felt a gentle breeze rustle her hair. At the same time, a voice that she had yearned to hear for years filled her mind, making her eyes be moist instantly.

    "Hello, my little fairy... I have been waiting for you," said the voice with a loving tone, and the girl knew who it was.

    "Big Brother..." Helia''s voice wavered with emotion as she tried to look around for the source of the voice.

    Leon said tenderly "Don''t cry, my dear sister,"

    Helia''s eyes widened as she felt a sudden, but gentle embrace, as if someone had wrapped their arms around her. Though she couldn''t see anyone, she was familiar with the sensation, the warmth, the very essence of the hug. It was her big brother''s embrace, one that she had felt so many times before in her childhood.

    A wave of happiness andfort drowned her as she closed her eyes and savored the moment. She felt her body rx, her pores and every cell tingling with the sensation of true bliss.

    Tears started streaking down her cheeks as she finally reunited with the soul of her beloved big brother, whom she had missed dearly for so long. The embrace was medicine to her soul, satisfying her yearning for her big brother.

    Tears kept streaming down Helia''s face as she spoke to her big brother.

    Her voice trembled with sadness as she cried out, "Big brother, I missed you so much... why did you leave without me?" She felt aforting hand ruffling her blonde hair, but she was not able to see him as it was just his soul. Despite not being able to see him, the presence of her beloved brother''s soul was euphoric to her heart.

    "I''ve missed you too, my dear sister. But we can''t dwell on that now. We have very little time," he said, his voice heavy with concern. He knew that he had to bring her back to reality, even if it was painful.

    Helia could sense her older brother''s worry and love, even in the midst of this strange and unsettling ce.

    "I know why you havee here, so let me tell you a secret, a secret that cost me my life," Leon said in a mysterious tone, causing the blonde-haired beauty to listen carefully.

    Although she longed for her big brother but she also knew they didn''t have much time and her brother wanted her to know the truth about his death.

    In a narrative tone, Leon started speaking, "It all started with The Celestial Eye n. It was once the ruling n of the Shamor Empire, with power over all the corruptednds, including the underground world and seas.

    It consisted of two loyal ns: the Devlin and Cliffdane ns, who are also the current and previous royal families respectively as most people know. These two ns had always been devoted to the Celestial Eye n and had done everything in their power to serve their master.

    Thanks to the Celestial Eye n, both ns prospered and expanded. When the Celestial Eye Matriarch ascended to godhood, she bestowed the power of visions upon the Devlin n and granted strength to the Cliffdane n.

    However, the Matriarch eventually left to handle other worlds that she had to manage as the new Goddess, and the Devlin n followed her as devoted followers, while the Cliffdane n stayed behind to take care of the Shamor Empire.

    But instead of continuing to serve the Celestial Eye n, the Cliffdane n betrayed them and plotted to take over the world.

    After the Matriarch had left, the Cliffdane nunched a conspiracy that ultimately destroyed the entire Celestial Eye n by using the powers they had gained from the Matriarch herself and secretly assassinating the powerhouses of the Celestial Eye n.

    Later, the Cliffdane n began worshipping an evil god and turned to merciless killings for sacrificial rituals.

    The Matriarch was helpless as she wasn''t allowed to personally interfere in the business of mortals. However, she decided to take action by sending her young son, Ayan Celestial Eye, and the old man of the Devlin family, who also happened to be our grandfather, to take control of the situation and restore order to the world.

    Upon arriving in the Shamor Empire, the heir of the Celestial Eye n and our grandfather fought the Cliffdane n alone.

    Despite his prowess in battle and defeating the enemy, Ayan Celestial Eye had no interest in bing Emperor and instead made the decision to appoint our grandfather as the new ruler of the Shamor Empire and entrusted him to handle matters.

    Although Ayan Celestial Eye disappeared, the Cliffdane n was notpletely eradicated, as he was a kind and merciful person to not kill everyone in the enemy n."

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 Chapter 256 Secret That Cost Me My Life

    Leon''s voice faltered as he spoke of Ayan, his tone filled with deep respect. "You know, little sister, Grandfather requested Ayan Celestial Eye for taking me as his disciple. And Master eventually agreed. The legendary sword you now carry is given by my master."

    His voice trailed off into a sorrowful tone as he paused for a moment as if lost in thought, "But when I turned fourteen, Master had to leave me. He said he had some personal matters to attend to, and I was ready to live on my own," his voice lowering as he spoke.

    Helia listened to her big brother''s story about the legendary sword, her eyes flickered with surprise. She had never discovered where her brother had obtained this weapon, but its power had been a game-changer for her in many battles. The weapon was so formidable that only those recognized by the legendary sword were capable of wielding it.

    Leon''s voice trembled with emotion as he spoke to her, "I need to tell you something, little sister, and it''s not going to be easy to hear. But you deserve to know the truth. My death was not caused by humans." He paused for a moment, his voice filled with sadness.

    "It was a conspiracy, Helia. A well-nned evil plot by our own n to keep their dark secrets hidden." His words hung heavy in the air, the weight of the truth bearing down on them both.

    "No..., how can this be true?" Helia muttered under her breath, her expression shifting to one of disbelief and shock. She felt like her whole world had been turned upside down, and she was having a hard time coping with the truth of her brother''s story.

    Her shattered beliefs were heavy on her heart, and she couldn''t help but clench her fists in anger and frustration. All the years of animosity towards humans felt pointless now, and she couldn''t help but feel betrayed by her own n.

    Helia struggled to hold back her tears, as she tried to process the truth and the magnitude of its implications.

    Leon took a deep breath and continued, his voice now heavy with concern seeing his sister in more tears, "As I went on various missions, I discovered the dark side of the world. The Cliffdane n was working with some of the other great ns secretly, one of which was the Rainheart n. When they realized I had found some evidence that could expose them, they nned to kill me and make it look like an ident. They wanted to im the Shamor Empire for themselves."

    Helia gritted her teeth and bit her lip in anger as she listened to her brother''s story with a startled and vexed expression. She couldn''t believe that the people she had trusted and respected had been responsible for so much pain and suffering, including the loss of her own brother.

    At the same time, she realized that they had also caused her to hate someone who had shown genuine care for her, even when she had treated him poorly on their first meeting.

    She felt a pang of guilt and regret as she remembered how she had misbehaved with Rio, she had been cold and dismissive towards him, all because of the false beliefs that had been ingrained in her. Now she realized that her hatred towards humans was misced, and it had caused her to push away someone who had a kind heart.

    Leon''s voice trembled as he continued, "Not only did they poison Mother, but they also poisoned Uncle. Luckily, he had a high level of cultivation, so the poison was less effective on him. They are waiting for the current Emperor to pass away so they can assassinate Lia and take over the Shamor Empire once again."

    As the revtions continued to pour out, Helia''s expression became more and more bewildered with an intense fury. Her mind was racing as she tried to process everything that she was hearing, and she could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

    Despite her anger towards the great ns of the Shamor Empire and her own Rainheart n, Helia also felt a deep sense of hatred towards herself for treating that crimson-haired boy so unfairly.

    Leon''s voice turned dark as he spoke, "The great ns were responsible for my death. Except for the Mistde n and Spirit Heart Sect, they all conspired to kill me. Their most skilled experts were sent after me when I went to retrieve the medicine for Mother.

    I was on the brink of death when I prayed to Master for onest chance to see you. And then, a blue-haireddy appeared, fierce in battle and with a heart of gold. She fought with them all to buy me some time to open a glyph teleportation portal toe see you, my little sister."

    As Leon finished recounting the truth of his death, Helia''s mind was in a whirlwind of emotions. The weight of the revtions was too much for her to bear. She couldn''t believe the people she had trusted and respected had been responsible for so much pain and suffering, including the loss of her own brother. And to add to that, Leon''s death was not caused by humans but by a deliberate conspiracy by their own n.

    As the realization hit her, Helia''s body started to shake uncontrobly, and she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. The pain of betrayal and loss was overwhelming, and she couldn''t bring herself to speak.

    Leon''s heart sank as he watched his sister fall apart before him. He knew this was a lot for her to take in, but he had to tell her the truth.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

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 Chapter 257 A Race Against Death: Helia And Rios Desperate Escape

    He said in aforting voice, "I know this is too much to handle, dear sister. But I had to tell you the truth. You and Lia have to be prepared for what''s toe."

    Helia looked up at the ce where his voice wasing from, her eyes filled with tears and pain. "I can''t believe it, I can''t believe I was so blind in hatred," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

    Leon''s heart pained at the sight of Helia''s anguish, but he was powerless to offer her any physicalfort by hugging her. He longed to embrace her and ease her sorrow, but he was nothing more than a soul.

    Tears streamed down Helia''s face, mingling with the raindrops that began to fall from the blue sky. The wind picked up, whipping her hair around her face, and the thunder rumbled ominously.

    Suddenly, she felt a strong tug, a maic force that pulled her towards a shimmering tear in the fabric of space.

    Helia stumbled backward, her feet slipping on the wet ground as she fought against the force dragging her toward the rift. Her heart was beating fast as she looked back at where Leon''s voice hade from earlier.

    "Noooo!" she cried out, but her voice was drowned out by the howling wind.

    A sense of agony gripped her as she felt herself being dragged closer and closer to the rift, separating her from her big brother''s soul as her body resisted against the unseen power.

    As she reached the edge of the rift, Helia heard her big brother''s voice onest time, his tone mixed with sorrow and happiness.

    "Our time together ends here. I will always be with you, in your heart. take care, little sister."

    With those final words of Leon, Helia was pulled through the space rift and into the unknown, her heart flowing with grief but also filled with the love and memories that she shared with her big brother.

    The girl tumbled through the emptiness, she couldn''t stop the tears from streaming down her face. She felt like she was leaving a part of herself behind with her big brother. It was as if a piece of her heart had been torn away.

    Soon, the rift spat her out on the other side, Helia took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. She knew that she had to be strong and carry on, for her brother''s sake, for her beloved sister Lia, and also for that boy who she had hurt.

    As Helia was sent out of the space rift, she was tangled with her thoughts and emotions, but suddenly she felt a weight crash onto her body.

    Before she could process what was happening, she found herself pinned beneath someone - and that someone was the boy she was just thinking about.

    But as Rio shifted his weight, his hand brushed against something soft and plumpy. Without thinking, he squeezed gently, only to realize with a jolt of shock that he was groping Helia''s rounded bosom.

    Their sea-green and red eyes met, both of them confused, blinking as their gazes interlocked.

    The two of them froze, locked in a moment of awkward intimacy. For what felt like an eternity, they simply stared at each other, neither knowing quite what to do.

    But as the shock of the situation faded, a rush of embarrassment and shame washed over them both.

    Rio quickly scrambled off of Helia, the girl''s cheeks bing pink with embarrassment.

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to - I mean, I was lost in the fog, and I didn''t know where I was going, and I just" He trailed off, unable to find the words to express how he ended up on top of her.

    As for Helia, she was equally speechless, her heart beating faster against the same spot where his hand had unconsciously lingered earlier.

    She and Rio both were feeling awkward, their minds were trying to get calm down at what happened.

    However, before they could say or do anything, a deep voice boomed out of nowhere, "Wee to the death trial. I am the person in charge of this ce. In a minute, a trial will begin. A shadow will pursue you as you y the game.

    If one of you can outrun it and reach the space rift portal in the east, then the first person who enters it will be able to escape this ce. The second person will have to enter the death realm. If neither of you escapes before getting caught by the shadow, then you will both enter the death realm. You have thirty seconds to decide."

    As the reality of the situation dawned on Helia, her body froze in shock, like statues trapped in time.

    They were both trapped in a twisted game of life and death, with no time to waste. For a moment, the duo''s eyes locked in a silent exchange of confusion.

    Suddenly, without warning, Rio stood up, and swept Helia off her feet, making her heart race and her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as he began to run.

    She watched as his face was gleaming with unwavering resolve, the muscles in his legs bulging with each powerful stride.

    As they ran, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon in the west, casting long shadows across the destendscape.

    Helia felt the wind rushing past her ears as Rio enchanted his feet with thunder, turning into a blue star that streaked across the barren earth.

    Despite the fear that gripped her heart, she felt a sense of security in Rio''s embrace. She clung tightly to him as he ran, her heart feeling warmth but guilt at the same time.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Are you guys liking the pace of novel? I have switched from slow to fast.

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 Chapter 258 The Lioness Tamed: A Promise Fulfilled

    Meanwhile, Rio sent a telepathic message to Lia, "Hey, Wifey. I have a question for you. How would you feel if something happened to Lioness?"

    Lia''s icy voice sounded through Rio''s thoughts,ced with coldness and concern, "What are you talking about? Don''t y games with me. Helia has been by my side since childhood. She''s my sister, and if anything happened to her, it would break my heart. So, why are you asking about her in this way, Husband?"

    Despite her previous emotional outburst, Lia''s love for Rio shone through her words, making it clear that she couldn''t stay mad at him for long.

    However, Rio remained silent, his focus solely on the target in front of him.

    Helia was in his strong arms and held her tight against him as he sprinted towards their destination. They ran across the destendscape, the girl''s eyes were fixed on the horizon, trying to spot any sign of the shadow.

    Finally, as they got closer to the spatial rift in the east, her eyes discovered the shadowy figure that wasing towards them from the west with incredible speed, its form resembling a swarm of dark crows beating their wings in unison.

    Rio abruptly stopped in his tracks,ing to a halt just ten meters away from the spatial rift portal, and carefully set Helia down on the ground.

    "Take the portal and escape, before it catches us both," he urged, there was urgency in the voice.

    At first, she couldn''t understand what he was saying then as she looked into his eyes, seeing his unwavering stubbornness, she realized he wasn''t joking, the boy was totally foolish, but she knew she couldn''t let him sacrifice himself to save her.

    Her eyes streamed with tears down her face as she was aware of the fact of what this boy was doing, "You''re such an idiot, Why do you always have to be so damn selfless and nice to me? I can not let you die. You need to leave now and let me take care of this mess. This is all my fault,"

    she said, her voice trembling with emotion as she felt the weight of guilt drowning her. She knew only one of them could escape, but leaving Rio behind felt like a betrayal.

    ''Ah... This girl...''

    Rio was feeling a headache as he tried to reason with Helia, but she remained stubborn and refused to budge from her stance. He knew that arguing with her was futile, but he couldn''t give up on her. Despite his efforts, Helia continued to resist, and Rio felt himself getting frustrated with her, she was just too stubborn to ept any of his decisions.

    Just then, without warning, Helia grabbed Rio by the waist and hurled him towards the space rift portal. Rio''s body was weightless as he drifted through the air, his eyes flickered with shock as he realized he was helpless to convince her.

    Helia, on the other hand, was paralyzed with fear as the shadowy swarm closed in on her. Her heart beat against her chest as she watched the dark crows get closer to her.

    Suddenly, a blinding light shed and she found herself hurtling through the air, propelled by the force of the spatial portal rift.

    As she fixed her gaze ahead, Helia''s heart shattered at the sight of Rio standing firm against the oing swarm of dark crow shadows. He stood like a towering mountain, unshakable and immovable in the face of any storm.

    The boy had used mystic swap skill at the veryst moment when he was about to get engulfed by the spatial rift. It was the same skill that he had received from the mystic egg that Helia had given him which she got by defeating the Tyrant Alligator Beast.

    <<<<

    [You have acquired the Mystic Swap Technique]

    [Mystic Swap]

    [Grade: S]

    ~ It is a powerful skill that allows the user to instantly switch ces with any object or living being within their line of sight. By using their space affinity, the user can initiate the swap and instantly teleport to the new location. The skill requires a high level of concentration and precision to avoid idental swaps or unwanted consequences. However, the user must be careful not to swap with something or someone that is too heavy or too far away, or they may suffer from serious injury or exhaustion.

    >>>>

    Tears of hopelessness welled up in Helia''s eyes as she watched Rio being consumed by the swarm of shadows, "No, Rio!" she cried out, her voice cracking with emotion.

    She read his lips as he uttered his goodbye words, "Take care, Lioness."

    A flood of memories from their first encounter shed through her mind.

    ''Hahaha¡­I can understand. You just know how to oppress the weak and nothing more. But mark my word, One day you will regret and shed tears for your unreasonable action of today.''

    In that heart-wrenching moment, Helia knew that she had lost the foolish boy who had once promised her that he would make her regret her actions, but now not only she was feeling guilty for that day but also found herself regretting not being able to protect him.

    A sharp pain shot through her shoulder, and she looked down to see a ve tattoo etched into her skin in the shape of a cross. The mark burned like fire, a constant reminder of her past mistakes.

    ''I, Helia Rainheart, swear on heaven and my core that if I ever regret my action today, for making this disgusting creature in front of me, suffer in pain I will ept him as my lord.''

    The heavens bore witness to her oath, and the magic of the moment manifested as a ve mark on her shoulder the instant she regretted her actions. But for Helia, the tattoo and that day were insignificant. All that mattered to her was the boy she had lost.

    With tears streaming down her face, Helia passed through the spatial rift. Herst glimpse of Rio was a feeble smile as he turned to see her, only to vanish into the shadowy swarm of crows. However, she wasn''t able to see the ending as the spatial rift closed as soon as she entered it.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    I know you guys hate Rio for him being an idiot... But that''s how he is...He is driven by his deep love and affection for his beloved Wifey. He would go to great lengths and even risk his own life to ensure her happiness.

    I know his reasoning for saving Helia seems foolish now and he should''ve saved himself because for us readers we know Lia loves him more than Helia...

    But from Rio''s perspective, he believed that Lia loved Helia more...

    Why not?

    They were together since childhood meanwhile he just came a few months ago...

    It''s not fair to me Lia for Rio''s actions either, as he never asked her how she would feel if he put himself in danger.

    But before passing judgment on Rio, I urge you to keep reading as the story will unfold, and Rio''s actions may start to make more sense in theing chapters.

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 Chapter 259 The Lioness Tamed: A Promise Fulfilled (2)

    Helia''s heart was shattered into a million pieces as she watched Rio disappear into the swarm of crows.

    She had lost the boy, the only person who had shown her kindness and understanding in this cruel world even when she was not nice to him. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision as she stumbled onto the ground.

    As she struggled to catch her breath, a faint smile from Rio shed in her mind, reminding her of the good times they had shared together even if they had a bitter foundation. The memory of his smile only intensified the pain she felt in her chest.

    "Riooooo!!"

    As she knelt on the ground, Helia''s cries reverberated through the forest, a mournful sound that seemed to pierce the very heart of the darkness surrounding her. Her tears flowed like a river, streaming down her face and mixing with the dirt on the ground as she pounded it with her fists as if trying to break through to reduce the pain she was feeling in her wounded heart.

    Her sobs wracked her body, causing her to tremble uncontrobly as she cried out his name again and again. It was a sound that was painful to hear, a deep, guttural sound that spoke of a pain that was too great to bear.

    As she knelt there, her body racked with grief, the trees around her seemed to take on a life of their own. The branches twisted and contorted, reaching out to her as if in sympathy, while the shadows danced and flickered around her like ghosts.

    For Helia, it felt as though the world had ended, as though everything she had ever known had been ripped away from her in an instant. And as her cries continued to echo through the forest, it seemed as though the darkness itself was mourning with her.

    It seemed as though the forest was a reflection of her inner turmoil, with twisted trees and eerie shadows that matched her wails perfectly. She felt as though she had lost everything and her cries continued long after the crows on the trees had settled in to watch her mourn.

    The spatial rift had already closed, leaving Helia alone with her grief on the ind of the dead soul. She didn''t even care to find a way out as her heart was heavy with the loss of the crimson-haired boy.

    After many heart-wrenching cries passed...

    Helia sat on the ground, her body shaking with sobs as she hugged herself tightly.She felt lost and alone, abandoned by the world, and left to navigate the darkness on her own.

    The eerie stillness of the ind of the dead soul only amplified her mournful cries.

    The memory of his promise to make her regret her actions on their first day together reyed in her mind again and again, as she realized this was the fulfillment of his words and she couldn''t help but wonder if she had lost him forever.

    Her mind raced with thoughts of what could have been done differently, but it was toote now. The spatial rift had closed and Rio was gone. She couldn''t bear the thought of never seeing him again, of never being able to apologize and make things right between them.

    The silence was broken only by the sound of her sobs, and she wondered if she would ever be able to stop crying for Rio.

    However, soon she stood up hastily as her heart raced and she sprinted towards the spot where the spatial portal had been. She had a vague memory of the path that lead to the ind of the dead souls'' inner sanctum, and she hoped that she would be able to find a way to reach it. As she approached the area, her eyes scanned the surroundings with her desperate gaze, but she couldn''t see the portal or the massive tree anywhere.

    Panic set in as she realized that the portal had vanished without a trace. It was as if it had never existed at all.

    Her body copsed to the ground, trembling with fear and despair. As she gazed into nothingness, tears welled up in her red eyes, feeling like a part of herself had been lost. Memories of her time with Rio flooded her mind, and she couldn''t hold back the barrage of tears any longer.

    In her mind, she whispered, "Rio,forgive me."

    The unexpected turn of events had shattered the girlpletely. She never imagined that her stubbornness to meet her brother''s soul would result in the loss of yet another person. If she had known that Rio would be in danger, she would have never ventured to that ce.

    She had thought that the boy wasn''t following her, but to her surprise, she had found him in the inner sanctum of the ind of the dead souls.

    As she sat there, lost in her grief, memories of their yful bickering reyed in her mind. She remembered the way Rio would tease her, and how she would stubbornly find every single chance to bite him back. It all seemed so trivial now, in the face of the overwhelming loss she was feeling. She cried even harder, her sobs booming through the eerie ind of dead souls.

    ***

    A few hours ago...

    Lia couldn''t shake the ominous feeling that something bad might happen to Rio, so she wanted him to stay by her side. But Rio had already left without telling her, leaving her confused, anxious, and in sorrow.

    Lia didn''t know how to exin her reasoning to him, as she hadn''t had any nightmares this time, but she still had a bad feeling.

    As soon as Lia confirmed that Rio had set off on his adventure, she couldn''t contain her emotions anymore. Tears streamed down her face as she feared losing him forever. The thought of losing the one she loved most was too much to bear, and her sobs resounded through the empty room.

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 Chapter 260 Sins Of The Past: Helias Exile

    For Lia, this was the first time she had ever cried so deeply for anyone. She loved Rio with all her heart and the idea of him being in danger shattered her. All she could do now was hope and pray that he was safe, wherever he was.

    After Lia wiped away her tears, she tried to calm herself down.

    She sat alone in her bedroom, lost in thought about Rio and longing to talk to him but suddenly, she heard his voice resonating in her mind once again, causing a smile to spread across her face.

    "Hey, Wifey. I have a question for you. How would you feel if something happened to Lioness?" he asked.

    Lia''s icy voice sounded through Rio''s mind, filled with coldness and worry, "What are you talking about? Don''t y games with me. Helia has been by my side since childhood. She''s my sister, and if anything happened to her, it would break my heart. So, why are you asking about her in this way, Husband?"

    Even though Rio asked about Helia, But deep down, Lia''s heart was filled with anguish at the bare idea of something terrible things happening to her boy that she was thinking about all this time after he had left.

    She thought to herself, "The mere thought of something happening to Husband makes my heart ache. I don''t know how I could go on living without you."

    However, after not receiving any reply from him, Lia''s thoughts raced as she tried to understand Rio''s strange behavior. She couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was off. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but before she could say anything, she felt his presence vanish from this world.

    ***

    The night was thick with tension as Lia sat in N''s room with her, both girls engaged in a serious conversation. Their brows were furrowed, and their faces were etched with concern.

    As they discussed whatever was troubling them, Lia''s attention was drawn to the sound of the door opening. She turned to see Helia, entering the room.

    Lia''s heart sank as she took in Helia''s appearance. Her once blonde hair was matted and tangled, and her clothes were tattered as if she had been through a bad storm. But it was the dullness in her eyes that caught Lia''s attention the most as if Helia''s spirit had been broken.

    As Helia copsed onto the ground in front of Lia and N, Lia''s heart clenched with worry. She rushed to her sister''s side, feeling a knot form in her stomach at the sight of Helia''s disheveled appearance and tears streaming down her face.

    She gently ced aforting arm around Helia''s shoulders, silently urging her to speak and share what was troubling her. Lia''s eyes filled with concern and empathy, hoping to find a way to ease her sister''s pain.

    Helia''s sobs resounded in the room, as she cried uncontrobly like a little girl, her body shaking with each sob.

    She looked up at Lia with teary eyes, her voice shaking as she tried to speak through her sobs, "I''m sorry," she said, her words barely audible.

    Lia''s heart pained as she realized the depth of Helia''s agony. She could see the guilt and sorrow painted on her sister''s face, and it made her feel bad.

    "Why are you crying Helia?" She asked, her voice soft and gentle.

    However, Helia was not able to answer, the weight of her emotions too heavy to bear. Instead, she just cried harder, her body trembling with each sob.

    As Lia held her sister tightly, Helia''s body trembled with each sob, making it difficult for her to speak. She couldn''t find the strength to answer Lia''s question.

    Lia''s heart ached at the sight of Helia''s tears. She knew something terrible must have happened. But she was not prepared for what Helia was about to reveal.

    "When I first met him on his first day of training, I tortured him with my dagger and wounded him again and again because I hated him for being human. Now he''s dead because of me. I''m a murderer, Lia. I killed Rio. I''m a monster. Please punish me." Helia began, her voice choked with emotion.

    Lia''s and N''s eyes widened as they listened to Helia''s confession. Lia''s grip on her sister''s shoulders loosened as the color drained from her face.

    Her eyes, once full of warmth and love, now reflected coldness and disbelief. Without a word, she stood up and turned on her heel, before striding out of the room, leaving Helia sitting there alone.

    N''s reaction was no different. Her eyes were filled with shock and then narrowed into a re. She didn''t say a word, but her silence spoke volumes. She followed Lia out of the room, not even sparing a nce at Helia as she left.

    Helia sat there in silence, staring nkly at the empty space where Lia and N had just been. The weight of their disapproval and disappointment was suffocating, and she felt like she was drowning in her own guilt. Her heart ached with the realization that her actions had caused irreparable damage to her rtionship with her sisters.

    As they left the room without a word, the silence felt even more unbearable than any punishment she could have imagined. She knew she deserved their anger and disgust, but their coldness towards her felt like a fate worse than death. Tears welled up in her eyes as she wished for a way to make things right and earn back their trust.

    Days turned into weeks and Rio''s wives still treated her like a stranger, their coldness cutting her deeply. Helia felt like an outcast even in her own home, so she made the decision to retreat back to the Castle and her old room, hoping to avoid their coldness and disapproval.

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 Chapter 261 Rio Havenglow: A Fallen Star Who Will Be Missed

    Days turned into weeks and Rio''s wives still treated her like a stranger, their coldness cutting her deeply. Helia felt like an outcast even in her own home, so she made the decision to retreat back to the Castle and her old room, hoping to avoid their coldness and disapproval.

    However, she shifted because of a different reason. Every night became a torment for Helia. As the moon rose high in the sky, her ve mark burned with a fierce intensity that brought tears to her eyes. She couldn''t sleep, and every midnight until dawn, she cried out in agony, her screams muffled by the pillows she buried her face in. The pain was unbearable, and she was trapped in a cycle of agony and sleeplessness with no escape.

    ***

    Six months passed...

    News of Rio Havenglow''s death after thepetition spread rapidly throughout the human world, leaving many in shock and disbelief.

    Second Mother searched tirelessly for him, but her efforts proved futile as he remained missing for more than five months. The inte, government, and media all mourned the loss of one of their rising stars, but as time passed, they quickly moved on, almost forgetting his death as if it had never happened.

    ***

    Excitement buzzed in the air as the day of the international tournament finally arrived. The White Bridge city was bustling with activity as people from all over the world gathered to witness the greatest warriors of the young generation go head-to-head. The anticipation was noticeable, as everyone waited for the tournament to officiallymence.

    After the intense Round-robin stage, the top eight contestants were finally chosen, and among them was N. Her opponents had no chance against her immense strength, as she easily crushed them with just one hit, proving her exceptional powers to be a force to be reckoned with. Her incredible performance revealed her as the youngest person ever to reach the red stage.

    Despite the joyous atmosphere surrounding the tournament, a shadow hung over it. The absence of Rio Havenglow, the rising star and the champion of the current national military school tournament, cast a pall over the event. People whispered about how the match Rio was supposed topete in would not take ce.

    In addition, the Havenglow family had suffered another tragedy as their youngest daughter had been missing for a month. It was a loss not just for the Havenglow family, but for the entire world. Adding to the sorrow, Rose Havenglow, who had been dered missing a month prior, was also heavily remembered. Despite these heartbreaks, people still eagerly awaited the start of the international tournament.

    The Grand Stadium in White-Bridge City was alive with the preparation for today''s match, the staff worked tirelessly to set up the battle arena and ensure that everything was in order before the matches between the top eight matches. The audience was already in their seats, eagerly waiting for the matches to begin.

    Although the higher-ranked officials were absent, only wanting to show up in the finals, many influential people had made an appearance. Some of the most prominent higher stages warriorse to witness the top eight go head-to-head.

    In the Grand stadium, the contestants were going to be battling it out on a colossal ground that was circr with a hundred-meter radius, and the spectators were seated around it. Giant screens were set up, ensuring everyone could witness the fights happening in the middle of the arena. The organizers had also taken care of any mishaps, with a team of medical professionals stationed nearby.

    Therge screen disyed the top eight contestants'' names and the order in which they would be battling it out.

    The thrill was flowing to the brim as the first match was about to begin, with N ready to take on James in a fierce showdown.

    But what caught the attention of the spectators was Rio''s name on the board, indicating that he was still in the running topete despite being dered dead. He was listed on the board to face off against Lex Magnus, and many believed that he would be disqualified by default as he wouldn''t be able to show up.

    Meanwhile, the highly anticipated match between Hazel Cloven and the genius of human country, Lily Havenglow, was set to take ce in the matches of the top eight. Spections were rife about the oue of the battle, as Lily was widely considered the strongest one in the tournament, while Hazel had also proved herself to be a formidable champion, despite losing to Lily in the first national military school tournament.

    Both participants were wearing masks to conceal their identities, with N donning a delicate face veil and James wearing a sturdy mask. It was a precaution taken by the humans to ensure that the geniuses'' faces were not revealed to the Dhovrix race, who were also watching the matches in their own country. The international tournament was being broadcasted worldwide, and the organizers wanted to make sure that the geniuses'' faces remained secret.

    The bald man in his early forties, the designated referee for the match, stepped forward and started the countdown, "3... 2... 1... Begin..."

    The audience held their breath as the two opponents faced off, ready to battle it out in the center of the circr arena.

    As the first match began, James, with a confident smile, wasted no time and rushed toward N.

    She, on the other hand, stood calmly, without moving an inch from her position. As the boy summoned his battle axe beast soul and swung it towards the Magenta-haired beauty, N just reeled backward with a smile.

    But the girl had no intention of prolonging the fight. She wanted to finish it quickly, and with a flick of her wrist, a yellow fire erupted all around her.

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 Chapter 262 The Shocking Turn Of Events At The International Tournament

    James was caught in the mes, his eyes widening in surprise as he felt the heat dancing around him. N, however, remained unaffected by the mes. This was the unique battle art technique that she had learned after reaching the red stage.

    The heat from her yellow mes seemed to scorch the air around them, making James sweat profusely and struggle to keep up.

    As the audience watched with bated breath, N''s calm expression belied the ferocity of her strength.

    Without warning, N''s body tensed as she readied herself to strike her opponent down. She took a step forward, her movements fluid and graceful as she brought her fist forward with impable form. The power behind the punch was evident in the air, the sheer force of it causing a ripple effect around her.

    As her fist connected with James, a shockwave emanated from the impact, sending him flying backward. The force of the blow caused the ground to tremble, and the grass beneath them became shaved, revealing the dirt below. James let out a pained groan as hended hard, blood gushing from his mouth.

    The bald man, their referee, rushed towards James to check if he was in any condition to continue the match. However, it was clear that James was in no condition to stand, let alone continue the fight.

    "James can not fight anymore, N Mailon wins the match and bes the first one to enter the quarter-finals." The referee''s voice boomed in the stadium, announcing the victor of the first battle.

    The audience red up into cheers as N was dered the first winner to reach the quarter-finals.

    It was clear that the international tournament was off to an explosive start, with battles that would leave the spectators on the edge of their seats.

    N made her way back to her seat as she was done with her match, however, she didn''t leave the stadium, wanting to watch more matches.

    As she sat down, her eyes glued on the arena, taking in the remaining matches but she was also looking for someone in the audience.

    The stadium was filled with excitement as the crowd eagerly awaited the next round.

    one more match passed in a blur, the victor moving on to the quarter-final.

    The thrill grew as the announcer called out the names of the nextbatants, Lily Havenglow and Hazel Cloven.

    Both of them were famous in the human world, known for their beauty, and strength, and also for taking the position of the current generation''s goddess seats.

    In the first national military school tournament that was held almost four years ago, Hazel Cloven had lost to Lily Havenglow, however, most people knew about their duel that had taken ce on the ind and ended up as a tie.

    Even though people expected Lily to be busy finding her younger sister, Rose, in the Land of Asura but her Grandfather didn''t want her to lose this important fight and made here.

    As their names were announced, a girl with a ck face veil walked into the arena, surrounded by an air of elegance and poise.

    The audience blew up into cheers as they recognized their number one beloved goddess, Lily Havenglow.

    Although the ck face veil obscured her face, the serene yet cold expression in her blue eyes revealed her elegance.

    As she walked onto the battleground, her every movement was graceful and looked artistic. While her body was curvaceous, her bosom was firm, well-rounded, and ample enough to be called perfect.

    The girl was of the same height as Lia, and her ethereal beauty made her seem otherworldly.

    As Lily stood calmly in the center of the battleground, a hush fell over the audience. The tension in the air was flowing to the brim, and all eyes were fixed on the entrance, waiting for the arrival of her opponent, Hazel Cloven. But as the minutes ticked by, it became clear that something was amiss.

    The whispers of the audience grew louder as Hazel failed to appear, and spection ran rampant.

    Had she been injured in the Land of Asura?

    Was she too intimidated by Lily''s strength to show up?

    But the truth was something that no one knew.

    Despite the bald man''s best efforts to find Hazel in the audience, she was nowhere to be found. As the allotted time of ten minutes passed, the referee announced the unthinkable.

    With a disappointed tone, he spoke, "Hazel Cloven is absent. Lily Havenglow wins the match."

    A wave of disbelief washed over the audience as they struggled toe to terms with this unexpected turn of events. They were excited to see two of their goddesses fight in the arena but one didn''t show up.

    Lily gracefully withdrew from the arena, her face veil fluttered by the cold breeze. The audience still erupted into apuse and cheers once again, showing respect to their favorite, as Lily advanced to the quarterfinals without having to fight a single match.

    People of the human world could not wait to see what she had in store for the quarterfinals as everyone knew she would definitely fight in the finals.

    The big screen lit up with the next battle''s participants, and the names of Rio Havenglow and Lex Magnus glowed in bold letters. The crowd hushed as the referee announced their names, requesting them to step into the battleground.

    Lex Magnus, brown-haired boy, stepped forward, towering at a height of 190 centimeters. He was dressed in all ck, and his face was concealed by a mysterious mask. The mask was a sleek, metallic design that seemed to glint in the light. As he walked toward the center of the arena, his aura exuded confidence and power.

    Unsurprisingly, he was the heir of the Magnus family, one of the seven silver sword families. Lex himself was known to be a prodigy, having trained under Lily''s grandfather and reaching the red stage. Not many people knew but this was only with the help of the Havenglow family''s old man who had taken him as his personal disciple.

    The news of Rio''s death had dampened the hope for the battle between Lex Magnus and Rio Havenglow. People had already assumed that Lex would win by default, so they weren''t particrly excited about this match. However, the referee followed the rules and announced their names to step into the battleground.

    Everyone was waiting for ten minutes to finish so the boy could get the victory by default and they could watch the next match.

    Just as the audience thought they had seen it all and Lex Magnus would be announced the winner of this match, something unexpected happened.

    Suddenly, the audience saw a boy walking onto the stadium ground, his face obscured by a mask.

    As the boy with crimson hair stepped onto the stadium ground, the air was thick with anticipation.

    "Yeeeeeeeeee!!!!"

    The Golden Seal Academy students stood up in unison, thunderous cheers of his name, ringing throughout the arena.

    "Rio!!!!!"

    "Rio!!!!!"

    "Rio!!!!!"

    It was as if the ground beneath them was shaking with the sheer force of their excitement and emotion. Goosebumps prickled on the skin of every spectator as they realized who it was - the missing Havenglow child, believed to be dead, had returned!

    The boy strode calmly onto the stadium ground, his white mask hiding his facepletely. The mask was adorned with stylish blue stripes that ran from above his eyes down to his jaw, giving him an air of mystery and danger. It was the same mask he had worn during his epic EastWind battles in the virtual reality game. N had designed it, especially for her beloved boy to wear during the international tournament.

    The crowd gasped in unison, their eyes wide with shock and awe.

    The atmosphere roared with a wave of cheer, the air flowing with thrill, as the boy made his way to the center of the arena. The unexpected return of the missing Havenglow''s adopted child surprised the audience, and a cheer erupted from everyone as they weed him back to the arena.

    It was a moment that no one could have predicted, a twist that left everyone speechless and the finals just got a whole lot more interesting.

    Lily narrowed her eyes, watching the boy with annoyance. Although she had no personal grudges against him, she disliked the fact that her mother wanted her to marry him which she was not going to ept.

    Intrigue and excitement filled the air as the thrilling battle between two children of seven silver sword families were about tomence, not only were they the child from the famous families but also the champion of previous years.

    The stage was set for an epic showdown between two formidable opponents, and the tension in the stadium was noticeable. The suspense among the audience was at an all-time high, as they eagerly awaited the two young warriors to begin their battle.

    But as Rio made his grand entrance, the excitement in the crowd reached new heights. The roar of the crowd was deafening, far surpassing the enthusiasm they had previously shown when Lily took the arena field.

    The atmosphere in the stadium was filled with thrill as all eyes were fixed on the adopted child of the Havenglow family and Lex Magnus.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    There are a few questions you guys may want to ask, but I will show them one by one, for now, let''s focus on this fight.

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 Chapter 263 The Slap That Shook The Stadium

    The audience was on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the start of the battle. The air was thick with anticipation, and excitement, with suspense, was flickering in every breath. It was clear that something truly extraordinary was about to happen.

    Rio and Lex stood at opposite ends of the arena twenty meters away from each other, their gazes locked in a fierce battle of wills.

    The referee positioned himself in the center, ready to signal the start of the match.

    Lex Magnus had his eyes fixed on the figure of his opponent, a sneer of contempt spread across his face.

    "Well, well, well... looks like the dead really cane back to life. But let''s be real here, this guy''s nothing more than a cockroach. I''ll go easy on him for the sake of Lady Aliyah, but I can''t promise I won''t have some fun with him."

    Lex knew that Aliyah Havenglow wouldn''t be pleased if he hurt Rio too severely, but he also knew that he had a reputation to uphold,

    "After all, I''m a red-stage warrior. This kid''s only at the ck stage. He doesn''t stand a chance against me." he muttered to himself.

    "Three... Two... One... Begin..." The referee''s swift motion of his hand and the sound of his voice signaled the start of the match.

    Lexunched himself at Rio with lightning-fast speed, his clothing fluttering behind him as he closed in.

    Rio''s expression remainedposed as his opponent closed in, his cold smile hidden behind his mask. It could send a shiver down the spine of anyone who saw it.

    Without a moment''s hesitation, he sidestepped Lex''s punch, causing the attack to miss its mark and hit nothing but air.

    *Thwack!*

    The sound of a loud p echoed throughout the stadium, causing the audience to gasp in surprise. Lex''s mask shattered into pieces as Rio''s hand connected with his cheek, the force of the blow sending Lex stumbling backward.

    The audience looked on in amazement as Rio stood his ground, his eyes fixed on Lex as if he were staring down a dead man.

    Humiliation burned within Lex as he felt the sting of Rio''s p on his face, his cheeks turning red with anger.

    He turned around to face Rio, his gaze burning with hatred as if he were facing his mortal enemy.

    For a moment, Lex forgot that he couldn''t harm Rio without facing the wrath of Aliyah Havenglow, who doted on her adopted son as if he was piece of her heart.

    Lex''s rage overtook him, and he charged toward Rio with furious intent, a sword beast soul materializing in his hand.

    He had initially nned to defeat Rio with his bare hands, thinking it would be an easy win.

    Still, the humiliation of Rio''s p had triggered something deep within him, a desire to draw blood and teach him the lesson for mortifying him.

    As he approached Rio, his grip on the sword tightened, his knuckles turning white with the pressure. He swung the de with all his might, hoping tond a fatal blow that would end the fight in his favor.

    But Rio was quick to react, dodging the attack with ease, and lunged at Lex, his hand connecting with Lex''s face in a powerful p.

    Thwack!

    This time, he used a mana enchantment that seemed to amplify the force of the p, sending Lex flying back several feet, skidding to a halt on the ground.

    The stadium erupted into gasps as they witnessed the sheer power of Rio''s p, the impact of his strike causing Lex''s lips to split and blood to trickle down his chin.

    It was clear that Rio''s attack had been devastating, and the crowd watched in amazement as Lex staggered backward.

    But Rio wasn''t finished yet.

    As Lex charged at him again and again, Rio unleashed a flurry of ps thatnded on Lex''s face with rming force.

    Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

    One...two...three...the sound of each p echoed throughout the stadium as Rio delivered blow after blow.

    Despite the onught, Lex refused to back down, his eyes zing with fury as he continued to advance on his opponent.

    The crowd watched in awe as Rio''s savagery was unleashed upon Lex, his ps raining down with incredible force.

    Thwack!

    "Consider that a taste of your own karma for ganging up on N when she was alone in the national military school tournament!" he shouted, his voice amplified by the mana enchantment. The words echoed throughout the stadium, making it clear to everyone present why Rio was taking such drastic action.

    With each p, Lex''s face became more and more disfigured, swelling and bruising under the impact.

    Thwack!

    "This is for stealing half of her points," Rio announced with each sessive blow, his voice ringing out across the arena.

    The audience winced with each hit, feeling the force of Rio''s anger with every resounding p.

    As Rionded another powerful p, he dered, "And that''s for even thinking about harming my friend!"

    The sound of the impact was deafening, and Lex''s teeth were sent flying out of his mouth, hitting the ground with a sharp clink. The audience gasped in shock at the brutality of the attack, realizing that Rio was not holding back in his fury.

    Thwack!

    "This is for using underhanded ways to be the champion!" Rio shouted, his hand connecting with a resounding p to Lex''s cheek.

    Thwack!

    "And this is for all your other mistakes!" Another pnded on Lex''s other cheek, the force of the blow causing him to stumble backward.

    "This is for making me angry..." Rio''s hand came down again, connecting with yet another powerful p to Lex''s face.

    Thwack!

    "This is for showing me your face..." Another pnded on Lex''s other cheek, the sound echoing through the stadium.

    Thwack!

    "This is for thinking bad about me in your mind!" Rio''s hand came down again with a resounding p, causing Lex''s head to snap to the side.

    Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

    The ps continued to rain down on Lex, each one infused with a powerful burst of mana.

    The audience groaned in sympathy as they watched Lex''s face be increasingly bruised and swollen with every blow.

    Everyone was silent, stunned by the sheer brutality of Rio''s assault.

    But as Rio''s voice echoed through the stadium, they began to understand the reasons behind his anger.

    They realized how Lex had be the winner in previous national military school tournament one and half year ago, and a sense of truth started to fill their hearts.

    Lily, however, found the scene amusing but couldn''t help but think that her grandfather would be furious at Rio''s behavior for beating his disciple.

    Despite this, she couldn''t help but feel happy that the boy was giving lessons to Lex as her grandfather wanted her to marry Lex while her mother wanted her to marry Rio. However, the girl didn''t have interest marrying anyone of them.

    The sound reverberated through the stadium

    Thwack!

    With a final, brutal p, Lex Magnus''s body couldn''t withstand any more punishment. He crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll, his eyes shut tight, and his face so battered and bruised that he was almost unrecognizable. The once-lively stadium fell into a haunting silence, as if the spectators had seen a ghost.

    The referee stared at Rio, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief, as if he was beholding a monster.

    Rio locked eyes with the referee and asked in a calm voice, "Will you announce the result, or do I have to continue?"

    The referee snapped back to reality, his voice trembling. "Y-yes, yes... Sorry, my bad... Lex Magnus cannot fight anymore... Rio Havenglow wins the fight and bes thest one to reach the quarterfinals..." The bald man quickly announced before hurrying to the wounded Lex on the ground.

    With a casual stride, Rio turned and walked toward the area where his fellow Golden Seal School students were sitting.

    Among them was N. As he reached their section, the couple locked eyes for a brief moment, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

    The students, initially stunned by Rio''s victory, suddenly roared with deafening cheers as they realized that three of their own had made it to the quarterfinals.

    As the cheering continued by his schoolmates, more and more people from stadium began to join in. They had seen Rio''s incredible strength and resolve after justing back after being missing for five months, and they couldn''t help but feel thrilled by his victory.

    The apuse swelled into a deafening roar as the entire stadium erupted in cheers, a wave of joyous energy spreading through the crowd.

    People who had been afraid of Rio''s previous performance were now cheering him on, caught up in the excitement of the moment.

    Lily Havenglow took a final nce at the crimson-haired boy, thinking something in mind before turning away.

    She didn''t want to linger any longer than necessary as she had an important task at hand - finding her younger sister, Rose.

    Meanwhile, medical teams rushed to attend to the unconscious form of Lex Magnus.

    No one from the Magnus family was present, as they had underestimated other students'' abilities and believed that Lex would easily win the match for entering quarter-finals, unless he faced a worthy opponent like Hazel Cloven or Lily Havenglow.

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 Chapter 264 Longing Hearts: Savoring The Taste

    The irony was not lost on them as they watched on the broadcast, their heir being taken away on a stretcher, defeated and humiliated by a boy who had been thought to be dead just a few months ago.

    The adopted child of the Havenglow Family''s unexpected return had taken everyone by surprise, and his brutal victory over Lex had shattered the Magnus family''s pride and confidence.

    Despite Rio''s outwardly calm demeanor, he seethed with a burning desire to make Lex Magnus pay for his wrongdoing.

    Ever since N had informed him about Lex''s misdeeds towards her in the national military school tournament, Rio had nned to teach him a lesson for messing with someone he cared about. Thus, as he watched Lex being carried away on a stretcher in defeat, Rio felt a sense of satisfaction.

    Rio and N left the stadium, they walked side by side, lost in their thoughts about the day''s events, avoiding any intimate action in public.

    The sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the city as they made their way back to the school. N drove the car, her magenta hair shining in the fading light.

    As they drove in silence, N''s grip on the steering wheel tightened with each passing minute. She couldn''t help but think about how much she had yearned for Rio during their six months apart. The craving in her heart had grown too intense to bear, and she had nned to sate her desire for him as soon as possible.

    Finally, unable to resist any longer, N pulled the car over to an empty spot and turned to Rio with a greedy look in her eyes.

    ====////========////========////====

    Warning: NSFW Ahead (Beginner Level)

    ====////========////========////====

    Without a word, she threw herself at him, pressing her lips passionately against his, savoring the taste of him.

    During their six months apart, they hadmunicated through the telepathic connection of their shared tattoo. However, it was nothingpared to the warmth of their bodies pressed against one another.

    The boy was taken aback by the suddenness of the kiss, but he quickly reciprocated, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

    His nostrils filled with the sweet aroma of N''s orchid perfume, as he leaned into her, deepening the kiss. He could feel her firm, rounded, plump bosom pressed against his chest, causing his heart to race with desire.

    As their kiss grew more passionate, Rio''s craving for N grew stronger. Without thinking, he reached over and pulled the lever on the side of his seat, causing it to expand and slide back, creating more room for N.

    He pulled her towards him, his hands gripping her hips firmly as he lifted her up and onto hisp. N let out a gasp of surprise as she straddled him, her body pressed tightly against his.

    Rio felt her weight settle onto him, her warmth and softness igniting a primal urge within him. Their lips met once again, and his hands wander over N''s body, eagerly exploring every inch of her.

    He could feel her soft curves against his body, and he savored the sensation of her firm, rounded bosom pressing against his chest.

    As N''s moans grew louder, Rio''s desire for her grew stronger. He couldn''t resist the temptation any longer, and his hands moved up to cup her melons, feeling their supple weight in his palms. The soft plumpiness of her rounded plumpy chest felt heavenly under his touch, and he squeezed them gently, savoring their fullness and the way they fit perfectly in his hands.

    N''s breath hitched in response to his touch, and he could feel her body tremble with pleasure. The sensation of her softness against his hands sent a surge of pleasure through his own body, fueling his desire even more.

    As Rio continued to explore N''s body with his hands, his fingers trailing down her curves, she moaned softly, urging him on. Their lips remained locked in a passionate embrace, each kiss deepening the hunger and longing between them. Rio''s body pressed against N''s, and he could feel her heat radiating through her clothes.

    The scent of her perfume mingled with the sweat on their skin, creating an intoxicating aroma that fueled their passion.

    Rio''s hands roamed over N''s body, he felt her respond eagerly to his touch. She arched her back, pressing her bosom further into his hands, eliciting a low gasp from her lips.

    As Rio and N broke the kiss, their embrace grew tighter, the hunger between them growing stronger with each passing moment.

    Rio looked deep into N''s eyes, a fiery passion burning within him. He knew that being too romantic here, out in the open, wasn''t the right ce for it.

    N''s cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and desire as she gazed up at Rio, "You know, it''s been way too long since I''ve had a taste of my darling, I''ve been daydreaming about your touch, your scent, and those luscious lips of yours on mine," she whispered, leaning in closer to him with a yful smile, her words filled with flirty mischief and Her breath was hot against his skin.

    Rio''s heart swelled with affection for her, and he gave her a gentle smile as he ruffled her hair. Their bodies pressed tightly against each other, and Rio could feel the softness of N''s body against his.

    As they were lost in their romantic moment, the girl suddenly remembered something important that she needed to tell Rio. However, the urgency of the situation cut their moment short as N''s expression turned serious.

    "Rio, there''s something I need to tell you about Rose," she said with a worried tone in her voice.

    His heart sank as he sensed the worry in N''s voice. He knew that whatever she was about to say couldn''t be good.

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 Chapter 265 Racing Against Time: Rios Urgent Quest For Rose

    "What happened to her? Is she okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he looked at N with a furrowed brow.

    Although Rose had been distant, rude, and unfriendly during their initial meeting, Rio still felt a sense of responsibility towards her as she was the daughter of his second mother. He knew that his second mother had loved him like her own child, and he felt a duty to reciprocate that love by looking out for her beloved daughter.

    N shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper, "Your second mother hasn''t returned from the Land of Asura since Rose went missing."

    "Missing? What do you mean, missing? Since when?" " Rio''s voice was filled with worry as he asked the girl.

    N''s expression was grim as she replied, "We haven''t seen or heard from Rose since she received her AI watch on her sixteenth birthday. She used it for the first time and never returned. It''s been a few weeks, Rio."

    The boy''s mind raced with concern and fear for Rose''s safety as he understood how his second mother would feel if something happened to that little imp, "Why didn''t you tell me about this sooner?"

    "I only found out recently when I left Empress Vi for the international tournament," N exined.

    "Ah..." Rio let out a deep sigh and put his hand over his forehead, trying to process everything that had happened. He leaned back in his seat, his thoughts consumed by the weight of the situation.

    When Rio returned to Earth to participate in the top eight-fight of the international tournament, he was surprised to find his phone switched off.

    Upon opening and checking, he saw that he had missed numerous calls from his second mother, who was worried sick about his prolonged absence in the Land of Asura.

    However, Rio had already sent her a message informing her of his return, but he was still unaware of Rose''s disappearance at that time.

    When he tried to call his second mother, the call didn''t connect, but he didn''t think much of it since it wasmon for her to be away from Earth. However, now that N had informed him about Rose''s situation, Rio realized the gravity of the situation and knew that he had to act fast to find his second mother''s daughter.

    "If you want to hurry, I can drive back to the school alone and you can use your [Astral Projection] to return immediately," The girl suggested with a worried look in her eyes.

    Hearing her words, Rio nodded thoughtfully, a serious expression on his face, "You''re right, N. I should hurry. I need to find Rose before something bad happens to her," he said, his voiceced with urgency.

    N heard Rio''s response and attempted to separate from his embrace, but his grip on her grew tighter, and he leaned in to peck her forehead tenderly. She couldn''t help but smile at the gesture, feeling loved by her boy.

    As Rio broke the kiss and let her go, N watched as he cast the [Astral Projection] spell. A bright light enveloped his body, and he vanished from the seat where they had shared their intimate moment.

    Despite feeling a bit lonely without him by her side, N knew that Rio had to find Rose and bring her home for his second mother. She took a deep breath and started the car, driving back to the school alone.

    ***

    Rio appeared in Lia''s bedroom, his gaze immediately falling on Helia lying unconscious on the bed. Lia was sitting by her side, looking worried.

    He said, sending a telepathic message to Lia, "I''m sorry Wifey, But I have to leave again. Rose, Second mother''s daughter, has gone missing after using the AI watch for the first time. I was nning to ask for your help in finding her in the Asuras cage, but Eve informed me that she knows where Rose is trapped. I must leave immediately and bring her back."

    Lia''s voice was serene and filled with love as she spoke to Rio. "It''s alright, Husband. I understand. I was just worried about youst time. But I know that saving your second mother''s daughter is important. I wouldn''t want her to be sad because of my selfishness. Be safe."

    "Thanks, Wifey. I will leave now, but I''ll be back as soon as I can. Take care of Lioness and yourself," Rio said, his voice filled with affection.

    The boy left the room, heading towards the teleporter tower. Even though Eve could teleport him to different ces, there was a cooldown period after each use. She had recently used it to bring him back to Empress Vi after he hadpleted his important task at the Death Realm.

    Rio approached the old man at the teleporter tower and requested for the [Teleport Glyph] to Skywatch Keep

    As soon as he stepped onto the ascended tform, Rio tore apart the [Teleport Glyph]. In an instant, a spatial rift opened in thin air and sucked him inside, erasing his surroundings.

    The sensation was overwhelming but familiar as he was thrown out of the spatial rift,nding on his feet with a soft thud.

    Rio found himself standing on top of a massive building situated in the midst of a vast desert. The building was imposing, with tall towers and thick walls that seemed to stretch up to the sky.

    As he looked around, Rio noticed several birds flying in the sky, soaring effortlessly over the endless expanse of sand. The air was hot and dry, causing him to sweat profusely. He adjusted his clothing and took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the task at hand.

    After leaving the shelter, Rio''s body shot forward with incredible speed, turning into a streak of blue light that cut through the air like a shooting star. He raced across thend, his resolve and urgency driving him to go as fast as he possibly could toward the direction where Rose was.

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 Chapter 266 Racing Against Time: Trapped In The Cavern

    The crimson-haired boy journeyed forward toward the distant horizon, his resolve was unwavering to find the Rose Havenglow.

    As he traversed several dunes, the scenery around him began to transform. The once monotonous sandy desert terrain gave way to a variedndscape with rugged hills and scattered vegetation. The uniform expanse of sand was now reced with an array of colors and textures, from the rusty-red hues of rocky outcroppings to the verdant greens of shrubs and cacti.

    The vast expanse of the barrenndscape was broken up by these imposing formations that stretched as far as the eye could see.

    Rio acknowledged their beauty but refused to let himself be distracted. He knew he had to remain focused and continue in the direction Eve had given him.

    As he pressed on, Rio encountered numerous red-stage beasts that roamed the area. These creatures were under the control of the Devlin bloodline, so they didn''t pose a threat to the boy. He decided not to disturb them, concentrating on his primary mission of finding Rose.

    Beyond the rocky cliffs, Rio watched the desertndscape as it give way to a deep ravine. On either side of the ravine was a series of caves, some of which appeared to have been carved into the rock by the passage of time.

    Despite the overwhelming atmosphere and the imposing environment, Rio continued on his journey.

    Rio''s wandering to this point had taken him three long hours, but he didn''t let exhaustion slow him down. His expression was exining his stubborn determination to find Rose and bring her back safely. He knew that every minute counted, as he was alreadyte to save her, and he was well aware that she wouldn''t have many resources where she was trapped.

    Summoning his energy, Rio began to descend into the ravine, his gaze sharp and his senses heightened.

    The further the boy traveled into the ravine, the darker and more oppressive the atmosphere became.

    Rio halted his advance and reached out to Eve using telepathy, "Where do I have to go from here?"

    The Elven beauty responded immediately, her tone urgent and concerned, a testament to her deep understanding of the boy''s urgency, "You should be reaching a cave entrance soon. It leads to a cavern system with natural formations that create a maze-like environment. It''s an incredibly dangerous ce, even for beasts. Rose is trapped there inside."

    Rio''s heart sank at Eve''s words, discovering that Rose was stuck in such a perilous ce, "Ah... How did she end up there?" he asked, his voice full of worry and confusion.

    The girl''s response wasced with regret as she also didn''t know the answer to his question, "I don''t know exactly what happened to her, Partner. I was busy with you at the Death Realm, and I wasn''t able to notice it. But we can assume that she was teleported to the human shelter at the end of the cavern system and got lost inside. She probably tried to retrace her steps and encountered some beasts, causing her to hide and be trapped."

    Rio''s mind raced as he pieced together the details of Rose''s predicament.

    Eve continued, her voice tinged with teasing, "The story you crafted to cover up your little teleportation mishap when you used AI watch for the first time has now manifested itself in the form of poor Rose''s situation."

    The elven beauty''s words were a subtle reminder of the lie that Rio had told the world and his second mother about getting stuck at a snowy mountain''s shelter. Although it had been a fabrication, the situation that Rose Havenglow now found herself in was eerily simr.

    "I have to find her, Eve, For the sake of Second mother, I can''t let Rose remain trapped in that dangerous ce any longer." He said firmly, his stubbornness evident in his voice.

    Rio''s love and respect for his second mother were immense, and he knew that he couldn''t bear to see her suffer any longer. He was not concerned for Rose''s well-being, but he wanted to ensure his second mother''s peace of mind.

    "Be careful, Partner, I''ll continue to guide you as best I can, but please don''t put yourself in any unnecessary danger." Eve cautioned, her voice filled with concern.

    "Thank you, Eve," Rio nodded, grateful for her care and help. He was determined to find Rose, but he knew that he couldn''t let his guard down. He didn''t know what beast he could be facing in this treacherous environment but he refused to be deterred.

    Determined to find Rose, Rio stepped into the cave and began to explore thebyrinthine passages.

    The dim light filtered through the cracks in the rocks, casting eerie shadows on the cave walls. Stctites hung from the ceiling, and stgmites reached up from the ground, creating andscape reminiscent of a gothic cathedral.

    As Rio navigated the twisting passages, he was awed by the strange beauty of the natural formations. The cave walls were adorned with intricate patterns of mineral deposits, which glistened in the faint light. He noticed that the further he ventured into the cave, the narrower and more confined the passages became. It was clear that he was entering the depths of the cavern system.

    Relying on his instincts and Eve''s guidance, Rio carefully picked his way through the treacherous terrain. The narrow corridors made it difficult to see far ahead, but he pressed on, his resolve never wavering. He knew that Rose needed his help, and he would not rest until he had found her and brought her back to safety.

    At one point, Rio came across a particrly narrow passage that seemed to lead deeper into the heart of the cave system.

    Taking a deep breath, he squeezed through the tight opening, the rough rock scraping against his skin. As he emerged on the other side, he found himself in a chamber with a high, vaulted ceiling and an underground stream that flowed gently through it.

    Rio''s eyes swept the dimly lit chamber, searching for any signs of Rose.

    Amidst the shadows and natural formations, he noticed a figure lying in the distance. The person appeared to be around 165 cm tall, with shoulder-length blue hair tied back with a golden ribbon. Despite her doll-like features, her current state told a different story.

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 Chapter 267 The Power Of Kindness: Roses Change Of Heart

    d in dirt-stained clothing and disheveled hair, the girl seemed a far cry from her usual well-groomed appearance. He took a relieved breath as he recognized the person to be Rose.

    Without hesitation, he sprinted toward her, his feet pounding against the ground at a fast pace.

    As he drew closer, he could see that the girl appeared to be exhausted and emaciated, her body seeming as though it hadn''t been nourished in a long time. The presence of a nearby water source suggested that she had been surviving solely on the water to quench her thirst.

    Upon reaching her side, Rio swiftly sat down and gently cradled Rose''s head in hisp. He ced his index finger near her nose, checking for any signs of breath. Relief washed over him as he detected the faint but steady rhythm of her breathing.

    "Thank god... She''s alive," he mumbled softly.

    Carefully, Rio patted her cheeks, hoping to rouse her from her unconscious state.

    The girl stirred, responding to the gentle touch. Her eyes fluttered open, and in a weak, barely audible voice, she groaned, "Mammaa..."

    As Rose''s eyes struggled to focus, she recognized the crimson-haired boy''s face hovering above her, filled with concern.

    She blinked away the tears that had begun to well up in her eyes. Her voice was shaky and choked with emotion as she spoke, "I... I thought I was going to die here... all alone."

    The girl''s words of raw fear and despair struck Rio, and he could feel her hopelessness towards the situation. The terror etched across her face was evident, and it was clear to him that she had endured unimaginable hardships during her time in the cave.

    As Rose''s emotions threatened to overwhelm her, her eyes filled with tears that began to spill down her cheeks, her body trembling with anguish.

    Unsure of how tofort her, Rio hesitantly reached out, cing a gentle hand on her shoulder, murmuring softly, "There... There..."

    Feeling Rio''sforting touch, Rose couldn''t hold back her emotions any longer. She suddenly threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, her body wracked with uncontroble sobs that echoed through the cave, revealing the depth of her sorrow and fear.

