Reborn as an Extra Chapter 537: To The Tower of Sea Gazers! Part-1.

"Rare ores from the spirit realm!? That's a fantastic suggestion! It's been decades since I last laid eyes on them!"

Adventures into the spirit realm are undertaken by few, and dungeons inspired by it remain scarce as well.

Specialties originating from the spirit realm rarely surface, which renders them immensely valuable and treasured.

"Um... I'm not sure how you tamed that unruly cube, but since you've gained control over it, handing it to you might not be such a poor choice..."

The cube hovered near Rio as Kehrid gazed at it, letting out a sigh over its newfound docility.

"Incidentally, what led your friend to wander into such a perilous location?"

In a puzzled voice, Rio shook his head before responding.

"To be honest, I'm in the dark about it myself... yet, as his close companion, I must search for him regardless..."

Though Rio lacks emotions and harbors no sense of camaraderie for others, he has mastered the art of 'acting.'

To blend in as an ordinary person, he 'performs' based on the circumstances at hand.

Right at this moment, he's pretending to be deeply troubled and anxious over Liam, yet truly, he experiences nothing whatsoever.

In order to operate smoothly and safeguard his remaining sliver of 'humanity,' Rio resorts to this 'acting,' mimicking precisely how a true friend might react here.

'Forgive me, Liam, but my efforts to assist you stem from my own self-serving motives... don't hold it against me for being unable to truly grieve your plight...'

Were Rio capable of experiencing 'sadness,' he'd grieve his own emotional void, but since he can't, pretending is his only recourse.

"Oh, and steer clear of approaching the tower of stargazers too closely; ever since Fabian perished there and a miasmic rift tore open, that zone has turned utterly unlivable..."

Though the miasmic rift got sealed later, any area tainted by miasma requires centuries to restore its life force, even following total purification.

After the demon extinction war, Astra cleansed the whole landmass, or else vast portions of the planet would still lie as desolate wastes from the thousand-year conflict's lingering effects.

"Even without any lingering miasmic taint now, it's hardly an ideal spot; lingering there too long still induces nausea in folks..."

"Well... you're an S-ranker, after all, so it probably won't bother you. Pretend I never mentioned it..."

Rio gave a nod and then inquired,

"Oh, and I was wondering if the 'Tower of Sea Gazers' remains operational? Or has it fallen into abandonment?"

Within the novel's storyline, chaos wrought by Fade led to the tower's neglect amid global upheaval and national unrest.

Only in the story's advanced phases did Fade approach the tower, by which point it had deteriorated badly.

"As I mentioned, that fool Fabian met his end... He oversaw the maintenance of that cursed tower!"

"With his death, no one's handling its upkeep anymore... I can't fathom why such an eerie structure exists at all..."

Equipped with potent telescopes, the Tower of Sea Gazers offers a sharp, unobstructed glimpse of the 'Sea of Endless Miasma.'

Yet, no one desires to behold such a sight to begin with!

A mere glance at the 'Sea of Endless Miasma' suffices to shatter a regular person's mind; weaker awakeners succumb to frenzy and rampage. A-rankers and higher alone can withstand the terror emanating from that unnatural horror.

Vast beyond measure and staggeringly enormous, the 'Sea of Miasma' sprawls across a tenth of the universe's expanse!

Its sheer immensity alone instills a profound sense of existential dread!

Besides, it ceaselessly grows, obliterating all in its path; witnessing its terrifying power to annihilate worlds in mere moments can instill fear even in SS-rankers.

The universe's demons predominantly originate from this domain.

While their solar system and galaxy boast the universe's densest mana concentrations, the 'Sea of Miasma' holds the supreme density of miasma across all existence!

Gazing upon that freakish entity mirrors peering directly into the 'abyss' core, potentially harming one's psyche and body if insufficient caution is exercised.

"Understood. I'll heed your warning..."

Kehrid's evident fear of miasma and unease discussing the tower of sea gazers didn't shock Rio much.

Whereas Rio routinely immerses in miasmic corruption like a bath, most avoid uttering 'miasma' or 'corruption,' since even invoking those terms heightens vulnerability to them.

Scholars and influential figures globally have determined that 'Miasma' possesses partial awareness; greater knowledge of it invites its reciprocal awareness and adaptation toward you.

This constitutes an inescapable, nightmarish affliction woven into the universe's fabric.

Scientists often theorize that the sea of miasma embodies the cosmos's inherent force of destruction.

By their reckoning, the sea of miasma will eventually engulf their universe entirely, leading to its total annihilation.

From the ruins, a fresh universe would emerge, perpetuating the endless cycle.

Rio, however, rejects this notion.

'Mana and miasma's existence in this realm feels contrived... portraying 'miasma' as the only antagonist disrupts the equilibrium of the world's inherent harmony...'

Kehrid's phobia of miasma held no sway over Rio; he was set on visiting the tower for a firsthand view of the sea of miasma.

"King Allen intrigues me as well; could you share more details about him?"

Rio sought deeper insights into the fabled 'chosen of heaven and world' who had vanished.

King Allen, a pinnacle SS-ranker, wielded two legendary skills alongside numerous formidable artifacts.

Backed by the planet's premier healer, 'Astra,' he was anything but ordinary!

"Haha, before my retirement, plenty of inquisitive youths approached me with that very query..."

Kehrid's lips curved into a smirk at Rio's inquiry.

"My response never varied: as a 'hero,' he commanded respect and reliability, yet as an individual, he proved exceedingly 'perilous'..."

As the cube orbited Rio, Kehrid continued speaking.

"For forging three legendary swords on his behalf, he compensated me with this peculiar artifact..."

"This illustrates his prowess in negotiation! The eccentric schemer excelled at plotting, with tactics so sharp that debating strategy against him leaves you feeling foolish..."

When Kehrid encountered King Allen, the thousand-year war neared its peak, and the king had endured centuries of existence!

His extensive lifespan had honed him into a cunning, manipulative figure.

"Even surpassing his strength, he'd be the last person you'd wish to confront..."