Reborn as an Extra Chapter 706: Maybe I should start a tea shop... Part-2.

Faced with those impassive, ebony eyes, Irvin found himself compelled to obey Rio’s command.

While many might underestimate Rio’s perilous nature, Irvin, having collaborated with him for a considerable period and personally witnessed the grisly aftermath of Rio’s victims, grasped the true extent of his danger.

There was a grim justification for why lawbreakers would rather surrender to the authorities than risk falling into Rio’s clutches.

When confronting heinous criminals, Rio exhibited no leniency; he dispensed with legal proceedings and judicial reviews entirely, employing them instead as test subjects for his personal skill-enhancement experiments!

Were it not for the fact that Rio had been bestowed the rank of lieutenant general by the nation’s SS-rank cultivators, most would readily brand him a renegade villain, one who reveled in pursuing and torturing individuals without remorse.

"A-alright, alright… I-I’ll try, I’ll do it. You shall have your map within a week; regarding the information on this girl, it will necessitate a bit more time…"

A satisfied smile bloomed on Rio’s countenance upon hearing these words.

"Now that’s the spirit! I knew you were a dependable old chap!"

"Furthermore, this is a private undertaking; ensure absolute secrecy regarding the entire arrangement. Here is your advance payment…"

With that declaration, Rio produced a skill book, its cover stained with dried blood, and presented it to Irvin.

"It’s a skill book I crafted from a rather elusive fellow… it bestows a potent water-affinity skill upon its wielder… take it."

Irvin’s gaze fell upon the dried blood adorning the book, and he accepted it with quivering hands, summoning his utmost effort to display a semblance of a smile.

"A-alright… I-I will certainly not disappoint you…"

Having received the skill book, Rio rose from his seat, placed his empty cup down, offered a parting wave, and departed, stating,

"Dispatch the details to me once your investigation is complete; I have other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave now…"

With those words, Rio exited the tavern and ascended into the sky, disappearing from view.

Skill books are typically artifacts discovered within dungeons or areas abundant with mana, coalescing from residual memories and the ambient blessings of natural mana.

Typically, the creation of skill books eludes most awakened individuals, as it constitutes an exceedingly intricate process.

To forge a skill book, one must meticulously engrave a skill in exhaustive detail, and the tome upon which this engraving is performed must be fabricated from exceptionally high-grade material to endure the potent inscription.

However, an alternative, far simpler, and highly controversial method exists for crafting skill books: the nefarious act of slaying an individual, extracting their soul, and ensconcing it within a book.

For this gruesome procedure to be successful, the book must be steeped in the deceased’s blood and flesh, thereby rendering it congruent with the soul it now contains.

This method is predominantly employed by demons and malevolent entities to manifest dark grimoires brimming with forbidden knowledge!

While such artifacts are typically the domain of demons, the revelation that Rio possessed one was profoundly unsettling and bizarre!

Even more chilling was the dawning comprehension that Rio’s casual bestowal of such an item implied an abundant supply; he likely maintained a substantial reserve within his spatial ring!

Not only had Rio fractured the souls of numerous victims through his soul-shattering technique, but he had also ingeniously repurposed their fragmented essences into skill books!

The mere contemplation of such a grim possibility sent shivers of dread down Irvin’s spine!

‘He bestowed it upon me not merely as payment, but as a stark admonition…’

Irvin gazed at the blood-drenched skill book for an extended period, lost in a bewildered stupor; his hands trembled uncontrollably from sheer terror, and his heart remained in a state of profound disquiet for a considerable duration.

Ultimately, only a solitary utterance managed to escape his lips.

"Monster…"

…

Following the presentation of the skill book to Irvin, Rio departed from the tavern and proceeded directly back towards the opulent silver mansion situated within the capital city.

‘I wonder if Lia has finally grown accustomed to her newfound abilities? Perhaps I should ask her out on a date soon?’

For the present, Rio found himself unburdened by obligations, his usual criminal-hunting duties temporarily suspended, and ample time remained before the planned expedition to the ‘Beast Archipelago’.

‘Ah, wait, I haven’t clashed with Link since we both attained S-rank status… I could perhaps engage him in a bit of fisticuffs during my leisure time!’

Though Rio had already surpassed his contemporaries in sheer power, Link remained a remarkably resilient sparring partner, capable of absorbing substantial punishment without succumbing easily, thus presenting a viable option for testing new skills.

‘His miasma resistance should have improved after reaching S-rank, but I ought to refrain from employing miasma against friendly adversaries henceforth, as my control over it is excessively potent…’

‘Likewise, soul-based abilities would prove far too destructive for a mere spar…’

Reflecting thus, Rio experienced a pang of melancholy, recognizing the swiftness with which his own prodigious strength had manifested!

If he were to engage Link in combat now, an accidental fatality might occur, rendering any sparring session inadvisable.

’If Link, Riya, Lia, Liam, Ellie… and the rest were to face me simultaneously, they might stand a chance… possibly…’

’Tch! Never mind. It wouldn't be enjoyable if I couldn't properly utilize my abilities and had to fight under such severe constraints. I might as well resume apprehending those criminal vermin to occupy my time…’

Unbeknownst to himself, Rio had developed into such a dedicated worker and battle enthusiast that his hands would ache if he went too long without a contest.

’Perhaps I should establish a tea shop much earlier than initially anticipated… I have ample time currently, so it seems prudent not to squander it…’