    Surprised by her sudden embrace, Rio hesitated for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest.

    As she hold on to him, her cries intensified, reflecting the desperation she had been holding back. Gently patting her back, Rio tried to offer some semnce offort amidst her distress. Moved by her pain, he held her close, reassuring her with his presence and offering sce in her darkest hour.

    Rose clung to him tightly, her body wracked with sobs as her tears soaked his shirt. Rio, though taken aback by her vulnerable state, decided to stay by her side and give her the support she so desperately needed at that moment.

    In between her sobs, she managed to utter a plea, "Please don''t leave me here..."

    Rio held Rose even tighter, sensing the depth of her fear and recognizing how much she neededfort at that moment. Although she was only a year younger than him, Rose''s rtively sheltered life had left her less mature and ill-prepared to handle adversity.

    It was said that those who hadn''t faced many hardships matured more slowly, and this seemed to be the case with the young girl as she faced such a difficult situation for the first time.

    Rio could feel Rose''s desperation and anguish, and he decided to put the past behind him and do everything in his power to save her and bring her back to safety.

    He believed that showing kindness could be more transformative than using force and revenge. Although he wasn''t a saint who strictly adhered to such morals, both Helia and Rose were special cases due to their connections to his loved ones. One was important to his wifey Lia, and the other was dear to his second mother.

    Even though he wouldn''t allow Helia to treat him poorly again, Rio understood that their rtionship had improved significantly due to his kind and patient approach. He recognized that Helia wasn''t inherently a bad person; she had simply been shaped by her past trauma.

    Simrly, Rose''s mistreatment of him stemmed from her jealousy and fear of losing her mother''s love. She had grown up as a spoiled child, and her resentment toward Rio was a result of her mother''s affection being divided between her, her sister, and the newly adopted boy.

    With this understanding in mind, Rio chose to show kindness and patience towards these two people who had treated him badly in the past. He believed that by doing so, he could help them grow and heal, ultimately fostering a stronger bond between them and the people who cared for them the most.

    "I won''t leave you here alone. I promise I''ll get you out of here, no matter what it takes." He whispered softly, his voice firm and resolute.

    As Rio''s words washed over her, Rose felt a small glimmer of hope amidst the darkness of her despair. She knew that with Rio by her side, she was no longer alone in her fight for survival after being lost here.

    As Rose continued to cry, the boy held her firmly, allowing her to release the pent-up emotions that had been tormenting her throughout her ordeal. He understood that she needed this moment of catharsis to process the fear and pain she had been through. So, he simply remained by her side, offering his unwavering support.

    Minutes passed, and her sobs gradually subsided. Rose gently disentangled herself from Rio''s embrace, her tear-streaked face turning up to meet his gaze.

    "Big brother, I''m hungry..." she whispered, her voice still trembling slightly.

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 Chapter 268 A Promise Of Sisterly Love

    "Big brother, I''m hungry..." she whispered, her voice still trembling slightly.

    Rose was well aware that she hadn''t been kind to Rio in the past. She had even gone so far as to wish that he would be killed by a beast and captured by the Asuras, bing trapped in the Asura''s cage himself.

    However, as she looked into his eyes, Rose couldn''t help but feel a sense of embarrassment and guilt for her past actions. She wanted to make amends, and so she decided to adopt a more affectionate attitude toward him, emting the role of a caring little sister that he had wanted her to be during their first meeting.

    Seeing the vulnerability in Rose''s eyes, Rio felt a sense of amusement at her change in behavior.

    He gave her a faint smile and reached into his spatial storage, pulling out some orange, round fruits that were typically found in the wilderness.

    "Here, eat these," he said gently.

    Rose''s hands swiftly grasped the fruits offered by Rio, her desperation clearly visible. She sank her teeth into the sulent fruit, savoring its sweet and mildly tangy vor. The sensation of relief and sustenance washed over her, as she finally had something to satiate her hunger after such a long period of time.

    Emotions overwhelmed her, and tears brimmed in her eyes, reflecting her gratitude for the much-needed nourishment.

    Rio watched as tears trickled down Rose''s cheeks. He moved closer and tenderly brushed away the tears with his thumb.

    As she continued to savor the life-giving fruit, Rose gazed up at Rio''s kind face and made a silent promise to herself. She vowed to be a better sister to him, to stand by his side and offer her unwavering support in return for the love and care he had shown her during her darkest hour.

    This experience taught her an important lesson: a person''s true nature and worth could only be tested in times of adversity. The one who came to her rescue in her desperate situation was the very boy she had once hated, proving that kindness and love could be found in the most unexpected ces.

    As she devoured the fruits given by Rio, her eyes flickered with curiosity, and she couldn''t help but ask in her weakened, tone, "Big brother, Where did you manage to get these fruits out of nowhere?"

    With a lighthearted tone, Rio exined, "I got lucky and acquired a rare beast soul that allows me to store food and other essentials inside." As he spoke, he pulled out more fruits for her, noticing that the little rascal''s stomach still wasn''t satisfied after devouring six of them. She was eating so quickly that he worried about her ability to digest it all properly.

    Understanding that she must have been starving, he gently chided her, "You should eat slowly, so you don''t make yourself sick."

    Rose nodded, realizing that she had been eating quite ravenously. With an embarrassed expression, she continued to eat, but at a somewhat slower pace than before. As Rio watched her, she reminded him of a younger version of Second mother.

    Eventually, Rose stopped eating after finishing her eleventh fruit. She hesitated to eat more, not wanting to deplete Rio''s supply or appear too greedy.

    "So how did you end up here?" he asked gently, hoping to learn more about what had happened to her.

    Rose paused for a moment, wiping away the remnants of the fruit from her lips. Her eyes took on a distant look as she recalled the events that had led her to this dark andbyrinthine cave.

    "When I used the AI watch to teleport, I ended up here, in an unknown location. I went out to explore my surroundings and discovered I was in a cavern. But when I tried to go back, a terrifying beast chased me.

    So I hid where it couldn''t find me, and after a while, I tried to return to the portal capsule. But I couldn''t find the way back to it. I made sure to leave tracks behind so I coulde back here, but I still couldn''t find my way back..."

    Rose exined with a sad tone in her voice. Despite her distress, the girl''s face had regained some of its glow after eating the juicy orange fruits.

    ''Eve was right; while she can help me locate the ce where Rose was teleported, the little girl won''t be able to find her way back to a human shelter alone. If she doesn''t make it to safety soon, her progress in strength and training will be hindered.

    Unfortunately, I won''t be able to bring her back to a secure locationter on, as I''ll be busy with my own tasks. Therefore, it''s best to take her with me now to a safer ce, where the Havenglow Family can eventually escort her to their shelter.''

    Rio''s mind raced as he formted a n to get Rose out of the treacherous caverns.

    "Alright, Rose, I guess I''ll be leaving now... You should be able to find your way on your own, right?" Rio said with a yful glint in his eyes, pretending to prepare for his departure, knowing full well that he had no intention of actually leaving her alone.

    "Nooo... Please don''t go..." Rose''s voice wavered, and her face fell, genuinely believing that Rio was serious about leaving her behind.

    "Why shouldn''t I leave? After all, you used to hate me, didn''t you?" Rio asked gently, kneeling down and cing his hands on his knees as he looked deeply into Rose''s eyes with a soft expression.

    "I''m sorry for how I treated you... I promise I''ll love you even more than I love big sister, Lily..." Rose apologized, her gaze falling to the ground, her eyes shimmering with tears as if she couldn''t bear any more teasing from the boy.

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 Chapter 269 Forever My Favorite

    "Hey, don''t cry... I was only joking. It''s alright if you don''t love me or even if you continue to dislike me. For now, let''s just focus on getting back home," Rio spoke gently to the little girl, trying to coax her not to cry.

    He then turned and patted his back, signaling for her to climb on so he could give her a piggyback ride to their next destination.

    Rose''s eyes sparkled with happiness when she realized her new big brother was just teasing her. She quickly hopped onto his back, her spirits lifted, and cheerfully eximed, "Let''s go, big brother!"

    With Eve''s guidance, Rio expertly navigated through the twisting and turning passages of the cavern, effortlessly carrying Rose on his back as they made their way toward the exit.

    p¦Á§ád¦Á §«?¦Í¨º|,§ã¨°§® The sunlight gradually grew brighter, signaling their imminent departure from the dark, maze-like structure.

    As they ventured through the rugged terrain outside the cavern, they encountered several yellow-stage beasts.

    With his greater strength and agility, Rio swiftly dispatched the creatures, leaving Rose in awe of his abilities. She marveled at the fact that this remarkable boy was only a year older than her, yet so incredibly capable.

    Rio showed no signs of fatigue or annoyance as they pressed on, despite carrying Rose on his back. His unwavering determination and kindness warmed her heart, and she felt grateful to have him by her side on this perilous journey that had nearly cost her life and separated her from her mother.

    As they traveled through the rugged terrain, Rio noticed Rose''s voice bing softer and more lethargic. He could sense that she was growing increasingly drowsy, likely a side effect of her recent exhaustion and desperate situation.

    Without hesitation, Rio shifted his grip on her, carefully lifting her up and cradling her in his arms like a baby. He felt her body rx against his chest as he adjusted her position, making sure she wasfortable and secure.

    "You can sleep now," Rio whispered soothing words of reassurance to Rose, telling her that she could rest now.

    In response, she nuzzled closer to him, seekingfort and safety in his embrace.

    As he held her close, he felt her breathing slow and deepen, and the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest indicated that she had fallen asleep instantly.

    In the midst of the dangerous situation, Rose felt an overwhelming sense of safety and security, reassured by the strong, steady presence of her reliable big brother. The warmth of his embrace provided her with sce, and she slept soundly, knowing she was protected and cared for.

    With Rose sleeping soundly in his arms, Rio continued to move forward, navigating the strange terrain with ease.

    Despite the added weight of carrying Rose, Rio''s movements remained unimpeded. His only focus was to ensure her safety and he was determined to not stop until he hadpleted his task.

    Rio was aware that Second Mother had suffered greatly in the past five months, having lost two of her children. Therefore, he felt a sense of urgency to bring Rose to her as soon as possible.

    The duo continued their journey, Rose''s soft breaths and the sounds of the wilderness apanying them, as they drew closer to their destination with each passing step.

    After seven long hours of travel, the boy finally caught sight of a building in the distance. As they marched nearer, the structure slowly revealed itself to be a three-story building, fortified by a sturdy wall.

    Rose, now awake and perched on Rio''s back, gazed at their destination with a mix of curiosity and relief.

    "Is this ce safe, big brother?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.

    Rio nodded confidently, reassuring her. "Yes, it''s safe. And even if it turns out not to be, they won''t be able to harm us. Judging by the looks of it, this seems to be a low-level shelter, so its inhabitants won''t be a match for me."

    Rose''s eyes sparkled with relief and admiration as she listened to her big brother''s words, her trust in him growing stronger by the moment.

    Rio came to a stop in front of the building, standing tall and proud as he faced the guards dressed in their white shirts and ck pants.

    The guard''s eyes widened in recognition and surprise as he eximed, "Rio Havenglow???"

    He gazed upon the crimson-haired boy before him in disbelief, especially given that most people had assumed Rio was long dead. The news of his victory over Lex Magnus had yet to spread among the humans in the Land of Asura, so their astonishment was entirely understandable.

    Without missing a beat, Rio addressed the guard, "Yeah... let us use the teleporter here."

    "Yes, sir..." The guard nodded in agreement and led them to the portal capsule located in a spacious hall. While most portal capsules were ced in private rooms, some were also avable for public use in therger hall.

    Rio gestured towards the portal capsule and said with a feeble smile, "There... I''ve fulfilled my promise."

    Rose''s eyes lit up with excitement, and she eagerly dashed towards the capsule, eager to return home as soon as possible.

    Watching Rose approach the capsule, Rio saw her hesitate just before stepping inside. In an unexpected move, she sprinted back towards him and enveloped him in a tender embrace.

    Her voice, barely more than a whisper, carried a genuine warmth as she said, "Thank you, big brother... I''ll never forget you, and you''ll forever be my favorite."

    The depth of her gratitude was evident through the heartfelt words she spoke and the tender embraces they shared. As Rio basked in her genuine appreciation, a wave of happiness washed over him, raising the joy he felt in response to her earnest expression of thanks.

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 Chapter 270 Narrating The Story

    Even with two wives and a loving, yet missing, girlfriend, it was only after their shared journey that Rio began to see Rose in a new light - as a cherished sister, a sibling bond he had never experienced before and might never have again.

    He was aware that Second Mother wished for him to marry Lily Havenglow, but after growing closer to Rose and strengthening their bonding during their recent adventure, Rio now saw her as a beloved little sister, distinct from his potential rtionship with Lily.

    Rio yfully ruffled Rose''s hair, his voice warm and teasing, "You better hurry, I don''t want Second Mother to worry anymore because of this little demoness."

    "Big brother, you''re mean," Rose yfully pouted, her eyes shining with gratitude, as she continued, "okay, I''m going now..."

    She reluctantly pulled away from him and turned toward the portal capsule.

    As she took a step forward, she nced back onest time, her hand waving a heartfelt farewell and a gentle smile gracing her lips. With that, she closed the door and disappeared within the portal capsule, leaving Rio to his thoughts.

    Sighing, the boy turned to face the guard who had been watching the siblings'' exchange.

    "Will you not be returning as well, Sir?" The guard asked, wondering if Rio intended to use the portal capsule too. However, Rio simply shook his head.

    "I have some business to take care of," he replied, his voice firm. With a purposeful stride, he left the shelter behind him.

    After fleeing from the shelter and ensuring no one was observing him, Rio cast [Astral Projection]. A shimmering light enveloped his body, causing him to vanish into thin air.

    Materializing in his bedroom near the couch, his gaze fell upon Lia sitting beside Helia, assisting her with sipping soup.

    The blonde-haired beauty''s eyes welled up with tears at the sight of Rio, and she attempted to rise.

    Rio, however, quickly approached her and gently insisted, "You should rest lioness. Don''t bother getting up."

    Upon hearing his words, Heliaplied, her obedience stemming unconsciously from the effects of the ve mark.

    Despite herpliance, the blonde-haired girl''s mind was teeming with questions.

    She looked at Rio, her eyes flickered with sorrow, and she struggled to keep her emotions in check. She had spent months thinking that the boy was dead, and the weight of that belief had been crushing her.

    "I-I''m sorry," she choked out, her voice quivering with emotion. "I thought you were gone because of me. Please forgive me. I''m a horrible person for putting your life in danger and treating you badly..."

    As she spoke, tears streamed down her face, and her body shook with sobs.

    Rio could see the pain etched on her face and the anguish in her voice, and he was moved by her raw emotions.

    Gently, he took her hand and wiped away her tears with his thumb, trying tofort her as best he could.

    "How did the fierce lioness be so foolish? Don''t cry now..." Rio''s voice was soft and soothing, and Helia found herself starting to rx in his presence as her sobs began to subside, and her tears slowed to a trickle. His words were like a balm to her wounded heart, and she found herself feeling grateful and relieved.

    The boy continued with a bittersweet smile, "It was actually my fault that I didn''t clearly tell you where I was going, and you thought I was dead. In fact, you were lucky for me."

    As Helia listened to Rio''s words, she felt the weight of self-me slowly begin to lift, reced by a growing sense of confusion. Rio''s touch and reassuring words were like a lifeline, pulling her out of the depths of despair, but she couldn''t quite grasp what he was trying to tell her. The mixed emotions swirling inside her made it hard to understand the message he was trying to convey.

    "That day..." The boy began to narrate the story, and Helia''s eyes remained fixed on him,

    ***

    "Wee to the death trial. I am the person in charge of this ce. In a minute, a trial will begin. A shadow will pursue you as you y the game.

    If one of you can outrun it and reach the space rift portal in the east, then the first person who enters it will be able to escape this ce. The second person will have to enter the death realm. If neither of you escapes before getting caught by the shadow, then you will both enter the death realm. You have thirty seconds to decide."

    As the announcement echoed through the air, the weight of their situation settled heavily on both Rio and Helia. They were now caught in a twisted game of life and death, with no time to waste.

    For a moment, their eyes locked in a silent exchange of confusion, both wondering what move to make next.

    Rio''s mind raced as he heard the announcement. "Ah... Shit... We need to run..." he thought, his eyes darting around as he tried to formte a n.

    Without warning, Rio stood up and swiftly lifted Helia off the ground. She instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck as he began to run, his body bursting with mana enchantment.

    Rio could feel the weight of Helia in his arms, but he refused to slow down or abandon her.

    As he traveled, The boy was furrowing his brows in confusion as hemunicated with Eve telepathically.

    "What do you mean I''m lucky to be in this situation and thank Lioness?" he asked, incredulous.

    Eve chuckled mischievously as she spoke to the boy through their telepathic connection, "The Death realm may be a cursednd for those who don''t know how to survive, but it''s also filled with treasures beyond your wildest dreams! And guess what? I happen to know of a treasure that could help you save Lia in the future. This is your chance, partner!"

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 Chapter 271 Innate Talent: Cursed With Knowledge

    She paused for dramatic effect before continuing with a merry smile, "But that''s not all. There''s a secret passage that can take you straight to the monarch beasts of both the ck and red stages. And with this kind of shortcut, you might just be able to defeat the ck stage monarch beast without even reaching the peak of the ck stage!"

    The boy''s eyes shone in amazement as he absorbed the information.

    Eve couldn''t help but giggle at the boy''s disbelieving look in his eyes, "Oh, don''t look so surprised. With me as your partner, anything is possible!"

    "Don''t you think I need to be at the peak of the ck Stage to defeat the Monarch Beast?" Rio questioned.

    Eve replied, "There are clear advantages to fighting the Monarch Beast without reaching the peak of the ck Stage. For one, it won''t be able to block my entrance with you to itsir, meaning I can assist you during the trial. And secondly, the ck Stage Monarch Beast trial isn''t about fighting. You''ll understand when we confront it."

    "Why do you know everything?" He asked, not understanding how she knows about most of the things...

    "I''m cursed with knowledge, my beloved darling..." Eve said with a yful gaze, her eyes glinting mischievously as she gazed at him.

    The tattoos they shared allowed them to see each other in their minds, as if they were connected by an invisible thread, in addition tomunicating telepathically.

    "Not convincing..." He responded.

    "Ah, you see right through me," Eve giggled in response to Rio''sment, She continued, "Innate talent partner... My innate talent..."

    Rio heard the words of the elven beauty and began to consider his next move.

    ''Should I bring Helia with me or not? I can''t put her in danger...''

    He wondered whether he should bring Helia with him to this dangerous ce or leave her behind to keep her safe.

    The boy decided to ask Lia what she thought about it. He sent her a telepathic message, "Hey, Wifey. I have a question for you. How would you feel if something happened to Lioness?"

    Rio could hear the icy chill in Lia''s voice,ced with a mix of concern and protectiveness as she spoke, "What are you talking about? Don''t y games with me. Helia has been by my side since childhood. She''s my sister, and if anything happened to her, it would break my heart. So, why are you asking about her in this way, Husband?"

    Despite her earlier emotional outburst, the boy could sense the love Lia had for him in her words, making it clear that she couldn''t stay mad at him for long.

    Yet, Rio chose to remain silent, as he had received his answer, and decided not to bring Helia along with him.

    He abruptly stopped in his tracks,ing to a halt just ten meters away from the spatial rift portal, and carefully set Helia down on the ground.

    "Take the portal and escape, before it catches us both," he urged, there was urgency in the voice.

    Rio watched the dawning realization in Helia''s eyes, and her expression shifted from confusion to understanding. He could tell that sheprehended the gravity of his decision to protect her, but he was puzzled by her emotional reaction.

    Tears streamed down her face, and her voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, "You''re such an idiot. Why do you always have to be so damn selfless and nice to me? I can''t let you die. You need to leave now and let me take care of this mess. This is all my fault."

    As Rio took in her heartfelt words, he could sense the crushing weight of guilt that threatened to overwhelm her. Despite the pain he felt for her, he knew that he couldn''t bring Helia along, as ensuring her safety was crucial.

    ''Ah... This girl...''<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>

    Rio was feeling a headache as he tried to reason with Helia, but she remained stubborn and refused to budge from her stance. He knew that arguing with her was futile, but he couldn''t bring her along with him.

    Despite his efforts, Helia continued to resist, and Rio felt himself getting frustrated with her, she was too stubborn to ept any of his decisions.

    In that instant, Rio felt a sudden force around his waist as Helia grabbed him tightly. Before he could react, she flung him toward the space rift portal. As he drifted through the air, his body felt weightless and his eyes flickered with shock, realizing he was helpless to change her mind.

    He saw Helia frozen in fear as the shadowy swarm drew nearer. Her breathing was heavy as she seemed unable to move, her gaze fixed on the approaching dark crows.

    In that critical moment, Rio made a split-second decision to use his Mystic Swap Technique.

    Suddenly, Rio found himself enveloped in a blinding sh of light as the Mystic Swap Technique activated. He was standing where Helia had been moments before, now facing the approaching swarm of shadowy crows that had frightened her earlier.

    As Rio focused his gaze ahead, he felt a sense of relief knowing that Helia was now safe. He stood firm against the oing swarm of dark crow shadows, resolute and unyielding, like a towering mountain immovable in the face of any storm.

    The boy turned around, noticing the tears of hopelessness well up in Helia''s eyes as she watched him being consumed by the swarm of shadows. "No, Rio!" she cried out, her voice cracking with emotion.

    He couldn''t help but find her expression endearing. With a soft smile, he mouthed his farewell words, "Take care, Lioness."

    As Rio gazed at Helia with a faint smile, he suddenly felt a strange connection deep within him, as if he could feel her emotions.

    It was a connection that he couldn''t quite exin, but he felt it nheless. Before he could even begin toprehend this newfound link between them, he was suddenly engulfed by the swarm of crows.

    As Rio emerged on the other side, he found himself in apletely different world.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    I felt that it was important to show Rio''s perspective in order to fully understand his character and the events that transpired. If I had started from the point where Rio enters the death realm, it may have been difficult for readers to understand his reasonings and thought process.

    By showing everything from his perspective, it provides a moreplete picture of the story and the character.

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 Chapter 272 The Unconditional Love And Support Of Lia And Nyla

    As the swarm dissipated, Rio found himself transported to a new and stunning location.

    He stood in awe in the heart of a captivating grasnd, encircled by majestic trees that seemed to glow with translucent white light. Their crowns stretched high above him, their branches intertwining in a mesmerizing dance.

    The lush foliage around him boasted a stunning array of vivid hues, each leaf dancing in harmony with the gentle caress of the breeze.

    Not far away, a serene river meandered through thendscape, its crystal-clear waters glistening under the sun''s rays. As it flowed, the soothing melody it produced evoked the tinkling of delicate bells, echoing through the air and filling the atmosphere with a sense of tranquility and wonder.

    Yet it was the mesmerizing white light that enveloped the entirendscape, making it truly extraordinary. This luminous glow radiated and shimmered, casting a celestial aura upon everything it touched.

    High above, Rio noticed birds gliding gracefully through the sky, their ethereal silhouettesposed of translucent white light, enhancing the enchanting atmosphere of this remarkable domain. The fusion of these elements created a dreamlike world that transcended the boundaries of ordinary reality, leaving Rio utterly captivated by its beauty.

    Contrary to Rio''s expectations of a dark and haunting ce, he discovered himself in a realm that resembled a spiritual haven, teeming with these transparent beings and the entrancing, glistening light.

    The ambiance was both mystical and tranquil, a stark contrast to the ominous death realm he had anticipated. This extraordinary sanctuary captured Rio''s attention, leaving him in awe of the serene beauty that unfolded before him.

    While Rio was engrossed in taking in his surroundings, he suddenly heard two anxious voices filled with distress in his mind.

    "What happened, Husband???"

    "Can you hear me, Sweetie???"

    The boy realized it was Lia and N who had attempted to contact him simultaneously. He responded, "Is something wrong? Why do you both sound worried?"

    "That''s because I can not sense Husband''s location anymore, as if you''ve disappeared from existence," Lia replied, her voice tinged with concern, her earlier anger seemingly forgotten.

    "I''m experiencing the same, where are you, Rio???..." N added, her voice filled with fear as she expressed her deep worry for his safety.

    Rio took a deep breath before he started narrating, "That''s weird but let me exin what happened... The Emperor asked me to rescue Helia, who went to meet her brother Leon''s spirit at the Ind of Dead Souls. When we arrived, we were teleported into the ind''s inner sanctum. I found myself lost in the fog until a mysterious force pulled me into a rift, where I discovered Helia. We then heard an announcement about the beginning of the death trial.

    Eve mentioned a treasure hidden here that could help save Lia in the future, so I chose to continue. I did ask you earlier, Wifey, if you''d be worried about Helia, so I decided not to bring her along and left her behind. As I''m in a ce of death realm, this might be why you both can''t detect my location now."

    As they listened to the boy''s story, they realized that they had no idea that Helia was missing or that Rio had left to find her.

    Lia''s eyebrows shot in surprise and she spoke, "Helia was missing and you went to find her, but you didn''t tell me?!"

    Rio said in an apologetic tone, "I didn''t want to worry you, Wifey. And I knew that if I told you, you might want toe with me, and I couldn''t risk putting your life in danger."

    Lia sighed, understanding his concern, "You should have told me, Husband."<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>

    Rio remained silent, knowing that even if a simr situation were to ur, he wouldn''t divulge it to Lia or N. He refused to risk their safety and would do whatever it takes to keep them out of harm''s way.

    Understanding his silence, The white-haired beauty asked, "When will you being back, Husband?"

    Rio''s voice carried a hint of uncertainty as he replied, "I''m not sure, but this task is crucial, as it will help me ensure your safety in the future. I have to see it through."

    Lia grasped what Rio had exined, but N''s voice came in a cheerful tone full of love, "Of course, Sweetie! We understand how important this quest is for you and we fully support you. Just make sure to keep in touch with us, okay? We''ll miss you too much if you don''t!"

    Hearing N''s cheerful words, Lia couldn''t help but add with a loving tone, "Yes, please keep in touch with us whenever you have the time, and don''t forget to take care of yourself. We''ll be waiting for your return. Stay safe, Husband."

    Their unconditional support and affection towards him filled Rio''s heart with a tickling warmth. He nodded, with a soft smile shing across his face, "I''ll talk to my beautiful wives every day ande back to you both soon. I love you both more than words can express."

    After saying goodbye to his beloved wives, the boy continued his journey into the mysterious realm. However, he had barely taken much distance when he heard Eve''s voice echoing in his mind. Her tone was grave as she cautioned him about the dangers thaty ahead.

    "Rio, be careful. This ce is filled with dangers you need to watch out for. There are toxic nts that release poisonous spores if you touch them, and illusionaryndscapes that can disorient you, leading to fatal falls."

    As Eve spoke of the dangers that lurked in the death realm, Rio''s brows furrowed with concern. He listened intently, not wanting to miss a single word, and waited patiently for her to finish.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Both of Rio''s wives were aware that he was alive. If you revisit the previous chapters, you will notice that they didn''t disy any reactions that suggested he was dead.

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 Chapter 273 The Dangers Of The Death Realm

    She continued, "Beware of Deadly creatures hiding in in sight as innocent-looking nts or rocks. Enchanted vines might ensnare and strangle you, while unstable ground could give way under your feet, revealing hidden chasms.

    Partner, You need to avoid explosive, vtile flora that detonates upon contact, and time-altering anomalies that can age you rapidly, causing instant death.

    Patches of darkness can swallow you whole, and an ever-present sense of dread can lead you to despair and self-destruction. To resist the dangerous effects of this ce, you need to spend time in the wondrous forest realm. Staying too long in the death realm can drive you insane, so take breaks and return to the forest realm for safety."

    After hearing Eve''s warning, Rio took a deep breath and nodded to himself, understanding her words.

    "Thank you for the warning. I''ll keep that in mind But you haven''t told me where I need to go," Rio asked, his voice calm andposed.

    Eve responded, "You need to travel far to the east until youe across a forest filled with towering trees, their crowns so high they seem to vanish into the sky. That''s where you''ll find what we''re searching for. Once we''ve obtained the treasure, we''ll head for the monarch beast''s portal."

    Rio''s attention was on Eve''s warning as she outlined the direction he needed to follow. He knew that he would''ve to proceed with caution, using his [Heaven''s Eyes] to navigate the dangerousndscape and survive the deadly traps.

    As he continued his journey, with every step, he made sure to clearly avoid any flora or materials that seemed suspicious or dangerous. Eve pointed out from time to time when he seemed to be heading down a dangerous path, keeping a close eye on him to ensure his safety.

    Despite his best efforts, after what felt like an entire day of walking, Rio still hadn''t found any sign of the forest Eve had mentioned.

    Exhausted and in need of rest, he decided to take a break and went into the Wondrous Forest Realm.

    As Rioy down to rest, his mind began to wander as he allowed his mind to drift. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a familiar yet serene voice, It was Lia.

    "Are you Okay, Husband?" she asked, the concern evident in her voice.

    "Yeah, I''m fine. Just taking a break," he reassured her, sensing the worry in her voice.

    Lia spoke with a relieved tone, "It''s been four days since west talked. so I was worried."

    Rio''s brows furrowed in confusion, "No, Lia... We had talked in the morning."

    Lia''s voice was filled with confusion as she asked, "Morning? How is that possible?"

    At that moment, Eve''s voice resounded in their minds, providing an exnation, "Oh dear, I forgot to mention that time flows differently here in the Death Realmpared to the outside world. What feels like a dozen hours to you, has actually been four days for Lia. Silly me!"

    The revtion of the time difference caught Rio and Lia off guard, and they quickly understood the implications it had on the boy''s situation.

    Though Helia had already faced the punishment of her actions at the hands of both wives, neither of them had asked Rio for an exnation nor had they shared any details of the events that had transpired. Lia remained silent as the urgency of Rio''s task became even more apparent, and he knew he couldn''t afford to waste any more time.

    After resting for several hours, Rio left the Wondrous Forest Realm and continued on his journey. The days stretched on, one after another, as he traversed the treacherousndscape. Finally, after seven long days, he stumbled upon a peculiar forest.<novelsnext>please visit </novelsnext>

    The trees in this forest were a vibrant shade of green, their leaves so abundant that they seemed to envelop the entire trunk.

    But what truly made these trees unique was the vibrant green color that epassed every part of them - from their lush leaves down to their trunks and branches.

    Vines entwined themselves around the trees, entuating their unique beauty and adding an air of enchantment to the area.

    A wave of relief washed over Rio as he realized that he had finally found the ce where the treasure was hidden.

    Eve''s voice rang in his head, confirming he was right, "This is the ce we''ve been searching for, Partner. You don''t need to worry about the other dangers now. All you have to do is make your way to the heart of the forest."

    Upon hearing that he no longer needed to worry about the other dangers, Rio infused his body with a surge of crackling thunder. With renewed vigor, he shot toward the heart of the forest like a bolt of lightning.

    He streaked past a multitude of majestic trees, their towering heights dwarfed only by their captivating beauty. The forest floor was carpeted in a rich tapestry of vibrant flora, each blooming seemingly more exquisite than thest.

    Transparent silver butterflies fluttered gracefully through the air, their delicate wings shimmering with an iridescent glow as they danced amongst the foliage.

    Atst, Rio reached the heart of the forest. The journey had been an enchanting disy of nature''s splendor, and he was awestruck by the breathtaking scenery that enveloped him.

    Nevertheless, the sight before him caused Rio to furrow his brow. In the center of the forest, amid ake whose waters radiated a rainbow-colored light, stood arge, golden lotus-like flower.

    The lotus had yet to bloom, but Rio could sense a rejuvenating energy emanating from it, washing away the fatigue umted from his long journey.

    As Rio advanced toward the lotus, he activated his [Heaven''s Eyes] to inspect it more closely. Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock, revealing a discovery that left him¡ªand the reader¡ªon the edge of their seats...

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 Chapter 274 The Allure Of The Samsara Lotus

    <<<<

    [Name: [Samsara Lotus]

    [Type: Herb]

    [Grade: Mythic]

    ~ Believed to have originated in the heavenly realms, the Samsara Lotus is a mythical-level treasure that carries the power of resurrection and divine intervention. Its petals emit a soft, ethereal glow, reflecting the celestial energies within. This lotus can create a protective barrier around a deceased body and soul, safeguarding them from harm until they are revived, and holds the power of regeneration and rebirth.

    The Samsara Lotus matures once every six months, and upon reaching maturity, it can be used by wandering spirits in the death realm. Once used, the lotus reverts to its bud form, awaiting its next cycle of growth. This majestic golden lotus, once grown, imbues the water surrounding it with a captivating rainbow-colored light. In its unopened state, the lotus emits a rejuvenating energy that effortlessly dissipates the fatigue and weariness of those who venture near it.

    >>>>

    Rio could hardly believe his luck at encountering such an exceptional treasure. Overwhelmed with excitement, he felt the urge to seize the Samsara Lotus immediately but was worried about causing any harm to the precious nt.

    He decided to go to the elven girl, "Eve, can you take the lotus into the wondrous forest realm?" Rio asked for her assistance.

    "We''ll have to wait until it''s fully matured. It hasn''t reached maturity yet. If we move it before it''s fully matured, it may get ruined." Eve exined patiently.

    "Is there no way to speed up the maturing process?" Rio inquired, his impatience showing.

    Eve hesitated for a moment before replying, "Well, feeding it mana and blood could potentially elerate its growth, but..."

    "But what?" Rio pressed.

    "I am strongly against it, I don''t want you to harm yourself, It would be wiser to wait for the lotus to mature naturally. I know you''re eager to im it, but we must be patient." " Eve cautioned.

    The boy listened to her words, but deep down, Eve knew that he might not heed her warning.

    Rio''s impatience overtook him as he ignored Eve''s warning and made his way toward the Samsara Lotus.

    He knew he had to acquire the Samsara Lotus as soon as possible, and was willing to take any risk to speed up its growth. Time flowed differently in the death realmpared to the outside world, and Rio couldn''t afford to waste any more time.

    He enchanted his finger with mana then with a deep breath, he steadied his hand and aimed his enchanted finger towards the other, slicing it with a gentle tickle.

    A small bead of blood formed at the tip of his index finger, dripping onto the lotus. He watched in amazement as the nt hungrily consumed the blood.

    After a few hundred droplets had fallen onto the lotus, Rio was overwhelmed by the sensation. A wave of dizziness swept over him, causing his face to pale, but he refused to back down. The allure of the Samsara Lotus was too great to resist, and he was willing to pay any price to obtain it.

    With unwavering resolve, Rioid his hand on the Samsara Lotus and channeled his mana into it.

    The mythical nt seemed to have an insatiable thirst for his mana, greedily consuming it with a voracious appetite. As he poured more and more of his mana into the lotus, Rio felt his energy draining rapidly, leaving him more exhausted and depleted.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Just as he turned around, he saw Eve emerging from the wondrous realm. Her expression was one of deep pain and disappointment, her eyes filled with her clear disapproval of his reckless actions.

    Rio forced a smile, knowing he had ignored Eve''s advice. Yet, he had no regrets. He couldn''t afford to waste any more time in the death realm, and the Samsara Lotus was too valuable a treasure to let slip through his fingers.

    Eve approached Rio, her cold gaze fixed on him as she stood beside him.

    "I told you not to do it," she scolded, her voice tinged with disappointment.

    "I can''t spend that much time here," Rio defended himself.

    "Why not?" Eve demanded, her gaze fierce.

    "You, as an elf, may be blessed with youth even in old age, but my wives will grow old if I spend too much time waiting for this lotus to mature on its own... I can''t afford to waste any more time here," Rio exined, his tone light.

    "I''m not that old, and neither will your wives grow old this soon" she retorted, pouting slightly. Then, with a determined expression, she bit her thumb and allowed her blood to flow onto the lotus. As the nt absorbed her blood, Rio noticed it stirring with life.

    He tried to stop her, saying, "Hey, don''t do that!"

    But Eve shot him a frosty look, "Shut up!!," she said coldly, continuing to nourish the lotus with her blood.

    As Rio watched Eve pour her blood onto the lotus, he felt a deep sense of helplessness. He could not bring himself to stop her, but her selfless act stirred profound gratitude within him.

    This wasn''t like the many times she had helped him before ¨C this time, she was sacrificing her own blood and essence for his sake, something few others would ever do.

    His eyes softened, brimming with adoration and affection as they rested upon her curvaceous figure. The warmth that filled his heart intensified, reaffirming his mind to not hurt her feelings again. The thought of ever causing her pain was unbearable to him, especially knowing she was now willingly hurting herself for his sake.

    Rio felt a deep sense of remorse for his previous actions when he had pushed her away and didn''t ept her advances.

    Unbeknownst to him, his [Heart Sutra] had ceased to suppress his emotions towards her, allowing their bond to flourish, thanks to the tattoo that had deepened when he gifted her the crown of the purple stage beast.

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 Chapter 275 A Bond Forged In Sacrifice: Rio And Eves Blood, Mana, And The Samsara Lotus

    As a result, a tender, genuine affection blossomed between them, softly unfolding like the petals of a delicate flower, nurturing the growing bond they shared.

    Eve''s blood seeped into the lotus, triggering a subtle shift as it began to unfurl ever so slightly. Her face paled, drained of color from the loss of blood, and she looked as if she desperately needed to rest.

    Simr to Rio, she ced her hand on the lotus, allowing her mana to flow into it. The lotus responded, blooming a little further, but not quite enough.

    Exhausted from the effort and having expended 90% of her mana, She grasped Rio''s hand, her grip strong but soft, and led him inside the wondrous forest realm.

    Without resistance, he allowed her to take his hand and lead him into the serene embrace of the wondrous forest realm as they disappeared from the death realm.

    Once inside the wonderous forest realm, Eve vanished behind the spot where she usually sat, only to reemerge a minuteter. In her hand, she held a crimson, glowing fruit, which she presented to Rio.

    "Consuming this fruit will help you recover faster, It aids in the production of blood and energy," she exined.

    After she spoke, Rio noticed that she had also taken a bite of the same fruit. Her luscious lips tenderly brushed against the delicate flesh of the fruit, their contact creating an alluring dance of temptation. The glistening juices clung to her plumpy lips, leaving Rio captivated by the seductive scene unfolding before him.

    The boy felt himself bing mesmerized by the captivating sight, but he moved his gaze away, focusing his attention on the fruit sped in his own hand.

    As Rio took a bite of the fruit, he felt a burst of warmth and energy surging through his body. The sweet nectar of the fruit was like a powerful elixir, invigorating him from within. His eyes met the girl''s, and she spoke softly, "We should meditate or rest until our bodies digest this fruit properly."

    He nodded in agreement, feeling the need to give his body time to absorb the potent energy coursing through him. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing, allowing the warm energy to permeate every cell of his being.

    After a few hours, the duo opened their eyes and resumed their task of elerating the growth of the Samsara Lotus.

    Despite Rio''s impatience, their progress toward obtaining the matured Samsara Lotus was not as swift as he had hoped.

    The duo found themselves returning to the lotus repeatedly, slicing the tips of their fingers and offering their blood along with their mana to hasten its growth. This became a recurring ritual, with Rio and Eve spending countless hours recuperating and pouring their blood into the golden flower.

    Rio knew he could not ask Eve to aid him with this task, not wanting to put her in danger or waste her precious blood on his personal matters.

    But whenever he approached her with his request, she fiercely shut him up with a cold gaze. Her eyes burned with a vicious glint to reject the boy''s idea, even if it meant sacrificing her blood to aid him.

    Feeling a mixture of gratitude and guilt, Rio turned away from her, resuming his task with renewed resolve. He knew that he could not afford to be distracted, not when the stakes were so high.

    Over the course of twenty-four days, the golden lotus gradually unfurled its petals, revealing its radiant beauty. With the lotus now in full bloom, Eve carefully cast a spell to transport it into the wondrous forest realm.

    Once inside, the lotus found a new home in a serene pond situated in front of Eve''s abode. Rio had set up his camp nearby, and now the two of them lounged on the sprawling roots of a nearby tree, gazing at the mesmerizing lotus that they had worked so hard to acquire.

    The ethereal Samsara Lotus radiated otherworldly energy, its vibrant petals shimmering with celestial light. This mythical-level treasure, a symbol of resurrection and divine intervention, hade into their possession through unwavering perseverance and resolve.

    Radiating a soothing and healing aura, the lotus served as a testament to their deepening bond, forged through the mutual sacrifice of their blood. Simultaneously, it showcased the miraculous powers it possessed to protect and regenerate life.

    "I can create a portal for you to return home if you want," Eve said softly, turning to meet his gaze.

    These days, the elven beauty had been talking to Rio more gently, although she was still somewhat upset with him for convincing her not to use her blood. She didn''t call him ''Partner'' very often, as she found herself bing emotional when they spent time together.

    Undoubtedly, she was the most emotional girl he had ever met, yet she skillfully concealed her sensitive side behind her cheerful demeanor. However, her deep feelings and emotions frequently surfaced, revealing this tender aspect of her beautiful character.

    "What about the Monarch beast?" Rio inquired.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I figured you''d be keen to get back to your wives, so I thought maybe you wouldn''t want to give the trial a shot," she replied with a subdued cheerfulness.

    "Since I''m already here, I might as well try the trial, especially when I have you by my side," Rio responded casually.

    "True, I''ll be right there with you," Eve assured him.

    "Do you know anything about this trial?" The boy asked with a questioning gaze.

    "It''s a dream realm. You''ll face illusions that will test your willpower and the strength of your soul," Eve exined.

    "Will it be dangerous?" Rio asked.

    "I won''t let anything happen to my partner. Even if it means going against the goddess herself," She said, offering him a tender smile.

    "Thank you," Rio said softly, nodding in understanding.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Hello Everyone,

    "My Wife is the Asura Empress" is currently ranked 24th among all the originals for this month. However, as we approach the final four days of the month, there is a possibility that the ranking may slip.

    To help it make it to the top 25, I kindly request all readers to consider gifting it to make a contribution to the book (Castle might be the most effective).

    The trending rank is determined by the coins spent on the book in a month, and every reader''s contribution counts towards the final ranking. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy reading the novel.

    If "My Wife is the Asura Empress" seeds in bing a top 25 book, it will be eligible to receive novel events in the future, which would be a great opportunity for the Book.

    Cheers,

    Snow

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 Chapter 276 Journey to the Mirror Garden: The Trials Begin

    Chapter 276 Journey to the Mirror Garden: The Trials Begin

    He stepped out of the wondrous forest realm and began his journey toward the location Eve had mentioned, where the portaly hidden.

    His steps were cautious as he couldn''t afford to be careless while wandering through the dangerous death realm.

    As the days dragged on, Rio trod with caution, traveling through the ever-changingndscape that loomed with mysterious sights that could potentially threaten him.

    With Eve by his side, He was able to avoid these hazards and continue on his journey. Finally, on the third day, as the sun began to dip below the horizon, the boy''s destination loomed in sight.

    A mesmerizing golden waterfall cascaded before him, its shimmering waters concealing the portal from the untrained eye.

    Rio approached it, feeling a surge of thrill course through him. With a deep breath, he stepped into the portal, leaving the death realm''sndscape behind.

    As the boy stepped into the portal the world around him dissolved into a blinding white light, and he felt a moment of weightlessness before his feet touched solid ground.

    His eyes adjusted to the bright light, and his expression flickered with surprise at the sight before him.

    He stood in a vast garden, but everything was made of shimmering ss. The trees, the flowers, and even the grass seemed to be crafted from delicate ss fments, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the entire space.

    Suddenly, a chorus of tinklingughter echoed through the garden, and he looked around, trying to 00:45

    locate the source of theughter, but saw nothing but the ss flowers swaying in the breeze.

    Rio was awestruck by the enchanting allure of the Mirror Garden as if he had been whisked away to an ethereal realm. The mysticalndscape was a magnificent feast for his senses, with its glittering ss flora and sparkling crystal vines.

    The boy saw the Mirror Garden as a delicate side dish, a mere appetizer to enjoy after the main course of the harrowing depths of the Death realm, from which he had just emerged.

    "Wee to the Mirror Garden," Eve''s voice came from behind him, and he turned to see her standing there, her eyes glued on him.

    The elven girl hade out from the wondrous forest realm, her sense of urgency propelling her to do so as she knew the trial may start soon.

    "This ce is dazzling," Rio spoke, his voice filled with surprise.

    "It''s one of the most beautiful locations for the trial, but it''s still below the wonderous forest realm," Eve said, her voice tinged with pride.

    She then took Rio''s hand and continued, "We must hold hands to ensure we stay together during the trial."

    Rio nodded, knowing that the trial would be challenging. His fingers interlocked with Eve''s as they both exchanged soft smiles.

    As the duo walked through the Mirror Garden, Rio felt a sense of foreboding. He couldn''t shake the feeling that something was watching them, lurking in the shadows.

    "Can you sense anything?" he asked via telepathy.

    "Yes, the trial is going to begin soon, so be ready," Eve replied, her grip on his hand tightening.

    Suddenly, a chorus of tinklingughter echoed through the garden, and he looked around, trying to locate the source of theughter, but saw nothing but the ss flowers swaying in the breeze.

    Theughter grew louder, more frenzied, and Rio knew he couldn''t leave this ce since he was required to pass this trial sooner orter.

    "Be careful, Partner," she said, her eyes sweeping the garden for any sign of uing sights.

    The boy nodded, as he was already ready for what was about toe.

    Theughter grew louder, more insistent, and Rio felt his grip on Eve''s hand tighten. He didn''t know that the trial would test him in ways he couldn''t even imagine. However, He was stubborn to prove himself and conquer this trial no matter what was going toe his way.

    The air around Rio crackled with tension as the atmosphere transformed without warning. An innumerable swarm of swords emerged from the shadows, their metallic surfaces gleaming ominously as they clinked and vibrated, creating an eerie, buzzing symphony.

    With lethal intent, they soared through the air, their razor-sharp edges poised to deliver merciless torment.

    As the swords hurtled towards him, they found their marks with agonizing precision, embedding themselves deep into Rio''s flesh.

    Their cold steel tore through muscle and bone, sending waves of pain radiating through his body, each sensation more excruciating than thest. Every new wound scorched his nerves, igniting a firestorm of agony that threatened to consume his very being.

    Rio gritted his teeth, trying to suppress a scream of agony, but a muffled groan still escaped his lips. Blood seeped from his many injuries, pooling around him and painting the ground in shades of crimson.

    As a particrly cruel sword plunged into his forehead, his strength faltered, and he copsed to his knees, engulfed by the overwhelming tide of pain that sought to extinguish his very essence.

    "Argh..."

    Rio understood that this ordeal was merely the beginning, with more trials poised to test his resolve and fortitude.

    Although Eve had assured him that these were illusions, the pain, and his surroundings felt so vivid and real that he couldn''t help but question if she had deceived him.

    Yet deep down, he knew their shared tattoo bound them together, preventing any possibility of betrayal. Trusting in their bonding, he steeled himself to face the trial.

    The torturous experience intensified as Rio''s surroundings shifted once more. He found himself lying as if naked on a b of ice, his body still ravaged with wounds from the relentless barrage of swords.

    The biting cold crept into his flesh, causing his skin to freeze, and making him feel like he was bing a frozen statue. His heartbeats grew slower and morebored as the frigid temperatures intensified his torment.

    Suddenly, the ice beneath him transformed into a pool of molten magma. The scorching heatpped at his battered body, searing his skin and threatening to engulf him entirely.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 277 Journey to the Mirror Garden: The Battle Within

    Chapter 277 Journey to the Mirror Garden: The Battle Within

    Without warning, the solid ice beneath Rio''s body gave way, transforming into a molten, fiery pool of magma. The intense heatpped hungrily at his already battered and bruised body, scorching his skin and threatening to consume him whole.

    As the scorching heat enveloped him, Rio''s face contorted with unimaginable pain. He felt like his very bones were melting, and the agony was unbearable. His body convulsed with every wave of torment, and he could feel his mind slipping, unable to endure the unrelenting cycle of suffering.

    The pain was so intense that he felt as though he was on the brink of madness, on the edge of losing his sanity to the merciless inferno.

    Rio struggled to take in a deep breath, his chest heaving with effort as he fought to keep himself conscious. The excruciating pain had wracked his body to its very limits, leaving him feeling drained and exhausted.

    Just when he thought things couldn''t possibly get worse, Rio saw Lia and La locked in a vicious battle. Their swords danced in a deadly ballet, shing and sparking with every blow. It quickly became apparent that La was overpowering Lia with her superior strength, and the white-haired beauty was on the verge of defeat.

    Lia''s face contorted with agony, her eyes welling with tears as they met Rio''s onest time, pleading for help he could not provide.

    In that final, heart-wrenching moment, Rio could feel Lia''s silent plea for help, her eyes locked onto his, filled with pain and fear.

    But before he could even process the situation, La''s de sliced through the air with ruthless precision, brutally beheading Lia as her lifeless body crumpled to the ground and her severed head rolled away.

    The sight of Lia''s demise at the hands of someone he loved deeply tore at Rio''s very soul, causing an indescribable agony to surge through him. It was a pain more excruciating than he could have ever imagined, far surpassing the torment of the millions of future visions he had experienced where Lia had met her end.

    La''s rampage continued as she turned her attention to N and Helia, mercilessly ying them one by one with a cold, emotionless expression.

    Rio''s heart ached with helplessness as he watched the carnage unfold, bound by unyielding ropes that rendered him powerless to intervene.

    The sight of his loved ones being mercilessly ughtered by the person he cherished most was unbearable, causing Rio''s heart to shatter into a million pieces.

    The agony of witnessing their lifeless bodies and severed heads strewn across the ground intensified his anguish, adding to the already overwhelming torment he was enduring.

    The overwhelming pain, both physical and emotional, threatened to consume him entirely, leaving him feeling utterly devastated and helpless in the face of such a cruel sight.

    As La closed in on him, her bloodstained sword raised to deliver the final, fatal blow, Rio''s thoughts raced. With each step La took towards him, he repeated to himself, "This can''t be La. She would never do this."

    Just as the sword was mere inches from his neck, a figure suddenly appeared between them.

    It was Eve, her vibrant orange-red hair a striking contrast against the chaos around her, standing resolute and defiant in the face of the impending attack.

    With just one finger, she halted both La and her sword, freezing them in ce. Her icy gaze fixed on La, Eve''s unwavering presence conveyed an unyielding resolve, refusing to allow any further harm toe to Rio.

    However, a cold smile yed on La''s lips, as if she was mocking Eve''s efforts.

    In an instant, the scene before them shifted dramatically.

    They found themselves standing in a dense, enchanting forest, with majestic trees towering above them and intricately designed treehouses nestled among the branches, resembling an ethereal elf city.

    The beauty of the forest, however, was marred by the raging inferno that consumed it. The crackling mes roared, hungrily devouring everything in their path, casting a sinister orange glow over the once-idylldscape. The acrid scent of scorched flesh filled the air, apanied by the oppressive heat that threatened to suffocate them.

    As Rio''s gaze fell upon Eve, he saw the horror etched across her face, her eyes wide and brimming with terror.

    This was a sight he had never witnessed before ¨C Eve, who always seemed soposed, cheerful, and sometimes emotional, now appeared vulnerable and shaken.

    As Rio''s mind raced, desperately trying to make sense of the situation, the reason for Eve''s anguish soon became painfully clear.

    The burning forest and the sinister scene unfolding before them were not just mere illusions, but rather a cruel manifestation of her deepest fears and most haunting memories.

    Rio strained his eyes, following Eve''s gaze to a harrowing sight. Amidst the carnage and mes, a small elf girl with vibrant orange-red hair, who appeared to be around 8 or 9 years old, wept inconsbly.

    She was kneeling before two lifeless bodies, their clothing indicating they were of royal lineage. The regal garments were adorned with intricate embroidery and shimmering jewels, the rich fabrics dyed in vibrant hues that were now marred by the soot and ash from the surrounding destruction.

    As Rio''s eyes scanned the forest floor, he noticed countless other bodies strewn about, each one a victim of the merciless inferno. Among the devastation, only the young elf girl remained alive, her heartrending sobs echoing through the burning forest.

    Behind the girl, a mysterious woman stood protectively, her presence both reassuring and enigmatic.

    Although Rio could not clearly see her face, he instinctively knew that she harbored no ill intentions enigmatic.

    Although Rio could not clearly see her face, he instinctively knew that she harbored no ill intentions toward the young elf. It was evident that this woman was the one who had saved the child from the same fate that had befallen the others, offering her a glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 278 From Torment To Bliss: Love Conquers All

    Little Eve sobbed uncontrobly as the horrific scenes unfolded before her eyes.

    Around her, numerous spirits materialized, haunting her and casting me upon her fragile shoulders. The using spirits seemed to amplify her guilt for being the sole survivor, while so many others had perished.

    "You are useless," one elven spirit hissed, its ghostly finger pointed usingly at the young girl.

    "Why are you alive when everyone else is gone?" another spirit taunted, its spectral eyes filled with bitterness and sorrow.

    "You carry the weight of our deaths," a third spiritmented, its mournful voice echoing through the air.

    Rio noticed the real Eve, standing beside him, shedding tears and wailing at the sight of her younger self in such distress.

    As the spirits continued to torment her, Eve could no longer bear their haunting words. Overwhelmed by the crushing guilt and the pain of surviving when so many others had lost their lives, she desperately tried to block out their voices.

    "I-I''m sorry..." she whispered, her voice choked with sorrow.

    The elven beauty raised her trembling hands to her ears, attempting to shield herself from the relentless usations that seemed to cut through her very soul.

    The spirits persisted a constant reminder of the tragedy that had befallen her people and the immense burden of being the only one left to carry their memories. Eve''s eyes brimmed with tears, her entire being trembling under the weight of their haunting presence.

    Desperate to help, Rio racked his brain for something, anything, that could shield the duo from the torment and anguish that wasing their way one after another. His mind raced with countless possibilities, each one quickly discarded in favor of another.

    Finally, amidst the chaos of his thoughts, a single idea surfaced that might be powerful enough to counteract the overwhelming negativity.

    ''Should I really try that?''

    Rio hesitated, unsure if it was the right thing to do, but deep down, he knew it was their only chance. It was a gamble, but it was one he was willing to take to help them both endure this nightmarish ordeal.

    The boy tenderly cradled her face between his warm hands, carefully guiding her tear-streaked features toward his own. He gently pressed his lips to her dampened eyes, an intimate gesture that seemed to acknowledge her pain.

    Continuing his tender ministrations, he ced aforting kiss on her forehead before tracing a path down to the tender skin below her eyes.

    Finally, as if emboldened by the vulnerability and intimacy of the moment, he captured her lips in a tender, passionate kiss.

    The unexpected sensation seemed to jolt Eve from her sorrowful trance, her tear-filled eyes widening in surprise as she gazed at Rio with a dazed expression. She hadn''t anticipated such a bold move from him, especially amidst the chaos that surrounded them.

    Gradually, her sobs subsided, her breaths steadying as they became lost in each other''s embrace.

    Their kisses grew more fervent, alternating between wild, unrestrained passion and the gentlest of touches.

    Rio could taste the saltiness of her tears mingling with the sweetness of their shared connection, a testament to the depth of emotion they both experienced in that stolen moment.

    As their lips continued to dance together in each other''s harmony, they found sce in the warmth and tenderness of their connection, their hearts swelling with emotion.

    The soft, supple sensation of their kisses seemed to envelop them both, filling their hearts with a sense of blissful harmony. Each gentle caress, each loving touch, sent a wave offort through their aching souls.

    Rio found himselfpletely immersed at the moment, the sweet scent of orchids from Eve''s body, lingering in the air as if nature itself was embracing their love.

    With each tender brush of their lips, he reveled in the delightful sensation of Eve''s plump, velvety flesh against his own, feeling as though they were melting into one another.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As Rio''s tongue tentatively met Eve''s, their intimate dance deepened, a slow, sensuous exploration that spoke volumes more than words ever could.

    The tender movements of their mouths seemed to weave a healing spell around the elven girl''s wounded heart, gradually easing the agonizing pain that had threatened to consume her.

    In that exquisite moment, time seemed to stand still, their hearts beating in unison as they shared the most memorable and heartwarming of kisses.

    The world around them faded away, leaving only the delicate connection they shared - a beautiful reminder of their newfound love and bonding amidst the chaos that surrounded them.

    As their lips remained entwined, their connection seemed to cast a protective cocoon around them, allowing them to momentarily forget the chaos and turmoil that swirled beyond. The world around them seemed to lose its grip on fabricated reality as the scenes that had previously tormented them began to slow down, fading into the background.

    With each tender caress, each loving touch, they seemed to be lost in a world of their own, their hearts and souls were interwoven as one.

    The storm that had once raged with fury now seemed to quieten as if it too was caught up in the magic of their love, which had just bloomed into something beautiful and pure.

    As the scenes continued to y out around them, they remained oblivious to their surroundings, their passion and adoration for one another acting as an imprable shield.

    Their newfound love transcended the boundaries of time and space, and in that beautiful, intimate moment, it felt as if they were the only two souls in existence, adrift in an endless sea of emotion and connection.

    As their passionate embrace continued, a majestic voice suddenly resonated through the air, enveloping them in its warmth and power.

    "Love conquers all, from torment to bliss. You have passed the trial," it dered, resonating with ancient wisdom.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    You guys keep calling Rio an idiot, but he just passed the trial with flying colors and style. Looks like our boy has some serious skills!

    So, let''s give him some credit, shall we?

    .

    .

    .

    Also, I want to thank paul_coy, Ayce_o_Spade, and Battling_Dragon for supporting this novel and helping it maintain its trending rank with their gifts.

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 Chapter 279 A Love Story: Two Hearts Fateful Ride

    Amidst their impassioned kiss, Rio and Eve were hesitant to break away as the sudden voice intruded upon their intimate connection. Their lips, yearning for more of the delightful vor and gentle warmth they had found in one another, lingered for a moment before reluctantly parting.

    With a tender reluctance, they withdrew from their embrace, their gazes intertwined, still intoxicated by the fervor they had just shared.

    As they stood there, still craving for the lingering sensation of their shared embrace and the kisses, the voice began to recite a poem, weaving words of love and bond, capturing the essence of their unique journey together.

    "In a world where fates collide, Two hearts began a fateful ride.

    A story of love that came to be, Between a boy and a girl so free.

    At first, their hearts, a distant shore, But destiny''s pull, they couldn''t ignore.

    He hesitated, shielding his heart, But her gaze kindled love''s tender spark.

    As time whispered past, day and night, Affection blossomed, pure and bright.

    Her soothing warmth, her selfless care, Gradually, his doubts disappeared.

    And then, in the midst of darkness dire, Their lips entwined, igniting love''s fire.

    Their cherished kiss, a saving grace, In darkness'' grip, it carved a space.

    A moment sacred, a rapture untold, Eternally bound by that kiss of gold.

    Their love now thrived, a radiant light, Amidst the shadows, a guiding sight.

    United, they braved life''s storms and gales, Hand in hand, they''d prevail.

    For love is fierce, and love is kind, A force that conquers hearts and minds.

    To heal, to shield, to lift, to bind, An evesting bond, forever entwined."

    The voice then imparted a memorable quote that seemed to encapste the essence of their recent experience: "Even when the world casts a heart into the deepest of shadows, the luminous glow of love can pierce the darkness, for love conquers all with its infinite and tender power."

    This profound message lingered in the air, a witness to the power of their bonding and a reminder that, in the end, love always prevails.

    As the ancient voice ceased, the eerie surroundings dissolved, and Rio found himself back in the familiar setting of the Mirror Garden. Its crystalline beauty remained unchanged, and before them, a white egg stood out amidst the ssndscape. Unlike the surroundings, the egg appeared ordinary yet glowed with a captivating silver light.

    Rio''s gaze drifted towards Eve, who wore a soft expression on her face. With a subtle flick of her eyes, she encouraged him to approach the enigmatic egg.

    The boy nodded and approached the egg cautiously, extending his hand to make contact with its smooth surface. Upon touching the egg, it transformed into a brilliant silver light that swiftly entered his body.

    Inside his mind''s sea, the egg materialized among the other beast souls, nestled in a dark corner. The silver light radiated from the egg, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the shadowed space.

    As this happened, a bunch of notifications rang in his thoughts...

    <<<<

    [ck Stage Mirrakai Illusara Monarch Beast Defeated.]

    [You have acquired the Crown of The ck Stage Monarch Beast.]<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    [You have obtained Cloudgrace Mount''s Egg.]

    >>>>

    The boy''s eyes shone with astonishment as he carefully examined the silver, glowing egg kept within his mind sea using his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    The unexpected message left him in surprise at the useful ability contained within this extraordinary egg.

    <<<<

    [Name: Cloudgrace]

    [Type: Beast]

    [Grade: Legendary]

    ~ Cloudgrace, a rare and ancient griffin, was once known as the Empress of all flying beasts. Dating back thousands of years, this majestic creature was revered for its grace, power, and unparalleled agility in the skies and thend, where it could run like a lion.

    Cloudgrace can be used as an extraordinary mount, offering unparalleled speed and maneuverability to its rider, both in the air and on the ground. Its abilities are directly proportional to the amount of mana it receives to evolve. By continuously feeding Cloudgrace with mana, you can unlock itstent potential and evolve it, further enhancing its capabilities and strength.

    In the event that Cloudgrace meets its demise, it has the ability to revert back to its original egg form, offering the chance for rebirth and continuedpanionship. Through consistent feeding of mana, Cloudgrace can be evolved once more, regaining its former strength and abilities.

    >>>>

    Rio sighed in relief, grateful that he had finally acquired a mount like N and Helia. Until now, he had no choice but to sprint whenever he traveled, as he didn''t possess a mount of his own.

    He could have obtained a ck stage mount like N, but there had been little time before he was sent on a mission to save Helia, which ultimately led him to the enchanting Mirror Garden. Now, with Cloudgrace by his side, he didn''t have to worry about the mount and he could travel with greater ease and speed.

