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 successfully 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 plan 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 protective layer, preserving its soothing and relaxing 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.
According 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.
>>>>
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 playful 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 explained with a playful 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.
"Similar to my ability to communicate 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 to communicate across long distances like I can, since my wondrous forest realm connects me to different places.
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 explained.
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 playful 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 replacement, 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 glance before consuming the fruit.
