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 black and red stages. And with this kind of shortcut, you might just be able to defeat the black stage monarch beast without even reaching the peak of the black 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 Black 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 Black Stage. For one, it won't be able to block my entrance with you to its lair, meaning I can assist you during the trial. And secondly, the Black 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 playful 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 to communicating telepathically.
"Not convincing..." He responded.
"Ah, you see right through me," Eve giggled in response to Rio's comment, 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 place 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, laced with a mix of concern and protectiveness as she spoke, "What are you talking about? Don't play 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, coming 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 she comprehended 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...'
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 accept 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 flash 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 oncoming 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 explain, but he felt it nonetheless. Before he could even begin to comprehend 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 a completely 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 more complete picture of the story and the character.
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
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