    Rio turned to face Eve as she approached him, her bright smile reflecting the gratitude she felt for his earlier eptance of her. She recalled how he had embraced her and offered a tender kiss when she was consumed by the darkness of her past.

    Though she had intended to protect him at this trial, he had ultimately been the one to save her.

    Stopping in front of him, she said, "We should return now, Partner... It''s been almost six months in the real world..."

    Rio nodded in agreement, well aware that his [Astral Recall] spell would be of no use in this ce. He had already tried casting it earlier, only for Eve to inform him that such spells were unable to break thews governing the death realm.

    Previously, he had heard from N about the uing International Tournament. Initially, he believed he might miss the event since he hadn''tpleted the monarch beast trial yet. But now that he had finished it, he wondered if he would make it back in time to participate.

    As Rio readied himself for his return, he was entirely unaware that his arrival back on Earth would mark the beginning of a thrilling and heart-stopping series of events that would shake the very foundations of the human and Asura worlds.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 280 Return From The Death Realm: A Mysterious Bond

    Eve guided Rio back to the wondrous realm, where she then arranged his path to the interior of the Empress Vi.

    With her spatial power, she seamlessly altered the scenery outside the barrier of her wonderous forest realm, transforming it into the luxurious furnishings and decor of Empress Vi''s familiar bedroom.

    As Rio stepped into Lia''s bedroom, he cast onest lingering nce at Eve, who had been with the boy in aiding him throughout his journey in the Death Realm. The barrier behind him closed as he took a step further into the room.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Rio finally felt at ease, back in his world, surrounded by his loving wives rather than the constant perils he had faced. His eyes swept the room, but it appeared to be empty.

    As soon as he stepped into the Empress Vi, his presence caught the attention of two girls from a distance.

    N, who was currently on Earth, immediately sensed Rio''s return, His presence had been previously hidden due to the Death Realm.

    Simrly, Lia, who had been attending a summit outside the city to discuss important matters rted to the Shamor Empire, also sensed Rio''s return.

    Upon discovering Rio''s presence, Lia''s face disyed a serene smile, while N''s expression radiated pure joy and cheerfulness.

    The white-haired beauty had been preupied with pressing matters outside the city when she felt his sudden presence, indicating Rio''s arrival at the Empress Vi.

    Without any dy, she excused herself from the important summit she was in and quickly informed her loyal subordinates that she had to leave immediately.

    "I have to go now. Something urgent hase up," she said, trying to keep her voice steady andposed as she made her way to the exit.

    Her loyal subordinates looked at her with concern and surprise, knowing how rare it was for Lia to leave in the middle of an important summit.

    Lia knew she couldn''t dy any longer. Her yearning for her husband was too deep, and she had to meet Rio as soon as possible.

    As she stepped out of the building, Lia took a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze on her face. She closed her eyes for a moment, and without wasting another second, she cast the [Astral Recall].

    ***

    While Lia was informing her subordinates about her sudden departure, N was engaged in a telepathic conversation with Rio.

    "Sweetie, I missed you so much!" N eximed in a cheerful and merry tone, "Wait for me, I''ll be there as soon as possible," she added with excitement, eager to be reunited with the boy.

    "Are you not participating in the international tournament? Has it already ended?" Rio asked in a calm tone.

    "Yeah, I''m in it, but who cares about some tournament when you''re back?" the girl spoke, her merry tone filled with delight at Rio''s return.

    "Has the top eight battle already ended?" he asked, wondering if he was runningte and had missed the opportunity to participate.

    "Not yet. It''s going to happen in a few hours, and I was on my way there. But as soon as I sensed your presence, I turned my car back towards the school because I can''t wait to see my darling again and give him a big kiss!" she said, her voice showing her eagerness to have her sweetie.

    "Wait for me there. I''ll be there soon," Rio said in a casual tone.

    After being dead for six months, today was the perfect day for his return to the human world, as he was set topete in the international tournament.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No... I don''t want to wait. I want to meet you right now." N said with a hint of reluctance and her voice filled with longing

    "I can''t wait to see you either, but I need to do something first. Please wait for me and don''t give up on the tournament," Rio tried to persuade N.

    With a reluctant sigh, the girl conceded to Rio''s request and agreed to wait for him.

    As she spun the wheel, the car''s tires screeched against the pavement with a piercing squeal, leaving a trail of rubber behind.

    *Vroom!!*

    The engine roared as the vehicle swiftly changed direction, vrooming toward the location where the top eight battle was set to unfold. The excitement of their reunion bubbled within her, even as she focused on the road ahead.

    As Rio finished talking to N, he was already aware of a new connection he sensed in his surroundings.

    While still in the conversation with the girl, he knew that attending to this new connection was crucial before anything else, so he asked N to wait for him.

    Along with the familiar bonds he shared with the three girls he was close to, there was an additional connection, one that was different from the rest. This connection felt simr to the bond he had with his beast souls - a powerful, almost unbreakable link thatpelled them to fulfill his orders ormands.

    Though he couldn''t quite identify the nature of this bond, it made him feel as if the person on the other end would have to heed his call and appear before him.

    Sensing that something wasn''t right, Rio left the Empress Vi and marched towards the castle, hoping that the situation wasn''t as dire as the uneasy feeling in his heart suggested.

    Standing before the door, Rio''s eyes narrowed. He channeled mana into his fist to enchant it and, with a swift, powerful punch, the sound of shattering metal filled the air as he broke the lock. The door groaned and creaked open, revealing a dimly lit hallway beyond.

    Without hesitation, he darted inside, his footsteps echoing on the cold stone floor. He followed the persistent, nagging sensation that led him to a specific room.

    He pushed open the door to the room, and his breath caught in his throat, revealing a sight that left him reeling in shock.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    While it could have been a good cliffhanger, many of you havealready guessed what it is since it was discussed previously.

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 Chapter 281 The Girl On The Bloodstained Bed

    There, on a bloodstained bed,y a blonde-haired girl, her face pale and her breaths shallow. Her unconscious form was a stark contrast to the crimson liquid that seeped from a wound on her plump chest, soaking her clothing and dyeing the sheets beneath her.

    The metallic scent of blood filled the room, causing Rio to scrunch his nose. He couldn''t tear his gaze away from the horrifying scene before him, as the sight of the girl''s life draining away tugged at his very core.

    With haste in his steps, Rio moved toward Helia, his heart beating faster. But before he could reach Helia, Eve appeared next to the bed, her eyes filled with urgency.

    Rio''s gaze shifted to Eve, silently demanding an exnation.

    The elven beauty hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering to the barely conscious girl on the bed, "I also just became aware of the situation as well."

    She murmured, her voiceced with concern, "Helia is teetering on the edge of death, consumed by self-me."

    Rio''s mind was clouded with confusion as he was wondering how all this happened and why it was rted to him.

    Previously, when he had entered the Empress Vi, he felt a new connection emanating from this very direction. The connection seemed to be in a dire state, and he couldn''t help but assume it was Helia.

    Because He had felt this mysterious but new connection towards Lioness just before being whisked away into the Death Realm, which caused him to hurry and reach here.

    Eve''s eyes were drawn to the ve mark on the blonde-haired girl''s chest, which seemed to grow darker and more menacing with each passing moment, "This is a ve mark, which is getting worse."

    She continued, her voice barely above a whisper, "and it''s pushing her closer and closer to the brink of death."

    "How can we save her?" The boy asked, hoping she would know a solution.

    Before Eve could say anything, the sound of hurried footsteps filled the room. Rio turned around to see Lia rushing in, her face filled with longing for him. But as her gaze moved to Helia lying on the bed, Lia''s expression quickly shifted to one of pain, terror, confusion, and sorrow.

    Rio could see the concern etched on her face as Lia moved towards Helia''s bed.

    "How could this have happened?" Lia''s voice trembled with concern, her confusion evident as she initially failed to recognize the stranger. However, upon noticing the girl''s pointy ears and orange-red hair, she made the connection to the monarch beast Rio had previously mentioned.

    "Oh, no worries, Your Highness. Let''s just take our time and chat about it over some tea while Helia lies there dying. I''m sure she won''t mind waiting a bit longer while we catch up on thetest gossip," Eve said, her voiceced with sarcasm and amusement.

    The boy coldly red at Eve''s sarcasticment and shook his head.

    Seeing this, Eve''s tone quickly shifted from yful to serious as she addressed Rio, "We need to bring her to the Wondrous Forest Realm. Hurry..."

    Rio nodded, stepping forward to gently cradle Helia in his arms, holding her as tenderly as one would hold a baby.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Lia''s heart ached with anguish as she looked upon her sister''s vulnerable state. Without wasting another moment, Eve opened a portal in the room''s wall. The trio entered, stepping into the wondrous forest realm.

    Although it was Lia''s first time in this magical ce, her concern for her beloved sister overshadowed any sense of wonder or surprise.

    Rio carefully observed Eve''s actions as she gestured for him to carry Helia closer to the pond where the Golden Lotus was situated.

    "Please,y her on the ground," the elven beauty instructed.

    As she spoke, her hand radiated a brilliant emerald light. A multitude of luminescent leaves appeared around them, shimmering with a translucent glow. The leaves gracefully drifted toward Helia, gently enveloping her in a leafy cocoon.

    As the spell took effect, a soothing, healing energy emanated from the cocoon, enveloping both Rio and Lia in its embrace.

    Initially, Lia had been hesitant to let Eve perform this unknown magic on her sister, but as she experienced theforting energy, she realized that this method was even more effective than her own abilities in helping to save Helia. Relieved, she allowed the process to continue, trusting in Eve''s intentions and the power of her spell.

    Eve''s voice, filled with a mixture of reassurance and concern, reached Rio and Lia, "This will provide her some temporary healing. However, once she regains consciousness, we''ll need to address the root cause of her condition."

    Lia''s eyes narrowed, her voice tinged with worry as she questioned, "What happened to her? How did she end up like this?" She looked at both Rio and Eve, seeking answers.

    Before Rio could utter a word, Eve interjected with a hint of sarcasm, her voice taking on a yful, yet serious tone. "Well, since we''ve only just returned, maybe you''d be the one to enlighten us. How did our dear Lioness end up in such a state? And might I add, why on earth was she living in the castle rather than the Empress Vi in her own room?"

    Her eyebrows raised in amusement, as she yfully tossed the question back to Lia, expecting her to have some insight into the situation.

    Upon hearing the question, a pang of guilt drowned Lia, causing her sadness to deepen. She recognized that her cold shoulder, coupled with N''s, had pushed Helia to a breaking point where she chose to keep everything a secret, not even seeking their help when she was on the brink of death.

    With a heavy heart, Lia exined everything that had transpired in the past six months, including Helia''s mistreatment of Rio and her subsequent plea for forgiveness. She admitted that both she and N had chosen to ignore Helia, waiting for Rio''s return to ultimately forgive her.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    The clock is ticking, and we only have 46 hours left until the judgment. Anything can happen in this short span of time.

    To keep up our trending rank, I have started posting three chapters a day. Your support can make all the difference, and even a small gifting contribution can help this book reach the top 25 originals this month.

    Let''s work together to achieve our goal and make this novel one of the best on Webnovel. Thank you for your continued support!

 Chapter 282 Eves Wise Words

    Lia''s voice trembled as she confessed that their cold treatment toward Helia was the root cause of her current condition. Their neglect had pushed the lioness to a breaking point, prompting her to choose a life of solitude within the castle, without seeking their help even when she was on the brink of death.

    She admitted that they had seen Helia from time to time, but they were unaware that she was in constant pain and had concealed it from them.

    Had Helia informed them about her suffering, both Lia and N would havee to her rescue.

    However, the poor blonde-haired girl chose to let the pain affect her as a form of self-punishment for her actions towards Rio, dying every second with the thought that she had killed him.

    Rio''s heart ached with sadness as he listened to his wifey''s words. He understood how Helia had been driven to this point, and he couldn''t help but feel partially responsible for the pain she had endured.

    Eve spoke softly to Lia, her words gentle yet firm, "You should have forgiven her. She had already endured enough punishment. Unlike you, blessed with a father''s love, unlike Rio, who finds family in his wives, and unlike N, who has Rio by her side, Helia only had you as her pir of support.

    The pain she felt, believing she had killed Rio and was a murderer, was already far greater than you can imagine. Rio chose to forgive her because he was kind to someone who was his Wifey''s beloved sister. If people continue to seek an eye for an eye, the whole world would be blind."

    Eve''s expression softened as she spoke to Lia. Her eyes shifted to the cocoon that was enveloping Helia, and she made a mental note to find a permanent solution for the ve mark that was slowly consuming the blonde-haired beauty.

    "How much time will it take for Lioness to wake up?" Rio asked his concern for Helia evident in his voice.

    "A few hours should be enough but you should leave for the international tournament, or you''ll bete," Eve said in a vibrant tone, knowing how crucial the tournament was for Rio and that he was running out of time.

    "Shouldn''t I stay here to help?" Rio hesitated, worried about the difficulty ofter moving them to the Empress Vi.

    Eve, sensing his concerns, sought to reassure him and lighten his burden so he could focus on the tournament, "I''ll move Helia to her bedroom once the healing isplete. You can rest assured that she''ll be well taken care of."

    Rio nodded and turned to Lia, who was feeling guilty about Helia''s condition. Even though he felt bad for Lioness, he didn''t n on ming Lia, N, or Helia herself. He understood that each of them acted based on their emotions and morals. The boy hoped that their bond wouldn''t be affected by this incident.

    As Rio approached Lia, he could see that her concern for her sister was apparent. He gazed into her eyes and, unable to hold back any longer, Lia threw herself into his arms.

    She had missed him dearly during their months apart, but now she also soughtfort and sce in his embrace, weighed down by her guilt over how she had treated Helia.

    Locked in a tender embrace, Rio and Lia listened to the steady rhythm of each other''s heartbeats. Their warm breaths mingled as they drewfort from the closeness. Gradually, Lia''s spirits lifted, and a sense of relief washed over her.

    After several minutes, Lia gently pulled away and took out a mask from her spatial storage beast soul.

    "N asked me to give this to you," she spoke, holding it out for Rio to take.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Recognizing the mask from his time in the virtual reality battle arena, a gentle smile bloomed on his face.

    p¦Á§ád¦Á`no¦Í?1`§ão§® Lia said to him in a tender voice, "Husband, today is the day of the tournament. You shouldn''t miss it."

    Rio nodded in agreement, hugging her one final time before stepping away and departing the wondrous forest realm for the international tournament.

    ***

    As she listened intently to the entire story, Helia came to understand how she had mistakenly believed that Rio was dead and how they had saved her when she was on the verge of death in her room at the castle.

    Relief washed over her, knowing that he was alive, and she harbored no resentment towards Rio, Lia, or N for not telling her sooner. In her heart, she believed she deserved that uncertainty.

    The girl spoke with a solemn expression, "You should punish me for hating you all this time and how I treated you in the past," she said, her voice filled with begging and guilt.

    Rio''s gaze softened, and he replied, "I can understand why you felt that way, given that your hatred stemmed from the loss of your brother at the hands of humans."

    "That''s not true..." Helia knew that the story she had been told since childhood about humans being responsible for her brother''s death was a lie, crafted to prevent her from doubting her own n.

    As she spoke, Rio and Lia both had a confused look as they furrowed their brows, unsure of what the blonde-haired girl was trying to say.

    With a mixture of pain and sorrow in her voice, Helia shared the conversation she had with Leon on the Ind of Dead Souls with Rio and Lia, "Big brother revealed something I could never have imagined. He told me that it wasn''t the humans who killed him... It was our own people, our own n."

    Rio''s expression shifted to one of surprise upon hearing the revtion, while Lia''s eyes widened in astonishment as the truth unfolded before her. Although she had never ced much trust in others, learning of the betrayal from the very n where Leon and Helia was born was a piece of ground-shaking news.

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 Chapter 283 The Quarter-Finals Begin

    Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "He said it was a conspiracy, a dark plot by the Rainheart n and others to keep their secrets hidden. They were working together, secretly plotting against the Shamor Empire. When Big Brother discovered some evidence that could expose them, they decided to eliminate him, making it look like he was killed by humans."

    As Helia shared the shocking revtions, Rio and Lia exchanged astonished nces, their expressions reflecting the disbelief they felt upon hearing the truth.

    Helia paused, trying to contain her emotions, "I couldn''t believe it. All these years, I''ve harbored hatred towards humans, ming them for big brother Leon''s death. But the truth was, it was our own people who had betrayed us."

    She took a deep breath before continuing, "Big Brother also told me that they poisoned Mother and Uncle. The great ns, except for the Mistde n and Spirit Heart Sect, were all involved in his death. They sent their most skilled experts after him when he went to retrieve medicine for Mother."

    Lia''s fists clenched tightly, her anger simmering as she struggled to process the cruel betrayal her brother Leon had suffered.

    Sensing her distress, Rio gently ced his hand on her shoulder, offeringfort in the face of such heartrending revtions.

    Helia continued to recount how Leon was on the brink of death, a blue-haireddy fought the enemies to buy him time to open a glyph teleportation portal to see his little sister onest time.

    The blonde-haired beauty''s eyes filled with tears as the weight of speaking the truth bore down on her. Even now it was hard for her to believe that the people she had trusted and respected had caused so much pain and suffering, including the loss of her own brother. All the years of animosity towards humans now seemed so pointless.

    Helia''s voice trembled as she admitted her guilt and regret for mistreating Rio, all based on her misguided beliefs.

    Beside her, Lia listened in shock and disbelief, surprised at the extent of betrayal within the empire and the countless people who conspired against the royal family.

    Helia had understood that her misced hatred had driven her to push away someone who genuinely cared for her, and she couldn''t help but feel remorse for her past actions.

    As they were engulfed in sadness, Rio offered his silent support to Helia and Lia, knowing that words alone could notfort them.

    He understood that he needed to be stronger to face the numerous enemies that awaited them in the future.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1~§ão§® After some time, N joined them and learned the truth as well. She forgave Helia for her past mistakes andmented that Helia had endured her suffering all alone for so long.

    The following morning, they shared a meal together for the first time in six months. Although Helia had not yet fully recovered, she was able to join them at the dining table with the help of her sisters.

    Despite the lingering pain from the betrayals and the knowledge of uing battles and enemies, they tookfort in one another''spany and looked ahead to the challenges they would face together.

    As the sun began to set and the sky started to darken, N and Rio prepared for the day ahead on Earth, as it would be morning there. They knew that the quarter-finals of the international tournament were about to start, and if they wanted to make it to the semi-finals, they had to be at their very best.

    They made their way to the grand stadium in White-Bridge City, where the atmosphere was filled with thrill and excitement. The audience was buzzing with anticipation, eagerly awaiting the start of the quarter-finals. The battle arena was set up, and it was clear that no expense had been spared to make it a grand spectacle.

    As the crowd settled into their seats, therge screen lit up, disying the top four contestants for the quarter-final matches. Every eye in the stadium was fixed on the screen, and there was a noticeable tension in the air as they waited to see who would be fighting whom.

    The names of the contestants appeared on the screen, and three out of the four were children of the Seven Silver Sword family. The audience held their breath, knowing that this was going to be an intense and thrilling match.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As the names rotated on the screen, N''s heart began to race, wondering who her opponent would be.

    The screen eventually came to a halt, revealing N Mailon versus Rio Havenglow and Lily Havenglow versus George Garcia.

    A look of disbelief and shock washed over N''s face as she realized that she would be facing off against her beloved sweetie in the uing match.

    As the crowd buzzed with excitement, N felt a pang of nervousness and sadness, knowing that only one of them could move on to the semifinals. The thought of having to fight Rio, who was too precious for her, made her heart heavy with emotion.

    The murmurs and whispers from the audience grew louder as the news of the childhood sweethearts, which were rumors, battling each other spread throughout the stadium. Everyone was wondering how the match would unfold and which of the two would emerge victorious.

    N''s thoughts were in turmoil, torn between her love for Rio and the uing battle. She was anxious about how everyone would react when she faced Rio in the arena, and she wondered what she should do.

    As countless thoughts raced through her mind, an air of uncertainty loomed, leaving the oue of their encounter hanging in the bnce...

    Meanwhile, Rio faced a simr dilemma, contemting the possibility of forfeiting the battle instead of fighting N and risking harm to her.

    As the clock ticked down, both their fates remained uncertain, and the tension continued to build.

    What would happen when the two lovers finally faced each other in the arena?

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Any guess who will win?

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 Chapter 284 A Champions Heart: Rios Unwillingness To Surrender

    The atmosphere in the arena buzzed with excitement as N and Rio, both wearing their face veil and mask, walked toward the center. The earth beneath their feet vibrated from the stomping and cheering of the audience, the air thick with thrill.

    The duo stood facing each other, only twenty meters apart, their loving gazes locked, and the tension in the air nearly tangible as the murmur of the crowd grew louder.

    The referee was about to arrive tomence their battle when N unexpectedly broke the silence.

    "I want to forfeit the battle," she dered, her voice echoing through the arena. A hush fell over the crowd, their astonishment evident.

    p¦Á§ád¦Á`no¦Í?1`§ão§® Rio had been considering the same course of action, but the magenta-haired beauty beat him to it. Caught off guard, he looked at her with a hint of coldness, but she just offered him a warm, sweet smile.

    Her love for Rio remained evergreen as if she saw him as her old crush, the one she had been head over heels in love with despite being married. Even now, she was still hopelessly infatuated with him.

    N continued, her loving gaze fixed on the boy, "I am no match for Rio, and I want him to win in the final and bring victory for me." With her words resonating in the air, she turned and walked out of the battle arena, her steps steady and resolve.

    She didn''t feel any regret about forfeiting the battle for her man. In fact, it brought her happiness to see him win. She knew that it was more important to support him in his journey to the top rather than fight against him in front of the audience to prove her worth in the international tournament.

    To her, victory in the international tournament was nothingpared to the love she had for Rio.

    The sudden development left the audience in a state of shock, struggling to process what had just happened. The once-exciting atmosphere in the arena was now reced with a wave of disbelief and bewilderment, as everyone tried to make sense of N''s unexpected decision to forfeit the battle.

    Although they were aware that Rio had reached the final, the audience had been eager to witness the battle between the two teammates and rumored lovers who had made history together at the National Military School Tournament, even breaking Lily Havenglow''s record.

    As the next round of the tournament began, the audience''s excitement was still noticeable, but there was a sense of disappointment that the expected battle between N and Rio wouldn''t take ce.

    Nheless, they were eager to have a glimpse of their Goddess Lily, the world-renowned champion, back in the arena even if she didn''t fight today.

    The following battlemenced with Lily Havenglow, veiled and ready topete, facing off against George Garcia.

    However, since Lily was widely known to be a preordained contender in the final, it had been arranged that anyone who fought her would forfeit on their own ord, acknowledging they stood no chance against her.

    This gesture was not only to show respect for Lily and the Havenglow family but also to ensure that she would not be fatigued or sustain any injuries prior to the final. Everyone wanted her to be in the best possible condition for the final battle, where she would confront a formidable opponent sent by the Dhovrix race.

    George Garcia''s respectful voice echoed in the audience as he said, "I ept defeat, and wish for our Beautiful Goddess Lily Havenglow to reach the final."

    The girl knew all too well that her quarter-final opponent was likely to forfeit the match, as others who had faced her did. She disliked winning without a fight and preferred facing her opponents head-on.

    She turned around and walked away from the audience, but couldn''t shake the feeling of a stronger gaze upon her, causing her to turn back and look.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As she nced back, her heart skipped a beat as her eyes met a pair of sea-green eyes. She knew they would be facing each other in the semi-finals the next day, and she silently hoped that he wouldn''t forfeit like the others, but instead, choose to fight her.

    After the quarter-finals ended and the two semi-finalists exited the stadium, they were immediately swarmed by reporters and camera crews from various news channels.

    One reporter asked Rio, "Is it true that you and N are childhood sweethearts?"

    He replied, "No, we aren''t childhood sweethearts."

    Another reporter inquired, "Will you also forfeit tomorrow in the semi-finals?"

    Rio narrowed his eyes at the reporter, asking, "Why would I do that?"

    "The government has arranged for Lily Havenglow to be in top condition for the final battle, which is just two days away," exined the reporter, insinuating that Rio should also forfeit tomorrow and support the government''s n.

    "Let her prove herself in the arena. If she defeats me, she''ll deserve to move on to the finals. However, I won''t give her victory without a fight," Rio replied in a calm tone.

    As he responded, the atmosphere around him turned sour, with disapproving looks from the crowd and murmurs of ill words. It was clear that his statement did not sit well with them.

    A voice from the crowd chimed in, "Aren''t you being selfish and ungrateful to the Havenglow family for adopting someone like you off the streets? You should support their true heir by forfeiting in the semi-finals tomorrow."

    As everyone turned to identify the source of the voice, they found no one there. The person had already blended back into the crowd, likely fearing repercussions from Aliyah Havenglow.

    "I don''t know who you are, but if the true heir is worthy, then she should be able to defeat Rio and not beg him to ept defeat," N''s fierce voice resounded as she grew increasingly irritated by the barrage of questions.

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 Chapter 285 The Battle That Would Change Everything

    She grasped Rio''s wrist and pulled him away from the reporters, leaving the crowd stunned and speechless.

    Others might have been afraid to make such bold statements, but N didn''t care. She was neither afraid of the Havenglow family nor the world, and she hadplete confidence in Rio''s strength.

    As the boy returned to the Land of Asura and the Empress Vi, Helia gave him a new battle art technique that she believed would be beneficial for his uing fight against Lily.

    Since Rio didn''t have any ck-stage battle art techniques, he was delighted to acquire this new skill.

    In the solitude of the battle arena, he diligently practiced the battle art technique, resolute to be well-prepared for his match against Lily the next day.

    Meanwhile, In the human world, the news of Rio''s encounter with the reporters spread rapidly, igniting a storm of controversy and heated debate.

    People everywhere discussed the situation, painting Rio as ungrateful, arrogant, and selfish for daring to challenge Lily. Their beloved "goddess" was being disrespected by someone they saw as an adopted upstart, someone far younger than her and less worthy of admiration.

    Rio''s reputation plummeted as public opinion turned against him. The hatred directed at him reached new heights, as people started burning his posters in a show of vehement protest, indignant at what they perceived to be his insult towards their cherished Goddess Lily.

    ***

    The day of the semi-finals had arrived, and the atmosphere in the battle arena was electric, filled with so much fervor.

    Rio and Lily, two children of the strongest Havenglow family, walked toward the center of the arena, ready to face off against each other.

    Numerous high-ranking officials and influential figures filled the audience, eagerly awaiting the start of the battle. The crowd was three times its usual size, making the semi-final match feel more like the grand finale.

    The entire human world was buzzing with anticipation, excited to witness the sh between the two talented members of the Havenglow family who never ceased to astonish them.

    Yet, amidst the excitement, there were those in the audience who booed Rio, their disdain for him evident after his recent arrogant statement and defiance of expectations.

    In the Dhovrix country, people gathered around television screens, tuning in to watch the broadcast of the semi-finals. They were curious about the young boy who had defied the government''s wishes and insisted on challenging Lily Havenglow, the prodigy who was preordained to represent humanity in the finals.

    As Rio stood in the arena, facing Lily, their gazes locked. Memories of his conversation with Second Mother surfaced in his mind, causing him to hesitate and adding ayer of emotional turmoil to the battle that was about to begin.

    He couldn''t shake the information that Second Mother had told him, leaving him dumbstruck and uncertain.

    An hour ago...

    As Rio and N prepared to leave their apartment, Rio nced at his phone and noticed numerous missed calls from Second Mother. As he continued to stare at the screen, his phone rang once more, and he hastily answered the call.

    After a few questions and answers, an emotional conversation ensued between the boy and Second Mother, her voiceden with concern, "Rio, your grandfather has asked me to ry his message to you. He wishes for you to forfeit the battle against Lily," she spoke softly, her worry evident in her tone.

    Rio''s heart ached at her request, but he couldn''t bring himself to ept it. The idea that he should forfeit the battle for the sake of their true heir, Lily, simply because he was adopted, left a bitter taste in his mouth.

    "I''m sorry, but I cannot do that. I have to fight." His voice remained calm as he spoke, but inwardly, his respect for the Havenglow family began to wane.

    She persisted, her tone trembling, "Please, child, consider not fighting her. Even I wish you shouldn''t fight her. It''s not right for the two of you to battle like this."

    Her voice carried a concealed anguish that Rio couldn''t understand. She alone knew a secret she had yet to reveal to him, awaiting the right moment. But Rio''s decision to challenge Lily had onlyplicated matters further.

    His resolve remained firm as he replied, "N forfeited her battle for me, and I want to get the victory for her. I have to refuse your request."

    Aliyah hesitated and took a deep breath before speaking in an enigmatic tone, "There is a reason why I don''t want you to fight her, my child... There''s something important you should know, little Rio," she said with a voice full of motherly love and concern, as she didn''t want them to fight and harm each other.

    At her words, Rio''s expression furrowed, sensing that something significant was about to be revealed.

    "Lily is the girl you were meant to marry. Your Mother had promised that her unborn child--that is, you--would take care of Lily in the future. You two were supposed to be married when you grew up."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Rio''s eyes widened in disbelief, struggling toprehend the earth-shattering revtion.

    After that, Second Mother ended the call before suggesting that Rio should carefully consider his decision regarding the uing battle with his prearranged future wife, whom he was supposed to marry because of his mother''s promise.

    As Rio stared at Lily, twenty meters away from him in the battle arena, his mind raced with a thousand questions. His Second Mother''s revtion had hit him hard, and he struggled toprehend the weight of his mother''s promise.

    How could he marry Lily and fulfill his mother''s wish when he was already married to Lia and N?

    Would Lia be willing to ept Lily, and would Lily ept Lia?

    How would he reveal that his wife was the Asura Empress?

    A knot formed in his stomach as he thought about the aftermath of the battle. He hoped that they wouldn''t harm each other and ruin any chance of a future bonding. The stakes were high, and the oue of this battle could change everything.

    He could hear the cheers of the excited crowd, eager to witness the sh between the two most talented members of the Havenglow family and the pride of humanity, filling the atmosphere with fervor.

    Little did the audience or anyone know that the battle about to begin would be the catalyst for a shocking turn of events that would change everything...

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    So, in the second chapter that I published today, we left off with Rio about to face off against N, and that was a pretty good cliffhanger, right?

    Well, I thought to myself, "How can I make this even better?"

    So, I came up with the ending we have now.

    But, I want to know what you guys think! Did you like the first cliffhanger or this one better?

    Let me know in thements!

    .

    .

    .

    A dozen hours remained. If we can maintain our trending ranking for another 20 hours, the book will enter the top 25 in the original ranking.

    I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to paul_coy, Ayce_o_Spade, Battling_Dragon, ThePurplePacman, and Ian_8757 for their unwavering support of this novel. Their generous gifts over the past few days have helped the novel maintain its trending rank among other top books.

    I also want to extend my sincerest appreciation to all those who read the novel every day. Your support and encouragement are truly invaluable. May God bless us all...

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 Chapter 286 Lily VS Rio: The Fight Of The Century

    Several minutes ago...

    Out of everyone who hade to support Lily Havenglow, there were only two people openly supporting Rio ¨C Rose, and N.

    Rose had alsoe to watch the match, sitting with her older sister and cheering for her beloved big brother. She held up a sign that read, ''Go Big Brother Rio!'' and smiled cheekily.

    Lily couldn''t help butment on her sister''s quick change of loyalty, "You switched sides so fast, my dear sister," she said yfully, her tone lighthearted.

    Rose responded in a casual tone, "Well, I did promise Big brother that he would be my favorite forever, and besides, he has proven himself to be quite the hero!"

    Lily continued her banter with Rose, feigning hurt, "I can''t believe you''ve betrayed me like this, Rose!" she eximed, trying to keep a straight face.

    The young girl spoke with a soft smile, "You know, Sister Lily, what you, Grandfather, Mother, and the whole Havenglow family couldn''t do in a few weeks, Big Brother Rio managed to do in just one day! So, of course, Big Brother Rio is the best! Although I love you dearly, I''ll support him today since he has no one else by his side."

    Rose was hinting at the fact that despite the Havenglow family''s best efforts, along with the help of the strongest experts in the human world, they were unable to find and rescue her.

    Yet, Rio had aplished this seemingly impossible task within a single day or perhaps even a few hours after returning from the dead.

    As a result, her respect for this boy, whom she had previously disliked, soared to new heights, akin to a towering mountain.

    Lily''s eyes widened with surprise upon learning that Rio had been the one to save Rose. She quickly nced around to find him and noticed that he was already looking in their direction. As usual, he was wearing the same mask he had donned throughout the tournament.

    When the boy entered the stadium, his gaze searched for a particr girl in the crowd. He finally spotted her, sitting with Rose.

    Noticing the two girls, he couldn''t help but smile upon seeing Lily talking with Rose, who was holding a sign bearing his name. The yful annoyance on Lily''s face was quite evident.

    Despite the many questions running through his mind regarding Lily and their future, a smile still managed to bloom on his face, sparked by Rose''s actions.

    As the boy was called out to the battle arena, he took steady steps forward, his shoulders squared and head held high.

    The murmurs of the audience grew louder, their cruel words reaching his ears. "How dare he insult our goddess, Lily Havenglow, by challenging her like this!" someone sneered.

    Another voice chimed in, "He''s so ungrateful! The Havenglow family took him in and made him strong, and this is how he repays them?"

    The whispers and jeers continued to swirl around him like a storm, yet they failed to sting him or dampen his spirit.

    Rio maintained hisposure, focusing his attention on the task at hand. He drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly, and let the malicious words slide off him like water on ss.

    As he stepped into the arena and faced Lily, his calm gaze met hers.

    *Thump!!*

    *Thump!!*

    *Thump!!*

    Despite his unwavering resolve, he could feel his heartbeat quickening, each thump resonating loudly within his chest, making him ufortable.

    ''What is this happening? Is she some kind of witch or something?''<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Inwardly, Rio cursed Lily with a mix of humor and bitterness, suspecting that she must be using some underhanded technique to affect him like this.

    The atmosphere in the arena grew tense, with fervor hanging heavy in the air. The audience''s taunts and jeers faded away, leaving only the sound of Rio''s racing heartbeat and the electric energy that crackled between him and Lily.

    The referee took center stage, raising his hand to signal the beginning of the battle.

    With a booming voice, he counted down, "Three... two... one..."

    The referee uttered the final number and emphatically dered, "Begin!" The intense confrontation between Rio and Lily erupted, a battle destined to create a sensation and leave asting impact on all who witnessed it.

    As soon as the referee''s countdown reached its end, Lily sprang into action without wasting a single second, her sword materializing in her grasp, and rushed to meet him head-on...

    In response, Rio summoned his Silver-Bloom King sword, his fingers wrapping tightly around the hilt.

    Although he wielded a ck stage beast soul, which he upgraded with the help of Lia for the tournament, he enhanced its strength with his mana enchantment, allowing him to go toe-to-toe with her red-stage sword.

    Their swords shed with a relentless force, the sharp metallic sounds resonating throughout the arena, as sparks flew from the meeting of their sharp des.

    *ng!* *ng* *ng*

    The two Havenglow children engaged in a fierce exchange, their weapons striking each other with great force, pushing them several meters apart with each impact.

    Both Rio and Lily felt their hands grow numb with each sh, yet they continued to battle, carefully avoiding any serious harm to one another. Their minds were filled with Aliyah''s words, a reminder that they were not allowed to harm each other too seriously.

    To the surprise of the audience, this adopted child of the Havenglow family proved to be equally matched with Lily, despite their initial expectations and desires for him to withdraw so that Lily could be in better condition for her match against the contender from the Dhovrix race tomorrow.

    ''Ah... How is he managing to fight against me with a ck stage beast soul and still able to push me back?''

    Lily was shocked as Rio was battling her with a ck stage silver-bloom king sword against her red stage weapon.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Thank you, everyone, for supporting this novel, which has now achieved a rank in the top 25 original novels on WebNovel after only three months since being contracted.

    I have just posted a new chapter, and I will continue to write and edit more to post another, so stay tuned for updates.

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 Chapter 287 Lily VS Rio: A Mesmerizing Dance Of Blades

    As she fought Rio in the arena, she alone noticed the low-tier beast soul he was using, a detail that escaped the attention of the high-ranking officials and members of the seven Silver Sword families.

    The resonating harmony of shing swords filled the air for several minutes, their fierce battle transforming into an exquisite disy of punches and kicks. With each well-executed strike, their movements wove together, creating a mesmerizing dance that seemed to transcend the mortal realm.

    Like two ethereal immortals engaged in a celestial duel, their fluid motions were imbued with an innate harmony and elegance that belied the ferocity of theirbat.

    As their enthralling performance unfolded, the spectators were held captive by the poetic beauty of their struggle. The arena itself seemed to be a grand stage, where the twobatants danced a captivating pas de deux that left the onlookers gasping in awe and admiration.

    The power of their unknown connection was undeniable, a disy of the depth of their predestined bond that shone brightly even in the midst of their fierce battle.

    Meanwhile, Rose looked on with a joyous smile, her eyes sparkling as she watched the mesmerizing dance unfold.

    Engrossed in their intense battle, Rio and Lily failed to witness the mesmerizing spectacle that unfolded around them. Their synchronized movements and powerful shes seemed to have been blessed by the heavens, creating an awe-inspiring disy that captivated the audience.

    Despite their enthralling performance, Lily and Rio continued to fight relentlessly, leaving no gaps in their exchanges.

    *nk!* *nk!* *nk!*

    As the battle dragged on, frustration began to simmer within Lily. She possessed other beast souls that her grandfather had gifted her, powerful enough to defeat Rio in a single strike.

    However, she was forbidden to use them against him due to her mother Aliyah''s deep affection for the boy¡ªan affection that the girl suspected exceeded even that which she held for her own daughters, Rose and Lily.

    She couldn''t fathom why her mother was so insistent on her marrying Rio, but she remained steadfast in her refusal. She had defiantly dered that she would rather leave the Havenglow family than be forced into marriage with him.

    Aliyah, eventually conceding to Lily''s stubborn heart, chose to leave the matter to fate instead to force it on her beloved daughter.

    Nheless, Second mother still informed Rio of the situation caused by his own mother''s promise, considering that they were soon to face each other in battle.

    The battle raged on for half an hour, the continuous shing of their swords gradually taking its toll on their bodies.

    As their hands grew numb from the non-stop impacts, they noticed bruises forming on their own palms, a bewildering consequence of their aggressive exchanges. It was as if their attempts to harm each other only resulted in their own weapons inflicting damage upon themselves.

    With a determined glint in her eyes, Lily murmured to herself, "I can''t let this go on any longer... If I can''t even defeat him, how am I supposed to achieve my ultimate goal?"

    Finally, the girl decided to abandon the raw force that had been used in their duel so far, opting instead to employ her battle art techniques and various spells to bring the fight to a swift conclusion.

    She understood that prolonging the battle any further served no purpose and was resolute to end it as efficiently as possible.

    Rio noticed that after theirtest sh of swords, Lily was reeling back, creating distance between them.

    His brows furrowed, and he couldn''t help but wonder what tricks this sly vixen had up her sleeve. She had already used some mysterious method to make his heart race, and even his [Heart Sutra] had failed to protect him from her hidden magic.

    "Eve, what underhanded method is she using? Is there no way to counter this?" Rio asked in a bitter tone, feeling his racing heartbeat impair his ability to battle and put him at a disadvantage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "There is... But I won''t tell you," came the teasing reply from the elven beauty within his mind. Rio couldn''t help but wonder if she was exacting some sort of revenge for a past offense by him.

    As Lily created distance between them, she prepared to unleash her first battle art technique, "Whirlpool Tempest."

    Water gathered around her, swirling and churning, rapidly growing into a massive vortex. The vortex surged forward, barreling towards Rio, who recognized its destructive potential and the threat it posed.

    He didn''t waste any time, swiftly changing direction to dodge the iing vortex. But to his surprise, several more vortexes emerged, one after another. The Whirlpool Tempest had turned into a relentless barrage of water, seemingly intent on overwhelming him.

    Despite the odds, Rio managed to evade the vortexes with fine precision. He channeled the power of lightning to enchant himself with thunder, transforming himself into a blue streak that zipped around the battlefield. Using his "Heaven''s Eyes," he analyzed the movements of the vortexes and narrowly avoided each one.

    However, Lily was not one to be outdone. As Rio focused on dodging the vortexes, she skillfully maneuvered to trap him from the other side.

    ''Oh... Shit...''

    Caught off guard, Rio found himself directly in the path of a vortex. With no time to react, he braced himself as the powerful whirlpool struck him, sending him reeling from the impact.

    As the Whirlpool Tempest struck Rio, the sensation of being hit by a colossal boulder overwhelmed him. His armor protected him from any outward physical damage, but the internal impact was undeniable.

    His body wasunched into the air as the Whirlpool Tempests crashed into him. He felt the impact ripple through his entire body, causing him to grit his teeth in pain.

    As he tumbled across the ground, he could feel the cuts and scrapes forming on his skin. The pain was too much, but he refused to let it defeat him.

    He forced himself toe to a halt, using the strength he had to steady himself. The bitterness he felt was evident on his face, however, his attention was soon drawn to more Whirlpool Tempests hurtling his way,unched by the sly vixen.

    With the looming threating in his direction, the question remained: would he be able to dodge them in time, or was this the end for him?

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Who do you think will emerge victorious in this battle?

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 Chapter 288 Lily VS Rio: The Roar Of The Thunderous Lion

    Gasping for breath and battered from the previous assault, Rio''s eyes locked onto the iing Whirlpool Tempests. He knew that if he didn''t act quickly, he would be overwhelmed by their destructive force.

    Despite his exhaustion, he summoned thest remnants of his energy to evade the iing whirlpool vortexes that threatened to engulf him.

    In the blink of an eye, Rio''s entire form was enveloped in a crackling blue thunder. The energy that surrounded him seemed to electrify the very air, causing the hairs of the onlookers to stand on end. The buzzing sound of the thunder was almost deafening, adding to the intensity of the moment.

    Just as the vortexes closed in, he vanished from his former position, leaving only a lingering echo of his presence apanied by the sshing sound of the water vortexes.

    Like a bolt of lightning, Rio shot across the battlefield, the electric aura around him leaving a trail of blue sparks in his wake. The buzzing thunder and the sshing water vortexes created a cacophony of sound that further heightened the tension and excitement among the spectators.

    His focus was solely on Lily, the distance between them rapidly decreasing as he surged forward, determined to shift the momentum and regain control of the fight.

    As he drew closer to her, Lily hovered her palm in his direction with a focused expression on her face. Channeling her mana, she invoked another battle art technique, the powerful [Hydra''s Fury], determined to confront the boy''s advance.

    The arena was filled with heavy tension as Lily unleashed her battle art technique. A colossal hydra, its body formed entirely of ice, emerged from the freezing mist, its sinuous form writhing with power.

    *Roar!*

    With each bone-chilling roar, the air itself seemed to freeze, and the ground beneath the hydra transformed into a frostbittenndscape, a trail of ice left in its wake.

    Despite the intimidating sight, Rio''s resolve burned brightly, propelling him to charge toward the girl.

    However, as he glimpsed the massive hydra hurtling towards him, his instincts screamed for him to change his path, attempting to sidestep the impending danger.

    The boy thought that the icy creature would merely pass by, but his heart sank as he realized the truth. The hydra was not a simple, mindless construct; it was as if the beast had a mind of its own, continuously tracking him down and changing its course to match his every evasive maneuver.

    The enormous icy beast roared with a chilling fury, its frosty breath crackling with freezing energy as it chased Rio across the battlefield. The ground beneath the hydra transformed into a frozen wastnd, the ice spreading like an infectious disease, consuming everything in its path.

    Rio''s heart pounded like a bass drum, the rapid beat reverberating throughout his entire body. His instincts screamed for him to dodge the oing danger. He leaped to the left, narrowly avoiding the icy hydra. As hended, he darted to the right, his muscles straining with the effort to avoid the icy behemoth.

    But the creature was unrelenting, its massive icy form seemingly bent on capturing the boy within its frigid embrace. It reached out with a life of its own, snaking through the battle arena like a living thing, intent on wrapping around the boy and crushing him in its icy grip.

    Rio continued to dance around the battle arena, his movements graceful and fluid despite his exhaustion. He twisted and turned, his body seemed to always manage to stay just out of reach of the icy hydra.

    Despite his efforts, the creature''s relentless pursuit was wearing him down. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his lungs burning with the effort to keep moving. His muscles ached, every movement causing him to grit his teeth against the pain.

    If the hydra were to collide with Rio, it would shatter into a storm of razor-sharp ice shards, wreaking unimaginable havoc on his body. With that knowledge weighing heavily on his mind, the boy mustered all his strength to avoid the continuous pursuit of the icy behemoth.

    Rio urgently inquired in his mind, "How can she possess a dual elemental affinity like me?"

    Eve''s response came swiftly, "She doesn''t have a dual elemental affinity. I believe her innate talent allows her to freeze the water. Didn''t you notice that when the hydra materialized, it was initially made of water, not ice?"

    Although Rio now understood the nature of Lily''s ability, he knew he needed to fabricate a n quickly, or he would face a certain defeat.

    The boy dashed across the battle arena, enchanting his body with thunder one more time, a streak of lightning racing to its farthest edge.

    The audience watched with amusement, as the boy seemed to flee from the non-stop pursuit of the icy hydra like a cornered rat. Theirughter rang out, echoing through the air as they ridiculed his apparent cowardice.

    "Look at him! What a pathetic disy!" one spectator jeered, shaking his head in disbelief.

    "Is this really the best he can do? He''s nothingpared to our Goddess Lily!" another chimed in, her voice filled with admiration for the young girl.

    A third joined in, smirking as he taunted, "The so-called ''record breaker'' is nothing but a coward, running away with his tail between his legs!"

    As the mockery continued, praises for Lily grew louder, further emphasizing the stark contrast between her seemingly effortless control over the battle and Rio''s desperate attempts to evade the icy hydra.

    It seemed as though Rio''s fate was sealed, cornered, and helpless before the might of the Hydra.

    Yet, as the icy beast closed in on him, a mere hundred meters away, Rio abruptly pivoted on his heel. His eyes zed with determination, and he surged forward, streaking directly toward the imposing beast.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Theughter of the crowd began to falter, reced by an atmosphere of heightened suspense, as they realized that Rio''s actions might not have been as foolish as they initially believed.

    As he turned around to go towards the hydra, the boy activated his battle art technique, [Thunderous Roar of the Ancient Lion].

    A vibrant aura of lightning danced around Rio, crackling with intense energy. As it grew, the visage of a fierce, ancient lion spirit emerged, seamlessly merging with his form.

    *Roar!!!*

    The atmosphere trembled under the weight of a thunderous roar that reverberated across the battlefield, a primal call announcing theirbined might.

    To the astonished onlookers, it seemed as though a ferocious lion made of pure lightning bolted towards the icy hydra, its gargantuan paws pounding on the ground with the unrelenting force of a thunderp.

    As Rio and the ancient lion spirit surged forward, they seemed to be a formidable force to be reckoned with.

    *Roar!!!*

    The lion''s earth-shattering roar unleashed a devastating shockwave, resolute in its intent to obliterate the frosty leviathan blocking their path.

    With the Silver-Bloom King sword held high and the ancient thunder lion spirit crackling around him, Rio charged headlong towards the icy hydra.

    The sh that ensued was nothing short of awe-inspiring. To the onlookers, it seemed as though the ferocious thunder lion was relentlessly hammering the hydra with its colossal paws, effortlessly overpowering the cial beast with a disy of raw, unyielding power.

    The spectators gazed in wonder as the thunder lion appeared to relentlessly beat the once-formidable hydra. Rio''s ancient battle art technique had the icy beast struggling to maintain its ground.

    As the thunder lion''s shockwaves shed with the hydra, a spectacr tempest of ice and energy burst forth. Shards of ice, born from the continuous damage sustained by the hydra, shattered and hurtled through the air like lethal projectiles. The intensity of the fierce confrontation caused Lily to stagger backward, desperately trying to evade the deadly barrage.

    Despite her fast reaction speed, she couldn''t avoid every icicle. Several managed to pierce her body, leaving a trail of wounds across her once unblemished form. Even her face veil, which had previously concealed her features, now bore the marks of minor shes from the relentless assault.

    Upon witnessing this turn of events, Lily''s face darkened. She had never imagined that her icy hydra would be so easily overwhelmed by the boy''s skill.

    And why should it not be? After all, Rio had been gifted this ancient battle art technique by Helia, far surpassing the one Lily had received from the human world.

    The realization dawned on her and the girl understood that she had underestimated Rio up until now. She decided it was time to use her trump card, even though her mother Aliyah had warned her against it.

    As the icy hydra crumbled beneath the unrelenting onught of Rio''s ancient thunder lion, Lily''s hands sped together in desperation.

    A tempest began to swirl around her, apanied by a chilling aura that enveloped her entire being. The growing intensity of the storm caused her clothes to flutter wildly, her face veil to dance in the gusts, and her hair whipped around her face like a frenzied serpent.

    Rio''s focus shifted from the copsing icy hydra, which dissolved into a mist, to the sly vixen who nowmanded his full attention. The sight of her standing in the midst of the raging storm, her figure shrouded by her billowing attire, only served to heighten the sense of danger that he felt emanating from her next nned attack.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Unfortunately, I was unable to fulfill my words of posting two chapters at reset as I had announced earlier. I was unwell yesterday (and even while writing this), which prevented me frompleting the task in time.

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 Chapter 289 Lily VS Rio: The Final Confrontation

    He could see that Lily was preparing to unleash another battle art technique, but something deep within him sensed danger from this new skill.

    An ominous premonition gripped him, much stronger than the one he had felt for the icy hydra, urging him to stop her at all costs. With no time to waste, he charged toward her at incredible speed.

    However, as Rio closed the distance, he suddenly found himself unable to advance any further. It was as if an invisible barrier had formed between them, preventing him from reaching Lily and thwarting her impending attack. The force seemed to grow stronger, pushing him back and filling him with dread as the storm around Lily continued to intensify.

    Eve''s voice resounded in his mind, "Partner, you can''t touch her while she''s casting her battle art technique. You should use this time to prepare your own attack while hers is still in the early stages of formation."

    Rio could sense the impending danger, and with no other choice, he halted his movement. He spread his arms wide, a radiant blue sphere taking shape in his palm.

    He understood that if she unleashed her powerful battle art technique, he could suffer severe injuries, but he remained undeterred.

    Unbeknownst to him, Lily''s determination to win the battle at all costs, even if it meant defying her own mother and harming him, was driven by her desire not to disappoint her grandfather.

    As the tension mounted, Rio resolved to face Lily''s ferocity head-on. If she was determined to go all out, he would not hold back either.

    The atmosphere buzzed with perceptible suspense as the duo readied themselves to release their ultimate attacks in a decisive showdown.

    Time seemed to crawl as Rio''s blue sphere remained small, while in front of Lily, an icy dragon began to take shape. The storm around her grew increasingly powerful, its biting chill reaching the audience as their clothes fluttered in the gusts of frigid air.

    Sensing the potential danger, government officials quickly ordered the civilians to move further back in their seats and stand behind a designated line. A group of experts stepped forward, prepared to cast an additional protectiveyer to shield the spectators from the storm raging around Lily.

    The authorities had predicted beforehand that such urrences might happen and ensured that skilled experts were on hand to provide protection in case of unexpected developments during the battle.

    As the protective barrier solidified around the stadium, shielding the spectators from the effects of Lily''s raging storm, their eyes were drawn to Rio.

    He stood calmly before her, his expression betraying no fear of what was toe. Though his face remainedposed, he was clearly aware that this final sh would determine the victor of their battle, leaving no room for further confrontation.

    While the storm continued to intensify, the icy dragon growing to a massive twenty-five meters in size, Rio''s blue sphere remained small.

    *Howl!!!*

    The colossal dragon howled its icy breath a chilling harbinger of its intent to engulf himpletely. Despite the imminent threat, Rio held his ground, preparing for the final moment that would soon be upon them.

    As Lily and Rio prepared for their final confrontation, the disparity in their mana reserves became apparent.

    While Lily possessed a staggering ten thousand mana at the red stage, Rio had only four thousand at the ck stage, a feat made possible through the gift of the phantom he had acquired from the purple stage monarch beast.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Despite her seemingly vast supply of mana, Lily had consumed a significant portion of it casting numerous whirlpool tempests and employing her Hydra''s Frozen Fury.

    As shepleted the summoning of the icy dragon, her posture sagged and her breathing seemed to be slowed, signaling the exhaustion that weighed heavily upon her. The depleted mana took a toll on her concealed face beneath the veil, with the once vibrant aura now diminished. Despite the veil obscuring her features, her weakened state was evident to those observing her.

    By the time she appeared to have exhausted her mana, Rio had charged his [Overload Destroyer] with [Obliteration of Heaven] using thunder energy, consuming nearly eighty percent of his own mana reserves.

    In the decisive moment before their attacks shed, Lily''s gaze met his sea-green eyes, and he was struck by the desperation he saw within them. It was as if she was driven by an unrelenting need to prove something to someone. Despite this revtion, the boy remained resolute, his own determination unwavering.

    *Howl!!!*

    As the colossal dragon bellowed its fearsome howl one more time, the spectators within the protective barrier trembled, feeling as though the icy beast''s attack could im their lives.

    A shiver ran down their spines, a sensation shared by even the highest-ranking government officials present. The thick tension in the air left everyone holding their breath, anticipating the oue of this climactic confrontation.

    Whispers of concern spread among the higher officials as they debated whether they should intervene and save the boy from Lily''s devastating attack. Yet, they knew the duo belonged to the same house and believed that she wouldn''t take his life.

    As Lily finally unleashed her icy dragon, sending it hurtling toward Rio, he also released his blue sphere in response.

    His [Vanishing Strike] made the blue sphere seemingly disappear from his palm, only to reappear directly in the path of the massive icy dragon.

    When the massive icy dragon traveled toward the boy, it felt as though the world wasing to an end. The ground trembled beneath the spectators'' feet, and the air was filled with the sound of their terrified screams.

    The civilians who hade to witness the battle were too frightened to watch as the colossal dragon was approaching Rio, its icy breath sending chills down everyone''s spines.

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 Chapter 290 Lily VS Rio: Love at First Sight

    Chapter 290 Lily VS Rio: Love at First Sight

    Everyone thought the boy was foolish to use such a tiny sphere against this massive dragon, however, as the two forces collided head-on, an immense shockwave erupted from the point of impact.

    The [Heaven''s Destroyer], previously a mere palm-sized blue sphere, rapidly expanded, its buzzing energy overwhelming the terrifying icy dragon.

    In mere seconds, the once menacing dragon was swallowed up by the pulsating, crackling sphere, leaving the audience in a state of astonished disbelief.

    The resulting shockwave was colossal, causing the protectiveyer around the stadium to tremble and spiderweb cracks to emerge on its surface. More experts stepped forward to cast additional protective spells, strengthening the barrier to withstand the intense energy unleashed by the sh of powers.

    The sheer force of the collision reverberated through the arena, leaving the onlookers'' jaws agape and their hearts pounding in their chests.

    In that very instant, as the small sphere devoured the massive dragon, the spectators knew with absolute certainty that Rio''s attack was not a foolish act after all and that Lily would be unable to withstand the power of his attack, which they previously believed was insufficient to defeat her icy dragon.

    As the shockwavebined with the storm, a terrifying hurricane formed, as if nature itself had intervened in the sh of powers.

    The fierce winds swept through the arena, violently propelling Lily backward. Her clothes fluttered wildly behind her, and her face veil was ripped away, revealing her facial features to the astonished audience.

    In the brief moment before the blue sphere expanded and threatened to unleash its destructive explosion, Rio caught a glimpse of Lily''s unveiled face.

    Time seemed to stand still as his heart skipped a beat. The memory of love, at first sight, flooded his mind, and he felt as if he had fallen for her at that very moment. The foolish boy swore to God that he had never seen a girl as beautiful as her in his life.

    Behind his mask, a tender smile graced his lips, and in an instant, he disappeared from his position, reappearing directly in front of Lily. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, shielding her from the impending st.

    As Rio held Lily tightly in his arms, their eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. The girl''s gaze was filled with confusion as she tried to understand the boy''s foolish actions, while his eyes were filled with love and adoration for her.

    As their heartbeats synchronized, Lily could feel her own pulse-quickening, racing like a wild, untamed river within her chest. The sound of her pounding heart filled her ears, drowning out the cacophony of destruction around them.

    At that moment, the chaos and turmoil of the battle seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them. The warmth of Rio''s touch and the safety of his embrace enveloped Lily, providing her with an unexpected sense of peace amidst the storm that raged outside their shared haven.

    Although words may take a while to recount this sequence of events, in reality, it all unfolded in the merest fraction of a second.

    As the [Heaven''s Destroyer] reached its breaking point, it suddenly detonated, unleashing a brilliant blue light that expanded rapidly, engulfing a staggering two-hundred-meter radius.

    *Boooooooooooooom!!!!!!*

    The deafening boom echoed throughout the arena, apanied by the overwhelming force of the explosion that threatened to shatter the protectiveyer encasing the spectators.

    In that instant, the arena was transformed into a maelstrom of destruction. Debris flew in every direction, propelled by the sheer power of the st. Fragments of stone and shattered ice hurtled through the air, adding to the chaos and confusion that gripped the spectators.

    Stunned by the terrifying power and the ear-splitting sound, the people in the audience could hardlyprehend the events unfolding before them.

    As they strained their eyes to make sense of the chaos, their vision was obscured by a thick cloud of dust and smoke billowing from the epicenter of the st, leaving them in suspense as to the fate of the duo.

    As the cloud of dust continued to block their view, N, her heart filled with fear and desperation, began pounding the barrier with all her might, yearning to race into the arena and save the boy. But the protectiveyer was no easy task to break, and her efforts proved futile.

    A gloomy aura enveloped everyone as the fate of the duo remained unknown. The government members feared the wrath of the Havenglow family if something were to happen to either of the two young warriors.

    Gradually, as the cloud of dust began to dissipate, a figure emerged through the haze.

    A boy, covered in blood, stood defiantly in the center of the arena. His upper clothing was torn apart, and his back was severely burnt. His mask once meant to conceal his facial identity, now bore numerous cracks, threatening to crumble and fall apart at any moment.

    However, behind him, the burnt and withered vines bore witness to their stubborn attempt to protect him from the devastation, lessening the impact of the explosion.

    His gift of the phantom armor had been shattered by the explosion, but it seemed he had seeded in protecting Lily within his embrace.

    As Lily gently pulled away from Rio, their eyes locked, and she found herself irresistibly captivated by the depth of emotion in his gaze.

    Despite being severely injured by the very attack he had unleashed, his eyes held a steady, unwavering affection that seemed to defy the pain he must be feeling.

    Her heart raced as she searched for answers in his gaze, struggling toprehend his actions.

    Why, she wondered, had he saved her when she had been so intent on inflicting grievous harm upon him to win this tournament?

    How could he still look at her with such tenderness and love when they were, by all means, opponents in this battle?

    Questions swirled in her mind, each one more baffling than thest. These thoughts not only puzzled Lily and the audience but also left readers perplexed, as they too were caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events and Rio''s seemingly foolish actions.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    * I would have spent more time perfecting this chapter to provide a better reading experience if I were in better condition.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 291 Lily VS Rio: Eyes Meet, Hearts Beat

    Chapter 291 Lily VS Rio: Eyes Meet, Hearts Beat

    As the girl observed him effortlessly overpower her hydra using his ancient Lion battle art technique, she couldn''t shake the feeling that she would be defeated if she didn''t employ her most powerful move.

    ''I must do this.''

    With a serene sigh, Lily sped her hands together, preparing to unleash her icy dragon. She knew this was the key to securing her victory.

    The massive, twenty-five-meter-long creature surged forward, a fearsome howl tearing through the air as it made its way toward Rio.

    She felt bad for the boy, for she knew the sheer power of her battle art technique could gravely injure him. But deep down, she understood she had no choice; she had to win this battle, even if it meant defying her own mother and harming Rio.

    As the colossal dragon barreled towards the boy, she caught sight of the small, blue sphere in his hand.

    ''Can his small attack truly withstand the force of Ice Dragon''s Rage technique? I need to be prepared to stop my battle art technique when I''m sure of his defeat, to ensure he doesn''t lose his life.''

    She found it difficult toprehend how such a seemingly small strike could counter the immense power of her icy dragon.

    But as the two forces collided, a shockwave of immense power erupted, swallowing up her ice dragon and leaving Lily stunned, Her eyes widened, and she felt a momentary pang of fear.

    The girl knew she would be severely injured by this attack and resigned herself to leaving her fate in the hands of the heavens.

    However, in that split second, she saw the boy vanish from his position, only to reappear directly in front of her. She could hardly believe what she was witnessing; Rio had managed to counter her attack and was now putting himself in harm''s way to protect her from the impending explosion.

    ''Is he an idiot???''

    Her heart raced as he wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from the st. Their eyes locked, and she was captivated by the affection and adoration she saw in his gaze. It was a look she could notprehend, especially given that they were opponents in the heat of battle.

    As the [Heaven''s Destroyer] detonated, the girl felt the shockwave reverberating through her body, but Rio''s embrace provided her with an unexpected sense of safety andfort. The chaos of the battle seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them, locked in a world of their own.

    As the dust settled and the debris cleared, Lily found herself standing in the devastated arena, as she separated from Rio.

    The girl looked at him, she saw his mask cracked, ready to crumble and reveal his face. Her heart raced her emotions a whirlwind of confusion, concern, and something else she couldn''t quite identify.

    Why had he saved her when she had tried to injure him so severely?

    Why was he looking at her with such affection when they were supposed to be enemies?

    These questions swirled in her mind, and she couldn''t shake the feeling that there was something deeper at y, something that connected them beyond the arena and the battle they had just fought.

    She found herself irresistibly captivated by the depth of emotion in his gaze. However, soon her attention was drawn to a small detail ¨C his sea-green irises.

