Rio nodded, contemplating whether to leave immediately. Though he wanted to spend time with Lia, the thought of Layla 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 Layla to you," Lia playfully declared, 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 slaughter Layla'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 Layla's safety, he wanted to handle the situation without jeopardizing his search for answers, if possible.
As Lia encouraged Rio to leave for Layla, 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 accompany 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 Island into a frozen wasteland. 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 Layla, 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 Villa, he made his way to the teleporter tower to acquire a [Teleport Glyph] for Silver Island, which was under the Asura's control but also the closest location to Haven Island.
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 Island.
With Silver Island behind him, Rio's feet beat against the ground as he raced northward for hours on end.
As he reached the edge of the island, the sight of a bridge emerged before him, indicating the arrival of Haven Island.
Pausing for a moment, he filled his lungs with a deep, steadying breath, and then surged forward with renewed resolve.
"Layla, I'm coming for you," he whispered under his breath.
He knew that in the landscape that lay ahead, he might come face-to-face with numerous shelters under the Havenglow family's control. But nothing would stop him from finding Layla and bringing her back with him.
Haven Island, a vast expanse of corrupted land, was entirely under the Havenglow family's control. The island 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 island, one under Aliyah's command and the other under her father's.
Rio's destination was the shelter where Layla was believed to be, a red-stage headquarters of Havenglow's family.
Traveling at breakneck speed, he bypassed other shelters, focusing solely on delving deeper into Haven Island. As he ventured further, he noticed the beasts becoming 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.
The landscape 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 in comparison 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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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow
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