When Sylvester heard the words that came out of Rio's mouth, he was slightly startled but his head was down masking his expression.
'What do you get in return? Is he serious? I am his older brother, so why would I need to give him something for him to help me, doesn't he feel sympathy, my coming here for help was already embarrassing, why do I need to be subservient to even my little brother? Aren't the heavens cruel?' Sylvester internally scoffed at his last question; his pathetic expression at the beginning changed to a twisted one then to a relaxed expression, as if he let all the burden on his shoulders drop.
"Lil Rio, don't you think you're going a bit too far, it's me, your elder brother, I don't have anything worth value, it's all been either taken or sold, how could you abandon your elder brother in a time of need," Sylvester said as he got up from the seat and kneeled, slightly raising his tone, not enough for it to be called a shout but loud enough for a sizeable sum of people to glance at their direction
'He is pressuring me using the public eye to lend him a hand, if I don't people would look at me as a person that doesn't even look after his own, and would steer away from me' Rio looking at Sylvester's shameless face already knowing what he was thinking
'If I am embarrassing myself, let me go all the way, if I can't clear this debt, life will be hell from now on, I have to grasp this chance, now everyone's attention is on us, especially whilst he's the birthday boy, he will have to help me to seem pleasant in the eyes of the public, everyone cares about reputation, but since mine is gone, there's nothing for me to be ashamed of any more' Sylvester thought putting on a saddening expression
'Going for my reputation, this is complicated' Rio furrowed his eyebrows, Sylvester caught this and a slight smile started appearing on his face whilst was internally excited envisioning his debt being cleared but suddenly like a cold bucket of water poured on him, he snapped out of it when seeing the new expression on Rio.
'Is he…smiling?' the slight smile froze on Sylvester's face.
Rio stood up from his seat and crouched, he directly looked into Sylvester's red eyes and said in a calm almost gentle manner "Here is home to you, I merely taking up temporary asylum in this place, you think I care about reputation in a place as lousy as this, this isn't even the best institute in the Santos Empire, everyone here is merely dead people walking in my eyes" although no pressure came from Rio, as Sylvester looked in Rio's violet eyes that suddenly became more radiant, it was as if he was trapped, stuck in a dream world, all alone, with no escape and the words that were spoken was a heavenly declaration
Sweat started forming on Sylvester's forehead, opening, and closing his mouth, with nothing coming out before he could come back to his sanity Rio had already walked away.
'What was that? I…felt so trapped, so helpless, so…weak' although fear was still apparent on his face, anger could also be seen. 'Am I going to stay like this forever? NO, this is a simple trial that I have to face, if I can't take control, I will be controlled' a realization clicked into Sylvester's mind
'What was that?' Rio thought he closed his eyes and tried to remember the feeling he just had, it was a feeling of utter domination, it was the one time he showed his feelings and it felt empowering, he felt that Sylvester was nothing but an ant at that moment and when he saw Sylvester filled with fear even though he wasn't exuding pressure, he knew it wasn't something only internal, but the feeling was gone before he could really grasp onto it.
But Rio knew one thing, he could probably replicate it, at the time he was thinking of how someone so weak could try to threaten him regardless directly or indirectly by using the public eye, so this thing is probably used when Rio is in a domineering situation
As the crowd saw the confusing sight of Rio crouching, speaking a few words leaving Sylvester's face pale, and walking away, some raised an eyebrow in curiosity
"What could he have said to get the other guy's face so pale".
"Man, it's best not to get involved, it seems like a family dispute".
"Doesn't seem like he'll be helping Sylvester with the debt".
After a little chatting and glances everybody went back to their own discussions not giving Sylvester any attention as he got up and left the manor in a dejected yet resolved state
After the sky turned dark, everybody started to leave wishing Rio happy birthday and some complimenting his party even though he didn't really do anything.
A couple stayed behind to help clean up like Luke and some other people Luke asked to help, after they finished and went away, Rio sighed in relief, thought they were going to keep partying until tomorrow, at this time it was around midnight, but Rio didn't feel exhausted due to his physique and cultivation
Rio went to bed regardless since rest is always essential irrespective of if you're tired or not, Rio went upstairs to his room and laid on his bed, this must be the second favorite thing he loved about this place, apart from cultivating in a place dense with mana.
'It was a good idea coming back, I wouldn't have grown this fast and safely outside' he thought before drowning himself in a deep and comfortable sleep.
The next day he felt fully rested and started cultivating, however, there was something different from the usual times he cultivates, a strange sense of energy was being exuded from his body…no, not from his body but from somewhere near his body, after searching around, he didn't find anything suspicious
He looked at his spatial ring and gave it a shot, he went to a corner and dropped everything, contained in it, luckily there were no Beast corpses since he sold all that beforehand, after paying attention to the different herbs, potions, spirit stones, and clothes he hands In his space, his eyes came across one thing and he instantly became cautious, because this thing was none other than the amulet of the Damned Kannur, thin shreds of black and red slowly started coming out from the amulet
Although Rio was on high alert and even prepared to run for it, a strange connection was felt from within him, it was strange but it was as if it was calling to him, his cautiously unconsciously settled as he took one step after another towards the amulet, soon he was standing right over it, and crouched to pick it up, no danger warning, not cautiousness, just pure temptation filled Rio's entire body
It was as if picking up this amulet will grant him an opportunity he could capitalize on and speed up the process to his true goal…his true goal, the temptation of the one thing Rio wants, is right in front of him, accessible with only a touch
Suddenly, his hair rose up and chills were sent throughout his body, waking him up from a half-awake condition, but it was too late, his hands were already holding onto the amulet.