    As her eyes started to tear up for no reason, she silently mumbled to herself, "These eyes..."

    A mixture of fear and bliss stirred within her, causing her heart to tremble. As she pieced together his eyes, name, and age, she realized that everything seemed to align with her growing suspicion. His foolish actions only further confirmed her thoughts.

    Her eyes welled up with more tears as she stared at him.

    Suddenly, his mask disintegrated, revealing his bloodied face. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips, yet the sight of him only made her heart swell with emotion.

    Tears streamed down her face uncontrobly as she reached out to gently cradle his cheeks in her hands, her voice filled with love and longing, softly murmuring, "Rio... My Rio..."

    With a tender, foolish smile, the boy lost himself in her loving gaze, their eyes locking in a shared moment of overwhelming emotion brimming with intense love.

    As the girl gazed into Rio''s eyes, her heart swelled with emotions too strong to contain.

    An irresistible force drew her closer, and she found herself standing on her tiptoes, her lips reaching for his forehead. The tender press of her lips against his skin was a loving caress, a gentle manifestation of their rekindled connection.

    From his forehead, her lips traced a path to his eyes, bestowing another delicate kiss upon each eyelid, as if to soothe away the pain of their long separation. Lastly, her lips found his cheeks, the soft pressure conveying her joy and relief at their reunion.

    Throughout this tender exchange, her tears flowed uncontrobly, a shimmering cascade reflecting the overwhelming emotions surging within her. Her actions were imbued with a sense of urgency, as though she feared their precious moment would be all too fleeting.

    Rio, his eyes glistening with the unshed tears of his own, raised a hand to her cheek, his fingertips gently brushing away the damp trails left by her tears. His touch was as tender as a whisper, a delicate balm to her overflowing emotions.

    In response to her loving gestures, Rio leaned in, his own heart filled with longing. With tender care, he pressed his lips to her forehead, bestowing a gentle kiss that spoke of his deep yearning and affection for her.

    At that moment, their love and yearning for each other seemed to fill the very air around them, as if announcing to everyone the depths of their bond and the intensity of their craving for each other''s touch.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 292 The Universes Mysterious Workings of Love: A Magical Moment of Bliss

    Chapter 292 The Universe''s Mysterious Workings of Love: A Magical Moment of Bliss

    The audience stood in stunned silence, witnessing the unexpected development. As the cloud of dust dissipated, they saw Lily tenderly kissing Rio''s face, her concern and tears evident. Their intimacy suggested a deep bond, akin to that of lovers.

    N, too, was dazed by the scene unfolding before her, yet something clicked in her mind, and a soft smile blossomed on her lips.

    Verdant leaves, seemingly born from the very air itself, began to gracefully swirl around the boy''s back. Like a tender, living tapestry, they enveloped his wounded form, weaving themselves over the burnt skin. As they made contact, a faint, soothing glow emanated from each leaf, and Rio''s injuries began to heal at an astonishing pace.

    Earlier, when the attack had detonated, Eve had been prepared to protect them both, no matter how the situation unfolded. Just as the explosion threatened to engulf the pair and harm her beloved boy, numerous strong vines emerged from the ground, shielding them from the brunt of the st. Although the girl couldn''t ensure theirplete safety, her efforts had been enough to save them both.

    Meanwhile, oblivious to the international broadcast and the countless eyes upon them, including the country of Dhovrix race, who watched the live telecast with astonishment, the couple only had eyes for each other.

    Was this meant to be a romantic show or a tournament?

    However, the audience''s shock only intensified as the scene unfolded.

    Gradually, Rio''s hands tenderly found their way to Lily''s slender waist, gently drawing her closer to him. Their eyes locked, conveying a depth of emotion that words could never express.

    In that instant, their lips met in a delicate, affectionate embrace, setting their hearts aze with a fire that burned brightly within their very souls.

    Rio savored the familiar sensation, a treasured memory of his first kiss, etched deeply within the core of his being.

    As their lips intertwined in a loving dance of warmth and serenity, they both became enveloped in an all-consuming tide of bliss. This magical moment seemed to transport them to another realm, where only they existed, lost in each other''s embrace.

    Their kiss was evidence of their unspoken love, a connection that bridged the chasm between two souls. In that momentary instant, their hearts melded together, resonating with the same passionate intensity, and bing one unified force of boundless affection.

    As the world around them appeared to fade into oblivion, they remained engrossed in their tender exchange, immersed in the shared closeness that revealed the profound depths of their connection.

    Time itself seemed to pause, surrendering to the power of their loving embrace, allowing them to lose themselves in the warmth and sce of each other''s arms.

    In this suspended moment, they found sanctuary, a haven where the outside world ceased to exist, and only their love mattered.

    As they kissed, a cascade of emotions swelled within them, washing over their hearts like a tidal wave of love and longing. Glistening tears welled up in their eyes, threatening to spill over as they continued to explore the depths of one another''s souls. They continued to share their warmth and sweetness, along with the salty taste of the tears that they tasted on each other''s lips.

    In this moment of pure, unadulterated bliss, the two lovers felt as if they were standing at the very edge of eternity, their hearts brimming with the kind of joy that could onlye from the union of two souls destined to be together.

    The heavens above seemed to smile upon them, bestowing upon them a sense ofpleteness and fulfillment that surpassed even their wildest dreams.

    In each other''s embrace, they found sce and an answer to their yearning, their love a beacon of hope and happiness in a world that often seemed filled with darkness and despair.

    Deep down, they knew this moment marked one of the happiest times of their lives. Overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, they felt as if the higher beings above had blessed them with everything their hearts could ever desire.

    Locked in each other''s embrace, the girl couldn''t help but marvel at the mysterious forces of the universe that had brought them here, for she couldn''tprehend how her Rio was the same Rio who had broken her own record.

    Didn''t her grandfather seal his memories and innate talent?

    Why would he allow Aliyah Havenglow to adopt him when the old man hated him?

    Questions swirled in her mind, but she didn''t want to address them just yet. Her longing for the boy was too intense, and all she wanted was to drink in the sight of him and quench her thirst, her yearning for him overwhelming her.

    Rio felt the same, though one question lingered in his mind, "Didn''t she say she was adopted? Wasn''t her name La?"

    Yet, for now, they chose to set their questions aside, lost in the love and connection they shared in that unforgettable moment.

    As the couple remained lost in their tender embrace, their loving kiss a manifestation of the yearning in their hearts, the referee''s voice intruded upon their moment, "I must remind you that this match is being broadcasted live, and I must ask that you continue the fight."

    Though the duo heard the referee''s words, they seemed to exist in a world of their own, unaffected by the reminder. The referee, feeling helpless, could only watch as their sweet connection continued to unfold.

    After another minute, the couple finally broke their kiss.

    Lily''s mana-enchanted voice turned to the referee and dered, "I ept defeat..."

    Her words echoed throughout the arena, giving the already astonished audience yet another reason for their disbelief. They knew that if Rio hadn''t saved the girl, she would have undoubtedly lost, and the same oue would have urred.

    However, for her to step forward and willingly ept defeat was an entirely new concept that they had never considered.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    * Read this again, and it will make more sense: "The memory of love, at first sight, flooded his mind, and he felt as if he had fallen for her at that very moment."

    * Your questions are wee in thement box (except for spoilers; I will answer everything).

    * I have one more request: please don''t mention this chapter and La''s arrival in the Novel''s Official Discord Server, except for the Spoiler-Priv channel (you can gain ess to this channel by mentioning me in any channel).

    ________________________________

 Chapter 293 Blindfolded Surprise

    Chapter 293 Blindfolded Surprise

    The audience gazed on in stunned awe as Lily''s fingers tenderly entwined with Rio''s, their eyes brimming with affection. They silentlymunicated with each other in a way that didn''t require telepathy or a proper conversation; they could just read each other''s thoughts by looking into one another''s eyes.

    With a gentle tug, the reunited couple disappeared from the arena, leaving the onlookers to their thoughts and spections. It became apparent that they sought a private space, away from prying eyes.

    Lily, who once had a good motive for winning, found her priorities shifted as she found the boy who had been the crucial reason behind her ultimate goal.

    With Rio by her side, she felt as though she had regained her heaven again. What more could she desire now that she had found her heart''s true home?

    N watched the scene with a supportive gaze as Rio and La left the stadium together.

    Meanwhile, Rose appeared surprised by the ongoing events. She had heard from her mother about the ns for her sister Lily to marry Rio, but Rose also knew that Lily had been reluctant to ept the arrangement.

    The little imp understood very well that her older sister had feelings for someone else. As everything unfolded before her, Rose began to piece together the possibility that Rio might be the very person her older sister had secretly cherished.

    As these events unfolded, the inte became divided into two factions: one supporting Rio and N''s story, and the other favoring Rio and Lily''s tale.

    Discussions revolved around how Rio had been the childhood sweetheart of both girls and how they had grown up together before tragedy caused their separation.

    then look at La with puzzlement.

    Although some of these stories contained a grain of truth, most were merely gossip created to entertain the public and fuel spection.

    Watching everything on TV, Aliyah felt joyous for her children. She hadn''t expected such a reaction from Lily and Rio uponing face to face, but she could see that their bond ran deeper than she initially believed.

    Aliyah even suspected that the two of them might have been secretly dating behind her back, although she couldn''t be certain. Second Mother also began to doubt whether Lily had known Rio even before she had adopted him, but this remained a mere guess.

    The happenings in the outside world held little significance for the lovebirds of our story. At that moment, they were preupied with one another.

    La skillfully drove the car through the streets, her serene face focused on the road ahead, while Rio couldn''t help but gaze at her, savoring the sight he had missed for almost a year.

    Finally, La brought the car to a stop in front of a familiar-looking triplex building.

    As the engine quieted, she turned to the boy, her soft smile lighting up her tranquil face. "Do you remember this ce?" she asked.

    Rio''s gaze shifted from her to the building, his eyes glinting with surprise as recognition dawned on him.

    This was the very building he had once rented and lived in before being adopted into the Havenglow family. Overwhelmed by surprise and nostalgia, he could only stare at the structure before him and then look at La with puzzlement.

    The girl gracefully stepped out of the car and walked around to Rio''s side, opening the door for him.

    She gently took his hand, urging him to join her outside. "We need to go inside, Rio," she said, her voice filled with affection that could be felt with every word.

    Rio didn''t show any resistance as they intertwined their arms, walking towards the building like a couple.

    La''s heart brimmed with happiness, and she couldn''t help but steal nces at the boy, only to find him gazing at her just as intently.

    Hand in hand, they ascended to the second floor, their hearts synchronized in a dance of love and their souls entwined as though fate had woven them together in an eternal bond.

    Arriving at a familiar door on the second floor, La pulled out a small key card and input a six-digit code into the door''s electronic lock. With a quiet beep, the door unlocked, revealing the room beyond.

    Together, Rio and La crossed the door''s threshold, entering the space that held memories of their shared past.

    As Rio''s gaze swept across the space, he was struck by how everything appeared to be in the same ce as it had been when he lived there. A sense of familiarity andfort washed over him, warming his heart.

    However, as his eyes continued to roam, he noticed something new: a personal portal capsule nestled in the corner of the room. This addition seemed to be an upgrade from the one he had in his own ce at the Golden Seal military school''s apartment, its sleek design hinting at its superior manufacture.

    Drawn to curiosity, he went to further explore the room, Rio wandered into the bedroom. To his amazement, the same bed and bedsheet greeted him, just as he had left it. It was as if time had stood still, preserving this space just for them.

    Turning around, his eyesnded on the familiar cupboard. He walked towards it, curiosity guiding his steps. Pulling the doors open, he found his old clothes neatly folded and impably maintained.

    But as his gaze shifted, he noticed something unexpected: on the other half of the cupboard, there were girls'' clothes.

    The sight of the feminine garments intermingled with his own belongings stirred a mixture of emotions within him, hinting at something that he didn''t expect.

    As he turned to La, his eyes brimming with questions, he asked, "Have you been living here?"

    "We''ll get to thatter, my precious" La replied, her tone gentle yet mysterious. "There''s something important we need to do first." She beckoned him to follow her to the hall.

    "Sit down there, Rio" she motioned to the blue couch, and the boy obliged without hesitation.

    He watched as La retrieved a ck scarf from the cupboard and approached him, intending to blindfold him.

    "Hey, are you nning to handcuff me too?" Rio teased, recalling simr scenes from movies where lovers shared intimate moments.

    "Maybe I should?" La retorted yfully, a glint of mischief in her eyes.

    Rio focused intently, trying to discern La''s movements as everything was ck after getting blindfolded. He heard her move towards the kitchen, the sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing, and the rustle of something being retrieved.

    Her footsteps drew near, stopping directly in front of him. He could sense her holding her breath as she ced something on the table before him.

    "Alright, you can take off the blindfold now," La announced, her serene voice filled with love.

    "What is it?" Rio inquired, curiosity piqued, as he removed the scarf from his eyes. His eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sight before him.

    A tender, a love-filled voice resonated beside him as she said, "Happy Birthday, Rio."

    In a twist of fate or perhaps a mere coincidence, the day they had been torn apart was on Rio''s sixteenth birthday.

    Now, as if Heaven itself conspired to reunite them, they found each other once more on the very same day, his seventeenth birthday.

    That one year apart, though filled with amnesia, heartache, and longing, had transformed Rio''s life entirely.

    It had allowed him to grow and evolve in ways he had never imagined. He couldn''t help but wonder if he would have experienced the same growth and development had their lives not taken such an unexpected turn.

    Should he express gratitude to the heavens for the opportunity to meet Lia, or should he curse the gods for separating him from La? Would Lia have perished if he hadn''t married her?

    Rio found himself grappling with these questions, unable to discern the answers. However, one thing was clear to him at this moment: oftentimes, life''s twists and turns lead to a destiny far grander than we could ever imagine.

    As he heard La''s heartfelt birthday wish, Rio''s heart filled with warmth.

    He gently pulled her into hisp and asked softly, "How did you even have a cake with you?"

    La replied with a gentle, heartfelt tone, "Do I need to be physically with my love to celebrate his birthday? Even if we had never met again, I would have celebrated your birthday every year as if it were my own... I was prepared to wait for you, embracing our love for all eternity. But, by some miraculous grace, the higher powers allowed me to be with you on this special day, just as we have cherished these moments together in the past few years."

    Hearing her answer, Rio was deeply moved. La had bought the cake in the morning, nning to celebrate his birthday alone after finishing the day''s battle. However, fate intervened, and they were able to celebrate it together.

    Rio''s eyes sparkled invitingly as he asked La to join him in blowing out the single candle that flickered at the center of the cake.

    As they both leaned in, their warm breaths mingled, extinguishing the candle''s me together.

    Next, Rio picked up the small knife thaty beside the table, his hand outstretched, waiting for La to ce her delicate fingers upon it. Side by side, their hands united, they cut the cake as one.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    This was the n all along, as you can see from the ARC/Volume name, "Happy Birthday."

    ________________________________

 Chapter 294 A Slice Of Cake And A Sweet Kiss

    Rio carefully lifted the first slice, presenting it to La with a soft smile. She hesitated for a moment before taking a small, tentative bite, her eyes never leaving his.

    As she moved to offer him a slice of cake, the boy didn''t take it, causing her to furrow her brow. But she soon found out why he did it asRio leaned in, the distance between them gradually diminished, until their breaths mingled, warm and inviting.

    His eyes conveyed a tenderness that spoke volumes, and La''s heart tickled with bliss. Gently, his lips met hers, delicately brushing against them as if to tease her with the sweetness of their shared cake.

    He deepened the kiss slowly, savoring every sensation as he captured the remaining morsel from her lips, taking his time to enjoy the bonding they shared. The taste of the cake mingled with the taste of La, creating a unique and unforgettable vor that etched itself into his memory.

    A soft sigh of contentment escaped La, her eyes gleaming with unspoken emotions that flickered across her gaze. The moment seemed to stretch into eternity, enveloping them in a profoundly intimate connection that transcended words.

    After having the cake and the sweet kiss, La and Rio savored the warmth of their embrace, their arms entwined and their hearts beating in unison.

    For a while, they simply basked in thefort of each other''s presence before allowing their conversation to gently resume.

    Rio inquired about how everything had remained in its ce and how La had obtained the keys to unlock the electric lock of his old apartment.

    "After Grandfather sealed your memories, I stayed in the Land of Asura for a month so he wouldn''t suspect me... But after that, I couldn''t bear it any longer and came looking for you. There were no clues left behind, and when I arrived at this apartment, you were nowhere to be found.

    After a month had passed, the owner contacted me about the rent since the apartment had been vacant for two months. I realized this ce still held a special connection to you, so I decided to buy the entire building and move in to live here.

    Whenever I came back, I returned to your room, finding sce in my Rio''s lingering presence. I slept on the bed that carried your scent and looked at the cupboards filled with your clothes... These small reminders of you were the only things that brought me happiness when we were apart.

    I didn''t stay at the Havenglow Vi much, so Rose would oftenin about why I don''te back home..." La narrated her story with a tender, loving tone, revealing how everything had remained in ce as she used it as his memento.

    It turned out that after Rio had left, she had lived here. She hadn''t been able to find him because he never returned to this ce after that incident. It wasn''t as he had thought; she had actuallye back to find him, but he was no longer there.

    "Why did you want to win the tournament so desperately, even if it meant injuring someone so gravely?" Rio asked calmly.

    "When Grandfather did that to you, I resolved to surpass him in the future and be strong enough so no one could harm you again... If I couldn''t even defeat a boy younger than me in an international tournament, how would I be able to defeat Grandfather in the future?

    I worked hard so that one day I could protect you, and he wouldn''t be able to separate us... If I had found you, I would''ve brought you to the Land of Asura, where we could''ve lived together without worrying about him..." La replied with a loving tone.

    "But my memories were sealed, how would you have convinced me that we had a past together and that my memories were sealed?" Rio asked, amused.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We could always create new memories, silly. I would''ve be your girlfriend again, even if you didn''t remember me..." La said tenderly, pinching his nose.

    "What if I already had a wife by the time you found me?" Rio inquired.

    "Though it pains me to share you with anyone, if that is what destiny has nned for us, I would gracefully ept it. But..." La paused, deep in thought.

    "But?" Rio asked, curious about what she meant.

    "But I would make it known to your wife that you are mine and I am your first wife. She would need my blessing," La replied, her tone a blend of yfulness and authority, her love for Rio shining through every word.

    He chuckled and raised an eyebrow, amused by her deration, "Wait a second... When did we get married?" he teased her, a yful glint in his eye.

    "My precious, Do you really think our souls need man-made rituals to be called husband and wife? Those were only for society to recognize us as a couple, but we already acted like husband and wife before the incident on your sixteenth birthday...

    Moreover, Mom wanted me to marry you because our parents had decided we would be married in the future when I was only a child and you weren''t even born yet so that also makes me your first wife..." La dered confidently, her voice filled with affection.

    The boy still didn''t know how his parents and La''s parents knew each other; the truth about his parents remained a mystery to him, as his second mother had yet to reveal it. He had nned to ask her, but when she disclosed the information about Lily and his mother''s promise, he was too stunned to inquire further.

    If the heavens had chosen Rio to protect Lia and change her future, it seemed as if La was his own predestined destiny.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 295 My Wife Is The Asura Empress

    The girl continued, "How did your memories get unsealed? I thought I wouldn''t be able to undo them unless I forcefully made Grandfather do that..." La''s tone turned slightly cold as she spoke the second part.

    Rio had received answers to his questions one after another, but he was still reluctant to reveal what she needed to know the most.

    "I''m afraid to tell you the truth," Rio hesitated.

    "Are you worried that I will leave?" La inquired.

    "Not that... I know you cannot leave me... I just don''t want to hurt you with the truth," Rio admitted.

    "So, is it N?" La had already heard the rumors, so she assumed it must be about her that Rio was hesitating to share.

    Just now, they had a discussion about him having a wife, so she connected the dots and came to a conclusion.

    "She is one of them," Rio replied with a forced smile.

    La''s eyes widened at his words. She had thought the rumors were false and that there was no such thing in reality. However, she had never imagined that there was not just one girl, but more than one involved.

    She left hisp and sat beside him on the couch, deep in thought. Her face lost its glow slightly upon hearing this, as she considered how she would have to share him with others.

    Rio felt a pang of pain upon seeing the faint sadness in her eyes, which she tried to hide, but he knew how she was truly feeling as he saw how she withdrew from hisp.

    In the end, he decided to tell her the whole truth.

    Taking a deep breath, he spoke, "When I first went to the Land of Asura, I was transported to the Asura Castle. There, I met the Emperor of the Asuras, who asked me to marry his beloved daughter."

    La''s tone turned sharp as she spoke, "Rio, now is not the time for jokes. Please tell me, what is it?." She was not in the mood for yful banter and needed to hear the truth from him.

    The girl''s emotions swirled within her as the thought of sharing the boy with others weighed heavily on her heart.

    It wasn''t even her doing that they had been separated, and sharing your most cherished person with someone else was a burden no one would willingly shoulder. Her love for him was immense, but she was also a human with feelings, making it natural for her to experience sadness.

    Unlike Lia, who had grown ustomed to polygamy due to her cultural upbringing, La struggled with the concept. Even Lia, despite her familiarity with polygamous rtionships, still felt the sting of bitterness when it came to sharing Rio with another woman, even if that woman was her own sister, Helia.

    "Sorry, La, but I''m not lying. My wife is the Asura Empress, and she''s aware of you and our past... So, knowing this, can you still ept me for who I am now?" Rio asked sincerely, his eyes seeking understanding as he shared what she had initially believed to be a joke.

    La''s mouth hung open as she gazed at his face, still thinking he was just joking and might admit he was lying. But as she continued to look at him, it didn''t seem like he was lying.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Sharing one''s own partner with someone else required immense courage, and she couldn''te to ept it so easily. Rio could see all the conflicting emotions in her eyes. But the person she had to share him with was the Empress of their enemy''s race.

    However, as she kept thinking and waiting, a fear began to haunt her.

    "Wouldn''t the whole human racee after you, Rio, if they find out?" La asked.

    "Asura race is very powerful, even if theye after me they would only lose... Moreover, Lia is strong enough to kick your grandfather''s ass, and thanks to her blood, I was able to break the beast soul seal he ced on me..." Rio confessed.

    La was dumbstruck upon hearing all of this. Her heart was filled with various conflicts as she pondered it all.

    As they were talking and La was struggling with her emotions, a voice resounded in their minds, "La, I''m Eve, Rio''s partner... Just think of it from this perspective...

    If Rio had never met the Empress, he wouldn''t have had the chance to unseal his memories, nor would he have met you today at the tournament or been able to defeat you. The boy in front of you is only at the ck stage; the reason he is so strong is his wife, Lia...

    So, you should focus on the positive aspects of how her presence helped you meet him again. Just imagine if he were weaker; he might have been killed by all the people who wanted him dead.

    Keep in mind that his being transported to the Asura was also a fabricated n by someone among you humans, but I diverted his destination to his destiny..."

    Now it was Rio''s turn to be taken aback. He learned that someone among the humans had wanted him dead and had tampered with his teleportation capsule, intending to send him to the Asuras to be captured.

    He hadn''t known that someone else was behind it, and Eve had kept this information from him. However, she decided to reveal it to La in hopes of easing her burden.

    La was equally astonished upon discovering that Rio was only at the ck stage since she had lost to him even while at the peak of the red stage. But the revtion that someone from the human side had orchestrated his transportation to the Asura realm was another shock for her.

    She felt certain it couldn''t have been her grandfather because if he had known, he wouldn''t have allowed her mother to adopt Rio. So who could be targeting Rio''s life?

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 296 How Many Women Do You Have, Exactly?

    They had grown up together in their teenage, and she knew he was an orphan. She couldn''t fathom who could be after him, and this revtion left her wondering and concerned.

    However, she was also surprised when a girl''s voice suddenly echoed in her mind. Yet, it was not something strange to her, as she had experienced something simr in the past, where someone hadmunicated with her telepathically.

    Turning to Rio, she inquired about the elven girl, "Is she also one of your women?"

    Seeing the girl narrowed her eyes at him, Rio could only respond with a bittersweet smile. "Eve hasn''t received approval from Lia or you, but she has helped me tremendously in dangerous situations... It''s like even if you and Lia don''t give your approval, she will still remain by my side... We''re inseparable, bound as partners because of some special circumstances."

    La rolled her eyes, thinking how he had be a yboy with more than one woman in her absence.

    "How many women do you have, exactly?" Crossing her arms, she asked.

    "First, there''s you, then Lia, followed by N, who nearly died saving me. She begged Lia to let her be my wife, and Lia agreed. And finally, as you know, there''s Eve, but we haven''t made it official," Rio responded.

    La ced her hands on her forehead, exasperated by his shameless deration.

    But the boy wasn''t going to give her sweet lies just to make her happy for now. It was better for her to face the truth and ept him for who he is now, not for who he isn''t.

    He knew very well that La''s love for him weighed more than even his parents, so he wasn''t worried that she wouldn''t agree. It would take time, but he believed she would eventually be his.

    Eve''s voice echoed once more in La''s mind, "I know it''s notmon for you, having grown up on Earth, but where Ie from, it''s quite usual for a man to have more than one wife. Usually, those women live harmoniously, like sisters.

    N and Lia also live like good sisters, not fighting over Rio... I believe they will give you a priority, as they know your bond with him is special. Besides, in Rio''s heart, no one can take your ce, and it''s undeniable that you love him more than anyone else..."

    Despite hearing Eve''s words, La chose not to respond, feeling bitter from all the revtions.

    Seeing her saddened expression, Rio stood up and gently cradled her in a hug before carrying her to their bedroom.

    La didn''t resist, but she remained silent, giving him the cold shoulder. Rio understood that she needed time to process her emotions ande to terms with everything she had learned.

    The boy also knew that La was going through an emotional turmoil; if he didn''t allow her time to calm down, she might erupt like a volcano and break down. Though happy about their reunion, learning that her lover had more partners was a lot for her to take in.

    As theyy in bed, wrapped in each other''s arms, Rio gently ruffled her hair, offeringfort and affection while she worked through her feelings.

    La''s phone was ringing continuously but she had muted it already and put it on charge in the hall, she didn''t want anyone to disturb her...

    As Rio and La slept together in their old bedroom, Lia and N had alreadymunicated with him telepathically, aware that he had found La and would be staying on Earth.

    La and Rio talked about various things, with Rio sharing his experiences so far. He recounted everything that had happened to him from beginning to end.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Although she was quiet at first, the girlter began lecturing him about his carelessness when he mentioned some dangerous encounters he had faced.

    Rio was simply happy to hear her grumbling and showing her concern for him, just like in the old days. They barely slept that night, as they preferred to talk to each other rather than sleep.

    The next morning, Rio was hesitant to go to the grand finale of the international tournament, wanting to spend time with La instead.

    However, she convinced him of the importance of this fight for humanity and how he needed to be present and participate in this battle. In the end, he agreed, and La drove him to the stadium.

    At the stadium, Rio used his Gift of Phantom to shape it into a mask and wore it. Even though his face had been revealed to the world, he still donned the mask.

    The officials informed him that the match would be held at a different location, where audiences would not be allowed to attend.

    Consequently, he was taken away from the stadium in a separate vehicle to the location where the grand finale was going to be held.

    Rio was reluctant to leave La behind, but she reassured him that he knew where she was and that they wouldn''t have to face the same issue again. They wouldn''t be separated any longer.

    Upon arriving at the site of the final battle, Rio discovered that it was located far away from the city, in a deste area devoid of any poption. He entered the empty stadium, where only a few people were seated in the VIP areas. Among them were four individuals a€" two humans and two human-like beings with silver horns.

    However, as Rio stood in the audience section, the man in the ck suit approached him once more and asked him to wait for a few more minutes. While waiting, Rio''s thoughts couldn''t help but drift back to the tender moments he had shared with Last night.

    Soon, He heard the referee''s voice echoing through the stadium, "Rio Havenglow and Torin Jex''mor, it''s time for you both to enter the battle arena. The final match is about to begin."

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Those discussions about what happened in his life so far would''ve be repetitive, so I skipped over them briefly.

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 Chapter 297 The Final Battle Begins

    With a calm expression, Rio prepared himself for the final battle that was going to start.

    The boy found it odd that there were no audiences in the stadium like thest time. However, he knew the match was being broadcasted to both the Human and Dhovrix countries, and everyone was watching him.

    He surmised that it was probably due to some safety concerns that the organizers had decided to hold the finale in this unconventional manner.

    Even with the unusual setup, Rio was ready for the impending battle that was about to begin soon.

    As Rio stepped into the arena, he noticed another figure entering the battlefield. The young boy stood at an imposing height of nearly 2 meters, with red horns adorning his head.

    His face bore a striking resemnce to humans, but the presence of the horns indicated that he was a Dhovrix race contender. Rio observed the boy''s muscr body and his jet-ck hair, realizing that this was the opponent he would be facing today.

    Standing across from Rio, Torin''s gaze seemed to mock him for his stature. Though Rio was quite tall himself, he appeared significantly shorter inparison to his opponent.

    The Dhovrix boy''s hazel eyes seemed to pierce through him as if challenging Rio''s very presence in the arena.

    Suddenly, the referee''s voice echoed around them, counting down to the start of the battle. "3... 2... 1... Begin..."

    As the fightmenced, Rio couldn''t help but feel an eerie sense of emptiness in the arena. The absence of a roaring crowd like in previous matches created an unusual atmosphere, making the tournament battle feel different from any other he had experienced before.

    Despite the strange atmosphere, Rio''s attention remained unwavering, locked onto the battlefield. As soon as the referee signaled the start, Torin initiated the first attack.

    Massive boulders, each with a radius of at least a meter, hurtled towards Rio, revealing Torin''s elemental affinity which was the earth. Rio nimbly evaded the iing projectiles, finding Torin''s assault notably less challenging than La''s had been.

    In the midst of deftly dodging the boulders, Rio seized the opportunity to activate his [Heaven''s Eyes] ability as he wanted to inspect what the Dhovrix race''s profile looked like.

    <<<<

    [User: Torin Jex''mor]

    [Race: Dhovrix]

    [Innate Rank: B]

    [Root: Red]

    [MANA: 10000]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 340]

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [White: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 20]

    [Red: 15]

    >>>>

    ''They possess cores like Asuras and even have white stats points.''

    Rio''s astonishment at this revtion was evident, though it wasn''t entirely unexpected. Teacher Milena had previously exined that the Dhovrix race cultivated their power from the energy present in both heaven and earth, mirroring the Asuras'' cultivation methods.

    Cautiously evading the boulders, Rio noticed Torin gradually intensifying the onught.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The number of boulders hurtling toward him increased, clearly a strategic move by Torin, who had likely witnessed Rio''s abilities on TV and wanted to wear him out.

    Meanwhile, Rio kept a keen gaze on his opponent, studying him as the battle progressed.

    With a swift movement, Rio vanished from his initial position, reappearing directly behind Torin. His fist clenched, and he prepared to strike, but a rock b abruptly emerged from the ground, forming a protective barrier for Torin.

    The boy''s fist halted just before the barrier, narrowly avoiding it. He quickly sidestepped, discovering more boulders hurtling in his direction.

    Torin, having guessed his movements, hadunched the boulders as soon as Rio dodged the barrier by stopping his fist in time.

    As the battle continued, the field became increasingly cluttered with boulders. Torin seemed to be strategically cing them, creatingyer uponyer, as if he were constructing an intricate maze with the boulders.

    Throughout the fight, Rio mainly focused on dodging, carefully observing Torin''s intentions.

    As thirty minutes passed, the audience watching the live broadcast grew restless and disinterested, noticing Rio''s passive approach to the battle. He seemed to be doing little more than dodging the relentless barrage of boulders.

    Meanwhile, the number of boulders within the stadium continued to multiply¡ªfirst reaching one hundred, then two hundred, and eventually surpassing three hundred.

    The battle kept progressing, and the number of boulders continued to grow exponentially, soon surpassing a staggering thousand.

    Rio noticed that Torin seemed to be purposefully trapping him within thisbyrinth of boulders, all the while maintaining a safe distance from his opponent.

    Deciding to y along, He refrained from using his [Devlin''s Movement Technique] to close the gap between them.

    The number of boulders eventually reached two thousand, with Torin appearing satisfied with his handiwork.

    The arena now resembled aplex puzzle, rows and columns of boulders meticulously arranged around Rio. It was as if he were enclosed in a stone fortress, with walls made of boulders stacked one on top of the other, as well as side by side.

    Curiously, the path directly between Rio and Torin remained clear, devoid of any boulders. However, the distance between them stretched out to around two hundred meters.

    The people watching the battle on TV became more intrigued, curious to see how Rio would navigate through the intricate maze Torin had crafted while dodging his further attacks.

    The two elderly Dhovrix men, seated alongside two senior human government officials, watched the ongoing battle with contrasting emotions.

    The Dhovrix men appeared quite pleased with Torin''s strategic setup, while the human officials seemed disappointed by Rio''s passive approach. They couldn''t help but wish that La had been the one to fight this battle instead of him.

    The atmosphere became filled with suspense, as both fighters seemed to be ying a strategic game of their own.

    Would Rio be able to outwit Torin and escape from the cunning trap that had been meticulously woven around him? The result of the battle hung in the bnce like a cliffhanger, leaving all to wonder.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    The main focus of the tournament was Lily VS Rio. Torin is a side character so not gonna give him much screen time...

    Something big ising up ahead, within the next 10-20 chapters.

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 Chapter 298 The Master Of Deception

    The answers to everyone''s questions were soon revealed.

    Suddenly, a voice echoed throughout the battle arena, "World Breaker!!!"

    As these powerful words rang out, the atmosphere within the stadium transformed.

    The boulders strewn throughout thebyrinth began to emit an eerie glow, their surfaces pulsating with otherworldly energy as they started to vibrate. The luminescence cast strange, dancing shadows across the battleground, giving the scene an almost surreal quality.

    Both Rio and the audience watching the live telecast could sense that something terrifying was about to happen, guessing the imminent destruction that was about to unfold.

    Torin, having just cast this ultimate skill, looked visibly depleted, his usually confident demeanor reced with one of exhaustion. His chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. It was apparent that using this powerful technique had taken a significant toll on his mana reserves.

    As the energy within the boulders continued to build, the tension in the atmosphere grew heavy.

    Suddenly, one by one, the boulders began to detonate, each explosion releasing a thunderous boom that reverberated throughout the stadium.

    *Boom!!!* *Boom!!!* *Boom!!!*

    The sound was reminiscent of a series of firecrackers being set off in rapid session.

    Although the stadium was nearly empty, the audience watching the live telecast from their homes found themselves momentarily stunned by the deafening noise. N and Rose, watching from home, were also frightened as they both worried about Rio.

    Meanwhile, viewers from the Dhovrix country were ted, believing that their boy had effortlessly finished the fight and cunningly trapped the foolish human within hisbyrinth of boulders.

    As the cacophony filled their screens, the intense atmosphere captured their full attention, leaving them on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting the next development in this thrilling battle.

    The ground shook with the force of the explosions, dust, and debris filled the air, clouding the vision of the few spectators watching from the audience seats, while the relentless barrage of noise threatened to drown out all other sounds.

    Meanwhile, the audience watching the live telecast from their homes gripped their seats, as the chaotic scene unfolded on their screens, leaving them in awe of the sheer magnitude of the ultimate attack executed by Torin.

    In the midst of the chaos, with explosions still rocking the arena, a figure from the VIP seats sprang into action.

    The silver-horned Dhovrix darted toward the battlefield with astonishing speed, defying the danger that surrounded him.

    The people watching on TV held their breath convinced that someone from Dhovrix''s side was putting himself in harm''s way to rescue Rio from the st. However, since the expert was at the silver stage, the attack performed by Torin wouldn''t really harm him, even though he was putting himself in danger.

    As thest echoes of the explosions faded, a thick cloud of dust lingered, shrouding the aftermath in mystery and suspense.

    The audience, watching the live telecast, was waiting anxiously for the dust to settle and reveal the oue of the intense battle.

    Slowly, the dust began to dissipate, gradually unveiling the true nature of the silver-horned Dhovrix''s actions. He had thrown himself over someone, acting as a living shield to protect them from the destructive force of the World Breaker technique.

    The camera zoomed in, capturing every detail of the scene as the dust swirled around them, heightening the suspense of the moment.

    As the dust finally cleared, the stunned audience realized that the person the silver-horned Dhovrix had shielded wasn''t Rio, but Torin.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Their shock deepened as they attempted to process what they had just witnessed. The camera panned away from the silver-horned Dhovrix and the battered Torin, sweeping across the battlefield to reveal another surprise.

    Standing serenely in Torin''s original position was none other than Rio himself, a calm smile gracing his figure.

    The revtion added anotheryer of mystery to the already bewildering turn of events.

    "What kind of sorcery is this?"

    "I can''t believe my eyes!"

    "That boy is a master of deception."

    "That''s some serious skill right there."

    "I didn''t see thating at all!"

    Viewers found themselves wondering how and when Rio had managed to swap ces with his opponent,pletely evading the devastating effects of the World Breaker technique.

    The enigmatic switch between Rio and Torin left not only the viewers at home but also the handful of people present in the stadium utterly dumbfounded.

    As they tried to wrap their heads around the inexplicable turn of events, they couldn''t help but marvel at the incredible skill Rio had disyed.

    In a matter of moments, he hadpletely changed the course of the battle, all while evading the watchful eyes of the onlookers.

    The awe-inspiring maneuver had left everyone speechless, as they attempted to piece together the precise moment when Rio had managed to switch ces with his opponent.

    Rio''s ability to do so without being detected was proof of his cunning and expertise, making it clear that he had outsmarted Torin, who had been confident that the match was firmly within his grasp.

    This masterful magical maneuverpletely changed the oue of the fight, leaving everyone to ponder how Rio had so skillfully fooled Torin into thinking he had the match under control from the very start of the battle.

    It was like Rio had been ying a game of mind chess with Torin, making him think that he was winning with his fancy earth shield and endless barrage of boulders. But little did Torin know that Rio had a few tricks up his sleeve, and was just lulling him into a false sense of victory.

    As the oue of the battle became clear, the human side erupted in celebration, while the faces of those on the Dhovrix side fell, downcast and disappointed. They started cursing Torin for their loss, as a Dhovrix expert had to intervene and protect him during the match.

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 Chapter 299 Never Judge A Book By Its Cover, And Never Underestimate Rio Havenglow

    To add insult to injury, Torin''s ultimate attack had ended up being his undoing, leaving him in a state of utter defeat. It was a deliciously ironic twist of fate, like a chef getting burnt by his own souffl¨¦ or a musician going deaf from their own music.

    The poor guy had to face not only his own failure but also the humiliation of knowing that his own signature move had been used against him.

    Talk about a major oops moment! It was a sight to see, watching the proud and confident Torin crumble before Rio''s masterful counterattack. The whole ordeal was like watching a bad horror movie, except this time the monster ended up being the victim of its own tricks.

    Soon, the referee announced, "Rio Havenglow wins the match and bes the Champion of the International Tournament."

    Right after that, the sky above the stadium came alive with a dazzling disy of daylight firecrackers, crackling and popping in a symphony of colors and light.

    Rio gazed up at the spectacle, a soft smile ying on his lips.

    Back at their homes, people began popping open beer bottles and champagne to celebrate Rio''s victory.

    The inte was suddenly flooded with Rio''s name, and praises were showered upon him.

    "Never judge a book by its cover, and never underestimate Rio Havenglow," said one of thementators on the live telecast, reflecting the sentiments of the viewers.

    The very same boy whom they had talked trash about just a day before when he was set to face Lily, was now the hero who had brought victory to them.

    Once the International Tournament concluded, Rio walked back to the audience seats, knowing that the trophy presentation would take ce soon.

    However, he didn''t wait for it. Instead, he approached the ck-suited man who had driven him to this ce earlier and the boy asked for his assistance in leaving immediately.

    "Wait for the award ceremony, Sir," the ck-suited man suggested, concern evident in his voice.

    "I have some important matters to attend," Rio replied calmly, not cing much importance on the award ceremony.

    The ck-suited man hesitated, weighing his options. He knew Rio was from the Havenglow family, and if he didn''t arrange transportation, the young man would leave without him. He was afraid to make this boy unhappy, who had just made such a contribution to the human country, bringing pride to them all.

    "I understand, Sir," he said, quickly acquiescing to Rio''s demands.

    With a sense of urgency, Rio slipped away from the stadium, his thoughts focused on meeting La as soon as possible.

    The boy had assumed that La would be at the old stadium, but she was nowhere to be found.

    Hoping to locate her, Rio decided to visit their old apartment.

    As he typed the keys she had shown him into the electronic lock and opened the door, he called out, "La???" His voice echoed in the empty space, and he was disappointed to discover that she wasn''t there either.

    The boy wandered around the room, eventually spotting La''s phone charging on a nearby table.

    He approached the phone, considering his actions with calmness.

    "I know it''s not right to check someone else''s phone, but I have a feeling she won''t mind in this case," he thought, keeping in mind their pure bonding as he proceeded.

    Upon opening the phone, he found no clues to her whereabouts or messages that may indicate she had left for something.

    However, he decided to save his number in her contacts and gave himself a quick call to obtain her number.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Once he had her number, he dialed Rose''s. The phone rang a few times before she picked up.

    "Did you see that, sister Lily? Big brother Rio defeated that Dhovrix boy so easily!" Rose praised him, unaware that it was Rio on the other end of the line.

    Hearing Rose''s voice confirmed that La wasn''t at the Havenglow''s house. Without saying a word, Rio ended the call.

    He mumbled to himself, "Did she go back to the Land of Asura?"

    With this thought in mind, Rio turned and activated the [Astral Recall] spell, intending to return to the castle ande backter to search for La.

    His figure vanished from his old room, and a soft white light enveloped the space as he materialized near the couch in Lia''s bedroom.

    Seeing his Wifey sleeping peacefully, Rio decided against waking her up.

    Silently, he stepped out of the room and went to check on Helia. The blonde-haired beauty was also asleep, lost in her dreams.

    With nothing else to do and thinking that La was not on Earth, Rio decided to go hunting.

    There was some time before Lia would wake up, so he decided to ask in his thoughts to Eve as he walked toward the teleporter tower. "Eve, Do you know any good ce where I can go hunting?"

    "Angel''s Night Valley! It''s an epic hunting ground that''s perfect for your level. And who knows, maybe you''ll finally hatch that egg you''ve been carrying around!" Eve''s voice echoed in his mind.

    Rio nodded in agreement and proceeded to obtain the teleportation glyph for the Angel''s Night Valley. His figure vanished into the rift, as the boy was ready to face the new challenges that awaited him at this new hunting ground.

    Angel''s Night Valley, nestled in a corner of the corruptednds, was a ce where night reigned eternally. Rumored to be home to fairies and fireflies, it possessed an otherworldly charm.

    A tower stood outside the valley, functioning as a ck-stage headquarters for the Asuras. Rio had no interest in the tower, however, as his goal was outside its walls.

    Stepping out of the tower, Rio found himself captivated by the enchanting scene that unfolded in the distance.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    What do you guys want to see in the uing chapters? Let me know in thements. If it fits with the current plot, I will include it to give you guys what you want.

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 Chapter 300 Angels Night Valley

    The ethereal beauty of Night Valley left Rio momentarily speechless. His eyes were filled with awe and wonder as he gazed upon the mesmerizingndscape, taking in all the tiny details that made this ce truly enchanting.

    As he looked into the distance, his eyes were drawn to the tiny pinpricks of light that twinkled like stars, painting the dark canvas of the valley with their luminous glow.

    Fireflies danced gracefully through the air, their soft illumination weaving intricate patterns amidst the shadows.

    Fluttering among the fireflies were ethereal, fairy-like beings, their delicate wings glinting with iridescence as they flitted from one glowing nt to another. The vegetation itself seemed to emanate a soft radiance, the leaves and flowers shimmering like glittering gems scattered across thendscape.

    All of this was revealed to Rio through his [Heaven''s Eyes], allowing him to take in the breathtaking beauty of the magical scene before him.

    With a soft smile on his face, Rio wasted no time and shot off into the distance. He was resolute to enter the forest and farm the elusive ck-stage beast as soon as possible, while he had the time until Lia woke up.

    As Rio stepped into the heart of Angel''s Night Valley, the mesmerizing beauty of the ce unfolded before him in greater detail.

    Swarms of fireflies flitted through the air, their tiny lights flickering like sparks from a heavenly forge. Sprites with delicate, translucent wings perched on tree branches, their yful giggle echoing softly through the de.

    He marveled at the sight, wondering if such a ce could truly be a hunting ground. As he traveled further into the valley, his path was lined with flowers that sparkled like gemstones, their petals shimmering with an iridescent glow.

    Deeper into the valley, the number of fireflies and elves only seemed to increase, the enchanted beings moving with a grace that belied their fragile appearance.

    Although the scene was breathtaking, Rio couldn''t find it helpful to his goal. No matter how far he went, he failed toe across any ck-stage creature to hunt and gain ck-stage stat points.

    The absence of danger in such a breathtakingly magical ce only served to heighten his caution, as he continued his search for ck-stage beasts.

    As he ventured deeper into the valley, he couldn''t help but ask Eve, "When will Ie across any ck-stage beasts?"

    "Don''t get too antsy, Partner. Just be patient, and you''ll find the ck-stage beast soon. Remember, they''re not lone wolves; they usually travel in groups," Eve''s voice echoed in his mind as she reassured him with a lively tone.

    As Rio continued his journey, he felt a refreshing energy permeating his body, revitalizing him with every step he took.

    Unsure of the source but eager to keep exploring, he traveled at a faster pace. Soon, his sharp eyes spotted a group of flying creatures headed in a specific direction.

    He became interested and started to move faster, eventually catching up to them. However, they seemed to pay him no mind.

    As he trailed behind them, more beasts joined the group, flying towards the eastern side of Angel''s Night Valley.

    Their wings, seemingly made of transparent feathers, resembled those of butterflies, yet they were muchrger, spanning about half a meter. Crowns adorned their heads, giving them a regal appearance, while their faces were like that of bees with a stinger.

    Rio chose not to use [Heaven''s Eyes] to inspect the creatures as he could already discern the ck-stage straps on their bodies.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    These majestic beings also exuded an aura markedly different from the other fairies and fireflies he had encountered so far, confirming their status as ck-stage beasts.

    He didn''t feel curious about their destination, but he kept following the mesmerizing creatures, patiently waiting for the right time to strike.

    Rio wasn''t intimidated by the creatures, despite their ever-growing numbers. Yet, a nagging feeling deep within him rmed him against attacking them. Nevertheless, his demands overpowered his instincts as he continued to follow the expanding swarm.

    "I can''t waste time for long, I need to take action," He muttered to himself.

    Finally, he could no longer resist the urge to engage the beasts. He channeled the power of thunder, his body crackling with energy as he darted through the air like a bolt of lightning.

    With a fluid, swift motion, Rio brought down his silver-bloom king sword upon the first creature, effortlessly severing its head.

    As it dropped to the ground, viscous, glue-like blood oozed from the wound, pooling beneath its lifeless form.

    The moment the body hit the ground, the other beasts froze in mid-air, and their attention suddenly riveted on the boy. Their eyes, piercing and fierce, locked onto him as they unleashed eerie, haunting howls that seemed to cry out for help.

    Unperturbed by their chilling cries, Rio leaped into action, his sword sweeping through the air in a graceful yet deadly dance. Each fine movement brought the gleaming de slicing through another creature.

    The pungent scent of their glue-like blood filled the air as it spattered from the fresh wounds. With each beast he ughtered, a cacophony of anguished shrieks echoed through the valley, their mournful wails fading into the night as their heads tumbled lifelessly to the ground.

    Within a mere twenty seconds, Rio had eliminated over fifty of the beasts. A flurry of notifications appeared before his eyes, but before he could examine them, Eve''s urgent voice echoed in his mind.

    "Partner, you must absorb the cores of these beasts immediately! A much stronger threat ising," she said with a sense of urgency in her voice, though not sounding scared.

    Rio swiftly picked up the cores of the defeated beasts from the ground. They gleamed like ck stones of tiny orbs, and as he held them in his hand, he could feel their coldness.

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 Chapter 301 Breakthrough To The Red Stage & Following The Beasts Parade

    He absorbed the cores quickly, and a series of notifications popped up in his mind once more, letting him know that his ck stats points were increasing.

    <<<<

    [ck stage Mutated Crowned Flyer killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Crowned Flyer to gain zero to 1 ck stats points randomly.]

    [ck stage Mutated Crowned Flyer killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Crowned Flyer to gain zero to 4 ck stats points randomly.]

    [ck stage Mutated Crowned Flyer killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Crowned Flyer to gain zero to 6 ck stats points randomly.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Core of ck-stage Normal Crowned Flyer absorbed. 0.5 ck Stats points gained.]

    [Core of ck-stage Normal Crowned Flyer absorbed. 1 ck Stats point gained.]

    [Core of ck-stage Mutated Crowned Flyer absorbed. 1 ck Stats point gained.]

    [Core of ck-stage Mutated Crowned Flyer absorbed. 2 ck Stats points gained.]

    [Core of ck-stage King Crowned Flyer absorbed. 4 ck Stats points gained.]

    .

    .

    .

    [Your Root has Advanced to the Red Stage.]

    [Your Core has Advanced to the Red Stage.]

    >>>>

    The moment Rio absorbed enough cores to reach the Red stage, the remaining cores scattered on the ground vanished. Eve had taken them without asking since Rio didn''t need them anymore.

    Soon, his body became enveloped in a vibrant red glow, announcing that he was a red stage warrior now.

    The surge of mana coursing through him was immense, far surpassing anything he had experienced before. Yet, there was no time to check his updated profile or celebrate his increased strength, as an ominous presence loomed behind him.

    Reacting on instinct, Rio vanished from his original position and reappeared twenty meters away, from where he caught sight of a huge creature descending upon the spot he had just left.

    The beast, a massive Crowned Flyer, was muchrger than the smaller creatures he had just killed, measuring five meters in length. Its powerful wings beat the air with a thunderous force, while its razor-sharp ws shed through the space where Rio had stood mere moments ago.

    The colossal creature''s menacing aura was enough to frighten anyone, but he managed to keep his calm.

    Surprisingly, the Giant Crowned Flyer didn''t charge toward the boy. Instead, it continued its flight eastward, following the same path taken by the smaller beasts earlier.

    Rio hesitated, considering whether to chase it but ultimately decided against engaging in an unnecessary conflict.

    As he stood there, the ground began to tremble, as though an earthquake was rumbling beneath his feet, rumble rumble.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Momentster, a majestic silver lion emerged, roaring, moving in the same direction as the other creature.

    Rio''s curiosity was piqued, but he remained cautious, watching the procession of beasts from a safe distance.

    A few secondster, an unusual sight caught his attention¡ªa tiny, golden-colored squirrel, barely 10 centimeters in length, scurried past him, following the trail of the silver lion and the Crowned Flyer. Its glistening fur shimmered as it darted along the ground, adding anotheryer of mystery to the parade of creatures that had captured the boy''s interest.

    As all the different creatures headed together towards the same location, Rio became more and more curious, wondering what could be there. But before he could think about it further, a bright light suddenly shed in front of him, briefly blinding his sight.

    When his vision cleared, he saw the egg from his mind sea materializing in mid-air, hovering weightlessly.

    As the egg hovered in mid-air, it began to absorb the blood and remains of the defeated creatures. It appeared to have a maic pull, as the blood on the ground was drawn upward and absorbed into the egg''s growing form.

    With each drop taken in, the egg increased in size, bing an imposing presence. Rio watched with a mix of amazement and confusion as the mysterious egg continued to expand, fueled by the remnants of the fallen beasts.

    As it reached a size of three meters, the egg returned to Rio''s mind sea. He couldn''t help but feel that it was on the verge of hatching soon. But there was still some time before that happened.

    However, the ground started to tremble once more, causing Rio to swiftly vanish from his spot again to avoid the sudden danger. He watched as a procession of creatures continued to move in the same direction, their numbers increasing with each passing moment.

    Eve''s lively voice echoed in his mind, "It seems there''s a treasure being born nearby, attracting all these high-level creatures."

    Rio, with his calm tone, asked, "High-level creatures in this ce? I thought this was a ck-stage hunting ground. Why would theye here?"

    The elven beauty exined, "They''ve sensed the aura of a miraculous treasure''s birth. That lion you saw earlier was a silver-stage beast, and the squirrel was a golden-stage beast. I think we should follow them, partner. It''s unlikely they''ll attack each other until the treasure''s birth isplete. We might be lucky enough to snatch it right under their noses."

    As she suggested this, it was clear that Eve believed seizing the treasure could greatly benefit them both.

    Rio thought about what she said, interested in the chance they had, but he also stayed alert because of the strong creatures near them.

    After He weighed the options before him carefully, he ultimately decided to follow the parade of creatures, trusting that Eve wouldn''t lead him into danger.

    As he moved in the same direction as the other beasts, he was amazed at the growing variety of creatures that joined the beasts'' march. Each one seemed more extraordinary than thest.

    A magnificent silver peacock strutted past, its iridescent feathers shimmering with each graceful step.

    Close behind was a golden frog, its luminescent skin proof of its power. Further ahead, an elephant with a unique blend of gold and silver hues across its body lumbered forward.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    I am setting up the stage for what is toe, and the volume''s title should have provided a glimpse of the uing story.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 302 Creatures Gathered: Silver And Golden-Stage Beasts

    Rio surmised that these creatures were all silver and golden-stage beasts, far more formidable than any he had ever encountered, as his [Heaven''s Eyes] failed to inspect them.

    The boy kept a safe distance, fully aware that these high-level beasts could snuff out his life with a mere snort.

    Despite the danger, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe as he watched these powerful beings, knowing that he was witnessing a rare and remarkable sight. He could only recall one person who had attained the golden stage, and that was Emperor Dn.

    Continuing to follow the procession of extraordinary creatures, Rio noticed that the refreshing sensation he had experienced earlier only grew stronger. It felt as though his mind was being soothed by some mysterious effect, and he couldn''t help but wonder if this was the reason for the parade of beasts.

    As Rio followed the procession of beasts deeper into the valley, his gaze was drawn to a seemingly inconspicuous nt in the distance. The nt, no taller than his waist, bore a small fruit about the size of a thumb.

    "Found it..." Rio eximed in a hushed tone, barely containing his excitement.

    He had sensed that the fruit was the source of the soothing aura that had enveloped him, and now he had finally located it.

    As Rio drew closer to the fruit, it became increasingly clear that he was not the only one who had noticed its presence. His gaze swept the area cautiously, keeping a watchful eye on the other creatures that had gathered nearby.

    A diverse group of creatures had already gathered around the mysterious nt, including some of the same types of beasts Rio had encountered and ughtered earlier.

    Among them, the Giant Crowned Flyer that he had previouslye across was seated with others, who seemed to be afraid of the other creatures around it. The gathered creatures maintained a respectful distance from the nt, their eyes fixed on the enigmatic fruit as if aware of its significance.

    Upon the arrival of the golden squirrel, silver lion, and golden frog, the other creatures'' expressions shifted to disappointment, as if their hopes had been dashed. Reluctantly, they retreated from the nt, creating a clear buffer zone around the more powerful beings.

    Their actions demonstrated both fear and respect for these formidable creatures, showcasing the hierarchy that governed their ranks.

    Rio carefully watched what was happening and knew he had to be careful and thoughtful when dealing with the situation.

    As the various creatures settled down, each eyeing the fruit warily, their numbers continued to swell. Rio waited patiently among the beasts, his heart pounding with anxiety but confident in his escape routes should the need arise.

    With over a thousand creatures now assembled, tensions were high, but no one dared to initiate a fight, fearing it might harm the developing fruit.

    Up front, a golden squirrel and a frog engaged in a fierce staring contest, foreshadowing the epic battle for dominance over the precious fruit.

    Gradually, the fruit began to emit a soft glow, its surface vibrating subtly. Then, with a nearly imperceptible snap, it detached from the nt and started to fall.

    The golden frog sprang into action, leaping forward on its two powerful hind legs, its eyes fixed on the ripe reward. But just as it was about to snatch the fruit, the squirrel darted out of nowhere, snatching it away in the blink of an eye.

    *Shriek!!!*

    With a thunderous roar, fury erupted within the golden frog, and it unleashed a powerful punch aimed straight at the squirrel.

    *Baam!!!*<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The forceful punch delivered by the frog to the squirrel generated a thunderous shockwave, causing the squirrel to momentarily back away. The fruit slipped from its grasp, soaring through the air.

    Despite the chaos and violence, a protectiveyer surrounded the fruit, keeping it unscathed amidst the turmoil.

    Meanwhile, Rio and the other creatures were thrown backward, with the weaker ck-stage beasts sumbing to the mighty power of the shockwave and perishing on the spot.

    The battleground teemed with chaotic energy as creatures of all shapes and sizes started to sh in a frenzied melee.

    *Baam!!!* *Baam!!!* *Baam!!!*

    The squirrel and frog, in the midst of their ferocious duel, darted and leaped through the fray, each trying tond a decisive blow on the other. The absurdity of the situation was not lost on Rio, who couldn''t help but chuckle at the sight of a golden squirrel and frog locked inbat.

    Caught in the whirlwind of the fight, Rio needed to find a way to fit in, so he chose the Giant Crowned Flyer as his adversary.

    He nimbly dodged its relentless attacks while striking back with his silver bloom king sword. As they fought, both Rio and the giant flyer found themselves beset by attacks from other creatures caught up in the fric battle.

    While Rio managed to evade most of the iing blows, the Giant Crowned Flyer, burdened by its immense size, bore the brunt of the damage.

    The sheer presence and destructive power of the giant beast caught the attention of the enraged golden frog, the king figure in the team Rio was inadvertently supporting.

    With a fierce glint in its eyes, the frog hurled a powerful projectile at the Giant Crowned Flyer. The flyer''s eyes widened in shock, but it was toote to evade the attack. Struck by the force of the frog''s wrath, the flyer crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

    *Thud!!*

    As the giant crowned flyer copsed lifelessly to the ground, it dropped a mystic egg, catching Rio''s attention.

    Almost simultaneously, a notification appeared before him, revealing that he had been credited for the kill and had gained the beast soul of the giant crowned flyer, even though he hadn''t dealt the final blow.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 303 Rios Mischievous Departure

    <<<<

    [ck stage Lord Crowned Flyer killed. Absorb the core of the Lord Crowned Flyer to gain 5 to 10 ck stats points randomly.]

    [Beast soul of ck-Stage Lord Crowned Flyer gained.]

    >>>>

    Surprised yet pleased by this unexpected reward, Rio considered iming the mystic egg but was interrupted by Eve''s voice in his mind.

    "Careful, don''t touch it, or you''ll be the center of everyone''s hatred. That mystic egg will actually benefit from the bloodlust around it, and no one will dare to interfere. Let''s wait for the right moment." She warned him.

    The battlefield was filled with ferociousbat, and emotions of triumph and disappointment seemed to emanate from the creatures themselves, swirling through the air.

    As Rio fought alongside the golden frog''s faction, he found it difficult not to see the humor in the surreal, epic confrontation that yed out before him.

    He remained alert and watchful, acutely aware of the importance of seizing the opportune moment to obtain both the coveted mystic egg and the magical fruit.

    After eliminating his initial target, Rio strategically engaged with weaker beasts, deliberately appearing less powerful to avoid drawing the attention of the formidable golden squirrel, who was a king figure of the other group.

    The battlefield throbbed with the ferocity of the powerful creatures as they shed, their mighty struggles shaking the very earth beneath them.

    The golden squirrel and the golden frog, their eyes burning with madness, were locked in a fierce and relentless duel. Their movements were swift and fluid, a breathtaking dance of death that seemed to defy thews of nature. It was difficult to discern their maneuvers, but Rio was able to observe them using his [Heaven''s Eyes].

    Not far from them, the silver lion and silver peacock faced off in a battle of their own. The lion''s powerful roars resonated through the air, while the peacock''s mesmerizing plumage shimmered with each elegant and deadly strike. The two opponents circled one another, their eyes locked in an intense and unyielding stare, as the duo was waiting for the right moment to attack each other once again.

    In the midst of this chaotic maelstrom of violence, the mysterious fruit changed hands multiple times. It was snatched from the air by the golden elephant''s agile trunk, only to be stolen away momentster by another cunning and opportunistic squirrel.

    The fruit seemed to have a life of its own, darting and weaving through the battlefield like a butterfly caught in a hurricane.

    Each time the fruit exchanged hands, the tension on the battlefield heightened, the creatures driven to new heights of ferocity and desperation. It was a breathtaking spectacle of raw power and primal instinct, proof of the lengths these magnificent beings would go to secure their ripe fruit.

    Throughout it all, Rio observed from the sidelines, biding his time and waiting for the perfect moment to make his move.

    He hesitated to approach, as the shockwaves from their battle crushed boulders, uprooted trees, and sent them hurtling through the air. A protectiveyer continued to envelop the fruit, shielding it from the surrounding chaos and ensuring its safety amidst the fierce struggle.

    Amid the frenzy, Rio''s mysterious egg emerged from his mind sea once again, mirroring the mystic egg as it began to absorb the blood and corpses strewn across the ground.

    He couldn''t help but sigh, amused by the bizarrepetition between the two eggs, vying to consume as much as they could in the midst of the fierce and peculiar conflict.

    As time passed, fate had a sense of humor, and the elusive fruit unexpectedly tumbled to the ground right in front of Rio.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Ahhh???''

    He couldn''t believe his luck and quickly seized the opportunity, snatching the fruit with a soft smile on his face.

    The golden frog and golden elephant were locked inbat, while the golden squirrel faced a barrage of attacks from other silver-level beasts. Their attention shifted abruptly to the boy, their eyes filled with rage and disbelief that someone so seemingly weak would dare to im the fruit for himself.

    The sudden silence was almostical, as the powerful creatures paused to process the audacity of Rio''s actions.

