Reborn as an Extra Chapter 573: The Grand Seal Of The Final Gamble. Part-3.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
"Sure, the notion of devouring other souls might come across as something straight out of a demon's playbook... but it's hardly a terrible plan... it serves as an excellent way to repurpose these pointless monsters that are just enduring agony by merely being alive..."
"At the very least, I can channel their soul energy into something more worthwhile... hold on... why am I chattering away to myself like this? Ugh... lingering in the spirit realm for such an extended period has gotten me into this habit of self-talk..."
Gliding ahead at a leisurely yet consistent pace, Rio shook his head and muttered to himself yet again.
"I absolutely cannot let this habit slip out in the outside world, or it'll freak Lia out..."
Just a few more days, and it would mark three full months since Rio had stepped into the spirit realm.
He'd spent such a prolonged stretch in this nightmarish domain that the gloomy, moist surroundings were beginning to seem almost appealing to him.
’I truly ought not to remain here any longer... I'm genuinely starting to appreciate this spot deep down...’
In contrast to the external world, where Rio constantly had to hold back, remain on guard, and deal with severe repercussions for wielding miasma or stepping out of bounds.
This realm stood as a true haven for him.
Miasma held no threat to him; he could dwell here indefinitely if he chose, and the greatest advantage was his ability to practice without end!
He could relentlessly hone his abilities and test them out freely, free from the fear of drawing the attention of those watchful SS-rankers monitoring the globe.
Moreover, he could employ the local monsters as guinea pigs for his experiments, with nobody around to interfere.
The spirit realm functioned as a custom-fitted practice arena for Rio, as though it had been crafted specifically for his benefit from the start!
’This location is far too tempting... yet I must leave... Lia awaits me at home...’
The sole factor enabling Rio to fend off the allure of this wondrous domain and maintain his restraint was the recurring image of a certain blonde-haired young woman in his thoughts.
’Sigh... even amidst this infernal pit, you manage to tether me to my human side... you truly stand as the supreme gift in my existence... Lia...’
Without Lia's presence to bolster him, Rio would lack any incentive to head back to the human empire; he might simply forsake the world, forsake it all, and hole up here in this secluded territory beyond prying eyes.
He could distance himself from the chains of mortal society, cultivate his powers, and thrive in bliss without any meddling from outside forces.
No concerns over the looming planetary doom, no fretting about demonic incursions or mighty foes, and no obligation to rescue anyone.
Rio could exist here unburdened by cares or duties.
’Reflecting on this... I realize my intense efforts and drive to grow stem from the serene, joyful existence I crave... one that includes you by my side, Lia...’
’Were my sole aim a straightforward tranquil life, I could linger here eternally... but my greed extends further... I suppose I remained somewhat unclear on the true nature of my ’Path’...’
’Yet now, it comes into sharper focus for me...’
"Haha... so you're on board with me too, huh?..."
Those abrupt notifications startled Rio, pulling him from his reverie as a joyful expression lit up his features.
Isolated in this shadowy, torturous expanse, Rio had come to grasp just how fragile the boundary was between retaining one's humanity and slipping into utter detachment.
With abundant solitude, he delved deeper into self-awareness and his very being, pondering his essence and the world encircling him.
’I suppose that's why they dub this the ’Spirit Realm’—a domain where one can uncover any spirit sought... including one's innermost self...’
Across the globe, every awakener yearned for a profounder bond and insight into their ’Path.’
Rio had uncovered that enduring the trials of the spirit realm turned it into the premier spot worldwide for forging stronger ties to one's ’self’ and ’path.’
’I'll come back here for more training down the line, but I won't leave Lia hanging any longer...’
Initially, Rio had planned to wrap up his task in a single month before hurrying back.
Yet the spirit realm's vastness and treacherous paths kept extending his timeline repeatedly.
Though time slipped away and Rio fretted over potentially irking Lia, he hadn't squandered even a moment within the spirit realm.
From this grueling three-month ordeal, he'd reaped immense benefits, now able to declare with assurance that he could eradicate entire nations in one strike.
While he couldn't yet unleash the cataclysmic destruction of SS-rankers, Rio was steadily closing the gap, advancing toward their prowess bit by bit!
’The conclusion of this quest draws near as well...’
Miasma currents surged so fiercely around him that Rio employed his control over it to redirect the flows, allowing his forward flight.
The miasma's thickness blanketed the terrain below with layers hundreds of meters deep, solidified and unyielding, while miasma streams thick as rivers branched out everywhere.
Dense miasmic haze saturated the atmosphere, and miasma precipitation fell ceaselessly from above.
This ranked among the most harrowing environments Rio had encountered; miasma dominated so utterly that spacetime itself fractured across the landscape.
The world's ’laws’ were subdued to their minimal potency, and the repelling force assailing Rio felt like endless barrages of colossal tidal surges, intent on hurling him aside.
Visibility stretched to zero ahead, yet Rio pressed on without hesitation, his resolve unbroken.
Having journeyed this far, retreat was out of the question, and his perseverance paid off.
The fierce battle against the miasmic torrents dragged on for days, but Rio ultimately penetrated to the heart of the phenomenon.
Before him sprawled countless spatial rifts, expelling vast quantities of miasma outward, forming a colossal shield of fissures that barred all access.
It resembled a multitude of wormholes ripped open, drawing forth fluid miasma straight from the sea of miasma!
From there, the miasma dispersed widely, tainting the spirit realm from its core outward!
’Does this represent the gateway into the Sea of Miasma?’
Rio felt certain this was his sought-after endpoint, probably the very site King Allen had once exploited to access the Sea of Miasma.
It served as the stage for the ultimate wager by this universe's mightiest entity.