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 become stronger. I'll be facing some tough opponents at the upcoming 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 black 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 places 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 place.
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, Nyla, and Helia had ventured to hunt down the laughing 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 Nyla 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 the laughing alligator beast had been an easy one with the intoxicating gas, but it had also been one of the most hilarious experiences in the land of asura.
The lake, 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 any laughing alligator beast at the surface of the lake 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 the laughing alligator beast before he ran out of time as he needed to be present at the upcoming royal banquet.
Eve's voice sounded beside Rio, hoping he would like her idea, "Partner, As you know The black-stage beasts in this area are no longer affected by the Baby's Tears Longevity plant, but you've also grown stronger since the last time you encountered them. So, I think this would be the perfect place for you to farm black-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 to compliment 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 accompanied 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 the lake, Rio summoned his silver-bloom king sword and prepared for any upcoming battle.
The boy dove into the clear water of the lake, 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 the lake was vast, and the beasts were scattered after not being affected by the intoxicating Baby's Tears Longevity plant, making it difficult for him to find them.
Rio swam tirelessly, his [Heaven's Eyes] watching every corner of the lake, 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 playing 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't come across any black-stage beasts yet.
She admired his determination and dedication to become stronger for the upcoming 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.
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 the lake, his patience and perseverance paying off. With each stroke of his arms, he swam closer and closer to the edge of the lake, thinking to kill the beast outside the lake.
His plan was simple, if he killed the beast inside the water then it would become 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 accuracy and grace, the blade 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 slash of his sword, ending the battle just as quickly as it had begun.
He stood there, victorious, The alligator beast lay 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 black-stage alligator beast, spending hours diving into the vast lake 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 welcome change. She savored each bite, joyous at the different flavors and textures.
Rio's impatience grew with each passing day as the banquet drew near. He had spent weeks hunting the black-stage alligator beasts in the vast lake, but the progress was slow.
Although it only took one slash to defeat them but the beasts he faced were all of normal tier black-stage level. This meant that the highest black 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 become one step closer to his goal.
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[SnowNote]
I thought to keep his black-stage wilderness journey short for now so brought him back to this place. Tomorrow he will return to Empress Villa.
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I'll add the important character images on the:
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