    The boy shed a mischievous smile at the enraged creatures and announced, "I hate to break up this little brawl you''ve got going on. But I''ve got to leave, my lovely beasts! Don''t miss me too much, sweethearts!"

    The creatures were too dumbfounded to respond as Rio vanished into thin air, leaving them in utter confusion.

    As he left the battlefield, both the mystic egg and the mysterious egg vanished, leaving no trace of their presence in the chaos.

    The golden and silver beasts stared in astonishment, realizing they had been duped by Rio''s clever ruse. He had seized the opportunity to snatch the precious fruit right under their noses.

    As understanding dawned on them, they erupted in a chorus of furious howls and charged in the direction Rio had disappeared.

    The frustration of the powerful creatures was on full disy, their anger manifesting in the violent destruction of their surroundings.

    They pounded the ground with tremendous force, shattering boulders into fragments and scattering them like pebbles. The earth trembled beneath their wrath, as trees were uprooted and hurled through the air, their twisted limbs a testament to the intensity of the beasts'' fury.

    The once tranquil Angel''s Night Valley transformed into a nightmarish hellscape, a cacophony of enraged howls and bitter snarls filling the air.

    For days, the valley was filled with the beasts'' cries of frustration, serving as a haunting reminder of their humiliation at the hands of a seemingly weak and unassuming boy who had outsmarted them.

    Every futile search and every failed attempt to reim the stolen fruit only served to deepen their despair, their anguish bing an ever-presentment that hung heavy over the ravagedndscape.

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 Chapter 304 I Wouldnt Say No To A Kiss

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    * Yesterday, due to a bug on the webnovel tform, the chapter order for [304: Rio''s Mischievous Departure] became mixed up and appeared as the [301st] chapter. If you haven''t read that chapter yet, please read it first. I have already asked the editor to fix this issue, and it has been corrected as of this morning.

    * If you''re having trouble finding it, you should try clearing the cache of your webnovel app.

    * The correct order for the chapters is as follows:

    [300: Angel''s Night Valley]

    [301: Breakthrough to the Red Stage]

    [302: Creatures Gathered]

    [303: Rio''s Mischievous Departure]

    ====////====

    Finally, as the creatures reluctantly realized that Rio had escaped from their grasp, the loud noises ceased. With their anger spent, they abandoned their fruitless search and departed from the Angel''s Night Valley, leaving behind the remnants of their fury.

    ***

    Having sessfully escaped the battlefield and stolen the fruit right from under the noses of the mighty high-level creatures, Rio retreated to Eve''s wondrous forest realm.

    This had been his n all along, and the elven beauty had assured him of his safety despite the risks he had taken by staying with such powerful beings.

    Now, Rio sat next to Eve on a massive tree root that served as her throne within the wonderous forest realm.

    His fingers gently traced the surface of the thumb-sized fruit, which was no longer emitting the soothing aura it had before.

    The silver-colored fruit was encased in a protectiveyer, preserving its soothing and rxing properties that had previously affected him.

    The boy wanted to know why everyone was fighting for this treasure, so Rio used his [Heaven''s Eyes] to inspect the enigmatic fruit, seeking to uncover its secrets.

    <<<<

    [Name: Spiritlight Soul Fruit]

    [Type: Sacred Fruit]

    [Grade: Mythic]

    ~ This is a mythic-grade fruit that only grows once every ten thousand years. It is said to carry the blessings of many angels and is believed to give creatures their gleam.

    ording to legend, this rare fruit has the power to help break through one''s spiritual energy and reach the higher realm. It is a highly coveted treasure among those seeking to enhance their spiritual power.

    While it was once thought to be the source of all lightning in the Angel''s Night Valley, the true nature of the fruit''s power remains shrouded in mystery.

    >>>><novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Rio''s expression shifted from confusion to surprise and joy as he read the description. He turned to Eve, who gestured with her eyes for him to consume the fruit.

    "Aren''t you interested in this fruit?" he asked, knowing that it was a valuable treasure and considering the risks she had encouraged him to take to obtain it.

    "Oh my dear human, first tell me, do you know what this precious fruit can do?" Eve asked with a yful and flirty tone, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her lively and cheerful demeanor was infectious, but Rio kept his calm and stopped himself from being drawn to her.

    "I do, it helps increase one''s spiritual energy," Rio replied, having already inspected the sacred fruit and discovered its usage.

    "My darling, you already know about the fruit. But do you know how many stages there are in spiritual energy?" The elven beauty questioned with a cheerful tone, impressed with Rio''s knowledge but still eager to share more information with him.

    "Is there a reason you''re asking?" Rio furrowed his brows, curious about Eve''s question.

    "Of course, there is. Spiritual energy has four realms or ranks - the Earthly Realm, the Astral Realm, the Heavenly Realm, and the Divine Realm. Before, you were in the Earthly Realm, even with the blessing of your [Heaven''s Eyes]. Lia, on the other hand, is in the Astral Realm due to her innate talent.

    As for me, I''m already in the Heavenly Realm, so this fruit won''t benefit me. But reaching the Divine Realm requires more than just eating this fruit. You might get there eventually, but for now, you should aim for the Heavenly Realm,"

    Eve exined with a yful demeanor and a mischievous glint in her eyes, though Rio remained unaware of the truth that the fruit could have helped her reach the Divine realm, which she concealed from him to avoid burdening him.

    "What are the benefits of these spiritual realms?" Rio asked, curious about the benefits they might bring.

    "Simr to my ability tomunicate with others telepathically, you''ll be able to do the same without needing the marks you share with your wives. However, you won''t be able tomunicate across long distances like I can, since my wondrous forest realm connects me to different ces.

    Still, you''ll be able to speak with people within your line of sight using this ability. It will also enhance your [Heaven''s Eyes] power and allow you to perform your attacks more swiftly than usual.

    Normally, it takes time for you to charge your [Heaven''s Destroyer] attack with all your mana, but with this, you''ll be able to cast it more quickly, although you''ll need plenty of practice to master it," Eve exined.

    Rio asked again, his tone hopeful as he considered sharing the fruit with her. After all, he couldn''t have escaped without her aid. "Are you really sure you don''t want to have any share of this fruit?" he asked.

    Eve responded with a yful tone and a mischievous glint in her eyes, "It''s of no use to me, my love. You should keep it for yourself. But, I wouldn''t say no to a kiss," she said with a jolly smile, winking at Rio in a seductive manner.

    The elven beauty was aware that consuming the fruit could increase her spiritual energy and possibly even help her break through to the divine realm. However, she also knew that strengthening Rio was more important at the moment.

    If anything happened to him, she couldn''t simply find a recement, whereas she might be able to find another fruit if she was fortunate enough. Therefore, she decided not to reveal the potential benefits of the fruit to him, as she didn''t want to burden him with the knowledge.

    Rio sighed at Eve''s shameless demand and gave her one final nce before consuming the fruit.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 305 Unawakened Mana Heart & Intertwined Lips

    As Rio swallowed the fruit, a chilling sensation spread throughout his body, making him shudder as if he was being encased in ice.

    The sensation slowly dissipated, and he began to feel a warm andforting energy filling him up. His eyes took on a golden hue, and a golden aura enveloped him, emanating the same calming energy he had felt before.

    Simultaneously, a powerful surge of spiritual energy radiated from Rio''s body, flooding the surrounding area with its intense aura. The energy was so potent that even Eve, sitting beside him, could feel its soothing effects, boosting her own spiritual energy towards the peak of the Heavenly Realm.

    Rio''s body was able to digest and absorb most of the energy released by the fruit, but there were still remnants of it that leaked out, benefiting Eve and aiding her progress towards the peak level of the Heavenly Realm.

    Though already in the Heavenly Realm, there were still ranks within it - beginner, intermediate, and peak level - and the energy from the fruit was helping her advance even further.

    Meanwhile, Rio savored the fruit''s taste, his mind filling with a sense of tranquility and calmness.

    Suddenly, he felt a shift in his consciousness, as if something within him was expanding. A small pond within his mind''s sea started to growrger andrger, transforming into an endless ocean filled with untapped potential and possibilities.

    As he marveled at this incredible expansion, it was as if the fruit had unlocked a hidden realm within him, one filled with fantastical elements he had never imagined before.

    His mind''s sea opened up and expanded, revealing a vast space where the beast souls resided. It was as if the space could now hold millions of beast souls,pared to the previous limit of only thousands.

    The sensation left him feeling both amazed and humbled, as he realized the true potential of the sacred fruit''s power.

    His vision, even without using [Heaven''s Eyes], everything appeared crisp and clear. Colors were more vibrant, and he could discern the tiniest details with ease. He marveled at the intricate patterns on butterfly wings and the delicate veins on tree leaves that had previously required the use of [Heaven''s Eyes].

    After taking a moment to appreciate his enhanced eyesight, Rio turned to Eve and asked, "This has definitely improved my spiritual energy, but what''s my current rank?"

    "Your spiritual energy rank has now reached the Heavenly Realm. With some practice using your battle techniques, you''ll be able to take on strong enemies, or even entire armies," Eve said, with a soft smile on her lips.

    The boy''s joy was evident upon hearing the news, but he couldn''t help feeling curious about what came next. "Is there anything else I should do after reaching this rank?" he asked the elven beauty.

    "We are finished with that, Rio. But you still have the mystic egg, and I suggest you make use of it," she said, waving her hand.

    Suddenly, a blood-red egg appeared, its crimson color a manifestation of the countless corpses and spilled blood it had absorbed from the battlefield.

    As Rio held his hand over the mystic egg, he channeled his mana into it, and a bright light illuminated the surrounding area.

    The egg seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly energy, and as Rio continued to pour his mana into it, the egg began to glow with an ethereal blue light.

    As the light grew brighter and brighter, the egg started to crack and break apart, revealing a pulsating blue orb within. The orb glowed with an intense energy, and it seemed to be alive, moving and pulsing on its own.

    Eve''s expression turned from surprise to a knowing smile as she watched with excitement, her eyes glittering with anticipation as she observed the transformation. Having known about this before, she knew exactly what wasing next.

    Unsure of its usage, Rio observed the orb as it streaked toward him and disappeared into his left chest, merging with his current heart.

    A notification rang in his mind, causing his eyes to widen in surprise as he read the description.

    <<<<<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    You have acquired [Mana Heart]

    [Name: Mana Heart] (Not Awakened)

    [Grade: Legendary]

    ~ The Mana Heart is a legendary treasure bestowed upon the dragon god and its race. It is said that every dragon is born with a Mana Heart, which grants them a pool of mana greater than any other creature.

    This Mana Heart also has the unique ability to regenerate on its own. With the Mana Heart, you will have 400% of your current mana pool and will regenerate 4% of your mana every minute.

    However, it is currently unawakened and will require you to prove your worth before it can be fully activated.

    >>>>

    Rio was pleased to receive the mana heart, but he could sense that it hadn''t made a significant difference, apart from the sensation of the mana heart merging with his current heart on his left side.

    The mana heart had not yet awakened, as it seemed to deem him unworthy. He sighed, epting its judgment for now.

    The boy turned to face Eve, his eyes shining with gratitude and affection.

    He gave her a soft smile before speaking, "Thank you for everything, Eve. You know that I consider you more than just a partner, as I dered in front of La. I think this belongs to you now,"

    As he spoke, Rio moved closer to Eve and gently pressed his lips against hers, surprising her with a tender yet warm kiss. In that moment, a notification resounded in his mind.

    <<<<

    [You have Oscted the Monarch Beast of Yellow-Stage to give her Crown of ck-stage Monarch Beast. A deeper mutual pact has been created.]

    >>>>

    As Rio was about to pull away after forming the pact, he felt Eve''s delicate hands on his cheeks, urging him to continue the kiss. Without any hesitation, their lips remained intertwined, savoring the beautiful bond that had developed between them.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 306 Taming Her Savage Nature: Enveloped In Bliss

    Previously, Eve had informed Rio that whoever he osctes first would receive the crown.

    However, he soon realized that this was not entirely true. As he received the ck-stage monarch beast''s crown, he discovered that he had more control over it and could give it to whomever he chose.

    Rio believed that Eve was the most suitable candidate for the power and responsibility that came with the ck-stage monarch beast''s crown. He knew in his heart that she was the one he wanted to bestow it upon, and so he did.

    He didn''t want to burden Lia or his other girls with this task, fully aware that Eve was the right candidate for such responsibility.

    When he obtained the crown, he realized that he could control it better and give it to whoever he wanted, which was different from what Eve had previously told him.

    It''s possible that Eve had been testing himst time to see who he would give the crown to. But, Rio didn''t dwell on it and ultimately decided to give the ck-stage crown to Eve.

    As he kissed Eve, none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was this moment, this feeling of warmth and tenderness, this bond between them. The power and responsibility of the crown paled inparison to the new bonding he felt for her.

    Their lips remained intertwined, lost in the moment, as Rio knew that he didn''t want to leave Eve alone. He felt blessed to have her by his side, and he was determined to support her when she finally revealed what she wanted from him in the future.

    The scent of orchids swirled around them, enhancing their senses and drawing them deeper into the captivating moment. Their lips moved together in perfect harmony, gently caressing one another, a delicate exchange of warmth and affection.

    Their tongues hesitantly brushed against one another, initiating a slow and sensual dance as they explored the velvety depths of each other''s mouths. With each tender, passionate kiss, their connection grew stronger and more intimate, fueling the intensity of their desire.

    As they surrendered to the intensity of the moment, Rio''s hands lovingly explored the exquisitendscape of Eve''s full, firm bosom. His fingertips traced the delicate contours of her supple, pillowy curves, leaving a trail of electric shivers in their wake.

    The sensation of her warm, inviting skin beneath his touch ignited a tantalizing heat within him, stoking the mes of their passion and forging a deeper connection between them.

    Their loving moment kept escting, and Rio''s hands ventured further, guided by an irresistible desire to explore the enchanting terrain of her body. His fingers danced over her silky skin, leaving behind a mesmerizing sensation that continued to send shivers through her entire being.

    As his hands found their way to her heavenly bosom, an alluring treasure trove seemed to beckon him closer. He tenderly caressed the soft, pillowy mounds, and a surge of blissful warmth flooded his senses. The firm, supple curves of her melons felt like a divine gift, too perfect to be true, yet impossible to resist.

    Their hearts raced in unison, the rhythmic pulse of their desires fueling their passionate exploration of one another''s bodies.

    Time seemed to stand still as they reveled in the intimate connection that bound them, a tender embrace that brought them closer than they had ever been before.

    Their bodies pressed closer, the heat radiating from their entwined forms, as the love that surged between them became a visible force, each kisses more feverish and urgent than thest.

    The world around them faded away, leaving only the intoxicating sensation of their lips moving together and the smoldering desires that threatened to consume them both.

    As they were locked in this intimate embrace, their hearts beating in unison, the connection between them grew stronger, forging an unbreakable bond that transcended the physical realm.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Their bodies moved together in perfect harmony, guided by the alluring rhythm of their passion. The warmth of their bodies mingled, sending a feeling of ecstasy through the girl.

    As the moments passed, their intimate exchange continued, each touch and caress deepening their connection.

    But finally, they reluctantly separated, their breaths intermingling in the space between them.

    Rio could see that Eve''s face had turned a soft shade of pink, a tender blush that spoke volumes about their deepened bond. Eve''s eyes shyly darted away, unable to meet Rio''s gaze after such an intimate encounter.

    She longed to throw caution to the wind, to give in to her more primal urges and embrace him fully, to intertwine their bodies in a passionate embrace and transcend the limits of flesh and bone.

    Her heart yearned to be one with his, to be consumed by the fiery passion that burned between them, to be lost in the intoxicating rhythm of their bodies entwined. But despite her inherently savage and shameless nature, she hesitated.

    She yearned to be a gentle and tamed wife to Rio, to be close to him in his heart, just like how he loved La and Lia. She wanted to be a part of him in every way possible, to share his joys and sorrows, tofort him in his troubles, and to be his pir of support. She knew that their love was pure and true, and she wanted to honor that love with every fiber of her being.

    Sensing her emotions, Rio offered her a warm, reassuring smile as he could feel what she was feeling.

    "I''ll go now," he said gently, understanding her feelings and offering her the space she needed.

    With a final nce at his fourth girl, Rio cast [Astral Recall] and left Eve to reflect on their unforgettable moment together.

    As she watched Rio vanish from her wondrous forest realm, Eve wore a soft and loving smile, her heart filled with warmth. She gazed at the spot where he had stood, reying their intimate moment in her mind and savoring everyst detail.

    With a contented sigh, she finally closed her eyes and allowed the memory to linger, enveloped in a cocoon of bliss.

    ________________________________

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 Chapter 307 Missing Layla

    As Rio materialized in Lia''s bedroom, he found it empty. The morning light streamed through the windows, indicating that the day had already begun.

    He went outside, to look for Lia, and discovered her in N''s room, deep in conversation with her sisters.

    Though Helia had wronged Rio in the past, he had forgiven her, and she had faced a severe punishment as a consequence.

    As he entered the room, all eyes turned to him, filled with happiness at his return. Even Helia''s eyes brightened, though she did not voice her feelings.

    "Good morning,dies," Rio greeted them warmly.

    "Where have you been, sweetie?" N inquired, her eyes filled with concern.

    "I didn''t want to disturb anyone''s sleep, so I went to fight some ck-stage beasts," he replied casually.

    Lia''s expression was filled with surprise as she asked, "You''ve already reached the red stage?"

    Rio nodded, then asked, "Until when can my Silverbloom King Sword be upgraded?"

    "I can only help it reach the red stage. After that, you''ll have to find another beast soul that can provide you with a sword weapon." Lia exined in a calm tone.

    Rio considered this information, deciding that he would attempt to upgrade his swordter in the evening when they went for their usual walk in the garden.

    For now, he enjoyed thepany of his loving wives, as he hadn''t spent much time with them since his return.

    As Rio engaged in conversation with the women, he shared his experiences in the human world.

    "I discovered that La was living in my old apartment. To my surprise, she had been searching for me since a month after the incident when my memories were sealed.

    La had wanted us to elope to the Land of Asura, to live far away from humans, but when she couldn''t find me, she foolishly made it her ultimate goal to defeat her grandfather. She wanted to prepare herself while still searching for me.

    Unfortunately, I didn''t return to my old apartment after getting adopted, so she couldn''t find me. I had misunderstood her intentions all this time," Rio narrated, his voice filled with both love and guilt for not realizing La''s true intentions sooner.

    Lia listened attentively, feeling a surge of happiness for Rio as he finally reunited with his first love, though she chose to keep her emotions to herself.

    Their conversation carried on as Rio told them about La and their past, with each sister carefully listening to his love story as he was the boy who ruled their delicate hearts.

    After a while, they shared a cozy morning breakfast together, enjoying the warmth of each other''spany and theforting familiarity of eating together. They had missed having him there for their meals in recent times.

    Later that evening, Rio sessfully upgraded his Silverbloom King sword to the Red stage. He cherished the happy and loving moments he spent with Lia before deciding to return to Earth to check on La.

    Upon his arrival, he noticed that everything was still in its ce, and La hadn''t returned. Growing increasingly concerned, Rio couldn''t shake off the feeling that something was amiss.

    After returning to Empress Vi, he asked the Elven beauty, "Eve, do you happen to know the shelter where La might be? She hasn''t returned yet, and I have a feeling that something is not right."

    As the girl heard his question, she hesitated to answer him. She had been warned by the Goddess not to reveal certain secrets to him as he was meant to discover them on his own, and any premature revtion could put him in danger that he wasn''t prepared for.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You can find her at The Haven Ind, which is under the control of the Havenglow family," Eve''s voice resonated in Rio''s mind, revealing La''s location, as she knew she could at least tell him this much.

    "Why did she leave?" he inquired.

    "Even though I want to tell you, I''m restricted by the Heavenlyw from divulging information about her. You''ll have to discover the truth on your own. I can only assist you with other details," Eve replied with a tinge of bitterness, clearly disliking her inability to help him further.

    Rio understood that the goddess had imposed restrictions on Eve, preventing her from discussing certain topics, and La''s situation was one of them.

    He returned to his bedroom andy on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought about La.

    Noticing the worry etched on his face, Lia approached Rio with a concerned and loving tone.

    "What''s troubling you, Husband? You seem so stressed," she asked, gently cing a hand on his cheek.

    "It''s just that La hasn''te back. It''s not like her to disappear for this long, especially after we just met," he responded, sensing that something was amiss with her absence.

    "What do you n to do?" Lia asked, noticing that he likely already had an idea in mind.

    "I''m considering visiting her in the Land of Asura," he revealed his intentions.

    "Will you be safe there? Do you want me toe along?" Lia asked with a loving tone, her concern for his well-being evident in her voice.

    "It''s the Havenglow''s territory, so they probably shouldn''t harm me. Even if they did, I can always return, and I have Eve by my side. If something is wrong with La, I''ll let you know, and we can go together.

    But I believe I can handle it alone, and Second Mother should help me even if that old man interferes between La and me," he said, unaware of the unknown fate awaiting him on the other side.

    "Your current strength isn''t enough to take on a Silver stage warrior, so you need to be cautious," Lia said with a worried tone. She knew that Rio was still not strong enough to handle one of the strongest Human warriors, which included La''s grandfather.

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 Chapter 308 The Search For Layla

    Rio nodded, contemting whether to leave immediately. Though he wanted to spend time with Lia, the thought of La being in danger weighed heavily on his mind and he knew he needed to find her himself.

    "Don''t worry about it. Just go and bring her back. If the Havenglow family makes things difficult for you, I''ll wage a war against the human race and force them to their knees, begging to return La to you," Lia yfully dered, her eyes twinkling.

    Rio couldn''t help but think about the chaos that would ensue if he brought Lia with him. He was sure that she wouldn''t hesitate to ughter La''s grandfather if he posed a threat. This was one reason he didn''t want to bring Lia along.

    He still had to uncover the secret about his parents, and although discovering the truth about his parents wasn''t more important than La''s safety, he wanted to handle the situation without jeopardizing his search for answers, if possible.

    As Lia encouraged Rio to leave for La, he no longer hesitated. Rising from the bed, he turned to Lia and tenderly kissed her lips and forehead.

    A loving smile graced her face, her eyes brimming with affection and concern. Though she yearned to apany him, she decided to patiently await his message as she knew the boy could always reach out to her telepathically if anything went awry.

    Lia understood that this was a family matter for Rio, and she didn''t want to intrude, risking damage to his other bonds. She was well aware of her own strength and knew that she might not be able to restrain herself if the old man threatened Rio again.

    With her current strength, she could easily transform Haven Ind into a frozen wastnd. Nevertheless, she allowed Rio the unconditional freedom to handle the situation as he saw fit.

    Deep down, she knew that Rio wouldn''t just stand idly by if things spiraled out of control and let events unfold. He cared deeply for La, and in such a situation, he might reach out to Lia for help.

    With a loving heart, she let him go, trusting in his judgment and prepared to support him when needed.

    As Rio left the Empress Vi, he made his way to the teleporter tower to acquire a [Teleport Glyph] for Silver Ind, which was under the Asura''s control but also the closest location to Haven Ind.

    With the [Teleport Glyph] in hand, he tore it apart, and in an instant, he was whisked away into a spatial rift.

    Emerging from the underground headquarters of the Asuras, Rio found himself surrounded by towering mountains, realizing that the base was cleverly hidden within one of them. Cautiously, he descended into the valley, following the directions that would lead him to Haven Ind.

    With Silver Ind behind him, Rio''s feet beat against the ground as he raced northward for hours on end.

    As he reached the edge of the ind, the sight of a bridge emerged before him, indicating the arrival of Haven Ind.

    Pausing for a moment, he filled his lungs with a deep, steadying breath, and then surged forward with renewed resolve.

    "La, I''ming for you," he whispered under his breath.

    He knew that in thendscape thaty ahead, he mighte face-to-face with numerous shelters under the Havenglow family''s control. But nothing would stop him from finding La and bringing her back with him.

    Haven Ind, a vast expanse of corruptednd, was entirely under the Havenglow family''s control. The ind was home to beasts ranging from the yellow to silver stages. The deeper one traveled, the more formidable the creatures became.

    Two silver-stage Havenglow family headquarters were located on the ind, one under Aliyah''smand and the other under her father''s.

    Rio''s destination was the shelter where La was believed to be, a red-stage headquarters of Havenglow''s family.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Traveling at breakneck speed, he bypassed other shelters, focusing solely on delving deeper into Haven Ind. As he ventured further, he noticed the beasts bing increasingly powerful.

    Rio''s enhanced physical power and increased mana capacity at the red stage enabled him to travel even faster than before. He opted not to use his thunder enchantment, as doing so would consume more mana, and he knew he had a long journey ahead.

    After two more hours of continuous travel, Rio finally entered the territory inhabited by red-stage beasts.

    Thendscape transformed dramatically as he traveled deeper into the forest. Towering trees loomed overhead, and even the shrubs grew to an impressive height of two meters, making him feel small inparison to the colossal surroundings.

    While traversing the rugged terrain, Rio suddenly heard the guttural roar of a tiger, followed by the menacing hiss of a python.

    *Roar!!!*

    *Hiss~*

    He halted in his tracks, carefully scanning his surroundings to locate the source of the sounds.

    As he peered through the foliage, he caught sight of two powerful red-stage beasts locked in a tense standoff.

    The tiger, with its striking red stripes, stretched roughly four meters in length. Its powerful muscles rippled beneath its fiery coat, showcasing its raw strength. It snarled and bared its teeth, ready to pounce at a moment''s notice.

    Opposite the tiger, a massive python coiled its twelve-meter-long body, its emerald-green scales glistening with an iridescent sheen. The snake''s eyes gleamed with menace as it raised its head, prepared to strike with lightning-fast speed.

    The two beasts were very tense, and their movements showed their power and aggression.

    The atmosphere grew thick with suspense, as Rio couldn''t help but think, "These two are probably going to fight soon."

    Yet, just as the thought crossed his mind, both the tiger and the python simultaneously turned their attention toward him, their gazes filled with predatory intent.

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 Chapter 309 The Search Continues

    ''Ah...''

    The abrupt shift in focus took Rio by surprise, and he quickly understood that evading a fight with these two red-stage beasts was not an option. Bracing himself, he prepared for the imminent battle that was going to start.

    Rio''s eyes narrowed, his muscles tensed, and he shot like an arrow with incredible speed.

    In a mere blink of an eye, he stood beside the two menacing beasts. With a fluid and precise motion, he delivered a fast and powerful strike using his bare hand, which was enchanted with mana.

    *Thud!!!* *Thud!!!*

    The impact reverberated through the air, and the two red-stage beasts crumbled to the ground, their remains scattering as the devastating damage from the boy''s raw strength left them lifeless.

    His current level of strength rendered them no match for his might, allowing him to dispatch them with ease and without even summoning his silver-bloom king sword.

    Rio heard two notifications, but he didn''t pay much attention to them. He picked up the cores that appeared beside the beasts'' bodies and absorbed their energy.

    <<<<

    [Red stage Mutated Armored Tiger killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Armored Tiger to gain zero to 4 Red stats points randomly.]

    [Red stage Mutated Demon Python killed. Absorb the core of the Mutated Demon Python to gain zero to 4 Red stats points randomly.]

    [Core of Red stage Mutated Demon Python absorbed. 1 Red Stats point gained.]

    [Core of Red stage Mutated Demon Python absorbed. 2 Red Stats points gained.]

    >>>>

    He felt reinvigorated as his strength slightly increased. The boy was now ready to continue his journey toward his destination where he could find La.

    Rio''s travel led him to confront several more red-stage beasts, each one falling just as easily as thest.

    When he finally arrived at the first red-stage shelter, he closed his eyes and focused his senses, extending his spiritual energy outwards like an invisible web.

    His spiritual prowess, breaking through to the level of the Heavenly realm, allowed him to discern the distinct auras of the people within the shelter from afar.

    He searched intently for the familiar aura of La''s presence, but his heart sank as he found no trace of her among the auras.

    ''She is not here...''

    The weight of disappointment settled heavily upon him as he realized he needed to continue his search elsewhere.

    Feeling disheartened, Rio left the red-stage shelter and continued his search, moving from one location to another. Despite his best efforts, he failed to find any trace of La.

    "I''ll search every corner of this ind if I have to but I will find you," Rio vowed to himself with a stubborn heart.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    epting the fact that La could be in one of the silver-stage shelters, he resolved to explore the silver-stage area of Haven Ind. He knew that there were two such shelters on the ind, and he wondered if La might be held captive in one of them.

    As Rio''s heart remained stubbornly set on finding the girl, he pressed on, his feet carrying him forward.

    Upon entering the silver-stage area, his eyes watched thendscape carefully, searching for any sign of the Havenglow family''s shelters.

    Rio continued his journey through the rolling hills, covered in lush greenery, that surrounded him. Sparkling waterfalls and clear streams flowed through the expanse, adding to the picturesque scenery. Despite the tranquil surroundings, the only thing on the boy''s mind was finding La.

    The gentle rustling of the cherry blossom trees and the sweet scent of wildflowers did little to distract Rio from his goal.

    The beauty of the area was breathtaking, but he remained focused on his mission, whispering to himself, "He who is willing to sacrifice everything for the one he loves, will eventually find her."

    His resolve remained unwavering as he pressed on, resolute to find La at all costs. He knew that finding her was the most important thing to do now and he was willing to do whatever it took to bring her back.

    He pushed through the dense, misty forest filled with towering trees that stretched toward the heavens. The branches were heavy with blooming flowers and fruits, but Rio paid them little attention.

    Although the breathtaking scenery would have captivated any other warrior, Rio''s mind was preupied with only one person, ''La''.

    Before long, Rio''s [Heaven''s Eyes] noticed a grand shelter in the distance, a majestic sight thatmanded attention. Resembling a castle, the impressiveplex boasted an array of dome-like buildings, each one proof of the architectural prowess of its creators.

    These magnificent structures were arranged in perfect harmony, nestled within the confines of towering, imposing walls that appeared to defy any intrusion. The entirepound exuded an aura of power and grandeur, leaving asting impression on anyone who came near it.

    "I''ll tear down these walls to get to you. Hang on, a little longer. I''ming, La," Rio muttered to himself.

    He knew that he would stop at nothing to find the girl and bring her back with him. The sight of the grand shelter had given him a renewed sense of purpose, and he quickened his pace, determined to reach the castle-like structure. Rio navigated through the diversendscape with haste.

    The dense, misty forest enveloped the boy as he moved on forward, barely noticing the lush greenery surrounding him. His heart was filled with worry and hope as he drew closer to the grand structure, each step bringing him nearer to potentially uncovering La''s whereabouts.

    Despite the natural beauty, his eyes remained locked on his destination, his resolve unwavering and his focus undeterred. The peaceful silence was only interrupted by the asional rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds.

    As Rio drew closer to the grand shelter, the chirping of birds and rustling of leaves gradually faded into the background. His gaze remained locked on his destination, the serene atmosphere did little to distract him from his goal.

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 Chapter 310 The Unbreakable Will: Facing The Havenglow Familys Army Alone

    As Rio approached the impressive silver-stage shelter, his gaze swept across the numerous dome-like structures and two-story buildings. He couldn''t help but admire the intricacy of the architecture and the grandeur of the shelter in his heart.

    The sheer number of buildings was astounding, considering the lower number of silver-stage warriors in the human world.

    ''This is more than just a shelter. The number of buildings suggests they have a lot of high-level experts within these walls.''

    He pondered the possibility that the Havenglow family had amassed a considerable number of red-stage warriors within these walls instead of the silver stage.

    However, he quickly set those thoughts aside, knowing that he needed to focus on finding the girl. Rio closed his eyes and concentrated, using his spiritual power to scan each building for La''s unique aura.

    Moving orderly from one structure to the next, he probed the area with his spiritual energy, like a fine-toothedb searching for the faintest trace of her presence.

    Rio examined each building with a mix of fear and hope, but every time, he was met with disappointment. The weight of worry and frustration grew heavier with each failed attempt, settling heavily on his shoulders.

    Yet, the boy refused to give up. Determined to leave no stone unturned, he persisted in his search, clinging to the hope that La was somewhere within the vastndscape. His unwavering resolve propelled him forward, refusing to ept defeat in his quest to find the one he loved.

    As Rio circled the area, his gaze fell upon an isted tower some distance away from the grand structures. The tower, standing four or five stories tall, beckoned him to investigate further. As he approached the tower, his spiritual energy continued to scan the surroundings

    Finally, there it was - the familiar sensation of the girl''s aura.

    "La..." A soft smile blossomed on his face as he finally found her...

    But just as relief drowned him, an unsettling feeling crept up his body. It was as if a wild beast had fixed its predatory gaze upon him.

    Rio instinctively leaped to the side with a sharp gasp, narrowly avoiding a massive ball of thunder that shattered the stone where he had just been standing.

    *Boom!!!*

    The sound of the explosion echoed through the air, leaving a ringing in his ears.

    Clenching his fist, the boy turned to face his attacker, he saw a towering figure floating in the air before him. The man''s hair was a striking shade of maroon, and he stood at an impressive height of 190 centimeters.

    A fierce and intimidating aura radiated from him, making it clear that he was not to be underestimated. The person before him was none other than the old man who had once sealed Rio''s memory - the grandfather of La, who had separated them in the past.

    The boy used his [Heaven''s Eye] to inspect the maroon-haired old man in front of him.

    <<<<

    [User: Ambrose Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: A]

    [Root: Silver]

    [MANA: 20000]

    [Physical Power: 10 + 700]

    [Innate stats: 10]

    [Yellow: 20]

    [Purple: 20]

    [ck: 20]

    [Red: 20]

    [Silver: 16]

    >>>>

    As Rio was busy looking at La''s grandfather''s profile, the old man sneered at him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You have a cockroach life. Do you think because Aliyah has adopted you, I will ept someone like you, born in the gutter, to marry my precious granddaughter?" His voice was filled with contempt and disdain, each word dripping with loathing.

    Rio let out a chuckle, his voice flowing with amusement, "Did you mistake me for someone who cares about your approval? La and I love each other, and your attempts to separate us are nothing but a waste of time.

    Let me make one thing clear - if you dare toe between us, I will crush you without hesitation. No power in this world can stop me from taking La from here with me today."

    The boy had had enough and decided to fight the old man head-on. He had inspected the old man before saying such bold words, thinking it wouldn''t be too difficult to fight him as his physical power was not far from that of the old man.

    <<<<

    [User: Rio Havenglow]

    [Race: Human]

    [Innate Rank: S]

    [Root: Red Stage]

    [Core: Red Stage]

    [MANA: (10000+10000) + 20000](Gift of Phantom)

    [Physical Power: 15+565] (+20% Devlin Might)

    [Innate stats: 10+5]

    [White: 10+10]

    [Yellow: 20+20]

    [Purple: 20+20]

    [ck: 20+20]

    [Red: 9.5 + 9]

    >>>>

    Rio''s total physical power was 565, but with the help of Devlin''s Might and his innate stats, it reached around 696. Inparison, Ambrose Havenglow''s physical power was around 710.

    The old man''s face contorted with anger upon hearing Rio''s provoking words. He bellowed, "Confine him!" His voice seemed to reverberate throughout the area, stirring the air with an almost tangible intensity.

    Rio felt the rush of wind behind him and quickly spun around. Numerous warriors flew through the air,ing towards him using their wing beast souls. The old man''smand had reached their ears, and they had mobilized swiftly, as though they were prepared for this very moment.

    With no other choice, Rio summoned his Silver Bloom King sword, gripping it tightly in preparation for the inevitable confrontation. The gleaming de crackled with the sound of thunder as he braced himself for the impending battle.

    More than forty red-stage warriors rapidly approached Rio, their eyes locked on him with a fierce resolve. The boy''s body buzzed with blue electricity, the sound of thunder echoing around him as he readied himself for his opponents.

    The warriors descended upon the ground before him, each wielding a variety of weapons including maces, swords, daggers, and shields, adopting battle stances with their eyes never leaving their target.

    The air thickened with tension as the sh between Rio and the red-stage warriors of the Havenglow family began.

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 Chapter 311 The Final Showdown: Rio VS The Old Man

    Chapter 311 The Final Showdown: Rio VS The Old Man

    Rio''s body crackled with electricity as he charged at the red-stage warriors, his movements fluid and fierce like a lion on the hunt.

    He zigzagged through the battlefield, his silver bloom king sword a blur as it sliced through the air. Each strike of his de was apanied by a sh of lightning, illuminating the scene in a brilliant disy of power.

    Rio''s kicksnded with crushing force, sending his adversaries hurtling through the air. The impact of each kick reverberated through the area, highlighting the ferocity of his attacks. Bones cracked and weapons shattered as the boy continued his relentless assault on the red-stage warriors.

    The battlefield erupted in chaos as the warriors struggled to keep up with Rio''s overwhelming speed and strength. They attacked in unison, attempting to overpower him, but Rio''s thunder-infused strikes proved too much for them.

    One by one, the silver-stage warriors met their demise, their bodies gushing with blood as Rio''s de sliced through them like a hot knife through butter. His body glowed blue, buzzing with thunder, as he shot towards his opponents like a lion, his movements swift and precise.

    The ground shook with each strike, and the air crackled with energy as Rio continued his relentless assault. The warriors were no match for his fierce determination and lightning-fast reflexes.

    As the dust settled, the remaining warriors stared in shock at the destruction wrought by Rio''s de. But the boy showed no signs of slowing down, his eyes burning with a fierce determination to find La.

    Even La''s grandfather, the old man, was taken aback by the level of destruction Rio had wrought upon his men. His surprise soon turned to frustration as he watched the remaining warriors struggle to stand, their bodies gushing with blood. The old man''s n to stop Rio had failed, and he was left with only one option.

    The other warriors surrounding them also exchanged worried nces, realizing that Rio was not to be taken lightly. They had underestimated him, and it had cost them dearly.

    For Rio, the battle was far from over, and nothing would stand in his way as he fought to reim the love that had been taken from him.

    The red-stage warriors sprawled across the ground, bruised and battered. Bones were broken, and blood seeped from their wounds.

    Despite their best efforts, they were no match for the boy. His overwhelming strength left them defeated in a matter of minutes. Through it all, Rio had shown mercy, sparing their lives even as heid them low.

    Turning his attention to the old man, Rio took in the furious expression on his face.

    The boy sighed deeply, feeling the weight of reality settling upon him. He had hoped to avoid conflict with the Havenglow family in the past.

    When Aliyah had told him about his parents, he had made a conscious decision to avoid using their help or money, not wanting to feel burdened if one day he had to fight them. It was probably his sixth sense or intuition that made him feel this way.

    When he was talking to Lia about bringing back La, he had even considered the possibility of Second Mother helping him and reassured Lia about it.

    But the truth was undeniable; the day he would have to face the Havenglow family had arrived. The very reason for this was that the old man who had separated him from La was the father of his Second Mother.

    Resigning himself to the inevitable, the boy summoned the beast soul he had obtained from the Lord Crowned Flyer, and in an instant, a pair of magnificent wings sprouted from his back.

    The translucent feathers glimmered in the light, reflecting a myriad of colors like diamonds. The wings were so ethereal and breathtaking that it seemed as though they were crafted from pure light.

    As Rio flexed his wings, the feathers rustled like the rustling of leaves in the wind, and with a slight flutter of the ethereal wings, his figure rose into the air. With his Heavenly realm spiritual energy, he controlled the Beast Soul with remarkable finesse, each beat of the wings carrying him higher. Rio had never flown before, but his confidence grew with each passing moment.

    The boy was ready to confront the old man, who was floating in the air using his own winged beast soul, their eyes locked in a fierce stare-down.

    As the boy met the old man''s gaze, he could see the contempt and disgust that swirled within his eyes. He also noticed that the old man''s hand had materialized a sword, which gleamed silver from hilt to de.

    Without exchanging any words, both of their bodies erupted with thunderous energy as the whole battlefield and Haven Ind rumbled with the sound of roaring thunder, signaling the beginning of an epic battle that would shake the entire human world.

    In a matter of mere seconds, they collided with each other dozens of times, their powerful attacks reverberating throughout the sky.

    *nk!!!* *nk!!!* *nk!!!* *nk!!!*

    Sparks flew in the air, and metallic sounds mixed with thunder reverberated, shaking the heart of everyone who watched the battle. Each sh sent Rio reeling back further than before, evidence of the disparity in strength between the two warriors.

    Although the old man held the advantage, he couldn''t help but be astonished by Rio''s steady resolve to face him head-on. The young warrior''s resilience was nothing short of astounding.

    On the ground, spectators gazed up at the sky in amazement, unable to believe their eyes. A range of emotions flickered across their faces - wonder, pity, disgust, hate, and more - as they bore witness to the epic battle unfolding between the two Havenglow Family members.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

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    ________________________________

 Chapter 312 The Fierce Duel Continues

    Chapter 312 The Fierce Duel Continues

    A boy of only seventeen years was fearlessly battling one of the strongest human warriors on equal footing.

    Whispered murmurs spread among the crowd, with some acknowledging La''s keen eye for choosing such a formidable partner. Others cursed the old man under their breath, resenting his interference in the young couple''s lives.

    Yet, there were those who secretly delighted in witnessing Rio''s struggles, as they couldn''t bear the thought of the boyying im to their beloved goddess. Their hearts filled with satisfaction each time Rio was overwhelmed by the old man''s superior strength.

    The battle raged on, with the air crackling from the sheer force of their powerful attacks. Rio''s breathing grew heavier as the shes took their toll on his body. Sweat drenched his clothes, and fresh wounds decorated his skin, evidence of the ferocity of their fight.

    Despite the pain and exhaustion, the boy refused to back down. His steady resolve to get back his La fueled him, pushing him beyond his limits.

    The old man, however, remainedrgely unscathed, his experience and higher realm of power allowing him to evade and counter Rio''s onught with practiced ease. But even he could feel the strain of their prolonged battle, his once steady breaths now punctuated by asional pants.

    ''I have to end this battle quickly, or I won''t be able to hold out much longer.''

    Rio''s mind raced as he considered his options, finally deciding to employ his most powerful battle art technique.

    Having recently reached the Heavenly realm in spiritual energy, he was better at charging his battle art techniques than ever before. He focused his mana, preparing tobine his [Overload Destroyer] with [Obliteration of Heaven].

    He channeled ten percent of his mana into a blue sphere ¨C which was a lot more than the eighty percent he had used to cast [Heaven Destroyer] during his battle with La when he was only at the ck stage.

    Without hesitation, Rio sent the blue sphere, aiming it directly at the old man. However, just as the blue sphere vanished and reappeared, the devastating force was about to strike. The old man nimbly dodged the blow with almost casual ease as if he had an eye on his back.

    The powerful blue sphere continued its trajectory, the sheer force of its energy causing a massive explosion in the distance.

    *Boom!!!*

    As the dust settled, the once majestic buildings of the Havenglow sheltery in ruins, disying the destructive power of Rio''s [Heaven Destroyer] technique.

    The crowd gasped in shock, their eyes wide as they took in the extent of the devastation.

    Yet, amidst the chaos, Rio with a disappointed expression, and the old man with an arrogant look remained locked in their fierce battle, neither willing to concede defeat.

    The two Havenglow family members, one old and one young, continued their fierce duel, moving with the speed of lightning as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an eerie glow upon the battlefield. Spectators watched in awe as the two fighters shed, their figures mere blurs to the onlookers below.

    After thousands of shes, Rio''s body ached from the relentless barrage of attacks. Each blow from the old man left a fresh bruise or cut in its wake, and blood trickled from his wounds, staining his once-pristine clothes. His once-steady breaths now came in ragged gasps, his lungs screaming for air.

    The old man, too, began to feel the effects of their protracted battle. Sweat poured down his brow, and his onceposed expression now contorted with exertion.

    As the hours passed, the intensity of their fight only grew, the air around them crackling with electric energy. Rio''s movements became more desperate, each swing of his silver-bloom king sword fueled by his steady resolve to save La.

    The old man''s eyes shed with surprise and perhaps even a hint of admiration as Rio continued to push himself, refusing to give in to his injuries and exhaustion.

    Their mighty struggle seemed to defy the veryws of nature, the sky above them alive with a dazzling disy of lightning and thunder. The ground trembled beneath the might of their battle, and the air was thick with the tension of their unyielding wills.

    The onlookers below watched in awe, captivated by the ferocity and beauty of their sh. They could hardly believe that a boy of Rio''s age could stand up to such an experienced and powerful warrior like Ambrose Havenglow.

    As the battle continued, Rio''s body became heavily battered, with each new sh leaving a fresh injury upon his already bruised and bloodied form. His once agile movements were now hindered by the relentless pain that coursed through his veins, yet he persisted for his La.

    He failed tond a single [Heaven Destroyer] on the old man, and he even tried other battle art techniques, but the old man was too experienced to be caught by his attacks. He sighed as he realized this person was the strongest enemy he had ever fought and was in a league far above him.

    It would be different if Rio had the upper hand of having higher physical power, but underestimating the old man while having 14 less physical power than him caused the boy to lose badly.

    The old man, his voiceced with a hint of admiration, couldn''t help but taunt Rio. "You''re certainly a stubborn one, but this is where it all ends for you," he said.

    Rio gritted his teeth, ignoring the stinging pain that coursed through his body, and responded defiantly, "I won''t back down, not now, not ever."

    Their eyes remained locked in a fierce gaze, both unwilling to give an inch in the battle of wills.

    Rio''s stubborn determination to fight for La, even in the face of defeat, left a deep impression on the old man. Despite his dislike for the boy, the old man couldn''t help but feel a grudging respect for the boy''s unyielding spirit, which only made him more frustrated with the situation.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 313 Laylas Desperate Cry

    The fierce sh between them continued, and with each passing moment, it took its toll on Rio''s battered body. As his injuries umted, his strength waned, and his movements became more sluggish. Despite this, his stubborn heart to save La remained unshaken, and his eyes zed with unyielding resolve.

    Sensing Rio''s waning energy, the old man intensified his efforts. His attacks grew more ferocious, intending to crush Rio''s spirit once and for all. However, Rio met each strike head-on, refusing to yield to the pain.

    *nk!* *nk!* *nk!* *nk!*

    The intense duel persisted, the sound of shing swords echoing through the air like a symphony of destruction. The onlookers watched in stunned silence, captivated by Rio''s unbreakable will.

    As the boy''s body trembled under the strain, his vision blurred and his limbs grew heavy. Yet, he refused to give in. In a desperate attempt, Riounched himself at the old man once more, their swords meeting in a dazzling exchange of sparks.

    Meanwhile, the other beaten warriors had distanced themselves from the main fight, watching in awe as the young boy and the old man continued their ferocious sh. Despite their injuries, they were captivated by the spectacle unfolding before them.

    For another thirty minutes, the battle intensified, with each passing moment taking its toll on Rio''s battered body. The old man''s relentless attacks left him bruised and bloodied, but his stubborn heart remained unbroken.

    As the moon glimmered in the sky and stars twinkled above, the young boy''s unyielding spirit shone through, illuminating the scene with a fiery, magical glow. Their figures in the sky remained locked in battle, the intensity of their sh refusing to diminish.

    Throughout the fight, Rio struggled to find an opportunity to use his battle art technique. The old man''s relentless assault left him no room to charge and execute his powerful techniques like [Heaven Destroyer] or [Overload Destroyer]. Rio''s frustration and exhaustion grew as he desperately searched for an opening.

    Finally, after enduring countless blows, Rio fell to the ground like a broken kite, his body battered and exhausted, blood oozing from his wounds. Hey there, his breathing shallow and ragged, as if each breath could be hisst, while the old man descended from the sky, recalling his winged beast soul, and approached the fallen young warrior.

    As the old man raised his weapon to deliver the final blow, Rio gathered thest of his strength and managed to block the attack with a nking sound as the sword met his de.

    He gritted his teeth and mumbled to himself, "I won''t give up, until myst breath."

    Though his body screamed in agony, his unyielding spirit refused to let him surrender. He attempted to charge his sword with [Overload Destroyer], but the old man, anticipating his move, interrupted him with a punch that sent him reeling backward.

    As the battle continued into the twilight, Rio gathered his strength once again. Onlookers held their breath, unsure of what the oue would be. Despite Rio''s weakened state, his steady will and love for La continued to fuel his unbreakable spirit. The oue of the battle remained uncertain.

    The fight between Rio and the old man raged on, this time on the ground, the sh of their swords and the force of their battle arts echoing throughout the vicinity.

    Inside the tower, La could hear the sounds of battle, but she was unaware that it was Rio fighting for her outside. She longed to see what was happening, but she was trapped in a silver cage, a rare beast soul of the old man, rendering her unable to escape.

    As the old man''s attack hit him hard, Rio seemed to copse to the ground like a rag doll, his body heavy with exhaustion and injuries. He tried to stand up using his sword''s de as a base, but it was clear that he wouldn''t be able to stand this time.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The onlookers, some of whom were feeling pity, sighed as they saw the young boy finally unable to fight anymore and on the verge of being killed. Other onlookers cheered for the old man''s impending victory, their excitement was at its peak.

    With a sinister smile, the old man hovered his hand in the air, summoning the cage from the tower above. The cage descended,nding near the battleground, and La was revealed inside, her eyes filled with fear and concern.

    As La saw who was this boy and recognized Rio, she started crying, her eyes bursting with tears as she reached out with her hand but couldn''t, as the boy was far away and she was inside the cage.

    Her voice cried out, "Nooo, Rioooo!" Her plea could be heard as she cried for the boy.

    "See what happens when you defy me and choose to marry someone else, Lily? Today, I''ll take this boy''s life right before your eyes. So that you''ll never make this mistake again," the old man spoke coldly, his eyes fixated on La''s tearful gaze.

    The old man slowly raised his hand, his fingertips glowing with an ominous energy that crackled with electricity. As he began to cast his ultimate battle art technique, the sky above them seemed to tremble with foreboding energy. Dark clouds rolled in, and the air grew thick with anticipation.

    "Heaven''s Thunderbolt!!!" the old man bellowed as a massive bolt of heavenly thunder descended from the clouds, striking the ground with a deafening roar that shook the very earth beneath their feet. The light from the st enveloped the boy, casting a blinding white light that made it impossible to see anything else.

    The onlookers held their breath, knowing that this was the old man''s ultimate attack, one that could easily take the life of even a silver-stage warrior.

    "Rioooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!", La''s desperate cry echoed through the battleground.

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 Chapter 314 The Mothers Embrace

    "Rioooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!", La''s desperate cry echoed through the battleground.

    Her voice was hoarse, and her words were filled with an intense agony that shook everyone''s heart. The sound of her cry seemed to pierce through the chaos of the battle, leaving everyone in stunned silence.

    The onlookers could only watch helplessly as La''s screams filled the air. It was as if her entire being had be consumed by the agony of watching Rio being struck down. The atmosphere was eerie, and even the bravest of warriors felt their hearts quivering with fear.

    As the girl continued to cry out in despair, it was clear that she was losing all hope. The sight of Rio being hit by the heavenly thunder was too much for her to bear, and it seemed as though she had given up all hope of ever seeing him again.

    As the dust from the explosion began to settle, a cloud of debris obscured the view of the battlefield. No one could see what had be of the boy, and the air was filled with a heavy, oppressive silence.

    Some of the HeavenGlow''s Red Stage warriors held their breath, their hearts pounding as they anxiously awaited any sign of the young boy''s fate.

    Inside the cage, La''s grief-stricken expression was a mixture of desperation and hope, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of the boy.

    As the dust continued to clear, the moment of truth drew near, and the oue of the battle hung in the bnce.

    ***

    As the heavenly thunder hurtled towards Rio, he gritted his teeth and braced himself for the impact. His body was already heavy with exhaustion and injuries from the intense battle, and he had no strength left to struggle back. He felt as if his mana had run out and he was unable to even stand.

    But suddenly, in that moment of desperation, a mysterious figure appeared beside him. The figure was a beautiful, etherealdy with flowing blue hair, her translucent form shimmering with an otherworldly light. She bore a striking resemnce to Rose, but her features were even more exquisite, and she emanated an air of maturity and grace.

    Thedy''s sudden appearance went unnoticed by the onlookers, their attention solely focused on the impending impact of the old man''s devastating attack.

    Just as the heavenly thunder was about to strike Rio, the blue-haireddy intervened, her arms cradling his battered body with tender care and effortlessly absorbing the full force of the attack.

    A cloud of dust covered them inside, obscuring their figures from view.

    As the dust began to settle, Rio found himself in the embrace of the blue-haireddy. The warmth of her embrace filled him with a sense of security and love, like a mother holding her child. She leaned in and ced a tender kiss on his forehead, and as soon as her lips touched his skin, a powerful surge of energy pulsed through his body.

    The boy''s heartbeat thundered in his chest, the vibrations shaking him to his very core. He felt as if something inside him had unlocked, and his eyes widened in amazement.

    Rio, dumbstruck by the unexpected turn of events, struggled toprehend what had just happened. Before he could fully process the situation, a notification rang in his mind:

    <<<<

    [You have awakened the Mana Heart.]

    [Cloudgrace Mount''s Egg has hatched!]

    >>>>

    As Rio heard the notification, he noticed the blue-haireddy''s lips moving, her voice barely audible as she whispered something to him.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Despite the faintness of her words, Rio somehow understood her message. With a soft, enigmatic smile, thedy''s figure faded, vanishing as suddenly as she had appeared.

    As the dust cleared, Rio''s eyes zed with renewed determination. A sudden surge of power coursed through his body, and he felt his previous mana pool soar by 400%, with a regeneration rate of 4% per minute. He was flowing with energy, and he felt as if he could destroy a mountain with a single punch. Now, he had the freedom to use more mana than ever before.

    The boy''s body was enveloped in a brilliant aura of crackling thunder that buzzed stronger than before, as if he had harnessed the power of the heavens themselves.

    Meanwhile, La peered through the bars of her silver cage, her heart pounding with fear and hope. When she saw Rio standing there, alive and glowing with a brilliant aura of thunder, her expression changed to one of joy and relief. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at him in disbelief.

    "Rio...!" she eximed, her voice trembling with emotion. Even though she was trapped in the cage, her heart swelled with joy and gratitude at the sight of her beloved.

    The onlookers watched in awe as the young boy, once on the brink of death, now stood tall, his spirit unbroken and his power seemingly boosted by an unseen force.

    The old man''s eyes widened in disbelief at the transformation in Rio''s power. He struggled toprehend the situation as he caught sight of numerous small blue spheres hurtling toward him.

    With swift, agile movements, he managed to evade the majority of the spheres, but four still found their mark, colliding with him and resulting in powerful explosions.

    The ground quaked beneath the force of the detonations, and cracks spread across the old man''s armor like spiderwebs. Desperate to escape Rio''s continuous attack, he took to the skies, his mind a whirlwind of confusion as he wondered how Rio had survived his deadliest attack.

    But the boy was far from done. Using his winged beast soul, he soared into the heavens with boosted strength, a fierce glint in his eyes. He unleashed a torrent of 40 to 50 blue spheres chasing the old man, each one a harbinger of destruction.

    The sky above the battlefield transformed into a breathtaking spectacle of light and sound, the explosions from the spheres creating a mesmerizing disy of fireworks. The old man was tossed about like a ragdoll amidst the barrage, each st threatening to overwhelm him.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    As most of youined about the previous chapter, I decided to post a bonus chapter from my stockpile that was originally nned for tomorrow.

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 Chapter 315 Could She Be My Mother?

    Chapter 315 Could She Be My Mother?

    The audience below gazed up at the unfolding spectacle, captivated by the sheer ferocity and scale of the battle.

    The fierce showdown painted a vivid, epic scene that none would forget anytime soon. The sound of each explosion resonated through the air, shivers cascading down their spines as they bore witness to the terrific sh.

    The old man, battered and bruised, finally plummeted from the sky, his once-proud figure now a shadow of its former self.

    As he hurtled towards the ground, Rio appeared beside him in a blur of motion, his fist connecting with the old man''s body with a resounding crack.

    The force of Rio''s punch sent the old man rocketing back into the air, only for the boy to pursue him non-stop.

    Rio darted from side to side, his feet and fists hammering into the old man''s body like a hailstorm, giving him no quarter or respite.

    Onlookers were dumbfounded at the boy''s increased power; their disbelief was evident on their faces as they watched him dominate the old man, who was known to be one of the strongest warriors in the human country.

    The battle had taken an unexpected turn, and whispers began to spread that Rio might emerge as the victor.

    Amidst the chaos, La''s eyes never left Rio. Her heart swelled with pride as she watched him fight, her own spirit invigorated by his unwavering resolve. Despite her captivity, she silently cheered him on, her emotions a tempest of joy and hope.

    Meanwhile, the old man, battered and reeling, struggled to regain his bearings. As Rio''s relentless barrage continued, the old man''s once-imprable defense began to copse. His expression twisted with pain and disbelief, his pride taking a heavy blow as he realized that he was being overwhelmed by this younger opponent.

    In the midst of the brutal aerialbat, Rio''s eyes didn''t waver from his target. He could sense the old man''s energy waning, and with each passing moment, his confidence grew. He knew that victory was within his grasp, and he intended to seize it.

    As the boy delivered a final powerful strike, the old man was sent careening toward the ground.

    The air around him whipped into a frenzy, creating a dust storm that followed in his wake. He collided with the earth with a deafening crash, the force of the impact creating a crater and sending tremors through the surrounding area.

    The battlefield fell eerily silent, the cacophony of the fierce battle reced by an oppressive stillness. Every eye was glued to the battered figure of the old man, their breaths held in fear of the boy''s next move.

    Rio, hovering above the scene, surveyed his opponent with an icy gaze. His chest rose and fell with the effort of hisbored breathing, but the fierce glint in his eyes remained undimmed. He knew he couldn''t relent until he was certain the old man was no longer a threat.

    The boy summoned his Silver Bloom King Sword, the de crackled with the power of thunder, making him seem like a god of death ready to take a life.

    With a fierce glint in his eye, he raised the sword high above his head, and the thunder crackled even louder. The old many motionless on the ground, helpless against the young boy''s overwhelming power.

    "He''s really going to do it... He''s going to finish him off."

    "We need to hurry and save the Lord Havenglow..."

    "It''s no use... We won''t make it in time."

    People who were 200 meters away began to sprint toward the scene, sensing that Rio was on the verge of ending the old man''s life. However, they knew they would be too slow to intervene, as the boy''s speed far surpassed their own.

    As Rio flew towards the old man, he steadied himself to deliver the final, deadly blow. But suddenly, a figure appeared between them in a sh. The woman gracefully dropped to her knees, her flowing blue hair cascading around her shoulders as she joined her hands together in a pleading gesture.

    Her eyes brimming with desperation, she implored, "No, Rio, please don''t kill him..."

    The boy was caught off guard by her sudden appearance, but the fury in his eyes remained unyielding, "This old monster has tried to separate me from La time and again. I cannot let him live."

    Ambrose Havenglow was bewildered by how the boy had suddenly be so powerful. He felt a glimmer of hope as he saw his daughtere to his rescue, and breathed a sigh of relief.

    "Please, spare his life... I beg you, my child," Second Mother, entreated, tears filling her eyes.

    She had rushed to the scene after discovering her father''s malicious n to take Rio''s life and imprison La. Witnessing the boy''s stubborn decision to execute the old man, she didn''t hesitate to plead for mercy, her eyes welling up with tears over the tragic turn of events where they had be enemies of each other. She didn''t want them to take one another''s life as this was very wrong.

    "No, I won''t forgive him. Move, or you''ll get hurt too," Rio replied coldly, his eyes gleaming with coldness, his expression resolute in his decision to end the old man''s life.

    "Rio, you cannot kill him. You''re our own blood. You''re not adopted. He is your mother''s father, your grandfather," Aliyah revealed, her words sending shockwaves of disbelief rippling through the onlookers.

    Rio, still hovering in the air, was stunned by the revtion. He slowly descended to the ground, his thoughts drifting to the blue-haireddy who had saved him earlier.

    As he connected her to Rose and Second Mother, he thought, "Could she be my mother?"

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Posting three chapters yesterday left me with no stockpile to post today...

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 Chapter 316 The Crossroads Of Vengeance And Mercy

    The old man''s eyes widened in surprise as he heard his daughter im that the boy he had been trying to kill was, in fact, his own grandson, his cherished daughter''s child. It was difficult for him to ept, but he knew that no one else at such a young age could defeat him.

    As he connected Rio''s exceptional talent and elemental affinity for thunder, he realized he had made a terrible mistake. This boy truly was his grandson... His world felt as if it had turned upside down, and he began to loathe himself for his actions.

    Aliyah saw Rio hesitating and decided to narrate the truth in detail, "Twenty years ago, Big sister Amirah, fell in love with brother-inw, but Father didn''t ept their rtionship. He was angry and resentful that his cherished daughter had chosen to be with someone with no family background. But big sister Amirah didn''t agree with Father''s decision. She decided to leave with the brother-inw, and they went to live in thend of Asura, far away from home.

    That''s when Father''s opinion of the brother-inw started to change. He saw him as the reason his daughter had left his side. The media even spread rumors that the Havenglow family had abandoned their older daughter, but that wasn''t true. Big sister Amirah still lived with us, but she rarely came home.

    One day, Big sister brought Lily home, saying she would be the wife of her son in the future.

    But when big sister Amirah fought and disappeared during the battle with Dhovrix race 16 years ago, Father became unstable. He was too broken by his daughter''s loss, and he thought your mother had died that day. We really don''t know if big sister Amirah is dead or alive, but we never saw her again.

    Father took Lily as his granddaughter and doted on her like a real daughter, he saw big sister Amirah in her. He always feared that she may also one day love someone else and get away from him. This caused him to do what he did today.

    The reason I hid your identity from everyone was that I was afraid the Dhovrix race maye after you after finding out that the hero''s child is alive and has returned. But now, it''s time for you to know the truth so you don''t kill your mother''s father who doted on her as if his life depended on it."

    As Aliyah recounted the tale, Rio''s expression became more hesitant, and he clutched his silver-bloom king sword''s hilt tightly.

    The onlookers, who had been holding their breath, their mouths became agape.

    La''s eyes widened in shock, as she struggled to process everything.

    The once noisy battlefield nowy shrouded in an eerie silence as everyone grappled with the weight of the truth and theplex web of rtionships and secrets that had been exposed. The revtion had left them all speechless and overwhelmed, their minds reeling with the hint of what they had just learned.

    "Even if he doesn''t know the truth, he has no right to treat La this way. You should stop defending him. Let me end this man who''s clearly lost his mind," Rio countered, his voice hardened by his resolve.

    "Please, Rio, spare his life. I beg you... Father will be punished for the rest of his life, knowing what he''s done to his own grandson. Your mother''s soul wouldn''t rest in peace if she saw her own son kill her father..." Aliyah begged once more, her eyes filled with desperation.

    As Rio stared into Second Mother''s pleading eyes, he found himself at a crossroads. The revtion of his connection to the old man sent a torrent of conflicting emotions surging through him.

    The thought of exacting vengeance on the man who had caused him and La so much pain was tempting, but Aliyah''s anguished plea weighed heavily on his conscience. She was right that his mother wouldn''t want her own son to kill her father...<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The onlookers watched with bated breath, the tension growing heavier as they awaited Rio''s decision. Even the old man, battered and broken on the ground, seemed to hold his breath in fear of his fate.

    Rio''s grip on the Silver Bloom King Sword tightened, his knuckles whitening as he wrestled with the decision before him.

    At that moment, he felt the weight of his entire world resting on his shoulders. He struggled to forgive the man who had caused so much chaos and had even tried to kill him, but he couldn''t deny the fact that his mother had intervened to stop him and given him the power to protect himself... He thought he should at least spare this man for his mother''s sake.

    As he stood there, caught between the desire for vengeance and the plea for mercy, his eyes fell on La. He knew that even if he could never bring himself to consider this man his grandfather or stop hating him, in the end, La had grown up thinking of this man as her grandfather. He thought he should show restraint since the man was his mother''s father and La''s grandfather as well.

    Realizing that he had the power to take this man''s life at any moment, Rio finally made a decision. Drawing in a deep breath, he lowered his Silver Bloom King Sword, allowing the charged thunder energy to dissipate.

    The tense silence that had enveloped the battlefield was shattered as a collective sigh of relief echoed throughout the crowd.

    With a heavy sigh, Rio decided to show mercy. "I will spare his life, but if he everes between me and La again, I won''t hesitate to end him, even if it means fighting you."

    Casting onest resentful look at the old man, who stared back in disbelief, Rio turned to leave. All he wanted now was La and to leave this ce.

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 Chapter 317 Destined to Be Together

    Chapter 317 Destined to Be Together

    Aliyah''s eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at the young boy''s back, "Thank you, Rio. Thank you for showing mercy."

    The onlookers, still in shock from the recent revtion, began to murmur among themselves. The atmosphere remained thick with tension, as the unexpected oue left many questioning the future.

    As Rio turned his back on the old man, he felt a mixture of emotions churning within him. The path he had chosen was not an easy one, but he knew it was the right decision. The blue-haireddy''s intervention and Aliyah''s plea for mercy had given him the strength to choose a path that transcended vengeance and hatred.

    With the battle now over, Rio''s thoughts turned to La, who remained trapped within the silver cage.

    The boy approached the cage and his previously angry and icy eyes softened. The onlookers, who had witnessed the epic battle, now watched in awe as the young hero prepared to free the one he loved, for whom he had caused such destruction.

    As Rio neared La, he reached out to the cage, which was formed from a rare beast soul that belonged to the old man. With a swift motion, he shattered the cage using his bare hand. The old man, caught off guard, could only stare in shock, unable to react.

    The cage shattered like shimmering ss and dissolved, freeing La from her confinement. She rushed into Rio''s arms, tears of relief and joy streaming down her face.

    As they hugged each other with happy smiles on their faces, the crowd erupted in cheers and apuse, celebrating the victory of the young boy who had defied all odds. In that moment, Rio had not only defeated one of the strongest people in the human world but had also demonstrated the power of mercy andpassion.

    "Did you see that? Lord Havenglow finally got what he deserved, but Young Master Rio didn''t kill him. What a hero!"

    "I''m telling you, we just witnessed the birth of a new legend right here!"

    "I knew it! Young Master Rio is the true heir of the Havenglow family. The bloodline is strong with this one."

    "Man, that was intense. But with Young Master Rio in charge, the Havenglow family will be unstoppable!"

    "I have a feeling that the Havenglow family is gonna be stronger than ever under Young Master Rio''s guidance."

    "Today is the beginning of a new era for the Havenglow family, and I can''t wait to see what Young Master Rio does next."

    The Red-stage warriors excitedly discussed the true heir of the Havenglow family and the hero''s child, as they watched the duo embrace each other with overwhelming joy. However, they were unaware that Rio did not prioritize the Havenglow family and would rather spend his time in thend of Asura, his true home.

    As Rio and La stood there, wrapped in each other''s love and surrounded by the admiration of the onlookers, they knew that they had triumphed over the darkness that had sought to tear them apart. They no longer had to fear anyone who mighte between them, for the boy had already shattered the strongest obstacle in their path that day.

    La couldn''t help but think that she and Rio were destined to be together since their birth.

    Their story had begun even before their first meeting. She was amazed to realize that the boy her biological mother had chosen for her was the same boy she had saved from bullying when they were just children.

    Was it all her mother''s n from the heavens?

    She felt immense gratitude towards her mother for bringing Rio into her life, even though when she was little, she didn''t know what the future held for them.

    Gently taking La''s hand, Rio summoned his newly hatched beast soul from his mind sea. When Amirah had kissed his forehead earlier, not only had his Mana Heart awakened, but the mysterious egg had hatched as well, providing him with a mount.

    In front of them materialized Cloudgrace, an ancient and rare griffin with a regal bearing.

    Cloudgrace''s majestic appearance was awe-inspiring, its feathers shimmering in a myriad of colors as it spread its enormous wings. Its body resembled a lion''s, but its head was that of an eagle, with piercing eyes that conveyed wisdom and power.

    This magnificent creature was once known as the Empress of all flying beasts and was revered for its grace, power, and unparalleled agility in the skies and on thend.

    With La in his embrace, Rio climbed onto Cloudgrace''s broad and sturdy back. The majestic creature responded to his touch, unfurling its wings with a loud pping sound, and taking flight with a powerful thrust, apanied by the echoing cry of a griffin.

    Together, they soared away from Haven Ind, leaving the chaos behind them. Neither Rio nor La spoke, still processing the recent revtions, but they found sce in each other''s presence as they embarked on their journey to return home, carried by the legendary griffin whose wings pped loudly as it ascended higher and higher into the sky.

    As Rio and La soared into the sky, the old man, Ambrose Havenglow, gazed upon their retreating forms.

    Overwhelmed by a torrent of regret and sorrow, he cried out in anguish, "Don''t go! Kill me... Punish me for what I have done!" His anguished sobs wracked his injured frame, tears streaming down his face like a relentless river.

    The pain of his actions weighed heavily upon him, a burden he couldn''t bear to carry any longer.

    Aliyah looked at her father with a mixture of pity and sadness, witnessing the aftermath of the chaos he had wrought.

    Her hand began to glow with a soothing white light, and she gently ced it on her father''s head. As the calming energy enveloped him, Ambrose Havenglow slowly drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 318 First Meeting of Asura Empress and Layla: Lias Daring Declaration

    Chapter 318 First Meeting of Asura Empress and La: Lia''s Daring Deration

    Having put enough distance between themselves and the onlookers, Rio found a secluded spot tond. After making sure they were alone, he prepared to cast the [Astral Recall] spell. La, surprised by the sudden burst of light, chose to trust Rio and refrained from questioning his actions.

    Momentster, they found themselves in Lia''s luxurious bedroom. La nced around, taking in the king-sized bed, the elegant dressing table, and the room''s overall regal ambiance. She turned to Rio, her eyes seeking answers.

    As La looked at him questioningly, Lia and N burst into the room, their footsteps echoing with urgency as they sensed Rio''s and La''s arrival.

    La''s eyes widened when she saw Lia, and she recognized N.

    ''White hair, scarlet eyes, otherworldly beauty... This must be ...''

    Piecing together their surroundings, La concluded that this must be the ce where Rio''s wife, the Asura Empress, lived. The person alongside N was none other than Lia, whom he had mentioned before. Furthermore, Rio might have used a secret spell to bring them here.

    Lia and N''s eyes were filled with concern as they took in Rio''s tattered clothes.

    The white-haired beauty approached him, anxiously checking him for injuries.

    "How did this happen?" she asked in a shaken tone, her voice flickering with love and care.

    "I''ll exin everythingter, For now, you should wee her." " Rio replied with a soft smile and gestured towards La, who stood beside him.

    Lia had noticed La earlier, but her concern for Rio had taken precedence. As she inspected Rio for injuries, she found nothing to worry about. The boy had already been healed by Eve''s spell while riding Cloudgrace, and the [Life Sutra] had helped him regain his stamina and recover quickly from the battle.

    With Rio''s well-being confirmed, Lia turned her attention to La, knowing who she was. The two girls locked eyes, their expressions tense, as if sizing each other up for an impending battle.

    The atmosphere in the room was charged, yet each of them knew they needed to find a way to coexist for the sake of the man they both loved.

    Seeing La''s intense gaze, Lia''s eyes softened, and she decided to break the ice, hoping to make the situation less ufortable for the young maiden. She knew that she hade between La and Rio, so she wanted to try her best to establish peace between them.

    Lia greeted La with a warm smile, saying, "Wee to our family, La. I truly hope there are no hard feelings between us because of how things happened with Rio and me."

    "Wee, sister La," N added cheerfully, her lively tone lifting the mood.

    La nced at Rio, seeking an exnation, even though she knew who they were, but she still needed rification. Sensing her gaze, Rio hesitantly introduced everyone in the room.

    "La, this is Lia, the girl who became my wife first... and this is N, who also shares my life as a wife.

    Lia, N, this is La, the girl who''s been with me since the beginning ¨C my childhood best friend, my first love, and the person who was my family when I was all alone."

    Although Rio had introduced each of them with great respect and love, the boy''s voice wavered, feeling the gravity of the situation.

    The atmosphere was tense, but it was clear that everyone was trying their best to navigate this delicate andplicated situation, understanding the importance of finding harmony for Rio''s sake.

    Lia approached La with a warm smile and said, "I know it must be surprising for you toe here and meet me so suddenly, but it seems fate has brought us together. We both hold important ces in Rio''s heart, and we have to ept that... I can only apologize for taking Rio away from you, but I won''t let you have him all to yourself."

    "Ah..." Rio and N were momentarily speechless at Lia''s daring deration.

    La''s eyes shed with a mixture of emotions, but before she could object, Lia continued, "However, I want you to have an equal ce in his life and in our small family. I will share this bedroom with you, which until now has been mine and Rio''s.

    You will be treated as the main wife in the family, and I will even listen to your decisions since you were the first person to take care of Husband and love him."

    Lia''s gentle voice took them all by surprise. It was clear that she knew how to win everyone''s hearts. She realized that if they wanted to continue as one family, they needed to have no bitterness in their beautiful bond, and Lia didn''t want to cause a mess.

    La hadn''t expected the Asura Empress to be so kind and understanding, especially considering the long-standing grudge between humans and Asuras. Yet, as she met Lia, she grasped why Rio had married her and even epted her as part of his life.

    She looked at Lia thoughtfully before speaking, "I have to admit, I was taken aback when I learned about the marriage between an Asura Empress and a human. But now that I have met you, I understand why Rio loves and respects you so much.

    I deeply admire you, Lia, not just for being an empress, but for being an exceptional ideal wife. Your selflessness and ability to prioritize your husband''s happiness are truly remarkable.

    You embody the qualities of both an empress and an ideal wife, knowing when to step back for the sake of your husband''s happiness. If Rio and I are together today, it''s because of you. You''ve helped him grow stronger and recover his memories. Thank you for taking such good care of my Rio."

    The sincerity and understanding in both of their words revealed the depth of their love for Rio.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 319 The Seductive Nyla And Her Playful Retaliation

    It was evident that they were willing to set aside their differences and find a way to coexist harmoniously, all for the sake of the man they both cherished. Rio was stunned by the development; he had expected shes and bickering since both women were equally important in his life.

    They were both his first loves ¨C one when he had memories, and the other when his memories were sealed. Their understanding and love for Rio filled his heart with warmth, and his respect for both women soared. He wanted to kiss them both right then, but he knew it wasn''t the right time.

    La and Lia exchanged nces, realizing that they needed some time alone to discuss their new situation.

    Turning to Rio and N, Lia gently requested, "Husband, N, could you please give us some time alone? We''d like to talk privately."

    Rio raised an eyebrow, puzzled by their request, but he agreed. "Okay, Wifey. We''ll give you twodies some space. Just call me when you''re done." With a nod, Rio and N left the room, closing the door behind them.

    N was rather happy that they had been asked to leave, as she could now be with Rio and find out what had happened on Haven Ind. She knew from Lia that the boy had gone on a mission to search for La, but she didn''t know all the details.

    Previously, Lia had asked her to wait for their arrival, and N hadn''t used telepathy to ask Rio where he was earlier, as she didn''t want to disturb him.

    As they walked away, Rio and N headed to Helia''s bedroom where she was resting. The lioness had been worried about Rio''s whereabouts, and the duo wanted to put her mind at ease and have a conversation together.

    Upon seeing that Helia was awake, Rio and N took a seat on the couch in her room. Helia joined them by taking a seat opposite them. Rio began recounting the tale, detailing his confrontation with his grandfather and the revtion of his true lineage.

    Both Helia and N listened with surprising expressions and amazement flickered in their eyes, struggling toprehend the twists and turns of fate that had befallen the boy.

    N''s eyes widened in disbelief as she eximed, "No way! You''re telling me that you''re the biological heir of the Havenglow family, and it was your own grandfather who separated you from La?

    This is like a story straight out of a novel, or maybe even a fairy tale!

    Fate has really been ying a cruel joke on you all this time." The girl was drowned in shock as she was still trying to wrap her head around the revtion.

    Helia, who had been listening intently, whispered softly, "Now La and Lia must adapt to this new reality, as they are both his first loves. I hope their conversation helps them find a way to live together peacefully, for his sake."

    Rio sat on the opposite couch, observing Helia''s quiet mumbling. He could sense that she was still hesitant to close the distance between them, even though she had developed feelings for him.

    The boy decided to let time and fate take its course, allowing their bond to grow naturally without forcing it. After all, he already had four women in his life to care for, and each one was important to him.

    The two girls pondered recent events and they couldn''t help but specte about the future for Rio, La, and Lia, given theplexities of their new situation.

    As Rio finished recounting his story, N and Helia exchanged words while he remained uninterested.

    He sent a telepathic message to Lia, asking, "Are you two beauties finished talking?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Lia''s voice echoed in his mind a momentter, "Husband, give us a bit more time."

    Rio sighed inwardly and turned to N, "I''m going to take a shower..."

    N''s face brightened as she gave Rio a seductive smile and purred, "Why take a boring shower alone when you have me, sweetie?"

    Her eyes glinted with mischief as she added, "I could help you wash your back... and front, and every other part of you."

    Rio''s eyebrows furrowed at N''s bold suggestion. He nced over at Helia, whose cheeks had already turned pink from their conversation.

    But the shameless N justughed and continued with a sultry tone, "I promise to be gentle... or not, if you prefer."

    Her yful and suggestive demeanor made it clear that she was interested in more than just washing his back. Rio tried to maintain hisposure, but N''s flirtatious advances were so open and wild.

    Despite his best efforts to maintain his calmness, Rio couldn''t help but feel a bit amused by N''s boldness. He shook his head in disbelief, wondering how he had gotten himself into this situation.

    As he was about to reply, N leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, "Come on, sweetie, you know you want to. After all, I''m your devoted wife who will give my life to satisfy all your needs."

    Rio shot her a re, his amusement fading, as he truly wanted to take the shower alone and think everything through. N''s persistent flirtations were making it increasingly difficult for him to focus on theplicated situation at hand.

    N caught the hint from Rio''s reaction and understood that he needed some space to think things through. In retaliation, she puffed her cheeks in a cute manner and returned to her conversation with Helia.

    The Lioness observed their cute interactions, noticing the absence of romantic feelings or any hope of ever having one in Rio''s eyes for her. She couldn''t me him for that, though.

    While Helia knew Rio cared for her and had probably forgiven her, she couldn''t detect any love in his gaze like the one he had for his other wives. On the other hand, Helia''s heart had been won over by the boy''s kind nature that he had shown from the very first day they had met.

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 Chapter 320 Rios Ever-Growing Collection Of Wives

    In the young maiden''s heart, Rio held a special ce, simr to or even surpassing that of Lia and Leon. Despite Lia and Leon being her blood rtives, Rio''s forgiveness of something they might never forgive her for set him apart. It elevated him to an almost god-like status in her eyes, and her devotion to him grew stronger.

    Although Helia was technically Rio''s ve, the mark meant little between them. He never treated her as a ve or used her as such, showing her the same respect he showed Lia. Even though he asionally teased her, he had decreased it down after she had witnessed the painful experiences because of him.

    As La and Lia concluded their heartfelt conversation, their gazes toward one another softened, indicating the understanding and empathy that had grown between them.

    La learned about the series of events that had transpired since Rio''s arrival in the Land of Asura, and Lia had beenpletely honest with her, not shying away from sharing even Helia''s wrongdoings.

    At first, La''s emotions red with anger towards Helia, but as she listened further and learned how close Helia had been to losing her life, her perspective began to shift.

    La came to realize that, despite her faults, Helia''s rigorous training had likely yed a significant role in Rio''s rapid growth in strength. Moreover, Rio had used the battle techniques taught to him by Helia to defeat both La and her grandfather, even though these techniques were closely guarded n secrets.

    She weighed the negative aspects of Helia''s actions against the positive oues and ultimately decided to forgive her. She acknowledged that Helia''s approach to training was simr to her own grandfather''s methods, which aimed to push her to be stronger in a short amount of time.

    While Helia''s training had been fueled by her bitter feelings toward the boy, she had not put his life in danger. In fact, the intense training had helped Rio break through his limits more quickly.

    La struggled with whether to express gratitude or resentment toward Helia, but in the end, she chose to forgive her, recognizing that Helia, like herself, was also an orphan.

    With a newly established understanding and empathy, Lia took out several scrolls from her spatial beast soul and handed them to La.

    Carefully, La drew her own blood and applied it to each scroll, one by one. As she did so, she learned useful new spells, such as [Astral Recall] and [Ancient Disguise], which would help her connect to the mystical world around her as she prepared to live with Rio and her new family.

    [Astral Recall] was going to give her a way to directly return to Empress Vi when necessary, and [Ancient Disguise] was going to allow her to change her eye color to red, enabling her to blend in with other asuras.

    Following their emotional conversation and newfound understanding, Lia decided to give La a tour of the castle.

    As they strolled through the grand halls and impressive rooms, Lia introduced La to the castle residents, guards, and maids as her sister, exining that she had been adopted, just like N.

    Some of the guards exchanged skeptical nces, rolling their eyes discreetly behind Lia''s back. They were surprised by the sudden introduction of another adopted sister, but they kept their thoughts to themselves.

    La, noticing their reactions, couldn''t help but feel a bit self-conscious, but she held her head high and continued walking alongside Lia, determined to adapt to her new life.

    Meanwhile, Emperor Dn nearly choked on his tea when he heard the news of La''s adoption. He was particrly surprised by Lia''s decision to make the announcement herself, without consulting him or even giving him a heads-up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As he coughed and sputtered, he couldn''t help but imagine himself as the father of a rapidly expanding family, wondering if he should start preparing for more surprise daughters to suddenly appear in the future.

    With a mix of shock and amusement, he pictured Rio surrounded by an ever-growing collection of wives, a scene straight out of aedic y. He knew about Lia, N, and La, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that Helia would eventually be part of the mix, given her attachment to Lia and Rio''s kind-hearted nature.

    Despite his initial bafflement, he discovered the genuine bond that had formed between Lia and La.

    Shaking his head with a bemused smile, he decided to trust his wise daughter''s judgment, hoping that her actions would lead to a harmonious, albeit somewhat unconventional, family. After all, a few unexpected twists and turns only made life more entertaining.

    In the evening, La met Helia, who approached her with an apologetic expression.

    "I want to ask for your forgiveness for my past actions toward Rio," Helia said, her voice filled with remorse.

    La looked at her with a serene smile and said, "There''s no need for you to apologize. I know about your story with Rio, and I understand that the training was essential for him. My grandfather trained me in a simr way, so I know that sometimes pain is necessary to surpass one''s limits. You did not endanger Rio''s life, and therefore, there is no need for me. Let us start our new present without the bitterness of the past."

    Hearing La''s forgiving words, Helia felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She knew La was right ¨C she herself had gone through simr training, pushing herself through pain to be stronger. Though her feelings of hatred for humans had made it difficult to train Rio, she had always kept her restraint and never endangered his life.

    With a grateful nod, Helia said, "Thank you."

    La smiled warmly, reassuring Helia that she had truly forgiven her. This helped Helia feel even less burdened by her actions.

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 Chapter 321 A Bride In His Arms: The Fragile Porcelain Doll

    She understood that to push oneself beyond their limits, one often had to endure pain. However, her conflicted emotions towards humans amplified her guilt for training Rio in such a manner. Despite this, she managed to maintain her restraint and ensure his safety throughout the process.

    Later that evening, the group gathered for dinner in N''s bedroom. Rio sat at the head of the circr table, with La seated to his left and Lia on his right, while Helia and N sat at the opposite end. The room was filled with warmth and a happy atmosphere as they enjoyed each other''spany, savoring the delicious meal prepared by the chief maid Yami.

    The lively girl pouted yfully, "It''s unfair. I''m not beside you anymore..."

    Rio, softly smiled, and responded, "You can sit in myp if you want?"

    Taking his words seriously, N excitedly stood up from her seat, ready to take her ce on Rio''sp.

    Amid the giggles of the others, Helia quickly intervened, pulling N back into her seat with an amused shake of her head.

    After dinner, La, Lia, andpany strolled through the castle''s lush garden under the moonlit sky. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of blossoming flowers, and the sounds of gentle rustling leaves added to the tranquil atmosphere.

    Together, they gazed up at the vast canvas of twinkling stars, engaging in lighthearted conversations with the goal of making La feel more at home in their family. As a neer to the unfamiliar surroundings, the girl appreciated their efforts to make her feelfortable.

    La''s gaze was constantly drawn to Rio, her heart swelling with happiness to be by his side.

    Right now, she didn''t have to worry about the uncertainties and struggles that gued her in the past. After they had been separated, there wasn''t a single night that she didn''t cry herself to sleep. Each night, she would think about Rio and send her prayers to the heavens, hoping for his safety and well-being. But now, finally reunited with him, her heart was at ease.

    It was as if she had found her heaven within the boy for one more time. His presence brought her a sense of tranquility and joy that she had never experienced before.

    Her love for him was like the gentle warmth of sunlight on a cold winter''s day, a soothing balm that eased the pain of her past.

    As theyy side by side in the garden, Lia and La on either side of Rio with N and Helia at the very end, La''s eyes met his, and she could see the reflection of her own emotions. Her love for him shone as brightly as the stars above, and she knew that their love was strong enough to weather any storm, a beacon of hope that would never be extinguished, no matter what they faced.

    In that quiet moment when their eyes met, La recalled a quote that resonated with her: "Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

    She realized that her love for Rio not only gave her the courage to face her fears but also the strength to ovee them.

    It was only because of him that she was able to persevere for one year, for ultimately he was her source of strength, and meeting him was her beacon of hope that helped her move forward and surpass her limits.

    That night, Lia approached La and Rio with a gentle smile, "I think you two deserve some time alone after such a long separation. I''ll be sleeping in N''s room with her and Helia tonight."

    La''s eyes filled with gratitude, happy at Lia''s understanding. "Thank you, Lia."

    Rio nodded in agreement, appreciating Lia''s understanding, but his response wasically dramatic. "My dear wife is already abandoning me for another woman... What a pitiful soul I am!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Lia yfully retorted, "Don''t worry, Husband, you''ll be punished tomorrow for every single word you just said!"

    With that, Lia left the room, joining N and Helia in N''s bedroom.

    Rio was momentarily stunned, anticipating what was toe from his Asura wife, who asionally exhibited a vampire-like persona. But his heart filled with warmth for Lia, recognizing that she understood his need to spend time with La.

    Even though Rio had been separated from Lia for some time recently, being away at the death realm for six months and one month for the national military school tournament, and she must have been missing him, she graciously stepped aside for the sake of their bond.

    Rio was certain that Lia''s love for him was no less than La''s, and he knew his love for Lia was just as strong as his love for La. These two women were like his left and right eyes; he was iplete without both of them. They were both his better halves, each holding a special ce in his heart.

    As Lia left the room, Rio gently closed the door behind her, enveloping the room in a cloak of privacy.

    He then turned to La, his eyes locked on hers as their loving smiles reflected the warmth of their emotions. Both understood the importance of reconnecting after their long and painful separation and were eager to cherish every second of this precious time together.

    With tender care, Rio lifted La into his arms, cradling her like a bride. La''s eyes shimmered with affection as she gazed into his sea-green eyes, her smile beaming with love and happiness.

    Gracefully, Rioid her onto the bed as if she were a fragile porcin doll. He then leaned in and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, savoring the intimate moment they shared.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    The next chapter contains light NSFW content. Please read at your own risk.

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    Edited By: TheWhiteSnow

 Chapter 322 The Blissful Fusion Of Their Bodies And Soul *

    ====////========////====

    [Warning]

    NSFW Ahead, proceed at your own risk.

    ====////========////====

    As he pulled back, he could feel the Intense desire between them, and he knew that he couldn''t resist her any longer.

    As Rio held La close, their connection intensified, and the atmosphere in the room grew more intimate. He reveled in the intoxicating fragrance of her skin, which reminded him of the sweet scent of lilies in full bloom.

    Gently, he began to trail tender kisses along her neck, pausing to nibble yfully on her earlobe, knowing that this sensitive spot would make her giggle with delight.

    La''s soft giggles filled the room like a melodic symphony, and Rio couldn''t help but smile at the joyous sound. He continued his loving exploration of her body, brushing his lips along her shoulder and finally, reaching her hands.

    Their fingers intertwined, creating a physical bond that mirrored the emotional connection between them.

    As they gazed deeply into each other''s eyes, the love birds exchanged heated nces,municating their deep desire for one another without the need for words.

    Slowly, Rio moved to the next stage and started to undress La, removing her garments one by one, while La reciprocated by unbuttoning his shirt, and revealing his muscr chest.

    Her heart fluttered at the sight, but she was momentarily embarrassed when she noticed that Rio had caught her admiring his body.

    Not wanting to let the moment pass, Rio moved in for another passionate kiss, his lips meeting hers in a fiery embrace.

    As they broke the kiss, his eyes were drawn to her beautiful, delicate mounds, their fullness, and softness a tantalizing sight.

    In a yful yet tender gesture, he gently tugged at the strap of her bra with his teeth, causing it toe undone and freeing her captivating curves from their confines.

    La''s cheeks flushed a rosy pink, her beauty only heightened by the tender vulnerability she disyed. Ovee with shyness, she covered her eyes with her hands, her fingers trembling slightly.

    Rio couldn''t help but be enchanted by La''s adorable reaction, his heart filling with love and desire for the woman in his arms. He leaned in to ce a warm kiss on her hands,  before gently pulling them away from her face. He then enveloped her in a warm embrace, capturing her lips in a soft kiss.

    As the loving couple continued to express their affection, Rio delicately removed the rest of La''s clothing, revealing her stunning beauty in its entirety.

    Her alluring curves were entuated by the soft glow of the moonlight streaming in through the window, making her look like a vision of ethereal grace. Her bountiful chest, the gentle swell of her hips, and the enticing treasure nestled between her thighs all captivated Rio, filling him with an overwhelming sense of adoration for the woman before him.

    La, nowpletely vulnerable to Rio''s touch, radiated a beauty that was both delicate and powerful, proof of the love and trust that the couple shared.

    Feeling the intensity of the moment, the girl let out soft moans as Rio continued his exploration of her body, focusing his attention on her most sensitive areas. Her breathing grew heavier under his tender ministrations, each caress sending shivers down her spine.

    As the night progressed, Rio and La continue to seal their love and devotion for one another, cherishing every touch and shared breath. The sweet melody of their love filled the room, marking the beginning of their new journey together.

    Their bodies drew closer together, their breaths mingling as the girl''s heart raced in anticipation of the intimate moments toe.

    With each loving touch, La''s body quivered, and she couldn''t help but respond in kind, her hands gliding along Rio''s muscr chest, tracing the contours of his well-defined body. Rio felt a ticklish sensation as her fingertips danced across his skin, and he marveled at the power she held over him with such a simple gesture.

    As Rio delicately kissed La''s neck and then her rounded chest, he reveled in the soft fullness of her bosom against his lips. His tongue gently traced the curves of her chest, eliciting a moan of pleasure from La.

    In the heat of the moment, Rio''s lips yfully nipped her plump flesh, but a little too hard, causing La to gasp and grab the bedcovers as a mix of pleasure and pain washed over her. Despite the sudden difort, she couldn''t deny the intense sensations of bliss that the boy''s touch evoked in her, intensifying her desire for him.

    "Aanh!!" La moaned, her body responding to the sensation of his wet, pulpy tongue gliding over her delicate skin.

    Rio savored the taste of her and marveled at how her body quivered beneath his touch. He could tell that she was lost in the ecstasy of his touch, and so he continued tovish attention on her delicate curves. Gently, he caressed the hidden treasure between her thighs, sending waves of pleasure through her body.

    With his other hand, he cupped her other mound, admiring its supple roundness. It felt like heaven under his fingertips, and he wanted nothing more than to continue exploring the exquisite terrain of her body.

    As he touched the tip of her bosom with his tongue, La''s breath caught in her throat, and her body arched in response to the sensation.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Feeling the temptation to bite down and savor the squishy flesh, Rio paused and caught himself, remembering the importance of gentle caresses in this intimate moment.

    Instead, he continued to shower her with soft kisses and tender touches, delighting in the sweet sounds of La''s moans and gasps. Their connection grew deeper, the scent of their love filling the air, as they continued to explore and cherish each other''s bodies.

    Their intimate connection was not fueled by lust, but by a deep and abiding love for one another. Rio took his time, ensuring that the girl felt cherished and adored with every caress.

    La''s soft moans and gasps filled the air, punctuating the tender so of their love. The scent of lilies seemed to envelop them, adding ayer of sweetness to their passionate embrace.

    Soon, Rio stripped himselfpletely, La''s heart raced with excitement and a hint of nervousness. She couldn''t help but admire the sight before her: his chiseled muscles and toned physique.

    As he positioned himself, her gaze locked onto his, a mix of fear and desire in her eyes. Though she was nervous about what was toe, she trusted himpletely and wanted to give herself to him fully.

    La''s gentle touch guided Rio towards the delicate flower between her thighs, inviting him to im her as his own and unite them in the most intimate of ways.

    Slowly and carefully, Rio pressed forward, his throbbing desire piercing through the tender petals of her final defense. La gasped in pain as she clutched the bedcovers tightly, the sensation of being sopletely filled both overwhelming and exhrating.

    "Aaanhh!!!", she moaned, her body trembling with the intensity of their connection.

    Rio paused for a moment, giving her time to adjust to the new sensation before continuing their lovemaking. The romantic couple moved together, their bodies entwined in a dance of desire and devotion. Their heavy breathing mingled with their moans, creating a melody of bliss that echoed throughout the room as they celebrated their love for one another.

    As they connected as one, their hearts raced, and their emotions soared. The sensation of Rio''s strong hands caressing La''s plump bosom was intoxicating for her, while the feeling of her silky skin beneath his fingertips filled him with a sense of awe and wonder.

    The intimate joining of Rio''s rod within her delicate flower between her thighs sent a wave of intense pleasure throughout La''s body, her mind overwhelmed with the blissful experience of their union.

    Their love was a powerful force, binding them together in a passionate embrace that transcended mere physical pleasure.

    With each tender caress, they drew closer to one another, their love growing stronger and deeper with every touch.

    As the night wore on, their sweet symphony of passion filled the room, sealing their bond and marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives together.

    The unity of their bodies symbolized the deep connection they shared, a connection that had endured through separation and pain, and had now found its way back to thefort and warmth of each other''s arms.

    This blissful union was a manifestation of their love, a love that had weathered the storms of life and now found sce in their embrace. In this tender and passionate entwinement, their hearts beat in unison as they reveled in the exquisite joy of their love. Their bodies melded in a blissful union, truly bing one.

    In these moments, they were in perfect harmony, their souls united in a bond of love and devotion that defied description.

    La and Rio were overjoyed to be reunited, to be one once again on a deeper level, transcending the physical realm and connecting their very souls. They celebrated the love that had brought them back together, their happiness radiating through their passionate embrace. This tender union reflected the depth of their love and the bright future they were destined to share.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    A more explicit scene could have been written, but it would not have preserved the essence of the novel. This scene was added because some readers wanted to see further development of the love between Rio and one of his wives.

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 Chapter 323 The Mysterious Woman And Her Loyal Followers In The Dimly Lit Chamber

    As they united as one, a radiant light enveloped their bodies, and a tattoo materialized on each of their shoulders.

    A flower blossomed on Rio''s shoulder, mirroring the one he had with Lia, but this time, no oath was necessary for him to proim his love for La, and she didn''t need to reciprocate with a simr vow.

    It was as if they were always meant to be a couple, and they had simply activated the final switch that bound them together. It seemed that their souls had been created for one another, destined to be united in love throughout eternity and across countless lifetimes.

    This divine recognition of their unwavering devotion to each other manifested in the form of heavenly blessings, acknowledging their destiny to be together.

    Perhaps this was also the reason they were bound together in their childhood; even when Rio was separated from La due to being adopted by the old man, they still managed to find each other without knowing their parents had already chosen each other for them. The magic of their bond and the remarkable nature of their love story defied all odds and demonstrated the true power of their connection.

    This miraculous event, unlike anything they had ever experienced, left Rio in awe. He realized that the bond he now shared with La resembled the connection he had once felt with Lia. Through this newfound connection, he couldmunicate with La and even sense her presence. Their love had been truly sanctified, and together they would forge a future filled with love and happiness.

    Days turned into weeks, and the human world was taken by storm by the incredible revtion that the hero''s child had returned. The story of the epic battle against the old man spread like wildfire, with those who had witnessed the event recounting their version of the tale.

    They spoke of a seventeen-year-old boy, who had effortlessly defeated the notorious Ambrose Havenglow, who had kidnapped his own granddaughter. Soon after, it was announced that the young hero was none other than Amirah Havenglow''s long-lost son.

    Skeptics who initially refused to believe this miraculous tale found themselves facing the inescapable truth when it was revealed that Ambrose Havenglow had vanished without a trace following that fateful day. His disappearance only served to further cement the legitimacy of the remarkable story.

    As the world continued to reel from this astounding revtion, questions surrounding Lily''s identity began to emerge. That was when Aliyah stepped forward, revealing that it was Lily who had actually been adopted by Amirah Havenglow, and that Rio and Lily''s marriage had been arranged by their parents long before.

    The human world stood in awe of this incredible truth, as the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into ce. The shockwaves from these revtions rippled through society, with countless people discussing and analyzing every aspect of the story.

    Meanwhile, the Dhovrix race was equally astonished to discover that the hero''s child had been found. As news of the young boy''s identity spread, both the human and Dhovrix countries were busy specting.

    The world buzzed with the extraordinary tale of the hero''s child, a story filled with intrigue, wonder, and destiny unfolded. As rumors and whispers spread like wildfire, a different scene was ying out in a dimly lit, secluded chamber.

    In the darkness, the flickering light of a single candle danced on the walls, casting eerie shadows that seemed toe alive with every shift of the me. The room was bathed in an unsettling atmosphere, as if a sinister force had taken residence within its confines.

    Seated at a grand table, a mysterious woman sipped her wine, its crimson hue as deep and rich as blood. Her face was shrouded in darkness, her identity known only to a select few. She seemed to embody both elegance and danger, a powerfulbination thatmanded the respect and fear of those who served her.

    Surrounding her, a group of men d in ck, their faces hidden behind masks, waited in silence for their orders. They were her loyal followers, willing to do her bidding without question.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The woman finally spoke, her voice low and sultry, yet cold and calcting. "Hmmm... everyone, it seems that the time has finallye for me to execute my next n. The hero''s child and his precious empress have basked in the sun for far too long. It''s time to snuff out their light... permanently."

    Her juicy, cherry-like lips curled into ascivious smile, just the tip of the iceberg of her beauty. Her words were filled with venomous desire as she continued, "It''s time we eliminate them both, once and for all."

    The leader of the masked men stepped forward, his voice respectful and devoid of emotion. "Yes, Madame. We shall begin our preparations immediately."

    As the men in ck dispersed, the woman raised her wine ss to her lips, savoring the intoxicating taste of the liquid as if it were the blood of her beloved enemies. She loved them too much to let them live and reveled in the thought of their impending demise, a fitting end to the tale of the hero''s child and his beautiful wife, who had wronged her.

    The room grew colder as the candle''s me wavered, threatening to extinguish. Shadows danced and writhed on the walls, mirroring the dark intentions that resided within the hearts of those present.

    The woman''sughter echoed throughout the chamber, a chilling sound that carried the promise of pain and suffering for her enemies.

    "Hehehe..."

    Her voice dripped with seductive charm, drawing in all who heard it. It was a sound that both terrified and seduced, promising both ecstasy and agony. Her giggles carried the hint of danger, each one sending shivers down the spine of those who heard them.

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 Chapter 324 The Asura Empresss Kindness

    Yet, beneath the sinisterughter and malice, her eyes held a glint of hidden pain, as if she had been betrayed. There was a sorrow that she tried to conceal, an unspoken anguish that whispered of heartache and loss.

    In the darkness, her eyes sparkled with a sinister allure, hinting at the depth of her malice and cunning. With eachugh, she wove a tapestry of deceit and betrayal, her mind alight with the thrill of the hunt. She had waited for this moment with eager longing, relishing the thought of finally putting an end to the lives of her beloved enemies.

    However, the sorrow she concealed added ayer ofplexity to her long-desired goals, suggesting that her actions were not solely driven by malice, but also by a deep-seated need for retribution or redemption.

    As the candlelight flickered and the room grew darker still, the machinations of this sinister force continued to unfold, unbeknownst to the world that eagerly followed the tale of the hero''s child.

    However, amidst all the chaos, Rio was alone in his bedroom in thend of Asura, lost in thought as he gazed at the ceiling. His mind wandered back to the enigmatic blue-haireddy who had whispered to him, "We will meet again, my baby."

    With the revtion that he was the child of Amirah Havenglow, Rio began to understand that the stunning, mysterious woman who had saved him, far more beautiful than Aliyah, was none other than his own mother.

    This realization filled him with both joy and confusion. If his mother was indeed alive, where had she been all this time? Why were there rumors of his parents disappearing after battling the Dhovrix race?

    These questions stirred within Rio''s mind, creating a whirlwind of emotions that left him feeling restless and longing for answers. He couldn''t help but feel a tinge of bitterness at the thought that his mother had been absent from his life for 16 long years. However, he tried to quell those feelings by considering that she might have had a valid reason for her absence.

    As the truth remained shrouded in mystery, Rio knew that all he could do was wait patiently for the day when he would finally be reunited with his mother. In the meantime, he held onto the hope that their paths would intersect once more, and that he would be able to get all his answers, and more importantly, meet his mother once again.

    Days turned into weeks, and La gradually grew ustomed to her new life within the castle. She explored its magnificent halls, befriending the maids and guards and delving into the intricacies of the Asura world through the libraries.

    This was different from Rio''s and N''s initial arrival, where they didn''t put in as much effort to understand this world. N was given a tour by Helia, while Rio was given a tour by Lia or the emperor himself.

    One evening, as La and thepany were gathered in N''s bedroom, she couldn''t help but bring up a concern that had been weighing on her mind.

    She began hesitantly, and spoke in a serene tone, expressing her concern, "I have been thinking about the human prisoners held captive in Asura territory. Isn''t it possible that by imprisoning innocent humans, we''re only reinforcing their negative perception of the Asura people?

    To avoid the future threat you mentioned, wouldn''t it be better to release them and show our goodwill? We could inform them that they are being released by order of the Asura Empress, and this would create a positive image of Lia, reducing the hatred humans feel for her."

    N, Rio, Helia, and Lia exchanged looks, furrowing their brows as they contemted the girl''s suggestion.

    In the end, Lia agreed, "You have a good point But this is a matter worth discussing withfather first."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Later, Lia discussed La''s suggestion with her father. Initially, Dn expressed reluctance, but thebined persuasion of Helia and Lia eventually swayed him. With a heavy sigh, he conceded, "Alright, we''ll release the human prisoners. But we must be cautious in our approach."

    Under the bright daylight, the enigmatic masked man, who was none other than the white-haired boy, carried out his mission with the full authority of the emperor supporting him. He traveled openly from one city to another, apanied by arge number of royal guards and riding in a luxurious royal carriage, making his way to the various prisons where the human captives were held.

    As he approached the first prison, the captives gazed at him curiously and asked, "Why are you releasing us?"

    The white-haired boy, who had be known to many in the Shamor Empire after a recent royal banquet, replied calmly, "It is by my wife''s order. She desires for you to return to your world and to avoiding back to Asurands. Should you find the need to return, you must head to the corruptednd, far from the borders of the Shamor Empire."

    Upon hearing the white-haired boy''s words, the captives were filled with a sense of wonder and gratitude towards the unknown benefactor who had granted them their freedom.

    Their voices trembled with emotion as they asked, "Who is this kind and powerfuldy who has the authority to release us and send us back to our world?"

    With a hint of pride and love in his voice, the boy answered, "My wife is the Asura Empress."

    The captives'' eyes widened in shock, their mouths gaping as they processed the information. A momentter, their expressions transformed from disbelief to relief and happiness as they realized they were going to return to their homes.

    Ovee with emotion, they said in awe, "Her grace and generosity are truly remarkable. May the heavens bestow happiness and a long life upon her, and bless her with all the good things in the world."

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 Chapter 325 The Outcome Of Laylas Idea

    The gratitude and admiration in the captives'' voices resonated in the air, echoing the sentiments of everyone present. Their heartfelt words carried the weight of their emotions, revealing the depth of their appreciation for the kindness and mercy shown to them by the Asura Empress.

    Even those who were bitter about being imprisoned in the confinement of Asuras didn''t dare curse the Empress, as they knew they would be sent back to prison if they used any disrespectful words about the Empress of all the Asuras.

    Rio fulfilled the special task of freeing the human captives from their confinement, thereby honoring the wishes of his wives, Lia, La, and N. The prisoners were grateful for their unexpected release andplied with the instructions given to them.

    As Rio went from city to city, other prisoners initially met his spoken words with skepticism, unsure if he was under the influence of some strange substance or had lost his mind. However, their disbelief soon turned to gratitude as they were escorted to the portal capsules and realized that the boy''s words were true.

    Ovee with joy, they stepped into the capsules, leaving behind thends of the Asura and returning to their own world, carrying newfound hope and gratitude for thepassion shown to them by the Asura Empress.

    With every prison in each city that he released the humans from, Rio continued his mission, changing the lives of the captives and spreading the message of the Asura Empress''s benevolence throughout thend.

    As the days passed and more humans were released, news of the Asura Empress''s act of kindness began to spread.

    On Earth, in the human world, people started to question their long-held beliefs about the Asura race and wondered if a future of peace and understanding might be possible.

    Conversations filled the air, with some saying, "I never thought I''d see the day when someone from the Asrua race would actually do something kind for humans. Maybe there''s hope for peace after all."

    The released captives reunited with their loved ones, sharing their experiences and spreading the word about the Asura Empress''s kindness.

    One person shared, "It''s hard to believe, but my cousin was one of those captives, and he said the Asura Empress was responsible for their release. Could it be true?"

    Although some remained doubtful, many began to see the possibility of peaceful coexistence between humans and Asura.

    The media and the inte buzzed with discussions about the Asura Empress and her actions. A majority of the coverage portrayed her as a kind andpassionate leader, which contributed to the changing perception of the Asura race.

    As one person put it, "If the Asura Empress is really as kind-hearted as they say, maybe we''ve been wrong about the Asuras all this time."

    However, there were also those who spected that this act of kindness might be a ploy, a cunning strategy to win the trust of humans before striking them down. Some expressed their skepticism, saying, "Honestly, I''m still doubtful of these Asuras. How do we know this isn''t just some evil n to gain our trust before they attack us again?"

    These contrasting views fueled debates among people from all walks of life, as they grappled with the possibility of a new era of peace and understanding between the two races.

    One person, who saw a news report about the released prisoners, shared their thoughts with their friends on social media, "It''s making me question everything I thought I knew about the Asuras. What if we could actually coexist peacefully?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Others remained cautious, withments like, "The Asura Empress might have released those humans, but I''m not buying it. There''s got to be something more to this story."

    The actions of the Asura Empress had undoubtedly set the stage for a potentially transformative period in the history of both worlds. As people continued to discuss and debate her motives, the seeds of change were being sown, promising a future filled with hope, uncertainty, and possibility.

    The masked man, the white-haired boy,pleted his mission, having freed all the human prisoners held within Asura territory. He returned to the castle, exhausted but happy, believing that his actions might have potentially changed the course of future events.

    Meanwhile, La continued to adapt to her life in the castle, growing morefortable with her surroundings. She reveled in the knowledge that her idea had been well-received, and that it was making a positive impact on the human world for the Asura Empress.

    Back at the castle, Rio and thepany were discussing the recent events that had transpired.

    N eximed cheerfully, "I can''t believe that Sister La''s idea had such a big impact on the human world! It''s incredible how a small idea can change their perspective on the Asura Empress."

    Lia nodded in agreement, her eyes brimming with understanding. She had been kept informed about the changes through N, who regrly updated her with news and media of the human world, "Sometimes, all it takes is a single spark to ignite a me of change. Hopefully, this will improve our chances of victory in the uing battle against the humans and Asuras."

    As the group continued to talk, they were happy about the oue that had brought La''s idea to fruition. And once things had settled down, Rio decided to return to Earth with La and N. Together, the trio used the portal capsule to make their way back to the human world.

    As the portal capsule door opened, La and Rio stepped into their old apartment. The boy was filled with happiness and relief, grateful to be back here, but this time with La by his side. He remembered how she had disappeared before, and he was d to have her with him now.

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 Chapter 326 Roses Request

    Chapter 326 Rose''s Request

    "Let me check my phone, and then we can head back to your school," La said, making her way to where she had left her phone.

    Upon checking it, she discovered missed calls from both her mother and Rose. Instead of calling her mother back first, La decided to return Rose''s call.

    As La dialed Rose''s number, her younger sister picked up almost immediately, her voice tinged with a mix of relief and urgency. "Oh thank God! Where have you been, Sister La?"

    "I was with Rio," La replied, trying to sound reassuring despite her own mixed feelings.

    "Is it true what everyone''s saying?" Rose asked hesitantly, her voice trembling.

    "What exactly are they saying, Rose?" La inquired gently.

    "That... that Grandfather kidnapped you and Big Brother Rio fought him to rescue you?" Rose''s voice was filled with concern and disbelief.

    "Yes, it''s true," La admitted softly, a hint of sadness in her voice, as the media had spread the sensational news of her abduction by Ambrose Havenglow.

    Rose fell silent, absorbing the shocking information. She found it hard to believe that her beloved grandfather had actually kidnapped her older sister and that the boy who was a year older than her, had defeated the old man. Although she had heard about it from the media, hearing it from her older sister confirmed her doubts.

    After a moment, Rose asked softly, her voice cracking, "Sister La, will youe to see me? I really... really want to see you." There was a longing in her voice as she cared about her older sister and wanted to meet her after so many things had happened.

    "Don''t Worry, Rose. I''ll visit you in a few hours," La reassured her, her voice filled with warmth and affection for her younger sister.

    "Yay! I''ll be waiting!" Rose eximed, her voice bursting with joy as she eagerly wanted to meet La.

    As the young girl hung up the phone, she hurriedly rushed to inform her mother and prepare for the special day ahead. After all, the older daughter of the house was going to visit, and everything had to be perfect.

    Meanwhile, La sighed after the call disconnected, wondering how she would meet her family when she returned home.

    She nced at the boy whose eyes were glued to his phone screen, scanning through a list of missed calls from several familiar names, including Lucas, Sophia, his second mother, and Rose. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he hesitated for a moment before making a decision on whether to call back or not. Finally, he pocketed his phone without returning any of the calls just yet.

    La found it amusing how Rio decided to ignore all his calls, acting like a real anti-social person. It reminded her of how he was in the past, as she had to coax the little boy to befriend her by telling him they had a simr story and were both orphans.

    Rio looked up and La spoke in a serene and loving tone, "Let''s head to the school first, and after that, we can visit Rose at home."

    His eyes turned icy when La mentioned going back home, as he didn''t want to return to that ce. However, the thought of meeting Rose, who had no fault in their past, made him reconsider.

    He nodded in agreement, and together, they stepped out of the apartment. The world outside greeted them with a vibrant day; the sun beamed down from the sky, casting a warm, golden glow that seemed to celebrate their reunion.

    The sound of their footsteps mingled with the distant hum of traffic and the chirping of birds as they walked to the car. The door closed behind them with a satisfying click, and they drove towards the school.

    As they navigated through the streets and approached the school, La confidently steered the car toward the school gate. Upon reaching it, she didn''t hesitate to drive straight through, just as Aliyah had done before. The tires crunched against the gravel as they pulled up in front of the school office building.

    N stood there, a lively expression etched across her adorable face, waiting for their arrival. The sun cast a warm glow on the scene, illuminating the excited faces of the students gathered around her.

    The sudden appearance of a car within the school grounds drew the attention of the students. Excited whispers and exmations filled the air as they spected who could have the audacity to drive directly to the school office building.

    "Is that the Havenglow car?" one student said.

    "It must be someone important," another chimed in.

    Rio nced out of the window and noticed a small crowd forming near N, including Lucas and Sophia. It seemed that word had spread, and they were eager to see who N was waiting for.

    As the car door swung open with a soft creak, Rio and La stepped out into the light. The students watched in awe as the couple emerged, their shadows stretching out before them.

    "I knew it! It''s Rio Havenglow and our Goddess La!" a boy whispered excitedly to his friend.

    "Wow, so the rumors were true," someone else muttered.

    The murmurs grew louder, confirming the rumors that had circted about Rio and La''s childhood betrothal and their recent tale in thend of Asura against Ambrose Havenglow, who was their grandfather.

    "Can you believe they went through all that together?" a student whispered in disbelief.

    "They really must be meant for each other," another student replied, marveling at the couple.

    The sight of Rio and La, standing side by side, only served to solidify the truth in the minds of the onlookers: these two were childhood lovers and had been engaged since childhood, which suggested that they were destined to be together.

    ________________________________

 Chapter 327 Dining in Luxury

    Chapter 327 Dining in Luxury

    Excitement rippled through the crowd of girls and boys as they caught sight of Rio and La. The couple were legendary figures, especially Rio, who had defeated Ambrose Havenglow. Students pulled out their phones to snap photos, while others eagerly approached them for autographs.

    Rio was taken aback by this sudden poprity and was unsure how to push them away and escape from the crowd. However, soon he saw a glimmer of hope.

    "Don''t make it hard for him... Clear the way," Teacher Milena''s voice rang out as she stepped forward to help them navigate through the throng of admirers.

    Upon hearing Teacher Milena''s voice, the students groaned and cursed under their breath, but reluctantly stepped back to make way for Rio and La. One student muttered, "Why does she always have to ruin our fun?"

    Rio mouthed a silent "thank you" to Milena, which she acknowledged with a nod. With the way cleared, N, Sophia, Lucas, Rio, and La followed Milena to the school office room, relieved to be free from the mob of students moring for their attention.

    As they entered the office, they encountered a middle-aged man whose eyes widened in surprise at the sight of them. Not only had the legendary hero''s child arrived, but he was apanied by Lily Havenglow and N Mailon.

    Although N wasn''t as famous as the other two, the mere presence of all three of them together was enough to astonish the man. The atmosphere in the room grew heavy as the weight of thebined influence of the three figures settled over him.

    But now that you have even defeated a silver-stage warrior, I doubt this school will be able to teach you much. In fact, you might be able to give us pointers at your level and guide us. Along with you, Before anyone else could speak, Teacher Milena cut in, "Steve, I''m here for his promotion to the second year. Please finish this as soon as possible without any unnecessary formalities."

    Her stern tone prompted the middle-aged man toe out of his daze and take a heavy breath before nodding with a smile as he quickly typed on theputer and brought up arge screen.

    The reason they had all gathered here was that one year had passed, and in order for Rio to move on to the second year, he only needed to attend this small task for his promotion to the higher ss.

    Although the boy wanted to skip school altogether after what had happened, both N and La insisted that he should finish, as he was going to receive special treatment this year.

    "Here, you need to put your school ID card on the screen to let it scan and update it, and you''ll officially be promoted to the next year," the man instructed.

    Rio looked at N, who suddenly realized that she had forgotten to give him his school ID. "Oh, I forgot to give this to you," she said, quickly retrieving it from her purple hobo bag and handing it over to the boy.

    Milena, Lucas, and Sophia raised their eyebrows at the exchange, well aware of Rio''s rtionship with N. But the lingering question was how he would manage that connection now that his beautiful fianc¨¦e, La, was with him.

    Rio ced his ID on the screen, and a blue line swept across it, apanied by a beep. "It''s done. You''re now a second-year special student," Steve announced.

    Rio furrowed his brow and asked, "What does ''special student'' mean?"

    Standing beside them, Milena exined in a soft tone, "It means that you do not need to attend regr sses and can focus solely on your training in the Land of Asura. Last year, you were not given this opportunity because you were not ready and had been stuck somewhere for a month.

    But now that you have even defeated a silver-stage warrior, I doubt this school will be able to teach you much. In fact, you might be able to give us pointers at your level and guide us. Along with you, N will also be given this rank." She turned to look at N, who took out her school ID card.

    This time, Steve was prepared. He updated the screen with N''s information before gesturing for her to ce her school ID card on it. Another beep and blue light scanned, confirming her status and signifying that both of their promotions wereplete.

    Feeling grateful, Rio turned to Teacher Milena and said, "Thank you, Teacher."

    "It''s just strange that I was narrating the story of your own parents to you as if they were someone else. But I must say, it was my honor to teach someone with the blood of legendary heroes running through their veins, so don''t thank me," Teacher Milena responded with a warm smile.

    Rio was drowned in unknown emotions and was thinking how she was praising his parents whom he had never even met except his mother who came to protect him out of nowhere and then disappeared again...

    Once everything was settled, Lucas yfully chided Rio, "Brother, youpletely forgot about us after the tournament."

    La interjected, her voice gentle but firm, "Let''s talk somewhere else."

    Everyone understood her desire to move the conversation out of the school office to a more private location.

    After saying their goodbyes to Teacher Milena, the group exited the school building. La and Rio shared one car to make their escape from the school''s vicinity, while Sophia drove another with Lucas, and N took her own vehicle. It wasn''t long before word of their visit spread like wildfire on social media, as students excitedly shared the news of Rio and La''s joint appearance at the Golden Seal Military School.

    The three cars eventually pulled up to a posh, exclusive restaurant. Rio nced around, feeling slightly out of ce in such a luxurious setting ¨C he had never dined at such an extravagant ce before. The entrance doors opened, revealing an eerily empty interior, devoid of the typical chatter and clinking of sses.

 Chapter 328 Benefits of Having Lucas in the Group

    Chapter 328 Benefits of Having Lucas in the Group

    As they stepped inside, N beamed at the duo and exined, "This restaurant is actually owned by Sophia''s mother. She kindly arranged for it to be empty today so we could have some privacy and enjoy our time together without any interruptions."

    Rio looked around, appreciating the elegant decor and the warm, inviting ambiance. The soft lighting cast a cozy glow on the tables, adorned with crisp white linens and sparkling silverware. He could sense the exclusivity of the ce, yet he felt surprisingly at ease, knowing they could enjoy their meal without prying eyes or unwanted attention.

    They ascended to the second floor, where a stunning space greeted them. A swimming pool and open walls provided views of the outdoors, and the sky was visible above. A table with five chairs awaited them, and they took their seats, with the girls sitting together Rio beside Lucas, and La on Rio''s other side.

    After ordering a variety of dishes, Lucas and Sophia couldn''t help but steal nces at La, the human world''s often-praised goddess.

    N noticed their behavior and gently said, "Don''t worry, you two. She''s just like us, without wings or anything, so don''t be nervous."

    Lucasughed and said, "It''s not that, sister-inw. It''s just hard to believe this is real. I never thought Brother Rio would be so legendary. It feels like yesterday when he joined us on the adventure to the Purple Tower of the Outcasts, and now he''s defeated a silver-stage warrior. And to top it all off, we find out that he''s the hero''s child and has the most beautiful girl as his fianc¨¦e.

    Although he referred to N as his sister-inw despite Rio already having a fianc¨¦e, neither La nor N corrected him.

    Instead, La reassured them in her serene voice, "I''m just a normal human like you and Sophia, so there''s no need to feel ufortable. You''re Rio''s friends, so please treat me like a friend as well."

    With that, Lucas and Sophia rxed a little bit more in La''spany, charmed by her down-to-earth nature and kindness. The group enjoyed their time together, savoring the delicious food, warm chatter, and beautiful surroundings.

    "Brother Rio, I''m bummed we won''t be training together again," Lucasmented, realizing that Rio''s strength level had surpassed that of ck-stage monsters and there was little reason for them to adventure together anymore, or so he believed.

    Curious, Rio asked, "Where are you guys staying now in the Land of Asura?" The boy was thinking, ''I might want to visit them there sometime.''

    "We''re in the same shelter, but higher up ¨C the ck Tower of the Outcast," Lucas replied cheerfully. "Sophia''s sister, Kyra Wilson, has been helping us, although she''s quite busy and can''t spare much time."

    N and Rio shared a knowing nce at the mention of Kyra, who had been investigating Rio. Now that Rio was acknowledged as a hero''s child, though, Kyra had little reason to meddle in his life.

    Sophia chimed in, "You wouldn''t believe it, but Sister had to face lord beasts almost every other day, and she was at a loss when he summoned a group of forty beasts! The team that came to help us nearly got wiped out, but thankfully, Sister handled it well..."

    Rio and N''s faces were filled with amused looks, trying to suppress theirughter. They knew firsthand how Lucas''s misfortune had attracted a lord beast out of nowhere, which had almost cost them their lives. It was during that time that N had be Rio''s wife and she sacrificed herself to save him.

    Lucas defended himself, "Hey, it wasn''t all bad! Thanks to me, Sister Kyra got a bunch of mystic eggs. Plus, we can''t forget all the beast souls and cores you guys managed to farm because of me."

    Lucas attempted to counterbnce the negative aspects of his bad reputation by emphasizing the benefits of having him in the group. His enthusiasm was contagious, making it difficult for the boy and the girls to stay serious for long.

    As the conversation continued, Lucas and Sophia shared their experiences at the ck Tower, while N and Rio discussed their supposed training in the Corrupted Land.

    La listened intently since she hadn''t been part of their group in the past. After an hour had passed, the friends made ns to meet again in the future.

    When Lucas and Sophia left, only Rio, La, and N remained. La suggested that N should head to their apartment, and she and Rio would go to the Havenglow Vi to see Rose. Although Rio was hesitant, he agreed for the sake of his rtionship with his sister and second mother.

    N nodded, and the two cars went in separate directions. She had already packed her things to move into Rio''s old apartment, where she would be living with him when she returned to Earth.

    La had even arranged for the second floor to be converted into a single living space, with a room for everyone to share. As for the third floor, she had bigger ns for it. She was going to renovate the entire building and turn it into something she had nned.

    Rio and La drove to the Havenglow vi, their car passing through streets and eventually entering a park. The guards recognized La''s car and let them through. Once they parked near a fountain, the couple stepped out, greeted by a maid who opened the door for them.

    As they walked inside, a figure sprinted towards them. Rose wrapped her arms around La, hugging her tightly. Rio understood their strong sisterly bond, even though Rose had cheered for him at the international tournament. Their bond had been built over many years and couldn''t be easily broken, so it was normal for Rose to miss La and hug her tightly.

    After embracing La, Rose hugged Rio andined in a yful manner, "Big brother, did you forget about your little sister already, now that you''ve found yourself a beautiful wifey?"

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 Chapter 329 Aliyahs Love for Rio

    Chapter 329 Aliyah''s Love for Rio

    Rio didn''t know how to respond to his little sister''s yfulment, so he simply smiled and walked inside as Rose led them. The first floor seemed empty, leaving him wondering where everyone else might be.

    Rose informed them, "Mom is in the kitchen, preparing a meal for us."

    As they began ascending the stairs to the second floor, Rio heard faint voices.

    Furrowing his brow, he stopped to observe what it was. As Rose noticed, she said, "That''s Grandfather..."

    Rio turned and asked with a stiff voice, "What happened to him?"

    "You should see for yourself," Rose suggested as they descended the stairs and approached the room where the voices wereing from.

    When Rose opened the door, Rio saw an elderly man sitting on the floor, cradling two dolls in hisp ¨C one boy and one girl. The old man seemed like a child ying with toys, engaging in a make-believe game with the dolls.

    In a high-pitched, childish voice, the old man said to the boy doll, "My little child. Did you have a good time ying with your friends today?"

    He then turned to the girl doll and asked, "And you, little Lily, did you learn something new at school?"

    Holding the dolls close, he continued, "Oh, I''m so proud of both of you! Let''s have a little tea party, shall we?"

    The old man then pretended to pour tea for the dolls, saying, "Careful now, it''s hot! Blow on it gently, like this."

    He blew on the imaginary teacup and continued the conversation, "So, what do you want to be when you grow up, my little ones?"

    After a moment of silence, he replied to himself, "A warrior and a teacher? How wonderful! I know you''ll both be amazing at whatever you choose."

    Rose, La, and Rio all observed the old man''s deteriorated mental state.

    Rose exined, "The doctor said that Grandpa couldn''t handle the truth and the guilt of treating his own grandson so poorly. It caused his mind to be this way as a security mechanism to fight the guilt he was feeling."

    Rio couldn''t believe what he was seeing. Second Mother had asked for mercy for the old man, but Heaven didn''t seem to feel the same way. Ambrose Havenglow had been punished for his bad actions. This was the man who had separated Rio from La, and there was a time when Rio had wanted to kill him. Now, he realized that the old man''s life had be worse than death. Rio was left speechless at the oue.

    As his gaze moved to La, he saw theplicated emotions in her eyes ¨C sadness mixed with iciness. She, too, didn''t know how to face this reality. Rio ced his palm on La''s face and, locking eyes with her, said, "Let''s forget about it for now. We should go see Second Mother."

    The girl nodded, and they turned to go back upstairs. Meanwhile, the old man''s giggles and yful chatter faded into the background, a haunting reminder of the consequences of his actions.

    As they climbed to the second floor, they entered a hall with arge dining table. Rose gestured for Rio to follow her, and they all took their seats.

    The sound of approaching footsteps filled the air, and Rio turned to see the blue-haireddy, Second Mother,ing in with a maid carrying the food she had prepared.

    Sitting down beside the boy, Second Mother apologized, "I''m sorry, Little Rio. I couldn''t be there for you when you needed me most."

    Aliyah was saddened that she couldn''t protect her child from her own father, who believed that Rio was of lower birth and wanted to separate La from him. She had wanted to protect Rio from the danger, but her efforts had backfired and ended up hurting him instead.

    Despite Dhovrix now knowing about the boy, they were cautious not to make any moves against him. Rumors were circting that the young boy had defeated one of the strongest humans on earth, causing them to be even more wary of this hero''s child.

    "That was probably for the best," Rio replied, considering how he had met his mother because of the events that transpired that day. He didn''t want to me her, as she had always treated him well, and now that he knew she was his real aunt, he felt even closer to her. She was like a second mother to him, and he didn''t want their rtionship to be tainted by the actions of the old man.

    Rio valued Second Mother greatly. In his sixteen years of life, he had learned the importance of family, something he had never experienced before.

    He understood that both heroes and viins usually have a sad backstory, but the difference between them is that viins choose to hurt others to make them feel how they felt, while heroes make sure they don''t harm anyone and not make them go through the same pain.

    Rio chose to forgive Second Mother instead of holding a grudge against her or hurting her, as he knew that forgiveness was the better option for both him and his family.

    As Rose observed their interaction, she couldn''t help but mumble, "Why do I feel like Mom loves Big Brother more than me?"

    Overhearing her, Aliyah said with a soft smile, "You know Rose when Rio was still in Big sister''s womb, I used to tell her I''d steal him away and care for him like he was my own child. She even teased me that if I loved her child so much, my future kids would be jealous. Who knew it woulde true?"

    "Hmph... So Auntie already knew," Rose huffed, pretending to be annoyed by Aliyah''s words. Deep down, however, she knew that her mother loved her so much.

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 Chapter 330 A One-on-One with Helia

    Chapter 330 A One-on-One with Helia

    Rio found the whole thing amusing, watching as Rose fumed about her mother''s love for him.

    La reassured her, "Don''t worry, Rose. Dad loves you more."

    As Rose heard La''s voice, she looked at her older sister with a glimmer of hope and said, "Mom may have betrayed me, but I know Sister La loves me more." The young girl dered, her spirits lifting.

    However, La''s eyes didn''t support her words, and she gave a forced smile to Rose, mumbling, "Uh, about that..."

    "What?!" Rose eximed, her face a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "You also love Big Brother more???"

    It was a well-known fact that La loved Rio even more than his own parents did, so it was obvious she would have a special ce in her heart for him. Asking her that question was amusing in itself, and seeing La flustered and caught off guard amused everyone even more. Even Aliyah was surprised by the extent of La''s love for Rio, considering how close she and Rose were.

    Rose slumped onto the table, feigning defeat, as Second Mother served Rio first. The dishes included rice, an array of colorful vegetables, and a creamy square-shaped dessert.

    Rio sampled each dish, making sure to offer Rose a taste first, noticing her eyes following the food. The atmosphere around the table became warm and inviting as they engaged in lighthearted conversation.

    Rio maintained his calm demeanor, basking in Second Mother''s affection. Rose, on the other hand, acted as the energetic and pampered younger sister, while La took on the role of a supportive girlfriend, engaging in lively conversation.

    As their meal drew to a close and the conversation wound down, Rio said his farewells and left the Havenglow Vi.

    With a heart full of warmth and gratitude, Rio made his way back to his apartment with La by his side. As he opened the door, he heard some noiseing from the previously empty second room. He walked towards it and saw N setting up her bed, having just moved in.

    Her face brightened upon seeing him, and she said yfully, "Finally, you''ve returned...e...e help your lovely wife, sweetie. This isn''t just my bed, but yours too."

    Rio sighed but obliged, helping N set up the bed. Meanwhile, La just smiled at them and decided to clean the kitchen since she noticed that N was almost done and didn''t require much help.

    As they finished, the doorbell rang. N went to open the door, and there was someone delivering arge box. N instructed them to ce the box inside and set it up. As they opened the box, Rio noticed it was a TV. They ced it on therge wall in front of the couch and did all the setup before the delivery person left.

    Rio, La, and N settled down in front of the television and they flipped through the channels only to find their recent visit to the school dominating the news headlines.

    An enthusiastic reporter recounted the story, "Rio Havenglow and Our goddess Lily were spotted together at Golden Seal Military School earlier today! Students and faculty alike are buzzing about the power couple''s surprise appearance."

    Images of Rio and La walking side by side shed across the screen, apanied by excitedmentary and spections.

    The trio exchanged looks before collectively sighing.

    Rio grabbed the remote and turned off the TV, shaking his head.

    La said softly, "I guess our little outing didn''t go unnoticed."

    With a lively smile, N added, "This is why I like being at the castle, away from these nosy people... We should head back to the Empress Vi."

    They all nodded in agreement, eager to return to their own home and escape the prying eyes of the media.

    The trio used the [Astral Recall] to go back to Empress Vi, exhausted from their recent events on Earth. As it was still nighttime, Rio, N, and La all decided to sleep in N''s bedroom.

    Rio slept in the middle as La and N used him as a pillow and fell asleep.

    The boy couldn''tin as he let them use him as theirfortable pillow. Instead, he was happy that two beautiful girls were hugging him, and their aromatic perfume worked like a luby as he too drifted off to sleep.

    The following morning, Lia noticed the trio still fast asleep and chose not to disturb them. She quietly left the empress vi.

    When Rio awoke, he saw La and N still sound asleep. He freshened up and decided to go outside.

    Noticing that Helia had been spending more time in her roomtely, he thought it might be a good time for a one-on-one conversation with her.

    As he approached her room, he asked yfully, "What are you up to, Lioness?"

    Helia looked at him, noticing they were alone, and began to stammer, "I... I..."

    Rio had never seen her stammer before, but he couldn''t understand why she was doing so now.

    "What ''I''?" he teased.

    "I was making tea..." Helia finally said, blushing as she finished her sentence. Her nerves were getting the better of her with Rio in her room.

    Rio noticed that her hands were shaking as she held the kettle.

    He stood up and said, "You should sit down before you break it."

    He took the kettle from her hands and motioned for her to settle on the couch. However, the cross-shaped ve markpelled her to follow his words, even if she didn''t want to.

    He poured tea into two cups, cing one in front of her and keeping one for himself.

    As they sat down to enjoy their tea, Rio remarked, "I didn''t think you would be making tea. I''ve been lucky enough to have your tea in the past, but it''s still kind of strange."

    "Why do you think it''s strange?" Helia found some courage as she asked, looking at Rio with a hint of curiosity. Even though Rio made her nervous, and their bonding was very sensitive, she was a brave girl, so she collected herself to ask him.

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 Chapter 331 Bound by the Slave Mark

    Chapter 331 Bound by the ve Mark

    Rio noticed the instant courage that had built up within her just moments ago shatter into pieces as he gazed into her eyes. He found it cute how she averted her gaze, clearly flustered by their eyes getting interlocked. They were sitting side by side on the same couch, so he was very close.

    1

    The boy was amused at her nervousness as he spoke, "Because I see you as a brave warrior who trained me in the past, seeing you do something so domestic is a pleasant surprise. Your future husband will be a lucky man."

    "I''m not marrying another man," Helia retorted, turning to look into his eyes with a fierce re.

    She had summoned all the bravery she could at such bitter words. Rio had said this to her, how could he even think she would marry someone else after what had happened between them? She was wondering why this boy was so clueless.

    With a mysterious glint in his eyes, Rio asked, "Why not?"

    He was curious to know Helia''s emotions and what was going on in her mind. His intention in saying those things was to find out what was really happening with her.

    "Because you''re my Master!!!" Helia answered, her voice heavy with anger and frustration towards Rio. However, she soon realized her mistake and withdrew it by not ring at him anymore.

    As he heard her fierce response, Rio was taken aback. He remembered the ve mark that was probably causing her emotions and behavior to turn this way.

    "There must be a way to undo the ve mark," he mumbled to himself, feeling uneasy about the idea of keeping Helia bound to him against her will. He didn''t want to force her to do anything she didn''t want to do, and he knew that her being enved was not the right thing.

    "There isn''t a way to erase that mark," Helia overheard him and said in a stiff voice. She continued, mumbling to herself, "Even if there was, I don''t want to."

    The girl didn''t want to break this link between them. She was happy that even if Rio didn''t fully ept her, she could at least be his ve. She still felt guilt for her past deed and wanted to keep the ve mark. Although Rio was thinking about what was best for her, Helia was content with the ve mark and didn''t want to lose it.

    "Is that true, Eve?" Rio asked silently in his mind. He knew that Eve''s innate talent was rted to knowledge, as she had mentioned in the past. He still didn''t understand how it worked, but he didn''t think of asking her about her secrets.

    "You finally remember me, partner?" Eve''s grumbling voice sounded, as Rio had been preupied with everything that was happening in his life recently. Although Eve could''ve saved Rio during his fight with his grandfather, she chose not to for some reason that the boy would eventually uncover in the future.

    "How can I forget someone who always lives inside my thoughts?" Rio replied with a hint of amusement. He knew how to use sweet words for his girls, although it rarely worked on Eve. She didn''t hold grudges against him and always took a step back for his sake and happiness, making things easier between them.

    "There''s no need to sugarcoat your words. Lioness is telling the truth. That mark cannot be erased. She swore on heaven to make an oath, and it''s impossible to break such an oath unless some divinity involves themselves to help you.

    To even consider erasing that mark would be a grave sin. So, she''s bound to be your ve for the rest of her life," Eve responded, her voiceced with bitterness. Despite Rio''s recent forgetfulness towards her, she still decided to help him, as she always did.

    "Isn''t there a solution to fix that?" Rio asked. He was hoping that she would have a solution, as she had previously mentioned when Helia was affected by the mark and had almost lost her life.

    "There is a solution. If you take her as your wife, then her ve mark will evolve into a simr one like N''s. However, I don''t think it will ever evolve to the one you share with La or Lia," Eve replied. She didn''t mention her mark because the mark she shared with Rio was something created by divinity itself.

    Rio''s face dropped like a hot potato as he considered the solution of taking Lioness as his wife. The mere thought made him want to jump off a cliff, but he quickly regained hisposure and sipped his tea in silence.

    He couldn''t picture Lioness as his wife, no matter how cute she was when she made tea. The idea of being married to her made him break out in cold sweats.

    What if she looked at him with her fierce gaze and turned him to stone if he didn''t behave well after marrying? He couldn''t risk it.

    Although Rio was just jokingly thinking all of this, but the reality was that he was perfectly content with his four beautiful women.

    Why would he need another one when he was already living in paradise?

    It was like trying to add sprinkles to a cupcake that was already frosted to perfection. There was simply no need for more.

    As Rio was lost in thought while sipping tea, he heard approaching footsteps. He didn''t need to look back to know who it was. The white-haired beauty walked into the room, noticing Rio and Helia sitting in silence. She could sense the tension in the air between them and decided to break the ice.

    "What are your ns for theing days?" Lia asked as she sat opposite them on the other couch.

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 Chapter 332 Helias Hidden Desires: The First Adventure Together

    Chapter 332 Helia''s Hidden Desires: The First Adventure Together

    "I''m thinking of spending a few days with you all, then I''ll go train in the wilderness," Rio replied casually, grateful for the more normal conversation. As he thought about it, he couldn''t help but reflect on the unique women he had met in his life so far. Each one seemed more extraordinary than thest.

    1

    In Rio''s mind, Sophia was perhaps the most normal among them, although even her sister Kyra was far from ordinary. N, however, took the crown for being the craziest. La''s caring and loving nature always warmed his heart, while Lia''s protective instincts could cause a river of blood for his sake.

    And Helia? She was the one who drew his blood for the love of her brother andter nearly died because she believed he was gone.

    Then there was Eve, a stunning amalgamation of all his girls. She possessed the grace of Lia, the loving and empathetic nature of La, and the bold and audacious energy of N, shamelessly making her way into his life and heart.

    Despite their quirks and unique qualities, Rio appreciated the diverse and loving connections he had with each of these women, and it made his life all the more enriching.

    As these thoughts were going through his mind, Rio heard Lia say, "I was also nning to train and reach the next stage soon. Although Helia has already reached the Silver stage and could apany me, it''s not safe to venture into the wilderness alone to fight those beasts. I don''t want to risk her life without being certain that we can handle them, especially since we would only be two of us."

    "Why?" Rio furrowed his brows and inquired. He knew very well that both girls were very strong and could take on multiple opponents alone, so he couldn''t understand why Lia said it would be dangerous.

    "Silver stage beasts are much stronger than those in the Yellow or Red stages. It''s hard to take one down, even at my current strength. We would need a group to hunt them, even the normal silver-stage beasts," Lia answered gently, trying to exin to Rio the difficulty of fighting such beasts alone.

    Rio leaned back on his couch, taking a contemtive sip of his tea as he considered Lia''s dilemma. His gaze drifted to the steaming cup in his hands, deep in thought.

    "Then why don''t we help La and N reach the Silver stage? Once they do, we can all hunt together," Rio suggested, his voice filled with conviction.

    He recalled the impressive disys of strength from both girls during the tournaments. N had taken down AI special beasts in the national militarypetition, while La had fought valiantly against Rio himself in the international tournament. He still felt fortunate to have defeated La, which was only possible because she hadn''t known about his battle technique art. He was well aware of their strong capabilities.

    Rio knew that trust didn''te easily, and they couldn''t just involve outsiders in their quest for safety. However, La and N were his wives, and having them as Lia''s team members would undoubtedly benefit them all.

    He was confident in his ability to support her during their hunting adventures, having recently bested a strong Silver stage warrior. However, he couldn''t quite understand why Lia was concerned about facing normal Silver stage beasts alone. He knew she was far stronger than Ambrose Havenglow and hoped that their uing adventures would reveal the answer.

    As Lia listened to Rio''s suggestion, she considered his proposal with a thoughtful expression. She knew that with La and N by her side, theirbined power would make hunting Silver stage beasts much safer. With Rio''s added strength, they could form a formidable team, capable of taking on even the most challenging opponents.

    "You have a point, Husband," Lia mumbled, nodding in agreement. "Yes, we should do that. Helia should be enough to help them reach the Silver stage."

    As Helia listened to their conversation, she decided to ask the question that concerned her the most, "Don''t you also need Red stage stat points?" she asked the boy, her eyes hopeful as she thought about the possibility of him joining them. She wanted to see him more often, but she didn''t know if he would actually agree toe along. She also didn''t have the courage to speak her mind and share her feelings openly with him.

    "Yup, I do," Rio admitted in a casual tone. However, he didn''t n on joining them. He knew that it would require them to share their beast cores with him, thus slowing down their progress. The boy was capable of going solo without worrying about slowing down the progress of his loved ones.

    "Then we can all go together," Helia proposed, finding some courage to fulfill her heart''s wish without letting anyone know. However, she was careful to make it seem like it was for the benefit of everyone, not just her personal desire.

    "But who will stay at the castle if we''re all gone?" Rio asked, concerned as Helia''s suggestion implied that everyone, including Lia, would be going on the adventure. He understood the importance of having someone stay behind to ensure the safety of the Castle.

    "Father will be here. This will be our first adventure together, so we shouldn''t miss it," Lia said with a soft smile. She could easily see the desire in Helia''s eyes that she wasn''t able to express openly, but Lia appreciated her suggestion. This tour might help them develop better and teach them how to work as a team, which was necessary for their future endeavors.

    Upon hearing that Lia had already made the decision to leave the castle to Emperor Dn, Rio simply nodded in agreement with their n to hunt together and help N and La ascend to the silver stage.

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    [SnowNote]

 Chapter 333 Is Eve a Plant Thief in Disguise?

    <h4>Chapter 333 Is Eve a nt Thief in Disguise?</h4>

    When La and N awoke in the afternoon, they were filled in on the n. La hesitated at first, not wanting to slow the others down, but Lia managed to convince her by emphasizing the importance of training together from the Silver stage and exining the challenges of going solo.

    Afterward, the girls began packing for their adventure together. Lia had already informed Dn about their ns and decided to visit her garden onest time, as it held a special ce in her heart.

    As she gazed at the rainbow tree and the little elves dancing around it, a familiar voice echoed in her mind.

    "Is the Asura Empress worried about her Garden?" asked the elven beauty with an enigmatic tone.

    "How do you know?" Lia furrowed her brows in surprise, recognizing Eve''s voice. Although they often spoke without Rio''s knowledge, Lia was caught off guard because Eve seemed to be aware of something the others weren''t.

    "This Monarch knows that Rio''s wifey is stressed about the future that''sing. But don''t worry, I can help you keep them safe in my wondrous forest realm. That way, you won''t have to see them in a destroyed condition," Eve offered her solution, understanding Lia''s Eyes of Destiny and her concern for her garden''s fate.

    Lia hesitated, wondering how Eve knew about her visions. It was a secret she had kept locked away in her heart. But upon hearing Eve''s offer, she found it difficult to refuse. The rainbow tree was special to her, as it had been cared for by her mother. She had lied to Rio about it in the past, not wanting to show vulnerability in front of someone she had just met.

    With a soft sigh, Lia decided to ept Eve''s help, "Alright, I''ll trust you with my garden''s safety."

    She knew that entrusting her cherished garden to Eve was the best option to ensure its protection, allowing her to focus on the challenges and adventures that were going toe her way in the future.

    "Yay! I can''t wait to have this beautiful tree in my wondrous? forest realm. It will add even more colors to the already colorful world," Eve eximed cheerfully, her excitement contagious. "Don''t worry, Lia. I''ll take good care of it and make sure it flourishes under my watchful eye."

    Hearing Eve''s offer, Lia couldn''t help but feel like she was being robbed with her own permission. It was like giving away her prized possessions to a stranger and hoping for the best.

    She jokingly entertained the thought that Eve might just be a nt thief in disguise, but the idea of her beloved rainbow tree being safe in the wondrous forest realm was too tempting to resist. Besides, she knew that Eve was Rio''s partner and she trusted her to keep her garden and its nts secure.

    "I hope you''re not nning on selling my rainbow tree on the ck market, Eve," Lia joked, trying to lighten the mood.

    Eve giggled at Lia''s remark, "Don''t worry, Your Highness. Your rainbow tree will be safe and sound in my wondrous realm, guarded by this beautiful, charming elven monarch. Besides, you know I can''t mess with you since you''re my partner''s true lord. Without your permission, I can''t conquer his heartpletely, even if I want to."

    Lia couldn''t help butugh at the thought of being Rio''s lord. She didn''t want to be a dictator but an ideal wife who thought about what was good for him and what made him happy. "Alright, you win. Please take care of my precious nts and the rainbow tree. Just make sure they''re well-fed and watered, and maybe sing them a luby once in a while."

    Eve shed a cheerful, business-like smile and replied, "Consider it done, your majesty. Your garden will thrive under my care. You can trust me, I promise."

    Following Eve''s guidance, Lia moved from one precious nt to another, transferring each of them into the wondrous forest realm. Finally, it was the turn of the rainbow tree, her most treasured possession and a memento from her mother. With a sigh, Lia prepared to let go, trusting Eve to keep it safe in her magical domain.

    As she gazed at the little elves and the rainbow tree, it suddenly vanished before her eyes. The garden still had other nts, but it seemed to have lost its glimmer without the presence of the rainbow tree.

    Seeing a hint of sadness on Lia''s face, Eve decided to lift her spirits with a cheerful tone. "Don''t you want to see your garden?"

    "Can I really?" Lia asked, her voice filled with childlike wonder, doubting the possibility of entering Eve''s wondrous forest realm without Rio''s assistance.

    Eve responded silently, as a shadowy backdoor materialized before Lia, visible only to her. Somehow, Lia knew this was the answer to her question, and she stepped forward, disappearing into the portal.

    Entering the wondrous forest realm, Lia found herself in an open area filled with all her nts, including a pond reminiscent of the one in her garden, surrounded by aromatic flowers. This new garden, a thoughtful gift from Eve, not only resembled Lia''s original but also featured additional nts from Eve''s collection.

    Eve understood the importance of keeping Lia happy, knowing that if she wanted Rio then it would be impossible without her approval. As Lia took in the beauty of her new garden, she couldn''t help but smile, appreciating the care and attention Eve had shown her.

    Lia approached the rainbow tree at the center of the garden, watching the little elves dance around it just as they had before. She noticed their smiles, seemingly happier in their new surroundings. Lia felt overjoyed as well, seeing not only the rainbow tree and the elves but also the butterflies from Eve''s own garden. She knew these were her nts, and with Eve''s unbreakable connection to Rio, she felt assured that her precious tree would remain safe in the future.

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 Chapter 334 The Elven Thug or The Monarch Beast?

    <h4>Chapter 334 The Elven Thug or The Monarch Beast?</h4>

    "Why did you lie to Rio about this tree?" Eve inquired, remembering the day Rio met Lia. It was Eve who had redirected Rio''s teleportation destination, guiding him towards the Castle''s Portal capsule point when someone else had attempted to lead him towards a dangerous path.

    Lia''s voice was gentle as she exined, "I didn''t want to discuss Mother''s memories with him at that time. We had just met, and I still had doubts about the prophecy Grandfather made."

    "I understand," Eve replied, her demeanor softer than usual. The elven beauty was aware of Lia''s dilemma back then and hoped that her rtionship with Rio would continue to develop without any harming to either of them.

    "Will we be staying here during our hunting adventure?" Lia questioned, aware that Rio and N had lived here during the national military school tournament, as it was the safest ce.

    "Is there something on your mind?" Eve asked, sensing there was a reason behind Lia''s question.

    "What if we built a house inside?" Lia proposed, seeking permission from Eve. Although they were now a family, she didn''t want to overstep, knowing this was Eve''s personal property. Having her garden moved here was a kind gesture from Eve, but building a house was an entirely different matter.

    "Ahh... There isn''t much space here to build a house for all of you," Eve said with a hint of sadness in her voice, understanding that Lia wanted a house that included all of Rio''s wives.

    Lia''s forehead furrowed as she tried to make sense of what Eve was saying. Her eyes darted around the lush surroundings of the wondrous forest realm, which seemed to offer plenty of space for building a cozy house.

    Observing Lia''s confusion, Eve borated with a friendly smile, "However, I can help you build a house if you provide me with beast cores. These will help me resolve the space issue here."

    At first Lia couldn''t understand why Eve said there wasn''t enough space, her eyes sparkled with joy at Eve''s response. The beast cores were a small matter for her as she was the future Empress of the Shamor Empire. She also suspected that Eve might need these beast cores to upgrade her realm, as she had needed them previously to allow others'' entry into her forest. Moreover, Lia was correct in her theory.

    "Any specific type of beast cores?" Lia asked for rification.

    Eve replied cheerfully, "This poor soul will dly ept all kinds of beast cores from Her Highness. The more beast cores you provide, the more I can expand this ce and even build houses for you and everyone else."

    She knew that Lia was the future empress of the Asura race, and many already referred to her as Empress even before the Emperor gave her the throne. If Lia put her mind to Eve''s request, she could offer a wealth of beast cores. Therefore, Eve asked without reservation, knowing it would benefit them both.

    Although The elven monarch could have given her permission for building the house with the space she had right now, she had another n when she asked for the beast cores.

    "Alright, give me until tomorrow," Lia calmly requested as she began to n how she would fulfill Eve''s demand for their new home in the wondrous forest realm.

    Eve agreed to Lia''s request for more time, and in response, Lia asked her to open a door to the old garden so she could gather the required beast cores.

    "I''ll take care of a few things, and we''ll be ready to start our hunting adventure tomorrow," Lia assured Rio and others.

    With that settled, Lia left the castle without sharing any further details, informing Rio and the others that she had an important matter to attend to before their hunting adventure.

    That night, Lia visited nearby auction houses and asked them to gather all the beast cores they could. By the next day, she had managed to amass an impressive collection of beast cores, totaling around three hundred thousand. Among them were ten thousand Red stage cores and about thirty Silver stage cores.

    Lia presented the beast cores to Eve, whose eyes widened in astonishment. "Wow, Lia, you''ve outdone yourself! This is quite the collection!" she eximed, eagerly epting the cores like a kid in a candy store.

    Lia couldn''t help but wonder if this elven girl was really the monarch beast or just a part-time thug in her free time.

    "This is enough for us to get started on building a ce for everyone to stay inside the wondrous forest realm," Eve announced, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

    After receiving the cores, Eve turned to Lia with a business-like smile and asked, "My lord, when would you like to start building the house?"

    "We can do it when everyone is present here," Lia replied before leaving the wondrous forest realm.

    With Lia''s task nowplete, the group was ready to embark on their hunting adventure together.

    The same day, Rio and the four elegantdies set out on their journey to the teleporter tower. The sun shone brightly in the sky, as if offering its warmest wee and best wishes to the group.

    As Rio andpany stepped into the teleporter tower, the old man behind the counter couldn''t help but raise his eyebrows in surprise at the sight of the four stunning girls apanying the boy. The Asura warriors present found themselves mesmerized by the group, their eyes drawn to the captivating beauty of thedies. Upon recognizing the Empress, all of them bowed their heads in reverence.

    With her head held high and a calm expression on her face, Helia strode forward and addressed the old man with a firm voice, "We need a teleport glyph for the Firnds shelter."

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 Chapter 335 Apologetic Smiles and Soft Thuds

    <h4>Chapter 335 Apologetic Smiles and Soft Thuds</h4>

    The flustered old man stuttered as he was jolted awake from his daze, "Y-yes, Princess, just a moment..." He quickly rummaged through a box filled with teleport glyphs, but in his haste, he identally knocked it over, scattering the glyphs all over the floor in a chaotic mess.

    "I''m so sorry, Your Highness" he apologized to Lia, his face red with embarrassment. He bent down to collect the glyphs, his hands shaking slightly.

    Rio couldn''t help but find the old man''s nervousness amusing. After all, it wasn''t every day that such a stunning group of women walked into the teleporter tower. Lia''s ethereal beauty was well-known, and with La by her side, the duo created quite a sensation. La was no less striking than Lia, making them a pair of otherworldly beauties.

    Helia and N might have been overshadowed by Lia and La, but they were undeniably beautiful in their own right. It was rare for anyone to encounter such an extraordinary group of women all at once, which exined the old man''s blunder. Moreover, they were all Emperor''s young daughters, and a niece, which made the situation even more intense for everyone.

    Soon, the old man''s eyes shone as if he had seen a ray of hope. He picked up the correct teleport glyph from the ground, relieved that he had finally found the one for the Firnds.

    He stood up, no longer in an embarrassed state, and respectfully turned to Helia. "Here you go, princess," he said, handing over the correct glyph with a bright smile.

    As the old man finally handed over the correct glyph, the group couldn''t help but share a small smile at his effort and nervousness in finding the right one. They were now ready to embark on their journey together.

    Helia took the glyph and confidently led the group toward the special room where the royal family''s ascended tform was located. Lia and the others followed closely behind, eager to start their adventure.

    The blonde-haired beauty was the first to ascend, followed by Rio. The girl was nervous as Rio stood right next to her, unaware that Helia''s heart was beating frantically just by this small action. N stood by Rio''s side, while Lia and La surrounded them like two caring mothers, as if the whole group were their children, despite the fact that they were Rio''s wives.

    As Helia stood like a statue because Rio was standing beside her, Lia noticed her reaction and said in an amusing tone, "Helia???"

    N understood why Helia was stunned and just giggled, not letting others know.

    Helia realized how she was acting, and her cheeks turned bright red. She was overwhelmed by her feelings for Rio, but she knew she had to control herself.

    She quickly broke the teleport glyph, and a tear appeared in the space before them. The portal''s power was strong that it started sucking the five figures in.

    Rio and the rest of the group were quickly pulled into the portal, disappearing from view. The space rift closed behind them, leaving no trace of their presence.

    ***

    A space rift ripped open, and Rio was thrown out of the portal, tumbling onto the ground. He took a few deep breaths to recover from the sudden shock when Lia and Landed on top of him with a soft thud, causing him to grunt.

    "Sorry, Husband..." Lia said, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

    La added, "Ah, Rio... I''m so sorry." Her face was flushed with a mixture of guilt and amusement.

    Both of Rio''s women offered him apologetic smiles before gracefully standing up, brushing off any dirt on their clothes.

    As Rio struggled to stand up, two more figures tumbled out of the rift - Helia and N.

    N''s eyes sparkled with delight at the unexpected oue, and she wasted no time in expressing her affection for Rio.

    "I love you, sweetie," N said, nting a kiss on Rio''s cheek before yfully hopping off his chest.

    Helia, on the other hand, appeared uncertain of how to react. Her face flushed with embarrassment as she followed N''s lead and stood up, but she didn''t say anything to the boy.

    Rio found it amusing to see the contrasting reactions of the girls, with Lia and La sharing a simr reserved demeanor, while N was always shamelessly yful. Meanwhile, Helia seemed uncertain of how to act.

    As Rio finally made an attempt to stand up, he saw La bending her knees and gently grabbing his hand to assist him.

    With her nurturing manner, she tenderly patted his clothes, removing any dust or dirt. Her delicate fingers brushed away the dust from his cheeks, revealing a warm, caring smile. Rio couldn''t help but feel grateful for her presence.

    "Thank you, La," Rio said with a smile as he straightened his posture.

    La simply nodded in response, her serene smile and loving gaze never leaving her face.

    Meanwhile, the other girls were busy surveying their surroundings, their eyes taking in every detail of the unfamiliarndscape. Lia, in particr, was intently focused on discerning their exact location, her gaze shifting from onendmark to another as she pieced together the puzzle before her.

    It quickly became evident that they hadn''t been teleported to an Asura shelter as initially nned.

    Helia nced around, noting the unfamiliarndscape, and remarked, "It seems our portal destination has changed, but we''re still in the right vicinity."

    Suddenly, Eve''s voice filled their minds, reassuring them with her gentle tone. "I have made a small adjustment to your teleportation location using my spatial elemental affinity power. This way, you''ve been sent to a spot closer to your actual destination."

    All of them were familiar with Eve''s voice, even La, who had conversed with her when Rio first introduced her to Lia and the others. With this revtion, they now understood the reason behind their unexpected arrival at this particr location.

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 Chapter 336: Setting up Camp

    The Firnds spread out before them, a dangerous and awe-inspiring region in the heart of thend of Asura. Active volcanoes dotted thendscape, with rivers of molten rock carving their way through the terrain. Although it was a hazardous ce, the Firnds remained a popr hunting destination for Asuras, boasting some of the toughest creatures in thend for red-stage Asura warriors.

    After taking a moment to assess their surroundings, Helia suggested, "Let''s find a good ce to set up camp before we start hunting."

    The group had decided to venture further into the Firnds on foot to find a suitable location, and fortunately, they weren''t far from their current spot as they could sense the presence of red-stage beasts in the area. As they walked, the rugged terrain beneath their feet crunched and crumbled, sending small rocks and pebbles rolling down the slopes.

    Lia and Helia took turns exining to the others about the creatures they may encounter in the Firnds.

    "This ce is famous for Fire Smanders, which are known for their fierce and aggressive nature," Lia began. "They pose a formidable challenge even for experienced warriors. However, I think they would be less difficult for Lapared to N, since La is at the peak of the red stage."

    Helia continued, "Moreover, as they mature, they can grow up to three meters long and stand one meter tall. Their distinctive red bodies are adorned with intricate white markings. They''re a beautiful yet fearsome sight."

    With the knowledge about the fire smanders exined by Helia and Lia, the group cautiously navigated the treacherous terrain. Although they were not too worried about encountering the beasts, as they had two silver stage warriors and Rio who was now the second strongest member of the group, surpassing Helia in strength.

    The air was thick with the acrid smell of sulfur, and the intense heat from theva flows was almost unbearable. Rio and the others were already sweating profusely from the scorching heat.

    Despite the harsh conditions, the Firnds was a prime hunting ground for red-stage creatures, making it an ideal ce to advance to the next stage quickly.

    As they continued their journey, the sweltering heat of the area caused beads of sweat to form on their foreheads.

    Upon seeing Rio perspiring, La''s innate loving and caring nature surfaced. She tenderly wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead with her delicate handkerchief, and Rio couldn''t help but feel grateful for her presence.

    As he gazed at her serene and loving face, his heart swelled with warmth from her gentle touch. He was torn between expressing his gratitude and asking her to stop, not wanting to trouble her over something so trivial.

    The boy soon remembered that this was the same girl from his childhood, the one who always looked after him as if he were a small child. Her affection, like aforting breeze, reminded him of the deep love they shared, simple and pure.

    N and Helia couldn''t help but observe La''s tender care for Rio. They had seen her earlier fussing over him, fixing his clothes, and brushing off the dust after they teleported as if he was a little child who couldn''t take care of himself.

    At that moment, they hadn''t thought much of it. But now, watching her gently wipe the sweat from his forehead with the devotion of a personal maid or a mother, La''s affectionate concern for Rio was undeniably evident.

    As the group continued to walk, they discovered andscape where the terrain gradually became more mountainous. The area was adorned with lush, green trees that cast their shadows on the ground, providing a natural, cooling shade in the sweltering heat. The picturesque scene was further enhanced by the presence of majestic Fire Smanders roaming in the distance.

    The creatures were at a safe distance, allowing the group to prepare for their hunt. Lia scanned the surroundings and made a decision.

    "Let''s set up camp here for now, in the shaded area," she suggested. "It''s best to rest and hydrate before we begin our hunt."

    "Awesome suggestion, Big sister!" N eximed with a cheerful nod. The girl was already feeling exhausted in the scorching heat of the Firnds and saw Lia as a goddess in Asura form foring up with the idea.

    With the ideal spot chosen, N and Helia sprang into action, taking out essential items such as nkets and mattresses. They carefully arranged them under the protective canopy of the trees, creating a temporary home base for the day. This would be their ce to rest and hydrate before venturing out to face the Fire Smanders that awaited them in the wild terrain.

    The serene atmosphere and the lively presence of everyone around made the area feel warm and weing. They could see their hunting targets in the distance, but the beasts were far enough away for them to take a moment to prepare themselves by hydrating and devising a n if needed.

    The simple act of setting up camp, sharing water, and soaking in the beauty of their surroundings filled them with happiness. Rio particrly enjoyed the feeling of being surrounded by his loving wives and Helia in the wilderness. It didn''t even feel like they were there for hunting; it felt more like a pic.

    Lia didn''t have to arrange anything, as Helia, N, and La took care of all the work. Rio went into the distance to find some firewood so they could heat the food to eat. While fresh food was good, hot food was even better. Returning with an armful of wood, he started a fire while Lia took out utensils and ingredients to prepare their meal.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    It''s just the calm before the storm. I can''t skip to that storm without going through these scenes. Otherwise, I would have. I am already keeping the details short to avoid exining them in depth.

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 Chapter 337: Fueling Up for the Hunt

    Helia, La, and N had already taken their ces on the mattresses they hadid out, and Rio joined them, sittingfortably as they watched Lia cook. Shebined a variety of ingredients, creating a delicious dish called "Mystic Spiced Stew," a blend of savory meats, colorful vegetables, and fragrant herbs, served over steaming rice.

    The enticing aroma filled the air, promising a satisfying and delicious meal for everyone to share.

    As Rio and the others eagerly awaited the dish to be ready, N yfully moved closer to Helia, attempting to sniff her hair. She asked, "Did you change your shampoo, Sister Helia?"

    La and Rio exchanged amused nces as they watched Helia''s cheeks turn a shade of pink from embarrassment.

    "No, I didn''t," Helia stammered, attempting to dismiss N''s question.

    "I''m pretty sure you did. This scent is simr to the one Sister La uses," N insisted, with a mischievous smile.

    Caught off guard, Helia hesitated for a moment before doubling down. "I didn''t," she said stubbornly.

    With a cheerful tone, N replied, "It''s okay, I already know what I wanted to know."

    Helia felt like fighting N for exposing her, but she was helpless. She just prayed to heaven that Rio wouldn''t notice it as this was very embarrassing if it got revealed.

    As expected, the boy didn''t pay much attention to the conversation, but the girls present knew the real reason behind the change.

    Helia had wanted to use a shampoo that Rio liked, and La had once mentioned that the particr scent was Rio''s favorite from their childhood days. Later, Helia asked La if she could buy the same shampoo for her when she returned to Earth, and La happily obliged, bringing enough for the lioness.

    Although this secret was known only to La and N, Lia was already aware of it, as she understood her sister better than anyone else.

    As their yful conversation came to an end, La gracefully stood up and began cing tes in front of each person''s sitting spot. Lia and La then proceeded to serve the delicious, freshly prepared food to everyone, ensuring that each te was filled with an enticing assortment of dishes.

    Rio watched his two loving wives, his heart filled with happiness. He was grateful to be a part of such a warm, affectionate family.

    Once everyone was served, Lia took her seat beside Rio with a tender smile, radiating the warmth of a caring wife.

    She looked around the group, and noticing that everyone had their tes filled with food, she spoke up. "Let''s start eating. We need to stay fueled up before we start fighting those beasts."

    She took her own te filled with food and started to dig in, savoring the vor of the food. The others followed her lead, as they ate. La also took her seat on Rio''s other side, while N and Helia focused on savoring their meal. N couldn''t resist casting mischievous nces at Helia, who blushed and red at her in response.

    They hadn''t stopped for lunch at the Empress Vi whileing to this ce, eager to start their adventure as soon as possible. However, now they had the time and opportunity to enjoy a satisfying meal together.

    After everyone had finished eating, Lia gathered the tes, deciding to store them forter cleaning. They had brought enough tes for their journey, so there was no need to wash them immediately. Instead, they could be taken home and given to the maids to wash at ater time.

    La handed Rio some water and delicately dabbed his lips with a handkerchief to remove any remaining drops.

    Everyone could see how La doted on Rio, and they knew they couldn''t replicate her affection, which was driven by her motherly instincts for the boy, as she had taken care of him in their childhood like a caring older sister.

    Lia was very caring towards Rio as well, but not to the same extent as La. N worried that acting this way might annoy him.

    After finishing their meal, Helia suggested, "We should get moving. There are at least fourteen Fire Smanders in the area. We need to be careful not to alert them, or they might run away."

    La and N nodded in agreement, and Rio chimed in, "Let''s prioritize both of you over the beasts since I''m already at your level."

    Although N and La wanted to decline Rio''s offer, they knew he was right. He didn''t specifically need their help to fight, and he could even join Lia and Helia in hunting silver stage beasts. The goal of this mission was to help N and La be silver-stage warriors so they could all hunt together like a party.

    After packing everything up, Helia led the group toward the beasts. Lia and Helia concealed their auras to avoid frightening the red-stage smanders.

    As they approached the creatures, Helia turned to Lia and said with a smile, "Since we have you here, you should work your magic."

    N, puzzled by Helia''s statement, looked at Lia and asked curiously, "What magic, big sister?"

    "You''ll find out," Helia replied, her eyes twinkling with excitement, instead of the white-haired beauty.

    Lia closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared to cast her spell.

    The atmosphere shifted as if a cool breeze had suddenly swept through the area. The temperature plummeted, leaving a crisp chill hanging in the air. The bewildered beasts paused, their heads swiveling as they tried to make sense of the abrupt change in their surroundings. A soft crunching sound apanied the appearance of delicate frost patterns that snaked across the ground like icy tendrils.

    Lia''s hand moved with a magical grace, and in response, a breathtaking ice wall began to rise from the earth. The sound of cracking ice echoed as the wall expanded, eventually towering above them and encasing the entire area, effectively trapping all fourteen smanders within its frosty confines.

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 Chapter 338: Elven Girls Small Abode

    As the sun''s rays struck the icy surface, it shimmered like a frozen kaleidoscope, casting a dazzling disy of colors throughout the cold air that swirled and danced around them.

    Rio''s eyes were filled with surprise as he took in the sight of the massive ice wall that Lia had conjured, effectively imprisoning all the beasts within its frozen confines. The sheer scale of the spell was evidence of the immense power Lia possessed. It was evident that her innate talent and S-rank affinity for ice made this feat appear almost effortless.

    The sharp, crisp sound of Helia''s voice cut through the air, snapping Everyone''s attention back to the task at hand.

    "Let''s go, we need to hurry" shemanded, her tone decisive and firm.

    La and N exchanged determined nces, nodding in unison as they followed Helia into battle.

    Rio and Lia stood side by side, observing the unfolding battle in front of their eyes. Helia expertly guided N, their movements synchronized as they confronted the smanders. This was the result of their past training and hunting together in the wilderness; they were skilled at working well together.

    La, on the other hand, fought alone, her strength surpassing N''s and enabling her to face the creatures independently.

    Rio''s eyes darted between the two groups, watching as Helia''s precise attacks struck the smanders while simultaneously shielding N from the massive fireballs hurtling in her direction. Together, they formed a good team, but the problem was that Helia couldn''t deal the decisive blow to these beasts. She had to find the right time for N to attack so that N could get thest hit.

    La, meanwhile, summoned her giant hydra, a massive water-based spell that gave her the perfect foil for the fire-elemental smanders. With her hydra overwhelming the creatures, the girl effortlessly dispatched two or three of them at a time.

    Within thirty minutes, La had taken down seven of the smanders and made her way back to Lia and Rio. Her face was as serene as always, in contrast to N whose face was flushed with the thrill of the hunt.

    With a calm tone filled with happiness, she said, "I just need a few more to reach the silver stage."

    On the other side of the battlefield, Helia and N continued their struggle against their fourth smander, their movements echoing the intensity of the fight.

    Lia, observing the progress, suggested, "Let''s head back to our camp. It will take them some time to finish up."

    La and Rio nodded in agreement, turning to make their way back. They left Helia and N to continue their battle as they needed more time to finish since N was still at the early red stage.

    As they walked, beads of sweat glistened on La''s forehead, evidence of her exertion. Rio smiled softly, remembering her tender gesture from earlier. He took a towel and gently wiped the perspiration from her face, returning the affection she had shown for him. La wanted to retaliate, but she knew that if she asked him to stop, he would do the same, leaving her feeling helpless.

    After an hour, two exhausted figures appeared in the distance, making their way back to Lia and the others. Helia and N''s faces showed the lingering signs of their fierce battle, with ayer of ck smoke smudging their features. N felt self-conscious and attempted to hide her face from Rio, not wanting him to see her in this condition.

    La''s motherly instincts kicked in, and she stepped forward to gently wipe away the soot from both Helia''s and N''s faces, her tender care evident.

    "Ah... You don''t have to do it," Helia protested, but La continued without listening.

    Her loving touch caught them by surprise, and they allowed her to continue, feeling a warmth they hadn''t experienced in years.

    Both Helia and N had lost their mothers in childhood, and La''s caring gesture stirred a deep, unspoken appreciation within them.

    It was as if La''s loving touch had transported them back to a time when they were small and carefree, and someone would wipe away their tears and worries with a tender hand. The memory of that motherly love brought a sense offort and nostalgia to Helia and N, and they couldn''t help but feel grateful to La for reminding them of that precious feeling.

    The emotional moment touched their hearts, and they felt immense respect and gratitude for La, who had be like a mother figure to them. They both thanked their lucky stars for having met her and for her being a part of their family. As they knew that she was Rio''s first love, they understood why the boy loved her so much in the first ce.

    Once La had finished helping Helia and N, she returned to her seat. The tender care she had shown them had deepened her ce in their hearts, and even Lia couldn''t help but notice the shift in their gazes toward La. A respectful glint shone in their eyes as if La was a sacred figure or a saint.

    Initially, Lia had thought that La''s nurturing behavior was solely directed toward Rio. However, seeing her extend the same level of care to Helia and N without any expectation of something in return, Lia realized that La possessed a heart of gold, genuinely caring for those she held dear. It suddenly became clear to Lia why Rio had fallen for La when he was just a little boy.

    N, no longer feeling self-conscious about her smoky face, finally joined the group as they settled down to rest. With night approaching, they made the decision to go into the wondrous forest realm.

    Upon entering the realm, they were greeted by the sight of Eve, patiently awaiting their arrival.

    "Hello,dies. Wee to the ''Wonderous'' forest realm. This elven girl''s ''small'' abode," Eve spoke, her voice warm and weing.

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 Chapter 339: The Plan to Build a House

    La, N, and Helia couldn''t help but stare, their faces filled with surprise as they beheld Eve for the very first time. They had never encountered an elf before, and her beauty was truly captivating. Like a ripe fruit in the midst of nature''s bounty, Eve was ravishing in her own unique way.

    Her long, flowing orange hair seemed to be kissed by the sun, catching the light and casting a soft, warm glow around her. Her delicate, elven features appeared to be sculpted by Mother Nature herself, as if she were the embodiment of the world''s most exquisite art. The trio found themselves utterly mesmerized, unable to tear their eyes away from the enchanting vision that was Eve.

    Unlike Rio and Lia, who had met her before, La, Helia, and N''s expressions showed their astonishment at meeting this enigmatic but beautiful figure.

    Helia knew that Eve was the same person who had saved her when she was on the verge of dying.

    As they approached, Lia introduced her, "This is Eve. You may not have met her before, but she has helped Rio from time to time. She is the monarch of yellow stage beasts and also..."

    Before Lia could finish, Eve''s voice echoed in her mind, causing her to stop abruptly. Eve wasn''t ready to reveal the truth just yet, waiting for the right moment to disclose it. The others noticed Lia''s sudden pause, and their curiosity was piqued.

    Rio could already guess that this sly elven girl had stopped Lia from revealing some truth that was just between them. He recalled that when Lia and Eve had first met, they had talked in secrecy, so this might be rted to that.

    "What''s ''also,'' big sister?" N asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

    "Nothing," Lia replied with a smile and a mysterious glint in her eyes.

    After a brief pause, she continued, "We have decided to build a house here. With Eve''s permission, I''ve been busy finding cores to expand this ce. Now that all of you are here, we can start building."

    The group looked at Eve in surprise, and Rio cast her a suspicious nce, wondering when the two empresses had discussed this behind his back. Eve merely smiled at him, unfazed by his suspicion.

    "I have enough cores to expand this ce and build a house for each of you," Eve exined. "Just let me know what kind of house you need."

    Everyone, except Lia, was stunned by the news.

    Lia then added, "I was a dayte because I was preparing cores for Eve. She nned to build a house here for us. So, whoever is good at architecture should design afortable home for us to live in."

    N turned to La and suggested, "Actually, sister La did a great job designing our apartment in the human world, so we should ask her."

    La, initially surprised by N''s suggestion, soon regained herposure as everyone turned to her expectantly.

    La felt helpless under the expectant gazes, but confident in her decoration and architecture skills, she agreed to help. "Tell me what kind of room each of you wants, and I''ll incorporate it into the design," she said.

    One by one, they shared their preferences:

    Lia said, "I''d like a cozy bedroom with lots of natural light and a small reading nook by the window from where I can see my garden."

    N spoke up next with a lively tone, "I''d love a spacious room with an elegant design and an en-suite bathroom."

    Rio responded, "You know my preferences better than anyone, so you decide for me."

    Helia requested, "A warm, weing room with earthy tones and a private balcony with a small space for my warrior gear would be perfect for me."

    Finally, La turned to Eve and asked, "And you, Eve? What kind of room do you want?"

    Eve hesitated, asking, "Why me?"

    "Aren''t you also part of the family?" La said warmly.

    Eve''s eyes shifted to Lia, who subtly nodded in agreement. Although Rio had epted Eve''s rtionship, Lia hadn''t given her approval until now. With Lia''s acknowledgment, Eve shared her preference.

    "I''d like a room that''s connected to nature, withrge windows so I can gaze out at my nts."

    With everyone''s input, La responded, "Give me some time to create the design," and set to work on their new home, incorporating each person''s unique vision.

    Although three of them had rooms in the Empress Vi, they were still excited to share their ideas for the kind of rooms they had always dreamed of. Moreover, Rio, Eve, and La were going to have their own rooms in this wondrous forest realm.

    After sketching the design on paper she carried in her spatial beast soul, La turned to Eve with a serene smile, "I''m ready."

    Eve exined, "Let me ce my hand on your head, and then imagine the ce you want to construct. The material we''ll use will be the hardest wood avable, which is as strong as the materials normally used to build castles. In other words, here in the Wonderous Forest Realm, we will use the same material that my people in my world used to use to build houses."

    La nodded in agreement and walked in front of Eve, trying her best to act natural despite her surprise at seeing the elven girl for the first time. It wasn''t every day that one got to see an elf, especially one as beautiful as Eve.

    Though La was also considered pretty, seeing an elf for the first time was a new experience for her, and she didn''t want to make Eve ufortable by staring at her long, pointy ears.

    As Eve gently ced her hand on La''s head, both girls closed their eyes to begin the process.

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 Chapter 340: The New Home Taking Shape

    Soon, Rio and the others watched in awe as thendscape to their left began to transform at an astonishing speed.

    A lush grasnd materialized out of nowhere, expanding rapidly to create a vast field. In the midst of this verdant expanse, the framework of a house began to take shape.

    Wood emerged from the ground, quickly assembling itself into a sturdy structure. One by one, the elements of the house came together, with the wood changing color to match La''s vision. The walls took on a rich, warm hue, while the roof blended harmoniously with the surrounding foliage.

    Windows appeared at strategic locations, allowing natural light to flood each room, and the doors manifested with intricate carvings, adding a touch of elegance to the already impressive building.

    As the construction continued, the interior spaces began to reveal themselves. The house was designed as a sprawling, single-story building with a central hall surrounded by bedrooms on either side. One of these bedrooms was particrly impressive, appearing to be asrge as three roomsbined, providing ample space for rxation andfort.

    A spacious dining area, kitchen, and three additional rooms had also been incorporated into the design ording to La''s imagination and careful nning.

    The bathroom fixtures, including bathtubs crafted from an unknown material, seemed to meld seamlessly with the rest of the house. Water pipes crafted by Eve ensured a steady flow of water, connecting to each bathroom and the kitchen area.

    The attention to detail was remarkable, with each room reflecting the unique preferences of its future resident, while still maintaining a sense of unity throughout the entire house.

    As the final touches were added, the house stood as an architectural masterpiece, seamlessly blending with the natural surroundings and radiating an aura of warmth and wee. The process of the house''s creation was a mesmerizing sight, proof of La''s creativity and Eve''s magical abilities.

    Every detail harmoniously blended architecture and nature, resulting in a breathtaking sight that left Rio and the others in awe. Eager to explore their new home, they marveled at the beautiful masterpiece that now stood before them.

    As the construction process concluded, both girls opened their eyes and gazed upon the stunning house that stood before them. Made primarily of wood, the outer walls were adorned with lush shrubs and leaves, entuating the structure''s natural beauty. The house seemed to bloom with life, a perfect fusion of architecture and nature.

    Eve added the final touch by creating a serene pond, bordered by vibrant flowers at the edges of the perimeter, which added to the enchanting atmosphere with the delicate scent of the blossoms wafting through the air.

    With a satisfied smile, Eve turned to the others and said, "If there''s anything else you''d like to add to the house, just let me knowter, and I''ll make it happen."

    The simplicity and warmth in her tone were not that of an empress or a monarch beast; she seemed to be very friendly to each of them, although they saw her as someone new. But Eve had kept an eye on each of them, so she was familiar with their preferences and knew them very well.

    La''s eyes widened as she took in the fully realized house that now stood before her. Although she had imagined every detail and had seen the structure taking shape in her mind, witnessing the finished product was truly astonishing.

    N and Helia shared La''s amazement, their eyes fixated on the house as it seemed to exude an aura of nature. The magical process of its creation had left them speechless, and they couldn''t help but daydream about living in such a beautiful home.

    Eve nced at Lia and Rio, who also appeared surprised, though not as much as the others. Having apanied Eve before, Rio was familiar with her magical abilities, and Lia had her own experiences with such wonders.

    N finally broke the silence, eximing, "Holy fish! What is this? How did you do it?" She looked at Eve with curiosity and admiration.

    Lia smiled, her eyes sparkling as she praised them, "Good work, Eve and La."

    Rio added, "Yeah, nicely done."

    He also observed that Lia''s garden nts had been relocated to a spot near the house, visible from the other side. Eve had taken care to position Lia''s room close to her garden, ensuring that her wishes were fulfilled.

    Eve beamed, her smile warm and inviting as she said, "You all should go inside and check it out for yourselves, and im your own rooms." She gestured toward the newly built house, encouraging everyone to explore their captivating new home.

    As they followed Eve''s lead, they approached the entrance of their new house. Stepping inside, they were immediately greeted by a breathtaking interior that seamlesslybined the natural beauty of the forest with theforts of modern living.

    Their eyes were drawn to the rich, wooden walls that seemed to have a magical quality, as if crafted from a material unknown to the human or asura world. Despite their rustic appearance, the walls exuded a sense of elegance and sophistication.

    As they ventured further, Eve pointed out the individual rooms, "That''s N''s room, there''s Lia''s, over there is mine, and Rio''s is right next to it."

    Each person eagerly explored their designated rooms, taking in the unique features that had been tailored to their preferences.

    While the rooms were still missing beddings and personal touches, they couldn''t help but marvel at the extravagance of the design. From the outside, the house appeared to be a harmonious part of the naturalndscape, but inside, it boasted an opulence that left them all in awe.

    After inspecting each room, Eve led them to the master bedroom. The vast space featured high ceilings, beautifully crafted walls, and exquisite interior design, giving the room a sense of grandeur.

    Eve turned to La with a smile and asked in a lively tone, "I''m curious, La! This room is just slightly smaller than the central hall, and I love it! But what was your inspiration behind designing such arge and beautiful room?"

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 Chapter 341: The Family Room

    La, her eyes filled with serenity, replied, "I wanted to create a space where we could alle together and sleep as a family. A ce where we could arrange our own beds and rest. Although we each have our own rooms, I thought this would give us the opportunity to share the same space to sleep, while still having our own personal areas to retreat to when needed."

    Hearing La''s n, everyone seemed to like the idea. N yfully remarked, "That''s going to cause a battle, isn''t it? We''ll all want our favorite spots, right?"

    La reassured her, "There''s no problem with that. Lia can have a bed near the window since she can be close to her garden, and this room is closest to her own room, so her garden is nearby. Let''s let Eve choose her spot next, and then we can all pick our own."

    Hearing her words, everyone agreed. Lia took out bedding from her spatial storage and ced it neatly on the bed frame she had also retrieved from her spatial beast soul. She positioned the bed near the window, with a perfect view of her beloved rainbow tree outside.

    N nced at Rio, curious to see where he would ce his bed. However, Rio turned to Eve and asked, "Are you also going to sleep here?"

    Eve responded with a cheerful and amused tone, "I wish I could sleep on the same bed as you, but this is a family room, so I''ll just take a spot on the other side of the window. And to answer your question, yes, I''ll sleep here since I''m part of the family now. Lia has already given me her approval...

    Otherwise, if I had waited for approval from a clueless boy like you, I might have grown old just waiting!"

    N giggled at Eve''s bold response, clearly enjoying the banter between her and Rio. Helia, too, couldn''t help but appreciate how Eve had called Rio clueless; she''d wanted to say the same thing to him herself.

    N then turned to Rio, her voice sweet and childlike, "I wanna ce my bed near you, sweetie." Rio shook his head in amusement, walking to the middle of the room and cing his bed near the wall, aligning with Lia''s.

    A small space was left between his and Lia''s bed, which La promptly filled with her own. On the other side, N happily set up her bed, excited to be close to Rio for once. She knew Lia and La were usually the ones beside him, but she understood their importance to Rio.

    Eve, meanwhile, had secured a spot to sleep butcked a bed. She considered crafting one from wood but was unsure about the mattress and bedding. Could she use leaves or a bed of flowers? It might seem strange, especially since she was now part of this group.

    Noticing her hesitation, Lia approached Eve and took out another bed and bedding, cing them in Eve''s spot. "Here," she said gently, "don''t think too much about it."

    Eve''s face brightened when she saw the bed Lia had provided for her. As Lia set up Eve''s bed, La and N worked on their own, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

    Helia, however, stood alone, feeling uncertain. She knew the family room was meant for Rio''s wives, and she wasn''t one of them. She considered leaving, unsure of her ce in the room.

    Sensing her hesitation, Lia approached Helia and whispered reassuringly, "You need not worry too much about it either. Just ce your bed here. You and Rio are inseparable now, so your destinies are intertwined. Don''t hesitate to sleep here."

    Helia nodded, acknowledging the truth in Lia''s words. She took out her own bedding, usually reserved for outdoor hunting trips, and ced it between N and Eve.

    The room now had a row of beds, starting with Lia and ending with Eve: Lia, La, Rio, N, Helia, and Eve.

    After setting up their sleeping arrangements, they moved to the grand hall, arranging the extra couches they had along with a table. In the kitchen, they ced all the items they had stored away, transforming it into a fully equipped space for cooking and meal preparation.

    After they were done they went back to their big room where everyone''s bed was ced, they didn''t think of setting up their own room as they didn''t have enough beds with them and justpleted the big room where they would be sleeping together...

    Eve sat on her bed, finding the situation unusual, as she typically slept near the pond. She could still see her pond from here, but it felt odd. N and La, tired from the day''s battle,y down on their beds. While La was less tired, N desperately needed sleep.

    Helia, on the other hand, felt nervous as she saw Rio on his bed, seemingly deep in thought. Soon, he stood up and walked over to Lia, who was lying on her bed gazing outside at the rainbow tree and watching the elves dance. Rio knew he hadn''t spent much time with Lia recently, so he decided to sleep beside her, not wanting to be alone with four beautiful women around.

    As Lia noticed Rio approaching her bed and settling down beside her, a gentle smile illuminated her face, warming her heart with the reassurance that she remained important to him despite La''s presence in their lives.

    She turned towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a tender embrace, their bodies pressing together. Both of them closed their eyes, savoring the moment as they listened to theforting rhythm of each other''s heartbeats, feeling the steady thump against their chests.

    Helia and Eve observed the tender moment between Rio and his wifey, both secretly yearning to be in Lia''s position, embraced by the young boy.

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 Chapter 342: Mysterious Silver-Haired Woman

    Helia''s thoughts raced, "Will there evere a day when he hugs me like that?," while Eve pondered internally, "I can''t help but feel envious, but I just need to be patient and wait for my turn."

    Helia''s gaze met Eve''s, and their eyes locked. Helia thought, "I know we''re both thinking the same thing ¨C we wish we could be the one he hugged. But it seems we have to wait for our turn, especially you, who has yet to be his wife. I suggest you shamelessly make your way into his life, or you''ll end up waiting forever if you expect him toe to you and confess."

    Helia''s face turned red as she realized Eve could read her thoughts and desires, even though they had just met. Flustered, Helia pretended not to hear Eve''s words, quickly lying down and hiding her face behind the nket.

    Eve''s giggle rang out beside her as she, too,y down on her bed.

    Soon, they all drifted off to sleep, oblivious to the world outside.

    As morning sunlight filtered through the windows beside Lia''s bed, Rio slowly opened his eyes, awakening to a new day.

    The golden rays painted the room in a warm hue, casting a soft glow on everything it touched. Through the windows, he could see butterflies and elves dancing gracefully around the rainbow trees, their vibrant colors adding an enchanting charm to the scene.

    To Rio''s surprise, he found himself alone in the room. The beds were neatly arranged, indicating that he was thest one to wake up.

    Faint voices drifted in through the partially open door, confirming that there were others in the grand hall.

    Upon entering the grand hall, Rio found N instructing Eve on using the magic pot for cooking. He was immediately struck by how stunning Eve looked in one of N''s dresses, as opposed to her usual revealing clothing.

    The dress entuated her curvaceous body, hugging her rounded bosom and highlighting her alluring curves. It was a tantalizing sight for Rio, as the outfit seemed to fit her perfectly, exuding a mix of elegance and sensuality. N''s big heart and friendly nature in lending her clothes to Eve had resulted in a captivating transformation.

    Internally ming himself, Rio mumbled, "I forgot to buy a dress for her again..." He sighed, remembering that he had intended to purchase new clothes for Eve but had somehow forgotten amidst their recent adventures.

    La and the others were not present in the grand hall, likely having retreated to their respective rooms to freshen up. Rio followed suit, heading to his room to wash his face and prepare for the day, leaving the two girls immersed in their cooking lesson.

    Once Rio had cleaned up, he returned to the grand hall and noticed that everyone had gathered around the couches. Even Eve had joined them, although she appeared somewhat detached from the group. This was because it was her first time eating with others and she wasn''t used to living in a group. She usually stayed in her wondrous forest realm alone, so this was something new for her.

    After breakfast, Lia and the others left the Wondrous Forest Realm and journeyed further into the Firnds, searching for more beasts to hunt.

    During their hunt, La quickly advanced to the silver stage within just half an hour. Rio also joined in the hunt, as there were plenty of beasts in the new area.

    To everyone''s surprise, Rio was able topletely max out his red stage points, bing the second person in the group to do so. However, he was still unable to break through into the silver stage since he needed to defeat a monarch beast first. Rio''s higher strength allowed him to y the red-stage beasts faster than N, who was also improving with each passing beast.

    On the third day, N had finally reached the silver stage.

    After they finished hunting, they decided to return to the castle.

    With smiles on their faces, having achieved their goal, each of them cast [Astral Recall], and their figures vanished from the Firnds one by one. However, only Rio and Lia appeared in Lia''s bedroom as N and La had their teleportation point set in N''s bedroom, and Helia had hers in her own room.

    As Rio and his Wifey materialized in Lia''s bedroom, he noticed a sudden change in Lia''s expression ¨C her face had turned dark and tense.

    "Something is wrong... we need to be careful," Lia warned, her voiceced with concern.

    Rio was taken aback by Lia''s sudden warning, as he had never seen her act this way before. She carefully made her way down the staircase, with Rio trailing closely behind her. To their surprise, they found the ground floor empty upon arrival.

    Rio noticed that Yami and the other maids were nowhere to be seen, and even the guards at the entrance of the Empress''s vi were absent.

    As they stepped out of the vi, their eyes were met with an unsettling sight. In the middle of the garden stood a woman with silver hair, her back facing the vi. From just the sight of her back, Rio could sense the woman''s beauty.

    Her silver hair cascaded down in loose waves, almost reaching her waist, shimmering in the sun''s gentle rays. Her figure was slender, with curves in all the right ces, making her appear both alluring and dangerous simultaneously. He noted that she was simr in height to Lia, but her posture exuded confidence and power.

    The sight that truly shocked them, however, was that of Emperor Dn, bound to a chair directly in front of the mysterious silver-haired woman.

    Sensing their presence, the mysterious woman turned around, her face lighting up with a sinister smile. In a sickeningly sweet voice, she greeted them, "Wee back, Your Highness. How was your trip?"

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Can anyone guess who that mysteriousdy might be?

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 Chapter 343: A Tragic Tale: Madames True Identity

    As the mysterious girl turned to face them, Rio was taken aback by her otherworldly beauty. Her visage was reminiscent of a serene moonlit night, casting an ethereal glow that was both enchanting and mesmerizing.

    Despite her stunning appearance, Rio couldn''t help but notice the flicker of hatred and sadness hidden within her captivating blue eyes as they gazed at the duo. She wore a white dress that seemed to amplify her presence, her confident smile radiating an aura of power. Rio sensed that she was far stronger than him, even though he had recently surpassed Lia in strength.

    What shocked Rio, even more, was the sight of Emperor Dn, bound like amoner to a chair. Upon hearing the girl''s voice, Dn opened his eyes and looked at Lia and Rio. However, it was evident that hecked the courage to maintain eye contact, as though ashamed of something.

    Lia''s voice turned icy, chilling the air around them. "How dare you imprison Father?" The temperature in the garden plummeted as her anger fueled the freezing environment. Yet, the mysterious girl showed no fear in the face of Lia''s wrath.

    "Is my greeting not to your liking, dear sister? I thought, at the very least, my beloved sibling would greet me with love and embrace me, but it seems I was mistaken," the mysterious silver-haireddy said, her voiceced with a mix of sadness and bitterness. Though she appeared to be feigning her disappointment, Rio could sense the genuine heartache in her words as shemented Lia''s reaction.

    "Sister?" Lia''s brow furrowed in confusion, unable to grasp the meaning behind the woman''s im.

    "Don''t pretend you''re ignorant," the woman continued, her voice seething with resentment.

    "Even if you truly don''t know, allow me to enlighten you. We were born on the same day, but I wasn''t as fortunate as you, for I was born with blue eyes. Emperor Dn med our mother for my impure bloodline and deemed me an embarrassment to the empire.

    Mother had no choice but to take me away, and we were forced to leave the castle. Why? It was because my sister was born with the pure Devlin bloodline, while mine was tainted by our mother''s human heritage, which manifested in my eyes." As the woman narrated her tragic story, her voice trembled with hatred and sorrow, the depth of her emotions directed at both Dn and Lia.

    Upon hearing the story, Lia found it hard to believe, but as her eyes turned toward Emperor Dn, it was evident that the girl was telling the truth.

    Rio''s thoughts churned with contempt, "I knew from day one that this emperor was no good. To have the heart to abandon his own daughter like this...he''s insane." He felt genuine sympathy for the silver-haired girl and her plight.

    "He has wronged you, and I''m sorry about that," Lia said calmly, clearly taken aback by the revtion but determined to reason with her newly discovered sister. "But we can talk it through peacefully; you shouldn''t punish him in this way."

    "Do you really expect me to forgive you and him for the pain you''ve caused me and Mother?" The mysterious silver-haired girl scoffed before bursting intoughter.

    "I''ve waited for years, nning every detail. I wanted to kill this boy, but his wretched parents hid him from my eyes. When I finally learned of his existence and my powers were yet to be awakened, he was already under the protection of Lily Havenglow.

    Then, I convinced his own grandfather that he was of lower birth and would steal his granddaughter and ruin her life. I wanted the old man to kill his own grandson, but that stubborn fool only sealed his memories and his innate talent instead...

    However, that very day, Aliyah Havenglow found him just as I went to the hospital to kill him. After that, I even altered his destination, yet he still found his way to the castle and married you. I''ve tried to kill this boy, the one prophesied to save you, time and again, but he''s always managed to survive..."

    Lia''s initial shock and sympathy for her sister''s suffering vanished, reced by a surge of anger for the harm done to Rio. Her face hardened, and her eyes zed with fury as the silver-haired girl recounted her attempts to kill Rio and the chaos she had caused.

    On the other hand, As Rio heard her statement, he started to doubt her identity. There was only one person he could think of who had tried to kill him again and again. Connecting her human identity to that person, a word resounded in Rio''s mind, "Madame..."

    The person standing before him was none other than Madame, the one who had wanted to kill him time and again. She was the person who sought to see him dead, and he had never understood why she was after his life until now.

    Moreover, he finally discovered that the real viin behind his separation from La was actually this Madame, not his grandfather. Even after learning the truth, he didn''t feel any more affection for his grandfather, just disappointment that the old man had been so easily swayed to harm Rio.

    "When I attempted to manipte the other ns, your friend dared to interfere," she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "I have a little present for you." With a sinister grin, she reached into her spatial beast soul storage and produced a severed head.

    The lifeless eyes stared nkly, the mouth twisted in an eternal grimace of pain and terror. She callously tossed it, the head bouncing and rolling across the ground, leaving a gruesome trail of blood in its wake. It came to an abrupt halt at Lia''s feet, revealing the horrifying visage of Emily, her features frozen in a haunting expression of suffering and betrayal.

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 Chapter 344: Leaving the World in Rios Tender Embrace

    The Madame''s voice continued to ring in the duo''s ears, "She stood in my way, so I ughtered the Rainheart n and brought her head for my dear sister. Now, I''ll exact my revenge on both of you, im this empire for myself, and send you to join Mother in the heavens."

    Tears glistened in Lia''s eyes as she knelt to pick up Emily''s head. Her heart was heavy with a mix of sorrow, rage, and grief for her fallen friend. Her face was icy as cold, her expression filled with an indescribable mix of emotions.

    Emily had been her childhood friend, and although they had grown apart in recent years due to Lia''s duties, their bond remained strong. Lia knew that Emily and her n had chosen to fight against Madame instead of betraying her and that knowledge only deepened her sorrow and sense of loss.

    As she cradled Emily''s severed head in her arms, Lia''s tears flowed on their own, but her face remained icy - a mix of grief and anger. Despite being a brave girl, she couldn''t bear the thought of losing her only friend. Rio stood by her side, cing aforting hand on Lia''s shoulder and silently offeringfort and love.

    The sound of hurried footsteps reached Rio''s ears as Helia, N, and La rushed out of the Empress Vi, alerted by themotion outside. They had felt the temperature dropping and sensed that something was amiss. By the time they arrived, Lia had already knelt to pick up Emily''s severed head from the ground.

    Upon seeing the silver-haired girl, La murmured, "Hazel???"

    Rio was taken aback and asked La via telepathy, "You mean Hazel Cloven?"

    "Yes, but what is she doing here?" La questioned.

    Rio never expected Hazel to be Lia''s sister, the one who had killed Emily and sought his death. Now he understood why his parents had hidden him from the world. They had known about the prophecy and were trying to protect him from this girl who wanted him dead.

    As Hazel noticed the three new figures standing beside Lia, her anger seemed to intensify.

    "Good, now that you''re all here, it will be easier to kill you all. But first, let me kill this Asura Empress. Then I will deal with each of you," Hazel dered, her voice seething with anger. In her hand, she conjured an arrow that appeared to be consumed by a dark, menacing fire.

    The arrow exuded a terrifying aura, as though it signified the arrival of a day of destruction. The sky above suddenly filled with the cracking sound of thunder, emphasizing the dreadful nature of the weapon.

    Upon witnessing the arrow, everyone heard Emperor Dn''s voice, filled with desperation. "No, don''t use that! If you must punish someone, let it be me. She''s your sister... Don''t harm her!" he begged, his voice strained with anguish.

    The arrow in Hazel''s hand was no ordinary weapon, and Rio felt his hair stand on end and cold sweat bead on his skin. This was the first time he had experienced such a reaction since acquiring the [Heart Sutra].

    "Farewell, my darling sister. I hope you''ll apany Mother well in the heavens," Hazel said, her voice cold and cruel.

    As Hazel''s arm snapped forward, the arrow propelled toward Lia with the speed of a lightning strike. The air around them seemed to crackle and hum with the energy of the impending impact.

    In this perilous moment, Rio''s perception of time seemed to slow, allowing him to process his thoughts with astonishing speed.

    The arrow, encased in sinister ck mes, streaked through the air, leaving a trail of malevolent energy in its wake. The dreadful aura surrounding the arrow seemed to consume the light around it, casting an eerie darkness that sent shivers down their spines.

    Panic and horror filled their eyes as they realized the devastating power of the iing attack.

    "Ah... It''s no good..." Rio thought, realizing that the arrow was too fast for anyone to dodge. He knew that if it made contact, it would inevitably end Lia''s life.

    Driven by pure instinct, Rio''s mind raced as he hurriedly cast his [Mystic Swap] skill. In the blink of an eye, he and Lia switched ces, their bodies seeming to blur for a brief moment before reappearing in their new positions.

    As the swap urred, the thunderous rumble in the sky grew louder, echoing the intensity of the scene below. The expression of horror on everyone''s faces remained frozen, acutely aware of the difficulty in avoiding the deadly arrow. The sense of impending doom weighed heavily on them, the atmosphere thick with tension and fear.

    Unperturbed by the sudden change of target, the arrow continued its relentless pursuit, now locked onto Rio. Its dark fire burned with an almost sentient hunger, eager to consume its prey.

    The arrow raced toward the boy, its sinister mes flickering and dancing menacingly, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

    As the arrow came dangerously close to colliding with Rio, he suddenly heard a thunderous crackling in the air, reminiscent of the blue light and thunder enchantment he had experienced before.

    In that instant, a figure appeared before him with lightning speed, gracefully and fearlessly intercepting the deadly projectile.

    The arrow pierced the brave girl, and the sinister ck mes wasted no time in engulfing her entire body. However, rather than being consumed by the mes, it appeared as though the dark fire was absorbing her life force, draining her of all vitality.

    As the fire swirled around her, the girl''s once-lively form seemed to wither before Rio''s eyes, her strength and essence being mercilessly ravaged by the unstoppable ze.

    Rio realized he wasn''t the only one who wanted to protect Lia with all his heart; there was another person who loved her deeply and was willing to give everything for her - someone who even surpassed him when it came to saving Lia.

    As Helia''s copsing figure fell into his arms, her lifeless and limp body exined the depth of her love for Lia. The girl who had selflessly thrown herself in harm''s way to save her beloved sister was now gone, leaving a deep void behind.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Tell me, who hates Helia now for what she did in the past?

    Have you forgiven her?

    Do you feel happy now that she''s gone? Or do you still wish to see her get more punishment?

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 Chapter 345: Helias Sacrifice

    "Sister Helia..."

    "Helia..."

    "Noooo...."

    N, La, and Lia''s voices trembled with sadness as they watched Helia''s life slip away before their eyes. The beautiful blonde-haired girl, who had always seemed on the verge of confessing her feelings for Rio, had breathed herst. Rio felt as if something inside him had shattered, even though he knew he hadn''t loved her.

    The sounds of Lia''s sobs and N''s cries surrounded him as he held onto Helia''s body, unwilling to let go.

    Lia reached out with trembling hands, longing to touch her sister. Her tear-streaked face was a portrait of anguish as she tried to grasp the reality of Helia''s sacrifice. The sisters, bound by an unbreakable bond, were now separated by the veil of death.

    As Rio held Helia''s lifeless body, he gazed at her serene, pale face, and her golden hair cascading around her like a fallen halo. With each passing moment, the reality of her sacrifice bore down heavily on his heart, proof of the unbreakable bond between the sisters.

    Helia''s selfless act had saved Lia, but the price was a heavy one, imprinting an indelible mark on his soul that would remain etched there for eternity. The pain in his heart was a constant reminder of the love that drove her to make the ultimate sacrifice, and it was a love that would never be forgotten.

    At that moment, Rio understood the true depth of love and sacrifice. There was a time when N had put herself in harm''s way to save him, and now it was Helia who had done the same for Lia. What kind of love was this, that it could make someone blind to their own safety?

    Rio had never expected to see history repeat itself, but this time it was for Lia. Helia had put herself in the arrow''s path to save her, even though Rio had wanted to do the same. Helia''s act of selflessness had defeated him, showing that her love for Lia was one step ahead of his own. She had protected Lia and taken the deadly arrow without a second thought.

    As these thoughts raced through his mind, Rio knew that he must honor Helia''s memory by protecting those who were still with him.

    Hazel''s disappointed expression caught his eye. She pursed her lips and said with a sneer, "So you managed to save her this time, but you won''t be so lucky again."

    She waved her hand, and suddenly, a cloud of dust rose on the horizon, signaling the impending arrival of a fearsome force. The sky filled with menacing beasts and Asuras, flying toward them. The ground shook as Rio saw silver and gold-stage beasts charging at them with incredible speed - their roars and growls echoing through the air, amplifying the sense of danger.

    Hazel''s eyes narrowed, her voice cold and detached. "Since my n to kill Lia has failed, I''ll just have to settle for wiping all of you out together." She ordered her minions to finish the job, her disappointment fueling her determination to see them all suffer.

    Rio steeled himself, ready to face the oing storm of enemies, his resolve to protect his wives and not let Helia''s sacrifice go to waste.

    Although the boy was confident in his ability to face these beasts head-on, he knew he couldn''t protect everyone in the group at the same time. The girls, still consumed by their grief over Helia, could hardly defend themselves.

    He remembered how he had failed in those one million visions. The situation looked desperate, and he asked himself, "Am I going to fail to save everyone again? Is this the end?"

    Death loomed over them, taunting Rio with his failure to save Helia. The specter of death now threatened to im them all, and in that desperate moment, sorrow and determination filled the air. Rio knew he couldn''t give up; he had to fight until hisst breath.

    With a mocking smile, Hazel distanced herself from the chaos, eager to watch the gruesome scene unfold with twisted delight. Rio recognized the figures from the banquet, swooping in from the sky with lethal intent. These were people from various ns who had been present at Lia''s birthday banquet, their faces etched with malice.

    As the ground trembled beneath their feet, golden and silver stage beasts charged in their direction with astonishing speed. The earth shook with each pounding step, kicking up a thick cloud of dust that obscured their figures. Amidst the haze, Rio could hear their menacing roars and growls filling the air, creating a terrifying atmosphere.

    As the enemies closed in, time seemed to slow down in Rio''s eyes, heightening his awareness of the impending danger.

    Just as the enemies were about to breach the twenty-meter radius around Rio and the others, and the girls braced themselves for a desperate fight they could not hope to win, a thunderous boom resonated throughout Lia''s garden within the castle walls.

    *Boooooooooooooooom!!!!*

    The earth quaked beneath their feet, and a shiver of terror gripped their adversaries'' hearts as an overwhelming presence made a grand entrance.

    Vines burst forth, twirling and weaving like serpents, encircling the area around Rio, his wives, and the emperor who was tied to a chair. They formed a protective barrier, reminiscent of a shield created by divine intervention. The thick vines wrapped around them with grace and beauty, ensuring their safety from the impending onught.

    Hazel''s eyes widened with astonishment as she clenched her fists, attempting to use her power to break the vines. But as she did, she saw a figure appear within the protective barrier. The mysterious girl''s mischievous smile seemed to mock Hazel, who faltered for a second under the force of a spiritual attack.

    Meanwhile, as the beasts charged toward the barrier, the vines sprang into action, reacting with astonishing speed and precision. The silver and golden stage beasts found themselves caught off guard by the vines'' agility and ferocity.

    The vinesshed out like whips, striking the powerful creatures with unyielding force. They coiled around the beasts, constricting and squeezing, causing bones to crack and shattering their defenses. The roars and growls of the once-threatening beasts turned into pained cries as they were brutally injured by the relentless vines.

    Their futile attempts to break free only served to enrage the vines further, tightening their grip and intensifying their assault.

    As the vinespletely obstructed Hazel''s view, Rio saw Eve turn around. To the others, Eve appeared as a divine savior, a beacon of hope who had rescued them all with her rarely-used power, filling their hearts with awe and gratitude.

    In an instant, the scene around them transformed. They now stood within the wondrous forest realm, safe from the imminent danger that had loomed over them just moments before. The sound of rustling leaves and the gentle babbling of a nearby brook reced the menacing roars and growls of their enemies, providing a soothing backdrop to their peaceful sanctuary.

    The vibrant hues of the trees and the fluttering of colorful butterflies added to the serene ambiance of their new surroundings.

    ====////====

    [SnowNote]

    Hopefully, we can reach 10k unlocks this month with the third chapter I posted today. This will help the book to earn a promotion from Webnovel. Starting from May 1st, I will only be posting one chapter per day.

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 Chapter 346: The Elven Beautys Mischievous Smile: Madames Humiliating Defeat

    Hazel grew increasingly astonished as she witnessed the sudden appearance of a mysterious power that aided Lia and the others just as her n to take revenge was about to seed.

    The sight of the vines, both protective and aggressive, encircling her targets andshing out at the silver and golden stage beasts left her seething with frustration. Her carefullyid ns were falling apart before her eyes, and the realization only fueled her anger.

    The vines seemed toe alive, moving with an eerie grace as they twisted and turned, weaving an imprable barrier around Lia andpany.

    Eachsh against the beasts sent shockwaves rippling through the air, as the vines crushed bones and tore flesh with brutal efficiency.

    "Ehh???" Hazel''s eyes narrowed, her fury intensifying with each passing moment. The bizarre turn of events was like a p in the face, a direct insult to her.

    "I must break this barrier, or my n will fail," Hazel thought, gritting her teeth in frustration as she watched the vines ensnaring her targets. However, before she could act, a sudden mental pain struck her, causing her to freeze momentarily.

    As Hazel tried to regain herposure, she realized an orange-red-haired elven girl had appeared seemingly from nowhere,unching a spiritual attack targeting her mind. The unexpected interference added anotheryer ofplexity to the situation, further infuriating the girl.

    Hazel clenched her teeth as she witnessed Eve''s mischievous smile. The elven girl''s expression was like a thorn in her side, and she could sense the mockery behind it. It was as if Eve wasughing at her, ridiculing the carefullyid ns that Hazel had spent so long devising. The frustration, anger, and vulnerability consumed her.

    It seemed as if Eve had predicted every move Hazel would make, and was now gleefully watching as her ns crumbled to dust. The feeling of being outmaneuvered and outsmarted was like a bitter pill that Hazel couldn''t swallow, and it fueled her rage even more.

    ''Who is this elven girl?''

    ''Why is she helping them?''

    ''Why didn''t my Vision of the Void show me anything about her?''

    These questions enveloped Hazel''s thoughts, her fury simmering beneath the surface, seeking an outlet for release.

    Her frustration grew as she watched the elven girl, along with Lia and the others, remaining safe within the confines of the vine barrier, which was closing with every passing moment. Hazel clenched her fists in anger, desperate to break through the vines and exact her revenge.

    "Hurry! Destroy that barrier and attack them!" Shemanded, her voice dripping with venom and urgency.

    The beasts and Asuras elerated their pace, their eyes filled with determination as they charged towards the vine barrier, eager to tear it apart and bring their master''s wrath upon the enemies within.

    But their efforts were futile. The vines began to retract into the earth, leaving the minions without a target. Hazel''s eyes widened in disbelief as she scanned the now-empty barrier, finding no trace of Lia and herpany. They had vanished, leaving her to simmer in her fury and frustration at the unexpected turn of events.

    "How could this happen?!" Hazel snarled, her voiceced with bitterness and disbelief.

    Her gaze locked onto the empty garden where her enemies had stood just moments before, her mind racing to make sense of the sudden disappearance. The memory of the elven girl''s mocking smile haunted her, taunting her with the bitter taste of defeat.

    Her chest heaved with eachbored breath, her thoughts spinning, searching for an exnation or a way to turn the tide. But all she was left with was a growing sense of humiliation and seething anger. It felt as if the world had conspired against her, robbing her of the satisfaction she had longed for.

    As the reality of the situation settled in, Hazel''s fury burned brighter, threatening to engulf herpletely.

    "I swear," she growled, her voice low and menacing, "I will find Lia and the others, and when I do, they will pay dearly for the humiliation they have caused me. No matter where they hide, they will not escape my vengeance."

    However, in the next moment, Hazel seemed to recognize the intensity of her anger, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. She was a wise girl, and she knew that losing control over her emotions would not help her situation. It was time to regain herposure and focus on what needed to be done.

    Her minions, sensing the shift in their master''s demeanor, cautiously rxed, relieved that her wrath had subsided. They, too, understood the gravity of the situation and the consequences they would face if they failed to deliver on her vengeance.

    With renewed resolve, Hazel fixed her gaze on the horizon, her mind already formting her next move. She refused to let this setback define her; instead, she would channel her frustration into a relentless pursuit of her goals.

    Leaving the garden behind, Hazel strode confidently towards the castle, ready to take her ce on the throne she had finally captured. Even though Lia and her father had escaped, she knew that with her power and connections, she would eventually track them down.

    ***

    Eve, having escorted the group, including the tied-up Emperor, into the wondrous realm, turned around to see the heartbroken faces of Lia, N, and La, their tears flowing freely as they sobbed for the lifeless Helia cradled in Rio''s arms. The boy''s eyes were downcast, his expression a mixture of grief and disbelief.

    La, despite having known Helia for only a few days, also had tears streaming down her face, as she felt the pain of losing someone who had quickly be dear to her.

    The Emperor, his eyes filled with tears, was an enigma to Eve. She couldn''t tell if his tears were for his great mistake or for the loss of Helia. Eve had thought to leave him behind, but considering he was Lia''s father and they might need himter, she reluctantly brought him along despite his sins.

    Realizing they were safe in the wondrous forest realm and that Eve had saved them like a savior or messiah, their eyes shifted back to Helia''s lifeless body. In this moment of respite from danger, their grief was drowning and weighing heavily on each of them.

    "Rio," Eve spoke urgently, "hurry, bring her to the Samsara Lotus now!" She could sense the depth of their sorrow and knew that time was of the essence if they were to save Helia.

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 Chapter 347: The Samsara Lotus

    At the mention of the Samsara Lotus, hope flickered in Rio''s eyes as he looked at Eve. Seeing the glimmer of hope in Rio''s gaze, the expressions of Lia, N, and La shifted ever so slightly as they began to hope for a miracle themselves. Though Lia''s heart continued to cry internally, her eyes held onto the possibility of a miraculous recovery.

    Without wasting another second, Rio gently lifted Helia''s body and followed Eve''s directions to the Samsara Lotus. The mythical flower resided in a serene corner of the garden, surrounded by a small, crystal-clear pond.

    As they approached, the captivating rainbow-colored light radiating from the water seemed to dance and shimmer, reflecting the celestial energies emanating from the lotus.

    Carefully, Rio ced Helia''s body in the middle of the golden petals of the Samsara Lotus.

    Almost immediately, the petals began to emit a soft, ethereal glow, enveloping Helia in a protectiveyer that shimmered with divine energy. The barrier safeguarded her body and soul, preserving them until the moment of resurrection.

    As the Samsara Lotus worked its magic, the atmosphere around them changed subtly. The rejuvenating energy it released seemed to dissipate the heavy sorrow that hung in the air, giving Lia, N, La, and Rio a faint sense of sce amidst their grief.

    All eyes remained on the lifeless form of Helia, as they hoped and prayed for the power of the Samsara Lotus to bring her back to them.

    "That''s a relief, her soul has been preserved inside the Samsara Lotus. It will take some time before you guys can talk to her again," Eve''s voice sounded beside them, and all their eyes went towards her.

    Emperor Dn wanted to ask who this elf was, but he was already happy at the work of this elf who said that Helia would be all fine, and somehow they were able to save her. The name itself told him that this was some heavenly treasure, and he could feel the aura just by being there.

    Lia''s gaze towards Eve was as if she was a goddess, but before she could speak, Eve said, "Don''t thank me¡­ It was him who chose to go there to bring it, although I lied to him that it will save you in the future¡­" The girl had a sly smile on her face as she dered how she tricked Rio and made him get this treasure which was actually for Helia.

    "How did you know about this?" Rio asked in her thought.

    "Goddess will tell you about it herself, just wait for it¡­ You''re almost there to know all the truth¡­" Eve dodged the question by giving it to the goddess but she conversed this part via telepathy.

    "Now that Helia has been saved, you should ask the main culprit what happened," the girl said as she walked towards the emperor and hovered her finger in the air gracefully.

    A few vines appeared around the emperor, which coiled around his chair to undo the rope around him.

    The Emperor''s gaze fell downward toward the ground as he heard Eve''s words, cursing her inwardly. Feeling the weight of everyone''s gaze upon him, he began to narrate his story.

    "Twenty-two years ago, I fell in love with a girl. Iter discovered she was human, but she was friends with Ayan Celestial Eye, so we got married, as you know, love is blind.

    When Father and Ayan Celestial Eye were absent from the Shamor Empire, you and your sister were born," the Emperor said, his voice heavy with emotion.

    ***

    On a dark and stormy night, the heavens unleashed their fury with roaring thunder and lightning that lit up the sky. It was as if the celestial beings were sending a dire warning to the world, urging them to prevent the seeds of destruction from taking root.

    The people of Shamor''s capital city huddled in fear within their homes, the resounding peals of thunder instilling a sense of divine anger and dread in their hearts.

    Meanwhile, inside the main castle, the Emperor was locked in a solemn conversation with the head priest.

    The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, the raging storm outside mirroring the turmoil brewing within the castle walls.

    The flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the walls, adding to the somber mood as the two men discussed a matter of grave importance.

    "This is bad, Your Highness. The second child is born without the Devlin bloodline, and her eyes, the Vision of the Void, are a gift from the evil god. She will bring about the destruction of this world, and moreover, she will kill her sister and you," the old priest with a fragile figure said, appearing as if he was already halfway into the grave.

    As the Emperor heard this, he remembered the prophecy his father had made and immediately asked, "Is there no way to fix this?"

    "I would give anything to say otherwise, Your Highness, but there is no cure to be had for this cmity," dered the priest, his voice filled with anguish.

    The Emperor, burdened by the weight of the prophecy, retreated to his chamber and locked himself in, seeking solitude.

    An hour ticked by, each minute heavier than thest. When he finally emerged, his face was etched with a pained expression, a testament to the heart-wrenching decision he had made. As he stepped out, three shadowy figures hurried out of his room, following his silentmand.

    As he waited, the echo of rushed footsteps reached his ears. Momentster, a woman with silver hair appeared before him. Her otherworldly beauty was striking, leaving no doubt that Hazel and Lia had inherited their stunning looks from their mother.

    Cradled gently in her arms, two newborn babies nestled against her chest, their tiny hands grasping at her clothing, unaware of the storm brewing around them.

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 Chapter 348: The Stormy Nights Tragedy: Two Sisters, Two Destinies

    "Why? Why did you send them to kill your own daughter?" the woman asked, her voice heavy with sadness and disbelief.

    The Emperor stood there, unable to respond. It was now apparent that his wife, the Empress, had been hiding her true strength from him all this time.

    She had concealed her power to prevent him from feeling inferior, and now, her well-intentioned act had enabled her to effortlessly ughter the three men who hade to take Hazel''s life.

    The realization struck the Emperor hard, as he watched his wife, the mother of his children, confront him with tears in her eyes, demanding an answer he couldn''t provide.

    The woman sobbed uncontrobly, clutching her two newborn girls tightly to her chest. Her heart-wrenching gaze, filled with anger, disappointment, and pain, bore into the Emperor.

    The depth of her sorrow seemed to be amplified by the thunder rumbling outside, as if nature itself was tearing apart the heavens in response to their anguish.

    Casting a final, lingering nce at the Emperor, she turned to leave, cradling her daughters protectively in her arms.

    "Don''t take her away with you; she is my child," the Emperor pleaded, his voice breaking with shame and regret.

    He knew he was asking for too much after attempting to take the life of his own daughter. The Emperor could see the pain and disbelief in his wife''s eyes, understanding that she was about to leave him for his unforgivable actions.

    Ashamed and distraught, he couldn''t muster the courage to pursue her. He had sent three men, all at the silver stage like himself, but his wife had effortlessly ughtered them, showcasing her true strength and love for her newborn daughter.

    The woman sighed heavily, her heart aching under the unbearable weight of the Emperor''s shamelessness and thick skin.

    Unable to speak, she ced the white-haired baby, Lia, on a nearby bed. Her eyes lingered on her daughter, filled with a mother''s love and the pain of an impending separation.

    She leaned down, her lips brushing Lia''s tiny ears as she whispered heartfelt words of farewell, "My sweet Lia, I''m so sorry, but I must leave to protect your sister. Please don''t hate me for not taking you with me. I''ll carry you in my heart always."

    With a heavy heart, she gathered her remaining daughter, Hazel, into her arms, and turned away from the life she had known.

    The only reason she didn''t take Lia with her was due to the prophecy. She couldn''t help but wonder if it held some truth and if the sisters might end up killing each other for the throne in the future. The seed of suspicion had been nted in her mind as well, leading her to make the difficult decision to leave Lia behind.

    As The Empress, Lia''s Mother, stepped out of the castle, the wind whipped around her, as if mourning the tragedy that had befallen them.

    The mother and daughter pair vanished into the stormy night, leaving the Shamor Empire behind. The thunder continued to rumble, a somber reminder of the destruction that had been set in motion on this fateful day.

    ***

    With a pained voice, the Emperor recounted the events of that fateful night. "Your mother left with your sister and never returned. When Father came back, we discovered that the head priest had been killed. The person I had spoken to was actually an Apostle of the evil god in disguise. Father assured me that he would not let anything happen to either of his granddaughters."

    The Emperor''s voice trembled as he finished the sad tale that had been kept hidden from everyone for so long. The weight of the past weighed heavily on him, the guilt and remorse in his eyes evident as he looked at Lia, finally revealing the truth.

    As Lia listened to the Emperor''s painful story, cold anger began to simmer within her. She couldn''t help but feel sympathy for her sister, who had been taken away, but the wounds she engraved on Lia''s heart were too deep to heal.

    "I feel sorry for my sister, but she has gone so far away that we can''t undo what she has done," Lia said, her voice tinged with coldness. "Her sins are unforgivable. She killed Emily, and she tried to kill Husband. Now Helia is on the verge of death... How can grandfather ensure the safety of both of his granddaughters?"

    Her eyes met the Emperor''s, filled with unspoken grief as Lia posed a question.

    As Lia finished speaking, Eve responded, "Your grandfather had already taken measures to ensure both of your safety long ago, and you''ll learn more about that in the future. The fact that Helia was saved today is, in part, due to your grandfather''s involvement.

    Your sister''s animosity is directed towards you, your father, and Rio because he married you. She didn''t kill Emily... That was actually a beast in disguise, intended to break your heart." With that, Eve revealed the truth.

    Eve continued, her tone yful yet dripping with sarcasm, "Emily was actually the first one to betray you. As for what she did to Helia, she will be punished. But first, we need to defeat her.

    Right now, she has already imed the entire Shamor Empire with her superior bloodline, which your dear father thought was impure."

    Lia and others were shocked to hear that Emily was alive and had betrayed her first.

    The Emperor confessed with a heavy heart, "I was blinded by my ambition and failed to see the true extent of Hazel''s power. Her bloodline is far stronger than any we have ever known in the Devlin line.

    All the beasts that once served under us are now under hermand, and even the elusive golden stage beasts bow to her.

    Despite being at the silver stage, she is more powerful than me. Moreover, she has the backing of all the ns, including the Cliffdane n, who have pledged their allegiance to her cause."

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 Chapter 349: Seeking the Second Piece

    This piece of news left everyone in shock. All the hard work that Rio and Devlin''s family had done for generations to gather beasts and shelters under their banner was now under Hazel''s control, thanks to her superior bloodline.

    It felt as if heaven was mocking Dn''s foolishness in calling her bloodline impure. That girl was actually blessed with a bloodline that was far superior to anyone who had ever existed.

    "How is that even possible?" N muttered disbelief etched on her face.

    Eve then exined, "Hazel, like Rio and me, is able to have both a Root and a Core at the same time. This makes her far more powerful than any of you right now."

    N and Lia were calmer than before as they saw Helia could be saved now. The emperor looked at Eve suspiciously and his mouth was opening and closing as if he wanted to ask something but he didn''t have courage after what happened.

    "She may have been stronger right now but we can erase the gap with time and training." Rio''s voice sounded beside her in a calm manner.

    Lia nodded, with steely resolve in her eyes. "Husband is Right. Now that Helia is safe, we must focus on strengthening ourselves. We cannot confront Hazel in our current state. Our priority should be gathering more shelters from the corruptednd and start our rigorous training. If Hazel can possess such power, then there''s no reason we can''t reach a simr level, if not surpass it.

    Even if we can''t, there is no reason Husband can not surpass it..."

    A resolute gleam was shining in Lia''s eyes. She understood Rio''s potential more deeply than anyone else. La and N, having witnessed Rio''s prowess firsthand, also agreed. After all, Rio had bested La even when he was merely at the ck stage.

    Eve''s eyes twinkled as she addressed the group. "Okay, beauties and my darling, a tiny heads-up: I kind of used my teleport card bringing you all here so it took a little holiday. So, for the uing month, let''s make the best of it here! Going back to the castle? A no-go. But on the bright side, we''ve got all the space we need for some epic training sessions!"

    Eve mentioned the teleportation, and Rio merely nodded, already in the know. Lia and the others let out a resigned sigh; after all, they were just grateful for this miraculous escape from Hazel''s grasp. The Emperor looked particrly stunned. To him, their sudden transportation seemed nothing short of a miracle.

    He had braced himself for the worst, but here they were, saved by this crafty elf who had even outdone Hazel brilliantly.

    La''s eyes drifted to Helia''s delicate form, enveloped in the radiant glow of the Samsara Lotus. "When will Helia wake up?" she asked softly, her voice filled with concern.

    Eve''s cheerful expression softened, "I wish I had the right answer, but truthfully, I don''t know. The Samsara Lotus has preserved her soul, but her revival won''t be anytime soon. This is a process that we can''t rush."

    A gloomy sadness enveloped the group, as what happened today was too harsh for them to handle. As the minutes passed in contemtive silence, they all sat by the lotus, watching over Helia.

    Emperor Dn, on the other hand, looked utterly lost and embarrassed. Every now and then, he would shoot a sorrowful nce toward Lia and the others but chose to remain silent, knowing his words wouldn''t bring any sce.

    After what felt like hours, Rio finally broke the silence, "We cannot let Helia''s sacrifice go in vain. We understand the pain and the desire to stay by her side, but we must prepare. We need to go back to our rooms, rest, and then start our training. She won''t want us stay here, mourning. She''d want us to get stronger, so when she wakes up, we should be ready."

    N''s eyes glistened with tears but she nodded in agreement, "I agree, sweetie. Sister Helia would surely want us to fight and get stronger."

    Lia took a deep breath, pushing back her emotions, "From tomorrow, we begin our n and training against Hazel. We have a long way to go. For Helia, and for the future of our Shamor Empire."

    The group slowly stood up, casting onest lingering nce at Helia before heading towards their rooms, their hearts heavy but filled with newfound determination.

    ***

    In the heart of the wonderous forest realm, Rio''s bedroom was bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through the trees. His spacious room was decorated with natural elements, seamlessly blending the indoors with the whimsy of the outdoors. A glowing white ring with an intricate clover designy in the center of his bed, gleaming with a radiance.

    Surrounding the bed stood Rio, Lia, La, and N, all of them drawn to the mysterious allure of the ring.

    The white-haired beauty began, "We''ve got a month. A month to unravel the secrets of the forbiddennd''s puzzle. ording to that old sage, this Exalted Clover Ring should guide us to our next destination where we will find the second piece of the map. We should aim to finish this before Eve can use her teleportation skill once again. It could be our wildcard against Hazel."

    La, having been told about the forbiddennd by Rio previously, simply nodded in agreement.

    However, N''s brows knitted in confusion, "But, Big sister, I remember trying to use this exalted clover ring before. It was a total flop! So, how in the world are we gonna bring it to life now?"

    Eve, lounging on a couch nearby and seemingly disinterested until then, chimed in with a cheerful chirp, "Only the ring''s true master can spark its magic into action! which is none other than my Darling."

    All eyes instinctively turned to the boy. Caught slightly off guard, he let out a sheepish smile.

    Slowly, he reached out to grasp the ring, lifting it up and holding it before them. Searching each face for affirmation, they responded with bright, unwavering eyes and nods, confidence shimmering in their gazes.

    "So, how exactly does this work?" Rio mumbled inwardly, his fingers tracing the edges of the silver clover ring, "Do I just channel my mana into it?"

    Without waiting for a response, the boy decided to test his theory. A tiny, shimmering wisp of his mana energy flowed from his fingertips, immersing itself into the intricate crevices of the ring.

    Suddenly, the room was engulfed in a dazzling white radiance, as if day had broken in an instant. The light was so intense that they instinctively shielded their eyes, the brilliant re casting long, wavering shadows.

    But the luminancested only a moment. As quickly as it appeared, the light receded, leaving them momentarily disoriented. When they finally managed to regain their vision, they found themselves no longer in Rio''s bedroom.

    Instead, they stood amidst a deste forest under a moonlit sky. The chorus of the night resonated around them, the rhythmic chirping of crickets reverberating eerily in the stillness.

    ====[SnowNote]====

    I am just posting to see if I still have any readers who gonna read the story.

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 Chapter 350: Grace and Leo (1)

    Rio quickly stored the ring in his wondrous forest realm storage, The silvery sheen of the Exalted Clover Ring disappeared as if its task seeminglypleted for now.

    As the boy scanned the new surrounding, his eyes searched for his wives. But he didn''t have to look much as Lia, N, and La were standing a short distance away from each other. Their figure was clearly visible by the illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and twinkling stars, but they were all standing in a dense forest.

    He also noticed Eve didn''te with them. Like the first one, This trial also didn''t let her join.

    Feeling an odd sensation, they moved closer, gathering around Rio.

    "Something''s not right," N whispered with a hint of distress clouding her usually cheerful face, "I''ve tried, but I can''t ess my mana.

    At her statement, Rio''s brow furrowed in concern as he attempted to ess his own mana, only to find the same problem.

    ''This environment seems to be suppressing our abilities'' He mused inwardly, his eyes scanning the eerie forest around them.

    La, flexing her hand and seeming to test her own strength,mented. "This ce may be stopping us from using our mana, but I can still feel the inherent strength of the red stage coursing through me."

    Lia nodded at La''s observation. "It seems this ce imposes some kind of limitation, possibly a challenge we need to ovee for the second trial," she surmised, her gaze falling on the ring in Rio''s hand. "Perhaps it''s an inherent part of this Forbidden Land''s trials."

    As they were immersed in their discussion, the faint murmur of distant voices came towards them, carried on the night''s breeze.

    "Grace, don''t belittle yourself because you can''t use magic. Remember our dungeon adventure? Your intellect was our guiding light. Magic isn''t the be-all and end-all..." A man''s soft, reassuring voice came, brimming with full of sincerity.

    A softer, more hesitant voice replied, "But Leo, your family will never ept our rtionship."

    Leo countered, "Their judgments don''t hold a candle to how I feel about you. I would choose you over their approval, time and time again. I want to live life on my terms, and those terms include you, till myst breath. Even if our lives boil down to tilling soil and nurturing crops in a humble vige, I''d be satisfied."

    "But Leo," Grace''s voice wavered, "it''s not right for you to give up a promising future for my sake."

    He replied with unwavering warmth, "Every sunrise with you is a promise of a better day. And when the timees, I want to sit by a warm firece, sharing tales of our adventures with our children, starting with the story of how I met your mother."

    A yful glint danced in Leo''s eyes as he said thest part, his smile turning charming to the girl''s eyes. They didn''t know that their love story would be one for the ages, a tale to be cherished and shared with generations toe.

    While Leo and Grace were deeply engrossed in their heartfelt exchange, Rio felt a sense of familiarity with the voice and furrowed his brows in contemtion.

    As their voices kepting, Theo remembered the name grace from the first trial. The pieces of the puzzle fell into ce, leading him to an undeniable conclusion.

    With a quiet breath, he spoke the name, "Saintess."

    Hearing his response, N was first to frown since she was also familiar with this name, "Is that... Grace? The Saintess? Why on earth would she be here?" she questioned.

    After observing the scene for a moment, Lia dered, "The nature of our transport here suggests we''ve been sent to the past. Given our distance to them, our task here likely revolves around Leo and Grace. The best way to solve the puzzle is to approach them directly."

    La nced at Rio, catching his affirming nod. N, still trying to piece everything together, hesitated for a moment but then sighed, trusting in Lia''s judgment. "Alright big sis, let''s do this."

    ***

    The moonlight fell on Grace and Leo, softly illuminating their figures. Leo''s gaze, deep and warm, was fixated on Grace''s grey eyes, drawing her close by the waist.

    As he did so, the sleek strands of her auburn hair, flowed down to the middle of her back, swayed gently, just out of his reach. Her usually serene gray eyes was now filled with a hint of nervousness.

    From a distance, Rio watched this intimate moment through his [Heaven''s Eyes]. Grace''s attire, a simple white gown, gleamed in the moonlight. An unmistakable holy aura surrounded her, simr yet different from when he first met her. This younger version of Grace clearly indicated to Rio that they were in a past timeline, just from her weaker holy aura.

    The scene yed like a delicate dance; Leo''s hands slithered around Grace''s slender waist. Their faces inched closer, their breaths mingling in the cool air. However, the tranquility of the moment was shattered abruptly, a sudden rustling from the nearby grasses startled them.

    Leo''s eyes sharpened instantly. With a swift motion, he released Grace, cing her protectively behind him. His hand reached for the sword at his waist, drawing it in fear of the unseen threat lurking in the shadows.

    The rustling of the grass revealed not monstrous beasts, but rather a group of three ravishing maidens and a young boy who seemed to be the youngest among them. The girls were just as ravishing as Grace, their beauty different in its own way.

    The first girl, with her shiny ck hair and royal blue eyes, possessed a serene aura simr to Grace. The second girl had vibrant magenta hair, her eyes glimmering with mischief despite the stillness of the forest.

    The third girl, however, gave a presence of a sovereign, carried an imposing aura. The boy, on the other hand, was a riddle. He seemed ordinary, almost dullpared to the stunningdies, yet Leo felt an unexinable vignce towards him.

    The magenta-haired beauty, broke the silence, her lively voice had a hint of amusement, "What''s with the sword, huh? Are you auditioning for the next Asura Empress movie with that heroic pose?"

    ====[SnowNote]====

    It''s hard to post regrly, I was thinking of skipping today as well but then tried to finish this chapter.

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 Chapter 351: Grace and Leo (2)

    "Apologies, Miss" Leo said, his voice steady as he sheathed his weapon. "This forest is known for its unpredictability. We''re traveling alone and one can''t be too careful. But as it seems, you and yourpanions are no threats."

    Leo''s guard was still subtly up, his sharp gaze scanning the group. However, as he noticed their weaponless state, his gaze softened. Their ordinary human auras did little to raise his rm. Yet, his instincts urged him not to let down his guard, especially around the seemingly harmless boy.

    Rio found himself perplexed by Leo''s unease around him, but chose not to voice his confusion, opting for silence. The two groups maintained a cautious distance, eyes meeting eyes but saying nothing.

    With a diplomatic tone, Lia initiated the conversation, "We''ve journeyed from quite a distance and seem to have lost our way in this forest. Could you possibly assist us?"

    Leo raised an eyebrow, his mouth curving into a sly grin. "I''m not opposed to helping," he began, "but every service has its price."

    Lia''s heart sank momentarily. She couldn''t ess her spatial beast soul due to not being able to use mana and thus her wealth. She hesitated, then began to unsp a jeweled bracelet from her wrist, ready to offer it as payment.

    Before she could fully remove it, Grace, the girl in the pristine white dress, intervened, pushing Leo gently to the side. "Wait!" she eximed, her voice warm and empathetic. "You don''t need to part with your jewelry. I''ll guide you, regardless of his decision." She cast a reproachful nce at Leo, her eyes filled withpassion for Lia''s gesture.

    Leo took a moment, his gaze shifting between the group and Grace, who stood with her gentle yet firm demeanor. He let out a deep breath and lowered his head slightly in remorse.

    "I apologize," Leo began, his voice softer, almost tinged with regret. "In these uncertain times and even more unpredictable woods, caution tends to get the best of me. I shouldn''t have acted in such a manner, especially not towards travelers like yourselves." he spoke with genuine regret evident in his voice.

    Grace nodded in acknowledgment, cing a reassuring hand on Leo''s shoulder. This gesture not onlyforted him but also signified her trust and the bond they shared.

    Seeing Leo''s sincere apology, Rio rxed further. His posture eased as the tension between the groups dissolved.

    Clearing his throat, Leo began, "I''m Leo, and this kind-hearted soul beside me is Grace. We''re travelers, much like yourselves."

    Lia stepped forward with an inviting smile, "It''s a pleasure, Mister Leo and Lady Grace. I''m Lia." She gestured towards herpanions. "This is my Husband, Rio," indicating the seemingly ordinary boy with an air of mystery, "my sisters N, and La."

    As they introduced themselves, grace closed the distance between them, "It''s nice to meet you all but¡­"

    Noticing her pause, everyone waited for Grace to continue.

    With a slight hesitation and nervousness, she added, "For some reason i feel a familiarity with your husband.."

    Grace gazed at Rio as her serene eyes and her heart was beating frantically to tell her something.

    Hearing her words, Leo stepped forward, a mixed expression on his face. "What kind of charm do you have, man? You''ve already got a bunch of beauties around you, and now you''ve caught the eye of my Grace? What kind of otherworldly magic are you hiding?" He spoke with a blend of humor and disbelief.

    Rio just scratched his head, not quite sure what to say. He was also surprised how Leo linked the other two to him since Lia only mentioned they were her sisters. However, the atmosphere felt lighter, the unspoken tension finally breaking.

    Getting No reply from Rio, Leo decided to take the lead, "We should head in this direction until we find a cave. There''s one nearby where we can rest," He instructed.

    The girls nodded in agreement, following closely behind him. Rio trailed at the rear, vignt and watchful. Every so often, Leo would cast a suspicious nce back at him, as though he were a mischievous boy up to no good.

    Grace, N, and the other girls huddled together, engaged in lively chatter.

    "So, there was this one time Leo and I were climbing a mountain." Grace began, her eyes twinkling. "We reached the top, and he tried to show off by doing a handstand on the edge!"

    Nughed at the funny statement. "Seriously? What happened then?"

    "He almost fell!" Grace said, giggling. "Luckily, I was there to pull him back. Not that I could''ve used magic or anything. Because, you know, I can''t."

    "You can''t use magic?" Lia asked, surprised.

    "Nope, not a spell. But I''ve got other skills, like saving show-offs from themselves!"

    As the girlsughed, the group reached therge cave Leo had mentioned. Quickly, everyone got to work, arranging leaves and other materials into makeshift beds. It was a tacit agreement: boys on one side, girls on the other.

    Leo looked around and saw Rio settling into his spot. Thinking this would be a good time to talk, Leo headed his way. But just as he arrived, he saw Rio and La, already cuddled up and fast asleep. Across the way, Lia, Grace, and N were also sleeping peacefully.

    "Great, a cave full of people, and not a single one to talk to. This fellow also betrayed me. I thought I could at least trust a man." Leo muttered under his breath, cursing inwardly. He sighed and returned to his own sleeping area, lying down in quiet resignation.

    In the meantime, Rio and La shared a telepathicugh. Tightening their embrace, they closed their eyes, each wearing a contented smile as they drifted off to sleep.

    The next morning, Rio and La were the first to rise. They headed outside to freshen up, followed by Lia, Grace, and N, who also took advantage of the nearby river. Leo was thest to wake up. Once everyone was refreshed, they caught fish from theke.

    "Does anyone know how to cook these?" Leo inquired, holding up the freshly caught fish. Rio stepped forward without hesitation.

    While Rio busied himself with the cooking, N asked, "How do you know how to cook and grill fish?"

    "Grandpa used to take me on pics and taught me how to grill them," Rio responded, flipping the fish skillfully over the fire. Although he mentioned Grandpa but it was his adopted one.

    As the aroma filled the air, Rio and Leo sat around the campfire, the girls forming a semicircle around them.

    "How do you handle so many girls at once?" Leo asked,ughing. "I''m having difficulty just with one!"

    =[SnowNote]=

    Sorry, I''m not able to post chapters for this story in the recent time. But I will try to keep posting from time to time as I find some time.

    I''ll add the important character images on the:

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 Chapter 352: Two Sides of Love: Leos Skepticism Meets Rios Open Heart

    "How do you handle so many girls at once?" Leo asked,ughing. "I''m having difficulty just with one!"

    Hisughter was cut short as he felt a sharp pinch near his stomach. It was Grace, who gave him a yful but stern look.

    "You just have to manage when you don''t have any other options," Rio replied sarcastically. As he spoke, he felt a chilly wave of resing from multiple directions but maintained hisposure.

    Hearing the reply, Leo burst intoughter. Rio didn''t dare look back at his women, who were already nning to give him a lessonter.

    On the other hand, Grace was gazing at him withplicated emotions, trying hard to remember where she had seen him before.

    As Leo''sughter subsided, his face turned serious. "Brother, I don''t mean to offend you, but I can''t stand polygamy. It''s beyond me how one man can im to love multiple women. It''s just crazy. I''m content with Grace and don''t want anyone else intruding on that," he said, an edge to his voice.

    Rio noticed the eyes of all three of his women shift toward him, filled with expectation. Especially Lia and N; they knew they were the reason he''d chosen a polygamous path. They were aware that he and La had been together from the start and that they had entered his life unexpectedly. They waited, almost holding their breath, for his response.

    A soft smile graced Rio''s face as he looked at the grilled fish in his hand. "People often say you can''t truly love more than one person at a time. But who sets these limits? Your heart or society?"

    "Love isn''t a finite resource," Rio continued, looking up. "Loving more than one person doesn''t mean loving each one less. It''s not division; it''s multiplication. The more love you give, the more you have."

    Lia''s eyes softened at this, appreciating the sincerity in his tone.

    Rio went on, "Moreover, life is unpredictable. La, Lia, and N each came into my life at different times and under different circumstances. They''ve added dimensions to my life I never knew I needed."

    N''s eyes met his, glowing with a lively warmth. ''He''s my man. Oh boy, I am so proud of my sweetie!'' she mused cheerfully.

    "I also think people misunderstand polygamy," Rio paused slightly, gathering his words. "They think it''s just about physical attraction. But it''s far deeper than that. It''s about emotional and intellectual connections that run parallel, rather than intersecting at a single point."

    Grace, listening from beside Leo, seemed to be pondering his words, as if seeing the topic in a new light.

    Rio nced over at Leo. "Monogamy works for many, and that''s beautiful. But there''s also beauty in the constetion of connections in polygamous rtionships. It''s awork of support - emotional and practical. Multiple adults in a household mean a more diverse skill set, more resources, and more emotional outlets."

    Rio''s eyes then met those of Lia, N, and La once more. "And it''s not just about me. It''s about the wonderful women I love, too. They have their own emotional journeys and their own reasons for choosing this lifestyle. And I respect that deeply."

    "In a rtionship with multiple people, a natural checks-and-bnces system develops," Rio added, now more sure of his words than ever. "We keep each other grounded. We''re better people because we''re together. Lastly, I believe in autonomy. No one owns anyone''s love or affection. It''s mutual, consensual, and most importantly, it''s based on deep emotional connection."

    N, Lia and La nodded, their eyes gleaming with agreement, while Leo seemed to be in deep thought by his exnation.

    In the end, Rio concluded, "Love is an infinite resource. It''s like a beautiful mosaic or a symphony. Every rtionship brings something unique, a new perspective, a new lesson. It takes a vige to make aplete life, and my vige happens to include more than one incredible woman."

    As he finished, he saw everyone''s eyes filled with emotions, but it was clear from the faces of Lia, N, and La that his words had touched them deeply. Even Grace, sitting next to them, seemed to contemte the words. It was same for Leo, perhaps he started seeing theplexity of love in a new, if not fully understood, light.

    After Rio''s heartfelt exnation, a long silence filled the air, as if nature itself was contemting his words. The women happily munched on the grilled fish their husband had cooked, while Leo and Grace seemed lost in thought, their chewing almost mechanical.

    As everyone finished eating and the sun climbed higher in the sky, the group got ready to move on.

    "So, let me regale you all with a tale," Leo began, obviously warming up to Rio a bit more. "I once killed three, no, four monsters all by myself. At the same time!"

    Grace yfully rolled her eyes. "Low-level monsters. Don''t forget that part."

    Leo chuckled. "Details, details. They were still monsters." He retorted with a grin. "They had teeth and ws and everything!"

    "Oh, teeth and ws?" N asked, feigning awe. "You must''ve been trembling."

    "Nah, I was practically a one-man army," Leo replied, "One swing of my sword and¡ªswoosh! Three heads rolled."

    "Wow, you took them out with a ''swoosh''? Most people have to settle for a ''thud'' or a ''nk,''" Nmented, trying hard to resist herugh.

    Even Lia and La faces were getting red, hearing the funny conversation. They were well aware that N was strong herself and had killed many fierce and high level beasts.

    "Ah, but when you''re as good as me, your sword sings," Leo beamed, clearly enjoying himself.

    Rio sighed ncing at Leo and kept a safe distance to not get affected by his infectious banter.

    Throughout their journey, he noticed Grace''s asional side nces. He couldn''t help but feel uneasy, recognizing theplexity behind her eyes as something he might not want to explore at the moment.

    As they walked and talked from morning until noon, the outline of a vige began to gradually form in the distance.

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 Chapter 353: Rios Gift to Grace

    As they entered the vige, they were greeted by a row of people blocking their path. Wary nces were cast towards Grace, and it was clear that her presence was not wee. The vigers whispered amongst themselves, their displeasure evident.

    Leo''s face turned grave as soon as he noticed a middle-aged man with a bald head standing among the vigers. The man''s stern gaze was fixed on them, his eyes narrowing in disapproval.

    "Why are you traveling with that girl?" the man demanded, his voice filled with contempt.

    Leo''s expression hardened, though a hint of vulnerability flickered in his eyes. "Because she is my friend... a friend I want to stay with for the rest of my life," he replied firmly. He had never expected to find his father here. When he received the letter to return home, he had ignored it, thinking they wanted him to marry their friend''s daughter.

    The bald man''s eyes shed with anger. "But I have already decided whom you will marry. How can you take that decision yourself?" he dered in an icy tone.

    Leo''s resolve wavered, but he stood his ground. "I cannot marry another woman. Grace is the one I will marry," he said in a subdued tone. He feared his father, but he was determined to take a stand for what he cared for.

    "Are you out of your mind?" the bald man yelled, causing Leo to shrink back slightly. "That girl has no family background and no magic. She is not worthy to be a part of the Cliffbow family."

    Grace stood silently, her eyes downcast, a saddened look on her face. She knew she was the reason for Leo''s misery. If only she had magic, she might have been able to change this.

    "Please talk about my sister respectfully if you want your head to remain intact," Lia stepped ahead, her presence a chilling wave that covered the entire vige. Her re alone seemed capable of ughtering the whole vige. Some of the men even knelt on the ground, unable to withstand the pressure.

    Though she couldn''t use her mana, her innate strength remained undiminished. Lia was still capable of shattering mountains with her raw power. Seeing how Grace was being insulted by Leo''s father, she decided to intervene.

    She warned Leo''s father without concealing her raw threat, her cold, chilling aura enveloping the vige, causing everyone to shiver in ce. Even Leo and Grace felt as if they were being crushed by an insurmountable force, making it hard to breathe.

    The bald man''s face contorted under the pressure the white-haireddy was channeling. He spoke more politely now, "I apologize for my rude behavior. Please retract your aura, or they will get hurt." He pointed towards some of the older men who were kneeling on the ground, gasping for air.

    Lia retracted her murderous intent, but her chilly gaze remained locked on Leo''s father.

    "I''m Hylos Cliffbow. Who might you be?" Leo''s father asked, his tone now respectful.

    Lia''s voice was as cold as ice. "I''m Lia Devlin. Grace Hazewood is my cousin."

    The vigers murmured among themselves, clearly unsettled by the powerful presence Lia had disyed. Hylos, trying to regain someposure, nodded slowly. "I see. Then you must understand our concerns."

    "I understand only that Leo has chosen Grace," Lia replied sharply. "And that choice deserves respect."

    Hylos nced around, seeing the resolve in their faces. His shoulders slumped slightly, and the fire in his eyes dimmed. "If this is your decision, Leo," he said, his voice now tired and resigned, "then so be it. But do not expect my blessing."

    The sharp words from Hylos struck Leo like a physical blow, freezing him in ce. Even Grace felt her heart ache as Hylos dered he wouldn''t give them his blessing, even if they married.

    Amidst the tense silence, Lia exchanged a look with Rio, who nodded slightly then stepped forward. His approach was more diplomatic than Lia''s. "Hello, Sir," Rio began, addressing Hylos with a respectful tone. "May I inquire as to why you cannot extend your blessing should they choose to marry? What concerns hold you back regarding our friend Grace?"

    Hylos, still visibly unnerved by Lia''s earlier disy, answered, "That youngdy has no magic, and if we let her join the Cliffbow family, our descendants might also be born without magic," he exined, his tone now carrying a hint of respect for Grace, clearly not intending to provoke the white-haired woman.

    Rio let out a deep breath, "It''s foolish to think that Grace has no magic. From what I understand, she has been concealing her power all along," he revealed calmly.

    This statement sent a ripple through the crowd, knitting brows in confusion and doubt, not just among the vigers and Hylos, but also causing Leo and Grace to look at Rio in shock.

    However, Rio, maintaining hisposure, used his high level of spiritual energy to whisper a few words into Grace''s mind, ensuring only she could hear his message. The others watched, curious and unsure, as Rio then stepped back, took Grace by the wrist gently, and brought her forward into the center of the gathering.

    Leo watched this interaction without protest. Though Rio was holding Grace''s hand, Leo understood the necessity of the gesture. Rio was not just a friend but a messiah in this moment, crucial to resolving this deep-rooted issue.

    As Grace stood beside Rio, her expression changed subtly, a hint of confidence blooming within her. Rio turned to the assembly, his voice carrying clearly. "Observe closely, for what you believe about Grace is about to change."

    Then, as everyone watched, Rio picked up a stone from the ground and made a long, sharp cut on his hand. Blood began to drip onto the ground.

    Grace''s eyes turned wet as she whispered, "Are you an idiot?"

    The vigers, Hylos, and Leo were dumbfounded. They never expected this madman to harm himself. The three girls watched in silence, already warned not to make a move.

    They all saw Grace''s hand shimmer with a golden light, and the wound on Rio''s hand began to close and heal on its own.

    Rio then turned to Hylos, waving his now-healed hand. "She healed my fresh wound instantly. It''s foolish to even think that my wife''s cousin has no magic." The revtion caused everyone to see Grace in a new light.

    Even Hylos couldn''t help but rethink his stance. That girl had actually hidden her strength from others.

    Leo, unaware of all this, rushed to Grace. "Hey, you can use magic? You didn''t even tell me?"

    Grace looked at the ground, her voice soft. "My grandpa told me not to reveal my powers to others." She was clearly lying, a lie that Rio had asked her to tell. It was a lie she had to keep even from Leo if they wanted to stay alive.

    When Rio had grabbed her wrist to pull her to the front, he had already instructed her to lie about this story. He had told her that she had to keep this between them, and in return, he would bless her with healing magic. As he held her wrist, he also handed her the ring, telling her that this ring would allow her to do cast healing spell¡ªa magic that''s not possible for anyone else but her.

    Leo looked at her with surprise, but then his face brightened as he held her hand and looked at his father, who was still deep in thought. Grace''s newly gained abilities had changed everything, and the vigers now regarded her with respect.

    "Will you now give them your blessing if they marry?" Rio asked, directing the question towards Hylos.Everyone waited for the answer from Leo''s father, who had previously refused to give his blessing to Leo, even though he had allowed him to marry Grace.Leo held his breath, while Grace also stood quietly, waiting for the decision that would determine their happiness.

    [SnowNote]

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